I felt like writing an email to some friends about recent happenings. I did have this niggling thought in the back of my mind that I should maybe do a blog post, so I’ll combine two ideas. We’ve had a beautiful autumn thus far. The other day, Daddy and I were going to pick up the van at the tire shop and I told him that I had thought that nice autumns only happened in the east but I realized differently this year. The trees have been extraordinarily beautiful this year. True, we don’t have much reds and dark oranges but the shades of yellow are very beautiful as well. We have minus temperatures almost every night these days but it hasn’t been enough to take away the beauty of our harvest flowers. They are just full of flowers. It is very nice. Personally, I’m ready for snow but I know a lot of people aren’t for it yet. For Daddy and his brothers, there’s still a lot of cement to be poured before the snow flies.

School and Piano Lessons are keeping us busy as usual. Joshua and I go to Medicine Hat for piano lessons every week. We are taking lessons in the Cultural Centre on the College grounds and it has proved challenging. I was used to a light workload with lots of praise. This has turned out to be quite the opposite. I enjoy it though because I was ready (or I thought I was) for more intensity.

Yesterday, Samuel and Jonathan came along as well. Samuel’s long-awaited glasses were ready so he got to go along to pick those up. I always  enjoy spending time with my cousins even if they are boys. Never having had a close girl friend nearby until recently, I developed a very close relationship with them. I do have my driver’s license now but they still gladly take me along to youth functions.This week we had a tea party at our house with our aunts and cousins in honour of Tante Janice’s birthday. It was an enjoyable time. It has become a tradition to have tea parties for the ladies’ birthdays. Since we are all home-schoolers, we enjoy something ‘out-of-routine’ every once in a while.

I can hardly believe that I’m in my second-to-last year of school. I guess 10th grade must have seemed long because I keep on thinking I have two more years to finish everything. I enjoy school and I start wondering what I will do once I’m done. This doesn’t last long though because I know between Mama and Daddy, I’ll be kept busy. Mama doesn’t oficially teach me anymore but I couldn’t homeschool without her support and encouragement. Not to mention the hours of housework she does so that I can keep on doing school. Don’t you think Moms should get a diploma of devotion at the same time as we get our diploma of graduation? (Not that their job is in any way done then. 🙂 )

We have started a three-times-a-week exercise routine. I need a physical ed credit for my diploma and so Mama and the children joined me. We’re hot and tired once we’re done but I think it’s worth it. If you ever want to see how ‘unfit’ you are, just try a few exercises. We started at beginner level and it’s sure a stretch.

The weekend before last, we went to Great Falls on a shopping trip. We enjoy going there a few times a year to do our monthly shopping. Even if the prices are lower, we don’t save because we stay the night, etc. We do take advantage of the lower prices by buying four carts of groceries. After we’re done in Sam’s, we’re really done.

As I write, I hear some children working in the garage. Samuel is really enjoying the jigsaw Daddy brought from the shop the other day and he’s turning out to be a good builder. The other day, Daddy helped him build a nice birdhouse. I heard rumours of Edgar cleaning out the bunnies’ hutch. Our bunnies are interesting creatures. For one thing, they bite, which makes it unpleasant for us to really handle them. And they’re also really messy.

I think the girls are reading and Mama is taking a nap. Daddy has been working since yesterday morning so we are all looking forward to him coming home today. He’s been in the office for quite a while again so we really miss him if he works a few days.

Daddy started renovating our basement and he was hoping to work on it tomorrow again. The exterior wall in the bathroom is almost stripped and ready for the insulators. It all started with a leaky faucet. Daddy was going to replace it and then he realized that the drywall behind there was all soggy. One thing led to the next until we decided to do a full-fledged reno.

Mine and Elfrieda’s room is next. That means moving into the family room. Our basement is always cold due to poor insulation. We’re hoping to spray out our exterior walls and floor joists and hopefully that solves the problem. Our room also had mold in it which is why we get to be first. I know it’ll be a long process but I’m looking forward to new drywall, new flooring, and new drop-ceiling.

As you can probably tell, we enjoy life. True, there’s thorns as well as roses but the roses are the ones we remember anyway. And they are the ones I’m telling you about.

To God be the Glory, Great things He hath done.

                                                                             Yesenia