This has been an up and down week. We had company on Sunday and I made Pupusas. I also made two pans of blonde brownies with chocolate chips. It was a nice day and we had a really nice afternoon.
About 3:00 am, I woke up with severe cramping. It did not stop and I ended up in the bathroom lying on the floor and it went from bad to worse. The pain was so bad it was like being in the last stages of labor.
Then waves of nausea hit me. I broke out in sweat, and the pain and the nausea continued for several hours, but thankfully, I never threw up. I did have diarrhea though, and did not go to work for the next three days.
At first, I thought I was having a gall bladder attack as I have occasional stones that I have to pass (usually, only when I have been bad and eaten too much grease).
I decided in the end that it was a stomach virus as some of the children were not feeling well later in the week, although none of them had the severe pain that I did.
On Monday, I slept in and then watched TV all day. Talk about boring. After your third movie you feel as though your body has gained 30 years and you are stiff and awkward.
I was made to work. When you accomplish something in your day, you always feel so much better. So on Tuesday, with no pain, but not ready to leave the house, I started tiling some of the sections that needed to be done.
When we added on to the house several years ago, we put carpet in Mom’s section. However, we left the entrances plain and have never finished them. I started the task.
It took me four hours just to gather up everything and then I had to buy a new pump and blade for the tile (wet) saw. While at Home depot, the guy tried to convince me to buy a cheaper blade, but I had already looked on line and found what I wanted.
When I got home and started cutting the tile, I was so glad I had purchased the better blade. I was cutting 24” porcelain tile and it is super hard. The blade cut through it like butter (ha) but it did a nice job, while the old blade was making nicks. The new blade was well worth the $45 I paid for it. It even cut glass tile really smooth.
By Thursday afternoon, I had most of the tile cut and glued down. But as we were going to Manhattan, Kansas to see Benjamin for his birthday, I had to stop and get ready for the trip.
We had invited 3 of our nieces and nephews to go with us and so I realized that we would have 9 people in the Suburban and we no longer had our small trailer to haul the luggage.
I spent all day Friday, looking for a trailer on Craigslist. Then taking the trailer to make sure it was ready for trips. I had to go to several paces to get everything and to have it all ready. Then home to get everyone packed and ready to go.
Fito came home from work and we still weren’t ready to go. At times like that, I often think, “Why do we go on trips? It isn’t worth it!”
But then we go and it is always great (although, there are occasional moments…) and I am glad we went.
We got on the road by 6:45 and made it to Manhattan by around 11:00 pm. I thought it was going to be 5 hours, but we only took about 4 hours to get there and to come home.
The hotel had an indoor pool that was a good size, so that is what everyone wanted to do on Saturday and play games. We had a nice visit, saw Ben again on Sunday, then came home. Unpacked and put things away.
Sunday and Monday, the children and the cousins made videos outside and played games. While outside (which was absolutely perfect- weather wise), they made these pirate videos.
You can see the video on my Facebook page at
They show our backyard, the lake, the dock, and gazebo and how much fun the children have just playing outside and being with family.
Children need to play outside. Adults need to play and work outside. I think a big problem with our society is simply that we are not outside enough, or when we are it is in crowded, man-made areas and we do not spend enough time outside in areas where we can ponder on the creations and the beauty of the earth that God made for us.
The rest of this week has been spent grouting the tile and cleaning the house as we have a family reunion at our house on Saturday.
I made a super large batch of beans to use for the reunion. (I will can what we don’t eat). I also made 21 loaves of apple, pineapple, and coconut bread.
Then on Friday, I will make enchiladas. I only cooked three times this week as I was busy tiling. (When I get busy with a major project…I let other things go).
I cooked a ham one night so we could have leftover ham for sandwiches if needed. I also made rice one night and chicken. The rice was from India and was extra-long. I mean it was really long rice. I think Fito bought it, but I do not know where. I would not buy it again as it took longer to cook and I had to add extra seasonings as the rice has a stronger smell to it.
It did come out good and everyone ate it, and the chicken was really simple. I just took two bags of frozen chicken legs and cooked them in some water and dehydrated onion until they were soft. Then I added two cans of Cream of Mushroom soup, one package of Sazon Goya (yellow), then a little garlic, salt, and pepper.
We ate the chicken and rice together and the soup made a gravy that we put on the rice.
The third meal was just cutting some of the ham up, frying it, and then making scrambled eggs. We had that with toast.
I also have been trying to finish weeding the gardens, doing a little in the mornings (I count that as my exercise?!?). I am almost done and then the house will be perfect for the reunion.
Everyone have a perfect memorial weekend and may God Bless You as you remember departed loved ones this weekend. Remember they are just on the other side of the veil and we will soon be with them and no more tears will be shed.
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