A busy winter weekend stuffed with meals and fellowship

It is a foggy Monday morning, however the solar is peeking via. It appears like will probably be one other good sunny day. We have been having spring-like days with temperatures within the 50s. I’m certain winter isn’t over for us but, however we are going to take pleasure in today whereas they final. After all the chilly and snow now we have had, it does give an individual “Spring fever”!

With the snow melting and the bottom nonetheless frozen it makes much more mud round right here. Our floor is sandy and that sticks to footwear and will get dragged into the home. Although footwear might be taken off on the door, it’s laborious for these relying on mobility scooters.

Their wheels decide up sand or mud and it’s tougher to maintain their wheels from dragging in grime. We have vinyl flooring so it is fairly straightforward to scrub up. I made a decision to attend to do my weekly cleansing till as we speak after I wash the laundry. With a whole lot of exercise round right here this weekend I feel the flooring would have needed to be cleaned once more as we speak anyway.

Just a few ladies are bringing in espresso break tomorrow morning for daughters Verena, Loretta, Lovina, and I. This approach all the pieces might be cleaner. Daughter Verena has been very sick for over per week. She lastly went to the physician on Friday and came upon it was bronchitis. The antibiotics appear to be serving to, and she or he is on the street to restoration.

Yesterday our church service was held at our neighbors. It was baptismal companies for 2 younger souls that accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. What a blessing!

Of course, there have been a whole lot of guests in honor of their baptism. The huge pole barn was crammed to capability. Even although some left earlier than lunch there have been nonetheless 17 tables of people who have been served lunch. It was an excellent church lunch consisting of home made wheat and white bread, ham, cheese, pickles, purple beets, scorching peppers, peanut butter unfold, strawberry jam, butter, espresso, tea, and a wide range of cookies.

I made cookies that have been handed round to the younger kids throughout the service. Since Valentine’s Day was the day earlier than I made coronary heart formed cookies with pink frosting on them. I used to be holding Loretta and Dustin’s little one-year-old Kylie when the cookies, crackers, and pretzels have been handed out throughout the service. Kylie took her little fingers and picked off the frosting. Haha! Two-year-old Byron might see the cookies from the place we have been seated, and he stored asking for a cookie. When he lastly noticed the snack container getting handed round, he was all smiles and he lastly had his cookie.

Friday evening was our as soon as a month “Family Night.” It was held by daughter Lovina and Daniel. I was supposed to take a casserole but decided to take mashed potatoes and gravy instead. Daughter Elizabeth and Tim were asked to bring the meat or sandwiches. They brought meatballs which went well with mashed potatoes and gravy. It takes ten pounds of potatoes for our family to make mashed potatoes. It is nice when all the food is already prepared and we can just sit around and visit.

There were many different games being played including Rook, Sorry, Aggravation, Phase 10 and Marble Chase. Marble Chase is a cross between Sorry and Aggravation. It’s played on a homemade board and uses marbles and cards instead of dice. There was lots of laughter and a little family friendly rivalry. Daughter Elizabeth brought a cake for Andrea and had her blow out candles. She turned four on Feb. 14.

Granddaughter Abigail was a happy and excited girl when she saw the books that were sent to her from many kind readers. She didn’t expect it at all. She wants to thank everyone personally if she has the address. If not, then she says thank you to everyone. She received several sets of Boxcar Children books which she will share with her siblings and cousins. She also received a set of Little House on the Prairie and a set of Anne of Green Gables. How thoughtful of you all.

God’s blessings!

HAMBURGER VEGETABLE SOUP1 pound ground beef1 cup chopped onions3 cloves garlic, minced2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced1 cup carrots, peeled and diced1 cup diced or shredded cabbage1 cup diced celery1/4 cup rice or barley1 cup tomato or V8 juice4 cups water4 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon dried basil (1 tablespoon fresh basil can be substituted)1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (1-1/2 teaspoon fresh can be substituted)Fry hamburger with onions and garlic until no longer pink; drain fat. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for one hour. Serves 6.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, “The Cherished Table,” “The Essential Amish Cookbook,” and “Amish Family Recipes,” are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, P.O. Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email questionsforlovina@gmail.com and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.