Halloween

Here are a few pictures of family here in Chicago. Looks like Ruth and Titus did a great job on carving their pumpkins. (Sorry the picture of my nephew is blurry but he was just so cute I wanted to put it on anyway.)

The Windy City

Everything went well for me and I am now in the Windy City. Although, I do have to say it was pretty cold and windy in Buffalo. It was a welcome surprise that it isn't as chilly here. (I might even be able to go for some walks without freezing.)

Airport Run

I will be taking off shortly for Buffalo to go and help out my parents in Chicago. I have to finish packing and then run to the chiropractor and then I will be off. I'd appreciate your prayers for the trip as we have had a bit of snow this morning and they are calling for more. Flying happens to be the number three thing on my list of things I hate doing. It's good to confront these things all in a few days right! I have put some baking in the freezer for Vern and the kids, but I know they would appreciate your prayers as we have a busy household with everyone on the run.

Check-Up

I am sure we all have a list of the things we hate doing. I have a top four list and one of them is going to the dentist. I had a bad experience when I was in third grade and since then I have had several other painful experiences while sitting in the dentist's chair. This summer I was having a lot of pain and I finally decided to make an appointment. It was an especially busy time of the year for the dental office so I had to wait five weeks for them to work me in to see the dentist. As I was driving to the dental office I felt that my heart beating a bit faster just thinking of the FUN that lay ahead of me. Then as I walked in the dental office I took in that WONDERFUL dentist office smell. (gross) After the x-rays and exam, I unfortunately heard the words I hoped never to hear in my life being flashed before my ears ... ROOT CANAL! I think I am still in a bit of shock, partly from the up coming cost, but also with all the pain that could possibly come along with the whole process. The dentist figured that if I would have come in five weeks ago I probably would have been put on antibiotics but hopefully things have settled down a bit and I can avoid that. I also have another tooth that they said needed to be fixed soon or it would also need a root canal. (sigh) Knowing my spirits were a little low this afternoon in anticipation of all the drilling, and dental visits ahead Ruth surprised me with a plant that had a smiley balloon in it. And it did make me smile when she brought it home.

A Taste Of Venezuela

Our family loves eating empanadas. It is something that we were introduced to in Venezuela. There is one important ingredient however, that we had run out of. It is a white corn meal that you can't get in any of the stores around here. Therefore while we were in Chicago I made a point to go to a grocery store that carries a lot of South American food items. Although it was a different brand then what I was used to it did end up tasting the same. Since we were really feeling like a bit of home we also bought a drink called "Malta". It is something that is a common drink in Venezuela. It is kind of like a pop but not really. We should have put some Venezuelan music on, turned the heat way up, and we would have really felt like we were back in Venezuela.

Fighting Back

There are all sort of bugs that have been going around here on the campus. A couple of weeks ago Ruth came down with a really bad cold and now Titus is coughing like crazy. I have felt something coming on for a little while. I don't usually get caught up with trying the latest things out there for colds. I never take cold medicine as it makes my heart race. I have however become a strong believer in taking Ester C. I just recently heard of several people who claim that Oil of Oregano zaps a cold fast. So for the last week I have been taking both of them several times a day. I don't know if I am convinced that they are working but I do know my cold has not developed like Titus'. It takes a strong person to stick with the Oil of Oregano. You put these drops under your tongue and each time I do it I shiver afterwards as it leaves the worst taste in your mouth. (It makes my feel like I just drank "Lemon Pledge Furniture Polish". Gross!) But since I wanted to give it an honest try I am sticking with it a couple times a day for another week to see it I can kick this thing. The next time you feel yourself getting a cold you can give it a try and see if it helps. If nothing else it will be an experience you will remember for a LONG TIME.

Dickies Discount

Zachary works for a clothing company and once a year they have an awesome sale which is 40% off of everything. Therefore after work we all headed to the factory outlet to check out the sale. Dickies is famous for all the work clothes they make, however they do carry all sorts of clothing that is not work related. Caleb and Seth were able to get themselves some warmer work clothes since it is really getting chilly. The rest got a few good buys as well.

Photo Shoot

This afternoon all of us ladies in the training enjoyed a ladies day out. We were split up into four vans and off we went to a town about 45 minutes away. At the start of the afternoon we were given a list of things were were supposed to get pictures of. The whole team was supposed to be in the picture along with the kitchen utensil that we bought along. It was very chilly out there today but we had a great time and we enjoyed a lot of laughs together. Our van had supper at Wendy's and then we headed back to the camp to watch all the pictures while we ate dessert.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

I was just thinking how we might actually make it through Oct. without any snow. However, this morning when we woke up, it was snowing. It melted pretty much as soon as it touched the ground but nevertheless it was snow. Groan! I am not ready for winter!

Bundled Up

Yesterday very well could have been our last motor bike ride of the season as we are experiencing some chilly weather. (At this time of the year we know winter is not far away.) It was a clear afternoon but since it was only 56 degrees, and with the wind chill factor on the bike, BRRRR. It almost felt like a snow mobile ride. I came home and made myself a pot of tea to get the chill out of the bones.

Summer Sausage

For the last three and a half days I have been working on making some home made summer sausage. Although we enjoy ordering deli meat from Ruth at her deli, it is very expensive and so we rarely eat deli meat. However, I have a great recipe for making summer sausage. If you wait until hamburger is on sale, it is very reasonable to make. It is however a three to four day process. I mix the spices into the hamburger and then put it in the fridge. Every day for the next three days I take out the meat and knead it and then put in back in the fridge. Then I form them into rolls and bake them on a low temperature for 8-10 hours. We love the way the summer sausage turns out. On a fresh bun, it makes for a great lunch.

It's A Girl

We are quite excited for our friends and coworkers who had a baby girl last week. Briella is an answer to prayer. She is an adorable little baby and such a blessing from the Lord. Congratulations Craig, Marilyn, & Conner!

For A Limited Time Only

Fall is my favorite season. I really missed seeing all the beautiful fall colors when we were in Venezuela. Unfortunately it is "For a Limited Time Only". While I was out taking pictures of the fall colors, leaves were falling from the trees every few minutes. They are calling for flurries at the beginning of next week so next week I could be posting pictures of bare trees and snow. So even though this is just "For A Limited Time Only", we are enjoying it to the fullest.

Do Not Eat Your Ballet

Today is election day in Canada. While we were driving yesterday we were listening to the news on the up coming election. One thing the news reporter was reminding us is that it is illegal to eat your ballot. I thought the guy was a bit crazy but he said you can even find recipes on line on: "How to Eat Your Ballot", but BEWARE, DO NOT EAT YOUR BALLOT. It still seemed like a bit of a bazaar story. However, I did look it up today and there were indeed people that went to the polling stations and ate their ballots. They were facing up to five years in jail or a $5,000 fine. I personally can not understanding anyone wasting their vote in this way. I sure hope all you Canadians out there have enjoyed going out and voting. It is a great privilege we enjoy as a free country to elect our leaders.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

For all of you who are not Canadians, today was Canadian Thanksgiving. We were on the road most of the day so there was no turkey dinner for us. However, we did celebrate by stopping off at TGI Frisday's for lunch. Usually we eat at the golden arches, so it was a special treat. The waitress asked us if we were celebrating anything special. I told her that we were celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving. She is actually Canadian and totally forgot it was Thanksgiving. She said her mother would be upset with her for forgetting. Instead of pumpkin pie we had our dessert several hours later at DQ. Since Ruth always enjoys something salty she opted for fries instead. It was a good weekend and Thanksgiving. We are now looking forward to a good nights sleep.

Showers of Blessings

This is an exciting time in our lives as we await the arrival of our first grandchild. Kristina is a radiant mother-to-be and this morning the ladies in the Schroeder family along with some friends gathered to shower her with baby gifts in expectation of this new little one. (It was a special treat that one of Kristina's friends from MI. was able to come.) Caleb and Kristina have desired to be parents for awhile and it is such a joy to see God giving them the desire of their heart. They received a lot of beautiful gifts. Allison, thanks so much for all your hard work in throwing the shower, it was wonderful! And thanks to all the other Schroeder ladies who also helped in making it a very special day.