A memerable weekend

There was fun to be had Friday when a little buddy came to spend the night. There was glee and delight to find the big fort in the dining room all full of stuffed critters and blankets.

They were all very tired the next morn. But with the energy of a child found my wagon a great toy. Loading up stuffed critters and rocks made way up and down the side walk out front.

In came Dove in a panic with a dove. "mom I know best things wild best left wild, but it needs your help!" We tried to see if it was choking but it was not and by and by we had her let it go. It sat on my car a while and them flew up to the roof. We have a lot of wild life here because we make a place for them. The kids know that it is wise to let them be. This time it is the lesson of passage with dignity that was taught well to Dove over the dove.

We had a family meeting to cover the calendar of events to come before the next camp trip, the first of the summer. We showed them that 4 trips total. Two longer trips and two shorter trips. In order to Pull it off what needed to be done. We opened up for every ones opinion. The kids were made to matter and pulled out to get them to give ideas of what they would like to see and or not have . One trip they can bring a kid with, and the next trip the other kid could choose a friend to come. We only have one open seat in the truck to take a kid. So now we can set arrangements, invitations, ask for help with the animals while we are gone. We will all have our ideas matter, for this is FAMILY vacation. FAMILY opinions matter. In budget we have set aside gas budget and used the vacation budget to get new sleeping bags for each of us this weekend. We also got chairs for every one has broken except one. It is time. The bags we were using were 25+yrs old and showed it.

Speaking of showing wear the canopy cover zipper gave out last year and we just made it home on the freeway with it like this. It was un nerving.

So we went to a place called Tempe Sales. For $70 I was able to get the marine vinyl and the zipper, pulls and thread to sew this up

The old one had to be disassembled a big dusty job!

I started this on Saturday and by Monday night had it to a good point.

I was able to sew it on the pfaff tank up until the last part. The machine just can not do the rubber to the vinyl

After a hard lesson learned it was discoverd that a size 20 was way too much!

So a 14 leather needle (they have swords for edges) and regular polyester thread. 

Four passes and then a top stitch for the zipper to be in place and strong!

repeated to the other half.

After final top stitch it is a strong hold and I was to tired to continue...

So a splurge of macoroni and cheese, while it baked a garden raid. Look at what I found!

Rather had fun at it too.

The cheese gave me a bit of a hard time but after recently learning it was not an "allergy" but a sensitivity I relaxed a bit in it's use. Almost 50 years old and I just made it for the first time. Using soy milk bad it alright. I am not to use any milk that is close to the base (milk) buy use hard cheese and the like. No cottage or soft cheese. OH it was so good with the fresh veggies.

We like our veggies raw.

due to the challenges of this thing!

Sleep is still unfriendly. 

I awake choking and pull it off in my sleep. We are still tinkering. I wonder if the cheese may cause too much drainage and that might be causing the choking. 

Now non the less last night an utter frenzy of exasperation all but sent me over the edge!

Steve and I came out to children who were wide awake and activly wantintg to be independant and cook for themself. 

Sounds wonderful and terrifying in one breath.

We were doing budget review so we are both just right on track of where we set.

Wow that is soo good to be on the same page. No bad guy saying NO sorry can't do it or have it.

We are staying debt free baby!

Showed the kids basic budgeting and the thing that happened was so cool.

It was so cool Friday, I brought the kids in and reviewed what keeping a budget was all about. At one point Dove said"what! no cloths money to get new clothes. " I showed her that after school begins she will have some . To that I told them if there is something your wanting you'll need to ask God about making a way.
The very day two hours later a girl friend called. She wanted to know if she could stop by the house because her daughter had gone through her closet and had somethings to pass over to Dove if she wanted them....perfect witness and timing for my kid to have. Cute things too. Two boxes of things in nice condition.

cheesy eggs 10 cent a sample so Steve and I each had a plate. They were so good!

So Steve and I are working and Dove wants to bake a cake....After a bit of being nosed into the affair, I stepped back. She did it she made a cake. This is at days end how I found it.

Well the canopy cover called us into the garage for Steve had to hold all 12 feet of this while we ran it threw the machine three times. The last of the job is by hand. That 12 foot length of rubber to be sewn on by hand! YEP by hand.

Steve used the drill press and pierced the rubber for me and the pliers get needle all the way threw

Long hard job for me to get done this week.

A new canopy would start at $300. not near the canopy quality we have, well especially now.

We had a pizza splurge for supper.

It was our big splurge for the memorable weekend.

As I tired as a stone showered my darling caught us up on the dishes.

And sew I sew 

The rubber onto the canopy