saturday continued....

For those of you that know i am writing a book
about our journey with the MCC Mobile Meat Canner
you can see the book i am working on laying there
on the table.... trying to work at it while baking!!!!
notice, i said, 'trying'
have a safe weekend!

Dec. 19, 2009 Saturday

A beautiful snow today, especially from inside! smells of bread (white and cracked wheat) and cookies (raisin puffs), thot about

walking out for the mail, but somehow the couch looked much more inviting!!!

One more day until our grandson comes home!!!!! so excited!!!!

Dec. 17, 2009

Good Evening, just came home from having supper at
an amish friends home,
had sweet bread,
it was 'o:k'???? not sure if i will try it again or not, Loren liked it!
we also had bean soup and moon pies and elderberry pie and
vanilla ice cream... very good! Spent yesterday and today working
on my book, also talking with my publisher...
it is getting very exciting... I cannot thank those that are helping
and all the encouragement they have been to me!
Three more days until i get to
see my grandson, i am sooooo excited! will be a wonderful
Christmas being with my family this year.... i am so very
blessed!

December 13, 2009

Just finished baking 6 dozen dinner rolls and 2 loaves of bread.....

making a Christmas dinner tomorrow for a sunday school class of 29 at church

looking forward to a fun day! so thankful for my good help, the Frenchs' and Sandy!

December 12, 2009

O:K, one more tonight....

thanks to Rozella from Henderson, NE

she sent me this photo of the canner boys having dinner in their home (Larry and Rozella Swartzendruber) thanks Rozella for sharing the photos!

December 12, 2009

Christmas is a very special time for me, and this year it is amazingly extra special.... since we were on our journey last Christmas, i was not home for Christmas, the first time for that! and i am so excited this year to have our whole family join us here....and especially to have our grandson home for Christmas. He is in Alaska in the Army and looking forward to seeing him in a little over a week! I am so thankful for my children and grandchildren. they are all a true blessing!

December 12, 2009

Sorry i do not have any photos.
Today was a great day. We were invited to Tim and Karla Friesen's for brunch this morning. Karla's parents from Iowa were here visiting and we had the privilege to be in their home when we canned in Cantril, Iowa. Tim's parents were there also, from VA, so was a great visit there and a wonderful brunch, thanks Tim and Karla! In the afternoon we visited with a couple that we met while we were canning in White Horse, David and Martha, had coffee and cookies at their home and then went to Lapp's Valley Dairy for an ice cream cone, took them back home and headed back to Belleville. A wonderful day!

December 12, 2009

I cannot believe it has been so long since i have posted anything on the blog. Sure hoping there are still friends out there that will decide to check this out to see if i am still around!!!!
I will try to do my best to update more often....
right now i am busy working on writing a book about our journey while volunteering on the canner. Last sunday thru wednesday, 2 friends of mine, Zelda and Iris went with me and we drove to Richmond, VA, where we visited in the home of my first grade teacher! how wonderful, her and her husband have been so kind as to help me with my book, it was so overwhelming to even think that i would be able to accomplish this, but they have been so gracious, encouraging, and so very helpful and it is very exciting. will keep you all updated.
until next time...
.....and it will be sooner than two months!!!! I promise!

Home from trip, Oct. 19,2009

Loren is back home from his trip to Bosnia/Serbia with Tim Friesen, MCC, and four other men

they had a wonderful trip. Loren and Tim went on to Germany for a few days and was

very excited to spend a couple days with Viktor, (Viktor was on the canner 2008-2009) when Loren and I volunteered with the canner.

October 11, 2009

Tim and Loren arrived at Korny's this morning. i understand they are having

a bar-b-que this evening. They will spending the week in Germany with friends

and on thursday will be going to see Viktor and spending time with him. This

is a photo of Korny and his family!

Bosnia/Serbia Trip with MCC

October 2, 2009

A safe trip and having some wonderful experiences and all enjoying their time!

Bosnia/Serbia Trip with MCC

A trip that Loren as been looking forward too!

He leaves tomorrow with Tim and 5 other men for their trip to Bosnia/Serbia. Doesn't he look excited to be packing???? not one of his favorite

jobs. But everything is ready to go! He has a few odd jobs to get done here on the farm yet tomorrow morning before he leaves! He is not one to call home, but if i do hear from him, i will post it! Wishing you all a great day!

July 9, visitors

It was great having friends here from Indiana the past couple days!

Lee is a very special friend of ours and is also the man that made it

possible for us to have a 5th wheel and truck, thanks again, Lee!

and, yes, Jake loved it here on the farm too!

July 9, busy on the farm

Having beautiful weather and getting alot of field work done. Have so very much to be thankful for.

July 5, MCUSA Convention

Our Church Youth Group and Loren and I enjoyed our week

at the Convention in Columbus, Ohio. We had the opportunity

to display our MCC Mobile Meat Canner quilt at the MCC booth

and was great meeting many persons that we met while on

the canner journey.

June 25, 2009

Our daughter, Jaylene, and granddaughter, Jalesha

Had the privilege of being at Jalesha's 4H Fashion Show

a great job, Jalesha!

Also a fun afternoon with Johnny, Julie, and Jordan!

June 18, 2009

SO MUCH FOR THE SAYING

"GOOD HELP IS HARD TO FIND!!!"

our granddaughter and friends are here making woopie pies!

June 15, 2009

Here is the quilt again, on the frame that Loren had especially made for it! We will be
taking the quilt to the Mennonite Church USA Convention in Columbus, Ohio. Today was a very
relaxing day, had time to have lunch with Craig out on his back porch. Then this afternoon
Loren and I had time for a lemonade!!! It is so great to be able to do things and not have to
stop and milk those cows!!!!! He was weed wacking today and got alot done!
It is a beautiful day here. Again 'thank you' so much to each of you that helped to make
this weekend a success. We had asked friends of ours to take photos of the weekend, so
this evening we are planning to go to look at what they have! Looking forward to seeing
the photos. Until next time.....

photos from MCC Quilting Weekend

photos from MCC Quilting Weekend

The quilt will be on display at the Maple Grove Mennonite Church!

June 12-14, 2009

What an overwhelmingly wonderful weekend! the Quilt is quilted! Friends here from canner sites to help with the quilting and to join in the weekend activities, from Elmira and Leamington

Ontario Canada, Henderson, Nebraska, Kidron and Sterling, Ohio, White Horse, Kirkwood,

Ephrata, Myerstown, Chambersburg, Hatfield, and Belleville, PA. A huge "thank you" to all

who came and to all the friends that did so much to help make this weekend a wonderful success!

Breakfast with sisters and cousins

My sisters from Alberta, Canada, and Lancaster County

having breakfast with our cousins, Sue, Jane, and Sandy!

Great time!

June 1, 2009 monday

Picture taken towards the sun, so not very clear!
Loren finished mowing hay today! Also got the carpet laid out at Craigs.
I am getting so very excited for the weekend of June 12th! As of now,
there should be over 50 here on Saturday to help quilt and be here
for the evening meal and ..... you should see the quilt. Just picked the
top up today, it is beautiful!!!! Believe me, it is one of a kind! thanks
again to all of you for helping to make this dream of ours come true!!!!

May 23, 2009

Also enjoy going to auctions!

Thanks Gib and Joyce for allowing us to be a part

of your weekend!

update from Big Valley, May 20, 2009

Great to be back and cheer for my grandchildren!!!!

and to attend their sporting events again!

May 22, 2009

Good Evening, we are so very much looking forward to the MCC Meat Canning Quilting
weekend! Still waiting to hear from many of you! but, i have very exciting news.
I have received a patch from every canning site, and just want to say a huge thank you
to each of you for helping to make this quilt complete! It will be an awesome quilt and
one like no other!!! Wishing you all a safe and happy Memorial Weekend!
smiles, from Wanda

Party for Viktor!

What a great evening with the "boys" and Tim and Karla.

Tim and Karla had a delicious supper for all of us and was great to meet

Viktor's cousin Benn from Germany. Had a wonderful evening together!

Thanks Tim and Karla, Viktor, Josh, Peter, and Steven!

what are we doing now????

Many of you have asked if i would keep up the blog when we get back to Big Valley?

Well, here we are....It is soooo good to be able to attend our granddaughters sporting events! She will be going to Districts next week. Looking forward to that also! As many of you know we are moving our son, he bought his grandmother's house, here is a photo of moving day for his clock shop and also i have been working on the 'exciting' weekend for the MCC Quilting. If any of you who have been following our journey, locally or away, and did not receive a letter, PLEASE email, phone or mail us, we want very much to have you join us for the weekend! .... also if the sun stays out, there is plenty of lawn work!!!

Until next time.....

smiles, from Wanda

MCC Quilting in Belleville, PA

Greetings from Big Valley: We are keeping quite busy around here. A big thank you to the

many family and friends who have had a wonderful warm welcome home for us! We are so

very blessed, and also to those of you who have emailed us since we have been home. Please

keep in touch, it is great to hear from so many of you! I took the patches up to our church and displayed them for the ladies sewing yesterday. Hopefully these photos of a few of the

quilt patches will start you planning for your weekend here in Big Valley with us! Plans are

for the weekend of June 12-14, I will be very happy to send you more information, email or

phone us and I will send it right out, or email me your address and I will mail it to you. To those of the committee that I already emailed to

a few have emailed back that they can not open my attachment, please email me back and

I will send it a different way. sorry about that! We are very excited about the weekend!

Looking forward to seeing many of you then!

J.Loren and Wanda

Home Again!

So good to be back in Big Valley. and especially to see our family again! Looking forward to

tomorrow evening to go to see Jaylene and her family in Gettysburg. God is so Good!

The flowers were a beautiful welcome home from the children!

Had a good trip back from Elmira, Ontario. Again, how can I find the words to express

our gratitude to each of you for so many, many experiences, blessings, hospitality and 'food'

We are looking forward to seeing many of you here in Big Valley the weekend of June 13th

Give me a few days to get unpacked and see many of my friends. and then i will try to get

busy with updating you all concerning the weekend of the quilting. Again, many Blessings

to each of you, and PLEASE keep in touch!

So very grateful!

Wanda and Loren

Elmira, Ontario

Hi from Canada
A beautiful sunny warm day here in Elmira, Ontario
We are sight seeing and stoped at a number of yard sales this morning and a farmers/flea
market.
well, one more week. Cannot quite imagine what it will be like to be back
home and 'stay' home! but sure getting excited to be back in Big Valley
with our family and friends again. Thanks again to all who are keeping
in touch with us across the U.S. and Canada, we sure do appreciate it.
Wishing you all a great weekend.
Loren and Wanda

Penn Yan, New York

Peter made a new friend, Kevin! and a beautiful sunrise this morning here in Penn Yan,

New York, and also Loren working on the canner at the sealer.

Will try to do better with keeping up with the blog.

Blessings to all

from Loren and Wanda