Hello readers! This is Lovina’s daughter, Verena, writing once again. Mom has been extra busy preparing for church services, so I decided to help her out by writing the column and giving her a week off from that responsibility. When she has to, she does a very good job of sitting down and writing when she is very busy and has many other things to do.

It is 4:30 in the afternoon, and I just got home. All of us sisters were at Mom’s today. Elizabeth and Susan were cleaning the walls and ceiling on the main floor. Loretta, Lovina and I watched the children, washed the dishes, and helped clean things hanging on the walls, etc. We three women have a disability, so there is only so much cleaning we can do. We do our best and do what we can. It is always nice to have someone look after the children so the others can clean.

I played memory with Andrea, 4, Denzel, 3, Byron, 2, and Ervin Jr., 2. It was a little hard to keep them from going out of turn or keeping cards that didn’t match. Haha! Ervin Jr. kept running off; it was not very interesting to him. Denzel didn’t like that he could only pick up two at a time, and Byron wanted to put his matching cards back with the rest. It was a challenge, but I had a good laugh watching it unfold. The game never ended since one by one they dropped out. Andrea was the only one who really loved it. It was fun while it lasted. Haha!

My sisters and I take turns taking lunch to Mom when we go home every week. Lovina took the hot food this time. She made vegetable soup and sandwiches. Each of us always takes something, so the meal is prepared. Daniel Ray is outside cleaning out the barn. My brother Ben is helping him as well. It’s nice when two of them can work together.

I hosted brunch here on Sunday for my parents and my siblings – Benjamin and his special friend Joanna, Kevin, Joseph and Grace, Daniel and Lovina, and baby Brooklyn, Dustin and Loretta and their three children, Denzel, Byron, and Kylie, 1. My cousin Steven was here also.

Elizabeth and her family, and Susan and her family, were not able to come because it was their church Sunday. They are on the opposite church Sunday than the rest of us. Everyone brought something, so it made it easier, and we had a breakfast haystack. The menu consisted of hash browns, scrambled eggs, smokies, bacon, biscuits, tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, gravy, cheese sauce, salsa, coffee, rhubarb juice, and V8 juice. Cake and cookies were put out to eat as well.

After the dishes, we played games and visited. Later in the afternoon, Daniel Ray popped popcorn, and we put out a few snacks. Many memories were made, and I cherish them so much.

I had so much fun watching Denzel and Byron play together. They had their toys set up so nicely, and Kylie would come and destroy them. They weren’t very happy with their little sister. Byron had a runny nose, so Denzel grabbed a tissue and wiped Byron’s nose for him. It was so sweet.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth and Susan are planning to drop off their youngest children here with me, so they can go to a few garage sales. I’ll have Andrea, Ervin Jr., and Sharlene, who is 8 months old. I’m looking forward to it. I always enjoy spending time with my nieces and nephews.

Well, I’d better go put my dishes away that I washed this morning. You all take care, and God bless!

Deviled eggs

6 hard-boiled eggs

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

2 tablespoons dill pickle or sweet pickle relish

Paprika

Peel shells off hard-boiled eggs and slice them in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, gently remove yolks and place in a small bowl. Mash yolks into small pieces with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard and relish to the yolks and mix until well combined and creamy.

Carefully scoop some yolk mixture into the hollow of each egg half. Repeat until all egg whites are filled. Lightly sprinkle with paprika and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 6 servings.

• Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, an 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.