Vacation -- Part 2

Wednesday, May 20, we left John Mark's house in Georgia and went to Sevierville, TN, where we checked into our resort. We had reservations for a 3-bedroom, 2-bath unit from May 20-26. Later that evening, Joy, Wes and their children joined us. What a wonderful time we had. Initially, when we made plans to go to Tennessee, it was for us to attend a Gaither Family Fest in Gatlinburg. Since the tickets had to be purchased for the total 3-day event, and were rather costly, Joy and Wes decided they wouldn't buy any for their family. So we purchased 2 tickets. What a great time of singing and fellowship with fellow believers! Approximately 6500 people were there, and we commented to each other whether we would see anyone we know. The very first concert, we met 2 of my cousins from PA -- Meredith and Brucette! Friday and Saturday evenings, John and I attended, then Sunday night Joy and I went. All 3 concerts, we had opportunity for a short visit with M & B. It was great!!!

We packed as many memories as we could into our days together.

Playing Stress & Greed

Grandpa and Samuel (I'm not sure who is pleased more, Grandpa or Samuel.)

One day we went miniature golfing. They took us by train up to the first hole, and we worked our way back down.

Samuel had had enough of it, gave up and went to sleep.

Joy's family has Dollywood season tickets and had coupons for a one-day guest pass for each of their tickets. So John and I both went for FREE!! You can go in after 3 PM, then again for the whole day following --all for one ticket. So we went Thursday afteroon, took in several shows, and the children rode several rides. Friday we spent the whole day there....and they made special accomodations for me (see the picture below). I appreciated it more than I can tell them. It really saved my knees!! While they went on rides, I watched Samuel (and Ethan, if he was too small to go with them).

Wes and Ethan

Grandpa

Joy and Ethan

Missy

Darren
Missy, Wes, Darren and Grandpa

Ethan

Wes, Grandpa and Darren

One of the times Ethan couldn't go on the ride, he sat and just looked at the Dollywood map. It was too cute. Samuel was such a good baby, and fell asleep in the stroller several times throughout the day. It was a very enjoyable day together.
Missy and Ethan
Ethan

My baby and me

Grandpa with Darren and Missy

Grandma with Darren, Missy and Ethan

My favorite daughter ;-)

Samuel

Samuel's 8-month picture, taken at Dollywood

It was a MOST WONDERFUL vacation...spending quality time with our two oldest kids. I just wish they didn't live so far from us, but that's life. We just look forward to the times we're together...and when we're apart, thank the Lord for cell phones!! The older I become, the more I appreciate family and the special bond we share.

Now we're back home. Enjoying the ones living close by!! (They missed us when we were away -- we missed them, too!)

Vacation -- Part 1

Well, we finally got to see John Mark for the first in about 2 years. It's been WAY too long...and we had such a great time together. We got to their house in Georgia on Monday evening and had to leave Wednesday in order to check in at Wyndham resorts in Sevierville. But we made the most of the few hours we had together. They wanted to plant flowers around the front of their house, so we helped prepare the beds and plant the flowers. Here are some pictures of the wonderful memories we made! The kids enjoyed time with Grandpa and Grandma -- Grandpa walked Lexie to the bus stop the morning we left. That made her day!! Next time we'll plan a longer vacation with them....the time went by MUCH TOO quickly and we all hated to say good bye! Love you guys!!!

John Mark, Cristal, Lexie and Zach

John Mark and Cristal
Here we are with Lexie and Zach

Zach and his "wheels"
We took some whoopie pies along -- here's Zach enjoying his.
Father and son having a heart-to-heart talk!!
John Mark and Cristal
Bringing good rich dirt in from the woods behind their house for the flower beds.
Preparing the beds
Watering the planted flowers
Planting the flower boxes

Relaxing after the hard work is done
John Mark cooked our breakfast before we left on Wednesday--this is the proof!
Now we're in Tennessee until next Tuesday. So after we return home, I'll post the pictures from the 2nd leg of our vacation. Until then, know I'm chillin' and enjoying wonderful times with Joy's family.

Making the Most of a Few Short Days

Last week was Campus Days at Penn View Bible College in Penns Creek (where Joy and Wes met many years ago (1995), and fell in love). His brother Tim is thinking about coming to Penn View in the fall, so wanted to attend Campus Days. This gave Joy and Wes a good "excuse" to make a trip to PA!!! They arrived on Thursday around noon, then later that afternoon Wes and Tim went on to Penn View. We were in revival, so Thursday evening we went to church. Friday we spent the day playing games, taking it easy, and just enjoying the day together. Joy and the children went to Penn View in the late afternoon for the evening service and drama. That was our closing night of revival, so John and I went to our church.

After school snack on the side porch.

Bicycle riding -- enjoying the outdoors

Saturday morning John had an Executive Board Meeting at Roxbury, so he got up early and went to that. The rest of us took an easy morning, then left around noon to go to our cabin for an afternoon cookout. The weather was PERFECT!!! After the cool, rainy days we'd been having, I was thinking perhaps it wouldn't work out. But ..... as you can see, we had a great time! John drove his truck and took bicycles for all the kids. They loved riding all over the campground, and since Joy's children had never been there before, Jayna was their tour guide.

Starting the fire in our new fire pit

Getting the roasting sticks ready


The girls enjoyed blowing bubbles.

Roasting the hot dogs

Joel and Samuel

Ethan and Kaylee

Darren, Jayna, Missy & Kaylee

Grandpa and Samuel

Kaylee enjoyed taking her bike down the little hill into the leaves.

Wes and Tim arrived at our house just before we got back from Roxbury, so they didn't get to enjoy our cookout with us. Sorry they missed it. We packed as much as we could into the few short days we had together. They left late Sunday afternoon, but we have many fond memories to cherish!

Now we're counting the days until we're together again. On Monday, May 18 we plan to go to Georgia to see John Mark, then will leave there on Wednesday for Gatlinburg to spend some time at our timeshare with Joy's family. The Gaither Family Fest in the Smokies is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so we have tickets to attend several concerts. We plan to return home on Tuesday, the 26th.

Will report on the trip and post pictures after I return!!!

Latest News

By the blog title...what did you think? No, we're not expecting...whew!!!....and no more grandchildren are on the way. Another "whew"!! I just thought it's time to get you up to date on what's happening in our lives lately...and share a picture (or 2 or 3) of the new addition to our house.

Meet Chloe

To make a very LONG story short, we haven't had any cats since Joel and April got married. Since they lived with us for a month or so while we worked on their house after they got married (and she is allergic to cats), so I got rid of the 2 I had then. After that we had Dutchess, a sheltie, for several years. After John Mark took her, (when her barking annoyed my invalid Mother), I declared that I would never again have a pet in my house. I was enjoying being able to keep a relatively clean house. Well.....one day about 2 weeks ago, I came home to find a note on the dining room table instructing me to look in the downstairs bathroom, and if I didn't like her, we'd find another home for her. John had been working at one of our tenant's houses, helping her move out. She had acquired a large number of cats (much to our dismay), and due to various circumstances, we had asked her to leave. She had already gotten rid of several of the cats, but the place she found wouldn't let her bring any, so we were finding homes for the ones she had left. One of them won her way into John's heart....the one we had named Chloe. John knows I have a very soft spot for kitties...and of course, I fell in love with her, too. So.....!!!


The girls love her, and she is relaxed around them (for the most part). Jayna is so good with her; Kaylee, we'll have to work on! She has to learn how to properly hold a kitten.

AND........ SO MUCH FOR A CLEAN HOUSE!!!




CAMP CLEAN-UP DAYS
Friday and Saturday were camp clean-up days at Roxbury. Our church's annual regional conference was Saturday, so on Friday we went to camp to clean up around our cabin, etc. We asked Joel and April if we could take Jayna along, and they decided she could go on a "field trip" with us. We had a great day, complete with GORGEOUS weather! We took Jayna's bicycle along, so she enjoyed riding over the campground, then would check back from time to time.


Our back "yard" overlooks the creek, so we set up the picnic table, then John and Jayna built a fire pit. Now we're looking forward to roasting hot dogs and marshmallows.

Our good friend, Bill Baublitz, came to help rake leaves. They got the back yard raked and ready for the picnic table and fire pit.

Jayna on one of her breaks.

Carrying rocks for the fire pit.

Finished job!

Ready for the fire! Bring on the hot dogs and marshmallows.

Raking leaves for the truck to pick up.
Nifty way of cleaning up the leaves.

Jayna wanted to take some pictures of the things that were important to her. The following are the ones she took.

Wonderful Vacation

We're back home from a WONDERFUL week with our Tennessee family. The time went MUCH too fast, but we had a lot of fun-filled days....thought I'd share a few pictures from our time together.

We played many games -- Stress and Greed, Rack-O, Chicken Scratch

The children were always begging Grandpa for stories, real life stories from his childhood days. They were so intrigued, and would sit a long time listening to what he had to say.

I took several candid pictures, then they decided to pose for one. Just as I pressed the button, a fly flew right in front of my camera just as the flash went off. That's the white spot in the left upper corner. Couldn't have accomplished that if I had tried.

Baby Samuel was such a sweetheart! He loves his bouncy swing, and Ethan just could hardly keep from swinging him when he'd walk by.

Another picture of the smiling, happy Samuel. He's such a good baby, and won Grandma's heart!!One morning we went to Sunrise Bakery for doughnuts. The following 4 pictures were taken there.

Missy girl!! Such a sweetheart!
Darren and Samuel. Darren loves his brother and takes such good care of him.

Ethan -- what is he going to do next!!!??? He's 100%+ boy!!

Samuel was such a good traveller!! He'd just go right off to sleep and was so happy when he got awake.

We always visit a wonderful Chinese restaurant (Lucky Bamboo) when we go to Joy's. It has a spendid buffet and the MOST WONDERFUL sweet cream cheese wontons. That is the only place I have ever tasted the sweet version, and they are "to die for." NO KIDDING!!

We also visited the home of President James Polk. The following are pictures taken there.

On our way home we visited a sweet couple -- Everett and Sarah Witherow. When they were physically able, they attended Wes and Joy's church. They are a very special couple! One day Wes's brother Tim took Darren fishing. Here is their catch!Oh, did you say I can't eat them raw?? Watch me!Farmer Wes and his new Case tractorOld McDonald's farm has increased by 2 --- pigs, that is!

There are many more pictures I could share, but they would probably bore the most of you. So I'll let these be sufficient. We had such a great time, and made many wonderful memories. Thanks, Wes, Joy, Darren, Missy, Ethan and Samuel for making our time together so very special. We love you more than we could ever tell you. Now we'll start counting the days until our vacation together in the Smokey Mountains....May 20!!

This and That

This blog contains a conglomeration of pictures; a sort of collage, if you please. The first 2 are of our weeping pussy willow tree. When we re-landscaped last summer I saw this advertised in a nursery catalog and thought it would be unique. It has proved to be our first sign of spring!!

I think it is unique and pretty in it's own way.

On Thursday, March 5, I went to Lancaster to spend the day with two friends. On the left is Darlene (Replogle) Byler, married to Wilbur Byler, founder of Missions Help Ministry. On the right is her sister Debbie (Replogle) Hollinger, wife of David Hollinger, Founder and Chairman of Four Seasons Produce, Inc. She was my maid of honor many years ago when John and I married in 1970. I haven't seen her in many years and it was great to spend the afternoon with these lovely ladies. Debbie is the Founder/Director of a non-profit foundation, HOME (Hearts of Mercy Extended) International, which sponsors homes for orphaned girls in India. To help support HOME, she opened the Second Street Thrift Store. For more information on their vision and mission, visit her website http://www.homeinternational.org/. After we had lunch, we visited the thrift shop, then went to Debbie's house to chat and get caught up on what's happened in our lives since we were last together. It was a most enjoyable day, one I will cherish for a long time!!


This is a picture of Jayna one day after school. She loves to stop in on her way home and spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa before going home for supper. Of course, we LOVE it too, since she isn't here much anymore now that she's in school all day. She's growing up so quickly and doing very well in school. We are so proud of her!

We don't get the chance to see our oldest son, John Mark, very often, so he emailed a couple of pictures. We hope to go to Georgia to see them the end of May.
John Mark and Cristal

We have a couple in our church who have been married for 21+ years and never had children. Almost a year ago she began having some phyical problems and started doctoring. When she didn't improve, the doctor ordered an ultrasound to see what was going on. To make a long story short, they discovered she was 13 weeks pregnant. She was due November 23, but developed gestational diabetes and a severe case of toxemia, and delivered a beautiful, healthy baby boy on October 17 -- Jared Royce, our miracle baby! He is such a blessing to his parents and to our congregational family. Occasionally, since his grandparents live a distance away, I play "grandma" and babysit him when they come to town for a shopping trip.

Here's our sweet miracle baby!

Not too much else is happening in our lives these days. I'm anxiously waiting to begin working outside in my yard and flower beds, cleaning the porches and siding, and getting my porch furniture back out of storage. The last week of March we have a trip to Tennessee planned -- to see our daughter, son-in-law and family. :-) That's the next exciting thing on our schedule, so I'll probably not blog again until we return.

Fun at Grandpa and Grandma's House

The girls love to ride on Grandpa's shoulders -- one at a time, please!!Jayna with some of her dolls.
After school today.
She loves to come to Grandma's after school, even when Mommy isn't working.

Playing dress-up.

Kaylee intent on watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse....again!!

Don't tell me....!

Both the girls love for Grandpa to read to them.