I'mallconfused

2012-01-16T15:31:00.002-05:00

I'm torn again between my pride, my old friend
And who you've called me to be
I've sworn again to lay it down, to bring an end
To this life lived for me

For I've one life to lose, one chance to find
A newer, better me, the old one left behind
For there's one Lord who leads though steep the cost
I have learned when I am lost, it's there that I am found

I am found as your daughter, as your child
As one purchased by Your blood
And though there's nothing I can add to such a perfect sacrifice
How can I offer you less than all my life?

For I've one life to lose, one chance to find
A newer, better me, the old one left behind
For there's one Lord who leads how steep the cost
I have learned when I am lost, it's there that I am found
It's there that I am found

For I've one life to lose, one chance to find
A newer, better me, the old one left behind
For there's one Lord who leads how steep the cost
I have learned when I am lost
I have learned when I am lost, it's there that I am found
It's there that I am found

I am Loved Much...

2012-01-16T08:46:00.005-05:00

This morning I am wondering why. Why do I forget to count my blessings? Why do I take for granted these blessings all around me from God? Why do I do this? I am so loved, yet I often choose to look right past it all. Please help me, Lord. Help me to remember to see your blessings everywhere in my every day. Thank you for loving me.

Happy Birthday, Steven!

2012-01-13T15:42:00.006-05:00

God blessed me tremendously when he gave me this handsome boy 18 years ago. Happy Birthday, Steven! Thanks for being silly with me. I love you!

Sick Pup

2012-01-06T07:31:00.004-05:00

Something is wrong with Koty. He had to sleep in his crate last night (which he hasn't done in a couple of years) because he pooped on the kitchen floor the previous 2 nights. At leat he didn't poop on the carpet, so the cleanup was pretty easy, but still... This morning there is a little bit of something in the crate, not quite sure what it is. While the kids were having breakfast, he started heaving and was put outside to vomit. Poor thing, I feel bad for him and I wonder what to do. :(

Brrrr!!!

2012-01-03T19:26:00.003-05:00

Winter has finally arrived in our area. The morning commute to work wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be after hearing the weatherman's predictions last night. I have snow tires on my car, thanks to my wonderful husband, but I don't think it was very slippery this morning, although it sure is cold! Right now the thermometer reads 7 degrees, brrr! Today I am thankful for a nice hot meal and a warm house....and snow tires!

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-02T22:34:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year! Looking forward to 2012. I have a wonderful new job (well, I've been there for almost 10 months, is that still new?), Steven is a Senior, and Michael is a Junior. Dave's job of about 16 yrs remains stable and so...this year, after 3 years of being begged by Dave's dad to go on a trip out west with them, we are finally going in July...I think. Nothing is official until plane tickets are purchased, so we'll see. Steven is taking driver's ed and will hopefully take his road test pretty soon. He just took an online test to see where his strengths are as far as a job is concerned. He isn't really sure what he wants to do yet, but maybe the test will help him a little bit. I am hoping to grow more in my walk with Christ, and to be more disciplined about my daily Bible reading and study. Michael and I are planning to read through the Bible, along with many people at our church. I lost a friend to stomach cancer in December, and her walk with Christ was amazing. She left behind such a wonderful legacy for her children (as did my own dad). I often feel like I am selfish with my time, and basically don't feel like this is all God has for me or desires of me, so I am praying that I am willing to trust God 100% with this wonderful life he has given me, and that I allow him to use me in any way that he desires to grow his kingdom. Please pray for me.

"If you count each "Fear not" in the scriptures, there are apparently 366, one for every day of the year. That means even on a leap year you have to have enough faith to jump into His arms — every day.” - The Farmer Voscamp

Mmmmm!

2011-03-17T22:19:00.004-04:00

I just love it when the season changes, because so does my dinner menu. It got up to 64 degrees today, and after not grilling all winter long, I made grilled pineapple chicken.

Even the pineapple goes on the grill with the marinade.

It was super yummy, served with white rice and a salad. :9 Oh how I love spring!

New Job!!

2011-02-03T19:46:00.002-05:00

Last Wednesday I had an interview, and on Monday morning I got a phone call and was offered the job!! I will start March 22nd since she thought it would take her a while to find someone she liked, so she had hired a sub for 8 weeks while she looked. I am honored to work for this person. She is a great prosthodontist and is a Christian to top it off! I will work on Tuesdays and Thursdays fron 8-5. Her office is gorgeous, but there were no pictures onine for posting.

Hopeful

2011-01-13T22:36:00.005-05:00

Okay, I have to admit, I'm a little tired of seeing the photo from my last blog. It is a sad reminder to me of how great things used to be in my old office, therefore I will post something new! On Tuesday this week I subbed at this beautiful, friendly dental office.

It is not only warm and inviting, but is all about giving the patient the best care possible

The equipment was a plus too, very up to date. I could definitely see myself at this place permanently...if only they were looking. The staff was like a happy family. He may possibly be looking for someone for 1 day a week pretty soon, and I am VERY interested. In the meantime I will continue to sub and get myself known out there. I need to remember that "All things work together for good..."

Jobless

2011-01-03T23:16:00.010-05:00

The above photo was taken when part of our dental staff went to Las Vegas for a seminar in March of 2007. My boss is on the far right, next to me...happier days. Well, after almost 14 1/2 (yes, that's fourteen and a half) years of working at the same place of employment, I was terminated today. The decision was made by my employers a couple of years ago, to renovate the dental office. The renovation was completed in August of 2009. They used the best of the best of everything, and it is beautiful, but it came at a cost, one that turned out to be too high for them to afford. This brought lots of stress into the office this summer when the schedule became difficult to fill some days. It brought on many more responsibilities for the Hygienists....and a pay cut for all of us too. I became very stressed over all of the new responsibilities, and the fact that with those added responsibilities I could no longer stay on schedule. But no matter how bad things had become, I stayed. Today, after a crazy busy day, I was called into the office and terminated. I was told that I was a "great Hygienist" and they would give me a "great recommendation" wherever I went. "Well, then why are you letting me go?" I asked. There was a pause, and then the response, "Because you're not enthusiastic enough." I'm not quite sure what this means, but I do know that I have been unhappy with the stress and the changes in the work atmosphere since June, I have been unhappy that I was forced to pick up an extra day a couple years ago, I was unhappy that I was constantly having to go in for meetings on my days off, and unhappy that in spite of all of my efforts to please, I was unappreciated. I feel like I've been slapped in the face, after all, I've bent over backwards to make them happy. I know that God has a purpose and a plan that is so much better than mine, and I am eager to discover what that is. He knew that unless He booted me out the door, I would never leave because I don't like change. (I think it's my fear of the unknown) I am being given another lesson in trusting God in all things. I'm feeling like "they" didn't let me go, God did, and I am blessed.

Baby Love

2010-12-26T01:00:00.005-05:00

Christmas Tea

2010-12-11T23:58:00.000-05:00

Today was the Christmas Tea at my brother Tim's place. Even though he doesn't communicate with us much, I know it means a lot to him that we're there.

Steven decided that he wanted to come this year, and it was nice to have him there. Unfortunately Tim blinked for our group picture, oh well. I love him. :)

My Fam

2010-11-28T11:35:00.001-05:00

Days Long Gone

2010-11-06T23:26:00.003-04:00

Today I went over to my mom's house with Martha, to clean out a bit. I found this old photo of my parents, and I thought it was cute. They were so young and still had their whole lives ahead of them.

Header pictures

2010-10-05T22:18:00.002-04:00

Why can't I post a header picture that fits , no matter what I do? If I push "shrink to fit" , it's little, but if I don't, it's monstrous. Help!

Symbol of a Promise

2010-09-04T08:57:00.005-04:00

I love this picture. Yesterday we had a good downpour and a wonderful rainbow right after. I tried to take several pictures of it, but the colors just weren't showing up as vividly as the rainbow really was. This picture showed up in our local newspaper this morning...just beautiful!

Grimes Glen

2010-09-01T10:43:00.006-04:00

Today I was feeling a little stressed, when my sister Priscilla called looking for someone to hike with in Grimes Glen. I thought it sounded like a wonderful idea! It was a gorgeous day, and the majority of the hike was through water. Here are our boys and a friend enjoying the refreshing water near one of the waterfalls.

Priscilla's dog was very excited to be able to come along. He loved every minute of it, and made frequent checks on Priscilla when she fell behind.

Another Gorgeous Day

2010-08-28T23:31:00.010-04:00

Today we put our bikes on the bike rack and took a nice long bike ride with our boys and my sister in law on the Lehigh Valley Bike Trail. It was a beautiful ride through the woods, where old rail road tracks used to pass. Now there are old bridges and railroad things that are still standing in the woods. My Uncle Chuck said that he remembers when several years ago they burned down the train station. I didn't have my camera with me to take pictures of the old junction and what's left of it, these pictures are compliments of my sister in law. We saw lots of deer along the way.
We came home kinda late for dinner and were starved, so we ate grilled chicken, rice and corn on the cob at 9:00pm. :9

Drawings from a grandpa to his grandchild

2010-06-27T22:13:00.008-04:00

I found these pictures that my dad drew for Steven in an unpacked box (from when we moved here) in our basement tonight. This picture shows what Dad loved to draw the most, ships. He loved ships and being on the water.
This one must have been inspired by Steven himself. Steven used to be a lover of chimneys and pipes, and it looks like his grandpa was playing on that. I can just imagine how intrigued Steven was as he watched his grandpa draw this for him.

Buried Treasure

2010-06-27T21:28:00.008-04:00

Today I decided to start to clean our basement. There was a big box with some stuff in it from when we moved here, and as I began to look through it I thought that if I didn't miss it in the last 7 years, it was all probably stuff we didn't need. Well, most of it was junk, but when I saw these pictures, it was like I had found a treasure! My dad has been gone for 9 months now, and finding old photos of him with one of my kids was quite a find. Steven was 2 here, and he is 16 now. I love the look on his face in this 1st picture....I wonder what my dad was playing and singing.

Watching how his grandpa's fingers move on the strings. There's my grandpa too!

Can I try Grandpa?

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T16:15:00.004-04:00

Thanks for always being there for us Mom. I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day.

Rochester weather: High winds expected tomorrow

2010-05-07T19:35:00.004-04:00

Strange weekend weather...

High winds are expected to whip through the region tomorrow, with wind gusts that could potentially bring down trees and power lines.The National Weather Service in Buffalo today issued a high wind warning for tomorrow in Monroe, Wayne, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

Weather Service Meteorologist Dave Sage said a cold front is expected to sweep through western New York tomorrow morning, which in turn will bring sustained winds between 30 and 40 mph and gusts approaching 60 mph tomorrow morning and afternoon.

Sage said many trees in the region already sprouted leaves, which typically do not hold up well with heavy winds.

“There’s potential for trees coming down and some significant power outages with the increasingly strong winds,” he said. “It doesn’t take much wind to cause damage when leaves are on the trees.”

Also, showers are likely throughout the weekend, Sage said. Tonight and tomorrow rain is likely, Sage said.

And because of the unseasonably cool weather, there’s a chance flurries could mix with some of the rain late tomorrow, he said. Accumulation is not expected, Sage said.

The temperature is supposed to drop from a midday high near 57 to the mid 40s in the late afternoon. On Sunday, Mother’s Day, the high should return to the low 50s. Today’s high should be near 60. Sage said the typical high for the first weekend of May is near 65.

“It’s hard to take a setback like this, especially since it’s been so far above normal this spring,” Sage said.

According to the Weather Service, three days reached 80 or high in the past week.

We Took a Ride

2010-04-13T19:23:00.007-04:00

Yesterday I picked up Mom and we went out to Newark and took my brother, Tim, for a ride. I saw this barn while we were out and couldn't resist taking a picture of it. I loved how it was so open and airy. ;) When I see places like this I can't help but wonder what it looked like in it's newer days and what it held inside. Tim looked at me and smiled as I snapped a picture and I wondered what he was thinking.
After our drive, we traditionally go to Wendy's for a delicious, icy cold, chocolate Frosty. I couldn't get a very good picture of Tim since he was so thoroughly enjoying his treat. He takes such big bites that I wonder how his throat doesn't freeze. I have to eat mine s l o w l y.

Mom likes Frosties too! We had a very nice afternoon together, and it was a beautiful, sunshiny spring day, just perfect for a drive! :)

"I'll Fly Away"

2010-04-13T13:27:00.003-04:00

I googled my dad's name just for fun the other night and found this nice little article about him from one of the nursing homes he ministered at for so many years.

WHISPERS..."I'll Fly Away"
By Rev Daisy Henderson, Activities Aide

The scars of Alfred Plotzker's passing will be a long time healing, but they will heal. Al had graced the Maplewood Nursing Home with his Gospel and Song Ministry for 28 years. Through rain, sleet, snow, crutches, or a broken thumb, he was a true warrior.

Knowing every resident by name, Al always greeted each and every resident with a smile. He always inquired as to the residents not in attendance with a witty remark, "Maybe they don't like my singing."

Plotzker's Gospel and Song Ministry took us to a place of joy, peace and happiness as he entertained us by playing his guitar and harmonica. At the end of every service as Al would shake every resident's hand one by one, he would give comforting words.

The Terrace Room will always ring with those last words shouted each week as a final request, "Number 24!" (Number 24 was the hymn "I'll Fly Away") Al has now flown home, to a place where his joy shall never end.

Happy Birthday, Dad

2010-04-12T19:02:00.004-04:00

Today is my dad's first birthday in Heaven. I called Mom today to see how she was doing. She sounded good and said that she was comforted by the fact that he is in the loving arms of God. What a blessing it is to know that he is in a better place. Happy Birthday, Daddy! I love you!

Feeling blessed

2010-03-17T18:58:00.006-04:00

Every other Wednesday since my dad got sick with late stage cancer, I have picked up my mom to go visit my brother, Tim, in Newark, NY. He was brain damaged at birth when the Drs made a mistake and gave my mother too much Pitosin (sp?), which caused her to stop breathing. We drive about 40 min to get to his house, and then take him out for a drive where we talk to him and enjoy the scenery. He doesn't answer us back when we ask him questions, but I know he understands. When I talk about different things along our drive, such as a camper parked in a bunch of trees, or a beautiful horse, he always looks at what I'm talking about. Sometimes I talk to him about my kids or our sister's kids. Today I told him that Martha and James have put their house up for sale, and when it sells they will move to a property that is easier for them to take care of. At the end of our drive we go through the Wendy's drive through, where we all get a small chocolate frosty...Mmmmmm! We sit there in the car just enjoying each other's company, and people watching. For the last 2 or 3 visits at the end of our time together, Tim gives us each the most wonderful, loving hug. He has never done this with me until recently and I can't help but wonder what he's thinking. I know that when my dad got sick, the rest of my family became so much more special...not that they weren't before, but when you know you're going to lose someone you love, you realize that sometimes you take for granted what you have, and you treasure them so much more. I can't help but wonder if my brother feels this same way because when he hugs us it's almost as if he doesn't want to let go. Visiting him has become such a blessing, something I really look forward to.

Taking time to be silent

2010-03-15T22:51:00.003-04:00

Psalm 46:10- Be still and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.

Psalm 4:4- When you are disturbed, do not sin. Ponder it on your beds and be silent.

Psalm 62:1- For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.

Today I worked all day and then had a staff meeting afterward. I got home around 5:40pm, made dinner, ate with my family, chatted for a bit with the kids, and headed off to small group with Dave. Mondays can be crazy, and I often feel too tired to go to small group . Staying home and relaxing with my family is much more appealing, but I always feel so blessed after getting together with this special group of friends. Tonight we talked about our schedules and our daily distractions. I have to admit, my life is pretty "noisy". How can I possibly hear God's voice if I'm not taking the time to just be silent and listen? I feel ashamed that I have allowed my life to be cluttered with so many insignificant things, and haven't taken the time for some of the more meaningful things. I know it may be a struggle at first, but I want to take time every day just to be silent and listen. I think having a day where no electronics are allowed is a good idea too. I wonder what we'll find to do as a family!!...

Goings on...

2010-03-09T16:55:00.007-05:00

Saturday while I was doing laundry and general pick up of clutter, I noticed that Steven had taken my vacuum cleaner apart to examine it. He is very interested in how these things work. I suppose it's good experience for him to do stuff like this. It actually reminds me a bit of my Grandpa Plotzker who was very good at taking broken things apart and making them like brand new again.
On Sunday afternoon Dave and I went out in search of new mattresses for our kids. The ones that they have been using were very old and were given to us by Dave's parents. Lately the boys have been having allergy symptoms (mostly in the morning) and it killed me to think what was inside those old mattresses. The box springs were the old metal kind. Anyway, the new mattresses came today and I have covered them with dust mite covers. I had told Steven that when their new mattresses came their beds would be higher, but it is higher than I had imagined. Their bed frames look like miniature frames now, the headboard is barely even visible. I had to clip his reading light on the shelf above his bed since his headboard is now too low.

I wonder what Michael will say when he sees this picture. The little bunny sitting on his bed is Cutie Bunny. He has been Michael's favorite stuffed animal since Michael was 2 yrs old, and he has taken many trips with us (including our trip to Florida last month). Michael snuck him to Florida for his traditional ride on the ceiling fan...so he says. ;) He no longer sits on Michael's bed though since Michael is now almost 15, but has been sitting on a shelf. I think Cutie deserves a place on Michael's bed regardless of Michael's age. :)

Just Playin...

2010-02-26T17:33:00.003-05:00

Today the boys and I went to visit Mom, Leta, and Lucas. Lucas loved it when Michael played with him.

Mom was feeling playful too. I think Lucas is keeping her young. :)

Lucas wanted to try the cup on his head, just like his Great Grandma.

She sure does have lots of entertainment with him around.

It's a Winter Wonderland Out There!!

2010-02-26T09:50:00.004-05:00

The kids got their wish today and got their first snow day. We got a lot of snow. Poor Koty has a hard time moving through it all. Dave will go out with the snow blower today and snow blow Koty a spot to go to potty.

This is the little tree in our side yard.

Koty will be a mess every time he goes out. Little snowballs get stuck in his long fur. Oh well, it gives him something to do for a while after he comes in. He's happily grooming himself right now...even though Michael brushed him a bit.

Hooray for snow!!

Florida Vacation

2010-02-23T19:32:00.010-05:00

On Sunday we returned home from our annual Florida vacation.

Even though the weather was only in the high 50's for the whole week, the kids still managed to swim several times in the heated swimming pool. I couldn't bring myself to get in with the air being so cool.

One day we took a drive up to Tampa to the aquarium. Some of the creatures were interesting to look at, but the $20.00 per person fee was a bit steep for what we saw...in our opinion anyway, although it did give us something to do.

I enjoyed our walk on the beach. There were no people in swim suits like there usually is (well, maybe a crazy few). This was our only trip to the beach this year.

What fun 2 teenage boys can have with a girl's hair clip. They had more fun wrestling one other in the pool trying to clip it into each other's hair.

We also HAD to make our traditional trip to SweetBerries for frozen custard. Yummo! This is some of the best frozen custard I have ever tasted. They tip your cup upside down right before they hand it to you to show you how thick and creamy it is.

Here is my cute honey enjoying one of his first bites. I forgot to turn my fill flash on, but love the picture anyhow due to the cute little boy look on his face.

Some friends of ours watched our dog for us while we were away. He must have had a blast because he was exhausted. As soon as we walked in the door, he plopped himself down right here for a snooze.

The drive home seemed exceptionally difficult for me this year. I hardly slept a wink the whole way home (22 hrs) and had to get up very early for work Monday morning. For me this is a recipe for a migraine, and I got one. It was awful, bringing vomiting with it. No migraine meds helped this time. I spent the entire day today on the couch, finally getting up at 4;30pm. Maybe next year we'll fly...

Big Chocolate!

2010-01-26T22:55:00.002-05:00

This evening I went to get a scoop of Panda Paws ice cream. I found a hunk of chocolate in there that was bigger than my ice cream scoop. I wonder who will eat it...

Not much going on here lately, just the normal stuff. I took Mom for a hair cut today and then visited her for about an hour and a half at her house. We worked on a jigsaw puzzle together in her dining room. Then I did a little shopping for a new dinner recipe I wanted to try. It was a chicken and noodle recipe with a burgundy gravy with carrots, mushrooms, and onions, and seasoned with garlic, marjoram, thyme, a bay leaf, parsley and salt and pepper. It reminded me a little of Beef Burgundy, but with chicken, and was served over noodles. It was pretty tasty, but I don't think a favorite. My honey came home from Schenectady this evening. He went there yesterday morning for work. Unfortunately, I don't sleep too good when he's not here, and I didn't get to sleep until 2:30am. :\ Had fun playing Boom Blox with Steven tonight and then watching Michael play some Wii balance games. Tomorrow is a busy day filled with Drs appt, getting car looked at and hopefully fixed (check engine light came on) and it's due for an inspection.

Time to have my devotions. Good night!

Snowy Day

2010-01-03T11:20:00.003-05:00

This morning we woke up to lots of fresh snow on the ground. It was snowing pretty hard and I wondered if church might be cancelled, but couldn't find any evidence that it was, so off we went. There was church, although not nearly as many people were there today as there usually are. As soon as we got home Dave got to work snow blowing our driveway.

I feel like cooking something really yummy today. I think I'll try something new! Now, off to find a recipe...

Writings of a 15 year old boy

2009-12-28T22:59:00.004-05:00

I finished reading one of my dad's diary's last night. I laughed out loud at some things and cried when I read others. One of the most amazing things to me was when I found out...I'll write about it some other time.

I sure do miss my daddy, wish I could wrap my arms around his neck and give him a great big hug.

Feeling a Little Blue

2009-12-22T11:57:00.004-05:00

Today is a sad day for me. I just can't seem to pull myself together. I'm sure my hormones aren't helping any, but the Holidays have proven to be more difficult than I thought they would be without my dad. I know God's plan is best and that Dad is in a better place, but I'm missing him an extra lot today.

Busy, busy...

2009-12-18T18:25:00.008-05:00

It's frigid outside, a great night to cuddle up and watch a movie ("It's a Wonderful Life") with my family.

Earlier today I worked for one of the Hygienists in our office who just lost her mom. I worked 4 days this week rather than my usual 2. When I was cleaning my 2nd patient's teeth (she had very large salivary glands in her cheeks), her right salivary gland got sucked into the saliva ejector. I turned off the suction immediately, but the gland was stuck. Inside I was panicking. My poor patient wanted to rinse, but she couldn't because the suction tip was dangling from her cheek. After a minute or so, I was able to pull it off. She will have a bruised salivary gland for a couple days, but she didn't have to go home with the saliva ejector hanging out of her mouth. This was her very 1st cleaning in our office....great 1st impression. She was very sweet though and will be back to see me in a few months. :)

I got off work early to attend a Christmas Tea at my brother Tim's house. I picked up my mom and my aunt and we headed out for the almost 1 hour drive there. It was nice to spend some time with him, and I enjoyed it when he laughed at me for being a little nervous that he was going to eat a chicken wing bone. He's had brain damage since birth, so when I get a reaction out of him, I treasure it since he is usually pretty stoic. Martha, Hannah, Ben, and Priscilla were also there. I forgot to bring my camera along, so Martha is going to share some photos of hers with me.

It was Chinese food for dinner tonight since I didn't feel like cooking.

Winter has arrived!

2009-12-10T22:52:00.007-05:00

Winter has finally arrived in Rochester, NY. We have our 1st real snow accumulation. This morning I was 20 min late for work since the roads were slick and people were using extra caution in getting where they had to go. I had a nice day at work and thought I was going to get to leave a little bit early, but my last patient of the day came 40 minutes late for her appointment and I didn't have the heart to turn her away since she sat in traffic and had a miserable time trying to make it to her appointment on time. I got out of work a half hour late instead, and my drive home was slow going. It was snowing, and the roads hadn't been plowed. I arrived to my warm, cozy home an hour after I left work, and it usually takes me about 20 minutes. It is a whopping 16 degrees outside right now...brrr, but in spite of my traveling difficulties today I feel happy to have some wintry weather. :) Tonight the cold didn't keep me indoors, for there was a little someone who needed to get some fresh air, so out we went to take a quick little walk around our circle.

Tonight I made Christmas cut outs for the boys and then listened to them fight while they frosted them...they seem to do this a lot lately. :\ Now I am showered, cozy, and ready for bed....someone else looks cozy and ready for bed too.

Sick Boy

2009-12-05T09:09:00.002-05:00

This has been a tough week for Steven. You know he's sick when he actually has a shirt on in the house AND he's sitting in front of a hot fireplace (yesterday). He has had H1N1 (most likely) since Sunday morning and it is now Saturday. He seemed to start to get better mid week, but spiked a fever (104) again Thursday night. We took a trip to the Dr yesterday, who didn't like the fact that his fever had returned and after listening to his lungs suspected a secondary infection (bronchitis/pneumonia) starting. This morning his temperature is 100 and he seems like he's returning to his old self, yipee!!!!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T09:41:00.005-05:00

Another Thanksgiving has passed. Yesterday was a wonderful day just being with family at my brother in law and sister Martha's house. There were 22 of us. The food was delicious! We worked on our traditional family puzzle, and the guys enjoyed a couple of games of Eucre. My brother in law, James, read a Bible passage and we discussed things we were thankful for. I have to admit, this was an emotional Thanksgiving for me. Everything seemed to remind me of my dad, and I found it a little hard to speak when it came time to say what we are thankful for...not because I'm not thankful, but because I am so thankful for what he has left all of us. God IS good.

The New Normal

2009-11-24T23:04:00.002-05:00

Well, it has now been almost 2 months since my dad passed away, and things seem to have settled into a new normal. My nephew Dave, his pregnant wife Leta, and their almost year old son, have moved into my mom's house with her. I know this is a huge adjustment for all involved and I'm sure it's not always easy, but it comforts me to see Leta being such a servant to my mom. I have witnessed her preparing and bringing my mom her lunch, reminding her to take her medication, and spending time with her working on puzzles. Besides having different people living with her, every other Wednesday Mom and I take a 45 minute ride to my handicapped brother's house and take him out for a ride and to get a Frosty at Wendy's. This is something that she and dad always did together, but I am enjoying doing with her. Tim doesn't talk, but I know it means the world to him. Today I took Mom up to her Pulmonary specialist and we were both pleased to find out that she hasn't lost any lung function since her last visit in June. :) Thanksgiving will officially be here in 2 days and there is so much to be thankful for. I can't wait to hang with my family for the day and do just that with all of them...be thankful for God's goodness and love.

A Welcome Home For Dad

2009-09-29T08:07:00.008-04:00

My wonderful, loving father passed into glory yesterday with all of us right by his side. Immediately after he took his last breath God sent a bright ray of sunshine through what had been a very cloud covered sky. The sun lasted just a few minutes, but was a reminder to us that God was very close. Then the clouds returned. I will be forever grateful for the blessing he was to me through the years. I am not crying tears for him, I promised him that I wouldn't cry for him when he was gone, but I am crying tears for me. (see the song below that reminds me of what he said to me) I miss him so much already.

All My Tears

2009-09-24T22:47:00.004-04:00

When I heard this song tonight it reminded me of my dad. When we were talking the other day he said, "When I'm gone don't cry for me."

He Is

2009-09-15T21:16:00.000-04:00

Father let the world just fade away
Let me feel Your presence in this place
Lord I've never been so weary
How I need to know You're near me
Father let the world just fade away
'Til I'm on my knees
'Til my heart can sing

He is
He was
He always will be
Even when it feels like there is no one holding me
Be still, my soul
He is

Father let Your Holy Spirit sing
Let it calm this storm inside of me
As I stand amazed
Lift my hands and say

He is
He was
He always will be
He lives
He loves
He's always with me
Even when it feels like there is no one holding me
Be still my soul

Through every fear
And every doubt
In every tear I shed
Down every road
I'm not alone
No matter where I am

He is
He was
He always will be
He lives
He loves
He's always with me
Even when it feels like there is no one holding me
Be still my soul
Be still and know
Be still my soul
He is

My Dad

2009-09-06T11:47:00.009-04:00

Last week had to have been one of the hardest weeks of my life, for I was told that my dad has pretty advanced lung cancer and is opting for no treatment. The fact that he is opting for no treatment is not surprising, he has never been one to run to Drs much and feels that when God wants to take him home to Heaven, he's ready. He isn't worried about his sickness or about the fact that he's going to die soon, for he knows he's going to a much better place, but instead he's more worried about my mom and the fact that he can no longer care for her the way he always has. Another concern of his is his nursing home ministry and his Open Door Mission ministry, and who will continue tell those people that there is hope in Jesus Christ if you trust Him as your personal Savior. My dad has been an inspiration to me my entire life, always encouraging, always praying for his children and grandchildren, always reading, memorizing, and quoting scripture. Not only will I never forget his wonderful Godly example when he is gone from this world, but the things that he did with us and all the hard work he did to provide for us. I hope I have many more months to spend with him, but I fear that our time will be much too short. I will savor every single minute I can. I know that God holds him and us in the palm of His hand and loves us immensely, and he will continue to do His work through all of this.
Dad, I want to say thank you for all your endless love and support through the years, and for all the prayers you prayed for me and for your Godly example. The legacy you will leave behind is great. I am so glad that when we are separated here through death, it is so temporary. I am looking forward to the day when we will be reunited in a much better place.

I love you,
Rachel

Sprinkler Fun!

2009-07-22T21:24:00.002-04:00

This is for you, Bethany.

Summer Happenings

2009-07-08T19:36:00.008-04:00

This picture shows the one and only time Michael has been in our pool this summer. So far it has been one of the coolest summers I can remember. I'm hoping we get some warmer weather really soon.

Every summer we seem to have a problem with Japanese Beetles chomping our trees. The boys have enjoyed grabbing the beetles off the trees, putting them in soapy water, and then dumping them in the toilet. They have removed a few hundred these last few days. Now a girl would never do that!

Just over a year ago we purchased this plasma TV. It just stopped working today. Needless to say, my husband is not a happy guy tonight.
Just realized it's an HDMI port that is somehow damaged. Of course the warranty has just expired.

Steven's handiwork

2009-07-01T22:04:00.004-04:00

Tonight Steven decided to scrapbook some of his pictures. I think he's doing a great job, don't you?

Tortured For Christ

2009-06-23T20:50:00.006-04:00

I started reading the book "Tortured for Christ". It is a real eye opener, a very good book. I wonder what plans God has for me. I know he wants so much more from me than I often give him, and that makes me sad (that I am often not a good servant). I am glad however, that he obviously hasn't given up on me yet because I feel him stirring my heart.

Give it all Away by Aaron Schust

2009-06-21T13:11:00.000-04:00

Search my heart, search my mind, search my soul
Make me clean, make me new, make me whole
All of my plans, all of my dreams
I lay them down before Your feet
All of my time, all that was mine
I now submit to Your design
'Cause You are the One who can make my life complete
You are the One who can give light to my feet
You are the One and the only One who dared
To give it all away for me
You are my strength, You are my God, You are my King
You make me laugh, You make me dance, You make me sing
Everything inside, everything outside,
I give it all away
You never change
But you rearrange my heart more everyday

Meeting Tracy and Dennis

2009-06-11T21:09:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Tracy and Dennis! It's funny, but it seemed like we already knew each other. :)

Visitors

2009-05-31T23:38:00.004-04:00

I had a couple visitors today while Adam and Dave golfed. :)

After this, we took a Sunday afternoon snooze on the couch.

Fire in the Dental Office

2009-05-19T08:24:00.003-04:00

http://democratandchronicle.com/article/20090519/NEWS01/90519002/Brighton+firefighters+respond+to+call+at+dental+office

I sat down to read the morning paper online this morning on my day off and this is what I saw. I was shocked, this is the office I work in. No one had called me to let me know because it's my day off and it was still early in the morning. We were in the process of renovating, and were closed all last week. I went in for a full day of work yesterday, and things were lookin great....now this.

Wake Up!

2009-05-12T19:25:00.003-04:00

Today I felt rather sleepy...allergies? It was a gorgeous, sunny day, but I laid down on the couch and closed my tired eyes and slept for about 2 1/2 hrs. Before that I managed to pick the boys up from school and take them for their physicals, and then I got a few groceries. After eating lunch when I got home, I collapsed on the couch. When I woke up, Steven was home from school already and I felt the day was getting away from me. I did get a pretty good workout in, a load of laundry done, dinner made, and took the dog rollerblading, so I guess it wasn't a total loss. Soon Dave will be home from working in Niagara Falls for the day.

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T23:07:00.003-04:00

I love you, mom! I hope you know how much. Happy Mother's Day!

Flower City Work Camp

2009-04-24T23:17:00.005-04:00

Steven just got back from Flower City Work Camp today. He has been gone since Monday, helping to fix up the homes of those in need in the city of Rochester. He worked from 8-4, then returning to the church for dinner, a shower, a worship meeting and bed. He LOVED it and was so blessed by God while serving others. Dave and I went to the church on Tuesday night for the worship service and I have to say, it was so amazing seeing the sanctuary so jam packed with teens worshiping God. It brought tears to my eyes. Steven had many stories to tell us today, notes of encouragement from friends to share, and he says he can't wait to go next year and every year until he can't anymore. I think this was a real eye opener for him, and I am so thankful that he got to be a part of it. Hopefully I will have some pictures soon!

I'm Hungry, wahhhh!

2009-04-18T20:30:00.007-04:00

This photo makes me smile when I look at it. Martha was holding Lucas while Leta (his mommy) was getting him a bottle. No amount of comforting would do because he was hungry, and he wanted his food NOW. Isn't he cute?

Big Wheels and Banana Seats

2009-03-17T08:45:00.000-04:00

Last night Michael was writing something about fads for a school paper. We ended up on the computer looking at fads of the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's. I couldn't believe my ears when Michael asked me what a Big Wheel was. I know they're still around, but obviously not like when we were kids, when I think just about every kid had one.

He also had never heard of banana seats. That one I can understand a little bit better, but when I was a kid they were quite popular. They were nice because they were much easier to ride double with a friend. I find it quite amusing that things I was so used to being around and popular, were so strange and new to my teenage son. Did I grow up in the "Olden Days"? :)

Steven...

2009-03-14T22:15:00.004-04:00

Tonight Dave and I went out to dinner with some friends. When we got home Steven was doing stuff with the phone taped to his head. He was talking to my mother in law, but said he needed his hands and didn't want to hold the phone with his shoulder. We do have speaker phone, but I guess he either didn't want to use it or didn't think about it. I thought this was pretty hilarious!

A Little Bored

2009-01-28T08:14:00.006-05:00

I have to admit, I am a little bored with blogging lately. I find facebook to be much more interesting, with the ability for me to connect with so many friends at once. I am at a loss of what to even blog about...not anything new and exciting going on, although in 2 weeks we will be making our annual trip to Bradenton, Florida! Koty had his 1st visit to a kennel scheduled for that week after my friend, who has watched him before, said that they would also be going away that week if they could find a good deal on airfare. She called last night and said that they were staying here and her daughter was dying to have Koty visit for the week. So, Koty will not be going to the kennel after all, he will be spending the week with our friends and their 2 BIG dogs. I know he will have fun and will be very well taken care of, he may not even want to come home with us after the week is up. Having 2 other dogs to play with all the time will be fun for him. Here, he doesn't even get taken outside for a walk in the winter because no one wants to walk him in the bitter cold. He does get plenty of walking and running in though on our treadmill, and he actually likes it. He will hang around sometimes by the door to the basement and when I ask him if he wants to go on the treadmill, his ears perk up. When I open the door to the basement he goes running down and gets right on the treadmill. It is very cute!

This is what he looks like right now (below) as I type this. It's much too early still...

Happy Birthday Steven!

2009-01-13T18:42:00.003-05:00

Today is Steven's 15th birthday. The above photo was taken one day after his 5th birthday. The years are flying by faster than I ever thought they would. We stood back to back today and he is now just as tall as I am. Where did my little boy go? Here are a few things about my Steven...

1. He is quite artistic.
2. He is very sweet and cares about others feelings.
3. He loves to eat.
4. He will eat just about anything....but not Butternut squash.
5. He was extremely easy to potty train.
6. He loves to swim and is very good at it.
7. He swam on a swim team for 2 years.
8. He was the fastest swimmer in his gym class this year.
9. He loves to make things that work. Ex: vacuum cleaners
10. He loves the beach.
11. He loves to push his brother's buttons, and vice versa.
12. He wore braces for about a year and a half.
13. He will only use a mechanical pencil, never a regular one, because he says regular ones get dull too fast.
14. He chose a yellow cake with chocolate frosting for his birthday.
15. He also chose to go out to AppleBee's for dinner tonight.
16. He doesn't like to spend his money. He would rather put it in the bank.
17. He is often seen around here half dressed.
18. He has blue eyes like his Gramma Lene (my mother)
19. He likes to do his homework right away and doesn't like to put it down until he's finished.
20. He likes to play Monkey Ball
21. Lately he's talking an awful lot about it being only one more year until he can drive, hmmm....I'm not too sure about that one.

A fluffy pillow party!

2009-01-06T20:17:00.005-05:00

Today we decided that we were tired of the saggy unsupportive pillows along the back of our couch, so Dave cut the inside cushions open. The feathers and the poly filling were very clumped, so 1st we had a pulling the fluff apart party.
Dave had purchased some pillows (2 with feathers and 2 without). Those were cut open and mixed with the fluff from our cushions....a mixing party! Our cushions were then restuffed .I really wish I took a before picture, but never thought of it. This is what the finished product looks like! Maybe I won't be getting as many neck aches now when I sit on our couch!

Yup, It's Winter!

2008-12-21T18:13:00.006-05:00

Now that is one awesome "King of the Mountain" hill! Remember playing that fun game as kids? Anyone up for it?

Interstate 490

Brrr!

2008-12-19T16:19:00.005-05:00

Koty just had to go out and play in the snow with the kids, but he didn't last as long as they did outside.

Those darn toe jam icicles! Ouch..I must get them out!

Quite a lot of snow out there today! Once again, just about every school was closed except for our town. Our kids did get out 40 minutes early though, but they ended up getting home around the same time due to poor driving conditions.

Memories

2008-12-17T19:56:00.003-05:00

I came across this picture tonight, taken in at the end of November in 2003. There were sinkholes everywhere when we were looking for our Christmas tree. First Michael stepped in one, then me. You couldn't see them because they were covered with sawdust and straw. This was the 1st Holiday season in our new house. Look at my little kidlets!

Snowflakes

2008-12-16T21:33:00.005-05:00

Steven has been making these cool paper snowflakes today. He said that a teacher in his study hall showed him how to make one because he was finished with all of his work. Now he's making them like crazy. This is only a section of one that he's working on. He's quite creative!

No More Braces!

2008-12-16T16:39:00.008-05:00

Michael got his braces off this afternoon. He looks great!

Tim's Christmas Party

2008-12-13T18:45:00.009-05:00

Today was the Christmas party at my brother, Tim's place. For those of you who don't know, my brother Tim was brain damaged at birth when my mother stopped breathing after being given too much of a medication to induce labor. He is most like autistic people. He lives in Newark in a home for those with similar needs. During the party we paused for a few family pictures, taken by Ben and Hannah, who had decided to come along to see their Uncle Tim. Dad played his banjo and harmonica and we sang some Christmas carols, while earlier we had munched on pizza and wings and Christmas cookies. It was great to see him, and to chat and laugh with each other. I could tell he really enjoyed our visit too, even though we were a bit obnoxious with the camera.

Health Coverage

2008-12-03T14:16:00.003-05:00

The other day Dave and I found out that our health coverage is going to go up by $88.00 a month starting the 1st of the year. We already pay a fortune and Dave's company has not picked up any increases the last few years because it has gone up so much. One of the most frustrating things about this is that any time we need something, ie: glasses for Michael, they don't want to cover any of it. I pay $20.00 for every allergy injection, while our insurance pitches in $1.00. We are seriously considering dropping it and putting our money into an account, and letting it just build by adding to it every month as if we are paying health coverage. I know this is possibly risky, and we will thoroughly check it out first. About a year or so ago a guy from Aflack came in and talked to us at work about buying supplemental insurance from them because in case of long term illness, we could lose our life savings due to our insurance not covering it. Well then what are we paying for? I don't feel like we receive that much of a benefit from our insurance. Thoughts?.....

Mom

2008-11-19T15:55:00.010-05:00

Today was a reminder for me that I need to savor every moment I have left with my mother. This morning Martha called at a little after 7:00am, which is very unusual. She called to say that my dad had called her to let her know that mom had gone to the hospital in an ambulance. No details were given, and I don't know about you, but when I'm not given any details my mind goes crazy with the possibilities. I prayed for her before going up to the hospital with Martha and James. Priscilla was going to meet us there, but we never made it inside the hospital due to one of Martha's kids informing us that mom had been discharged. It's a long story, but when I finally did see her she was back at home and seemed like her normal self again. It turns out she woke up this morning with her heart beating very fast and it wasn't slowing down. My mom has a condition that is only getting worse. She never complains about her condition to me, and when I ask her how she's feeling she always tells me "fine", although when I talked to my Aunt this morning she said that my mom sometimes tells her that her condition is worsening. I know that when mom leaves this earth she's going to a much better place, but it's hard for me to imagine life without her. Our visit today was extra special. I am so thankful to still have her, and I am grateful for the reminder to hug her lots while I still can.

Life and Laughter

2008-11-11T15:24:00.005-05:00

Today, being that it was Veteran's Day, the kids had the day off school. Michael got out the Life game that we haven't played in quite a while, and we played a couple games. Life can be a pretty fun game. We laughed a lot, and had a good time together. Michael discovered first hand that sometimes "life isn't fair", but he was a good sport. Me? I got to be a Doctor for both games and made all kinds of money, even when Michael switched salaries with me I still managed to win all kinds of money.

Can a Sneeze be Swallowed?

2008-11-09T13:49:00.005-05:00

Today when we were driving home from church Michael sneezed. Just as he was about to sneeze his second sneeze (they always come in 2's) we heard a gulp and a stunned Michael says, "Oh my goodness, I was just about to sneeze and I swallowed it!" It was the funniest thing. He went on to say how that's never happened to him before and have we ever heard of such a thing. I have to say, I have never heard of this before and am wondering if any of you out there have ever "swallowed your sneeze" just before it came out.

Teachers make mistakes too

2008-11-06T17:40:00.003-05:00

Today Steven came home from school and told me that he had a 66% for his final grade in Technology. I was stunned because this is a class that he loves and does very well in. I asked him why and he said that his teacher said that he had gotten a zero on his "air racer paper". They had to make these air racers and then they raced them in the hallway at school, but they also had a 4 page worksheet to do with it. Steven has always saved his school papers for much too long because he likes to burn stuff at the end of the year. In this case it turned out to be a good thing because he went upstairs when he came home and looked for it in his room. He found the paper with a grade of 100% written on it. The teacher actually gave him a grade of 100% and then forgot to mark it in the grade book, and gave the paper back to him, instead giving him a zero for never handing it in. I sent the teacher an email and Steven will give him the paper tomorrow. His actual grade should be in the upper 90's.
This is keeping it real...this kind of thing makes me crazy!

Stone Fireplaces and Friends

2008-11-02T19:45:00.005-05:00

My honey is moving along on the stone fireplace. He is doing such a beautiful job!Last night we had some friends over to play Euchre. We've known these friends for more than 17 years, and get together once a month for dinner, games, and dessert. After so many years of being friends and getting together with our children, it would be strange to not be a part of each other's lives. My friend, Colleen, was not too cooperative about having her picture taken...or maybe she was sobbing because Dave and I had just won our 1st game of the night. ;)

A Baby Shower!

2008-11-01T22:26:00.005-04:00

Today was my nephew's wife, Leta's baby shower. Leta and my nephew, Dave, are expecting their 1st child in December. The shower was fun and Leta got lots of nice things to give her a good start with her new son. I can't wait for his arrival....I only hope he comes before his December 24th due date so that we can enjoy him at Christmas time.

Trick or Treat!

2008-10-31T19:23:00.006-04:00

Tonight it got dark and we still had no trick or treaters. Finally the doorbell rang. We grabbed our bowl of candy and told Koty to stay back. When we opened the door we discovered it was our very own, Michael. He had snuck out the back door, and went around to the front. When I opened the door he was chewing on some Reeses Pieces and said, "I want candy!", and he was laughing. Silly boy! I was convinced we would have a lot of kids tonight, but so far we've only had about 17. I guess we'll be eating lots of candy.

Candy, yum!Steven mummifying Michael.
Michael's way of handing out candy.

Massage

2008-10-28T21:01:00.008-04:00

Who's lucky feet are those?

Dave has it made tonight. He has a drawer full of socks down here, and Steven is getting the pills off of them with our pill machine while they are on his feet. It feels like a little foot massage...very relaxing. This is something both of them seem to enjoy.

Kid Stuff

2008-10-28T19:37:00.006-04:00

Michael is hard at work doing homework. He is doing very well in school and is even taking an enriched course this year. Actually both boys are doing very well. I am very proud of them for all of their hard work!
This is Steven eating a banana with peanut butter tonight, his snack of choice when there are no "goodies" in the house. He made peanut butter m+m cookies last night. I ate one of them, and when I came home from work (an all day seminar) today they were all gone and he was complaining to me that there were no goodies. There is no way to keep anything sweet in this house for longer than a day with 2 teenage boys and a husband with a sweet tooth.

17 Years

2008-10-26T17:44:00.014-04:00

Today it is 17 years that I have been married to my wonderful husband. The time has flown by so fast. Last night we enjoyed a night out together. We went out to a nice dinner and then to see the movie "Express".
Today, since it's our anniversary, I made Italian Wedding Soup....mmmm! God has blessed us so much! I couldn't ask for anything more.

The Monster Muffin Pan

2008-10-24T18:16:00.006-04:00

We have just finished dinner and the kitchen is quite messy, however I have decided to sit for just a few minutes before cleaning up. This morning I made bran muffins for the kids and have not yet washed the pan. I heard Koty barking at something and then making a beeline for the family room. At first I thought that Dave or one of the kids was teasing him, but when I finally got up to check it out I realized he was spooked out by the muffin pan. Here he is staring at it. Once he barks he will run as fast as he can to get away before it attacks him.

Big Puppy

2008-10-22T08:01:00.003-04:00

This morning as was seeing Michael off to school, Koty came and plopped himself right down on my lap. He's pretty big to fit on my lap, but he thinks he's still little.

More pictures from yesterday

2008-10-19T22:44:00.006-04:00

I wonder what the story on this old place is and what memories were made here. How sad and neglected it is now. I love how the sun rays show up so nicely in the photo.

Watch out, Martha! Don't get your feet wet!

Where's the candy?

2008-10-19T21:09:00.004-04:00

A few days ago I bought three bags of Halloween candy. One of the bags I emptied into a little ceramic pumpkin that sits on our entertainment center. The other two bags I tucked away in a cupboard, still in the grocery bag. The candy that I had emptied into the pumpkin didn't even last a day. Yesterday when I went out with Martha someone found the other two bags, and when I got home there were only 2 little Milky Way Bars left. The Snickers were completely gone. They said they really missed me. I guess they found comfort through eating chocolate. Maybe if I buy them chocolate they'll let me go out again sometime!

A Daycation

2008-10-18T19:38:00.011-04:00

Today Martha and I spent a day together, out and about. Priscilla was supposed to come too, but is too overwhelmed with school stuff right now, so she opted out. Martha and I spent the day touring antique shops and eating out.

The fall colors were beautiful! This picture was taken near where we stopped for lunch...the first time.Whoa!

We took a scenic walk through Grimes Point (was that what it was called, Martha? It doesn't sound right.) This little bridge we had to cross over was a little broken down, so....

Martha jumped on it to see if she could break it. Not really, she was just showing me that it wasn't all that flimsy.

I thought this old tricycle in one of the antique shops was neat.

At the end of our day together, we stopped at Gudl's restaurant for some authentic German cuisine. Not only did I get to meet 2 computer friends (Gudl and Melissa) in person, but I got to enjoy a delicious meal too!! Unfortunately we were much too full for the yummy looking desserts.

It was a very fun, much needed day out together for some sister time! Hopefully the next time Priscilla can come too.

Falling Leaves

2008-10-14T16:38:00.005-04:00

Dave just picked up the leaves last night, and this is them today. They're falling like crazy!

Home from PA

2008-10-12T21:31:00.011-04:00

This is Dave's brother, Bill, and his wife, Jo. Jo and I went shopping at the PA outlet malls right after this picture was taken at Dairy Queen. There is no sales tax on clothing there, and the prices were way cheaper!! I got a really nice black belt at Eddie Bauer marked down from $36.00 to $1.99.

My nieces and Michael building popsicle stick houses in the playroom.

Koty and Emi playing

Steven and my niece, Brianna, having a competition to see who can bounce the tennis ball up and down on the racquet the most times in a row.

Koty wonders why Emi gets to be in the position he likes to be in.There were some beautiful colors on the way home!

A Little Getaway

2008-10-11T00:28:00.009-04:00

We have been visiting Dave's brother and his wife in Lancaster County, PA since Thursday night. Yesterday we went to a place called "Kitchen Kettle Village". There are a bunch of fun little shops to explore here. I have been here with my sister in law before, but never with my honey. I made him come this time since my brother in law had to work a half day, and there was a picture at a store here that I wanted to get for our family room. We saw a few Amish wagons out and about.

We did buy a beautiful picture, but I'll post that later. We're wondering how we will get it home since it's pretty big.

We had live entertainment. These guys were playing music, and this woman was dancing.

This is Dave. He knew I was taking a picture of him walking into the pottery shop.

We saw some nice pottery while looking around.

These are called "peanut pumpkins". Aren't they ugly?

Dave and I pause for a picture just before heading back to my in laws house. The weather couldn't have been more perfect.

The Stone Fireplace

2008-10-08T21:20:00.003-04:00

My honey continues his awesome work on our stone fireplace.

Ouch!

2008-10-08T15:50:00.003-04:00

I get 3 allergy shots every week, but today I got 4 shots since they were offering the flu shot. It really hurt when she gave it to me, and now it feels like someone slugged me really hard in my right arm.

Koty's meeting with Lilly

2008-10-01T18:25:00.008-04:00

It rained again today, but we decided to get Koty and Lilly together anyhow. Lilly came this evening at around 5:15pm, and even though it rained while they played, they had a great time. It was extremely difficult to get a good picture of them because they were constantly moving. The neat thing is that they are related. Koty's grandpa is Lilly's father. Pretty neat we only live 5 minutes away!

Fireproof

2008-10-01T07:03:00.004-04:00

I wish I posted this sooner, but I wanted to mention that Dave and I saw the movie, "Fireproof" last Friday night. It was very good, and the theater was jam packed! If you see it bring some tissues. I didn't and I cried.

Interesting!

2008-09-27T20:12:00.005-04:00

Last week one of my patients looked at Koty's picture on my wall and asked me what kind of dog he was. I told her and she got so excited because they also have a comfort retriever and guess where they got theirs... Dakota Winds in South Dakota! They are the 1st people we've met that have one and we are the first ones they have met that have one. Since we only live 5 minutes away from each other we decided to get the dogs together. They will meet tomorrow at a park.

Oh, and our dogs are related. I will post pictures of their meeting tomorrow.

Reminiscing

2008-09-17T20:48:00.010-04:00

The kids have been asking and asking to go visit our old neighborhood (about a 30 minute drive) and to go to Long Acre Farms nearby and get ice cream, so tonight we did just that...except my honey forgot his wallet so we didn't get the ice cream. I was short 15 cents so we couldn't get any. The above picture is our old house. We lived here for 10 years and have many good memories here. I couldn't get a good picture because the woman who lives there now was sitting on the front step. As it was, she saw me take this one. I tried to be quick while Dave was saying, "No, don't get it!" We visited our old neighbor a little later when it was dark and he said that the woman said that someone drove by and took a picture...oops! I guess we should've stopped and said hi and told her that we lived there for 10 years, and did she mind if we took a picture.

At Long Acre Farms they have a huge corn maze and lots of other neat things to do. Dave and the boys were really having fun trying to figure out the yard mazes. There are rules that you can only do certain things and it really takes a lot of thought to get through it.
Finally the boys and I stopped at the tires for a photo as the sun was setting. The boys played on these when they were just little people. They said they were surprised to see how small everything looked, especially the pirate ship.
It's fun to go back and reminisce. Both boys were born while we lived in that neighborhood, so that's where we watched them learn to walk, talk, where they learned to ride a bike, where we took numerous walks together, where they got on the school bus for the first time, etc... It was nice to come home after though, this is home now.
Funny, after I hit the publish button and viewed my post, I saw my header photo. It was taken at the same place we visited tonight, except we lived out there then.

Cut outs

2008-09-17T17:00:00.005-04:00

With the change in weather, the kids get antsy for our tradition of making cut out cookies. We were supposed to be making pumpkins and leaves, but this is what one of the trays looked like. (Michael's creation)

Hey, who is that stealing my dough?!...Michael. A lot of this goes on.

This tray looked a little better than the previous. The blob cookie was the last of the dough, and it's mine! I enjoyed every bite! Tonight we will frost them, and put some faces on those pumpkins.

A Little More Progress

2008-09-08T22:42:00.001-04:00

Koty after his haircut

2008-09-07T16:16:00.002-04:00

Koty was not very cooperative for the camera today. This is him post haircut, but those of you who didn't see him before may not notice a difference. You may think he looks shaggy now, but he was very shaggy before. I think he looks adorable!

I had to post this one because Dave looks so cute!

Koty's 1st Haircut

2008-09-06T15:24:00.004-04:00

Koty was getting a little too shaggy looking so Dave decided to groom him with the flowbee. He wasn't so sure about it at first, but he got used to it. He didn't go to sleep while it was being done though, his eyes were wide open. See him sleeping as he gets his nails clipped, below.

A Trusting Little Pup

2008-09-06T12:47:00.002-04:00

This is Koty having his nails clipped this morning. He was so relaxed that he was falling asleep. Quite trusting, don'tcha think?

A Golf Outing

2008-09-05T20:38:00.002-04:00

Today Dave came home from work a little early and wondered if I might want to go golfing with him. It was a beautiful, sunny day... a perfect day for golf, I thought. Well, needless to say, I did not do so well. It was a very frustrating golf outing for me. It was HOT, and there I was on the middle of a golf course in the bright sun, whiffing the ball. Does anyone but me have a hard time keeping their arm straight, keeping their eyes on the ball, opening the face of their club, pretending your club is a "noodle", and making sure you follow through on your swing? My poor honey, I wasn't a very good partner today.
Martha, you and I were just discussing this type of thing today. I got so angry at one point when I whiffed the same ball about 5 times, that I said I just wanted to throw the dan thing. I didn't swear I said, "dan". Dave said that it counts as a swear word...but I didn't swear! Do you think God took away some points for that one? ;)

A Little Progress

2008-09-04T21:53:00.004-04:00

This is what the fireplace looks like now. I know, not much progress, but it's VERY time consuming picking just the right ones to fit together. I am very excited that the project is moving forward, and I think it looks great so far!

Slow Fade

2008-09-04T16:30:00.000-04:00

I heard this song for the 1st time this morning on my way to work, and it really ministered to me. It's a great reminder of how sly Satan is. He works slowly to pull us away from God, and pretty soon we are where we never imagined we would be. I do not want to make any compromises in my life (and I know I do at times)...especially after being reminded of this.