It's summer!

Wow, it seems we went directly from cool Spring weather the week Jeremy was home to the worst of summer heat!! I am so thankful to have central air. I was remembering this week when our children were little and we lived along Main Street in E. Petersburg with no air conditioning and NO FANS in the bedrooms! We would sleep with all our windows wide open and in the morning the whole house would smell of exhaust fumes from all the traffic right outside our door. I guess God's grace was sufficient, because I can't remember feeling like I couldn't endure the heat. I was much younger back then!!

On Monday I gave the whole house a good cleaning (in the air conditioning) while Dick slaved away outside in the heat. Destiny kept him company! In the evening we went shopping for some flowers to plant.

Yesterday it was back to school. In the evening we had 8th grade graduation. I was the only one to mess it up. I was SURE I had turned my cell phone off when I arrived. But right after the kids got their diplomas I started hearing this familiar sound of Canon in D. I dived for my purse and quickly walked backstage to shut the thing up (THANKS, JEREMY!!) I came back in and sat back down at the piano. The principal had just finished handing out the diplomas, and he looked at me like I was supposed to start the recessional. I was surprised, because I thought there would be more ceremony involved - like an official introduction of the class, with them standing up, etc. I tried to make some quiet, blundering communication about it, but finally just started in on Pomp and Circumstance. I immediately noticed all the middle school teachers on the stage looking at each other, and the principal motioned for me to stop and said something about there still being awards to hand out. I felt so stupid. But it seems everyone enjoyed my blunder. At least it gave people something to talk to me about afterward. Oh well, I can take it.

The kids have half a day today and I have TONS to do to clean up my classroom and organize stuff. I'm taking Destiny with me, because I can't find anyone to babysit today. So I don't know how much cleaning up and organizing I'll get done.

Tomorrow will be a staff meeting in the morning and our annual trip to Olive Garden for lunch. We always have so much fun. And then it's SUMMER VACATION!! I have never been readier.

Ahh, the weekend!

Yesterday Dick started a huge project outside. The side of our house toward the street has two built up flower beds. He decided to tear down the front one and replace it with a walkway that will go around the back and connect to the ramp to our deck. It will be so much easier for people who have trouble walking or are in wheelchairs than using the steps to our front porch. But it is a very labor-intensive project. First he had to shovel off the layer of stones that was on top, then he'll have to remove a lot of the soil, then build the walkway.

The lady who lived here before had these built up flowerbeds sitting full of artificial lawn decorations. We brought cast iron pig troughs along from our other place and put them there and planted flowers in them. We also got four miniature rose bushes at Walmart to plant in front right after we moved. They looked so little and pathetic, I never expected them to stay alive, less yet actually grow. But I'm feeling pretty proud of them. Believe me, anything that grows for us is purely accidental. We know next to nothing about plant care. I told my friend Cheryl that sometime I'm going to come to her house for lessons. She and her husband are growing a miniature Longwood Gardens behind their house. Her pictures are absolutely breath-taking!

We had a wonderful time with our church family in the beautiful presence of the Lord this morning, came home and had grilled chicken sandwiches on the deck, and have been taking it nice and easy all afternoon. I don't even have one thing to be working on for school, and I hardly know how to act!!

One of the miniature rose bushes we bought at Walmart right after we moved last summer. 

Hopefully a walkway will soon replace the front section where Destiny is standing. 

Dick takes a break and lets Destiny get rid of some of her endless energy! 

I forgot!!

I completely forgot an important date this week, until this morning when I looked at the calendar for the first time all week. On Wednesday was our son Anthony's and his wife Lori's 3rd anniversary. I have very fond memories of that day, of the very unique and meaningful wedding ceremony, of the answered prayer for the weather, of having almost all our children together (except for Miki and family in Sweden), of singing with Jeremy at the wedding, of seeing Destiny for the first time in a month (she had been with Lisa and George in Tampa for a month), of going home after the wedding and having a hilarious time playing "dictionary" at the kitchen table by lamp light, because the kitchen flourescent light had decided to quit working the day before!

I also have to make a disclaimer regarding the previous blog about men barbequeing. There is one man that I know for sure does not fit that category, and that is my son-in-law George. He is absolutely competent handling every step of the barbequing routine from beginning to end. He has completely impressed his mother-in-law many times over!

Our family at Anthony and Lori's wedding, May 24, 2003. Back row: Sam, Frank, Jeremy, Ray. Front row: Dick, me, Lori, Destiny, Anthony, Lisa, George. 

Hey, men, are you ready to barbeque this weekend?

I read something funny on my friend Cheryl's blog today. I thought she wrote it and I was so impressed that I told her she could run Erma Bombeck competition. Just a while ago I went to her blog and discovered this sentence at the beginning: Here is a story that has been circulating. So let me be perfectly clear - I did NOT write this - it's a story that's been circulating. But it is really funny and a bit too true. Enjoy!

When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:

Routine...
1) The woman buys the food.

2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.

3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill.

Here comes the important part:
4) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.

More routine....
5) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.

6) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning. He thanks her and asks if she will bring him something to drink while he deals with the situation.

Important again:
7) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.

More routine...
8) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces and brings them to the table.
9) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.

And most important of all:
10) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
11) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed "her night off." And, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing women..."

Winding down

This morning I took the Middle School Chorus to breakfast at Kreiders Restaurant. It's an annual thing I do to encourage and show my appreciation to them for participation at the Jr. High Music Festival. It's always a fun, relaxing time. We didn't feel like going back to school.

Last period I had the worship team for the last time. We had ice cream, listened to some of the tape Dick made of this past Sunday morning, and prayed together one last time. I felt so encouraged as I heard a number of them already praying for next year's worship team, even the graduating 8th graders. Uriah, my 8th grade sax player has been on worship team ever since he was in 6th grade. I will miss that sax, but Samuel Stoner will step up to the plate with his. And I still have Uriah's sax on my worship team at Grace.

This evening we finally sat out on the swing for a nice long time. It's the first time we could finally feel that relaxed since we have it. Tomorrow we hope to finally do some work outside.

Some of the 8th graders getting their Kreiders breakfast for the third time. 

The boys packed away incredible amounts of bacon! 

I made sure those coffe carafes had decaf coffee in them. There's nothing worse than spending the day with a bunch of middle schoolers that are high on sugar and caffeine! 

Jennifer Witmer (in the left foreground) drove a vanload of kids for me. 

Three of my drivers, the crazy middle school teachers, Beth Mease, Melissa Nolt, and Lib Kettering. 

Two of my drivers, Deb Heisey (secretary), and Jen Houser (pre-K) teacher. 

Pre-school field trip and report card grades

Yesterday I went with Destiny's class on a field trip to Hands On House. The kids just loved it, especially the rooms where they could dress up, and the store where they could pretend to buy groceries. Afterward we ate lunch and played at Manheim Township Park.

After school I went to my parents to take them a tape I had recorded for them. They just finished their sun room, and it looks SO nice. I have no idea why I didn't think of taking pictures of it - the camera was in the car.

Last evening I did report card grades until after 11 p.m. Whew, what a relief to have them done for the year.

I tried out my artistic skills on Destiny's face. 

Destiny plays "diva." 

Luke plays "captain." 

Playing "grocery store" at Hands On House. 

Destiny's class sits still long enough for a picture. 

New Line Revue

Last evening was Destiny's New Line Revue show at the Warwick High School. It was a huge, very professional event. There were 29 acts, with a 15-minute intermission. It lasted from 6:30 until after after 9:00. Dick changed clothes at work and went straight there to get a place in line at the door for us. Destiny sat on the bleachers with us the first half, then at intermission I went back stage with her and stayed with her team until they were ready to go out. It was a long night for such little girls. Both Enid and Frank came, as well as Enid's little boy, her brother, and one of his friends. That really meant a lot to Destiny that they were there. The show included baton twirling, pom poms, dancing, and tumbling. Like I said before, it was extremely professionally done, considering it was in a small town like Lititz!

Afterward we hurried home to catch the end of American Idol, on time to see Taylor Hicks win. Sorry Jeremy. I guess other people like him! (Like I do!)

Today is Destiny's last day of preschool at Manheim Christian. They are going on a field trip to Hands On House and Manheim Township Park. I'm going along.

Destiny meets up with some of her beginner teammates before the doors opened. 

A dance team. 

An all star twirl team. 

This part of the show was amazing and really fun to watch. 

The beginners (Destiny's class) gets into place for their routine. Destiny is at the back of the formation. At first she was watching us on the bleachers instead of her leader! 

The beginners end their routine. 

The graduating seniors. 

The final bow. Each row would bow and wave, then sit down. Destiny was fifth from the right on the row standing up. 

Destiny and Enid.

Destiny and her brother (Enid's son)