MCDS Benefit Auction 2013

This was our annual Manheim Christian Day School Benefit Auction weekend.  As we were driving to Lancaster County on Friday afternoon, I was reading old blog posts to Dick of our previous years at the MCDS auction.  It was actually funny reading them back to back, because I talked about the exact same things every year!  The great food, seeing people we hadn't seen in a while, being with family.  The one thing I noticed this year - there are less and less young children who know me.  My youngest students, the ones who were in Pre-K the last year I taught, are now in 3rd grade, my kindergarteners are in 4th.  For them, those early grades were a long time ago!  It feels a bit sad.  Actually, there were more parent volunteers at the auction this year that were complete strangers to me.  I would look at the people attending the bake stand or making the omelets or serving the chicken meal and think,  "I don't know one person standing there!"  But there were still LOTS of people I did know, and it was wonderful, especially re-connecting with former co-workers.  They were the best ever. 

On Friday afternoon we went to Dick's parents first and spent a few hours with them.  Dad's tractor (one from Dick's childhood days!) was causing him trouble, and Dick fixed it.  Dad was so happy with the way it started right up.  It was a beautiful Spring day, and Dad's woods were so beautiful.  He just loves cleaning up his woods.  They have never looked so good!  Two years ago at this time we weren't sure he would ever walk in his woods again, less yet WORK in them.  Thank you, LORD!

Frank and Destiny joined us for the barbecued chicken meal.  We had fun together.  

Of course, she had to be silly for a few shots first!  There was a birthday party at her mom's house that evening that she wanted to go to, so he took her there afterward. 

We slept at Grandma Mary's overnight.  I love spending time with our parents and wish we could do it more often.  On Saturday morning we went back to the school for the country breakfast.  Ray joined us for that.   Thyda had duty on Saturday and wasn't able to come along, which was sad indeed.  I didn't even get a picture of Ray, but here's one from his phone, and he looked pretty much like this Saturday morning!  Always a ham.  And complaining about our cold weather!

The line-up of omelet makers that I did not know!

I loved this quilt.  It would look good in my  house!

Sam, Jenn, and Sammy came later.  By then the sun was bright and it was getting nice and warm.  Sammy LOVED the playground equipment and the balloons.  I took a few pictures, but Ray took a lot and I got most of these from him.

Of course, the big highlight was the helicopter flying overhead to drop candy.  

Anthony, Lori, and Austin were there too.  That's Austin in the bouncy house with his back to the camera (white shirt).  He was about to climb the "stairs" to the top of the sliding board, which was awesomely steep.  Believe me, bouncy houses have come a long way!  This one was the coolest I've ever seen. 

Austin also enjoyed these entertainers who made the most amazing music with non-musical instruments.  I wish I could have gotten up there to see how they were actually producing all those sounds.  

As Anthony, Lori, and Austin were leaving I realized I had not gotten any picture of them.  So I did the best I could!  There they go!

 Dick and I and Ray went to Sam and Jenn's place after we left the school.  It was a perfectly beautiful afternoon.  While Jenn and Sammy napped, Dick sat on the recliner and snored, I sat on the deck and dozed, and Ray and Sam threw football as usual.   Sorry about my thumb in the picture.  And Sam was moving so fast, the camera got his tee shirt on his face, haha!

 Later we went to a local Italian restaurant.  This was Sammy being good for the first five minutes.

This is Sammy being introduced to Angry Birds on my phone after he was getting tired of waiting for the food.  I think we did this for ten minutes and he laughed harder and harder, eventually screeching with delight.  It was so funny! 


The pizza was wonderful and we had fun, except Sam, Jenn, and Dick each had to take turns walking Sammy outside because he had no interest in or patience for sitting at a table.  I realized why they said they usually order in!

We left their place around 7:30 pm and got home shortly after 10.  

Here's a lovely banner that a young girl gave to us at Houserville House of Hope this morning.  She just recently started coming to our church with some of her friends (after having heard about us at the bbq in the park earlier this month).  She made this banner. 

It looks lovely between the stained glass windows.