Lovely April Sunday; baby pictures; Vote and Go Cafe

Here it is Friday already, and I just realized I did not blog for a whole week!  I hate when that happens.  So first off, I'll share the pictures from this past Sunday.

It was a warm (not hot) sunny day, just perfect for our first use of the grill for the season.  Dick grills the yummiest chicken breasts.  I always marinate them in Italian dressing overnight.

Later in the afternoon Anthony invited us to come over for a cookout.  Hamburgers and sausages over the fire.

I can still multi-task!  There's a baby in this picture somewhere, haha!

Austin was having fun with his remote control vehicle.

Later he wandered if I want to watch him play "wall ball."   I never knew how much fun you can have with a tennis ball.

A few times the ball got caught in the spouting over the porch.  In order to see where it was we would go up the stairs to the guest room.  However, it's way too easy to go right from there onto that slanted roof.  I almost had a heart attack when I went back down the steps and turned around to see him standing on the roof to get an even better view.  He saw a sterner side of Grandma than he usually does!

The tulips in our front bed were really pretty this week.  I love the variegated ones in the middle.  

And now for some baby pictures from the week.

Lori posted this one yesterday!  Austin has a wonderful male teacher who allows room for every child's learning style!

We had another very successful Vote and Go Cafe at Houserville on Tuesday.  My friends Sharon, Amy, and Heather work so hard and many others help out too.  They provide such a wonderful down-home atmosphere to the voting venue at Houserville House of Hope.  Here are a few pictures, although no picture of my very favorite thing - Amy's mac and cheese.  It is absolutely the best I've ever tasted.

One last picture - the one I posted for Throwback Thursday on FB yesterday.  This was the summer of 1982, our three kids plus my sister Doris's two girls.  I just love Jeremy's curls!  I'm also pretty impressed with my lush tomato plants right there in our small East Petersburg back yard. 

And now I must rush around and get packed up for the weekend.  We are going to Lancaster County for the annual MCDS benefit auction.  Today's weather is not at all what they would prefer - very cool and rainy.  I think tomorrow will be better.  I'm SO eager to finally spend some time with Sam, Jenn, and the kids too.  

Have a great weekend!

Dick's birthday meal; tulip time; grandchildren

Friday already!  This week just flew by!  As I said in my last post, on Tuesday Dick turned 66.  Anthony and Lori treated us to dinner at our very favorite place - Texas Roadhouse.  It was an easy evening, Hunter sleeping in Lori's arms the entire meal and Austin playing a game when he wasn't eating.  We're enjoying this stage before Hunter gets a bit older, haha!

We were reminiscing about the first time we ate in a restaurant together when Austin was a baby.  Of course, I had to consult my blog (our diary!)  to remember all the details!  We still lived in Lancaster County at that point, and Lori and Austin stayed with us for three weeks that April while their bathroom was being renovated.  Anthony was still working full-time and starting his business on the side, so during those weeks he was spending long evening hours on a full-course lesson.  He had just finished and released it in the wee hours of a Friday morning, then came down to our place after work.  We went to Marcaroni Grill at the Park City mall to celebrate.  We laughed when we looked at the picture and realized that Lori had the same green flannel blanket over Austin that evening as she had over Hunter on this evening!

Lori posted pictures on Wednesday of her boys at Dairy Queen.  They need to be shared!

I took some pictures of my flowers earlier this week.  As I compare the tulips to those on last year's pictures I realize how much shorter they are this year.   I can only assume that we had cold weather at the wrong time for them this spring.  I do still enjoy being greeted by them when I arrive home each day.

My rose bush is coming back to life.

"Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home."

Sam posted a bunch of pictures the other day.  Here are some of my favorites.

Look at those gorgeous eyes!

"Best buddies" was Sam's caption.

Apparently Bianca was not amused by silly Sammy, hahaha!

I miss them so!!  We'll finally get to spend time with them next weekend when we go to Lancaster County for Manheim Christian Day School's benefit auction.  I can hardly wait!

Have a great weekend!

Stauffer Acres' 1st anniversary; Dick's 66th birthday.

On Sunday it was one year that Anthony and Lori settled on Stauffer Acres.  What a time that was!  Moving all their belongings out of their previous house, getting it whipped into perfect condition for the next owner, meeting the deadline for two settlements in one morning - required an all-weeker and and an all-nighter!  I remember how I could hardly wait to finally be allowed to post pictures.

So we celebrated and reminisced on Sunday, which was a warm, lovely April day, with a late brunch cook-out after church.   After Anthony and Dick got a good fire going, Dick started the bacon.

Later Lori added sausages, home fries, and pancakes.

We had seen a ground hog running for the woods, so Austin got out his slingshot in hopes of getting rid of it!  He wears his storm trooper mask a lot.  (-:

Of course he had to follow the strict rule of facing away from us.

I had the hard job!!

This was supposed to be a nice Grandma and Hunter photo, but somebody made sure to photobomb it, haha!

This sweet boy slept in my arms for hours!

As always, the view was spectacular.

After Hunter finally needed his mommy (from Austin's perspective!) I was able to go with Austin to the pond.  For some reason he didn't want anyone else to accompany him.  I love being at the pond with him.   He is so intense as he listens and watches for frogs, tadpoles, and newts.  We saw lots of fish swimming too.

A tadpole.

A newt.

I heard him saying, "It's okay, buddy, I'm NOT going to hurt you!"

Then he let it go.

Spring is springing!  So happy to have the fountain on again and green buds on the trees. 

I also checked out the progress in the Texas Blues Alley barn.  There's a lot of work being done on the second floor.  This is where he'll shoot his lessons and do some live performances. 

The new steps to the third floor. 

Third floor, almost ready to become the editing studio. 

Anthony put this before and after comparison on his Instagram last week.  Yep, that's what the third floor used to look like!  That's the exact same corner in the two photos below!

Today is Dick's 66th birthday!  I made this collage of pictures from this past year.  I pray he has as many joyful occasions in this coming year as well.

Have a good rest of your week!