Vacation Bible School week; Florida tomorrow!

I ended my last post with Dad Stauffer's birthday celebration on Saturday evening and our drive back home afterward.  But we did not come home to an empty house.  Sam and the kids were here!  

So Sunday was another fun day.  After church I made grilled cheese sandwiches and cream of tomato soup for our lunch.  Meanwhile, the kids were having the greatest time with something we had brought home with us from Dad Stauffer's.  The Lincoln Logs!  Sammy built quite an amazing ranch house!  When I was a kid I always wished to have Lincoln Logs, but we never had them because we were girls.  And somehow they were not on the list of wanted toys when our kids were young.  So now that I am 67-years-old, I finally have them, hahahaha!!

Then the kids wanted to go to Discovery Space.  They never tire of it, and it's so nice that we have a grandparents' membership and can go as often as we want with our grandchildren!

That evening was our first evening of Vacation Bible School at GBRV.  Sam decided to wait to leave until afterward so the kids could go.  They LOVED it!  Afterward Sammy said, "That was the funnest church day I ever had!"

I was in charge of the music.  The kids loved the energetic songs that were part of the GiddyUp Junction curriculum we used.  

There were games, crafts, and snacks in addition to the singing and the lesson. 

The kids were each given a cowboy hat to wear.  When we got home I wanted to get a picture of Sam and the kids.  I remembered that we still had Sammy's "old man hat" here since Camp Hebron, so I told Sam to put that on for the picture.  I laughed when I saw it!  He looks more Amish than cowboy, hahaha!

We had a couple of special things in our family this week.  Miki's daughter Katrina had her 26th birthday on Wednesday.  She was our first grandchild, born in Sweden of course, so we didn't get to see her in person till she was 5 months old.  She has always been the SWEETEST girl, and I so enjoyed having some time with her in February when she was over for Bjorn's wedding.  I love her SO much.  

Thursday was Lisa and George's 21st wedding anniversary.  I so enjoy reminiscing that wonderful day.  They had each of their siblings in the wedding party.  See if you can identify our boys, haha!

This week I have helped with picking up Austin and Hunter each day, Austin from Ninja camp and Hunter from daycare.  On Wednesday Lori needed me to drive her back to her office to get her car keys.  I can't believe how far she parks from her office!  But she said it's just a ten-minute walk across campus.  Driving there was more than that since we couldn't cut through lawns!  I enjoyed getting to see parts of campus I never see otherwise. 

This is her building and the lawn in front of it. 

That evening after VBS I walked out to my car and saw the most amazing storm clouds.  We did not get much rain or storm here, but in the area where those clouds were it was pretty bad for a while.  One of my friends told me she was driving at the time and had to pull over because she couldn't see.

We had VBS each evening from Sunday through Thursday.  Here are some more pictures.

They learned to square dance with the song "The Old West."  How fun!!

Last evening there was a pinata during game time. 

Last evening I took Hunter along.  He enjoyed everything except the singing at the beginning.  He was standing up front with me, and when we started the first song, the volume of the kids' enthusiastic singing surprised and scared him.  He started to really cry.  My friend Gloria took him to the side to sit with him and he was ok then. 

We have some fun days ahead!  Lori has to present at a conference in Orlando, and this time we're all going!  Lori, the boys, and I are leaving tomorrow afternoon.  Anthony and Dick are leaving Sunday (because of a previously scheduled event in Anthony's barn Saturday evening.)  Lisa, George, and Sophie will be coming over from Tampa from Sunday to Tuesday and staying in the same hotel!!  These plans just came together in the past two weeks, and I'm so excited!!  We're coming back home on Wednesday.  

Broadway Camp, hot weather, and 94th birthday party

As I said at the end of my last post, I picked up Sammy on my way home from our sibling weekend.  For a very special reason!  I think it was back in February or March that I noticed on Facebook that Centre County Parks and Recreation would be having a Broadway Camp in July.  Of course I thought of Sammy right away.  I called and found out that there was just one spot left in Sammy's age group!  I told Jenn about it and before I knew it she had him registered!   

The camp was held at Mt. Nittany Middle School each day from 9 to 3.  Of course, on Monday morning Sammy was feeling apprehensive, but I assured him that it was absolutely normal to feel like that before doing something completely new with people he didn't even know.  I stayed with him that morning until they called all the kids up to the stage to play a game, and I could see that he was already feeling comfortable.  When I picked him up at 3 he said he LOVED it and couldn't wait to go back the next day!  

Each morning I got him up at 7:30 for a wake-up shower and breakfast.  He loved that I had K-cups of hot chocolate.  He was sure the hot chocolate helped him to sing louder, hahaha!!  He carefully brushed his hair so it would look cool!  I took a picture of him each morning to send to his parents.  I think I missed Thursday morning, however.  

His age group (grades one, two, and three) worked on a medley of songs from the original Mary Poppins.  So on Monday evening we watched the movie.  He loved it so much.  I think his favorite part was at the end when they said that the old man banker had literally died laughing.  He just thought that was the funniest thing ever.

On Wednesday evening we made this fun video of the songs he was learning at camp.

We were having a heat wave, and thunderstorms kept us indoors Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.  Finally on Thursday afternoon and evening there was nothing but sun and heat in the forecast, so we jumped at the chance to go with Lori and the boys to the DelGrosso water park near Altoona.  Anthony had left that day for the NAMM convention in Nashville.  Did we ever have boys!  Besides Sammy, Austin, and Hunter we had Davion who had been with them from NYC for two weeks, and Lori's nephew William, and another boy from church named William!   Lori is a very brave (crazy??) woman, hahaha!  

We had such a good time.  It felt SO GOOD to get wet because it was so unbearably hot and humid.  There was even a slight breeze.  Sammy and I got on inner tubes and went around the Lazy River two times.  Of course no pictures of that because I didn't want my phone to get wet.   Then Sammy discovered the water slides, and that was it.  He didn't want to do anything else till they closed at 7:00.   The first time he went with Austin and they carried the big tube up the steps together.  

Later he carried it up all by himself.  I couldn't believe it!

What goes up must come down!  

Friday was show day!  Sammy was SO excited!  It started at 2:30 and I got a front row seat.  I was SO impressed!!  Nineteen little kids singing with just a piano, doing the choreography, singing everything by memory - after just five days!!  He was really on a high after it was over and just couldn't get done talking about it!  No wonder!  It was AWESOME!!  

I was so very proud of him!

It was another very hot day.  We met Lori and the boys (just two boys this time - Davion had gone back home that morning) at Moe's Southwest Grill for dinner, then we all went to the pool for the evening.  I told Sammy that this was his "great job!" treat!

I don't know how I didn't get any pictures of anyone else, not even at the pool.  Guess I was just having a good time.  Once again the water felt so fantastic! 

On Saturday morning Sammy played a long time in our big tub.  I made a double portion of seven layer salad and vacuumed the house. After Dick got off work at noon and had gotten showered we left for another very special event - his dad's 94th birthday celebration!  Even though Sammy wouldn't be going along to that he was very excited about it and wanted to get him a card.  So we stopped on our way down to buy cards.  Here's the one he picked out, haha!  Inside it said "Happy Birthday to a true classic!"  

We dropped Sammy off with Sam right after he had gotten off work at 3:00, then drove another hour to Dad Stauffer's house near Manheim.   

All five sons were present, even Bob from Minnesota!  We were sad his wife Doris could not come along.  Arlene had made lasagna, I brought the salad, Carolyn brought garlic bread, Faye brought a delicious summer fruit salad, and Deb brought the home-made ice cream cake.  As always, lots of good stories and laughter and singing.  

We sang a few favorite hymns, then somehow the guys started reminiscing about the songs they used to listen to and sing when they were kids.  I wasn't ready to video when this one got started, but here's the rest of it. How Does a Cow Make Milk? It's FUNNY!

Arlene has been cleaning things out in preparation for their move to Pleasant View Retirement Home whenever there is an apartment available for them.  This time she had cleaned out the game and puzzle closet in the basement and wanted us to go down to see if we might want anything.  We did!  We got the Lincoln Logs and a few games - Waterworks, Rook, and Dutch Blitz.  I decided to take one last picture of this beloved basement where we had so many family dinners around that LONG table.  Also so many memories of lounging and rough housing on that long row of couches along the side.  

Of course Dick and I had to leave before everyone else because of the two-and-a-half hour drive home, but I made sure we got a picture of Dad and his boys.  Front: Fred and Steve; middle: Bob and Dick; back: Jim.  

We had another beautiful sunset on our way home that evening.  

I will have to find another time to blog before this weekend, because I gotta tell you about our fun Sunday and VBS this week.  But for now, I'm out of time!

Sibling Weekend 2019

This past weekend we had our bi-annual sibling reunion.  On Friday morning I heard that Barb had arrived from Idaho, Rose was leaving from the Atlanta airport, and Betty was about to leave for her road trip from New Hampshire - brave lady!  I left mid-afternoon from State College and later we all descended upon Dick and Nancy's house.  This picture wasn't taken till Sunday, but I'm putting it here to introduce the post.  

After a dinner of taco pie and corn on the cob, we headed outside to try out the corn hole game that  Dick and Nancy's grandson had made.  Oh, how we laughed and laughed.  We Witmers were never known for our athletic abilities, but we surely had fun trying!

The funniest time of the whole evening was when I somehow or other kept putting my beanbags right into the hole.  Like six times in a row!!  We were just screaming laughing! I had finally found my sport!

Later we came back into the house for some snacking and talking and catching up.  

We sisters had our "dorm room" in the basement - some of us on air mattresses, one on the sofa, and one in the guest bedroom.  

On Saturday morning, after a breakfast of "Grandpa's breakfast" made by Dick and Mary Ellen, we piled into Doris's van and headed to Longwood Gardens about an hour away.  All but Dick.  He had a very necessary repair to do on his tow truck, and besides, he wasn't that crazy about going to see flowers. 

Just as we arrived they were starting their musical fountain show.  So beautiful!

We did a LOT of walking, and it was a really hot day.

A woman, holding the most adorable baby, offered to take our picture all together. 

Early in the afternoon we drove to the nearby picnic area to eat our packed lunch.  It was such a lovely wooded area, and we had it all to ourselves most of the time we were there. We took our good old time relaxing there and talking nonstop, of course. 

Then we went back to see more.  

We were so hot and tired by the time this was taken.  Not sure how Mary Ellen took it without us knowing.  Something was funny, I guess!

We had intended to go out to eat that evening, but we were so tired and hot when we got back to the house, and we really weren't that hungry, so we decided to stay in and just eat leftovers from the meals we'd already had.  We spent a lot of time looking through a whole lot of pictures that Grandma Mary had given back to us, deciding who wanted which ones.  Lots and lots of memories and laughter!

Then we did another special thing.  We watched the DVD of pictures Jeremy had put together for our dad's viewing ten years ago.  We had never watched it since.  Favorite pictures that we all had submitted for the slide show.  I took pictures of a few of them that were special to me.  

We had had plenty of laughs throughout the day, but bedtime was laughter on a whole other level.  One thing after the next struck us so funny as we lay in our beds talking, looking at pictures on our phones, and trying to settle down.  Even after everyone was completely quiet I started thinking about something that made me giggle again.  Thankfully I was able to hold it in or I'm afraid we soon would have started up all over again.  Nothing like sisters, I'm telling you!!

Sunday morning was slow and lazy.  Nancy made us a delicious cinnamon bun coffee cake, and we had granola, yogurt, and fruit.  And lots of coffee, of course.  

Some of them went on a hike on a nearby rail trail after breakfast.  I had already showered by that time and didn't feel like getting hot and sweaty, so I didn't go.  

Dick grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for our lunch.    Then we headed to the front porch for our attempt at an official 2019 sibling picture.  We had all kinds of issues, but Nancy's patience with us and her expertise and good camera produced this one!  Thank you, Nancy!

Then we piled into Doris's van again for our trip to Richland Christian home to visit Grandma Mary.  Some of the girls had never been there since her move last year.  And most of us had not seen the new, bigger room she moved into a few weeks ago.  It was a joyful time when we arrived. 

First of all she took us on a tour of the home - the lovely deck, the dining area, the big sitting room.  She and one of the care girls had us laughing as they bantered and teased each other.  Mary brings so much fun and joy everywhere she goes. 

There was a big, beautiful mural on the dining room wall, and Nancy set up her camera to get our picture in front of it.  

We had reserved the craft room for our group to visit.  What a wonderful time we had together!  Mary had a few stories that completely sent us over the edge with laughter!  

And of course, we had to spend some time singing together!  This was our worship service.  Here's just a bit of one of the songs we sang.  

Then we said our goodbyes to her and went back to Dick and Nancy's house.  Some of the girls were staying another night, but I needed to pack up and hit the road.  It was hard to leave.  I hate missing any of the fun!

On my way home I picked up someone special who is attending Broadway Camp here in State College this week!  I'll do a blog post about that another day!

We saw the most lovely sunset that evening as we got near State College. Perfect ending to a most wonderful weekend!

July 4th, a funeral, a really good Sunday, a bear, and Arts Fest

I ended my last post with our trip home from Camp Hebron last Monday. So much has happened since then.  So here goes!

Wednesday, July 3
On Wednesday Austin stayed here for the day.  Part of the time he worked on painting his spinners for Arts Fest.

Of course he spent lots of time playing with the cats.  I finally told him that I thought they were ready for a rest.  So we played Scrabble.  One thing Austin often does is hold on to letters that he hopes to be able to use when he hopefully gets the rest of the letters he needs to complete a particular word.  I always tell him that's not a good idea, because in the meantime he makes low point words and might not ever get the letters he needs for that big word.   WELL.  He did it!  He was waiting and waiting for the rest of the letters to make the word "original."  And then he had what he needed, making a 22 point word, PLUS 50 points for using all his letters.  72 points!!  I wish I had taken a picture of his face when he realized how many points he got!

Later we met Lori at Hunter's daycare.  She sat in my van for a while so we could catch up.  We're like two ships passing in the night most of the time.  In and out of the same house most days, never seeing each other!  Of course Hunter needed to read a book to her!

Beautiful sky that evening.

Thursday, July 4
Thursday was Independence Day.  But no vacation day for the men.  Dick and Anthony and friend Pastor Vern have been working on a big project in the woods.  They're building an elevated "hunting shack."  Those corner posts have been firmly cemented deep into the ground.  I haven't seen it in person yet.  That would require walking in the woods (no trail) in the summertime.  I think I'll just look at pictures until winter, haha!

I spent hours writing my camping blog, then I cleaned the house.  After Dick came home and had showered and rested for a while, he grilled steaks and we had our first dinner on our porch for this year.  Steak and baked potatoes.  My favorite!

Anthony and Lori came over and hung out for a while, then we went to find a spot to watch the State College fireworks.  It was a foggy evening, but we still loved watching them.  All but Hunter.  He really did not like the loud noises at all.  I couldn't even persuade him that they were beautiful. Guess it's good we didn't take him to Longs Park in Lancaster where we sit right under them!

Friday, July 5
On Friday morning I saw the greatest little hack on the Today Show, and I just had to try it out.  When I realized it really did work, I decided to make a video to prove it!  I love cilantro and use it in lots of recipes.  I used to take it strand by strand and cut the leaves off with a scissors.  Then one time Lisa told me she just holds the whole bunch tightly together and cuts it with a scissors.  That is how I always do it now.  Maybe I'll try this method next time,  although I'm not at all sure it is a time saver.  

Saturday, July 6

On Saturday morning Dick and I left at 7 AM, headed to Lancaster County for another funeral. It started out foggy.  Because it was the weekend, we did not have to take a detour, so we got to see the progress on the road construction project on 322.  It's been ongoing for over a year and we never cease to be amazed at the amount of earth-moving that goes into a project like this.  That bridge in the lower left is brand new.  The lower right shows the one side of a future bridge.  I can't even imagine what will go into building the other side of it, because there is nothing but a deep valley on the other side of the road.   

The funeral for Bishop Howard Witmer (not a relative!) was held at Landis Homes Retirement Community.  Howard was ordained bishop of the Mennonite churches in the Manheim area when I was a teenager.  (I remember being SO glad that people thought he would be a better candidate than my dad.  It was bad enough being a preacher's daughter, and I did NOT want to be a bishop's daughter!!)  I always appreciated him, but became much better acquainted with him in the mid-eighties.   Howard and his sweet, feisty wife Miriam listened to us and heard the cries of our hearts for "more."  They invited us and a few other couples from various churches in the Manheim district to join them in a monthly prayer group.  Out of that group was birthed the vision for Grace Community Fellowship.  He asked Dick and I to be the praise and worship leaders.  Our first service was the first Sunday of January 1987. After a few months, when his son Dave had finished seminary in Virginia, Dave and Carol and their little girls moved home and he became our pastor.   There is so much more to the story, but this is not the time or place.  Those were exciting, wonderful, courageous days and years!! We loved these people dearly.

Dave and Carol eventually went on to help start a few other churches, always adventurers! Their little girls grew up to be awesome women, each with four children!  Two weeks ago Carol's five-year battle with cancer came to an end.  We have been following on Facebook, and have been awed at her attitude in the midst of it all.  Incredible testimony of complete trust in God.  Unbelievably, just a few days later, Dave's dad Howard passed away at age 93!  We were unable to attend the service for Carol last Wednesday, so we decided to make the trip for Howard's service on Saturday.  I have even more love and respect for all of this family than I ever did.  They are really fantastic people, every single one of them.  It was so good to get to see all of them in person that day.  I'm so glad we went.

Afterward we went to Dick's parents for lunch.  They are gradually trying to get rid of things.  This time it was Dad's hunting box. Dick has fond memories of it and enjoyed looking through it.  He brought it home, a little against my wishes.  I keep reminding him that everything we bring into our house/shed, someone sometime will have to carry out, haha!!  But I knew it was special to him.

There was a hunting hat that dad put on his head one last time, then he gave it to Dick.  It's really hard to get rid of special things.  He told Arlene,  "Don't bring anything else out now."

We stopped at our favorite Sheetz near Duncannon on the way home and met up with Sam and the kids.  He had just gotten off work.  I can't believe I didn't take any pictures!!  We had fun sitting in their new cafe area.  They were planning to go hiking to find an old tower after we said goodby, but before long we were in a heavy storm.  I wondered how that might affect their plans.   

Later I found out!  This is what they encountered!  No hiking that day.

Sunday, July 7
Sunday was a wonderful day from beginning to end.  We went to our service at GBRV first.  The choir sang for the first time since the beginning of June.  I give them the summers off, but this summer we are singing the first Sunday of each month.   Brenna (flutist) and I did the most gorgeous arrangement of Let Us Break Bread Together for the offertory.  Gorgeous, because the flute part was really difficult, and she just sailed right through it.  I am so lucky to have her!! 

Then we went to the service at Calvary.  Afterward I took pictures of the boys.   Davion, from NYC, is spending two weeks with them again, third or fourth time!  He's the sweetest guy.

We took Hunter home with us for the afternoon. That evening there was a monthly "Flood the Valley" service at Calvary, a service of praise and worship and prayer.  This time it was a joint service with Unity Church of Jesus Christ, where Anthony and Lori used to go, where they met.  Their worship leader, Duane (far left) asked Anthony to consider joining the team that evening, and he said yes!  He has taken a break from playing at church for many, many years, and not because he wasn't asked to play.    

What a night!!!  This joint team was AMAZING!!  And so was the worship and the felt presence of God.  They will definitely be doing this again.

Monday, July 8
On Monday morning, after Lori had gone to work, Hunter to daycare, Austin and Davion to YMCA camp, Anthony heard noise outside.  And what to his wondering eyes did appear, but a bear walking off with a bag of trash that he had taken from their trash can!  He quickly started taking a video, and when he stepped onto the porch, the bear dropped the bag and took off into the woods.  Yikes!!!   I hope that bear doesn't figure out that almost every time I come there I am bringing food!  

One evening this week I took a tour around the house to take pictures of the different lilies we have.  Aren't they so beautiful?

Wednesday, July 10
Yesterday was Kids' Day at State College Arts Fest. Davion and also Lori's nephew Will had each painted some spinners too, so all three of them manned the stand.  They each kept a separate cash box.  One time when Austin was selling a $3.00 spinner, the customer gave him a 20 and asked him, "Now do you know how much change to give me?"  Without answering he opened his cash box.  The children that were with the customer started talking to Austin, and she said, condescendingly, "Now, just let him figure it out."  I heard Austin mutter, "I've given 17 dollars change before." I thought it was funny.  She didn't know she was talking to a boy that's been a mental math whiz for years already!  Just because he doesn't have social graces doesn't mean he doesn't know how to figure out change!

It was a hot day, but they were lucky to have a stand under some trees, and there was a breeze.  But walking to the food stands, and back and forth to the car was hot and exhausting. 

I don't know how much money they made total.  I do know that Austin said he had $165 in his box an hour or so before closing at 3.  A tremendous amount of credit goes to Lori.  She is the brains behind all these ventures.  She sees ideas and possibilities, provides Austin with all the materials, registers him for the event, and his creativity flourishes.  She may or may not have painted a few of them too, haha!  (Update:  I just heard from Lori that they made $280.00!!)

Of all days, Lori was in terrible pain as she awaited her 3:00 appointment for a root canal!!  You would never have known it.  She was there the whole time, talking and laughing with people until she had to leave at 2:30 to walk to the nearby oral surgeon's office.  She's wonder woman, I'm telling you!

Anthony and the boys cleaned things up at 3:00, loading some things into his Jeep, some things into my van.  He took Will home, I took Austin and Davion with me.  First of all we went to Growing Tree, a toy store downtown, so Austin could spend a little of his money on something he was wishing for.  More walking in the heat!  Then we went to McDonalds drive-up for a little food and ice cream.  Then I took them home.  

This was one of the pictures from Arts Fest in Centre Daily Times this morning. Must have been taken early before they had all the display set up. 

And now I'm making plans for my upcoming sibling weekend at Dick and Nancy's house!!  Can't wait!  I'll be leaving tomorrow, coming home Sunday evening.