The Low Country Boil and other good stuff

Saturday already!!  These weeks are just flying by.  And as much as I want summer to last forever, I guess it will officially be Fall next week.  Actually, I don't hate Fall.  I just don't like that it means Winter is next. Like I've mentioned before, the leaves seem to be turning earlier than usual this year. 

Last Saturday was Destiny's 19th birthday!  I did not get to be with her this year, but we were in touch many times throughout the day.  I told her I was going to say Happy Birthday to her as many different ways as possible, and I did.  EXCEPT for a traditional phone call.  How pathetic is that?  I messaged her a video of myself and the boys singing Happy Birthday, I emailed her a JibJab video I made, I sent her a funny greeting on SnapChat, I did a FB post, I texted her.  And probably more.  I hope to see her soon.  Here is a picture Lauren posted last Friday when Destiny was at their house.  The five girls and the girl dog too, haha!

Saturday

Saturday was a BIG day around here!  Low Country Boil day!  In the morning I got the boys out of the way for a few hours and took them to Discovery Space.  We had a fun time, as always.

Then we came here for a quick pizza lunch and some playtime with the cats, going over to their place around 2:00 so Hunter could get a nap.  It was a very foggy, drizzly day, but we had faith that the forecast was correct about it clearing later!  And it did!  Anthony said it reminded him of their wedding day when the weather was exactly like that, then cleared just in time for their outdoor reception!  We were so delighted to see the sunshine!

Dick was busy getting a good fire started.  Anthony was getting the patio set up.  Lori was cleaning.  I had cut many pounds of smoked sausages into smaller pieces the evening before.  Tiffany had bought and husked many ears of corn, which Nana and Mike picked up and brought to Stauffer Acres.  Mike then cut each ear of corn into three pieces.  Nana and I worked on the lemons, onions and garlic.  Emil arrived to help Dick with the fire.  They were the official cooks, adding each thing to the pots at just the right times.  Tiffany came and carefully thawed the shrimp.  Mike went to pick up the crabs.  We got the tables covered, the tables set up in the lower porch for the sides and desserts that people would be bringing, the ice and drinks put into the coolers, the butter into little dishes.  It was a TEAM EFFORT!!  Emil and Tiffany, Mike and Nana are in Anthony and Lori's small group from Calvary.  TRUE friends, I'm telling you!   

Here's a picture of the different foods waiting to be added (except for the little potatoes, onions, lemons, garlic, and seasoning - those were first.)  And the lower right picture is the finished product.

Our amazing cooks!!  They were a perfect team!

Then the contents of the pots were divided up into the foil pans which were set on the tables for people to grab from and enjoy!  And of course the crabs too!

I'm not sure if anybody counted how many people came, but including the kids, I think it was probably at least 70!  What a GREAT time!  And such a perfect space for it!  

Some children played in the basement playroom, which is right there next to the patio, some went down to the pond,  Anthony took people on a tour of his barn studio, we had great conversations with so many wonderful people, we loved on Les and Holly's new baby girl - also in Anthony and Lori's small group. 

Austin found his soul mate (lower right picture.)  She is the daughter of Eric Steele, a good high school and college friend of  Anthony's.  These two kids have seen each other maybe once a year since they were little, and they always seem to totally "get" each other. 

Anthony's friend Sam took a lot of really great pictures, and a some of these are his. 

A lovely sunset - long before the fun was over. 

Lots of clean up afterward, but plenty of good help.  Needless to say, our beds felt REALLY good that night!  But our hearts were happy and full.

Sunday

On Sunday morning we went to our service at GBRV, but not to Calvary.  Dick and I caught quick naps after church before Sam and the kids arrived around 12:45.  I made BLT's for lunch.  The kids and I played Life while Dick and Sam watched football.  Later we got creative with Play Doh. 

At one point there was a whole lot of excitement over a big praying mantis out front.  We had so much fun watching it.  And that led to a hilarious discussion about the strange behaviors of the female praying mantis - that they sometimes bite the head off the male after they mate, hahahaha!  Sammy had way too much fun with that!

Later we went over to Anthony and Lori's for just a while.  It was a good, low key day.

The rest of the week

This was a pretty regular week around here.  My schedule is getting busier now with the return of choir practice and prep as well as women's Bible study at Calvary on Thursday mornings.  I took Hunter to his swim lesson on Monday and Wednesday.  He's finally liking it a bit better.  

I usually try to go to the local Boalsburg Farmer's Market on Tuesdays to buy the meat I use for Anthony and Lori's meals.  I discovered this week that I've been unaware that there has been someone there that I knew from way long ago - at the Clover Creek Cheese Cellar stand. 

Back in the late 80's, when Grace Community Fellowship was brand new, we had a young couple, Dave and Terri Rice, as our youth leaders.  They also sang and played guitar with our worship team.  In the summer of 1989 they left for a mission term in Honduras, and we lost track of them after that.  Well guess what?  They own a small farm about an hour from here, which they have turned into a cheese-making business!  A very successful one, I might add.  They have five young adult kids in varying stages of life.  Anyway,  Terri and I had the most fun catching up on Tuesday at her stand.  And of course, I bought some yummy Guda cheese too!

On Thursday morning when I got to the Bible study at Calvary I walked into the ladies room and discovered that I had gone a little overboard on my black and white theme.  Check my earrings, haha!  

Lisa is super busy with her new job, so she doesn't have time for our crazy Snapchat communications more than about once a week.  But I had some fun all by myself one evening! I especially love the one where I'm looking over my own shoulder!

Yesterday was Anthony's birthday.  I remember how the idea of a baby boy seemed so foreign to me.  I had had all younger sisters, and of course, Lisa was my first baby.  But of course, I found it to be wonderful to have a boy, and I've had lots of experience with little boys since then, partly thanks to him!

I picked up the boys yesterday and had them here for dinner while Anthony and Lori went out for dinner.  Then after we took the boys home we did sparklers, birthday cake, and gifts. 

Lori got him a record player at Cracker Barrel!  She told him ahead of time that if he thought it was a ridiculous gift she would not be at all insulted, since it was so "out there."  He took one look at it and said, "Would you believe I was just in a music store today and saw one and thought, 'I think I might like to have one of those.'"  We laughed that the only record any of us has is of The Witmer Trio!  I'm sure Anthony will be checking out some flea markets in search of some good old blues classics.  

And that is it for this week!  I'm ready for a Saturday afternoon nap!