The rest of our visit with Lisa's family

 

First of all, a picture of last evening's sunset as I was leaving Destiny's house!  We've had amazing sunsets several evenings this week.

On Sunday morning we had the joy of having Lisa, George, and Sophie at church with us!  Afterward I was taking pictures of people for our new church directory, so it was the perfect time to get pictures of them as well!

And it was a good time for Lisa to take a picture of us for the church directory.

After church Destiny called and invited us to come to their house for brunch.  So that was fun!  She made bacon and sausage links, pancakes, and her Sazon-flavored scrambled eggs.  Everyone gave them a thumbs up!

Later in the afternoon we went to Berkey Creamery.  George was meeting up with a college friend and his family.  It was an extremely hot and humid day, so we were so glad we could get tables indoors. As always, the ice cream was the BEST!!  I always get the WPSU Coffee Break on a cone.  I could have eaten a second one, it was that delicious!!

 

In the evening we went to Anthony and Lori's.  Anthony made his scrumptious grilled burgers. Lori made shrimp tacos.  Once again, it was surprising how pleasant the patio was after such a hot day.   The view of the sunset was spectacular.  By the way, Elizer is in this photo - barely.  He was sitting on the ground digging in the stones right behind Anthony.

Sophie wanted a picture with her cousins.  They weren't feeling the most cooperative, lol!  

Dick and Destiny both needed to work on Monday, so we left for home before the Haags did.  These were our views as we drove away.

The championships were on TV again.  Anthony offered to project it onto his big screen in the barn.  I was glad their families got more chance to enjoy being together.  Here's another picture of the cousins that George took in the barn. 

Monday morning was their last one here.  They probably left around 10:30 for the drive to the Baltimore airport.  I wanted a picture of them before they left. 

I liked the way Lisa's outfit coordinated with my flowers. Sophie decided her outfit coordinated with my car, hahahaha!!

After they left I realized that it was their 24th wedding anniversary!  I texted her that I was sorry I had not thought of it.  She replied that they hadn't either.  Too funny!!  

I felt sluggish that day, but managed to get the necessary things done.  In the evening I went to a potluck picnic with the ladies from church.  We always have so much fun.

My focus this week is getting ready for another big weekend - our annual camping trip to the local KOA.  Lots to do tomorrow!  

One last picture I took this evening of my marigolds.  I love these variegated ones.  

First two days with our Florida family here

Too many good things going on, and I can't keep up!  

We had a great week of VBS last week.  Our last evening was Thursday, and we had rain just after the kids came in from their outdoor game time.  When Hunter and I were walking out to the car afterward we saw this beautiful sight!  We also saw a rainbow as I was driving.  

I had worked SO hard that day, just rushing to get everything ready for company, plus doing our laundry, picking up Hunter from day camp, prepping sloppy joes and peanut butter rice krispie treats, going to VBS.  When I had met Anthony to give him Hunter after VBS, I came home and made sure everything was ready, then I sat down and put my feet up for a few minutes until Lisa, George, and Sophie arrived!!   

I was having too much fun to take pictures until later when everyone was intently watching an exciting race at the World Athletics Championships.

When that was over and Dick had gone to bed, I sat and talked with them until 1:00 am!!  There was so much to catch up on!

We enjoyed a slow Friday morning.  We were amused watching a chipmunk that had gotten into the bird feeder!

At one point I pulled out a bunch of old Manheim Central yearbooks which brought more than a few laughs!

Sophie had a very important 1:00 appointment with the sprint coach at Penn State.  Here's a picture George took.  They spent a few hours with him.  This was the beginning of many college visits in the next few months.  Exciting times!!!  Even while she was meeting with him she was getting phone calls and text messages from other college coaches.

 

Meanwhile I picked up Hunter from day camp and we went to the Starbucks in the Penn State library where Destiny works.  After a while Lisa, George, and Sophie came too.  Hunter was so excited to see them!  But he was not about to allow Lisa to recreate a picture of her holding him when he was 6 months old, haha!  

We went home and I made burritos for a quick dinner, then we went to Anthony's for the evening.  It's amazing how cool and pleasant their patio feels in the evening even on a very hot day.  Anthony has a huge fan or two, a big umbrella, and of course trees that create a breeze.  

I brought ice cream and a bunch of toppings. 

Saturday was a really hot day, so we went to Bald Eagle Lake.  What a great time we had!  Unfortunately, Anthony and Austin were not able to come.  Both Lori and Austin had COVID last week.  Lori was negative by Saturday, but Austin had a really bad headache that day, so Anthony stayed home with him. 

We had a GREAT TIME!!!

Elizer LOVED being in the water!  With his floaty on he just bobbed around, not wanting anyone to help him with anything!  

After a long time we came out of the water to eat some more of the food we had brought along.  But before long we heard thunder and needed to SCRAM to get everything packed up and carried to the cars.  We cracked up when we saw my expression on the picture Lisa had taken.  That was my "oh no, thunder!" expression!

Elizer fell asleep on the way home, and when Sophie carried him into the house he slept on the couch so completely sacked out he almost looked dead!  

Dick and George went to pick up some pulled pork and brisket sandwiches at the Doan's Bones food truck at Axeman Brewery.  They were SO delicious with the cole slaw and their classic flour tortilla chips.  

We were watching the championships on TV again.  Check out this video of Elizer brushing Sophie's hair, hahaha!  

I'm going to stop here for now.  Hopefully I'll finish sharing the rest of our good times before this weekend, which will be another good time!  

Our middle of July

This was festival weekend and we had a good time.  There actually two festivals, Arts Fest in downtown State College and People's Choice in Centre Hall.  We decided to go to People's Choice on Saturday evening.  First order of business were the bouncy things!

We walked past rows of tents where artists and craftsmen displayed their wares.  Destiny was looking for one of her co-workers who was set up with her jewelry, but we never did find her.  There were SO many!!  

We were hot and hungry, so we walked by all the many food vendors to decide what we were in the mood for.  Dick and I each got a pulled pork sandwich.  Destiny got chicken on a stick and fries.  My sandwich was good, but her food was scrumptious.  I was wishing I had gotten the chicken.  It was so tender and tasty and the fried batter on the outside was to die for!

While Destiny and I finished eating, Dick took Elizer to the tent where a band was playing.  This is what we found when we joined them, hahaha!!  Elizer was LOVING the music!

He might have been the only little boy dancing, but he didn't care!

We got an elephant painted on his arm.  He sat so nice and still.  The artist said that for kids his age it's better to do it on their arm than on their face so they can watch. 

How did she not melt with those eyes looking at her??

It started to rain, so we spent a while in a children's tent. 

When the sun started to shine while it was still raining I knew there had to be a rainbow somewhere.  And there was!

Walking back to the car. 

There was a glorious sunset on the way home. 

Dick had a load of mulch delivered to our house on Saturday, so on Sunday afternoon Dick and I, Alex and Destiny worked until we were too hot and exhausted. 

Elizer wanted to help too, so Dick gave him a trowel and a bucket.  He was happy!

The reward for all the hard work - a tractor ride around the neighborhood!

We had BLT's for a late lunch.  Not my own tomatoes yet.  Can't wait!   I think I have 7 hanging on!

We ended the day with a trip to Sweet Frog.  I had gotten a $30 gift certificate at our strawberry festival a few weeks ago.  

We have VBS this week at our church.  I'm the photographer.  Here are some fun shots from last evening. 

I have SO much to do, so I gotta run!!  Lisa, George, and Sophie are coming!!  Sophie has an appointment with the sprint coach at Penn State!!!!!  I'm sure she'll have appointments with many sprint coaches in the next months, but the one from Penn State is really trying to play the "parents' alma mater" card!  Lisa and George met here back in 1995!  

They will fly to Baltimore on Thursday and drive here the rest of the way.  On Monday they will do the reverse trip.  They are loyal Southwest people. 

Today Jeremy and Mike's family fly from Baltimore to Portland.  They are loyal Delta people.  I pray that everyone's flights this week are uneventful.  Some of the stories on the news about canceled flights and missing luggage are horrendous.  My sister Barb had a horrible flight experience from Idaho and back last week.  

I can't do a post without pictures of my flowers!  Here's the collage I made for my header photo above.  As you can see I finally started playing around with a different background, but I wish I hadn't.  I had it just the way I wanted it for so many years.