End of April - lots of good stuff

Starting out today with gorgeous pictures I took last Wednesday.  I saw these colorful trees on my way to Anthony and Lori's place.

Before going back home I decided to take a walk around the arboretum.  It NEVER disappoints!!  This was my first time there for this season.

For several years the construction of the new Palmer Museum of Art (in the very spot where the arboretum parking lot used to be!) has been going on.  But now it is finished and will officially open June 1st. 

The lower picture is the old museum of art on campus.  Also a beautiful building. 

Thursday was our youngest granddaughter's first birthday.  Sweet RaeLynn!!  Isn't she just the cutest little thing?

And just as I was working on a Happy Birthday post for Facebook Thursday morning, I received a message with these pictures!!  Jess and Bjorn's baby boy, Louis Andrew, was born in the wee hours of the morning!! 

We had choir practice that evening at the old church.  The second coat of blacktop had been applied to the new church driveway and parking lot and could not be driven on.  We still had the electric keyboard at the old church, so we practiced with that. 

On Friday afternoon I drove down to Duncannon to pick up Sammy and Bianca for the weekend.  I don't do long driving trips by myself very often anymore, so I actually enjoyed turning up some of my favorite worship music as I drove through the beautiful mountains and along the river.  The sky was so gorgeous too.  

On the way back with the kids we were listening to Beatles tunes and Frank Sinatra - Sammy's newest music interest!  Isn't he something??

That evening we introduced them to Blokus and got them hooked!  I am not a very strategic thinker apparently, but I still have a lot of fun playing.  Dick was the best.  And the kids were pretty good too.

We were up late, but that was ok since we could sleep in on Saturday.  Dick went to a men's breakfast at church.  I made sausage and pancakes for the kids. 

It was a cool, rainy day.  Ugh!!!  So we had to discuss what we wanted to do.  I so wished it were warm and sunny so we could do something outdoors.  

We decided to go to the antique mall in Bellefonte.  We had been there with them last fall.

Bianca loved this chair.  Isn't she becoming the most beautiful young lady??

Trying out some antique chairs. 

From there we went across the street to a game and card shop.  Then we went to the Lego store.  It is owned by the son of our church friends, Will and Deb.  We have heard so much about it since the store opened, but have never been there.  They sell all things Lego!!  

I took these videos of their window display.

Of course we were hungry by then, so we went to College Buffet, a scrumptious Chinese restaurant.  We ate till we were stuffed!!  The only picture we got was this selfie.  

Back home again we decided to watch "What About Bob?"   We had watched it one time when they were here in the past year, and they wanted to watch it again.  I think we laughed even more this time.  It is just so funny!

Then they got out the karaoke machine they had brought along.  I had given it to Sammy for Christmas back in 2019, and they recently started having fun with it again.  I had no idea that on YouTube there are lyrics videos for the purpose of karaoke.  

After the kids had each sung a few tunes, I told Sammy I wanted him to sing "Let It Be" so I could harmonize with him.  What a cool 12-year-old boy - gladly singing with his grandma!

On Sunday morning we were excited to show the new church to the kids.  I took this reverse shot with my phone as people were gathering in. 

 

I also wanted to take a picture of the beams overhead.  Bianca saw what I was doing and informed me that when you take a selfie it's better to hold the phone higher than your face, hahaha!  Very true!!  But I told her I was really trying to take a picture of the beams. 

We had almost a full house at church!  I think we'll need to go to two services at some point in the not-too-distant future.  We built what we could afford for now.

After the church service we went home and hurried to pack up the kids' things and to pack a few things to eat in the car. 

Dick and I were heading to my Myers cousin reunion in Lancaster.  Along the way we met Sam and Steph to give the kids back.  Another fun weekend with them in the books!

Traffic was HORRIBLE!!!  There had been a Luke Combs concert in Beaver Stadium on Saturday evening - 80,000 people attended!  So on Sunday people were leaving town.  And on top of that, construction on 322 is in high gear, with one-lane traffic several different places.  It took us SO LONG to get to Lancaster.  We finally arrived at my cousin reunion at 2:15, over an hour late.  

We had a great time having conversations with cousins we usually see just once a year.  This is my mother's side of the family.  Here's a picture of the cousins who were there.  In front is our uncle Earl Myers, the last of ten siblings still living here on earth.  

From there we went to see the new family of four!!  We had a wonderful time with them. 

I always say that newborn babies are about as close to heaven as we can get.  So new and fresh and innocent. 

I was admiring these roses on the table, then found out that Bjorn had gotten them for Jess.  I was so impressed.  He said, "I thought it was the least I could do." What??  Isn't he the best??

Yesterday (Monday) I made Jamaican burgers for Anthony and Lori - his request.  They have mango chutney and lots of curry powder in them, and he loves them. After I took them to their place I went to church to meet the piano tuner again.  He needed to finish the classroom piano.  

I took this picture of the door and the lovely hydrangeas flanking it.  

As he worked on the piano I relaxed in the sanctuary.  It truly feels holy. 

I also enjoyed the view of the mountains through the windows. 

In the evening Dick mowed over at Anthony's place, and I went to our women's group monthly gathering.  We had a great time sharing and playing some fun games that helped us to become better acquainted with one another.  

In the busyness of the weekend we got a video from Lisa of one of Sophie's races at a meet in Jacksonville.  It was not live streamed, so we were glad to get the video.  She got her personal best collegiate time!  And when I watched the video I decided that Lisa might even yell louder than I do, hahaha!!  We call it the "Witmer pipes."  

I gotta share this video of Elizer.  Last week Frank took him to the boxing gym where he takes the girls.  Finally something Elizer was allowed to hit, hahaha!  

Yesterday Elizer had his first day at his new preschool and Destiny had her first evening of classes at the American Barber and Beauty School.  We talked on the phone a nice long time this morning.  Boy, I really miss them.  This past weekend was the first one that we didn't see them at all since they moved.  It's good I had the kids here.   And that the weather is beautiful and warm this week.

That's all for this time!