Snow days, fun with grands, cousins, Swedes

We're having an ice day here in our area.  We got snow overnight and now freezing rain.  Although I haven't really heard any rain the past few hours.  But all schools are closed today, including Penn State.  We have a houseful, but more about that later!

On Friday I went down to Sam's overnight because of my plans for Saturday.  Dick did not ask off work Saturday since the weather was going to be ok for driving, and I went by myself.  

As usual I had a ton of fun with Sammy and Bianca.  I made sloppy joes while they were showing off all their tricks with Sam.

And of course, no evening with them is complete without a dance party!

On Saturday morning I made pancakes and bacon for everybody, then got ready to leave.  I had a cousin reunion to go to, but I had another very important stop to make first!

My Miki was at Fred and Deb's house near Manheim!  She and her husband Ingo and her friend Kicki had arrived from Sweden on Thursday evening.   We had a sweet time catching up.  She showed me all the crafty things she's making for the gift bags for Bjorn's wedding.  

Deb served a delicious lunch while I was there.  

Then I left for my girl cousin reunion at my brother's house.  His wife Nancy and my sister Mary Ellen were the hosts.   These cousins are on my mother's side of the family.  There were also some of our male cousins' wives present.  

Nancy has a lovely snow backdrop in her basement where we gathered, so we took pictures of family groups in front of it.  We have many more cousins who were not able to come. 

I can't believe I did not take any pictures of the food display of cheeses, crackers, dips, chips, fruits, veggies, cookies, candies, and more.    It was beautiful and so delicious!!!

I had an uneventful drive home.  Well, almost.  I gotta rat on Dick a little bit.  I was feeling sleepy the first half of the trip home, so when I got to the Sheetz at Duncannon I pulled into a parking spot, reclined my seat, set my timer for 15 minutes, and started to snooze.  After a few minutes my phone started buzzing with a phone call from Dick.  I decided I'd better take the call.  He was working on one of our bathroom fans that has been extra noisy lately.  He wanted to vacuum it out, but couldn't find some parts for the vacuum cleaner.  One part was something we have never had for this vacuum cleaner (which we've had for almost 14 years.)  The other part was a brush that he just couldn't find, and I really couldn't help him find it over the phone.  So that was the end of my nap.  I wasn't sleepy anymore.  When I got home I went to the closet where we keep the vacuum cleaner, moved one thing, and there was that brush.  What is up with men and finding things????

On Sunday morning we went to our service at GBRV.  I found out my flute player Brenna was still sick and wouldn't be there.  I had so many beautiful parts planned for her - a descant with two of the hymns, a guitar/flute duet in the middle of our choir song, The Gift of Love, and a flute/piano duet for the offertory.  I was so sad she couldn't be there. 

We went to Calvary's service afterward.  I saw Lori before I went into the service and found out she would be doing the announcements.  I said, "I'll be videoing you!"  She rolled her eyes!  So would you believe I thought I was taking a video the whole time she was doing those announcements, and discovered later that I had really just taken a picture at the beginning and at the end, hahaha!!  I was holding up my phone that whole time for nothing!

We had a nice afternoon with the boys.  Hunter napped for at least 2 1/2 hours, and I napped too.  Austin was on a super creative streak.  I didn't get pictures of the other things he made, but here's his Lego creation.  He doesn't look at any instructions, just invents stuff.  

After we took the boys home Dick and I went grocery shopping, stocking up for our week of guests.  Then we stopped for some Dairy Queen cones.  Perfect Sunday night treat. 

On Monday morning Miki, Ingo, and Kicki made the trip here from Deb and Fred's place.  After lunch they made a shopping trip to their favorite Michaels.  I was making Middle Eastern Sweet Potato and Chickpea Stew.  Plans were for Anthony and Lori and boys to join us for dinner.  However, we were going to be getting snow and ice in the evening, so I met Anthony late afternoon when he was making a run for more salt, and gave him some of the stew and also some meatballs I had made for the boys.  I knew that the stew would not be a big hit with them.  

Miki had already started using my dining room table as a craft table, so the five of us cozied up around my tiny kitchen table for dinner!  Ingo was an enthusiastic audience for Dick's deer hunting stories, hahaha!  

In the evening I was helping Miki with the gift bags.  Of course we were having a little bit of fun too, and some heart to heart chats. 

So this is a nice stay-at-home day with Miki and the crew.  I made bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast, I'm getting my laundry done, getting this blog updated before our huge weekend, and will be making Southwest Beef Quesadillas for our dinner.  

Have a good rest of the week!

Warmer week, windy day, creative boys

What a ferociously windy day we are having!  Looks are deceiving!

We had much milder temperatures this week and a whole lot of rain the past day or two.  I guess this wind is introducing our next dip into winter temps again. 

The only thing I really took pictures of since I blogged on Saturday was when the boys were here on Sunday afternoon.  Both of them were doing such creative things.

Austin is into medieval things, so he decided to make a mace.  I had never heard of it, but he knew exactly what he wanted to do.  Most times he will look things up on the computer to get ideas how to make them.  This time he didn't even do that.  He just started by crumpling two pieces of computer paper into a ball and wrapping them up in duct tape.  

Then he proceeded to add duct tape spikes to the ball.

Next he rolled up a piece of red paper and covered it with duct tape to make a handle for it. 

And there was his medieval mace.  Probably a weapon of torture, unfortunately.  Yikes!

Meanwhile Hunter wanted to draw.  He drew a face with glasses, hahaha!!  When I took this picture he was adding hair to the head.

He just loves this book.  I probably showed it before.  Each animal in the book gets a booboo.  So first we clean it, then we kiss it....

..... and then we put a bandage on it (5 of them provided with the book!) and say, "ALL BETTER!"  

We went over to their place to watch the super bowl that evening, but not in the barn like we have done sometimes.  It wouldn't have been worth seeing on the big screen anyway.  I just enjoyed the chance to catch up with Lori.

So my week has been the same stuff as usual - cooking and doing music prep, choir practice.   Except one new thing.  A few weeks ago I got a dress at Ross for Bjorn and Jess's wedding, but I can't find any necklace and earrings to go with it.  I decided to buy stuff to make my own.  Here's just a little sample of some of the beads I got. I also got some bigger ones to add variety.  I got a few little pliers too, but I'm waiting for Dick to have time to help me put the clasps, etc on the ends.  We shall see how this goes!

Oh I forgot one funny story.  One day this week Hunter stuck a pea up his nose at daycare.  They had to call Lori to come because they are not allowed to put anything up a child's nose to get it out.  Later she sent me a picture, hahaha!  I didn't even remember to ask her if he blew it out himself or if she had to fish for it, lol!

And one more funny picture.  As you know, I cook for two households and we don't all have the same preferences.  Lori prefers that I use organic meat, but for ourselves I really don't care.  I figure at our age we need all the preservatives we can get.  Just kidding!  Anyway,  I try to keep our things in the freezer clearly marked, and sometimes I like to have some fun with it!

I need to run along now.  After I pick up Austin from school and take the Curried Chicken Soup I made over to their place, I will be hitting the road for Lancaster County.  Hope I don't blow away!  

Tomorrow afternoon I will be getting together with a bunch of girl cousins at my sister-in-law Nancy's place.   I also want to stop in at Dick's brother Fred's place because some very special people arrived there last night.  Our daughter Miki and her husband Ingo as well as Miki's friend Kicki!!  They flew from Sweden yesterday, of course because of Bjorn's upcoming wedding on the 16th.   Tonight I'll sleep at Sam's and have some time with Sammy and Bianca.  

Have a good weekend!

A family funeral, a sick boy, COLD temps, snow, and soup!

Time to catch up here!

Last Friday I took some of that ham and bean soup (see previous post) over to Anthony and Lori's, and I have not driven since!!  Dick came to their place after work, and we left from there to go down to Sam and Jenn's overnight.  We had a fun evening.  I had brought the ingredients along to make chili, and Sammy was helping me (kind of!).  At least he enjoyed dressing the part, haha!  We also had a hilarious time looking at old high school yearbooks that Sammy had found in a box.

Saturday morning we went to pick up Grandma Mary to take her along to my Aunt Dorothy Witmer's funeral.  As I said last week, Dorothy was married to my Dad's brother Luke.  She was a warm, cheerful, friendly woman, and just six months ago was diagnosed with acute Leukemia.  I was so very touched and inspired as many of her children and grandchildren shared stories of how she loved them and stayed in touch with them and prayed for them.  There were tears and laughter.

It was a very cold day, so our family (Dick and I, Doris and Dale, Mary Ellen, and Dick and Nancy) decided not to go to the burial.  Instead we stayed with Grandma  Mary at the church until everyone came back for the meal.  We had good conversations with people we hadn't seen in years, and of course some good conversations and laughter just amongst ourselves.  Grandma Mary is a very entertaining story teller!  We love her so much!

The meal time was absolutely wonderful.  There were so many cousins and some aunts and uncles that I had not seen in many, many years.  I needed a LOT more time to catch up with everyone.  My heart was so full when we left for home.

On Sunday morning when we left for church we were completely surprised at how it was snowing!

When we left the service at GRBV it had stopped and the roads were clear.  So we went to Calvary's 10:45 service.  When we left that service it was really snowing again.  We went to buy some much-needed groceries, then headed right over to Anthony and Lori's.  I took this picture as we headed up their private road.  We had some trouble because the van does not have four-wheel drive, but we made it.

Lori had already left for the airport.  She had a work trip in San Diego.  And as so often happens when she has a work trip in the winter time, Hunter was sick!  Not sure how that happens!  We had gotten some pizzas to make, and also a bucket of fried chicken.  We stayed there with the boys while Anthony went to Lowes to stock up on salt.

Later Dick and I went home in the truck to get my stuff.  I decided that with the snow and Hunter being sick, I would just plan to stay at their place till Lori came back on Wednesday.  I cancelled my Monday piano lessons, so I would have no need to drive anywhere.  Dick sleeps better in our bed, so he came to Anthony and Lori's each evening after work for dinner and time with the kids.

It really was a beautiful place to be, especially knowing that I had no need to come or go.  We had more snow later in the week.

Hunter started out with a cough and a fever.  He was actually quite cheerful at the beginning of the week.  But then he started fussing with his ears and seemed really, really miserable.  On Wednesday morning Anthony took him to the doctor.  I went along for the ride and to get some more groceries.  He did have an ear infection. The rest of Wednesday he was a really sick boy.  I could barely get him to eat or drink.

At the same time the horrible Polar Vortex was hitting our area and we weren't even sure Lori would be able to make it back home that day, but thankfully she did.  When Dick and I left for home that evening (in the truck, because I was not about to try driving down their road) he was perking up just a bit.  All schools, even Penn State, were closed on Thursday due to the sub zero weather and wind chill.  Lori said Hunter was pretty lethargic all that day.

We also cancelled choir practice Thursday evening, so I had a whole day at home to do some catching up.

Friday morning Dick took me over to their place before he went to work so I could stay with Hunter.  He finally started feeling better!

I didn't mention Austin at all.  He had actually been sick a couple of weeks ago and missed a whole week of school, so he was good to go this week.  Here are a couple of pictures I took of him this week.

Here's a cute video of Hunter singing Old McDonald.  

It snowed most of Friday.  Dick came over after work, and once again we both went home in the truck.  My van is still parked over there, haha!  It's warming up some today, so this afternoon we'll go over and clean it off and I will see if I still know how to drive after a week, lol!!

So what did we eat all week?  It was definitely a soup kind of week!  On Monday I made a big pot of my favorite recipe of chicken noodle soup.  On Tuesday we just had hamburgers and the fixin's.  (Once in a while you have to make something that Austin likes, haha!)  On Wednesday I made cream of tomato soup and grilled cheese on rye.  On Friday I made cream of potato cheese soup and bran muffins.  I think I gained two or three pounds this week!  

Here's a Throwback Thursday picture I posted of a big snow in February 1979.  I think we got about a foot-and-a-half and built a big snowman.  That's Anthony at age 2 and Lisa, age 5.  How easy and uncomplicated those days were.  

And another fun one.  I saw on FB that some people were posting a picture of themselves and their parents and then asking which one they look the most like.  So here's mine.  With very little exception, everyone thought I most resemble my dad.  I am definitely a Witmer. 

Well, gotta run now!  Hope you're having a great weekend!

Birthdays, a wedding, and a funeral

This has been birthday week in our family.  Last Thursday was Austin's, Sunday was Jenn's, yesterday was Sophie's, and today is Lisa's!  

Here's the collage I posted yesterday on FB in honor of Sophie's birthday.  She's 14 now!!  What a precious, beautiful girl she is!

Today it's 45 years that we became a family of three!  It is one of my very best memories of my entire life.  I just couldn't believe that this adorable little baby girl was ours!  This morning I was looking for our first picture as a family of three.  Hahaha!!  What can I say?  I guess I had to look good in the hospital too!!  

Actually, this was our first picture as a family of three!

Lisa was such a beautiful baby girl.

So in spite of the snow forecast, Dick and I did leave last Saturday morning for my former student Karlee's wedding in York, PA.  We decided to go in Dick's truck because of the four-wheel drive.  We had no snow at all on the way there, and we arrived over an hour before starting time.  In fact, only when we were ready to leave the reception was there any snow at all!  I'm SO GLAD we went!

A bit of background first - I knew Karlee's family long before there was a Karlee!  Her dad's family went to Manheim Christian Day School back when our kids were students there.  At some point her grandma Judy was hired as secretary at the school, a position she held for many years.  And somewhere along the line they started attending Grace Community Fellowship where we went to church, so our lives intersected at many points over the years.  

Jon (Judy's youngest son) and and his wife Karrye actually adopted Karlee.  Karlee's biological mom was a sister to Karrye and died of cancer when Karlee was very young.  So Jon and Karrye became parents almost as soon as they got married.  I remember when Karlee came to Manheim Christian as a Pre-K student.  Everyone adored her free spirit.  I remember having her on the front row of the stage when I had the entire student body singing together, and she pulled her skirt right up over her head, hahahaha!  

Jon and Karrye went on to have two biological daughters, Hannah and Leah.  They were near our granddaughter Destiny's age, and for a couple of years when Destiny lived with us as a preschooler, I would take her to their house in the morning where she would stay for the day while I taught.  I often took Karlee and Hannah to school after I dropped Destiny off.  When Karlee was in middle school she joined my middle school worship team and was a vital part of bringing the team together the last year I was there.  To this day I hold the memories of our times together closely in my heart.  So all that introduction before I share my pictures from the wedding!  It honestly felt like a family reunion to me!

Karlee and Tavon saying their vows.

On the top left I am with Hannah, on the top right I am with Leah, bottom left I am with Grandma Judy (my dear friend for years!), and bottom right are parents Jon and Karrye.  

At the reception - bride-and-groom dance and father/daughter dance.  It was such a joyful occasion!

As I said, the snow had started when we left the reception around 6 pm.  It should have taken just a little over an hour to get from the reception to Sam and Jenn's place, but I think it took us two hours.  We didn't have any trouble, just very slow traffic lots of places.  We were really glad we were in the truck and thankful to finally arrive at their place.

We had a really wonderful evening together.  Sammy had the "downtown lounge" all ready for a dance party, so I hung out down there for a while.  Later we all watched a lot of news bloopers and laughed our heads off.  

We slept in Sunday morning.  The snow in that area had turned to rain over night, so it wasn't as beautiful outside as we had expected it to be.   I made a favorite breakfast of bacon and eggs scrambled with hash browns, onions, cheese, and bacon grease!  It was Jenn's birthday, so I guess that was my "gift."  Somehow I didn't even get a picture of her.  What is wrong with me??

I had finally gotten the book The Wonkey Donkey last week and brought it along.  Sammy had fun reading it several times!

I colored with Bianca and enjoyed watching her play with all her princesses.  She reminds me so much of Destiny when she was little.  So much imagination.

Because we knew that there was more snow up in our area, and that very low temperatures and wind were in the forecast for the day, we did not want to wait till evening to leave for home.  In spite of the wind, it was a beautiful drive.  

Anthony had posted this picture he took that afternoon, probably from their dining room window.  He said they counted nine deer!

Boy, was our house cold when we got home!!  Yikes!  We usually turn our thermostats way back when we go away for the weekend, but I don't think it was a good idea this time.  It took WAY too long to bring the temp back up because of the wind.  

Not too much news from the week.  I had a hair appointment on Tuesday and got some highlights this time since we have a wedding coming up.  Destiny wanted me to send her a picture after my appointment, so this is what she got, lol!

I took this one after I had time to fix it the way I like it the next day. 

On Wednesday I had Hunter here for a while after I picked him up from daycare.  Sorry, no pictures this time.  He is a never ending delight and source of giggles!

Wednesday night and Thursday I made a lot of ham and bean soup because our church is having a soup sale tomorrow.  Wow, I hadn't made it in a long time.   I started with dry beans and a big old ham on the bone.  I kept tasting it yesterday as it stewed, adding this and that and the other thing till I was satisfied.  Not the prettiest thing I ever made, though!

This evening we will be heading down to Sam and Jenn's overnight again.  Tomorrow we will be going to my aunt Dorothy Witmer's funeral.  Her husband is my dad's brother Luke.  I have not seen most of their children for years, so I am very eager to go and reconnect with them.  It will be one of those "family everywhere you look" gatherings.  Dorothy was a sister to Dick's brother Fred's wife Deb's dad.  Hahahaha!!  Did you follow that?  Maybe I need to draw a diagram!  

Which reminds me, I really am having fun working on our family trees on ancestry.com.  So far we don't seem to be related to each other, which is surprising considering the three lines of Stauffers in our ancestry.  

Well, I gotta run!