Tues, 7/14/26, Vikki, Peyton, Isaac, Rehvyn and Kenzie came over today.

Rehvyn’s first time in our pool

It was so fun with Rehvyn in the pool

Peyton, Me, Rehvyn, Isaac and Bill keeping cool in the pool

Isaac and Rehvyn

Peyton and Rehvyb

Rehvyn swimming to his ball

Grammy Vikki and Rehvyn

He had fun playing on his splash pad Vikki brought.

Had fun with Peyton and Isaac in the pool too!  Rehvyn with his Aunt and Uncle.

What a cute fun boy!  He loved swimming in the pool!

 

I got up at 8.  I started a load of laundry, and then went out to the camper and turned the air on.  I emptied the freezer and refrigerator too.  Brought all of the groceries that had to come in the house and a clothes basked full of my clothes too.  I turned the filter on after that so the water would circulate until 10 when the cost for electricity goes up.  I put everything away when I got back in the house.   

I talked to Melissa for a while to find out what Jack wanted for his birthday, and also to find out when they were going to celebrate it.  I told her I could take Jack to his dog training class if she needed me to.  Also set up to take them tomorrow morning which is Jack’s birthday and get him his favorite drink on his way there.  We leave early in the morning, I think around 6 a.m., but Melissa is going to let me know.  Starbuck’s opens at 4:30 a.m. which I was surprised to hear.  

Vikki and Isaac came over and she also had a surprise for me...Rehvyn was with her.  I was so happy to see him.  What a great surprise.   Kenzie and Peyton went shopping and are coming over later.  We all went out to watch Rehvyn get in the pool for the first time.  Papa took some pictures.  Vikki and I swam a long time with Rehvyn.  We put lots of sunscreen on him and on us.  He was so cute and he sure learned how to kick his feet and move his hands fast.  He was all over the pool.  Vikki had him going under water and everything.  She even taught him how to go down the pool steps and jump in.  We got out and went and sat by Rehvyn’s splash pad.  It is so nice.  Has sprinklers and also the ring around it holds water for the sprinkler holes and makes it so you can put some water in it for Rehvyn to sit in and play in.  He loved playing with his cars in it.   Rehvyn and my chair were in the shade, so he was in the sun part time and in the shade part time.  We went back in the pool after that.  

We talked to Kenzie and Peyton and they were going to come her soon.  I put pizzas in and also made a frozen pot pie.  We went back in the pool after that.  Bill, Peyton, Isaac, Rehvyn, Vikki and I swam.  Kenzie watched Rehvyn swim and jump in.    He reminds me so much of her when she was little.  She had to go home and make more glass, but Rehvyn stayed and is going to spend the night at his grammy’s.  We swam a long time again.  The pool temp is just right for us so we can go right in and go under.  We sat out on the deck under the gazebo and dried off some.  Kit Kat came out but I had to call her by me.  She stayed for a little while, then decided she wanted to be on the deck floor where it was cooler.  It felt good on the deck for us because we had our wet suits on and it is always nice on that corner of the deck even when it is warm out.

We came in side and made PB&J sandwiches and Isaac had his pizza.  He didn’t eat any at lunch time.  Rehvyn played with his cars, then when they were going to go, he picked them all up.  He is such an easy boy to have around.  So fun and well behaved.  

Bill and I ate pot pie for dinner.  No one else ate any of that.  It was really good.  Bill worked on the Rally stuff for the zoom meeting on Thursday and I worked on my blog.

Going to bed early tonight since I have to get up so early.   

 

Monday, 7/13/26, 95 degrees today,

I got up at 8:30 while Bill slept in longer and cleaned the camper.  I need to scrub the floor when I get home, but got everything else done.  Ready for next camping trip to BayShore!

This goes in our pool steps in the pool.  The top came off yesterday when Vikki was here.  She tried to put it back on, but couldn’t.  I stopped on my way home from camping, while Bill filled the motorhome with gas and picked a new one up.  I asked if I could return it, if my husband could get the top on the one we have.  I got home and Bill came out in his swim trunks and got it out right away, got the top on it and put it back in the pool steps where it goes.  I returned the one I got later in the afternoon.  Yay!

Everything is so nice and green still.  Hope it isn’t as long as they say without rain with these hot temperatures

These plants are doing great on the south side of the house.  I hung my hanging plant from Melissa and family on this side and I don’t need to water it near as often as in the front.

Plants all grew so much while I was gone

The Zinnia Plants that came up and were so tiny before my vacation sure grew.  Lela gave me the seeds and I am so happy to have plants now.  I have to look up to see if I can transplant any because they are clumped together.  They sure did grow while I was gone.  

Yarrow looks beautiful and my Hibiscus is getting buds on it.

I slept great in the camper last night.  I didn’t feel like getting up at 8:30, but knew I needed to get things cleaned and ready to go.  It’s so much easier when I am hooked up to water.  I had everything just about done, when Bill got up.  He put his things away where he wanted them, then we went outside and folded the smaller mat we still had down.  He packed it in where it goes.  He went in and pushed the jacks up button and when the Jacks were up, we pulled out the stabilizers underneath them and Bill put them under the storage area they go in.  We talked to our neighbor next door for a while.  They are still camping til the end of July.  They are there for 21 days too.  

We were all ready to leave, so I pulled out in my car and Bill went to pull out with the motorhome.  I saw our neighbor guy running really fast knocking on the side of our motorhome.  Bill stopped and he told him the electrical cord was still plugged in.  I have been telling Bill he needs a check off list.  Now I am making one up for him.  I have one on the refrigerator for what I need to do each time.  I always look at it to make sure I haven’t forgot anything.  It is a handy thing for me to have.   Bill dumped our tanks at the dump station and I put water down in the tanks with some Dawn Dish Soap to clean them on the ride home.  Then we were on our way.  We stopped at Meijer’s when we got back to put 30 gallons of gas in at a dollar off.  That sure helps with gas prices so high.  After I claimed my M’Perks, I let him put the gas in and I drove over to Meijer’s to get some chlorine for the pool.  Then I went to the pool place and got the part we may need for our pool.

I got home and Vikki and the kids were coming swimming.  Yay!  I was going to brush the edges and sides and shock it, but it was so clear and was clean everywhere but on the edges, so decided we could swim right away if I waited.  Vikki got here and was good with that, so she got the air mattresses out and she, Peyton and I swam and got some sun.  We all put sunscreen on with this weather.  Peyton was cute.  She asked me if I had any heart stickers.  I told her to go upstairs and where to get them.  She put a couple on her so she could tan and have the hearts white.  It was amazing how fast she tanned and you could see them.  

She played Christian music for us while we swam.  Isaac got my speaker out of the camper.  

I picked up Taco Bell for all of us, since I didn’t use my gift cards I had planned on when we were camping.  I ate my left over Olive Garden fettuccine and broccoli.  It was delicious, but their Taco Bell stuff looked delicious too.  After we ate, Vikki and Peyton went swimming again.  I ran the part for the pool steps I got back and returned it.  I also went and payed our water bill.  

When I got back, I went swimming again.  When Vikki was leaving, I called Kimmy to see if she wanted me to drop my dehydrator off for her to use so she could do more at a time.  I also had some shorts of Eli he needed for camping.  She said Jared was just getting ready to leave and he would meet me at the place the boys took fencing at.  He met me and when I carried the big bag I had put it in, the handle broke.  Weird because it wasn’t even heavy.  I told Jared, then called Kimmy, so she would check it out to make sure it worked.  She called me back later and it did.

When the garden was shaded, I used the mantis to till around 6 rows I needed to do to have the garden done.  That little thing sure works good and is easy.  Bill mowed the lawn while I did the garden.  When I finished, I got back in the pool and brushed the sides and edges of the pool where algae was.  Then I put a gallon of chlorine in to take care of it.  It should be chrystal clear tomorrow.  It felt good to be in that nice water.  I watered my flower garden after that, then watered my new Hydrangeas in the front and put the sprinkler on some of my plants looking very thirsty.  

I read my Bible and we did our prayer/devotion.  I am sure ready for bed now.  It’s 11:33 p.m. and I just finished my blog.    

 

 

Sunday, 7/12/26, went to the 2nd service at church, came home changed and got motorcycle, went to Wrought Iron Grill in Owosso, came home, watered plants, put chemicals in pool, came back to the campground,

Nice Sand Sculptures this year

Vikki asked if she and Peyton could come swimming today.  We were going to be gone, but I told her yes.  She ended up brushing half the pool to stir stuff up and run it through the filter.  I felt bad she couldn’t just swim and relax.  I added some chemicals and will shock it tomorrow.  Needs to be clear for our 90 degree and 100 degree days

Came back to the camper.  Bill’s hat is hanging on the sweatshirt/purse hook and his keys are on the hat hook

Relaxing in the camper

We went to the second service at church.  It was awesome worship and and awesome message. I prayed with Merijo before service and we prayed with people after service.  

We visited some and then left to come home, change, and take the motorcycle to Owosso to the Wrought Iron Grill for lunch with our State Rally Planning Committee.  We got Friday night’s schedule done before our food came.  Then we ate and had a good time visiting.  

The food was great!  We worked on Saturday’s schedule, Sunday’s Schedule and Monday’s schedule.  All went will with great ideas and additions.  What a great group of friends to work with.  We are blessed!

Kenzie video called, but I couldn’t answer while we were meeting.  I thought about calling her to go visit, but we had to go back to the campground, so we can bring the motor home back tomorrow.  Last night of camping!  

After we left the restaurant, Doug and Sue left for home since they had dessert at the restaurant.  Debbie, Paul, Bev, Ron, Bill and I when to the Cone Zone and got ice cream.  Bill and I had hot fudge sundaes.  They were delicious.  We all headed in different directions afterwards.  We got home and I watered some plants that were dry, fed the fish, put more water in the pond, put chemicals in the pool and ran the filter.  Then we loaded the car with what we needed and headed back up north.  

I packed some things away so I don’t have much to pack in the morning.  Bill and I played 3-13 plus the 2 hand.  He was negative most of the game and I was very positive.  In the end I beat him by 2 points.  That was sure close.  We played dice after that and I only needed 150 points to win.  He shook over a thousand points and tied me.  He got the 150 first so was the winner of that game.

I finished drinking my lemonade with froze strawberries while we played.  I took it on the motorcycle ride and then drank some on the way home.  It was in the motorcycle during our restaurant stop and ice cream stop.  I got to the camper and finished it and the strawberries were still frozen.  Pretty amazing.

Our friend, Kim from church, posted a video of firetrucks rushing past her house to a shed where there was an explosion.  That’s pretty close to our house.  I couldn’t see whose shed it was.

Finished my blog and now we are going to bed.  

 

Saturday, 7/11/26, Free Slurpee Day! Packed up stuff I needed to bring home, Left at 12:20, walked around and looked at plants, weeded some, Bill showed Alec how to fix water pipes in their new house, I went to the bank, went to Panera, went to 7-11 and got free slurpee, we went to Olive Garden, then Woody’s, hoed around plants in garden

Bill and I enjoying dinner at the Olive Garden

We also enjoyed ice cream cones from Woody’s on the way home.  Mine was a small and it was huge.
 
I slept in, then packed stuff I needed to bring home.  I talked to the neighbor camped next to us, then put the rest of the stuff in the car and left for home around 12:20.  I walked around the yard when I got home.  New plants we planted last year are doing great.  Limelight Hydrangea in the front yard has blossoms now.  Everything looks great.  Bill did a great job tilling the garden.  I only have to hoe around plants tonight.  I vacuumed out the back of my car where I had my plant on the way home.  Washed a couple of spots out of the carpet too.  

Bill got home from working at Maddy and Alec’s house.  He looked hot and very tired.  He sat down and rested.  I went to pay our water bill, forgetting that it was Saturday.  Will have to pay it online or pay it on Saturday.  I stopped and got a Lemonade for us to share from Panera.  Then stopped at 7-11 and got a free coke slurpee.   It hit the spot.  I stopped at the bank too.  I message Maddy about 7-11’s free slurpees.  She was happy I did.

Came home and read my Bible.  Bill had a new highlighter all ready for me on my end table.  That was sweet of him.  I filled my bird feeders, hummingbird feeder and jelly feeders.  Everything was empty, plus a raccoon had moved stuff.  Bill caught the pest.  Filled all of the bird baths too.

We went to dinner at Olive Garden.  We got right in since we went around 4:30.  Our waitress was super nice and our food was great.  We each brought lots home with us.  We were driving home, and Bill asked me if I wanted Ice cream as we passed Woody’s.  I did, so he turned around and we went back and he got a medium ice cream cone and I got a small ice cream cone.  He read his Bible when we got home.  I worked on my blog and set a timer for 7 when I can start hoeing in the shade.  I will be doing some watering too.  No rain in the forecast for 8 days.  Hope that changes.  

Hoed with my three prong hoe and pulled weeds around plants.  Couldn’t do the beets and kalarabi before I went camping so they were buried in weeds, but I got them weeded around tonight.  I sure was tired by the time I was done.  Good job to have done though.  Bill kept everything plowed between the rows so that was amazing to have done.  

Worked on my blog.  Talked to Vikki.  Texted with Melissa and Kimmy.  

 

 

 

Friday, July 10, 2026, Bill took the trailer back home, We girls decided it was a good day to go to Tawas, packed up, got in Kimmy’s van and headed there. We walked through the shops in town, went to G’s pizzeria for pizza which is our tradition, then walked out on the dock. Came back, they all helped pack up everything so Bill wouldn’t have to do heavy lifting, we are so blessed, I watched the movie, I Can Only Imagine 2, again.

Peyton, Isaac and Eli at G's

All of us at G’s.  Their pizza was delicious and so were their breadsticks and cinnamon sticks

Peyton wanted to go get a picture by the butterflies.  Isaac went with her to take it.

Ha Ha, Vikki took a picture of me getting those candy sticks for the boys without me knowing

The kids and dogs sitting on a bench in town waiting for us

Peyton on the dock with a momma duck and 8 babies swimming in the background

Me with my amazing daughters Vikki and Kimmy

The boys made it out to the end first.  This is them walking back to us with 
Arnie 

When we got back, they all helped take the Clam down, the two tents down, packed chairs in the camper, packed the grill and stand in the camper, put the clothes drying rack in it’s case, packed up the big mat in the back, packed my plant stand and helped so much more even.  Then they loaded bikes on their vehicles and left.  Eli took two bags of garbage to the dumpster for me on his way out of the campground.  What a blessing they all to me and Bill.

I got up at 8:15 and got ready.  I was trying to be quiet, but came out and Vikki was up already getting stuff ready to take out to her car.  Bill got up at 8:30 and got ready to leave.  He forgot to bring the right stuff to work on the schedule for the State Rally, so had to leave earlier than planned.  Vikki is leaving after we get back from Tawas and pack up the campsite stuff.  Peyton and I painted our nails with her polish.  I did my left hand, then Kimmy offered to do my other hand and also gave both another coat.  I was so thankful since it isn’t too easy anymore to use my left hand and paint my nails.  It never was really easy lol.  Kimmy also turned the small part of our lock insert upside down and now our bathroom door locks easily.  Thank you Kimmy.

Vikki packed pops for us in the cooler.  I packed snacks for us.  Kimmy cleaned out the van some so we could all fit.  Then we all got in the van, Arnie and Lucy too, and headed to Tawas.  We listened to great Christian music on the way.  It was a beautiful day in the 70’s with a high of 76 and sunny.  I called Melissa to see if they were still in Tawas, but they had just got home.  We snacked on some snacks too.  I showed the girls where their cousin, Freddy, lives, then went by the church he and his family go to which is where our CMA chapter goes.  Next we parked and went in our favorite store, the Ben Franklin Store.  I bought everyone two boxes of candy sticks.  This year Eli and Isaac called them cigarettes instead of candy sticks, just to tease me.  Isaac told me he didn’t know why anyone would really smoke since they are $9 a pack these days.  I agreed with him that it would be way too expensive, besides being an unhealthy thing to do.  

We walked through just about every store in town except one that didn’t allow dogs.  Another store only let you have your dog if you carried it.  Vikki carried little Lucy, but Kimmy was going to just wait outside.  Eli went out and stayed with Arnie so she could come in.  Then Eli walked through carrying Arnie. He sure loves Arnie.  We walked back through town and to G’s Pizzeria.  We sat out on the porch and the dogs are allowed out there.  That’s where we always sit.  We all enjoyed our pizza, breadsticks and cinnamon sticks.  We were pretty full when we left.  We crossed the street and walked out on the big dock.  The boys and Arnie walked faster and got to the end first.  Peyton and I walked a little faster than Kimmy and Vikki and Lucy.  Then we’d let them catch up to us.  Peyton is so much fun to hang out with.  The kids didn’t want to swim, so we decided to just head home as we had walked a lot and had lots to do packing up stuff when we got back to our campsite.  It was a nice ride back.  We snacked on snacks again.  We drove down a side road to go by a place that Kimmy and Vikki had gone to a couple years ago to buy a bike for Eli.  They were impressed with how nice the people were.  The guy was driving his lawn mower and waved when we went by.  He didn’t even know who we were, but was really friendly.  That’s how my dad always was.  

We got back to the campground and everyone started pitching in helping put tents away, taking the clam down and all the other stuff listed above.  I am so blessed with my caring and amazing family.  They all worked so hard and got everything done so fast.  I couldn’t have done it without them and I’m so thankful Bill won’t have to do any bending or heavy lifting.  A huge thank you to you Vikki, Kimmy, Eli, Isaac, and Peyton.  I love you all and I am so thankful for you.  

After they left, I packed some things away in the camper.  Then I vacuumed the floors in the camper.  I watched the movie “I Can Only Imagine Two” which was so good.  Melissa called me and I talked to her durning part of the movie.  I miss her!!! The last concert they gave was at Red Rocks where Bruce, Melissa and the kids went on their Colorado Vacation.  I’ve always like listening to Worship concerts there because the sound is so amazing.

I worked on my blog, then am going to bed.