Day 168, 8/31/2020, Monday, 8/31/2020, Jacob, Adam and Eli’s first day of school, Bill took truck in to be fixed, We went to Sams Club and Bed,Bath and Beyond

My view from the glider this morning

Eli, Adam and Jacob's first day of school.  Praying for them to have a great day and year!
Kimmy sent me these pictures and the info.  I am so glad their schools are keeping kids safe!

This is Jacob (middle left) in his class.  All the kids sit 6 ft. apart even at lunch.  They sanitize a lot and wear masks all day.  The older boys could also take their masks off on a walk around the loop outside which they do 2-3x a day.  Adam said there were a lot of kids missing

Deck from the pool deck

Nice day for two swims, a walk and relaxing by the pool

 My knee hurt today.  I jumped off the shed deck yesterday, because both ends were stained and wet.  After I jumped Bill took the truck in to get fixed.  I took my shower and did my hair, then my phone rang and he wanted me to come to Muffler Man to pick him up while they worked on the truck.  I left right away and picked him up, then we went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and Sam's Club.  Came home and read my Bibles.  I read out on the swing under the Maple tree.  It was a beautiful morning.  I asked Bill if he wanted to go for a walk.  He had to read his Bible first, so I started working on the Faith Rider's Newsletter to get it finished.  I decided to just go for a swim after that.  It was so nice and I couldn't believe the water was so warm.  I expected it to be really cold because of the cool nights and days we have had.  Bill came and told me he was going for a walk.  I told him I was just going to swim.  Then I decided to get out of the pool and see which way he was headed.  I put a shirt on over my suit and put my tennis shoes on.  I walked really fast to try to get closer to him so I could walk back with him.  I saw him turn into to a little circular road that just goes through where Condos are.  As he was coming out, I was a little ways from him.  He looked my direction and then turned and kept walking fast.  I was a little upset with him because he kept walking and didn't even say anything to me or wait for me.  My heel was getting sore and I thought I would get a blister, so I decided to just head back home instead of walking fast trying to catch him.  I got home and jumped back in the pool.  It felt great.  When Bill got home, he brought me my package that came in the mail back by the pool.  I told him to just set it in the garage.  I asked him why he didn't wait a couple of minutes for me to catch up to him on his walk.  He said, "That was you, I didn't have my glasses on and I just glanced and thought it was our neighbor.  He said he was sorry and also said it was my fault for not yelling to him.  I did pray a lot on the way home because my feelings were hurt.  God always works things out though.  That is how I fight my battles....Talk to God!  I warmed our dinner from yesterday up and we ate, then he left for an Elder's meeting at church.  .  Lots of laughs. Vikki and the kids came over.  We ate left over hot dogs and potatoes when they got here and then played 3-13. Peyton and Isaac spent the night.  Vikki has to start her job tomorrow.  We had a mini ice cream treat while we watched Full house.  Peyton wanted to call her mom to tell her goodnight so we did.  I read Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling Kids devotional to them, then we read the pop up kids Bible which they loved.  All the kids have loved that Bible.  We all prayed (their prayers are so touching) and then I tucked them in. Peyton wanted me to text her mom and tell her to tell her daddy she said goodnight.  Such a sweet girl!  Isaac fell asleep right away, but Peyton took a while.  What precious kiddos!

Day 167, 8/30/2020, HAPPY 17TH ANNIVERSARY KIMMY AND JARED, We went to church, Kimmy and family, Vikki, Bill and I stained the deck

Hailey went to her house for church online with her family...Evan, Bruce,  Jack, Max and Hailey

Some great helpers stained our deck with us today

Jacob and Adam...

Bill doing the posts

Love Birds Kimmy and Jared...married 17 years today..Amazing couple

Eating burgers, hot dogs, potatoes and chips for lunch...Adam Me, Vikki, Eli and Jacob

Jared and Eli

Jared, Adam, Eli, Bill and me

Jared, Eli and Papa Bill

I don't know about the shots Bill takes

Beautiful finished deck

Shed deck

Max and Jack playing with their legos

Evan playing with his legos

Evan

I got up early and took all the smaller stuff off the deck.  Bill blew it off with the blower.   I made potatoes to go on the grill ahead of time.  We went to church.  I prayed with Bev and Dave outside for a while before church started.  Another great time worshipping the Lord and hearing His Word.  I left right away afterward and came home to put pop in refrigerator and get potatoes on the grill.  Kimmy and her family and Vikki got here right after me.  They all moved all the rest of the stuff off of our deck.  Jared got the paint stirred right away and poured some for each of us.  Bill went to Home Depot after church and picked up another large container of deck stain and got $20 back from the last one we bought because it is on sale now.  The girl gave him a hard time at first because she didn't know what to do, but she figured it out and gave him $20 back.  I had put the burgers on, and Bill took over with the grilling after he got here.  I stained with the girls. We worked and then took a break for lunch.  Afterward we all got back to work.  It was amazing how fast it went with all of these great workers. I am so thankful for such an amazing and wonderful family.  If it wasn't for Melissa having to be really careful with Covid, I know she and her family would be right here helping.  I remember last time we stained our deck, she watched all of the kids for us because they were small back then.   We girls finished our side of the big deck and Bill and the girls wanted to do the shed deck too.  We went out there which wasn't as much fun as it was right in the hot afternoon sun.  We still laughed lots though.  Jacob and Adam helped when they got done and Bill helped with the steps. Jared and Eli finished their section, and we all decided the one side of the deck needed another coat while it was still wet.  We all worked on it and the whole deck looked amazing afterward.  What a huge job to have done and what a relief.  Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone.  Adam and Eli went for a swim.  They said the water was great, but it was pretty cool last night so their great might not be my great.  We had watermelon from Kimmy and Jared's garden that was delicious.  It was a yellowish color but tasted like regular watermelon.  YUM!  Some of us had mini drumsticks after that.  They helped clean everything up and Kimmy and Vikki set up the furniture really nice on the lawn.  Then they all left.  Jared and Kimmy were going to celebrate their anniversary with the boys.  Melissa called me and we had a nice talk.  She sent me pictures of Hailey coming to their house and joining them for our church service online.  She also sent me pictures of the boys in their lego room in the basement.  They have been really busy with legos and making lego movies.  Love her basement and what they did to it.  I haven't seen it because of Covid.

Day 166, 8/29/2020, Made Zucchini Bread, Celebrated Bill's Birthday with friends

Peyton being silly while we played 3-13

Sue leaning back by Charlie, Charlie, Bill, Gayla, Joel and Wes

 Bill went to take the truck in to see about getting broken bolts fixed in the exhaust manifold.  I went to Jack's and to Vikki's. Played 3-13 with Peyton, Isaac and Vikki while I was there.  The kids are really good at playing now.  Peyton was in the lead until the last hand when I got a great hand and went out quick.  I ended up being the big winner.  We sure had fun.  I came home and made zucchini bread.  Then I cleaned the bathroom and mopped the floor.  Adam texted me.  Kimmy called to let me know the stain we are getting for our deck is on sale $20 off right now.  Chuck, Sue, Wes, Gayla and Joel came to celebrate Bill and Joel's birthday.  We did good at social distancing while still having a great time.  So nice to get with framily (friends who are family).  We had cupcakes, zucchini bread and mini drumsticks and frozen twix bars.  It was cool and windy, about 70 degrees, then cooled to 67 degrees before they left.  We sure had fun!

Day 165, 8/28/2020, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL, THE KIDS ALL CAME OVER TO CELEBRATE IN THE EVENING

Bill holding his question mark birthday candle.  This is how we do it Covid style. He blew it off, but we didn't put it on the cupcake

Bill reading his cards

Bill with his gift from Wes and Gayla

Peyton, Rody, Isaac and Vikki

Eli, Adam, Max, Evan and Jack having fun and laughing together

Hailey

Peyton and me

They guys hanging out in the front yardI cleaned the house and Bill went and had coffee with Charlie.  I talked to Kimmy and we decided to try to have Bill's Birthday get together tonight instead of tomorrow night.  I called Melissa and Vikki and they checked and said it was good with them.  I made cupcakes and frosted them.  I went to Sam's Club and got drumsticks and twix frozen bars.  I didn't know I wouldn't be able to get regular ones.  Had to get mini's.  I picked up OutBack for Bill and I for his birthday dinner meal.  We ate at home, got things ready for the party, and then everyone started coming.  We visited, then had our cupcakes and ice cream.  Everyone loved the ice cream mini's.  Bill read his cards. The kids made some really cute cards for him.  Vikki made a very special card for him!  I gave him a card from last year because I don't like looking for cards during Covid.  I told him the part where I wrote I would take him shopping, wasn't going to happen though because we all gave him his gift already.  He opened his gift that Wes and Gayla dropped off.  We all enjoyed celebrating his birthday and being together.  Hailey drove herself, and left so she would be back at Ann's at 8, because that's the time she told her she would be back.  She set her own alarm and was responsible to leave on time.  

Day 164, 8/27/2020...Took camper in for camera installation, Swam with Vikki and the kids, Took motorcycle in for new tire, Charlie came home

Finally took a picture of the wood I stained on the pillars by the garage door

Peyton...a storm coming in the background

Me following Bill.  He's driving the camper after the video cameras were installed

This is what it looks like in the truck.  Top is video of back, then bottom are left and right sides of camper

I wished Bill's sister, Tina, Happy Birthday.  We read our Bibles and prayed. I added the weekly capful of pool stuff and put a new chlorine cartridge in the pool before we left.  Bill hooked up the camper,  and took it in to have camera's we all got him for his birthday installed.  I followed him as we had to leave both the truck and the camper there.  I went for a swim when we got home.  It felt great because it was so hot out.  I heard thunder and it looked like a storm just south of us, so I got out and covered the pool, and put all the cushions away.  The storm missed us.  I had texted Vikki to come over and when I got in, I saw she was on her way.  They got here and we all went swimming.  It started getting dark out again, so we decided to get out and cover the pool.  We got it covered, we all got changed, and then Vikki and the kids left.  It was really dark in the east, and shortly after they left, it started raining.  Bill and I took a short nap.  It didn't rain for too long, but we need rain so bad it was nice to have.   We got a call that the camper was ready.  We went to pick it up.  Talked to Charlie on our way.  He was finally home from the hospital.  They didn't find any reason for the high liver enzymes during Chemo.  We picked up the camper.  Bill loved the cameras.  He even thanked God for them when he prayed for our meal.  After we ate, I followed Bill and he took the motorcycle in to get a new front tire put on.  We saw Phyllis and Andy walking when we left, as it was in their subdivision.  We talked to them for a little while out our car window.      When we got home, Bill went for a walk down our road.  I started watching the Republican Convention.  I am so thankful for our President and all he has accomplished.   I pray he is elected for 4 more years and makes our Country Great again.  Love how he has so many wonderful people who love the Lord standing by him.   

Day 163, Wed., 8/26/2020, Kimmy and the boys, Vikki and the twins came over to spend the day, Went to outside prayer in the evening, Went to see Kenzie at Vikki's

Jacob was happy with this round, Adam was pretty happy to as he was in the lead

Jacob and Adam

Eli

Peyton

Isaac

Peyton eating her drumstick

Jacob

Adam (Jacob in back of him, Papa hanging his towel on the line in the background)

Eli with what's left of his drumstick

Isaac, Eli, Bill, Adam, Jacob and Peyton

Kimmy and the boys leaving  Jacob and Eli waving out the windows

Kenzie with gnome garden she made for her mom

Cute picture of Adam laughing at Lucky doing her dog tricks.  Eli watching holding Lickums.  These are my two favorite toys of Kenzie's

It rained, thundered and there was lots of lightening during the night.  It was still raining in the morning.  We ate oatmeal for breakfast, read our Bibles, and then went to get gas at Kroger.  Bill filled both of our tanks, and we got a dollar off each gallon.  When I got home, Kimmy pulled in the driveway right after me.  Vikki got there right after that.  Then Bill got home.  Kimmy did some sewing for her dad, and I made a couple of face masks for Rody's mom and Aunt Ann.  Then Jacob, Adam, Bill, Kimmy, Vikki and I played 3-13.  I ended up being the winner.  Jacob and Adam helped Papa cut down some dead branches down in our big maple tree.  We all ate lunch after that.  Then we all went for a swim, except Papa.  He walked the rail trail.  It was in the mid 80's, but he likes to walk in the heat.  I like to get my exercise in the cool pool.  I did get my 10,000 steps in again though.  Kimmy tightened up the cable on our deck while Bill was on his walk.  She sure can do just about anything.  Thanks Kimmy.  She and Vikki tried to fix the boards on the shed steps, but ended up putting them back the way they were, and Bill will just have to add a small board.  We all had a drumstick break.  Everyone left after that, and Bill and I ate.  Then I went to my prayer group outside at church.  After that, I went to Vikki's to see Kenzie for a little while.  I was happy to see her.  I gave her a Minnie Mouse face mask.  She made a really cute gnome garden for Vikki.  She said she is going to make one for me too.  She is always so sweet.  I went home and Bill and I watched the Republican Convention.  I love hearing all of these great speakers who love God and our Country.