1/27/19...Went to Officer's Orientation for CMA in Lansing , Charlie and Sue came over and gave Bill a huge donut!

Cheryl (Secretary), Elaine (Chaplain), Bill Smith (Vice President), Me (WebMaster and Newsletter Editor, and Bill (President)

Bill with the huge donut Charlie and Sue got for him.  The four of us split it.

We are using a lot less pellets since we know how to set the pellet feed.  Staying nice and toasty in the house too.  Elaine and Cheryl came over at 9:45.  I made them each a coffee to go with my Ninja Coffee Bar.  It was in the high 40's today and sunny. What a nice day for a ride.  We even saw some motorcycles on the road.  We found the church and then went and ate lunch at a Tim Horton's.There was a good turnout at the Officer's Orientation.  The Webmaster person wasn't there for our class, so I went to the Chaplain's class with Elaine.  When we got home, Charlie and Sue stopped in and brought Bill a huge donut.  He shared it with us and it was so good.  We drank our good coffee with it.  We played 3 games of Euchre.  The were all close.  Charlie and Sue won the first one, Bill and I won the second one.  They were very close games.  The third one was a very close game too.  On the last hand, I got a lone hand.  I still let Bill play with me though. We were the big winners of the night.  Talked to Vikki and then talked to Melissa. Read my Bible and spent time in prayer because I didn't this morning.  Always trusting God!  Don't know what I would do without Him.

1/26/18..Went to SportsZone, Beautiful 50 degree day, Went to Frankenmuth to the Snow Fest,

We went into the warming tent in Frankenmuth to see the Tigers

We heard a siren and saw a police car coming.  Then the Tiger's passed us in their bus.  They were being escorted.

Nice Cheeseburger at Snow Fest

We took this for Bill's brother Fred,  It's his company

Thought this was cool and our grandsons would like to see it

We took our picture with the covered bridge in the background!  What a beautiful sunny day!

Love this picture of Bill in his hometown

We thought the high school kids were doing a great job on their sculptures.  This is going to be a mama elephant with her baby elephant

We like Bay City High School's sculpture too

Another picture of my handsome hubby

This was all just plain and flat when we got to town.  This is what it looked like when we left.

Thought this ice sculpture was absolutely beautiful

Sloth snow sculpture and model they used

We walked at the SportsZone.  Bill walked a mile and I walked 3.  I am so glad his knee is getting better so he can start walking again.  Our fireplace insert went out last night before we went to bed, When we tried to ignite it again, it wouldn't ignite and all the wood pellets just kept falling and filling the tray and then running over.  I turned the pellet feed down and slowed the pellets from overflowing.  Still couldn't get it started.  After we got home from the SportsZone, I showed Bill a video I had on my phone of how to maintain the insert and he cleaned around the infighter.  He did a great job and it ignited after that.  He was on the phone with the Kernel Burner Store and then the fire took off so we didn't need them.  He told us to just try different settings to find out what works best for us.  It is working great without the pellets feeding so quickly and won't need cleaning so quickly.  I watched the news and they said the Tigers were going to be in the warming tent from 2 to 3 pm.  We went to Old Town Drive In and got coney dogs, fries and root beer on our way to Frankenmuth.  YUM!  When we got to Frankenmuth, it was super busy, but we got a great parking spot right away.  We saw the Tiger's Bus and went into the warming tent right away to see them.  It was packed, but we got in.  We had fun walking around and looking at all the sculptures.  The ice sculptures were melting really fast.  We went in some of the shops in town and then went to RiverPlace and went in those shops.  Our final stop was Zhender's.  We sampled a dessert, then bought a dessert to share and Bill picked out a loaf of bread.  We went to the cafe and got coffees and shared our dessert.  We walked back by Zhender's to see the row of snow sculptures we hadn't seen and then left for home. We were going to go to Hailey's basketball game on the way home, but Melissa called us to tell us Hailey wouldn't be playing.  She was throwing up and had a temp of 105.  Sure am praying for my sweet Hailey!

1/25/17...Took Bill to Tim Horton's to meet Rich...went to Melissa's, went to Kroger's, Went to Vikki's, Bingo at Community Village

Bill had to meet Rich Dudek at Tim Horton's this morning so I dropped him off.  Rich was going to take Bill to the VA so he could volunteer and drive Vets from the parking lot to the hospital door and then to their cars in the parking lot when they were done with their appointments.  I went to Melissa's to drop off Evan's booster seat I had from last night.  We visited for a while and figured out how to clean Melissa's coffee bar as the clean button came on. Nora was cute as can be while I was there.  I went to Kroger's to get groceries after that.  Took me a while because Kroger's is so huge now that it takes a while to walk through it.  I came home and put the groceries away and had a salad for lunch.  Went to Vikki's at 3:30 and visited for a few minutes and then picked Bill up at 3:50.  Made spaghetti for dinner and then we went to Community Village to help the residents play Bingo.  We always love seeing how much fun they have playing.  We are thankful for the opportunities the Lord gives us to pray for them too.  We went to Tim Horton's afterwards with Wes, Gayla, Luis and Eva.  Good fellowship with good friends!

1/24/18...Walked at the SportsZone, Went to see the Greatest Showman with Melissa, Taught my class at church

All my sweeties in my class with their hairnets on and Miss Joan in her hairnet.  They wore them when they prepared their food

Each of them holding the plate of cut up bananas, cheese and crackers.  They had so much fun learning how to do this and learning how to measure dry ingredients. Miss Joan did a great job teaching them

Evan was excited and told his mom about the snack he made.  He told her on their way home that he was going to make her a snack.  He got home and got the stuff out by himself and made her the snack he learned to make

Evan, Peyton and Isaac...love having these 3 grandkids in my class

Mocha has found her favorite spot now...right by the fire

Got to the SportsZone at 7:37 and walked 3 miles.  It took me 47 minutes.  Came home and made oatmeal.  Did my lesson for tonight.  Bill and Charlie were going to see a war movie.  I have heard a lot of people say the move, The greatest Showman was very good so Melissa and I went to see it.

We had lots of laughs before the movie started...We both didn't care for the movie much.  We sure had a fun time together though.  Our biggest laugh was when we got our popcorn and drinks and the guy told us the movie was in theatre one.  I said, you said theatre one right and he said yes.  Melissa and I put White Cheddar on our popcorn because our hubbies don't like it and this was our chance.  We kept talking and walked into the theatre.  We commented on it being the first time we were the only ones in the theatre.  Melissa commented on how clean it was (that was until she spilled her popcorn).  I said it was funny there were no previews playing yet.  Eventually I looked at my fitbit and the time was 11:34.  The movie was supposed to have started at 11:30.  I told her we might be in the wrong theatre and we should check.  We did and theatre one was across the hall.  What a great laugh we had and what a great memory we made.  I took her home and came home for a while.  I went back to Melissa's house to watch Jack and Evan while she and Bruce took Max to his orthodontist appointment.  I practiced spelling words Melissa had written for each boy for the spelling bee try outs.  They did really good and learned the couple they had trouble with really fast. They were such good boys.  Once again I forgot to take a picture.  I took Evan with me to my house and got ready to go to our class at church.  Evan set up the table and chairs for me again.  He is such a great helper.  I had 11 kids in my class tonight.  The award tonight was for food preparation.  Miss Joan taught them how to measure sugar  and scrape the measuring spoon or cup with the flat side of a knife to make it level.  She also taught them how to use a plastic knife to cut up bananas and cheese.  Then we gave them some crackers and they took their plates to our classroom for a snack.  The kids loved making the snacks and were very happy to get to eat them.  Evan told Melissa he wanted to make her a snack when they got home so he cut up a banana and some cheese for her. He was so excited to tell her and show her what he learned.  Watched the news with Bill when I got home.  

1/23/18...Went to our breakfast, Went to Melissa's, Stopped at Wolfeils, Bill emptied the ashes in our wood burner for the first time, Had a wonderful small group

The stuff we got to take the soot off the brick worked really well

I had emailed Vikki last night to see if she wanted to go to breakfast.  Waited to hear from her in the morning.  She was tired and had a headache so she couldn't come.  Bill and I went to breakfast at Sullivan's.  There were 12 of us there today.  I asked if anyone was going down Center Rd. that could give me a ride to Melissa's.  Phyllis said she would take me.  Bill had a 9 a.m. doctor appointment at the VA.  He ate and than left for his appt.  When we were all done with eating, our devotion and prayer, people started to leave.  I was waiting for Phyllis to get up.  When she did I got up too.  Chuck  and Sue started talking to me about the heated throw he got like ours yesterday and it doesn't work.  Wanted to know where we got ours.  I looked around to find Phyllis and thought maybe she went to the bathroom or went out to the parking lot.  Chuck, Sue and I walked outside and saw Phyllis and thought she was going to pull up and wait for me to get in the car.  She didn't look our way and just pulled out of the parking lot.  Sue and Chuck took me over to Melissa's and dropped me off.  I called Phyllis and she felt so bad that she forgot to take me to Melissa's.  I told her it was fine and God had a different plan.  I did warn her that Chuck and Sue will be teasing her about forgetting me.  I had a nice time visiting with Melissa and watching Nora play.  She is so cute.  Melissa and I had great tasting coffee from her Ninja Coffee Bar.  Bill came to pick me up and he had a coffee too.  Nora was really cute with him too.  On our way home, we stopped at Wolfeil's to pick up stuff to get the soot off from the brick on the fireplace.  Got a big metal scoop too.  When we got home, I started cleaning the soot off.  This stuff worked great.  It looks so nice with all that black soot gone.  We had small group and we sat in the family room which was nice and toasty.  Hannah came for the first time.  She goes to college at SVSU and heads up the activities for the GAP, a Christian group at the college.
She was very sweet.  Our time of studying the Word and prayer was amazing.  There were 12 here.  Four were missing because of sickness.

1/22/18... Walked at the SportsZone, Went through lots of attic stuff and put stuff neatly and labeled back into the attic

Great spot to read my Bible each day!  Toasty warm!

Walked three miles in 48 minutes at the SportsZone.  Made Bill and I oatmeal for breakfast.  Ran off my lesson for Small Group tomorrow.  Did my lesson.  It sure is a good one.  Went upstairs and got the stuff in the big bedroom all put away,.  Then worked on the other bedroom which still had most of the stuff from that walk in attic out in the room.  Went through lots of stuff.  Sorted, labeled and put stuff neatly in the attic.  Still have some to do, but sure made a big dent in the job today.  The rooms are only heated by the pellet burner and I sure got warm working upstairs.  Mailed Mike St. John's dad's obituary to Mike.  Stayed in otherwise because it was a damp and rainy day.  Temperatures were in the 40's so that was nice.

1/21/18..Went to Church, Went to Stacie and DJ's, Went to Culver's

Hailey and Ally Singing songs for worship at Bethlehem's Contemporary  Service

 They got a new worship leader there and he has been having them help with some worship services.  Today, Hailey sang a song during the offering by herself and did a great job.  Very proud of her.

Off with the red buttons and on with the gold Marine Corp buttons!

I went to church early as I taught Sunday School.  Got all the paperwork for the kids ready before church started.  Stacie, Kody, Vikki, Rody and the twins were there today.  Peyton asked me if I was going to be her teacher today, and she was so happy when I told her yes.  Love having three grandkids in my class this year.  We gave Stacie her birthday present at church.  Got her a fitbit charge 2.  She was so happy.  When we got home, I made scalloped potatoes and ham for dinner.  l removed the 8 red buttons on Bill's Marine Corp Blazer and replaced them with gold Marine Corp buttons. Relaxed until 4:30 and then took Bill's truck over to Stacie and DJ's.  DJ is going to fix Bill's bumper for him.  So happy he is doing it for him as it will save us lots of money.  Kody was really excited to see us.  Wish I would have taken a picture of him for my blog, but I forgot.  He sure is a sweetie.  We went to Home Depot and got a small metal container shaped like a little garbage can for our ashes when we dump the pellet burner tray.  Also got a silicone heat resistant glove to use with the pellet burner.  We stopped at Culver's and got Concrete Mixers.  So delicious and sure hit the spot.