8/7/18....Kimmy and the boys came over, We went to Vikki's and ate lunch, went to visit Melissa at the Rehab, Kenzie and Travis were at Vikki's and came to our house later. Bill and I went to visit Roy and Marie, Got a Frappe and Bill got a shake from McDonalds

Picture Kenzie's Omi gave to Kenzie.  Kenzie got the frame and gave it to her mom

Kenzie and Wyatt

Kenzie climbing the tree and Peyton watching

Me and my beautiful Kenzie

Eli, Peyton, Isaac and Kody eating lunch

Kenzie, Travis, Peyton and Isaac playing a card game at the Rehab

Travis and Kenzie

Jacob and Kenzie

Kenzie

Kenzie and Peyton

Peyton, Adam, Kody, Jacob, Isaac, Kenzie and Travis

Adam, Kenzie, Travis
Peyton, Isaac
Kody

travis, Isaac, Peyton

Kenzie and Travis

Kody and Kenzie

Kody and Jacob

Eli, Jacob, Peyton, Kenzie, Isaac, Kody and Adam

Kenzie, Kody, Isaac, Eli and Peyton

Kody and Vikki

Vikki, Kenzie and Melissa

Kimmy, Melissa and Vikki

Eli, Jacob, Melissa and Adam

Travis, Isaac, Peyton, Kenzie, Kody and Eli learning a new game

Jacob

Melissa and Kody

Adam, me, Kenzie, Peyton, Isaac, Travis and Jacob in the cafeteria at the Rehab

Travis, Isaac and Kody

Adam, and Kenzie playing the line/initial game

Kenzie and Travis

Vikki braided Kenzie's hair...so pretty.  Adam in background

Kenzie

Kimmy, me, Kenzie, Travis, Eli, Adam, Peyton, Isaac, Kody, Jacob and Vikki

Travis and Kenzie

Melissa and Vikki

Melissa and Helen

Kenzie building a card tower

Kenzie and Travis

Jacob and Kenzie

Silly kiddos

Melissa and Kimmy.  Melissa is always so joyful and such an example

Melissa with her flowers from the church and flowers from us in the background.  Lots of balloons from the kiddos

W went to breakfast at Sullivans.  This is Louise's last time to be there before she moves this weekend to Petosky.  After breakfast, Bill and I went to vote.  Came home and Kimmy and the boys got here shortly after.  Wyatt was with them which was really nice. Love that doggie.  We left and went to Vikki's.  Kenzie and Travis came to Vikki's too.  We made pizzas and salad.  Ate and went to the Rehab to see Melissa.  Kimmy, Eli and Kody went to therapy with Melissa and the rest of us waited in the cafeteria.  We started a game of 3-13, but didn't finish it.  Melissa got out of therapy and we all hung out in the cafeteria.  After that we went outside which was really nice for the kids.  The sun wasn't out so it was pretty nice sitting outside.  Helen's son came and talked to us.  He didn't know he could go watch his mom in therapy and didn't know he could take her outside.  He said she would love going outside.  He left and we went up to see if Helen (she's 95) would want to come outside with us.  She had just got in bed, but told the nurses she wanted to get up and come outside with us.  She was so happy we took her out.  We sat outside visiting for a long time.  We all get so much joy from seeing Helen happy and doing what we can to make her happy.  What a sweet person she is.  We had to get going, so we took Helen and Melissa back up to their room.  We left and I headed home.  Started making bacon for BLT's.  Kenzie and Travis called and were coming to  pick up Isaac's phone.  They ate BLT's with me.  Bill had an appt. and ate when he  got home shortly after we finished eating.  He and I went to visit Marie.  She is doing so much better and starting to get around lots better.  We stopped at McDonalds and used a coupon code for a shake for Bill and a Frappe for me.  What a fun day!

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8/6/18...Guys got drain to wash machine working again,Went to the remodeled Aldi's, Went to see Melissa, Vikki and I went to Farmer's Market, Went back and took cinnamon roll to Melissa, Took Jack and Evan to the dentist, Came home and got cards ready to send out, Watched Secretariat

Peyton, Isaac and their Aunt Missy with the balloons they brought her

Peyton, Melissa and Isaac....Melissa doing therapy

Got ready, spent time with the Lord, and ate breakfast.  I heard the workers come.  They were way early today.  They were happy to hear I had tomatoes and green peppers from the garden on the counter they could have.  One wanted to pick some green tomatoes to fry.  I stopped at the newly remodeled Aldi's on my way to Melissa's house.  It is so nice and so much bigger.  Picked up some red roses and some white roses to take to Melissa.  

Stopped at Melissa's house to take the kids shoes and shoe crate to them.  Went to the hospital and went to the basement to watch Melissa in therapy.  I see big improvements already.  She is such a hard working, determined girl.  Vikki came and picked me up at the door to go to the Farmer's Market.  It was so much fun and so nice.  I got Peyton popcorn, Isaac caramel corn, Vikki, Melissa and I cinnamon rolls.  We looked at everything and tried samples.  Went back to the hospital, and Vikki and I ate our cinnamon rolls because Melissa was back down in therapy and I needed to leave shortly to take Jack and Evan to the dentist.  We went down and checked on Melissa and when she was done, she came upstairs and ate her cinnamon roll.  She loved it.  I saved half of mine for Bruce to have.  I took the boys to the dentist.  Evan's teeth were great.  Jack has gingivitis and needs to brush better she told me.  He needs to swish the swallow of water he takes after his inhaler too.  He had a small cavity too, poor boy.  He told the lady he was going to brush for an hour.  She told him two minutes effectively would do.  I took them back home and Hailey had just made cookies.  They were delicious too!  Bill went to Kalamazoo to sell the motorcycle.  He got what he wanted for it plus a quad runner.  Charlie went with him because he had to leave while I was taking the boys to the dentist.  I picked up a gift for Louise tomorrow at breakfast.  It's her last breakfast with us before moving to Petosky.  Sure will miss her.  Went and got a Grand Turkey Club sandwich from Arby's. Came home and ate and got some get well cards out to Fred, Marie, Melissa and also a card for Louise.  Watched the movie, Secretariat.  Great movie!

8/5/18 Went to visit Melissa in the morning. Saw Bruce pushing her outside. Max and Jack were there too. Came home and took a nap and then went back to the hospital. Bill cleaned up one of the branches that were down in the yard. I went back to the hospital and got there at the same time Vikki and Isaac got there. Came home and unpacked the outside refrigerator and put stuff away in the house.

Jack hanging on the bar under the table outside

Jack

Max and Abby

Evan and Hailey

We went to church.  It was nice seeing the Nelsons there, Especially Aleyiah and Livia.  Came home and made burgers and baked potatoes.  Went to the hospital after that.  Bruce, Jack and Max were walking with Melissa and Abby around the Rehab.  We sat outside and visited.  It was super hot (in the 90's)  We went inside and it felt so good being cool again.  Bruce left and Vikki came up.  I left for a while and came home and took a nap.  I went back to the hospital and was talking to Vikki on my way.  I parked and she pulled in right after me.  We visited with Melissa and I warmed up a cabbage bun for Melissa.  Gave Isaac a cheese stick. He said he had lots of fun playing with Kody.  He went there and Peyton went to Kailyn's for a playdate.  Bruce came back up with Hailey and Evan, so Vikki, Isaac and I left.  Rody was pulling in the parking lot when we were walking to our cars, but decided he would come back to visit Melissa a different day.  I unpacked the outside refrigerator, and put the stuff I had unpacked before away.  Caught up on my blogs.

8/4/18...Brought in refrigerator stuff from the camper, Packed up Hailey, Max, Jack and Evan's stuff and put b ack in their suitcases for Bruce to pick up, Went to seee Melissa at Rehab, Went to Car and Bike show at Garrber's., Went to Hospital again, Went to Applebees with Bill, Went to Midland River days with Kimmy and Jared

Papa and his trophy from the bike show today!

Peyton in the elevator in the hospital going to see Aunt Missy

Melissa and Jennifer Karls, Evan,Bruce and Jesse in background

Hailey, Evan, Melissa in front,
Bruce, Jennifer and Jesse in back

Evan

Isaac in car at car show

Bruce Melissa and Evan outside at the Rehab

Melissa and Hailey taking a selfie! 

Melissa and Hailey

Peyton and Isaac's picture and frame they made at BayShore

Evan and Jack's BayShore craft

Hot Air Balloons at Tridge with Kimmy, Jared and the boys

Beautiful Hot Air Balloons

Eli and Adam

Lots of people going both ways on the tridge.  Bill ahead of me.  Love how the lights change colors 

Bill, Adam, Jacob, me and Eli

Bill, Eli, Jacob, Adam and Jared walking to car.  Flowers are beautiful in Midland

Papa and Eli walking holding hands

Papa, Adam, Jacob and Eli drinking their shakes

Great pictures Kimmy posted of their Copper Harbor trip

Wyatt, Jacob and Eli

Eli, Wyatt and Jacob

Adam, Eli, Jacob and Wyatt

Wyatt, Eli, Kimmy, Adam and Jacob

Eli, Jacob, Wyatt and Adam

Jacob, Eli, Jared and Adam

Grandpa Russell, Jacob, Adam, Eli, Grandma Russell and Wyatt at Copper Harbor on their yearly camping trip

Eli, Jacob, Kimmy, Wyatt, Jared and Adam

Adam, Wyatt, Eli land Jacob

Got up early and got ready.  Packed all the kids stuff in the camper in their suitcases, and put everything else in the kitchen area where Bruce could pick it up.  I brought the refrigerator stuff and freezer stuff into the house.  Went to see Melissa.  I went to watch her do therapy.  She sure is determined and works so hard.  Melissa's roommate Helen's son was there visiting and was so nice. I left to pick up coney dogs, fries and root beers from Old Town Drive in.  When I got back, Melissa was in therapy again for OT.  I went down and watched her.  After that, we went to the multi purpose room to eat lunch.  When we walked out, a couple called me over an commented on how they loved seeing us pray.  They said they don't see that a lot any more, and that they pray too.  They told us their names and are in the room before Melissa's.  Bruce was on his way and Melissa needed to rest, so I left and went to the Car/Bike Show at Garber's where Bill was showing his bike.  He won a trophy for award winner.  Charlie and Sue were there so I visited with them for a while.  Bill and I sat at a picnic table in the shade.  I left early because I had to unpack my stuff from the camper.  Vikki came over to get the kids stuff out.  She stayed and visited a little while.  She brought Lenny and he was well behaved. Such a nice dog.  Kimmy called me when she had just left Marquette.  I am so excited to see them when they get home.  Bill and I took the tent back because the poles didn't lock good.  I couldn't find my receipt so hunted all over.  I looked in the draw of my jewelry chest and found an envelope marked Vikki's Garage Sale Money.  There was $40 in it that Vikki had given me while she was working at the school so I could save it for her when we went to the Freeland garage sales.  I called her and she was pretty happy to have it now, because her dog, Lucy, had to have a tooth extracted while she was being fixed.  Sam's took our tent back without a receipt, so that was nic.  We went back up to the hospital to see Melissa.  Bruce, Hailey and Evan were there.  Vikki and Peyton had just left, but were still in the building so they came back up.  We visited in the multi purpose room and drank coffee and hot chocolate.  Jennifer and Jesse Karls came to visit Melissa which was a very nice surprise.  They moved to Chicago and were here for BayShore and then to visit family.  After they left, we took Melissa outside and sat at out at a table and visited.  It was warm still warm out, about 87 degrees still at 7:30.  Bill and I left and went to Applebees to eat.  Kimmy called and wanted us to meet them at the Hot Air Balloon Show.  We headed to Midland after we ate and met them at the fairgrounds.  No Hot Air Balloons were there though.  I told them I thought they were by the Tridge so we went there.  I was so happy to get all my hugs when we parked downtown.  We walked a ways and saw four hot air balloons lighting up across the tridge.  We walked across and it was totally packed.  Our side moving one way and the other side moving the other direction.  We only stayed a few minutes and decided to go for ice cream instead of staying for the fireworks.  Of course, Bill and Jared raced to see who could get to Culver's first.  Bill beat.  Culver's was closing, so we headed to McDonalds.  Another race was on, with Jared in the lead until Bill sped up and cut in front of him.  Kimmy and I were both trying to make them behave.  We got our shakes and Frapees and sat and visited.  So happy to get to spend their first night home with them. I love my family.