Saturday, 4/10/21, Bill, Jared, Jacob, Adam and Eli went to Kenzie's, Kimmy spent the day with me, Vikki and Peyton came over

 Max trying out the Kayaks with Bruce

 Cool turtles lined up on their adventure down the river

 

   Eli drawing on my boogie board                                                                                      

  Beautiful eggs Kimmy collected from their chickens

Eli, me and Jacob

Love spring flowers, green grass and leaves coming out on trees

 Cute picture of Jacob at Kenzie's

Another beautiful day.  It rained during the night, but the sun came out in the morning.  Kimmy, Jared, Jacob, Adam and Eli came over at 9:30.  The guys all went to Kenzie's, and Kimmy stayed here to spend the day with me.  They had to unload Bill's big trailer which was loaded with metal.  Charlie and Sue met them at Kenzie's.  They also loaded up Charlie's big trailer.  They took both to the scrap yard and emptied them, and then filled Bill's trailer one more time and emptied it.  Travis hurt his toe and it was swollen and painful, so Bill made him stay home and rest it.  Jacob, Adam and Eli were great helpers.

Eli loved all of Kenzie's animals.  He was so happy being there.  Vikki stopped there since she and Peyton had been in Fenton and were so close.  They all got to meet Travis's brother.  

Kimmy and I enjoyed sitting on the deck, visiting and drinking our ice tea out of Kimmy's wonderful tumblers.  Wyatt was on the deck with us too.  He was so cute today and put his paw up on my knee just like Lenny does.  First time he has done that.  He loves attention and is such a sweet dog.  We came in and played 3-13 and I beat.  We dug some weeds out by the roots over in the little woods by the side of our house.  It was hard work, but Kimmy sure got lots out.  I got tired before her.  Sue called while we were working.  Sue called to talk to Kimmy and tell her what wonderful boys they have.  She was very impressed with them and said they were friendly and hardworking boys. They will go far with their friendliness, great attitudes and hard work.  I couldn't agree more!  They are wonderful boys, just wonderful boys.  They can't be beat as grandpa used to say.  We got more than I expected to get done, and then picked up the ones I dug yesterday and shook the dirt off good, then put them in the yard waste container.  We went back out on the deck.  We decided to start another game of 3-13.

We didn't finish it as Vikki and Peyton came.  Then the guys all came and I grilled hot dogs out on the grill for the hungry crew.  During the day we ate bagels and blueberry muffins too.  Kimmy and Jared tried to take the paddle back to Dick's and get one like Adam's for Jacob.  Come to find out, the girl never charged us for the paddles.  We will have to go take care of that.  She had us open up a charge so we could get $60 off and Bill was so busy doing that, we didn't even notice she didn't charge us.  I even told her I was trading the one I had and getting another and brought that and handed it right to her.  We both thought she scanned them.  So weird.  We are taking back the one, and will pay for the one Eli has.  

Bruce and Max got to try their kayaks out on the Tittabawassee River today.  They had a nice time and saw an eagle fly down right in front of them close and get a fish.  They also saw lots of turtles.  Very cool!

Friday, 4/9/21, Kimmy and the boys came over, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over

Adam

Jacob and Wyatt

Eli

Jacob and Papa hooking up the tractor to the big pole buried in the woods

                                                       Success, the pole is out

Love daffodils in full bloom

The Woodpecker has been really busy

Adam texted me that they didn't have school.  I asked him why and he told me there was no power there.  He wanted to come over he said.  Kimmy had some pottery to work on, but I was sure hoping they would be able to come after that.  Ate breakfast inside this morning.  Bill went with Charlie for coffee.  When it warmed up outside, I made an iced coffee and drank it outside.  Walked around and looked at my plants after the nice rain yesterday.   When I got to the little woods on the side of the house, I started digging up some weeds and pulling them out by the roots.  I sure was tired when I got the little section done.  I had done a couple places last year, and now did right between them.  It's starting to look much better.  My flowers in the woods are starting to grow, and some are blooming too.  I went to the shed to see what Bill was doing, and he needed my help to put blocks of wood under the mower that goes to the tractor.  I asked him if he wanted me to call Kimmy and see if she could bring the boys because it was pretty heavy and I thought that would not be good for his shoulder.  He told me he would have it done by the time they got there.  I told him I wouldn't call then and walked around the corner toward the house and there was Adam.  I hadn't got his message because I was working on those weeds.  Perfect timing.  He and Jacob helped Papa get that mower on.  I sure was thankful.  Kimmy, the boys and I sat on the deck for a while.  Then Bill and the boys played a game of 3-13.  Eli didn't want to play.  Jacob won.  Bill took the boys and picked up McDonald's.  I made Kimmy and iced coffee. She and I had grilled cheese sandwiches on the deck.  Then we walked in the woods, and she saw a big pole half buried with a metal thing sticking out.  She tried to move it with a shovel, but it wouldn't budge.  We played a game of 3-13.  Kimmy was the winner.  When the guys got back, Bill took the tractor over by the pole, and Jacob dug on both sides until they could put a tow rope around it.  Bill got it out with the tractor.  Yay!  I am glad to have that out.  Kimmy always gets us motivated to do stuff and provides strong boys to help.  Vikki and the kids came over after she was done working.  They are talking about shutting her school down for 2 weeks because there were so many kids needing to be quarantined because of Covid.  We hung out and visited.  So nice spending time together.  It started pouring when Vikki and the kids left. It stopped five minutes later when Kimmy and the boys left.  

 

Thurs., 4/8/21, Vikki brought the kids, talked with Kimmy on speaker phone with Vikki, went to Old Town Drive in and got Coney dogs,

                                                                                      

Peyton and Isaac playing 3-13 with me

Peyton...Bill on the tractor dethatching and aerating the lawn

 These leaves just came out on this tree today.   Didn't see any green this morning, but in the afternoon when I got home lots of green on the tree

Tree is blossoming now

 Hailey re-injured her wrist which never had healed properly.  Has to rest it for 6 weeks.

Bill relaxing on the deck

 My Clematis is really growing fast now

Vikki and I went and watched the eagle today
Took a video...

Ate breakfast out on the deck.  It was a beautiful morning, so I picked up the  small sticks and weeds I had pulled up and cut and put them in the Yard Waste bin.  I put the big sticks on the fire pit.  Vikki brought Peyton and Isaac and we sat outside for a while before she had to leave for work.  We waved goodbye, then started our spelling after they had 15 minutes of device time.  Melissa called me and I talked to her for a while.  The kids did great on their spelling today and each only missed 1.  We celebrated with some candy out of the Easter basket I made up for the adults on Sunday.  We read inside today, because Peyton is scared of bugs outside, so it's hard for her to concentrate on reading.  We finished the Little House book and will start the next one Tues.  We played 3-13 and I made mac and cheese for them for lunch.  We finished yesterday's game and got done just as Vikki was pulling in the driveway.  We decided to go watch the eagles, so we both drove separately and parked and watched.  We didn't see anything, so we went in the cemetery to watch.  We waited a minute outside our cars and saw it fly.  I took short video.  We went back and sat in the turn around where we were at first.  The eagle just sat in the tree the whole time.  We left and went to Aldi's and I got some fruit, cereal and also a nice computer chair they have there this week.  Kimmy and Jared got their first Moderna shots. They were doing good when I talked to them a while afterward.  3 of our friends in Faith Riders have covid symptoms.  One for sure has it and the other two who were around her think that is what they have too.  One was tested today, but won't get the results until Monday.  Bill and I went to Old Town Drive In for Coney Dogs, fries and Root Beer.  Yum!  They were super busy!  If more places served outside like that right now they would do great business and it sure would be safer.  Melissa face timed me and Hailey showed me her wrist.  She re-injured her wrist.  She went to get it looked at and found out it never healed right, so now she has to let it rest and heal for 6 weeks or live with it the way it is.  She is choosing to rest it.  Smart girl!  They wrapped it good for her.  We watched Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and a movie about a Bible that passed through many people and the stories with it. We ate a drumstick for a snack.  Bill put my chair together.  It's comfy and will fit nicely under the desk.  Talked to Vikki and she said Kimmy and Jared's arms are real sore and they are tired.  Awe...prayed for them right away.  This on top of Poison Ivy can't be fun!   

Wed., 4/7/21, Watched and had fun with Peyton and Isaac, Wonderful to hear from Lela, Bill put the missing piece on the Gazebo, Did discipleship at church, 79 degrees today, Weeded

                                                                                     

                                                                                   

 Isaac and Peyton read to me on the deck

 Bill got that little top center piece on the roof up there with that pole in the background.  He balanced it and then dropped it in when I told him I could see the screws lined up with the holes. It went in the first time.  WOW!  I prayed before we started.  It sure went easy for him

 Bill screwing the inside plates down

Abby and Hailey

 Abby and Zoey...Evan's feet

 Jack, Evan and Max watching Zoey

 Abby

 Jack and Hailey throwing the football at their house

 Jack and Hailey

Ate breakfast and drank my coffee on the deck.  Bill had a check up with the surgeon who operated on his shoulder.  He still has to take it easy for 2 more months.  Vikki brought Peyton and Isaac over for me to watch.  Peyton had to do reading with her teacher and two other girls from her class on the computer.  We read out on the deck which was nice.  It was so nice, sunny and 79 degrees.  Lela sent me some cute pictures and text messages.  I probably won't be getting many orioles here in Michigan, because she is getting her yard all set for them.  Orange is what they like, and orange is what she is providing for them.  Peyton and Isaac played 3-13 with me.  Lela accidentally called me while we were playing, but we were sure happy to hear from her and talk to her for a few minutes.  It made our day!  Vikki came when we were on the 10 round, so we will have to finish our game tomorrow.  We ate some Easter candy while we were playing, then had hard boiled eggs.  I sure have fun with those kiddos.  I relaxed on the deck in the lounge chair fo a while.  Filled the bird feeders and put suet out for them.  Bill and I went on our motorcycle to the church for our discipleship meeting.  We came out and it was sprinkling.  We hurried and put our helmets on and took off.  It stopped sprinkling when we were about a mile down the road which was nice.  Glad we didn't get a hard rain like Melissa.  I pulled and dug lots of weeds out of our little woods.  I have flowers coming in there and don't want them getting choked out.  Vikki took some amazing videos of the eagles building their nest.  So fun to watch while I was talking to Vikki at the same time so we could enjoy it together.  Melissa called me after Vikki and we talked over an hour.  Texted Adam quite a bit.  It was a great day.

Tues., 4/6/21...Bill is back to taking garbage out YAY! Hailey came over, Vikki dropped Peyton and Isaac off, Went to prayer

Hailey with the smoothie her Aunt Vikki got her

 Peyton and Isaac by the fire pit getting warm while they do their spelling

Hyacinths, daffodils and other plants!  Love spring time

 Adam's Kayak challenge..standing up...He did it for a minute 3 times.  He's much braver than his Nana

 Eli and his passenger

Isaac, Peyton and Hailey having lunch

Hailey, Peyton and Isaac eating lunch

 After Hailey left, I took a little nap outside...sure was comfy

 Things are blooming around here, YAY!

I hung my oriole and hummingbird feeders out today!  Beautiful 79 degree day today!

Last night at 8:30, I called Hailey to see if she could come watch Peyton and Isaac while we got our taxes done.  She said she could which made me so happy. It isn't going to take us long.  In the morning, I felt great and my arm didn't even feel sore.  Bill had an appointment, so I made me oatmeal and coffee. I got some stuff ready for Hailey and the kids to drink and eat if they wanted to.  I was wishing I had something to make that Hailey would love drinking, but I didn't have time.  I had to leave to meet Bill to get our taxes done.  It didn't take long.  I got home 45 min. after our appt.  Hailey had brought a game for the kids to play.  She was drinking a smoothie which her generous Aunt Vikki had picked up for her.  It made me as happy as Hailey.  We sat under the Gazebo as it was beautiful and warm out.  We did spelling with Peyton and Isaac.  They missed a lot of words this time. They didn't study them very long.  Lots of writing and practice will help them learn them.  They are great spellers.  Hailey and I got some good laughs when we I corrected Peyton's words.  Her words were spelled so funny.  Hailey wanted to hang out with us which was so much fun.  At 11:30, I went and picked up an order for Bill, Hailey and I from Coco Loco.  After I got that, I stopped at McDonalds and got Happy Meals and shakes for Peyton and Isaac.  Bill ate under the Gazebo and the kids and I ate under the pergola.  We talked and watched the kids climb the trees.  Then we all had ice cream sandwiches or drumsticks.  Vikki got here, but had to leave right away because she had a meeting with the kids teacher virtually.  I sent her home with some ham and a bag of Kimmy's rolls.  Hailey left around 2:45 and then I took a nap on the lounge chair.  When my timer went off, I hung out the oriole feeder and hummingbird feeder.  I walked around and looked at my flowers and did a little weeding.  My Clematis is really growing fast now.  Blueberry bushes have buds on them.  Such a fun time of year.  Continuing to pray for Lela as she will be starting radiation soon.  She got some great news from the doctor that she can go to the U.P. for their annual camping trip with Kimmy, Jared and the boys.  I am so happy for her and for her family who loves this camping trip.  God is good! 

 

Monday, 4/5/21, Got 2nd Covid shot, Met with BFF Vikki, Kimmy and the boys came over, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac Came over

 

My friend Vikki had all of these beautifully wrapped gifts in the gift bag for my last year's birthday.  Today was the first time we've been able to see each other since Covid started.  

 These beautiful blossoms were sure worth waiting 4 years for.

Eli and Wyatt relaxing

Peyton, Jacob, Wyatt, Eli, Adam and Isaac

Peyton