Fri., 6/18/21, Got a few more groceries, packed, the kids came swimming, took a meal to Andy

Jacob and Adam helped Papa unload the wood pellets today and it took them 5 minutes.  They sure are great and fast workers

Yes, five kids can get on an air mattress 

Papa thought he could get on too, but there just wasn't room

Eli, Isaac and Peyton had so much fun together on this air mattress
They made it to BayShore!

Evan, Jack and Max

Tire swings are a favorite at BayShore

These are all pictures Melissa posted and I borrowed

Max and Bruce

Watching the train is always a highlight for the kids...It goes back and forth and is so noisy, but they love it!!!

I went early to get groceries before the stores got busy.  On my way home, Kimmy called and wanted to know where I was.  She and the boys had just got to my house.  I was just turning on my road.  Jacob brought me the camper keys out, then he helped haul the groceries I had into the camper.  I put them away.  We visited on the deck when I got done.  They were going to spend some time at Vikki's, so I did some packing.  I went to Melissa's to pick up her Outdoor Adventures card to mail in.  I went to get gas at Sam's Club after that, and then to Sam's Club.  I also picked up a tennis racket at Goodwill.  Vikki called later to see if they could come swimming to cool down.  She and Kimmy cleaned and shampooed her car and they were super hot.  I told them to come, then got my swimming suit on and put the cushions on the chairs and loungers up on the deck.  I uncovered the pool too, so it would be all ready when they came.  We all went swimming, including Papa.  They all had fun and we all got wet.  When they leaving, I was excited to show them the tennis racket I got.  Ha Ha, they told me it was a Sponge Bob (which I would never watch and do not like) and it was a kids.  They had a very good laugh.  That shows you how much I know about tennis.  You really had to look to tell it was Sponge Bob. While I made cabbage buns for Andy and also some for us to take camping, they all got the pavers we had put in the woods out and hauled them to the little cart. Then they put them in the big trailer and Bill and Vikki took them to Misty because she wanted them.  We were happy to see them go. I hauled a couple more clothes baskets of stuff out to the camper.  I talked to Melissa too and we prayed together.  A little while later, she called me to pray because Bruce has a job interview on Monday.  He was pretty happy when he told her.  They left to go camping at BayShore.  I sure am glad they can get away as a family and have lots of fun there.  They took their kayaks to use.  I went out and put the fresh sheets on the bed in the camper.  Fun day.

Went to get groceries for our 3 week camping trip to Outdoor Adventures, Kimmy and the boys came over, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over, visited Melissa and the kids, played tennis and swam

Isaac, Eli, Jacob, Adam, Max, Jack and Evan at Melissa's

Peyton and Evan playing

Hailey and Peyton...Jack hanging from the tree and Evan up in the tree

Forgot to take pictures when we played tennis this morning.  This afternoon I took this one of Peyton, Jacob, Eli, Adam, and Isaac playing.  Kimmy, Vikki and I practiced hitting balls against the wall and so did the kids.

I went to Meijer to get groceries early.  Kimmy, Vikki and the kids came over.  Kimmy and Adam were sweet and took my 17th chipmunk to a new location with his family that is already there.   When she got back, we went and tried playing tennis.  We all loved it.  My first time and it was so much fun.  Lots of exercise too.  We went to walk the track afterward, but they were working on it so we couldn't.  We came back to my house and swam and cooled off.  We ate lunch, then went to visit Melissa and the kids.  Hailey was there and showed us more pictures from her prom last night.  She had lots of fun.  She was pretty tired today. She had a graduation party to go to in the evening at Swartz's.  We had a really nice visit there, then went to the school across the road and the kids played tennis again and we hit balls against the building to practice that way too.  More fun.  The kids swam again and Papa joined them.  He is always so much fun in the pool with the kids.   Kimmy, Vikki and I enjoyed coffee and relaxing on the deck.  Bill joined us part of the time and so did Jacob and Adam. They all had to leave and then I started packing for our camping trip.  I helped Bill with hooking the 5th wheel hitch up.  It's new and he needed to figure it out, so he had me back up a little and go forward a few times.  Then we unhooked it.  It is really nice.  He also showed me how he got the camera working so we can see all sides and behind the 5th wheel when we drive.  It is so nice to have that.  Bill pulled the tractor with the cart attached up to the back door and helped me load freezer food and refrigerator food on it, and a few other things to haul out to the camper and put away.  I drove my car back, which was loaded with more stuff.  Got lots done today.  Have to get a few more groceries tomorrow to load, then only the last minute stuff Sunday/Monday.  I talked to Phyllis for a while.  She is in the hospital and fighting cancer.  I pray for her so much.  We are believing God for a miracle.  I posted a song on my facebook page that Brandon Lake sang about believing for miracles and had Phyllis listen to it.  It touched her heart as much a mine.  She is such a dear friend to me.  She asked me to have Bill call her husband Andy to encourage him which he did.  After I packed the camper, I took the sheets off the bed and brought them in to wash.  It sure was a fun day with everyone.   

Wed., 6/16/21, Hailey's first date and prom are tonight. Kimmy and the boys came over, We played 3-13 and I was the loser, Caught my 15th and 16th chipmunk, Vikki, Kimmy and I painted Rody's mom's fence, Jacob and Adam watched Peyton and Isaac,

Hailey getting her hair done for prom by Mikayla's cousin

Her hair looked amazing!

Jacob, Adam, me and Eli during our card game

This was after we scraped the loose paint off the fence.  Rody's mom and Aunt Ann were cute as they kept offering us drinks, food, etc.  They sat outside in the shade and kept encouraging us and telling us what a great job we were doing and how wonderful the fence looked.  They are such nice people.

Kimmy is a super fast painter and super neat.  Why she wore her good shorts that can't be replaced and never got any paint on them.  What a girl!!!

Vikki, me and Kimmy painting the other side of the fence

Peyton, Isaac and Eli playing tennis

Hailey with a frog...that's not her date lol

Hailey, Abby and Jonah (he's her date)

Jonah, Hailey, friends (Mikayla is in the white dress in the middle)

Another group picture

These beautiful pictures were taken at Mikayla's house

Hailey's dress was so beautiful

New shepherd's hook that holds lots of stuff

Eli, Jacob, Peyton, Isaac and Adam enjoying a short swim when we got back to my house

Spent time with the Lord, then I went to get some groceries early so I could be home by the time Kimmy got here.  Also went to the Aldi's on Bay Rd. to see if they had the shepherd hook I wanted because the State St. one didn't.  They did!  Kimmy and the boys came and we played 3-13.  I started out going out for the first 3 hands and it was all downhill from there.  Maybe I should say uphill.  My score went up up up.  Kimmy was the winner.  Adam stuck me with lots of points (in the 60's) a couple of times.  Kimmy and I walked around outside after that for a while.  They boys played Mario.  Vikki went with Hailey while she got her hair done.  Later she did her makeup.  Hailey looked beautiful.  Vikki came to pick up paint brushes and she was going to paint Rody's mom's fence.  Kimmy said she could help her and I decided to help too.  It was work, but it was fun doing it together.  I'm glad Vikki didn't do it herself with the kids.  While I was painting, I remembered reading James a couple of days ago where it says true religion is taking care of the widows and orphans....

When I read that I prayed for God to show me who the widows in our church are and what I needed to do.  Then I thanked Him because Rody's mom is a widow and we were able to be there helping her.  It wasn't planned, but was a last minute thing that I know God planned for me to be part of.  It made me so happy.  We finished up and Rody's mom gave us cards with money in them, which we kept the sweet cards, but returned the money.  While we were there we got pictures of Hailey and her date.  He is very handsome and looked nice.  Melissa took pictures while they were at her house.  We came back to my house and the kids swam for a short time, while Vikki, Kimmy and I had sandwiches. The kids had pizza at Vikki's house.  We sat on the deck while we ate, then it was time for Kimmy to leave.  Vikki left too.  I dropped off my chipmunk, put the slide outs out on the camper and made my list of groceries to get.  I packed some things too.  Yay they are all coming back tomorrow for a visit.  Texted with my Adam!  Can't wait to hear how Hailey's prom went and to see more pictures.  

Tues., 6/15/21,

 

Hailey and I always get the Beef and Bean Nacho at Coco Loco's.  This is a half order.

Had a great lunch with my Hailey girl

Peyton and Isaac love swimming

Hailey busy pulling my many tiny weeds out for me

Max, Jack, Evan, and Melissa

Max, Jack and Evan

Jack and Evan

Isaac and Peyton

Peyton, Hailey and Isaac

Isaac and Peyton

Cool picture of Peyton Vikki took

Got up early to spend time in the Bible, worship and pray.  I stopped over to Melissa’s and dropped fudge and salt water taffy that we got in Mackinaw City off for them.  The kids were super happy.  I picked Hailey up at Ann’s and we went to Coco Loco’s for lunch.  We had our usual  1/2 Beef and Bean Burrito.  It was super delicious.  We had fun talking and eating.  We came to my house afterward and swam and relaxed on the deck.  In the morning, I walked by where the birdhouse used to be in the bricked area.  I went to pull one of the many weeds, and thought of Hailey.  When she was here, she pulled them all out for me and put them in a container so they wouldn’t grow back.  Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over and the kids swam.  Isaac got 13,000 yards of swimming in.  Wow! Hailey and I left to go to Menard’s to get two more air mattresses, then to Meijer to take pop cans in, and then to the Maple Grill so she could get a gift card and a bar of their amazing soap they sell.  I was going to get soap for Bill and I because we love it, but they only had the one bar this time.  We went into Hemlock and each got a Frappe…buy one get one for 1 cent.  I dropped Hailey off, then came home and ate Souper Cafe’s egg salad sandwich and Bill had chicken noodle soup and I had pot pie.  YUM!  We went to intercessory prayer after that and it was powerful and amazing.  We came home and I put Preen down.  We watched the K’Love Awards which were amazing.  I talked to Melissa and Vikki, texted with Adam, texted with Hailey.

Monday, 6/14/21, Bill and I worked in the garden, Vikki and twins came over, Vikki and I went Father’s Day shopping

This pineapple slicer/corer I got from the mennonite store does and amazing job and is so easy. I will be dehydrating pineapple now!!!

Vikki and I saw this beautiful rainbow today

Peyton and Isaac playing...this is what a boy does with perm curlers...Peyton puts them in her American Girl doll's hair

Her doll has her swim flippers on and curlers in her hair...Peyton loves playing with dolls so much and I love watching her

 Slept in as I have been getting up early each day we were on our trip.  So good to take a shower in our wonderful shower today.  Caught the raccoon that was digging my plants out of the pots on the deck.  Bill took it and released it.  He was also getting my jelly jars for the birds out of the trees.  Did our laundry from our trip and hung it out on the line.  Went and got suet, bird seed and thistle seed.  The feeders were empty, but now are full once again.  Bill tilled the garden and hoed the corn.  We both pulled the extra corn out that was too close.  I pulled the weeds from around the beets, onions and lettuce by hand and put them in a bucket so they wouldn’t grow again when it rained.  Weeded around the tomatoes, peppers, kolarabi, zucchini, sunflowers and zinnias.  I was getting pretty warm while working.  Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over and the kids went in swimming.  I finished up and jumped right in.  It felt so good to cool down.  It started thundering and then raining so we got out.  Vikki brought fresh fruit over, so we all ate some.  It was super delicious.  Vikki, the kids and I went shopping for Father’s Day.  We found a gas griddle grill for Bill.  Rody came and picked up the kids so we could put it in my car.  It was all assembled and was the last one on display.  We took it over to Vikki’s and she and I unloaded it.  The girls and families, and I are giving it to him for Father’s Day.  Hopefully this year we can surprise him.  Vikki and I went and got an Olive Burger from Culver’s.  We watched the seagulls for entertainment.  There was a beautiful rainbow that was so bright.  Vikki took a picture for me.  Came home and made Bill a BLT.

Texted with Adam, Texted with Hailey, and talked with Kimmy and Melissa.  

Sunday, 6/13/21, Headed home from Mackinaw City, Stopped at Cousin's Jim and Julie's, Stopped at Kimmy and Jared's, went for ice cream

 

Bill and I were on some fun hills

We met my cousin Jim and his wife Julie at Mio and had lunch together.  We hadn't seen each other for 20 years and had such a nice time catching up and also sharing memories

Eli in Kimmy's pretty garden

Wyatt

 Adam, Jacob and Eli

Cousin Jim on a tractor he got that was just like my Great Grandpa Adam's

 Jim driving the tractor up for us to see

Julie and Jim in front of their house

 Bill and I stopped at the Country Creamery for ice cream on the way home.  Couldn't go on a trip and not get ice cream

Read our Bibles, and did devotions and prayer.  Left our hotel at around 9:30 a.m.  Called my cousin and set up place and time to meet.  Bill took such a great route on the way to Mio.  We went along Lake Huron, through Rogers City, and then cut over toward Mio.  It was beautiful and sunny out, but a little cool by the water.  I had Bill stop so I could put my new fuzzy warm leg warmer things on we got at the Rally.  So nice!!!  When we were on 33 there were lots of nice hills and curves.  It was so much fun.  When we got to the 12 Tables Restaurant we were supposed to call Jim and Julie.  They only live 3 blocks away.  We pulled in and Julie came hurrying outside and over to us.  We were so happy to see each other.  We hugged, then went in the restaurant and saw Jim and hugged him.  We had such a fun time reminiscing and visiting.  We all ate breakfast except Jim.  We had told them on the phone we were going to treat them.  Julie arranged with the waitress to give her the Bill, so they ended up buying ours.  Found out my other Cousin, Jim’s brother Jack, isn’t doing too good.  Jim’s son and girlfriend take care of him, otherwise he would have to be in a home Jim said.  We followed them to their house to see the tractor they got with the kids for Jim.  It is just like my grandpa Adam’s tractor he had on the farm.  He taught Jim to drive it to help in the fields when Jim was 12.  He loved that tractor and now has one just like it.  I took lots of pictures.  We said our goodbyes and headed for home.  We went through Edenville and decided to stop at Kimmy and Jared’s.  We looked at Kimmy’s plants which are beautiful and growing nicely.  We visited with them and I enjoyed a cold ice tea with Kimmy.  We all sat on the deck.  We left there and decided since we hadn’t had any ice cream on our trip, we would just have to stop at the Country
Creamery.  It was so nice and very safe.  Our waffle cones were huge and delicious.  When we got home, I called Vikki to let her know we were home.  Peyton really wanted to come see me and swim with me, so Vikki brought her and Isaac over.  She sure is my girl!  I am blessed that she loves me so much.  We all had fun swimming together.  Bill came in too.  The water was warm, but the air was a little cool. We stayed in a long time though.  It was such a great day!