Monday, 7/15/24, Happy 16th Birthday Jack! We love you!

Happy Birthday Jack!  You are a kindhearted, caring and wonderful grandson!  We love you so much!

Bill, Max, Melissa, Jack and me enjoying concrete mixers at Culver’s for Jack’s 16th Birthday

Fun time!

Jack was pretty excited to show me the new bike he got.  I’m so happy for him.  

Jack was so happy that Eli could come spend the night 

There was a thunderstorm early in the morning.  Lots of thunder and lightening.  It woke me up which doesn’t usually happen.  We went to visit Charlie and Sue this morning.  Bill went in to see Charlie who was lying down in his room, and I sat and talked to Sue.  He hasn’t wanted any company so we were very thankful when he said he wanted Bill to come and I could come too.  The guys talked for quite a while, then Bill anointed Charlie with oil and prayed for him.  Bill came out and visited with Sue and I for a while, then we left.  

I took some watermelon to Melissa’s and Jack came out right away to greet me.  I hadn’t looked at the date because my mind was on Charlie and Sue, so when I got in the house Melissa asked me if I remembered it was Jack’s Birthday.  He came in the door right then and I gave him a big birthday hug and told him Happy Birthday.  I asked them if they wanted to go to Culver’s for Concrete Mixers, and they all said yes, so I called Bill to see if he wanted to meet us there and he said yes.  We had fun and enjoyed our ice cream.  Melissa and I got the flavor of the day, Caramel Cashew.  It’s the first time I’ve gotten something different than my usual.  It was delicious.  So happy to get to spend time with Jack on his special day.....especially his 16th!!!

I dropped my friend, Lisa’s, birthday gift off at her house, then took a mattress topper I got for the camper to UPS to return it to Amazon.   I also picked up a card for Pastor Jeff’s retirement celebration next Sunday.

It was another hot 80 plus degree day.  Very humid too.  So thankful for air conditioning. 

 

These are pictures Vikki took of Vacation Bible School when she worked there tonight:  Some are of the kids helping during the day.  They are having so much fun!

Sunday, 7/14/24, Serve Sunday at Church, 250 plus there to serve in our community! our group worked at Community Village, Pizza for lunch at church afterwardWent to Jacob’s concert

Pastor Ken took this picture of a rainbow over our church this morning.  It was supposed to rain during the time we were supposed to be serving, but that changed and it was cloudy with a breeze even though the temps were in the 80’s.  When we finished at noon, the sun came out and it got really hot.  God sure answered our prayers.  

Picture taken of all of us before we left to go to work at our work sites

Bill in green and me next to him eating pizza with friends after we all got back to the church

Peyton and Isaac packed and ready to go spend the week at church for serve week.  Praying they have a great time

We had a nice time at Jacob’s concert.  They played Spanish music tonight and did a great job.  Loved seeing Jacob and talking to him at intermission.  

We got ready, got what we needed to take to wash windows and serve today for Serve Sunday, and headed to church.  It was supposed to rain during the time we were to be working, but with lots of people praying, instead there were a few sprinkles before we got to church and then a rainbow.   The weather was great after that.  We got to church and gathered in our groups with our leaders for the places and jobs we would be doing.  So wonderful to see so many come to serve in our community.  The prayer team also gathered to pray for all the places and people being served and for all serving.  

We went to Community Village to wash all the windows on the outside.  Rody, Peyton and Isaac went there too to weed and trim shrubs.  There were other groups washing the inside windows, taking old mulch out and putting new mulch in, edging the sidewalks, and other jobs that needed to be done.  There were lots of people which made it go fast and efficiently. I was on the far end of the building and the windows were very high.  We needed another ladder, so I walked to the other end of the building which was quite a distance and got a ladder and started walking with it and my bucket of water.  Peyton saw me right away and came running over to me and said Nana no, I will carry the ladder.  She took it from me and carried it the whole way.  What a sweet caring granddaughter.  It was an 8 foot ladder! 

Justin McCoy was our group leader and he did a great job supervising and directing us.  When we finished our windows, we worked on cleaning up the mess from the sidewalks after the edger edged it.  There were so many great workers and friends.  It was fun serving together.  We had pizza, chips and cookies afterwards at church.  We were sitting with Bev, Dave, Marie, Roy, Todd and Frankie, then moved to sit with Rody, Peyton and Isaac and Amber and her 5 children.  I have had 4 of them in my Sunday School class and have one more to go.  

In the evening, we went to Jacob’s concert which we love to do.  We talked to Wes, Gayla and Joel when we got there, then when we saw Vikki, Kimmy and Jared come, we went back to our chairs and talked with them.  I always love it at intermission time when Jacob comes to talk to us.  I’m praying for his Cedar Point trip this weekend with friends.  He is a great kid!  

We came home and had ice cream with bananas and our favorite toppings.  Yum!  I went outside again and looked at the zinnias Kimmy and I planted.  They were wilted before I went to the concert, so I watered them.  They were pretty perky when I checked them later.

Saturday, 7/13/24, Bill went with Bruce and Max to Field and Stream, talked with Sue, Bill and I went to Faith Rider’s picnic, had stump removed out front, swam in the pool again

Ha Ha, I picked the only 2 blueberries there were and had them with my cereal.  I think I will move them to inside the electric fence.  There were more green berries on the two bushes than 2.  Those two were delicious though.

Pool was nice and warm again so went for another swim

Faith Riders Picnic

I went outside in the morning to check the gardens.  I found two blueberries on one blueberry bush. The other bush had none.  Time to read up on them and move them at the right time.  

I talked to Sue on the phone and got an update on Charlie.  He is still feeling really weak and needs much prayer.  Bill left to go to Field and Stream with Bruce and Max for a special event they were having.  I had Bill pick up some stamps on his way home because they are going up 5 cents tomorrow.  He got two rolls and I couldn’t believe how much they were.  $135.  Wow!  I’m going to go to E Cards.  I let Melissa know to pick some up because she has all Max’s invitations to send out next week.  

When Bill got home he asked me if the stump guy was here.  He hadn’t been, but came shortly after Bill got home.  Bill called him and he said he would just do it for free, because he had taken out all the other stumps.  Bill paid him some though to cover gas.  He does a super job and makes it so something can be planted in its place.  Bill said Faith Rider’s picnic was today.  We both forgot.  He had put a watermelon in at Sam’s so we cut it up real fast and took that for our dish to pass.  It was a yummy sweet watermelon.  Nice and Juicy!

We had fun going around and visiting with everyone.  It was especially nice to see Joel there,  Wes and Gayla and Ron and Bev are thinking about coming to Arkansas in Oct. for Changing of the Colors for CMA.  That will be so nice.  We are going and camping free at Iron Mountain and volunteering the week before the rally.  

I am so sad that anyone would try to kill President Trump.  What sick hateful people we have in our world.  I prayed hard for him and am continuing to pray for him, his family and all his supporters.  Thank You God for Your protection!!!!  Praying for the other families of those killed and injured too.  So very sad!  Praying for God to forgive and help our nation.

Face timed with Vikki, Rehvyn and Aunt Debbie today.  Rehvyn is so cute.  Vikki posted videos on Face Book.  Bill and I covered the pool and were going to put the clean sheets on the bed in the camper, but it was way too hot in there.  We will do it on a cool morning.

We read our Bibles and did our devotions.  I have been hearing so many good new worship songs.  It’s just amazing how they go along with the book on prayer we are reading.  God is so Good!.

Friday, 7/12/24, Kimmy, Adam and Eli came over, Vikki, Peyton and Isaac came over, Later Bill brought Jack and Evan over, He took Max to Flint, Melissa came over, the kids swam, Bill got his new John Deer tractor

Bill happy on his new tractor.  Just the right size for our yard.  It looked great after he mowed it.  

Adam and Kimmy worked on cutting the brush away from this stump and digging around it

Peyton

Missy and Peyton

Peyton..she sat on this a long time but never got exercise

Jack

Brothers!  Evan jumped in front of Jack when I was taking the picture

Eli relaxing in the basement

Isaac with his cool duck socks that match his shirt

I went to Aldi and got some tomatoes and nacho chips.  Didn’t have enough for the rest of the nacho stuff I have in the refrigerator.  I blew off the deck, weeded more and cut some plants down.  Bill took Adam with him to drop our old tractor off and pick up our new one at the John Deere Dealer.  Bill went and picked up Max and brought Evan and Jack here to hang out with the kids.  Then he and Max went to Flint for a while.  They ate at 5 Guys in Flint.  Bill called me to see if I wanted him to bring me something home.  I ate a muffin in the morning, then a donut that Bill brought home, so I was only hungry for an egg salad sandwich for dinner.  Vikki ate a sandwich before she went to her doctor apt. too.  Everyone else was full from the muffins and donuts.  

Kimmy brought zinnias she started from last year’s seeds.  She and I planted them in my flower garden.  I can’t wait til they grow and bloom.  Thanks Kimmy!  It rained some today, but we didn’t get much.  The kids hung out, went swimming, then had fun in the basement.  I played a game of dice with Adam.  He won!  I was happy to have him keep score.  We sat on the deck for a while.  

  The kids swam.  It was a hot day and the water was warm and nice and clear. I fed the fish and watched them for a while.  Lots of birds at the feeders today to watch too.   When Melissa got here, she sat out on the deck with us.  When the girls were getting ready to leave, they found out Melissa had invitations and addresses here, so we all split them up and addressed envelopes and put the invitation in.  It sure wasn’t much work with all of us taking some.  

There was a dead weasel in our yard today.  Don’t know what exactly happened, but I did read that cats kill them.  Hope there are no more around.  

 

Thurs., 7/11/24, Bill and I met Maddy at Biggby, Held baby Mason for the first time, went to Sam’s Club, Went to John Deere Dealer, cleaned pool and swam, hoed garden, enjoyed time on deck relaxing

Bill relaxing after his swim

The pool was nice and clear today. Bill and I both did some skimming since we could see the bottom of the pool.  Got lots of stuff on the bottom out.  

Bill and I relaxing after our enjoyable swim.  The water was so nice and warm.  Just my temperature.

Plants on the north side of the house are looking great with all the rain we’ve got

Nice view out my kitchen window while I washed a few dishes.  I love the leaded squares Jacob and Adam made me a long time ago.  

I picked lettuce and tomatoes out of the garden and made soft shelled taco’s for me and nacho’s for Bill.  It tasted so good.  Lots more lettuce out there to cut.  

We got up at 8:30.  Bill took care of another opossum, while I got ready to go meet Maddy.

We both read our Bibles, and I started my prayer devotion, but will have to finish the last two pages later.  

We met Maddy and had lunch and coffee.  Mason turned a month today and Rehvyn turned 7 months.  I got to hold Mason for a long time and he was just so sweet.  Kenzie called me and we talked for a while.  I told her to face time me so I could see Rehvyn when she wasn’t busy.  We met this really nice Christian couple at Biggby, Tim and Sue.  He was in the Navy in Vietnam when Bill was in.  They were so nice and were telling us about their ministry.  Tim was super funny too.  When they left, we told them we would be seeing them again we were sure.  It was so funny because we left and went to Sam’s Club and who did we run into but Sue and Tim.  We had to laugh.  Maddy laughed too when I told her.

We went to the John Deere dealer and Bill showed me the tractor he wanted to get if they give him the right price for ours.  It is a nice one, smaller and one I can actually drive and mow the grass with if I need to ever.   They called when we got home and gave Bill more than he even had asked for ours.   He went there and filled out papers and tomorrow he takes ours in and picks the new one up.  It is two years old and doesn’t have many hours of use on it.  I am glad to have it too because I am tired of many skid marks in the lawn from the big thing we have.  The last three mowers have left big skid marks.  

After Bill got home, it was super hot out so I went swimming, then he told me he was going to come swimming too.  I did skimming until he got in and then he did a half hour’s worth of skimming.   It was nice to swim and get exercise too and cool off.  We got out and relaxed  on the lounge chairs while we dried off.  I realized it was 5:30 so, came in to make dinner.

It was yummy with fresh vegetables from the garden.  

After we ate, we both went out and hoed under where the electric fence is.  Bill hoed and I picked up the weeds and put them in a bucket.  He went in the house when he was done, and I stayed out and hoed my zinnia row in the garden and hoed 3 rows of corn.  I did where Bill hoed last time, because he didn’t pull out the weeds and lots rooted back in.  I pulled them and put them in the bucket.  The rows I did with him before aren’t very weedy because I pulled those out when I did them too.  It makes a huge difference.  Kenzie FaceTimed me when we were in the pool and I missed her.  Boo Hoo, I didn’t get to see Rehvyn today.          

I sat out on the deck and gave Kit Kat some attention.  Bill put my 50 lb. of birdseed in my birdseed container on the deck.  I came in and finished reading my devotion.

 

Wed., 7/10/24, rainy morning, when the rain stopped I did lots of weeding and dead heading that happened the two weeks I was gone, went to Old Towne Drive in for coney dogs for dinner

Rainy morning.  My plants are loving it!

This was taken before I cut off all the old rose blossoms.  There sure were a lot.  I should have taken an after picture but I didn't

Cucumbers, squash and pumpkin garden...the rain is making everything grow...got most of the weeds out

 

 

 

Lots of blossoms on my Limelight Hydrangea

Wonderful sunset again tonight 

Checked the traps this morning and we caught an opossum and two mice.  I was wanting to catch a raccoon, but maybe it is the opossum that has been messing with my feeders and Kit Kat’s food.  

I ate breakfast and then when it stopped raining, went outside to walk around and look at my plants and flowers that need some attention.  I weeded the garden with the squash, pumpkins and cucumbers in them.  I put the weeds in a pile to go into the garbage can.  It started raining again, so I came inside.  I worshipped, read my Bible and did my prayer devotion.  Bill was already done with his reading.  

When it stopped raining, I went back outside and cut all the dead rose blossoms off three of my bushes.  So many dead blossoms from while I was gone.  They sure look better and now new blossoms will come.  

Vikki had her cortisone shot in her arm today.  She liked the doctor and said he was very good and very calming.  I prayed it wouldn’t be too painful for her and am praying it works long so she can be free from the horrible pain she has been having.

Bill and I went to Old Town Drive in and had coney dogs, fries and root beers.  Yum was it ever good.  

Charlie called and talked to Bill on speaker.  He has been really weak the last two days, so he’s just been in bed most of the time.  He didn’t go in and have the other lung drained because he has no energy.  We are praying hard for him and so is our church.  He said he is praying for a miracle from God so he can be around longer to take care of Sue.  We were so thankful to hear that he is believing God and trusting Him.  He told Bill he thinks about going to get a coffee and muffin with him and misses it, but just don’t have the energy.  He said he loves Bill, me and our whole family.  He and Sue are such great friends (like family)

We are praying for that miracle for him too.  I prayed with Sue over the phone when she called me today.  Prayers are appreciated.

Our pool is crystal clear now.  Tomorrow is supposed to be 81 and sunny.  Yay.  Looking forward to a nice swim and some exercise.  That’s more fun than weed pulling exercise.

Tues.July 9, 2024,, slept in, packed up, Bill drove the camper home, I drove my car, unpacked the camper, did laundry, met Vikki & family and Kimmy and family except Jacob, Hope came with them, they wanted help picking up concrete steps for the Russell’s but they were way to heavy, to lift and way too heavy for our trailer... Bummer!. I pulled weeds in my flower garden when I got home.

My Clematis by the garage has its first blossom.  More will be coming soon!

The sunset was just beautiful tonight.  I was talking to Sue so couldn’t
get a good picture til we hung up.  It was so amazing!  The picture doesn’t show near how beautiful it was.

Bill and I slept in this morning.  We ate breakfast and took our time packing everything to go home.  It’s been a great two week camping trip, but home sounds pretty good too!

I packed up the inside stuff, and Bill packed up the outside stuff.  When we were done, I put the awning in, and then pushed the retract level button and when it was finished, I put the slide out in.  Bill drove the motorhome and dumped the tanks before leaving.  I drove my car and took the trash to the dumpster.   He told me to go on ahead while he was dumping tanks.  

I got home and fed the birds, looked at how weedy my garden had got while I was gone.  The vegetable gardens look beautiful and have hardly any weeds. Bill got home and unpacked his clothes from the camper.  It is supposed to rain all day tomorrow, so decided to unpack the camper in air conditioning, and do the weeding when it cooled down in the evening.  Bill read his Bible and devotional while I unpacked my stuff.  Then Bill mowed the lawn.  Vikki called and wanted Bill to meet them at an address to pick up concrete steps for Kimmy and Jared.  Kimmy, Jared, Adam, Hope and Eli all met us.  Vikki, Rody, Peyton and Isaac met us too.  The steps were free, but everyone decided they were just too heavy to move and too heavy for the trailer too.  Bummer!  Vikki invited us over after, but the trailer had too short of cord and the lights came unplugged.  Bill figured out that it only unplugged when we made a right turn, so he took a way that we only had to go straight or turn left.  Pretty smart guy I married.   I also wanted to get home and weed my flower garden before the rain predicted for all of tomorrow.  It didn’t take me long with the four prong tool I used.  It made it so easy to pull the weeds and put them in the bucket.  I will edge it after the rain.  It got dark out before I could get to that.  Kit Kat wanted attention every time I went outside.  She sure missed me.  I looked at the chipmunk trap and there was a chipmunk in it.  Took it and dropped it off.  

 

I read my Bible when I got in.  Read my devotional too.