A Special Day

Today had special written ALL over it!

Of course, it's Memorial Day; the day set aside on which the nation (hopefully) takes a moment to reflect on how we continue to be the best country in the world. It is through the sacrifices of our military: those who have served and paid the ultimate price, those who served and came home to us, those who are currently serving, and their families, that we have the freedoms we so enjoy here.

So, let me take a minute and say thank you to all our military personnel and their families. And a special thank to our family's soldier, Kevin. You are loved and we are soooo looking forward to you coming home soon!

Another reason today is special is that it's Randy's birthday! He is 61 years young today. :) Randy doesn't care about celebrating his birthday – he truly doesn't! He says it's just another day and means it. But, I still try to make it somewhat special. We went out to breakfast this morning with Barry and Penny. That's what he wanted to do, so that's what we did!

This afternoon we did our last special thing of the day. We went to our nephew, Kenny's, home for a cook-out. Kenny's brother, Matthew, is in town for the week. He lives in Arizona and we don't get to see him much. He brought his girlfriend, Christy, too, so we got to meet her. Jason, Lindsay & Reagan went, also. We had a great afternoon catching up with each other.

 

Kenny & Lisa have two boys, Trevor (almost 11) and Aiden (7). They played great with Reagan, especially Aiden. Trevor is a little too cool to play with the younger ones for very long! :) They have a trampoline and Reagan loved that!

All in all we had a great day. And now we say good-bye to May and hello to June. Gosh, we've been in Pennsylvania a month already! Hard to believe. Tomorrow we do our first-of-the-month errands. Some things never change! :)

Until the next time . . .

Campground Festivities

Each year our campground holds a Memorial Day ceremony. The owners, Greg & LeAnn Starner, do a great job of it. Greg emcees the short program and always reminds us that we live in a great country that was founded by ordinary men and women who had a love of God and freedom. There is a color guard that raises the flag and we recite the Pledge of Allegiance. For 30 minutes we focus on honoring those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. It's pretty moving.

As the mother of a soldier, I am grateful for those who remember that this country is protected by men and women who give their time and, sometimes their lives, to allow us to live as we do. I am proud of our son, Kevin, and his wife, Sara, for giving themselves to the service of this country. I love both of them very much. And we are anxiously awaiting the day that Kevin is home safely from deployment to Iraq!

After the Memorial Day ceremony, it was time for the annual carnival. There were bounce houses, raffles, coin tosses, food shack, and lots of other games for the kids. For the next three hours, families went from booth to booth watching their kids have a blast. The pool was open, too; and even though the water couldn't have been very warm, folks didn't hesitate to jump in. I wold say a good time was had by all.

 

I helped out during the carnival by manning one of the raffle tables. There were six brightly wrapped boxes and for $1.00/ticket you bought a chance to get one of the boxes. The drawings for all the raffles would be held this evening during the dance.

Yes, on top of all the other activities you could find today, the piece de resistance is the dance from 8pm to 11pm this evening. And yes, I am here at the rig posting this entry instead of being at the dance. I'm just not a party girl anymore. Actually, Randy isn't much into it, so I don't have a lot of oomph to go. But, I'm sure the folks are having a good time who are there. We can hear some of the goings on here at our site. :)

Other than joining me for the Memorial Day ceremony, Randy spent his day at the rig. While I was at the carnival, I don't know what he was up to, but once I got home, we continued to slog our way through the DVRd shows that got backed up during our time in Atlanta.

That's it for now! Not much on the calendar for tomorrow, just church. Monday we've got a cook-out with at our nephew's. I'm sure I'll have pictures to share!

Until the next time . . .

And So It Begins . . .

. . . the beginning of Memorial Day Weekend, the official start of summer. We sat outside this evening with Barry & Penny and watched folks come in. Our row is now filled. Most of the row are seasonal sites, but there are six or seven sites that are transient – ours being one of those. The rest are now filled with weekenders set to have a great time. And I hope they do!

Earlier today we enjoyed having Reagan over. She slept like a rock last night after wearing herself out at her school picnic. We had a terrible thunderstorm go through last night, lasting over two hours, but Reagan slept through it. I kept waiting for her to wake up and be scared, but nope! She never budged.

This morning I went to Curves while Randy and Reagan were still sleeping. When I got back, they were awake and waiting for breakfast. :) I had promised Reagan I'd make eggs, scrapple and biscuits. I had made that the last time she spent the night and it looks like it might now be tradition.

After breakfast Reagan went out to play with a little boy who is camping a couple of sites down from us. It was great! I was able to relax outside, catching up on blogs and Facebook, while she played nearby. Perfect morning. The kids actually played nicely for a couple of hours.

It got to be time for me to take Reagan home but we had to stop at the campground's playground first. So, we spent about 45 minutes there before heading to Lindsay's.

We had a wonderful time with Reagan. It brings me so much joy to be part of her life and watch her experience life. I am grateful that we are able to do that.

I got back home sometime after 3pm and just vegged, catching up on some of the shows we've DVRd. Dinner was pork chops, green beans and garlic mashed potatoes.

Tomorrow we'll celebrate Memorial Day with a ceremony at the campground. Then, the annual carnival will start. I'm helping with one of the bounce houses, I think. Anyway, I'm helping somewhere. I figure I have no way to be and it's the least I can do. The campground owners plan so many great activities weekend after weekend, so I'm glad to be able to help where I can. We'll see how thrilled I am after tomorrow! :)

Until the next time . . .

Recapping the Last Couple of Days

Yes, I know. It's been three days since I last posted an entry. But, I gotta tell you, Tuesday and Wednesday didn't have a lot going on and I just didn't feel like trying to make something out of nothin'!

Wednesday evening Lindsay and I did go down to Maryland to lend support and encouragement to long-time friends whose grandfather had died. You know, it take so little to show people you care. They were touched that Lindsay and I had driven a couple of hours to see them during the viewing. Lins & I didn't think twice about it – these folks are our friends and they were hurting. Nothing else need be said. That's what you do for people you love.

Today was Reagan's end-of-school picnic. Lindsay invited Randy & I to tag along. Of course, it turns out to be the hottest day we've had thus far!! But, it was for Reagan and we went. She had a blast!! They had a couple of bounce houses, a magic show, water play area, and lunch. It was fun to watch Reagan with her buddies.

  The magic show was fantastic. I am awestruck by the tricks magicians do. It defies my understanding. And the kids were enthralled the entire time. Of course, Reagan was in the front and loud (where did she get THAT??!!!) and ultimately got picked as a volunteer. That's my girl! She loves magic and was excited to be part of the show.

She ended her picnic with a few runs through the mister. Wish we coulda done that!

We went back to Lindsay's to finish doing the laundry. And, since Jason's out of town, the four of us grabbed dinner at Friendly's. We ended our evening with Reagan coming home with us to have a sleepover.

Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh . . . the joys of grandparenting!

Until the next time . . .

Dorothy was SO Right!

There is no place like home! After another 14 hour drive, we arrived home about 9:40 last night.

We left Georgia at 7am and drove less than an hour and a half to Commerce, Georgia where we stopped at Cracker Barrel to have breakfast with Darrell & Judy. They are workamping at Tallulah Gorge State Park and were about an hour away from Commerce. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to see them, even if it was only for a short visit. And as usual, we had a great time laughing, talking, and eating. It's great to have such good friends! AND that was our 81^st CB!! :)

From there, it was just driving, driving, and more driving. Well, to be honest, for me it was riding, riding and more riding. Randy did all the driving. It wasn't a bad trip, just very long. We were both more than ready to be home. It was fantastic to sleep in our own bed last night. So good, in fact, that we slept until almost 8am!! That is very late for us.

I got up and went to Curves. I desperately needed that. My body hurt so bad from the driving and sitting on stadium bleachers that I needed to exercise. OMG! Did I just say that?? Do NOT tell anyone I said that! :)

We spent the rest of the morning watching some DVR'd programs. After lunch we went to Lindsay's to pick up Blackie and to get a Reagan fix. :) From there, we ran a couple of errands and then came home.

I made a chicken enchilada casserole for dinner and we settled in for the night. We've got lots of shows to catch up on – including the finale of Lost!

Here are some pictures of MacKenzie's graduation.

Until the next time . . .

Short Update

Yesterday evening we attended our niece, MacKenzie's, high school graduation. She was one of almost 600 graduates of Milton High School in Alpharetta, Georgia. The staff did a great of job moving the ceremony along. It started at 8:00 and ended a few minutes before 10:00. Not too bad. I have pictures, but no cable to download them from the camera to the computer. Will share them with you after we get home.

This morning we all moved slow, finally getting out the door to go to our other niece, Tara's, home. We spent the afternoon visiting with her and her boyfriend, Aaron. Went out to a local pub for dinner and now we're home, settled in for the evening.

We're leaving early tomorrow morning to go home. Another long day, but we're headed home, so that's a good thing. It's been nice to be with Missy and the kids, but it's always good to be home. :) We do have a bonus on the way, though. We're meeting Darrell & Judy for breakfast at Cracker Barrel in Commerce, Georgia! I'm so excited we get to see them – even if it's only for an hour or so.

Next post will be from home! Until then . . .

We’re in Georgia

When last we left you, we were readying ourselves for the long drive to Atlanta. Well, we made it.

We left PA at 7am yesterday and arrived at Randy's sister's home at 9pm. Yes, it was a very long day. But, the drive was uneventful, which is always a good thing, so we are grateful. We did add two more CBs to our list. At least I'm pretty sure we haven't been to these two; I'll check when we get home!

Needless to say, we didn't do a lot of socializing last night. After the hello hugs and such, everyone kind of settled down for the evening.

Today was a work and school day for Missy (Randy's sister) and our nephew, Patrick. MacKenzie (our niece) had friends spend the night last night, so she was slow to get moving this morning. Randy and I were on our own and spent the morning much as we usually do; coffee, TV, and computer. :)

About noon, MacKenzie and her girlfriend, Sam, were going to get mani/pedis and asked me if I'd like to go with them. Well, I wasn't going to turn down a chance to spend time with my niece, so I jumped at the chance. Of course, getting a manicure was a bonus! We had a nice couple of hours together, I think. I hope so!

Back at the house, MacKenzie got ready for work while I settled in for the afternoon. I worked on a new cross stitch project and watched TV. Randy vegged all day and even caught a short nap. He deserved to veg after all the driving he did yesterday.

Missy & Patrick got home and we had Italian take-out for dinner. Now, it's back to the TV for the night. Tomorrow evening's the big event – graduation!

Until the next time . . .

Errands, Ryleigh & Getting Ready for a Trip

Whew! This turned out to be a very busy day. Lins and I had planned to visit Megan this afternoon and that was about it on the calendar for today. Boy, did that change last night! I realized there were a few things I needed to get done before we left Wednesday morning for a trip to Atlanta.

There were a couple of birthday gifts I needed to get in the mail AND I needed to get an oil change for the car. Plus I had to do a load of laundry – can't go away without clean undies!! :) So I was up and out the door by a few minutes past 8:00 this morning.

First stop was Target to pick up a couple of gift cards for those birthdays. In and out in less than 10 minutes. Yes, that's the kind of shopping I like! :) Next stop was The Lube Center for the oil change in my folks' car. They were kind enough to allow us the use of their car this summer, the least we could do is get the oil changed. Of course, the air and fuel filters needed changing, too! :)

By 9:30 I was on the way to Lindsay's to do the laundry. She and Reagan had haircut appointments; so I could get the laundry done while they were gone and be ready to go to Megan's when they got back. About 12:30 we were on the road to Maryland to get our Ryleigh fixes! Lins & Reagan would be meeting Ryleigh for the first time.

We had a nice visit with Megan & Ryleigh. Reagan kind of summed it up when she said, “I love her already.” Yep, we all do!

While I was doing my running, Randy was at home getting the campsite ready for us to be gone for a few days – putting the awning away, storing the chairs, etc. He also took Blackie to his grooming appointment and then dropped him off at Lindsay's where he'll stay while we're away.

And have I mentioned lately what a great guy my husband is? If not, well, let me tell you – HE IS! In the midst of all the errands we'd planned, my dad called to say he wanted us to get the serpentine belt replaced on the car before we took off for Atlanta! Now, remember I had already been to The Lube Center this morning. But, my dad was concerned about the belt so I had to figure how to get that done today, too. Here's where Randy becomes my hero once again. I called him to see if he could fit that in his day and, of course, he said he could. What a guy.

This evening we got our bags packed for the trip. Wow. We got everything done that needed doing today. Well, that's what happens when you've got a hero in the family! :)

Until the next time . . .

A Bit Busier Today

The three of us slept pretty good last night, although Reagan did say that Pop's snoring kept waking her up. Welcome to my world. :) Actually, Reagan was the last one to get up!

Unfortunately, we couldn't laze around or play this morning as Blackie had an appointment at the vet. But, we did manage to have a good breakfast of eggs, scrapple and biscuits. Yum. We got out the door by 9:40. Not too shabby for folks not used to getting a little one ready.

Lins met us at the vet's, so we did the Reagan exchange in the parking lot. She'd had a fabulous weekend and it was great to see the smile on her face.

After Blackie got his shot and the doc said he was in good shape, we headed home with nothing else on the calendar for the rest of the day!

I spent the remainder of the day finishing my cross stitch project. I sure hope Megan likes it! I also made a casserole to take to Matt & Megan's tomorrow. In addition to a new baby in the house, their kitchen is in the midst of a major renovation. So, they are doing lots of take-out. Lins & I are going down to see them tomorrow 'cause Lins hasn't met Ryleigh yet!

Randy watched TV, walked Blackie, washed dishes, spent time on the computer and framed my project.

That's it for now. Not exciting, but productive.

Until the next time . . .

A Day at Home

So nice! We didn't leave the campground today until a little before 4pm to pick up Reagan for our sleepover. It was wonderful to just get up and throw sloppy clothes on and hang out.

We started the day with breakfast at the campground pavilion. The park hosts sponsored a free breakfast for the campers. Is that great or what? They served pancakes, eggs, sausage, scrapple, bacon, juice and toast – FOR FREE! We enjoyed a nice breakfast with Penny and Roger & Jody. Barry didn't make it 'cause he'd had a rough night and was still sleeping.

Buster, Penny & Barry’s dog

Breakfast

After breakfast, Randy and I came back to the RV to do whatever crossed our minds. I sat outside for a couple of hours, had my quiet time and then cross stitched. The air was a bit chilly, but the sun was shining and the skies were blue. Just yummy. :) Randy was inside watching TV and reading his email. I finally came inside when I'd lost the sun to the other side of the rig and joined Randy in watching TV. I even caught a little nap.

We met Jason & Lins for a Reagan exchange. When we got back to the park, Reagan and I walked around, seeing the goats and bunny, tried to skip rocks in the lake, and just enjoyed God's gift of a beautiful day.

 

Now, Reagan is in bed for the night (I hope!) and we are back in front of the TV. The energy of a four and a half year old should be harnessed – our country would never have another energy shortage!! :)

Until the next time . . .

Meeting Ryleigh

We went to the hospital today to meet Ryleigh. She's perfect in every way and just as adorable as I suspected she'd be. Her momma, Megan, (our niece) is doing great. We got some good pictures of everybody holding Ryleigh. The amazing thing is how much she looks like Megan when Megan was a newborn. Of course, her daddy, Matt, says Ryleigh looks like him! We'll let him think that, but we know better.:)

Matt, Megan & Ryleigh

My sister, Paula, aka “Grammy” with Ryleigh

My bro-in-law, Lou, aka “Pop” with Ryleigh 

Ryleigh on the left, Megan on the right 

We also went out to lunch to celebrate our nephew, Joe's, birthday. Joe lives in Los Angeles but came home for a few days to be with Megan during this time. It was great to be able to spend time with him 'cause we don't get to see him much.

 

Dinner was a cookout with our neighbors, Barry and Penny. We also met some other seasonal campers, Roger & Jody. A nice way to end the day.

Until the next time . . .

A New Family Member!

This has been a busy day for me. I went to lunch with Lins, Reagan and Karen, a friend of Lindsay's for the last 20 years! Karen spent a lot of time at our house when the girls were growing up. It was wonderful to see her again and get caught up on her life. She's pregnant with her first child! So exciting. We had a nice lunch and a good time together.

I also had a facial this afternoon at The Hair Studio where Lins and I attended the spa night on Wednesday. Oh, what a relaxing hour that was! In addition to the facial, the technician massaged my shoulders, neck, arms and hands. I didn't want to get up off that table, I'll tell you!

Randy gave me a nice gift while I was gone. He cleaned the bathroom! He NEVER cleans the bathroom! Yes, it needed it desperately and I planned to do it this weekend, but he did it. When I asked him why, he said he had nothing else to do today. Gosh, am I one lucky woman or what? :)

But, THE most exciting news of all today happened at 6:45 this evening: Ryleigh McNeil Gittermann was born to my niece, Megan and her husband, Matt. We are so blessed to have another baby to love. And we're praising God for her perfect self and that both mommy and baby are doing well. I'll have pictures tomorrow!

Until the next time . . .

Chores

Yep! Even in this wonderful, carefree lifestyle of RVing, we gots to do some chores. Well, I guess we don't HAVE to, but if we want clean clothes or a clean RV, chores are a necessary part of life. :)

So, today was laundry day for me and vacuuming/dusting day for Randy. When we are here in PA, Lindsay is generous enough to allow me to do laundry at her house. Not only is it nicer than a laundramat (by far!!!), it has the added perk of spending time with Lins and Reagan!

While I was toiling over the laundry, Randy was at home vacuuming the rig. And I mean, the whole rig. When he cleans, it takes him forever. He moves furniture, vacuums the cornices, the shades, everything! Blackie is lucky if he doesn't get vacuumed! ;)

This evening I planned to attend a Zumba class. I've heard lots about this exercise class and when my Curves club offered a free session, I wanted to take advantage of it. Well, when I arrived at the club, I found out it was cancelled! Ugh. I was disappointed, but since I was there, I did my normal Curves workout instead. At least I got some exercise in. I'm going to another class next Tuesday. We'll see how it goes!

Now it's time for evening ritual: TV and computer. :)

Until the next time . . .

One Last Birthday Present

We had a very easy day today. I did get out to Curves, but the rest of the day was pretty lazy. While we caught up on some DVR'd programs, I worked on my cross stitch project. That was the extent of our day. It may sound boring to some of you, but it was pure contentment for us. :)

This evening Lindsay treated me to one last birthday present – an evening at the salon. A local salon, The Hair Studio, held a “Spa Night” this evening. For $20, they offered a choice of three mini-treatments of several of their services; polish change, foot massage, chair massage, eyebrow waxing, etc. It was lovely! The salon has a very warm, welcome atmosphere and the stylists are personable. The owner, Deb, was fun and I enjoyed chatting with her.

Thanks, Lins, for such a special treat. You are a fabulous daughter and I am so blessed to be your mom.

We're ending our day pretty much as we spent it – in our recliners, with our computers and watching TV. Don't be jealous! :)

Until the next time . . .

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Fifty-two years ago on this date, I was born on Mother's Day. Yep, I was my mom's Mother's Day present that year. Well, I like to think I've been her present EVERY year, but that's probably just me. ;)

This has been a good day. Despite the damp, ultimately rainy, weather and a trip to the dentist, it's been a good day. Thanks to all of you who bade me “happy birthday” via Facebook, texts, emails, and cards. I cannot believe how loved I am.

We started the day with breakfast at Bob Evans with Lindsay and Reagan. That always makes for a good day. After we said good-bye to them, it was off to the dentist. Good news there, too. I was a little concerned 'cause there's a spot on my gum above one of my teeth, but apparently it is just a cut. Somewhere along the line I sliced my gum and it needs to heal. So glad that's all it is! I was afraid my birthday money (not that I got any!) would be shared with the dentist! :)

After the dentist, we picked Lindsay & Reagan up and went shopping. The doc said I needed to get a wedge to sleep on to see if it will help the nausea and reflux I've been having at night. So, it was off to Bed, Bath & Beyond, one of Randy's favorite stores. We found the wedge, some salad tongs I'd been looking for, and one of the “entertainment” coupon books on sale for a third of the original price!

Bed, Bath & Beyond is in a fairly new shopping center that is also home to Best Buy, Ross, a couple of restaurants, Five Below, and other stores. I'd been wanting to get a throw for the couch and new pillows, so Lins suggested we check Ross. We found them!

And then, it on to Best Buy. With many states going to hands-free laws regarding cell phone usage, I've been thinking I need to find something that will allow me to be hands free in the car. I am not givign up my phone, so I needed something! After looking at a couple of options, I decided to get a blue tooth ear set. So, happy birthday to me! ;) Now I need to get Jason to help me set it up!

Our shopping was done and we had one more stop to make at WalMart. We dropped Lins & Reagan at their home (with hugs and kisses, of course) and went on our way. I had to pick up my new prescription and we needed wiper blades for Mommy's car and the truck. Milk and bread found its way on to the counter, too.

We are now at home, settled in for the night. Looking forward to another year in the life; and what a fine life it is. Thank You, God for blessing me far beyond anything I deserve. :)

Until the next time . . .

Good Results

Today and tomorrow are doctor appointment days. Randy had a blood pressure check-up and I had my annual exam and an vision appointment. Pretty good news for both of us.

Since being diagnosed with glaucoma last year, I've had to have quarterly checks on the pressure in my eyes. Grateful to report that the drops I use nightly are doing their job – the pressure has dropped and the doc is please.

The yearly exam went well for the most part, too. I'm going to try a new (to me) medication for my arthritis and added another med for possible reflux. Yay for me! (said very sarcastically). Oh, well. Since turning 50, I've added a medication each year. Don't want to mess with tradition. :)

The doctor did say she doesn't believe the headaches I've been dealing with are migraines. Very interesting. From my description of their location, she believes they are tension/muscular related. The medication given to me for the arthritis (Celebrex) may help the headaches. If not, she'll add a muscle relaxer to my “diet.” Whatever it takes to stop the headaches, works for me.

That was our day. Exciting, huh? :)

We had one of our favorites for dinner tonight – cheddar chicken spaghetti. Between the leftovers from Saturday and tonight, I won't have to cook the rest of the week!!

Tomorrow we go to the dentist. Isn't that what every woman wants for her birthday? A dentist appointment. :) But, I will be having breakfast with the kids, first, so that's a win.

Hope your week is off to a good start. Until the next time . . .

Mother’s Day Weekend

Saturday was spent waiting for a rainstorm that never came and nursing a terrible headache. So, we spent the day watching shows we'd DVR'd and vegging. The headache eased to a point where functioning didn't hurt so I worked on my cross stitch project and made hamburger taco pie for dinner. It actually turned into a fairly decent day. :)

This morning we went to church. Man, what a change! :) We went from our small, intimate church in Alabama to the large contemporary church here. Both are great and serve us in different ways. I do enjoy worshipping with my kids, I'll say that.

After church, we went to a Japanese restaurant. Lindsay has found she loves sushi (nothing raw, though) and wanted that for dinner. I didn't care what we did, I was just happy to be spending time with the kids.

From dinner, the plan had been to go to the York City Street Fair. The weather really wasn't cooperating, though – it was very chilly and windy. So, we went back to Jason & Lindsay's house to decide what we were going to do. And we didn't come up with anything. Finally, we decided to just bundle up and hit the street fair.

The streets were lined with vendors selling just about anything you can think of, street musicians, food vendors, and even belly dancers! We strolled along and just enjoyed the atmosphere. Reagan was a real trooper, keeping up pretty well. All in all, I'm glad we went.

Jason, Lindsay & Reagan grab a snack

A good day – Kevin checked in via Skype; talked with my mom; texted with others in the family and touched base with Ginny via Facebook. Mother's Day 2010 can be labeled a success.

Until the next time . . .

An Early Mother’s Day Celebration

Yesterday wasn't exciting, so I didn't post. I know, most of our days aren't exciting, but yesterday was just a day of laundry and truck washing. That was it. So, I figured y'all could live without hearing about that! :)

Now, today is another story.

I started my day out at Curves once again. I've gotten myself there three times this week – yay! I feel like I'm starting over after being out of it for three weeks, but I'm persevering. I'm sure the doc will tell me to persevere harder when I see her next week!

But, the exciting part is that I was invited to attend the Mother's Day Brunch at Reagan's preschool. I was so touched that Lindsay asked if I could be included. My daughter is such a thoughtful person and I am grateful to be her mom. Anyway, each year the preschool hosts a brunch for the moms, complete with hats and food made by the kids, as well as handmade presents, a song sung by each group and individual video “shoutouts” by the kids to their moms. It is a wonderful event.

 

 Reagan didn't know I was coming – Lindsay kept that as a surprise. As Reagan's class filed in to sing, Lindsay heard Reagan say, “Oh! There's Nana!” So, the surprise was a success, Reagan was very happy to see me. And, of course, I was thrilled to be there.

We had a lovely brunch of egg & bacon casserole, fruit salad, and chocolate covered cream puffs. Reagan's class made the cream puffs and she was very proud of them. She had told Lins about them prior to the brunch: “We made munchkins and dipped them in chocolate.” :)

After the event was over, our girls' day out continued with lunch at Olive Garden. Reagan loves their soup and salad and had told me while we were still in Alabama that she wanted us to go with her. So, we figured this was a perfect time. Pop (Randy) wasn't pleased we were going without him, but I promised him we'd take him another time.

After a good lunch, we made our last stop at the mall. I got my ears pierced with a second hole in each ear. I had done this years ago, but allowed them to close. I find myself wearing lots of dangly earrings now so I wanted to be able to wear studs as well as the danglys.

While I was out gallivanting, Randy was home relaxing. He has worked hard all week and his knees are really hurting. He was going to vacuum the rig today, but I encouraged him to take a do-nothing day. And he did! When I got home, he was napping and slept for a couple of hours. Good for him!

This evening we had grilled pork chops, parmesan noodles and green beans for dinner. Yummy. Now, we're just chillin'. The weather is supposed to turn chilly and rainy tomorrow, so it looks like a nice stay-at-home, do-nothing day tomorrow, too! :) Maybe I'll get that cross stitch finished . . .

Until the next time . . .

More Driving and a Sleepover

I needed a haircut and perm so I got myself back in the car and drove an hour and a half (about 70 miles) to my friend, Patty, who has been doing my hair for about 20 years. Yeah, it's a long way for a hair cut, but she is so good. I just couldn't believe I put myself back in any vehicle for that amount of time after all the time I've spent on the road the past three weeks! But, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! :)

I got back home around 2pm after getting my 'do fixed. I was beat! Randy is the one who enjoys driving – I just do it 'cause I have to.

Randy had been busy while I was gone. He mowed our lawn, washed dishes, put out the awning and generally straightened up. He is such a great guy.

We spent a couple of hours with Lins & Reagan this evening. Jason was working late, so Lins asked if we wanted to grab some dinner together. Well, never one to pass up an opportunity to spend time with her, I quickly said yes.

We went to Michael's so I could pick up some clasps to mend a necklace and a frame for the cross stitch project I've been working on. Then, we went to Isaac's, a restaurant w/a deck that you can sit on and watch the ducks and geese swim by in a pond. Reagan loves to go there to watch the ducks. We enjoyed our meal and the wildlife. :)

 

 While I was getting my hair done, Reagan called to ask if she could spend the night with us. The answer was yes, of course! :) So, as I write this, she has finally settled down after three or four calls. This is just one of many sleepovers, I hope! Have I mentioned how thrilled I am to be home!

Until the next time . . .