GETTING THE HOUSE READY!!!!!

Dad talked to a real estate sales person. He said that since our lower level flooded last fall, we would have to have that fixed so that it wouldn't happen again. Oh boy! Another bill. We had a plumber come out to give us an estimate. PTL he is a Christian and will give us a deal. He has been here before and done a great job. Plus last time, he wouldn't let us pay him (he says it is his ministry to people in full time Christian work).

The plumber was supposed to come on Thursday, but he got delayed with another job. Today, Friday, he came after dropping his son off at PCS. He brought a co-worker with him. They had to tear up the cement in the floor and put in a valve (not sure of the technical name for it).

While the job was being done (3 1/2 hours) we couldn't use the water OR the toilets. If we did, the water (or whatever) would come up in the basement floor. That is all we need - more sewage water coming up on our new carpet and tile. We were so thankful that PCS is just across the street. We all went over there to use their facilities.

The guys have to wait until the water level goes down before they can pour cement and fill the hole back up. So, this is what is looks like for the near future until the water disappears.

If you can't tell where this is, it is right behind the door that you use to enter the laundry room. At least the HUGE pipe allows me to enter the room. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to do laundry for a few weeks. If the rain would stop, maybe the ground would dry up and we would have our laundry room back in business. I guess we could wear the same clothes for the next few weeks. NOT!

The next job is to paint Zachary's room and clean carpets upstairs. Then we can list the house. Did we tell you that THREE people have talked to Dad about possibly being interested in our house. We haven't even listed it yet. God is good. All the time. He is faithful. He takes care of His own. PTL!

BIRTHDAYS AND MORE!!!!!

Friday night, Luke, Lacey, Grace, Caleb, Ava, Dan and Emily came for the night. We ate a bunch of snacks for dinner (chips and dip, fruit and dip, summer sausage, cheese slices, Peanut Butter Cake and milk). It was really good to see everyone and to eat like pigs.

Saturday, we ate a late breakfast of Pumpkin Tea Bread. Micah & Betsey came around 10:30. Betsey started making her amazing dessert (angel food cake layered with fruit and whipped cream - awesome). Emily & I started making her famous soup (it was really good, although several of us burned our tongues on our second helpings). Lacey brought homemade rolls that were to die for. Later in the afternoon, Erin called to be put on speaker phone to listen to me open my birthday gift. When I opened it, there was a book for Tim and a book for me. We both love books, so that was a hit! Then we noticed a typed letter to us. It was all about our anniversary (we will celebrate 30 years this June). The kids are sending us back to Lookout Mountain, Georgia, for a week - all expenses paid and they are watching Zachary & Elyse. We have never been alone for that long since having children. In fact, just today I said, "I wish we could go back to Georgia." How did the kids know? Thank you so much for a GREAT birthday and a GREAT anniversary yet to come. Love you guys!

Here are some pictures of all who attended. Ava Joy can walk now. She is 16 months old.

Micah and Betsey (who are getting married this summer). Betsey was our photographer for the day.

Dan-O teaching Caleb to "pick two" just like on "The Three Stooges."

Our "other" grandson, George.

Emily was our chief chief cook and bottle washer. She also organized the whole shindig for my birthday. If you want anything planned or done, just ask Emily! She does a great job.

Grace and Elyse made paper chains for hours. You can see Elyse cutting the paper strips awful close to Grace's head.

Paper chains take serious concentration, just ask Grace and Elyse.

Until May, this is my favorite grandson, Caleb. Jaden will arrive in May and then we will have TWO favorite grandsons.

A special moment shared by Momma and son, Lacey and Caleb.

Luke & Zachary are playing a tank game on Luke's new ITouch. Zachary learned to play part of "Fuer Elise" on the piano by using the ITouch. I guess I better get out the piano lesson books and teach him to play - he seems to have the musical ability and talent.

And last, but not least, here is Erin & Tobin enjoying my birthday with us via phone.

The happy couple! Thanks guys for a super birthday and a super surprise for our anniversary.

DID I SAY "BLIZZARD?"!!!!!

Before we went to AWANA, it started snowing a little. It was pretty, but not sticking. Tim & I took the kids to AWANA and headed out to eat at TGI Fridays. TGI Fridays was good. Tim's dessert was to die for - he even rated it a "5." Amazing! We had a good time eating, talking and just relaxing. It was very good!

Leaving the restaurant, the snow was starting to stick. We went to FEBC to pick up the kids. They were slow getting out. As we started to turn on 49, we couldn't get any traction. It was snowing pretty good. At times, it was blinding. We were speeding down 49 at the fast rate of 20 mph. We missed the exit to Rt. 6 because the guy in front of us spun out (sp). So, we headed to Chesterton. It was slow moving. We decided to take a side street. Down the road in front of us, a car was in the ditch and they were trying to get it out, which blocked the whole road for us. That took about 10 minutes - we were getting a huge line of cars behind us.

All of that to say, the normal 20-30 minute drive home from church took us 1 1/2 hours. At home, it was about four inches deep and the snow was stopping. There will be school today - although you wouldn't have thought so last night. BTW, you kids coming on Saturday, watch the weather. There is supposed to be another storm coming through Friday night to Saturday morning. Be careful!

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!!!!!

Yep, today is the day I turn really old! Won't tell you the number because there isn't room on the page.

Saturday, most of my children will be here for lunch to celebrate my birthday with me. Erin & Tobin won't be here because they live in Florida. But, the rest of the gang will be!

Since today is my actual birthday and we will be at AWANA tonight, we decided to "celebrate" after lunch today (Dad always eats lunch with us on Wednesdays). We didn't have my "special" choice of foods because it was lunch. Also, AWANA nights are our "hot" date nights. So, after we drop off the children at AWANA, Tim and I are going to TGI Fridays for dinner. I have a BOGO free coupon. That will be a nice treat!

Tim asked me several weeks ago what I wanted for my birthday. I told him two things, he remembered one of them. He got online and ordered the first thing I mentioned before he forgot. It came yesterday in PCS's delivery. He knew I would peek, so he had it sent to PCS.

Elyse likes to play Santa, so she gave me my gift. Zachary, my photographer, doesn't like to wait until you are ready, so I am still fixing my glasses. I even had to comb my hair before the picture was taken (at least he waited for that).

My gift (with my head chopped off) is my new Betty Crocker cookbook. My old one is missing several pages and the index is almost gone. A replacement was needed.

I am very excited about this new cookbook. It has several things in it that my old book doesn't have. My family will soon be guinea pigs again as I try new recipes. I love trying new recipes - don't know if the family appreciates eating them though.

The end of the story is: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!

MY BOY IS 11 AT 11:28 A.M. TODAY!!!!!

Zachary turns eleven today (at 11:28 a.m.). He was so excited that he woke up at 6:45 this morning. We don't usually get them up until 7:30 for church. He wanted his gifts wrapped and on the coffee table. I knew if he saw the one, he would guess what it was right away. So, I made him promise not to touch them, but I would put them on the table. We got ready for church and all through the day he asked if we could go home, he wanted to celebrate his birthday. Pastor finished the morning service EARLY (unheard of for him). Zachary was sure that was just for his birthday that Pastor quit early. But, we had donut hour AND Sunday School yet to follow. Of course, Zachary wanted to go home, but Tim teaches the Adult Sunday School - so that wasn't going to happen (it wouldn't anyway, but in Zachary's mind we at least had an excuse).

After Sunday School was over, we went to get our coats. There stood Betsey! What a nice surprise for the birthday boy! Zachary and Betsey took off in her car to shop at WalMart for baseball cards (Betsey's gift to Zachary). When we got home we had Zachary's choice of dinner. It was homemade pizza, summer sausage, sliced cheese and root beer. For dessert we are going to have hot fudge sundaes. I bought enough root beer that we can have floats later too.

On to the gifts - we could hardly contain Zachary. I hoped he wouldn't be too disappointed in his gifts. By the shape of the gifts, I knew he was thinking game cube games, but I knew differently.

His first gift....

He has wanted Frosted Flakes for a few weeks, so I bought them and wrapped them up. We will have them for breakfast tomorrow (or a snack tonight).

Betsey got him baseball cards (Zachary's latest craze). His friend, Jeffrey, trade cards and sort and re-sort them for hours. Zachary even has a game he plays with the cards - you will have to ask him to explain that one.

Next, comes the gift that looks like a game cube game. It wasn't. It was the first book in the series called "Red Rock Mysteries" by Jerry Jenkins and Chris Fabry. Zachary has read the "Left Behind" series by Jerry Jenkins and "RPM" by Chris Fabry. He loved them. So, I got him the 15 books in this series, but only wrapped up one to make it look like a game cube game. Aren't I mean?

Here is the rest of the series - I didn't wrap these, just handed them to him.

We are about to have our hot fudge sundaes, so I shall close. Wish you could join us for our special treat - maybe next time.