Stew cookout!

We celebrated my dad's birthday this weekend. He turned 60 years young! He isn't a "party" type of guy...so we decided to have a stewcookout. We chopped veggies, dug fresh potatoes, cut up meat and cooked it all together over an open fire. We requested that people not bring gifts, since Dad doesn't need a thing. However, he loves pie.... he got 11 pies! Delicious! It was a great time, and dad told me several times it was fun. We ended the evening with music from guitar and mandolins and accordians, and smores over the fire. A wonderful time by all.
Dad stirring the stewpot














Dad with his birthday presents---11pies!















Roy and Dad--dishing up!

Is it Tuesday already?

Wow, the past couple of days have gone by fast. Sunday was meeting in the morning, out to lunch with Gramma and Ben Thomke, then to a get-together at ColXRds. The kids put on a "lovely" talent show on the stage. It was pretty comical. Lauren showed us her splits, Kirsten showed us her "cartwheels", and sang. Heidi was miss America with her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Shane came out and attempted a somsersault but embarrassed himself by bonking his head on the floor. Riley, was too embarassed by it all to participate. I can't blame him!! Afterwards we went up to Jay and Priscilla Ziegler's for icecream and more laughs. All in all a fun day.

Yesterday started out as a good day.... until about 9am when I hit the couch. I spent the rest of the day running to the bathroom. yuk. not fun. by last night, I was concerned that I would never be normal again. I had a good night's rest, and today feel some better. I ate some ramen noodles, and so far so good! I go to work for 7pm today...so hopefully I am 95% well by then!

Leigh is working at Coke today, the girls are in school. So it is just Shane and I here at home. I need to get some things cleaned up around here. I work 3 12 hour shifts in a row. We are leaving on Friday to go to my parents' for the weekend. We are spending the day with dear old Dad on Saturday. The plan is to cook stew over a campfire. Should be an interesting day. This is to celebrate his 60th last week.

So, this blog may not get updated until next week!

9-20-08

Well, it's been a few days. Busy days. I worked 4 nights this week. It wasn't bad, but doesn't leave much time for updating blogs! ha! Actually, at work it was a really good week. I always love it, but it was nice to have a the same group of patients all week, and they were awesome people!! Cancer patients are inspiring!

Speaking of which, since yesterday, I have been thinking so much of the Clites Family. Fondest thoughts and memories go their way! Death from cancer seems to give so many mixed feelings to those left behind. We are so thankful for her steadfastness in life, her faithfulness, and so we can know she has gone to her reward. But then, what about those left behind. How can we grieve for someone who has gone on? Why do our hearts tug, and miss her? She was a wonderful wife and mother. Death: another milestone in the continuum of life.

We were with Darren and Rebecca again last night. Their house is coming along nicely. 3 weeks from today is their wedding! The pressure is on.... They hope to finish the bathroom today, so they can rip apart the other one! Her parents are there.... so her and her mom are going to be decorating. It is going to be adorable.

The kids and I are home today. Gotta get some housework done. Then maybe some shopping later on. Leigh has worked some in our kitchen this week, and we are ready to buy some more supplies. So, I may pay a visit to Lowe's.

My dear old Dad turned 60 this week. I can't quite figure out how my parents are pushing the limit for retiring??!! How did they get to be this old? I know, I know, when I am 60 I won't believe how young it is. But, it is just sobering to think of how we age. Anyway, we are planning to celebrate his birthday next weekend. All of us kids are going home to spend the day together on Saturday the 27th. It seems whenever we all go home, we all have our own agenda, and maybe don't spend a whole lot of time together. We jokingly refer to mom's house as the hotel. We plan to cook stew/soup over an open fire next weekend. Sounds pretty fun.

Home Sweet Home

Saturday, Leigh spent the day at Darren and Rebecca's. The sheet rock is nearly all hung, now just the taping and finishing! Maybe next wknd we will be painting! It is looking awesome! Less than 4 weeks until the big wedding ...time cruch time! Yesterday after meeting we went to Frank and Marilyn's for lunch with all the local Purcells and Dirks. Lots of fun to be around the table with all of those clowns!! Then, back up to Darren and Rebecca's. I was glad to help Rebecca start setting up the kitchen. Very fun.

Here are some pictures of our place...




















Just some pretty flowers in my flower bed.















This is what happens when wind hits a popup camper. It wasn't even set up, but I must admit that the top wasn't latched down either! This is what we woke up to find this morning! My flower pots out back were blown somewhere down into the woods!
















Home Sweet Home. This is the view from up by the road. Thanksgiving day 2008 will mark a full decade here! It sure has changed in 10 years.















The begining of the road down into the woods. About 1/4 mile down this road is a beautiful little creek. Leigh just built the road this summer. It is gorgeous, and peaceful down by the creek.














Anther angle of the backyard. We finally got the backyard graded off and seeded this summer. It is still very steep, but atleast it can be mowed and walked across now!














The good old dog... Pookie. He will soon be 11 years old!!

Worn out momma

One step forward, two steps back.

Is this the way to get ahead?

4 days working, 3 days off.

Why don't I want to get out of bed?

Pick up, put way, organize and cook,

that is a mom's job.

Why does that description not fit anyone else;

a husband, a daughter, or a son?

If only there were more hours in a day,

more days in a week.

If only this momma had more energy,

so chores wouldn't carry into next week.

Tis the life of a working mom;

time is at a premium.

Soon the kids will be grown and gone,

you hope you will have raised them.

Sure, they will function,

eat, sleep and breathe.

But will they be an integral part,

of the life they lead?

Or will they float along

doing very little,

because you weren't there,

to help solve every riddle.

Will they understand the facts of life?

Will they value hard work and strife?

Will they live, laugh, and love?

Will they respect the God above?

Will they have happy memories

of childhood fun?

Or will their memories be of

all the work that wasn't done.

Can we ever get ahead?

Or should we be content?

Is today good enough?

Of course it is, It's Heaven Sent.

-JPurcell 9-13-08

Voting Day!

Well, the biggest thing happening today is for my husband. He now works part-time for Coca~Cola. While he was working fulltime there, some issue arose concerning their payscale. There has been a union in place for over 30 years. Well, Coca~Cola wanted to offer more money, and the union turned them down!!! WHAT??!!! So, it started the wheels in motion. There have been lots of other issues, too. Anyway, Leigh became the petitioner who initiated the process of booting the union out. It went before the national labor relations board. The union cause problems, of course, and so there had to be a local judging on the issue. No conclusion could be made locally so it went to Washington to the Supreme Court. The sent it back to the locals, who hung again. This time when it went to Washington, they ruled in favor of the employees that voting should take place. The locals agreed with the ruling. Anyway, today is Election Day! So, it has been a bit crazy for Leigh. Even though he isn't "working" today, he had to go and be there as a representative during the 2 voting times. He should be home shortly, and I am excited to hear how it went. The union has really messed up, and the guys/gals are very upset. The Union President was at the plant this morning, and the guys were very rude to him, and he finally just left. They are fully expecting a landslide vote against the union. There will be pay increases, benefit changes, and a definite rise in moral at work. They are all looking forward to the changes. And to think, it is because my husband was willing to step against tradition and try! Can you tell I am proud of him??

Tonight is my last night of 12hr shifts this week. I am pretty tired today. I will be glad when I wake up tomorrow afternoon, and be able to get back to my house projects. Maybe we can finish the kitchen and get started on the Living room this week. Tomorrow will be laundry and cleaning day!

Shane was running a fever last night. It was hard to go to work knowing I had a sick boy at home! Thankfully our kids don't seem to get sick, so this hasn't been an issue normally. It really tugged at my heartstrings to go to work while he was crying. Thankfully his fever broke after a couple doses of meds, and he is doing just fine today. He did take a nap, which is unusual for him, but welcomed by this ole mommy! :)

The weekend

Well, It was another busy weekend. I did have off work, so it was wonderful to spend time with the family! Saturday we met my folks at Penns Cave in Centre Hall, PA to see an antique tractor/machinery show. It was about 1/2 tractors/machines and 1/2 fleemarket. Mom, the girls and I spent most of our time in the flea market checking out all the junk. Lots of laughs about the stuff people sell!! Dad, Leigh and Shane looked at all the tractors, and then mosied through the flea market. Leigh thought it very wise to buy a set of torches....and the seller was kind enough to throw in a bunch of junk with the purchase. So, I think next time, Leigh will have a smaller vehicle and a budget! :) Mom and Dad found some beautiful new porch furniture that someone had made. So, all in all it was a fun day.

Sunday was meeting at Jim and Janet's. Then we went to Leigh's folks for a potluck lunch. It was wonderful to be with everyone there! We stayed long after everyone else left. It was nice to sit and relax and chat with mom and dad. Leigh and Shane tried fishing again.... tried being the operative word.

The girls are on week 2 of school now. I am spending today sorting toys, finally. What a chore. For the past 2 years, while I was in school.... toys were just piled in to rubbermaid bins when it came time to clean up. Well, now it is time to sort them the way they used to be sorted. I had no idea my girls had so many barbie dolls!!! good grief! And they sure have used up coloring books! I can't believe how much stuff I am throwing away!

Tomorrow Frank turns 64! Amazing!

Fishing.....attempt.

Well, Leigh discovered that a little pond at his dad's has fish in it! So.... LET'S GO FISHING! Never have done that before! Oh yeah, we are gonna catch the big one. Anyway, we really weren't successful. Leigh had one that took his worm, and another very small one that he caught, but really, nothing very exciting. However, we did buy some fishing supplies, so maybe next time it will be a little bit better. The evening was beautiful, and I was able to capture some of it.

The little fisherman!

The big fisherman!

end of the workweek!

Ah, well, tonight is my last night to work this week. I am incredibly tired. I don't function on 4-5 hours per day of sleep! Oh well. Tonight is also my last night of orientation. Next week, I will be on my own schedule! YAY! Scary but exciting. I will still be working with the same group of people, though. So... we should have a blast!

The girls are enjoying school. Heidi has homework tonight for the first time! A note from Kirsten's teacher says she is doing very well.

Shane is helping daddy make hay! He comes home with all sorts of stories about what he and daddy/grandpa did that day. He is a little farmer.

When Leigh was working for Coca~Cola fulltime, he initiated the proceedings to vote the union out. It went through NY state courts, and was sent on to the supreme courts twice. It has now been ruled that the employees can vote for what they want. So, the voting day is next week. Leigh has worked very hard with lawyers to understand all the legal jargon and proceedings. Coca~Cola Enterprises is very proud of what Leigh has accomplished so far. We are pretty sure that the union will be voted out. This will mean pay changes, benefits changes, etc. etc. But it will be so much better. It has been alot of work, but Leigh is glad to be able to do something to help so many people.

I picked lots of tomatoes this week. I need to cook them down and freeze the puree. Neither Leigh or I like fresh tomatoes, but we sure eat alot of pasta! and Chili! And lasagna! you get the point. So, we have 12 tomato plants that are nearly breaking with the fruit! Lots of huge green ones coming on, too. Leigh and his dad planted lots of potatoes this year. We need to go over and get digging at them, too!

Heidi brought home a paper today. Instrument lessons will be starting. 4th grade is the first year that they offer it. Heidi is excited, she wants to learn to play the flute, just like gramma Grady does! So, we gotta look into buying/renting one. She has had 2 1/2 years of piano lessons, so I hope that will help her. Her piano teacher retired from giving lessons last January. She was in her 60th year of giving lessons. Yes, she was 81 years young! We wanted to start lessons again this fall, but I haven't found a teacher in my budget yet! The local music stores charge just shy of $20 per 1/2hour lesson! That is ridiculous! And Kirsten wants to start, too. So, not sure yet, if I want to try giving them myself, or not. I tried that before Heidi started formal lessons, and it DID NOT work. So, I'll keep looking for someone who will give lessons out of their home.

First Day of School!

Well, Heidi is off to 4th grade... and Kirsten off to 1st grade! How did they get this big??? Kirsten is the blond, Heidi the brunette.

Shane is going to spend the day with his daddy... mowing grass/hay, I think.

Me? Well, when everyone else sleeps, I am awake. When everyone else sleeps... it is beddiebye for me! aaahhh.. it like the luxury of a wonderfully long nap in the middle of the day...

Labor Day!

Today is the day that Kirsten thought all babies were born! HA! She asked me a couple weeks ago if all babies were born on labor day. I asked how they got birthday on other days of the year. That stumped her! Then she laughed at herself!

We had a lovely day yesterday. Meeting in the morning, and then we stopped and got BBQ chicken on the way home. yummy! There was a picnic in the afternoon that we went to until about 9pm. It was so wonderful to see everyone again! We had a great turnout!

Leigh is at Darren and Rebecca's today, putting their bathroom back together. It sounds like it is coming along very well. I am hoping to go take a peak at the progress later today on my way to work. 4.5 weeks until their wedding!

This is my last week of orientation/training at work. I have had to work the schedule of the person training me for the last 12 weeks! Starting next week I will be on my permanent schedule, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 7p-7a. There isn't mandatory overtime at work, but if it is available (which it almost always is), I can take it. So that may be an option for some extra spending money! :)

I am working in the girls' room today. We got most of the stuff out of it the other day. Today is organizing day! fun, right? NOPE!! I got some paint for the walls, but I don't have time to get to that today....so hopefully later in the week. clothes and toys are much more important in preparing for school.

Tomorrow is the girls' first day of school. Leigh will be getting them up and taking them to school. I would LOVE to be a fly on the wall and observe THAT production. He hasn't ever done it, and I won't even be here to answer his 1 million questions! bummer!!! :)