oh it flies...

 Where does a lifetime go?  It's a vapor, just seems like I was too young forever, then so busy I my head was spinning, for years, then boom...life slowed down, and where did it all go?  Those years of youth and busyness, my body did what it was supposed to do, and I didn't pay it much attention.  Now it rather screams to be noticed.   

It wasn't too long ago I was knee deep in small children.  

Miss Charlotte Claire and Miss Camille Anaya...the final two, numbers 15 and 16...

Char, friend Amanda (the graduate!), Linnea, my granddaughters Elise (in front), Anya, and Camille...

Doesn't time fly?  

Here's little Blythe, Margaret and Adrian's little one...she had a cupcake with blue frosting.  

The rain stopped when the party started, and it was lovely.  Grilled burgers and hot dogs, watermelon, cantaloupe, kettle chips...mmm.  

This fine morning, I got up and went to the pool, which I never fail to appreciate.  There is a good group of old people going, and the class goes by fast.  I didn't come home after, I decided to drive to Target.  I didn't find much, but it was nice to wander around.  Baby clothes are too cute, I picked out an outfit for baby Samantha, then decided to get dresses for her big sisters Ruth and Maeve, then a shirt for Grant.  I can't do all the grandkids all the time, but sometimes I pick a family and get them something.  I also got a new shower curtain and a few hand towels that were 40% off, and that's it....then to Aldi for strawberries, a cauliflower crust pizza because it had a $2 off sticker on it, some fruit snacks, lemon juice, and some snacks.  

This fine evening we are towing our camper out to our church grounds, as there is a summer gathering there this week.  Paul and I will commute because of Sunny, dogs aren't allowed, which is understandable...1000 people, we don't need doggies too, although I would be a fan.  The girls will stay in the camper, and we will use it during the day for meals.  

Also I wanted to give a knee update, to all of you who had to bear with me through so much bellyaching, and I don't blame you if you skimmed over most of it, ha.  But:  I can finally say that I am super glad I had this knee replaced.  It was a long difficult recovery, and I am honestly a bit shocked it took so long to be able to walk again, but I can walk again.  It's still not A-Okay perfect, but I can get where I need to be, without knee pain (in the new knee anyway!).  So I am thankful!  

Although I hated going through the recovery phase, having difficulties makes you appreciate mobility so much.  

We are in a nice stretch of weather now...

Look at that!  Can't complain!  

Ah well.  I have to vacuum, and there are dishes to wash, and things to pack and get together for this busy weekend.  You all have a really good day!

rain rain go away....

 We're going to a graduation party today!  The forecast looks wonderful, hope this rain dries up soon this afternoon though.

This is from Monday, a mama deer and her little one.  After they safely crossed the road, the mama trotted, then stopped to make sure little hopper was still bounding behind her.

Ruth Eleanor...

Maeve 

Jonathan, Benjamin and Samuel, three of my five boys...

Sometimes Jamison comes over for a visit, and sometimes Sunny just doesn't eat her food.  James gets her to eat, one piece at a time.

It is very darling.

This fine rainy day, I went with Kathryn on an outing...I waited in the car with baby Ellis because he fell asleep.  Well, he woke up, so I got out and opened his door, took him out of his carseat, then tried to get back in the passenger seat of Kathryn's huge-0 SUV..I couldn't figure out if it was better to set him on the seat, then sit next to him, pick him up, then scootch in...but I decided just to hold him and climb in, and somehow I did it.  :)

We went to Costco, with her four kids, and Char and Cam.  What kind of calculator do they have that turns a moderately filled cart into over two hundred dollars?  Is it that the carts are so big?  Or the packages?  One Costco rotisserie chicken, grapes, raspberries, blueberries, croissants, heavy cream, iced coffee, seltzer, kielbasa, cauliflower rice, a big huge bag of chips, chocolate covered almonds...I don't know.  Each item I put in the cart seems like a decent deal (except for the chocolate covered almonds, no way now how are they even remotely necessary, but they are SO good!)

Anyway.  We sat with the kids and had the hot dogs and pizza and drinks, and people watched.  

Home....ahh, home.  We are leaving soon for a graduation party for the girls' friend Amanda!  

It is time to get up and get moving...have a good day!

did you ever?

 Write a draft and re read it several times and just decide not to publish it?

Go to the DMV, the post office, and the eye doctor all in one day?  

Wish you could just sit in your comfy chair sipping your coffee instead of slugging it down so you could go to the DMV, the post office, and the eye doctor?

Ah well.  Life is good.  Yesterday I went to the pool, and when I got out, I had to message a guy about a washing machine, for a rental, and when I looked at my phone, Grace was telling me she was at my house with the girls while Grant was at his farming co-op.  It was so nice, on a rainy day, to have company!  

Paul picked up the washing machine himself, then delivered it later and set it up while I made dinner for Char and Cam.  (chicken breast...we freeze a lot in baggies, I've found putting two baggies of it in the iron frying pan with a lid loosely set on top defrosts it quickly, then adding sesame oil as the liquid dissipates and it thaws, you can brown it up nicely and it tastes good.  I made Asian chicken, I suppose...I added frozen and powdered ginger, salt and pepper, butter, orange marmalade, a spoonful of brown sugar.  The chicken had been frozen in lime juice so it already had a tangy flavor.  I stir fried frozen Asian veggies from Aldi with broccoli florets, and some raw cabbage.  Added all together, and it was very good)

So my walking is getting better but my hip is really bothering me.  I think it's my gait, and I am trying to fix it.   The hip stuff did show up here and there before the knee surgery, but now it clicks every time I get up, and aches in the night.  Getting older is full of perks, but hey, we're getting older, and that in itself is a gift and privilege.  

I have to leave here now, and head out and about, all by my lonesome...it's on my radar to go to Aldi and BJ's too, as long as I'm in the small city.  I'll be tired later!  You all have a good day!

just so wonderful!

 Today was just a good day.  It started out mayhem, because I was thinking in my half sleep that it was a day off, so I didn't have to get up...well, Paul did have the day off, but I still had swim class!  I try to be out the door by eight o'clock, and oops, it was 7:49 and I was still all comfy and cozy!  Somehow I made it, with a coffee in hand, out that door by eight.

The pool was as nice as ever, feels so good to move in that water.  It's always nice to see all the old people, too.  I had a funny moment though, one nice lady was telling me a very detailed story about a happening, and she said "we started to be more viligant."  Oh my goodness, I lost about five sentences of her tale as I turned that over in my head.  Vigilant!   I had to mentally slap myself silly to let it go and listen.  

It is hard work to be a good listener. :) 

Anyway, home from the pool, and Paul was leaving to go work on an apartment, said there wasn't much for me to do there, so I was here at home, all by my lonesome, which was awesome.  I sometimes just revel in it.  I sat around for a bit, did a load of laundry, then pulled a bunch of summer clothes out of my closet to see what fits and what I like, and threw a load of those things in the wash.  (If it's not been worn since last year, it need a wash before wearing....)

I was mulling a trip to Kohl's.  I haven't been there in eons.  I used to find some good things on their clearance racks.  I have one gauze dress that I love love love, from there, so I was thinking of going to see if I could find any more like it. Then I decided no, I'll just go to the thrift store instead.  Well, for the price I would pay for one dress at Kohl's, I found a Kohl's dress at the thrift store!  Plus two nice tops, a couple of books, and some grandchildren clothes!  

I decided to go to Dunkin, as I had tons of points, and got a free iced coffee.  I ordered on my phone from the thrift store parking lot, then drove over, no one in line, and it was ready, and very good!

Then to Aldi.  There was a young guy in there with a dog.  Not a little yappy cart-puppy, either.  A Lab mix, walking so nicely on the leash, just so chill and waggy.  I told him he has a very nice dog, and he was pleased as punch, thanked me, and went on and on about how much he is working with the dog.  I asked to pet him, and oh dear he was a sweet doggy!  I don't know why the Aldi people let him in a food store with a big dog, but it made my day.

I bought nectarines and blueberries, shredded cabbage, chicken drumsticks, onions, a loaf of bread, a pretty blue floral table runner marked down to $2.49, some shredded mozzarella, heavy cream, two packages of peppered bacon, and a box of rosemary crackers.  

Home...you should see me get up the stairs with several bags of stuff.  I set the big heavy bag on the step in front of me, step up with the rest of the bags, repeat, until I get to the top.

Our dinner tonight was smash burgers on the Blackstone, with lots of caramelized onions.  I also made asparagus in the air fryer, and a salad:  arugula, cucumbers, blueberries, walnuts, craisins, a splash of lime juice, and a drizzle of olive oil.  Dessert:  a no sugar Greek yogurt with a smattering of protein granola, and shh, four Hershey kisses, and a decaf coffee.

The weather here is gorgeous.  The days are long, the sun is just setting at almost nine p.m.  There is a deer out in the back, lying on the path, looking around.  The birds are mostly quiet, the tree frogs will start in soon.  I have bare feet and an old sundress on, and I am very happy.  

our brand new addition!

 We decided:  go big or go home.  No, we actually didn't ever say that.  We went round and round, from used a few years, back to new, because the new ones aren't much more these days, and with a better interest rate.  This one was heavily discounted from Nissan, and just when we were ready to bite the bullet on the smaller one (with only two doors and the jump seats in the back), I tried a different dealership about an hour from here, and the price was a few thousand less!  It has all the things we didn't know we needed, ha like the nice trim and cool tires!  It is equipped with all the towing stuff, ready to haul up to 7,100 pounds.  Our camper is less than half that, so we're good!  (Grace said we need to get bigger camper, Paul didn't even laugh...:)). (Grace, I thought it was hilarious!)

I don't know if he's more pleased with the new truck, or the fact that we can stop all the looking and figuring and discussing, although, shh, I had lots of fun.  I was especially glad that I discovered this dealership, and that we got a very decent deal.  

I was very unsentimental about saying goodbye to the old rust bucket.  She was a good truck, for a good price with low miles, bought during Covid (when a deer came bolting out of the woods and totaled the old one out of the blue!) when new trucks weren't coming off the assembly line because of a chip shortage, and used ones were being snatched up immediately.  With still only 80-something thousand miles, she would have had life in her, if not for the rust.  You can bet your bippy we are going to get this new one rustproofed!  

The dealership was very nice to deal with.  The manager came out and said that our agreed upon price still stands, and the deal was good, they slashed several thousand off the sticker price, and didn't try to nickel and dime us for all the bells nor for all the whistles.  They needed an hour or so to get it ready, finalize the insurance stuff, ect., so they suggested we go out to lunch...how nice of them, right?  Seriously.  We never go out to lunch!   Paul found a cafe/bakery, and off we went.  They bake their own bread for sandwiches, and the turkey club sandwich Paul got was so good!  I had a few bites of it, but shh, I enjoyed an iced Americano and a big molasses cookie.  You don't get to celebrate a new truck very often, and we had a super nice time.  

There were some visitors to my house this fine morning, as Kathryn had her vehicle serviced at the mechanic down the road, which is where my car also was.  (My car was still making a noise after last week's fix of a wheel bearing and the exhaust system....now it was the OTHER side wheel bearing!  oh dear.  )

Miss Rhys having M&Ms and milk in a tea cup...

Jamison....I didn't get a pic of Achilles or baby Ellis.

Strawberries from the Mennonites...they are SO good!  I stopped there yesterday after the pool to get flowers...I repotted yellow begonias and some petunias, and some ivy vines, some into two hanging baskets I have from last year.  The deck is looking so summery!

Today has been a volatile day, weather wise.  It's been very windy!  When we left to go buy the truck, there was a tree down on one of the back roads.  Paul called the town and left a message.  We backed up and went another way, there was a big branch in the road, but we got around that one.  It was raining cats and dogs, but then it cleared up and was lovely out.

After our lunch, we went to a little cemetery and drove around, yeah, we're weird.  It's just so peaceful there.  I took this picture...

A little boy named Leon Beagle passed away at seven years old, so very sad.  In the midst of a busy crazy city, the cemetery is so quiet.

We went back to the dealership, signed the rest of the papers, resisted the great deals on extended warranties, and got into our brand new truck for the drive home.  We picked my car up at the mechanic's, and I got to drive the new truck home from there.  Mm-hmm, it passes.  

We took Little Miss Sunshine to the vet yesterday afternoon for her excessive itchy skin.  She gets allergies, then a skin infection, so is on some antibiotics.  She is very lumpy and bumpy, but the vet is very hands off about those fatty tumors, they cause more harm than good, removing them, in most cases.  Sunny has gained ten pounds, not sure if it's the loaf of bread she ate last week, or all those tumors...but we have cut her food down a bit more.  You know, you get old, you lay around more, your metabolism changes, you put on some weight, and you say NO FAIR, I've said NO to ice cream like five times and I gained five pounds when I had it once...oh, yeah, we're talking about Sunny.

 We came home and it was time for dinner and none of us had any ideas....so I took out some chicken breast I had frozen in vinegar, salt, and pepper...into the iron frying pan with some olive oil, put the lid on until it started to come apart a little, chopped it up with the spatula and some kitchen scissors, added sesame oil to the pan, then some frozen ginger and grated ginger, soy sauce, a big scoop of orange marmalade, some brown sugar, some sesame seeds...Cam stir fried the veggies and made Basmati rice.  It was SO good!

It's such a beautiful evening, with the wind blowing the trees and the dark skies, so cozy in here...the curtains blowing the fresh air, so nice.  You all have a good evening!

my absolute favorite!!!!

 No one believes me anymore when I say something like, this is the best cake I've ever!  They say I say that every time, which is not true.  Not EVERY time, anyway.  I just appreciate things!  So, I have a lot of favorites!

Summertime is my favorite.  I do love love love the promise of springtime, but here in New York, there is a lot of rain, and a lot of gloom, and a lot of chilly days in the spring time.  I will say this though, I often say a chilly rainy day is my favorite!

Summertime though...ahhh.  Bare feet.  The windows open, breezes blowing the white sheer curtains, birds singing.  Grilling!  (there is NOTHING like some grilled chicken!  Burgers?  yup.  Even a hot dog, on the grill, so good.). Watching the trees in the spring for those first baby green buds unfolding to newborn leaves, then having the whole world green!  The long days and late sunsets, ahhh.  

I love swimming and sunning too.  Sitting on the deck.  Going for ice cream.  Planning those camping trips.  A looser schedule.  I love it all.

My husband is one of my favorites, too, more so as the years go by.  By the grace of God, he's kind and funny and so patient with me.  So many things can rattle your cage, rock the boat, as you navigate through life, but he has chosen to answer to God in everything, so we have not had to experience anger or complaining from him...not because life is smooth sailing, either.   Oh, the cars the kids have totaled, the appliances alone:  I could write a book on all the appliance deaths we've experienced!  The septic pump, the pool pump, the flat tires, the water seeping into the basement...the teenage angst and drama, the sick babies, the broken bones, his parents being ill, and passing away, and losing his brother.  He has had his trials.  But instead of being hardened and embittered, he has become more flexible and gentle and thankful, and we work through things and enjoy life together.  I am truly truly blessed.  

My kids are my favorites too.  Each one of them.  They have no idea how thrilled my heart is when I see them.  I can't get enough of them.  I am so proud of all of them, I could brag all day :).  I especially love when they're all together.  I like hearing stories of when they were younger, I missed a lot! 

The grandkids are my favorite too.  They are SO precious, each one of them.  In no particular order, here are some of them:  Jamie, turned 3 in March...

Declan, turned four in April...

Ellis and Jamie (1 and 3)

Maeve, turns 3 in August...

Ruth and Rhys, cousins, Ruth will be five in August, Rhys just turned 5

Ophelia turned 6 in January

Blythe turns 3 in August

Baby Emilia, Jon and Rosi's little one

Lil Miss Kaia Jean, turns one in August...

Baby Samantha, born last December

Tennyson Paul, turns 6 in September

Ellis...

Our truck buying saga continues.  Paul hates negotiating, I don't mind as much.  I'd rather get a better deal.  He was willing to buy the truck with the jump seats and two doors, it's not much more for the bigger backseat, which has a much better resale value, plus is way more comfortable if anyone does have to ride back there.  The Nissan dealers are offering discounts right now, so we figured out the top of what we felt comfortable with, and sent in an offer.  We asked them to keep it simple, but they'll probably come back with a counter offer and a bunch of questions.  We just want a bottom line price.  There are several dealers around here with the same price range, same vehicles, but dang, we don't want to draw this out.  If they accept our offer, we'll go in and buy the truck.  If not, we might get the smaller version.   At this point, though, we've decided on new versus used, because trucks are SO expensive now!    It makes no sense to pay only like 3 k less for something a few years old!

Anyway.  Sunny Sunshine is going to the vet tomorrow, she is having some sensitive itchy skin, she might need a 'script.  She's so old and lumpy and tired, so sweet and silly and adorable.  It should be against the law for Labradors to get old and feeble.  They break our hearts.  She still wags and plays, but less....more naps now.   As for the puppy, well, we're not so sure about that, due to our lifestyle....we aren't home enough sometimes....

This fine morning, I had to be out the door bright and early for a dentist appointment for Miss Camille.  She went in all by herself, no need for me, she's 18.  I kept busy in the car by finding a Starbucks napkin and a half can of flat seltzer, poured a little on, and wiped down the dashboard...I got out of the car too and stretched and hopped from one foot to the other, don't want to just sit there and get all stiff and sore.

We went to the grocery store afterward, they had Coke products buy 2, get 6 free.  So 7 six packs for 19 bucks.  I know, it's not a "need", but a Coke Zero is one of my absolute favorites over ice with a splash of lime juice....we also got some Diet Snapples, some turkey breast lunch meat, some half price grass fed burger patties, butter (buy one get one free), eggs, and bacon, both of which were on sale.  

Home....ahh, home.  I changed into a sundress and sat on the deck for a bit with Char and Cam.  Then it started sprinkling, and into the house we went.  I found plenty to keep me busy, then the sun came back out.  

The girls are making dinner tonight, I think egg rolls?  Ground pork and raw cabbage?  I don't know.  I also have some burgers to grill....

Ah well.  I have nothing much more to say.  Our pool has not been fixed, yet here I am, against all odds:  still alive and well.  Life is busy, and expensive, so maybe we won't get it replaced this year.  

Don't feel too sorry for me though, have I mentioned that we are going to Norway this summer?  Yes, this very summer.  Paul and I, Char and Cam....Emily...Ben and Ashley and their 3 kids, Margaret and Adrian and their 3, Kathryn and Darius and their 4, Sonja and Oscar and baby Kaia, Jon and Rosi and baby Emilia...we're going for like ten days, to our church summer conference!   

Next week is our local summer conference, then we're having a big fourth of July celebration at Kathryn and Darius' place, then in August two more camping trips.  I do love summer.  

So, no complaints!  I do get to go to the rec center pool three times a week too.  I am very thankful for that.  

You all have a really good day!  

why, oh why, with ten daughters there? and the big reveal, ha.

 I did want to get a picture of my ten girls.  All daughters were there except for Abigail, who lives in Delaware.  I thought of a picture, but sometimes I don't want to put up with the protests:). 

There were some lovely daughter-in-laws there too, and lots of sweet friends, as well as Nate's mom and a few sister-in-laws.  

Emily with Blythe, Kathryn, Evelyn, Sonja, Margaret...

Kathryn, Evelyn, Sonja, Char

Mariel made the cakes, frosted them, then I decorated them.  Joannie made pink and chocolate cake pops, Margaret made carrot cake squares and heart cut out cookies.

We had a gluten free section with cookies and squares from Mariel.  There were all different syrups for the iced lattes and iced Americanos.

Sonja with Kaia, and Margaret.

I didn't get more pictures, oops.  But oh my goodness did we have a nice time!  Emily and Grace made sandwiches, and Ashley made fruit and yogurt parfaits.  

Evelyn was very blessed, so many cute baby outfits, and a high chair, a pack and play, a car seat, crib mattress....baby monitor, bottles, bibs, pacifiers, blankets...Suzanne made this:  

She also crocheted a sweater to match, with two headbands!  It is so lovely and intricate.

This is the big thing I've been working on!  

The Moses basket was given to Evelyn from our friend Linda...it was just the basket, and the two supports for the canopy...no fabric for a pattern, so it was a project...I don't love every detail of it, but I love the whimsy of it.  

We're knee deep in trying to figure out a truck.  Everything is so expensive these days, but we are narrowing it down.  We need something that can tow the camper:).   It's painful to spend so much, but we have reasoned and figured, and have decided on something just a few years old, instead of something really old, for many reasons...so I suggested we may as well enjoy it, and be happy about it!  

Anyway.  I went to the pool this fine morning, then vacuumed and did some laundry.  I  washed and packed  away the cupcake and cake stands.  (Yesterday I realized that if we are going to massively downsize, someone else will have to be The Keeper of the Cupcake Stands!)

I have had afternoon coffee, and have to think about dinner...it's a nice cool day, 64 degrees and partly sunny.  There is a lawn mower humming down the road, and birds are singing.  I have bare feet, just the way I like it.  

You all have a good day, enjoy the summer weather!