Welcome to part 2 of the craziness that is my life. If I don’t keep up with this blogging, I’m going to have to keep adding parts to this post cause life just keeps on happening. But I’m glad it does cause I have lots of good things to share, so keep on reading.
On a little side note, I’ve been using a program on my computer to blog because it’s much handier but it also “re-decorates” my blog when it posts to the website…AND it drives me nuts! So here is my apology for the appearance of the last few posts. I’m sure it bothers me more than it does you.
This picture was taken when Smucker’s Meats toured Gunpowder and I thought it was too cute not to share.
But moving on with the saga, after the visit from Smucker’s we also got to spend some time with 2 very cute, adorable, and somewhat crazy little girls. This was the second time we’ve had the opportunity to watch Rachel and Jessie at our house overnight. And they loved it! They met me at Grandma’s house and we were soon driving the hour to my house. What a fun trip…having a 2 little people in the backseat is something I could get used to.
We spent time outside with the dogs and visiting the “neeeiiiggghhh-bors” , which Jessie had to wave to. I particularly love the stance, she’s very serious about her waving. Rachel on the “other hand” uses her hands to talk. When I took this picture she was very intent on telling me something…much of which I didn’t understand…but it was very important to her.
We also spent time feeding the dogs…I’m sure Jessie had her share of their food as well…she was more interested in eating the gravel from our driveway than she was in eating what I made. I’ve got one word for that…YUCK! Their Uncle Jamie also kept them quite entertained…he sure does love those girls and they love him!
And this wouldn’t be complete without a few “hugs” for Bella. I think at this point Bella is probably thinking, “Just put me in my pen already!”
We are rather fortunate that we are able to “visit” my family each week when Jamie takes Bison to the butcher shop. I go along as often as work allows and it’s always a treat when we get to see the kids. I had to miss last week but Lacey said that Jessie happened to be looking out the window when Uncle Jamie drove by and she made such a fuss she soon had Rachel standing by the window saying, “Uncle Jamie…a’bufawo”. Jessie apparently marched to the door, shoes in hand, ready to go. I think life at their house has got to be interesting! But Uncle Jamie is more than happy to show them his “butt-alo” (as Isaac calls them) and they enjoy “helping” him herd them off the trailer…
…as well as herd themselves around the parking lot.
The end of August had me joining up with one of my bestest friends, JeNeal, to celebrate her birthday at the Melting Pot. I always have a good time when I’m with JeNeal!
And you never know who you’ll run into when visiting the butcher shop, it just so happened that I got to spend some time with Isaac, Elianna and Daddy when they had to make a delivery. Isaac was tickled pink that he got to go in the “Mack truck” with Daddy.
We celebrated Labor Day in style with a family picnic at the Tumbleweed Inn. Mom and Papa Smurf came down the night before and they were a big help in getting everything ready. Jamie had brought home the gator from work and once Papa Smurf got on it, you couldn’t get him to park it! If he could have driven himself to bathroom, I think he would have. And of course once the kids showed up, it was the big kid driving the little kids around…using any excuse possible.
Great-Grandma Fisher had to give some love to Baby Isaiah…I love this picture! She plays Grandma so well.
I do believe that the picture below takes the cake for one of my all time favorites! Pappy Smurf had taken off to get some wood with Isaac and Rachel just wanted to go along. I told her to give Pappy a pathetic look when they returned…I don’t think you can get much more pathetic than this. Dear Rachel, please NEVER change!
Despite Isaac’s look, he really was having just as much fun as Pappy but I think Pappy’s smile really captures the moment.
Aunt Betty also had a turn with Isaiah…he sure got passed around quite a bit. And while Isaiah was soaking up the attention, Maegan took the opportunity to take Isaac, Rachel and Elianna to see the horses…I mean, the neeiiiggghh-bors.
The smiles were still going strong well into the evening and we all had a wonderful time enjoying good food, wonderful fellowship and the comforts of a camp fire.
September also brought our 6th anniversary and since we are planning on taking a cruise the end of this month, we decided to just keep it low-key and enjoy a weekend to ourselves doing whatever it was we felt like doing.
That doing whatever we felt like included a day trip to Gettysburg…just because.
The end of September we traveled to Ohio for the annual Eastern Bison Association Fall Conference. We had a dinner on Friday evening and then spent Saturday touring Red Run Bison Farm and the Marshallville Packing Company. Red Run was a beautiful farm and our hosts not only showed us the grounds but also provided a wonderful lunch. We had a beautiful day and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting some of the people Jamie has already had the chance to meet. I am looking forward to the bison sale coming up this Spring.
The picture doesn’t show just HOW BIG this guy really was…let’s just say I was glad there was a tall fence and some electric wire between him and I.
I’m rather amazed at this animal…if I had a hump on my neck the size of a small state, I wouldn’t even attempt trying to roll onto my back. Just lifting my mammoth sized head would be enough to make me pass out…but kudo’s to him for actually getting all 4’s in the air!
I have no words for this…(amazing I know)
I was snapping pictures left and right and knew that I still wouldn’t get all the details required by Papa Smurf’s interrogation later that evening. Of course, how could I forgot the name of the smokehouses??? But I did…guess you’ll have to make your own trip sometime Papa Smurf, but if you do, take me along. :)
After the conference was over on Saturday we traveled to my parents house and spent Sunday with family. We all wanted to spend some time at the park while we still had warm weather. Although the food and conversation was fun, the water fountain was the highlight for the kids.
Elianna was more interested in playing in the water than she was in drinking the water…that’s our little diva.
And last but not least, I’m proud to announce the arrival of yet another nephew…
Caleb William Smucker was born on October 8 weighing 7lbs and…I can’t remember how many ounces…to Digger and Lacey. They finally got their little boy and what a cute little guy he is. I just happened to be coming up that evening so I got to tag along with Mike and his family when they went in for a visit.
Baby Isaiah was all smiles for Daddy. I had such a wonderful evening with family this night! After we were done visiting the new baby, I got to tag along with Mike and Co. again when they went to Costco. Isaac even cleaned off the back seat so Aunt Jess could sit next to him…what a fun time!
I was anxious to get home to Jamie by Sunday evening this past weekend, but I hadn’t had a chance to see Rachel or Jessie and the aunt in me needed a fix before I traveled back home. They were just getting up from their naps, so they were happy. Mimi, as they call my mother-in-law Tammy, had brought them some apples and Jessie was all smiles when she got hers.
Rachel loves showing off baby Caleb and when she realized how “cute” it was to kiss Caleb, we couldn’t get her to stop.
Jessie was all smiles when we asked if she wanted to hold Caleb, she wasn’t happy though when mommy took Caleb’s nuk and hid it. Guess his nuk is more fun than he is at this stage.
Well there you have it…the l-o-n-g, windy conclusion to my too busy to blog episode. I will have plenty more to share in the weeks to come as we once again find ourselves moving, this time only a few minutes down the road. I’m thinking that soon I should go into the moving business, at least I could be making money from all of this.
As I think back over the last year of my life, to the valleys and hills we’ve traveled, I’m grateful for the faithfulness of a God who has never let me down and for the multitude of blessings we can count. Without a walk through the desert, I wouldn’t know the deep satisfaction from a simple drink of water. I’m so grateful for the journey because the blessings seem so much greater and I look forward to the adventures yet to come. May you too be blessed and encouraged as you read about our tumbling adventures through life.
