A Beautiful sight to behold.......

God blessed us with his glorious display - and breath-taking skies!  I am still in awe!

Do you see the cross and its shadow - and the heart above it???  (top left)

I see the shape of a crown in the center, just slightly to the right...
You can almost see some faces too.....
It was so beautiful!  The pictures DO NOT do it justice!  It was definately a blessing!

More storms in the making.....

It seems as though lately I pray a lot more about the weather than I used to.  Is it just me? Or are recent storms worse now than years' past?!
The other night was an eerie storm that came through and appeared to come from no where!  Once upon us the sky turned the brightest orange I have ever seen.  When the clouds began to spin in a circular motion - we thought for sure we were looking at the beginning of a tornado!  Thank goodness - it wasn't!

When it rains.......It pours!

Well....where do I start?  Our rental house has been renamed and now known as, "The Money Pit!"  FRUSTRATION doesn't come close to explaining our aggravation of one thing after another after another - yet after another of things breaking, needing fixed, more repairs, more money.....phew!

For years the apartment side of the house's airconditioner has given us fits and had to be recharged every summer.  This hot season - was no exception.....only the tennant wasn't home and no one noticed that something was terribly wrong with the ceilings. 

One day, while the little cousins ran up into the apartment, they returned to report that water was coming down out of the light in the ceiling!  Yikes!  Well...after investigating - low and behold - the ol' airconditioner's coils rusted up and clogged, causing the drip tray to overflow and down onto the ceiling.  (The unit is situated in the attic - and not to our liking - but that's where they installed it when the apartment part of the house was built.)

Unfortunatley, the ceiling in the master bedroom has to be redone - as the drywall tape is falling - and the water stains need Kilz before we repaint. 

But then - the guys that were to install a new unit made a mess on the carpets - and we're not sure at this time if they plan to clean up their messes - but I do believe that Steve will suggest that they do.  I cannot believe that no one protected the carpet!  I don't think rust comes out of white burbour carpet!  Grrr!

Ok....THEN....the kicker of all - is the inground pool.  If you only knew how much money we have put into this pool to make it "maintenance free" you'd better understand our complete and total aggravation that they pool's water is now a gross green....and the suspect "Mineral Springs Coil" isn't working properly....AGAIN!  It was a costly process to convert the pool from chlorene to the Mineral Springs.  It was supposed to save money in the long run with chemicals......but in the 2 or so years we've had it - we've had nothing but troubles with it and have had to have constant care over it - and repairs as well - even though it was NEW. 

I really think Steve is about to fill in the pool with dirt, plant grass - and call it DONE!

Meanwhile, the house, (which I do miss....but don't see moving back to) is on our minds to sell it to the tenants, who have informed us of their interest if we should decide to sell it.  I have to pray about this.....and then I suppose - let it go. 

I do miss that house though......so many memories....soo many rooms!  Wonderful square foot - and location is so perfectly situated!  I love the neighborhood!

Lots to pray about!

 :(

Time for R & R...

My feet ached with fury - and all I wanted to go is prop up my feet and take a break from a very loooong weekend!
Even in the sticky hot humidity - it still felt good to kick back and do nothing - but hear the birds singing and tweeting their melodies!  It was mezmerizing!

There is nothing greater - than sitting back - and basking in the presence of God - and reflecting in His glory!!! Oh the peace that fills my soul!!!

Micah tries his own hand at eating!

My grandson Micah LOVES to eat! What kid doesn't???  I think he's doing good at holding that spoon and feeding himself.  He found his mouth - for sure!

I just love this grand-baby boy!  P R E C I O U S!!!!  Doesn't even come close - I just want to gobble him up!!!

Celebrating Micah's 1st birthday!!!

Micah LOVES his daddy!

He giggled every time we blew that thing!

Hmmm...checking it out!

Ahhhh!  I LOVE my new toy!

Tongue at work!  Ha ha!  His tongue helps him out! Ha ha!

It's hard to imagine this little baby is nearing the one-year mark.  He will officially be 1 year old on June 15th.  Where did all the time go???

Although - life has been hectic - we quickly put together a birthday celebration for Micah while they were with us the weekend.  Otherwise - we wouldn't have able to for 2 more weeks.

Anyway - I think it was a HUGE HIT - and Micah LOVES his new-found gift!  Pictures say it all!  :0)

Homeward Bound....and MORE moving days!

Sheesh.....my body is aching from all the moving!  I guess in some ways - it's a blessing to have so much to do!  Ha ha!  The more busy I get - the more potential weight loss!  Well?!  It works in theory anyway!

I only had a couple days to regroup and get rested, (REST?  What is rest???) before my son Josh moved from his duplex this past weekend.  He has been working a great distance away from where he lives - and decided to save money on gasoline, (especially with the high and rising prices), and plans to stay with friends while he finishes this one particular job! 

We set up a bedroom for he and our grandson Micah to stay on the weekends - so at least we get to see and spend time with them.  I'm very excited.  But - Josh plans to move into his own place again - in approx. 2 months - just long enough to finish the job he is currently doing.

BUT in order to make room for him - I had to clean out our exercise room - and closet - which was no easy task.  It doesn't take long to accumulate a bunch of stuff!  Without me realizing it - it became a junk room - mostly the closet - and the HUGE eliptical glider.  Thank you to Josh's friends - I wouldn't have been able to move that thing!  Yikes!   It's been another crazy whirlwind weekend - but Josh has moved out of the duplex and most everything he owns into a storage unit, with partial belongs in a room with us - and a week's long bag of belongings (mainly work clothes) to take with him during the week.

Needless to say - it's been a busy weekend and our bones and muscles ache with fury!  I am soo glad to say that it's coming together though....so long you don't look at my garage - that is!

Garage Sale???  To do?  Or - NOT to do???  That is the question.  Left overs that Josh doesn't want - and my daughter Michelle's bags of unwanted items ..... I guess I'll try to set it up and have one soon.....(but first - I really need a window airconditioner to manage the heat!  SHEW!  HEAT WAVE!!!  At one point I read my thermometer - and it was way over 100!!! (AND this isn't even summer yet!!!). (Yes, it was sitting in the sunshine.....whew!)  HOT DAYS!!!!

Awesome Aquarium Exhibit!!!

 

My daughter wanted me to do something fun - besides working and helping them settle into their new house....so - we ventured to see the Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg, TN.  She had a homeschool discount so we thought that was perfect!

It was really better than perfect!  A bit crowded - but all in all - it was a great exhibit and to walk on moving sidewalks while going under neath the water tank with all the sharks and fish swimming was really cool! 
Chloe didn't like it when the sharks swam over her head though!

"Ish" she called them! Soo cute!

When we got to the penguins though we were a little disappointed as the tunnel that led to the bubble for the kids to see the penguins was taken over by adults that camped out and just sat there instead of moving.  So the kids weren't able to see them.  Later however, we realized that it was feeding time and everyone was crowded in to see them. 

They sure are cute little things!

There sure are a lot of strange looking things in the sea!!!

Don't step on this one!  This rock is really a very poisonous fish and sharp tenicles filled with venom inject into its prey!

These odd little guys change colors!  It's hard to explain - you'll have to go see them as seeing will be believing!

Ok....spider crab...ewww!  They do have long legs to appear like a spider!

These are really odd little guys!

It was a really neat experience - and not nearly enough film to capture every moment and expression and dialogue from my grandchildren!

It was soo much fun! I wanted to do more - but needed to get home - so I will have to make another trip very soon and explore more of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Galtinburg, TN! There sure are a LOT of things to do there!!!

After we left the Aquarium we made - yet another run to Krispy Kreme Donuts. Ya gotta spoil grandchildren....it's in a Grandparent's Job Description! lol!!!

NEXT STOP: Cold Stone Creamery! Oh YUM!!!! It was a mild fortune - but worth every penny! My grandchildren were especially delighted - and the youngest grandchild, Chloe, was no exception!
 

When we got home that night - we discovered that my daughter's air conditioner had quit!  Yikes!!!  In 100+ degrees!  We ended up getting fans for all the bedrooms!  By the next day - it was fixed.  Thank goodness!
It was a great trip!!!  I want to go back!!!  SOON!

The Boat is Sinking....

It was a short-lived adventure for my son-in-law Jay and granchildren!  Now that they live on a river - they thought a rubber raft would be great fun - and so they inflated it - and Jay carried it down the steep bank to the river's edge.  Unfortunatley, the briars along the steps leading down to the bank punctured the sides of the raft - and although they tried to paddle around, it was soon apparent that they were taking on water and had to take refuge on the shoreline!

Even so - they had a really GREAT time!!!  For as long as it lasted!

Krispy Kreme Treat!

One of THE most favorite of my grandchildren - is - yes - Krispy Kreme donuts!  I don't blame them - they are sooo good!  Being in a little town in Ohio - they weren't able to get them.  So to come to a town that has a Kripy Kreme donut shop - they were  nothing but giggles the entire way there!

Soon after we arrived, got our donuts.....Chloe piped in!  "Eat!  Donie".....(for donut)....It was soo cute I had to record it.....but unfortunately cannot upload the video.  But the pictures say a lot....needless to say - they were delighted with their treat from Grandma!!!
 I love my precious grandchildren!  They were havin' a blast!!!  I LOVE creating memories!!!

Making Progress

.....it's been a very . . . s  l  o  w  . . . process in getting my daughter and family moved into their new rental house!  The landlord didn't do as promised - and there are countless bugs, spider eggs, webs, yuk!  Not to mention - no mirror in the bathroom, the towel racks are gone...or broken and only one half of the holder is semi-hanging onto the wall!  What a mess.....and dirty...dirty...dirty!  The landlord didn't clean, didn't paint, didn't clean the carpets.....Didn't do anything he promised.  Then of course, there are lots of spiders and a multiple pesty baby praying mantises!

I'm trying to NOT be so cynicle....but I'm a landlord...and I would NEVER rent out a house in this condition!!!

After installing towel racks and other multiple little projects....the house is finally looking like a home!!!  Yeah!!!

Final touches today were hopefully successful.....like trying to fix the broken drawer in my daughter's dresser that the moving company busted to smitherines.....that took some doing.  Of course, we won't know if it works until the wood glue dries!

The outside has a little more work though - as we discovered poison ivy in the front walkway....and in back by the river bank.  I also discovered a huge sink-hole.  I am praying the kids never go to investigate or accidently fall into it!

I really don't think they're going to live here very long.....It was just a temporary move to get them into the state of Tennessee and out of the boondocksville of Ohio!