So Here It Is...

It was a very fun and eventful weekend.
We left out Friday from work and drove up.
4hr drive with gas stop and supper.
We stopped at Golden Gables a all night place.
DH had a delicious piece of butterscotch pie
(there was a picture, but it got deleted)

Saturday we met up with my 3rd Husband/DH's best friend and his wife for lunch.
It was great seeing them, since it had been over a year since we had seen them.

Saturday night we went to the annual Stanger Hog Roast.
Mark and his family have been doing this for 25yrs.

(Mark and DH's cousin Will)

The "Maple Grove Community" comes out

The Young


The Old
***Ms. Lorraine, and DH's Grandma***

As you can see everyone ate to their hearts content
DH forgot to get a picture of the HUGE dessert table.

There was also a band, but they wanted to eat too........

A good time was definitely had by all, and I can't wait to go again next year!
Thank You Stanger Family for a wonderful time!

While on our trip DH decided he wanted a new toy, thanks to cousin Will.
As I was preparing my dishes for the Hog Roast, I look out the window and find DH flying around the yard on this.........
Thanks William!!
DH does look pretty Hot on it though.

Sunday we went to see Poppy and Betty. They were camping at Shakamak. We had hot dogs, hamburgers, and homemade pineapple ice cream.
Some of us (only Betty) took it to extremes.
Here you see a hot dog with marshmallows. Yes, this has marshmallows on it, like it was ketchup and mustard......

Here she is actually eating and enjoying it. She says it's good. I just can't make myself believe it.


Yesterday we took our time coming home.
We stopped in Starlight Indiana. It's off the beaten path, but well worth it.
We went to Huber's checked out both farmers markets, had lunch, dinner, lunch. Seriously. It's served "family style" there. They usually "roll" you out when you're done.

We had, fried biscuits with powder sugar & homemade apple butter. Then they brought out "summer salad" (which is to die for) and coleslaw. For the main course they brought out, fried chicken, honey ham, chicken n' dumplings, green beans, corn on the cob, and mashed potatoes with gravy.

Afterwards we went to one of the ponds and fed the ducks.

Walked through a flower garden, and got caught in the rain. It was a great time.

It was a great time. Now we are on the countdown for our next getaway. 15 days.

p.s. Thank You Georgie for helping me today with the blog! You're the best!
Check her out if you haven't already become addicted to her!

Yea!!!

I'm doing the "happy dance" now that we are home!!
We had a great weekend. Glad we got to see so many friends and family while we were in Indiana for the weekend. I've lots of story, and PICTURES to post later this week. Trying tonight to get caught up on my blog reading.

Hope everyone had a safe and great Labor Day weekend!!

Have a Great Weekend!!

It's a beautiful Saturday here in Indiana. We are at the in-laws this weekend while they are camping, visiting other family and friends.
We are getting ready to go to lunch with my 3rd Hubby. That's what we refer to him as, he's really DH's best friend. Then we are off to a friend of the family's annual Labor Day Weekend Pig Roast. It will be fun, I haven't met ALOT of these people yet.
Hope Everyone has a Great and Safe Labor Day Weekend!!!

Fun Friday

Hunter has been at the beach this week, he almost got eat up by a shark!!

45 Life Lessons

Regina Brett's 45 life lessons with 5 to grow on

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

written by Regina Brett, Plain Dealer Columnist

Not So Wordless Wednesday

I'm frustrated and sad.
Yesterday morning on the way to work there was an accident.
A serious, herendous accident.
It was on the interstate. People were completely stopped in the eastbound lane.
A semi twisted in the right hand lane.
The bed of a pickup truck and it's front seat was in the median. The rest of the truck lay in disarayed pieces on the road, in the median, or wherever they landed.
There is one man out of his truck on the westbound side.
People on the eastbound side are in and out of their vehicles but no one inquires to help. Except the guy in the westbound lane and me.
There are no ambulances, only a fire truck, a rescue squad vehichle, and 2 state cops. They are walking around the semi remains. The semi was hauling hazardous chemicals.
As the man and I start across the median I realize why there are no ambulance.
The man in the pickup truck was still there in what was left of the drivers seat.
He was no more. He had left this world to meet his Maker.
As I looked at the guy in the median with me, I realize he saw the man as well.

I don't know how to express the sadness that overwhelmed me.
Not just for the his life that had ended but because there he was, out in the open.
No one with him holding his hand, or holding him in their arms as he had passed.
Morbid? Maybe. I hope it is more human compassion.
I wanted to sit with him until someone came, anyone.
Of course they wouldn't let me.
They came quickly and covered not only him, but from the front end of what was left of the truck to the very back. Like he was just a part of the truck left.
They couldn't move him until the coroner arrived, and the investigation was complete.

I start back to the car. It was as I am on my way back I finally hear people talking. Horns blowing and I think, "Did this man's life mean so little to everyone else? That it is making them fuss, cuss and blow their horns because they are now late? Because it has put a delay in their day?"
What if it was their husband? their Dad? their brother? their son?
Wouldn't they feel different?? Wouldn't they want the people around them to show some sort of respect?
I notice people are flying by in the westbound lane, never slowing down.
I realized then how bad of shape this world is in when you can't even slow down or stop to help a stranger. When we are more worried about "me" than anyone else.
It was just a road block in their day.
My thoughts continued to swim all day.
Did he just leave for work?
Did he just leave from work to head home?
Is his wife at work and doesn't even know yet?
Are his kids at school?

Today my heart and prayers go out to the Robbins family.
Please keep them in your prayers.