Wonderful Weekend

at 10/02/09 8:16AM
We just had a wonderful weekend in West Virginia with our family. We stayed in a couple of cabins in Babcock State Park again - have met there for several years now. Although the weather was cool and even rainy for half of our stay, we enjoyed it.

Since all of the grandchildren have autumn birthdays, and Gary's birthday fell on Saturday, we had a celebration for all 6 kids and Gary too. Pin the tail on the donkey, drop the clothespins, balloons, AND a pinata all added to the fun! Thanks to a musical toy car that Caleb received, we grooved to "Rock Around the Clock" all weekend as well!

Sunday turned out to be a sunny day and after assembling with the church in Beckley, we went back to the park via a developing community near New River Gorge Bridge. Wayne took a family photo of us at a lookout there with the bridge in the background - very scenic.

While Katelyn, Hannah and I took naps that afternoon, everyone else piled into Gary's pickup and went to the park headquarters. There, they saw the grist mill in operation and went hiking on 1 mile loop around a lake.

That evening after supper, we shared our thoughts concerning reverence toward God based on the book of Malachi, followed by the singing of praises to Him. Hopefully, we all were made more keenly aware of the necessity of 'giving our best to the Master.'

Mushroom hunting was a favorite activity for me and the children. The yards and woods surrounding the cabins had a plentiful supply of many varieties. What fun!

All too soon, the time for departure came. But the memories and the love continue on and on and on. Thank you, God, for the love of family, the wonder of children, the beauties of your world!
  • purky
    Wonderful memories! Beautiful Family - All of you! Love You All!
    by purky at 10/02/09 8:29AM
  • waerick
    I guess now we should update your profile picture.
    by waerick at 10/03/09 8:39AM
  • matidwell
    We had a great time as well!
    by matidwell at 10/03/09 9:39AM
  • tucksmom
    :)
    by tucksmom at 10/04/09 6:55PM
  • derbydi
    Sounds great, Maureen! Your family has grown so much, and I know you and Gary are proud grandparents...as you should be!
    by derbydi at 10/07/09 7:50PM
  • waerick
    You're welcome... I thought you were planning on coming up here! :)
    by waerick at 10/08/09 1:17AM
  • sarahtidwell
    It sounds like you all really had a wonderful weekend. I am happy it turned out well and that everybody could get together.
    by sarahtidwell at 10/09/09 4:16PM
  • sarahtidwell
    I also like the new picture of all the grandchildren and the birthday cake.
    by sarahtidwell at 10/09/09 4:17PM
  • kamille
    Do you remember Suzanne (Sam) & Ted Gillahan that attended M. Rd. for a while? Ted passed away suddenly 1 1/2 weeks ago.
    by kamille at 01/24/10 6:37PM

As Usual, I Don't Know What I Did

at 08/11/09 7:36AM
It's been brought to my attention that somehow I made my last entry in such a way that it's difficult to comment on it. Who knows what I did or didn't do to cause the problem? This entry is an experiment to see if I can do it right this time.

For one thing, even on the brightest setting of my monitor, I can just barely read - and I DO mean BARELY - the words that Pleonast has written in brown. They were absolutely unreadable at the time that I composed the former entry.

Okay, it looks like all I need to do now to post this entry is to click on the "update" button at the bottom of this page. So that's what I'll do and hope for the best!
  • papa_and_nana
    AH HA! Looks like it worked okay this time! Sorry for any inconvenience. I still feel rather inept with this new version of Pleo.
    by papa_and_nana at 08/11/09 7:50AM
  • derbydi
    Good job!
    by derbydi at 08/11/09 9:09AM
  • hartschloss
    Looks okay to me.
    by hartschloss at 08/11/09 9:43AM
  • waerick
    That is pretty much my only complaint - not being able to see the dark grey/brown words/boxes.

    So now you can add a real post!

    :)
    by waerick at 08/11/09 12:19PM
  • matidwell
    Great job!
    by matidwell at 08/12/09 11:18AM
  • batidw
    I thought you just didn't want anyone to post comments so you wouldn't feel obligated to write back!
    by batidw at 08/13/09 8:14PM
  • aaaunties
    (I'm REALLY glad I'm not the only one unimpressed by the new format!! Glad you persisted!!)
    by aaaunties at 08/13/09 8:46PM
  • tucksmom
    I was thinking of you particularly last week - my oldest called to update. He's very busy, which is a good thing. She has the same address. So I'm good for my "update fix" for a little while.
    by tucksmom at 08/17/09 2:59PM
  • meditationis
    There is a fix for the hard-to-see-words-in-the-boxes. It has something to do with the browser you are using... I think.
    by meditationis at 08/17/09 6:05PM
  • hartschloss
    Aren't you 46 backwards today?
    by hartschloss at 08/28/09 10:18AM
  • smiley_beth
    I sent you a message, I think you get it at the top of the screen :)
    by smiley_beth at 08/28/09 9:07PM
  • hartschloss
    Sorry about that - wrong side of the family. I only reveal the ages of those I actually know. My fault, but I hope everyone had a good day!
    by hartschloss at 08/28/09 10:58PM
  • sarahtidwell
    I don't care much about this new pleo. I knew how to work with the old one. How are you and Gary doing? I haven't been on here in ages. I am usually on Facebook now. From time to time I come back here and check in. We are both doing ok. I am having carpal tunnel surgery on my left hand Thursday and have had to come off my anti-inflammatory. I didn't realize how much it helped me until I had to come off it for the surgery. Can hardly move now.
    by sarahtidwell at 09/08/09 9:10PM
  • sarahtidwell
    The carpal tunnel surgery went very well. I guess once you've had hip replacement, Knee replacements, and shoulder replacements this is just a minor thing. They didn't even put me to sleep. It was a piece of cake compared to the other surgeries.
    by sarahtidwell at 09/15/09 9:07PM

As Usual, I Don't Know What I Did (Or Didn't Do)

at 08/11/09 7:36AM

07/18/09 8:58AM

Guess it's time for a new entry... : )

We just returned from a great trip out west. Not only did I get to attend my neice's wedding in Portland, OR, revisit Astoria and Seaside on the Oregon coast (all the while enjoying the company of Neal, Suzy and Dylan), but then I was blessed to be able to fly to Idaho Falls where I met up with Gary, Wayne, Beth, Caleb and Hannah for a lovely time at Gary's mother's place.

Except for meeting with the church in Blackfoot, ID, I stayed in Idaho Falls the week we were there. Gary, Wayne, Beth and the children went to Craters of the Moon - a huge lava bed in the desert west of Idaho Falls - and later in the week, Gary, Wayne and Beth went hiking in the Teton Mountains of Wyoming. I was very content to "hang out" on the farm and do less strenuous things. I did go with the family to Tautphaus Park Zoo there in Idaho Falls and walk along the banks of the river at the falls which made for a very enjoyable outing.

It was great to just be out west and enjoy being with family...both physical and spiritual.

On the way home, we spent the first day in Yellowstone Park which is such a unique display of God's power and ingenuity! While there, we were thrilled to see lots of buffalo, a bear cub, and an elk besides chipmunks, squirrels, ducks, and geese. In South Dakota, we stopped to tour Bear Country which featured a LOT of bears, elk, mountain goats, reindeer, wolves, and buffalo.

It was fun to travel with Caleb and Hannah [as well as Wayne and Beth :) ] 'Twas so great to be able to play with the children and love on them, and observe them...and leave the discipline to their daddy and mommy! Ah, the beauty of being a grandparent!!!

It was a trip to remember, but it's nice to be home again!