Home is in Illinois

Sept 21-24th, 2009

We got up Monday but it took both us a bit to get to moving. Then it was finally time to check things out and find a more permant parking spot. We tried to dry everything off we could and load all of junk in the car the best we could. That is a down side to moving your home and all your stuff at times. Rain is not a good thing when you have been parked awhile in one spot and have to load everything up wet!!!

Once we got loaded, moved and unloaded again, we went into town to get some groceries. As you can imagine we wanted an early to bed night but we had company. Gabe and Kelsey came over and stayed late, several friends close by stopped by to welcome us back and say hello. Finally around 11.30 am we got to bed.

Tuesday we got up early and got ready, Gabe and Lenny both had doctor appointments. After we seen the doctor got med’s filled it was late afternoon. We stopped by Tyson house and seen the grand kids and then arrived home late. Another late night.

Were not sure about being so close to the kids again. Seems we haven’t much time to ourselves since arriving this week without them and Gabe and Kelsey are heading back over to stay with us this weekend.

just a quick update

I just wanted to let you all know that i am fine. I’m sorry i haven’t blogged in quite awhile. Lots going on and not much internet connection. I will try to get you all updated as soon as i can. Thanks to all who have asked about me.

Right now i am back in Illinois and not sure on a departure date, depends on many things. Life is full of turns in the road.

Hope you all had a great summer and fall has officially arrived.

Hugs to you all and until next time ……

long days of driving

Sept 17 - 20th, 2009

I got up early again today 17th and loaded my car down and headed back to Illinois. I am spending the night tonight again with Gabe and then heading back to Missouri on Friday the 18th with my oldest son. He is coming down to spend the weekend by himself with us and then we are all heading back to Illinois for some time. We arrived late Friday night and then back up early Saturday even though it’s raining. Tyson and Lenny still went fishing and luckily it rained a bit in the morning, cleared up for afternoon and started back in that night. Unfortunately we had to pack several things wet. I hate packing up when it’s raining but unfortunately for us we were on a dead line and that is something were not use to much these days. Tyson had to be back on Sunday night to be back to work on Monday.

Sunday 20th we started out with a late start as Tyson went fishing that morning. That one more last time thing and then we had several friends stop by for good bye hugs. It was around 2 pm before we actually got on the road and then we stopped about 4 pm for something to eat at McDonalds and the RV wouldn’t start. Oh no, nothing! Hubby decided it was the battery and so luckily for us Wal-mart was across the street so Tyson took me over in his truck and we purchased a new battery. When we got back hubby had the RV running and said we were going to hit the road while it running just in case. So instead of shutting off when stopping at rest stops, we left the RV running and lucky for us we didn’t need to stop for fuel anymore. Tyson did have to stop for fuel in his truck about 20 minutes before arriving to our new home.

I called Gabe and he met us and brought our car to us, as i had left it at Tyson house for my daughter to have to drive while we had her truck. Tyson helped us haul a bunch of our junk back and Gabe and helped him unload his truck. We pulled in around 9 pm and just parked by a street light and unloaded Tyson’s truck. We were so glad to be parked for the night even though we have to move again in the morning.

After the boys left, we straightened the inside enough to get to the bathroom and go to bed. It’s been an exhausting day and I'm glad were moved for awhile again.

A Dillard!

After being in Missouri off and on all summer, i have seen several Dillard but never when i had my camera with me! Well behold this evening i got an up close and chance to grab my camera and get photo’s of Dillard. Most people don’t care for them, but i think their neat looking.

Labor Day weekend

After a fun filled weekend, it was a busy week with lots of things that had to be done and to top it off. Hailey was born with a birth defect in her upper neck and has to be extremely careful in things she does. Anyway a high school boy picked her up and slammed her down even after being told her neck is very fragile. So Thursday was spent rushing her to the doctor in Springfield, IL to be checked out by her specialist as her neck was hurting after it happened and her mom was called after she got to school. Hailey was upset as she thought she wouldn’t get to get to go camping with us this weekend as we had planned.

Luckily she checked out okay and xray showed no injury and she got the okay to go camping with us from her doctor. So after an hour and half drive back to her house and around 5 pm it was time to get her packed up and ready to go with us. Hailey is spending 4 days with us in Missouri for the holiday weekend. It will be the first time this summer that we’ve actually gotten Hailey to ourselves without having to share time with her little brother.

We are all so excited! It was a very long day and lots of driving and finally arrived around 10 pm!

Of course the first thing Hailey wanted to do when she got up the next morning was for papa to take her fishing! She loves to fish and as you can see she is proudly posing for a picture with the fish she actually hooked and reeled in all by herself with no help from papa. She was so excited about her catch and she thinks her fish is as big as papa that he caught.

Later that day Hailey and papa went fishing again and Hailey proudly shows her catch.

Here are some pictures of Hailey, Sierra & Gordon showing off Hailey fish. While we were down at the fishing hole they showed up with their parents.

Dailey showed up with her grandma, papa, mom & dad and wanted in the picture too.

After they finished playing with the fish, papa took it back to the camper and we headed to the swimming hole. The kids wanted to play in water where they wouldn’t bother the fisherman and they wanted to hunt for crawdads. As you can see they found some nice one and had a blast searching for them.

At the end of the day new friends said goodbye and it was a weekend full of fun and pure enjoyment of spending time with our precious princess and new friends we’ve made this summer. The next morning we got up around 7 am and by 9 am was on the road back to Illinois.

It was a long drive and i was glad to arrive, drop Hailey off and went to spend the night at Gabe’s place. I had several errands to run and then it was back on the road again to head to Missouri to pack things up and head back to Illinois. Our summer at the ranch is close to coming to an end.

Back in Illinois visiting part 2

Aug 28 – Sept 3, 2009

After a day of kids, it was time to get dressed up and go out for the evening. Friends of ours daughter was getting married and we promised to come back to the wedding. Here is a picture of us with our granddaughter Hailey, we took her to the wedding with us.

I did manage to capture a picture of Kevin & Jeanette our friends i mentioned earlier in my blog.

Here is the proud parents of the bride. Our good friends Roger and Sandy. We all seem to clean up nicely!

Here comes the bride & groom. Hmm there is no sun but they don’t seem to understand that … think it’s because of the flash or is this a new trend?

Uh oh … look everyone i caught grandma doing the jitter bug! Wow can she ever jitter. Guess no one has let Aunt Mae know that she is suppose to sit and look pretty as grandma of the bride … Aunt Mae you go girl ( Mae is not our aunt, she is actually Kevin aunt .. his dad’s brother wife, but we have always called her aunt mae too)

Here is Aunt Mae & Deana maid of honor doing the jitter bug and i finally got their front side … hehe (deana is the bride’s sister and aunt mae grand daughter)

Oh now, look! 2 rotten teeth guys hugging … OH my what is gonna happen next at this hoot of a party?

finally we have the father/daughter dance, what a sweet precious moment for both

Then they had the traditional dollar dance and here is hubby and i both doing our part. If there is any DJ’s out there reading this. I have a question??? Why do you always wait until later in the evening to do this after most of the generous elderly people have done left the party? I have never understood why the dollar dance is not done earlier in the evening before those older folks who don’t like the loud music leave and who are also the generous ones … anyone got a answer for me?

Of course i had to fight my way to the groom as these two were trying to cut in line for their turn to dance with the groom! I had to beat them off with my cane! Since i wouldn’t let them cut in front of me, look what they did. Look out now guys i have it in color and you better be digging up some big time green backs now …. LOL

Well Mr. Billybob finally got his chance to dance with the groom, although i’m not so the groom was a thrilled as Billybob … LOL

Billybob finally got the laugh he wanted, the groom just couldn’t not laugh esp when Billybob hair got out of place .. I’m telling you all this Billybob is a hoot and the belle of the ball … ooops wedding.

Wow Grandma (aunt Mae) finally jitter bugged herself out … or hmmm did someone remind her that grandma’s are suppose to sit and look as beautiful as she is here?

Billybob ( Mike’s … brother in law of the bride .. wife of the maid of honor) daughter Sierra decided to take her chance at the outfit, although she is adorable … love ya Sierra

We had a great time at the wedding reception and it’s been a wonderful day of visiting family and friends. We were both exhausted, Hailey was wore out from her day of fun and it was time to say good bye, hugs and head on the road to an hour drive back to our son house.

Hope you all enjoy the pictures, i can not began to describe the fun we’ve had tonight

Back in Illinois visiting part 1

Aug 28 – Sept 3, 2009

We got up very early, around 5 am and headed back to Illinois for some time of visiting family and friends.

Hailey showing off her new bike. We wasn’t there an hour and she had papa convinced she needed a new bike!

Papa went to look her old bike over to fix it and he told her she was right, she needed a new bike the old one was worn out. she ran into the house grabbed the picture of the new bike she had already picked out and said let’s go to Wal-mart papa. He tried to convince her to wait until tomorrow but she politely let him know they had enough day light left to go get the bike and for her to get home to ride it. Yep, you got it, off to Wal-mart we went and we were back with plenty of daylight for her to ride her new bike. Of course i took these pictures the next day.

Of course Toby man had to have his papa time in as well. He is a papa boy big time! For me he screams and throws big time fits, but for papa he does great with no problems! Yes, you got it, makes grandma furious … little fart!

Of course, he couldn’t pick the cereal off he plate, papa had to pick it up and hand each one to him. Then we needed some milk with our cereal. Of course as you can see Lexi was a bit jealous and had to get as close to papa as she could also. She doesn’t like sharing and is very jealous of esp the grandkids and the other dogs, esp our Lucy dog who is a daddy girl big time as well.

Hailey was eating her basic junk food she loves to eat when grandma is around and Tob man was chasing the dogs with his sister stroller. Hmmmm i remember Hailey doing the same thing to poor Bambi (her dog) when she was the same age … LOL We spent Saturday babysitting for the grandkids while mom and dad were both working. It was a blast but man exhausting.