S'MORES with the kids, grandkids and friends!

Since it's been cooler here lately (if you can say 85 is cooler), we decided to use the fire pit and have the kids over to do S'Mores. It's been a LONG time since we had them, and they were really good! Here are some pictures:

Waiting for the fire to be ready:


"Is it ready yet, Papa Truck?"


Almost there.....


The kids were ready to eat LONG before the fire was ready.


Sam doesn't like her picture taken - but I wanted to get one showing the thing monitoring her heart and stuff (disclaimer: these are not medical terms! lol )


I think Todd and I were the only non-smokers there


FINALLY the fire is ready!!!!






And the making of the S'Mores begins!


And the EATING begins!!!! lol




Not many of us only had one marshmallow


And after Todd's hard work on the fire, he relaxed for a bit

(It's a good thing he doesn't ever look at my blog! LOL)

A fun time was had by all, but we only used about 1/4 of what I purchased, so we still have lots of chocolate bars, marshmallows and graham crackers left, so we'll be doing it again soon.

Tabitha had a birthday this month.

She turned 25! That makes me feel OOOOLLLLLDDDDDD. (Although I do remember when she turned 10, I felt old then, and I was only 28!)

Her birthday was on Thursday, September 10, but we didn't celebrate until the following Sunday. We got together for Cake and Ice Cream, not much, but it's nice to have them all over. Makes me wish the other kids were closer so they could be there, too.

Anyway, here are the pictures:
Her cake - Red Velvet (because Sam can't have caffeine right now) with Cream Cheese Frosting:


Tab and her cake:


Tab and Alyssa:


Tab and Alyssa again - this one is better of Alyssa but I cut Tab's head off (sorry, hun)!:


Tab and Angel:


Sam, Jason and Tyler came over, too. Tyler decided he was an army guy for the evening:


I've been spending most of my time looking for work. We broke down and purchased a new computer on Sunday, that will be used strictly for work. I'm trying really hard to find some work-at-home stuff and they don't let you use wireless routers, so we have that set up to not go through the router. I'm also applying for other jobs that I find, just in case I can't find anything to work at home. Todd told me I need to be working by the 14th of October (he's giving me a month), so we'll see how I do. Please pray that something comes my way!!!!

Todd's Mom had a stroke and is in the hospital in Falls City. We thought about going up there again this weekend, but his Dad said to wait. He (Todd's Dad) has been going to St. Joseph MO for skin treatments this week - and will for a total of three weeks (minus Sat and Sun), so he hasn't been around to talk to the Dr. He's hoping maybe Saturday morning he'll be able to see him. He's hoping she will stay in the hospital two or three weeks to regain some strength. She's down to 105 lbs and he doesn't know if he will be able to take care of her himself or not. There is a slight possibility that she may need to go to a nursing home, but we're hoping that won't be necessary. Todd told me last night I should just move up there, go get his grandma and take care of all of them. I'm not sure I could do that, so I think he was joking.

Yesterday I spent the day making another purse - my aunt Eunice said she wanted one and when I took my trip last week, I took some fabric samples for her to choose what she wants it made out of. It took most of the day, but I finally finished it last night. Check out my sewing/crafting blog for pictures of it. Here's the link. If anyone would like a bag, please let me know! I can be contacted at jylslife@gmail.com or via my etsy shop.

Today I need to do some more job searching, and get Euince's purse in the mail.

Some more pictures from my trip

I already posted pictures from when I was in Milford. Unfortunately, I wasn't in Falls City very long (less than 24 hours), so I didn't take any there. Next I was off to Pleasant Hill, IL to see Todd's grandma, Rena.

This is her house:

It was originally built by a doctor a LONG time ago (I believe 1939) and it was used as a hospital at one time. There is a museum right across the street from her house and they had a picture of the doctor who built the house and the correct year it was built, so I'm pretty sure that is accurate. Pleasant Hill was founded in 1936, right next to where this house is.

She told me I could take some pictures of the pictures she had hanging up, so I did that. I wish I would have had a scanner to scan them in, but the pictures were the best I could do.

This is Homer and Rena, not sure when, but a while ago. (Homer passed away right before I met Todd in 1998.)


And a picture of Rena when she was much younger (she turned 97 this year).


A picture of Rena and Todd's dad, Larry:


Larry (Sr. Picture, maybe?):


Larry and Nel (Todd's parents):


Todd as a baby (I see a resemblance to McKenna!) :



I'm not sure how old Todd was here:


Todd's Senior picture:


We took a trip to Pittsfield to the nursing home where she lives, and she wanted me to see the WWII memorial (Todd's grandfather was over there in the war):

I also stopped by my brother's house in St Louis for the night on Sept. 8 (Tues). We went to a casino for a little - I put $10 in a slot machine and on the first pull I won $22! I SHOULD have cashed out then, but of course I didn't and played until I spent about $20. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed visiting with him again! It had been too long!

I took two days to drive home, stopping in Tulsa for the night, then got home yesterday, Sept 10 (Tab's 25th birthday). I'm trying to get things caught up at the house, but have an order for another purse (my aunt), another purchase on my etsy shop, so mailed that and Madge's belt loop bag out today.

Not having internet access drives me CRAZY!!!

I had a really good time with Todd's grandma and left Pleasant Hill, IL this morning. After a long drive (longer than it should have been), I got to Brian's about 1:3o or so this afternoon. We went to the casino for a little, then decided to get something to grill out instead of going out for supper. I feel like I've been eating junk food for the last week, so it was nice to have some home-cooked food for once.

Tomorrow morning I'll leave to head back to Texas. I can't believe this trip is over! I am going to break the drive up into two days, so plan on staying in Tulsa tomorrow night. I'm hoping the motel I stay at will have free wi-fi so I can post again and add some pictures. I've taken a lot over the last few days.

Thursday Tab turns 25! I can't believe it! It will be nice to be home to see the grandkids! (and kids SAM!!!) I miss them all!

Later!

Nebraska- the Good Life

Since I'm "in between" jobs, I decided to take a week or two to visit family. My first stop is Nebraska, staying with my parents in Milford for a few days, visiting Seward and working for Mom at the Et Cetera shop in Seward today. (Right now I'm enjoying a large coffee at "Panama" (coffee shop) w/ free wi-fi. FUN!)

Yesterday Mom, Dad, Jerolyn and I met Barry for lunch at Runza, then went to Sunken Gardens in Lincoln and also visited the roses across the street. BEAUTIFUL!!! I really enjoyed both places and took lots of pictures.














Jerolyn and I


Mom and Dad


We asked another visitor to take our picture


And at the Rose Garden I took A TON of pictures- they were all so pretty!







Hibyscus:








Next up on my trip, Barry and his new wife are coming for supper tomorrow, then I'll leave Saturday morning to head for Falls City, to see my In-Laws. After that I'm going to Pittsfield IL to visit Todd's grandmother who is 97 and it a nursing home. She wants the last purse that I made, so I'm going to deliver it in person. lol Then on my way back to Texas, I'm stopping in St. Louis to visit Brian for a little bit.

Tabitha, our oldest daughter, turns 25 on Thursday, September 10, so I'm going to try to get back to see her on her birthday, then it's time to get another job (or figure out what I'm going to do next...) :D