Summer Travels Part 2

The weather in PA and Ohio has been nothing short of fabulous. I have been enjoying myself soooooo much. There is nothing like a good dose of family to make you forget about whatever needs to be forgotten :) Beth and I had a very enjoyable trip to see mother. We helped her plant some flowers, walked the pony from Grandpa's barn to her barn, watched Freida ( her year old Doberman) run back and forth across the yard like a race horse, went to see our Auntie Lois and ate on the patio overlooking the bay, took Mother to eat at Olive Garden, ate sauerkraut and pork and homemade strawberry shortcake (YUMMMMMM), went to Frankie's garden stand and bought enough plants to fill her car to overflowing and watched two movies.

We've been back at her house since after lunch on Tuesday so she can babysit Thomas and Charlie while Matt and Amanda are on a mini vacation to NYC. She is the best grandma ever (of course!!!) and Thomas and Charlie are so much fun to babysit. So far we have been to the Old Time Pottery where I got a couple of pots to put some plants in and this morning I potted some Lavendar I bought and also a geranium with some verbena. They look good. I'm thinking about painting my thumb green to see if that will help me keep the plants alive. Last night we went to "Homerama" which is like an open house at some brand new homes that are furnished and everything. You can get lots of ideas for your house or your dream home. There were four houses -- the smallest was 5800 sq. feet. Ben and John and Allen went with us -- (none of their wives are in town.) We had a lot of fun. Even Charlie and Thomas enjoyed the trip. The boys folks will be back after lunch tomorrow and then it will be just Beth and I since Lundy is in Hungary til Wed. We are going to make a trip to the IKEA store on Monday. I passed it on the way up here. It is huge and Beth says it is full of all kinds of neat stuff. I'm planning on leaving here Wed. morning, spending that night in Nashville and going home on Thursday. I was going to leave earlier and spend a couple of days in Nashville but since Lundy is gone and I'll be coming back to Nashville for several days when Brian gets home, I'll be there for several days anyway, I selfishly decided to spend more time with my big sis.

Enjoy the pictures.



Here are Mother and Auntie Lois







I couldn't resist taking a picture of my old homestead bedroom. I still love that wall paper -- although I don't want it in my house -- it wouldn't have the same effect :)






Mother on our movie night -- even Frieda couldn't keep her awake during the movie :))






Happy Charlie is always smiling!








Thomas -- showing us his eybrow trick. He is keeping us all in stitches.







The fierce rotweiller guard dog Maddie staying behind the high barbwire fence --- it is disguised to look like cardboard.






Here are two sneakpeaks of Beth's new kitchen .



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Kidding :)