Aug 30th - 45th Anniversary!

Well, we came back home today.  We slept in (at least Bill did - I wake up by 7 at the latest almost every morning) and then packed up, went up for breakfast, and took off by around 10:00.  We had to stop and drop off the invoice for the work Bill did and then it was on the road again.

We got back home by 4:00, got unpacked, and then just relaxed.  We went out for dinner at Del Rio.  On our way back home, we saw the missionaries in our neighborhood, so stopped and invited them to come by before they went home.  They came by a little later and had a bowl of ice cream and a nice chat.

Today was also our 45th wedding anniversary.  It is hard to believe that that many years have gone by!  It worked out nicely that we got a little trip to Savannah just in time to be an anniversary trip, too.  And since it cost us almost nothing, we stayed in a beautiful hotel as elite guests, meals and gas included, what more could we ask for? 

Aug 29th - Last full day of Savannah!

Bill had to work today so I had another quiet day, doing a little bit of everything, but accomplishing nothing!  I read, did things on the computer, went to the pool and hot tub for a while, watached HGTV, etc.  I never get bored and I totally enjoyed my day.

When Bill got back and cleaned up, we went down to River Street to eat.  We ate at the Cotton Exchange  - some seafood - and then walked along the street a little.  Of course, one stop had to be the Savannah Candy Store.  We sat on the bench overlooking the river for a while.  Then we drove around historic Savannah, looking at the parks and buildings.  It was a very relaxing evening.

When we got back to the Marriott, we checked out the lounge for snacks or desserts and Bill brought back some fruit and cheese to eat later.  The company that is paying for our stay is an elite member of Marriott, so we have had some nice perks, like the lounge (the only people who can even get to that floor have to use their key in the elevator) and free internet and parking. 

So, in the morning, we have to get ready to head back to Atlanta.  We have certainly had a great few days in Savannah.  Well, I have had a better time than Bill, since he had to work two days, but we have both enjoyed it!

Aug 28th - A Little Sightseeing

Bill didn't have to work today.  He is doing repairs on shower units at a half way house and can only do half the showers at a time - otherwise the residents would not be happy!  Since the repairs have to set up for a day, it meant that Tuesday was an off day for him.  He will do the other half tomorrow and then we will have to come home on Thursday.

Since he didn't have any commitments, we took our time getting up then got ready to go out.  We stopped for our complimentary breakfast and then took off.  He had never been out to Tybee Island, so that is what he wanted to do.  It is a 20 minute or so drive out to the island.  We drove around a little, then parked by the pier and walked out to enjoy the ocean view.  The pier has a huge gazebo that was built for the 96 Olympics and the area is well maintained.  It was sunny, but very windy.  The rain came and went all day, so we lucked out having sun while we were out on the beach.  The beach here is nice, but not like St. Augustine.  The sand is not the nice white stuff we are used to.  We were surprised that the beach was as busy as it was with the rain threat. 

We then drove around to the other end of the island to see the lighthouse.  It is not open on Tuesdays, so we just drove by.  Then we headed back toward the mainland.  We had decided on the way out that we would stop at Fort Pulaski and we were really glad we did.  It is a civil war fort that only saw one battle - which the Union won.  It was really very interesting and we had a couple of great guides that made it better.

On the way back to Savannah, we stopped and got a light lunch.  By then it was 1:30 and we wanted to go out to dinner, but we needed a little something to tide us over!  Once back to the Marriott, we rested, read, watched TV, napped - all that hard stuff! 

For dinner, we went to Corleone's, an Italian place downtown.  It was good.  Then it was back to the hotel to settle in for the night.  We had a great day. 

Aug 27th - 1st Day of Relaxing

First full day in Savannah has been great!  I got up with Bill and we went up for the complimentary breakfast.  Then he went to work and I worked at relaxing! 

I spent some time on the computer, then climbed back in bed with my book to read for a while.  I even dozed off for a little bit.  Now that is relaxing!  Around 11, I put on the swimsuit and headed down to the pool.  Since the hurricane is causing rain in the area, I went to the indoor pool and hot tub.  I enjoyed myself there, reading and swimming, for a couple of hours.

Then back to the room, showered, and watched HGTV while I read some more and more computer time.  Such a stressful day!  Because I had some snacks, I never did do a real lunch.  Bill got home around 6 and after cleaning up, we went out to dinner.  The concierge recommended Pearl's Seafood Grill, so we tried it.  It was really good and is located on the marshes with a beautiful view.

So that was the first day!  Bill doesn't work tomorrow, as what was done Monday needs to set up before he can start working on the other half of the showers.  Can't leave the people with no showers at all!

Aug 26th - Savanna, Here We Come!

I spent the morning packing and getting ready to go to Savannah with Bill.  He has a job down there that will take 3 or 4 days and the client is paying for his travel, motel and food.  I decided to come along, since we will just have to pay for my food and whatever incidentals come up.  I love Savannah, but I could just sit by a pool and read and be in heaven!

Sacrament meeting was good today.  I had to lead the hymns again.  Sure wish they would call someone - not me! - to do that calling.  The speakers all spoke on the topic of learning and education and all three had different things to say that were really good. 

I came on home after that one meeting and Bill came as soon as he could get away.  We wanted to be on the road by 4:00 since it is 5+ hour drive to Savannah.   We were both pleasantly surprised that we actually drove out of the driveway at 4:05!  The drive down was good - no problems.  We stopped at Cracker Barrell in Macon for dinner.  Then got in about 9:15 or so.  I checked out a good murder mystery from the library, so that really made the trip go quickly.

We are staying at the Marriott Riverfront.  It is a very nice hotel and we are in a beautiful suite.  If we had chosen where we were going to stay, we would have gone cheaper, but no one is going to complain!  They have two pools - one inside and one outside, plus a hot tub.  Since the forecast is for rain, because of the tropical storm, it will give me options!  We are right on the river, although our room isn't on that side of the building.  River Street shops start up a couple of blocks from here, so I can walk up there if I decide I want to do something.  I am not planning on doing the sightseeing stuff this time - just relaxing! 

Of course, Bill will be working all day - poor guy!

Aug 25th - Not a Totally Normal Saturday!

Saturday started pretty normal - I had 6 loads of laundry, sheets to change, etc.  Bill was home, so he got to sleep in before going on an estimate around 11:00.

The day changed when Lisa called and we decided they would come over after Brooks' nap and spend some time, including having dinner.  That changed my day a little.  First, I planned some food - just grilling hamburgers, hot dogs, and some veggies, along with some frozen french fries, cantelope, and few other odds and ends.  I only needed a couple of things from the store, so Bill picked that up on his way home from his estimate.

I had finally finished all that laundry when Lisa called to say they were on their way.  Brooks naps around noon, so it was around 3:30 or so when they got here.  The kids were wound up and ready to play and they had a ball, making a little bigger mess around the place than usual!  Eventually, we cooked up dinner. 

Later, Bill, Brooks and Lisa took a walk while the rest of us hung around the house.  Ashby was into reading books on the Ipad at that point and didn't want to go.  She then decided she wanted to take the old Barbie dolls and go outside to play in the little pool.  By then, though, it was time for them to go.  She was very disappointed.

It was a fun day - a little wilder than our usual Sunday get togethers, but we loved every minute of it!

Aug 24th - Started Early Today

I had to get up and out early this morning.  The doctor had scheduled me for a sonogram of the lower aorta - I think that is what he called it - since medicare pays for it.  I think he figured we might as well check everything out.  I had to be at the imagining center by 7:30, so that meant leaving by 7:00.  I am usually up by then, but not usually leaving the house at that time.  The procedure was easy and I was back home by 8:40.  The doctor will get the report sometime next week.  I am not really worried about it, though, since there haven't been any problems.  I guess when you get to be 65, they just start checking things more. 

Bill and I then went out to Mimi's for breakfast.  We had a coupon for a free entree for breakfast, so I thought it was the perfect day to use it.  He had never been to Mimi's, but Lisa and I, and other of my friends, go on occasion.  He was afraid it would be a "girlie" place, which it is in a way, but there are plenty of men, too.  Besides the food is really good.  That was fun and he really like the food, especially the muffins!

When we got back home, I finally did all my daily routine things while he went out on some errands - to the bank, get a haircut, etc. 

Then we were off again around 4:00 to help out at the cannery.  The large group order this month was oats and we needed to can them.  We got there 10 minutes late and the other 5 people had the project nearly complete!  We helped get the cans in the boxes and with clean up.  Then we loaded up the order for my ward and were out of there in 40 minutes!  It took us longer to drive home than it did to do the project!

This has been a day on the go!  I enjoyed the quiet evening.  I finished the book I was reading, The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones.  I wasn't really thrilled with the book, though, as it just wasn't what I like - you know, ghosts and weird humor.  It was well written and all, but not my cup of tea!

So another day done!

Aug 23rd - Exercise, then Lunch??

I started the day with water aerobics again and had a really good workout.  Each week they pump it up, so we are starting to get some pretty good stuff.  I really enjoyed it. 

Then, after a short break at home, I met one of the sisters I visit teach for lunch.  She is a young single who has a full time job and we have had trouble connecting the last couple of months, so lunch seemed like a good solution.  We met at Panera Bread.  I had a great salad - with chicken, avocados, bacon, eggs, etc.  I have just been wondering, though, about working out so hard and then heading out to eat - is there a problem there somewhere?  Whatever, I enjoyed lunch, too, and Kristi and I had a great visit.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the usual list of things - working on some RS stuff, family history, etc.  I seemed to hit a wall in late afternoon and actually gave in and took a little nap!

It was a good day.

Aug 22nd - Day on the Go!

We had RS presidency meeting this morning, so that pretty much filled the first half of my day.  We are really trying to find a new direction and finding ways to address needs and to make every sister feel included.  We had lots of ideas - sure hope we can make some of it happen.  We have a great group of sisters, but everyone is so busy that sometimes concern for each other takes a lower place on the priority list.  Hopefully, we can find ways to strengthen them so that RS provides the strength and comfort that it is meant to provide.

After the meeting, I came home for lunch and did a few things.  Then I had to go out and do some grocery shopping.  I haven't done much lately and discovered that we had run out of vegetables and butter.  There were other things we needed, too, so now my pantry and fridge all all full again.  I really don't like shopping - for anything, including food.  But, I am proud of myself for finally getting it done!

The rest of the day was catch up with all the other things that needed to be done around here.  So I was on the run most of the day!

Aug 21 - Water Aerobics Again!

I am enjoying the water aerobics class - twice a week for three weeks.  This is the second week.  I love the water, so it doesn't really seem like exercise.  And I am working very hard to do everything just like I am supposed to!  It is also fun going with Bonnie.

The rest of the day was more of that "normal" I always talk about.  Not much worth retelling, but I was busy the whole day!  I am beginning to think I need to make notes when I am doing things, so I will remember the details!  Then again, I am not sure I really care. 

It was still a good day and Bill didn't have much work, so he was around, too.  Makes it all good!

Aug 20 - Visiting a New Baby & Her Mama

The RS president and I went to visit one of our new mothers today and I had a great time!  The baby is about 3 months old, but the summer has been such a mess between the president's surgery and all the vacations that we are behind of new baby visits.  I got to hold her and she fell asleep on my shoulder.  What a rough way to spend the morning!  The mother is one of my teachers and I really love her, so it was a great visit all the way around.

At home, I did the usual Monday routine getting the house back in order and doing a little cleaning.  I also had some good computer time, doing several things that needed done, including some family history.  I managed to eliminate one pile of "stuff" from my desk, so that was particularly satisfying!

PS - Don't know why this didn't post.  I just happened to come back in to look at something else and noticed it was still just sitting there.  Oh, well.

Aug 19th - Sabbath Day

I love Sundays - have I said that before?  I spent the morning doing some last minute RS things since it is my month to conduct.  I also worked on family history a little.  I got dinner together so it would be easy to finish when I got home.  Then it was time to get ready for church.

It was high council Sunday, so the speakers were from the stake.  They were both good talks, but I must admit that the high councilor was a bit of the stereotypical "dry" councilor.  He said good things, and they were interesting, but his delivery was so slow........  The rest of the meetings were good.  The lesson in Gospel Principles was on honesty.  The RS lesson was from the George Albert Smith manual on the Sabbath day.  Ari did a great job.

When I got home, I found David and Ashby sleeping on the floor and Brooks sleeping in the crib.  Lisa was checking her email on the computer.  We got dinner finished.  At about that moment, Brooks woke up.  He had not slept long enough and was very cranky.  He usually wakes up happy and chatty, but not today!  Then when we woke Ashby up, she was cranky, too.  So, we had a rather chaotic dinner!  Just as we were all finally ready to start eating, Billy called.  He had a birthday on Friday, but we hadn't been able to catch him - didn't answer his phone, hadn't answered an email.  So, I talked to him for a few minutes.  It turned out that dinner was almost in shifts.  Brooks finally got calmed down and ate a lot and was happy as a lark after that.  When Bill finally got home, he and David ate everything that was left.  Weird dinner, but everyone loved it!

The kids were wound up after all that and had fun playing.  We were outside for quite a while.  I bought a bubble machine and it was only the second time they had tried it and they had more fun.  Brooks especially was thrilled with chasing the bubble all over.  It was cute.  They also ran all over the backyard, playing with the big balls and getting their daddy to swing them around. 

After all that play, they took quick baths and then it was time to go home.  As usual, we love Sundays when they come over.  It is certainly not boring!!!!!

Aug 18th - Night of Babysitting

This was a fairly normal Saturday.  Bill had to work in the morning and managed to cut grass in the afternoon.  I was at home except for a quick bargain shopping run to CVS. 

The best part of the day was that we went over to babysit with the kids so Lisa and David could go out to a community theater production of Once Upon a Mattress.  Lisa had played the part of Lady Larkin when her high school did the play years ago and she was excited to see it.  They went to dinner first, so had a nice night out.  She said the production was really well done, especially for a community theater play.

We had a fun time with Ashby and Brooks.  Bill ran out for pizza for dinner, which they both loved.  He and Brooks also took a walk while Ashby and I played on the Ipad.  We laughed so hard.  Brooks finally went to bed around 8:30, but Ashby wasn't tired.  She had taken a late nap and was a long ways from being ready to settle down.  We tried, but she just wasn't sleepy.  She is usually not allowed to nap for that very reason, but she had secretly slipped into her mommy's bed and fallen asleep and then wouldn't wake up, so....  When Lisa and David got home around 10:45, she was in bed trying to sleep, but had not yet accomplished it.  Needless to say, she got back up when she heard mommy and daddy!

So our Saturday started just plain normal - but ended with tons of fun!

Aug 17th - Mammogram Done

I had pretty much a stay-at-home day again today.  I got some things done around the house, plus a number of other things checked off the to-do list.  I also had some time to work on family history.  I had one long phone call with a sister in the ward who is having some problems. 

Best news of the day was getting a call from the colonoscopy doctor's office saying that I really didn't need to have that done for another four years.  My personal care physician was sending me because it had been six years, but after he reviewed the previous report, the specialist said, "See you in 2016."  Now that is good news!

In between, I had to run out to get my mammogram done - one of those things that isn't really so bad, but such a nuisance to do.  I got slightly scolded, as it had been three years since it was last done.  I thought it was two.  Just goes to show how carefully I watch these things!

Bill got back from Alabama with no problems.  He was tired, though, and brought a load of dirty laundry.  Guess what will be a priority tomorrow?  It is always nice to have him at home, even if we don't really do anything special. 

Another good - but not very exciting - day!

Aug 16th - Another Pool Day

I got up and headed out to my water aerobics class first thing - well, it started at 9 and I was up at 7, but I didn't do much before I left, just checked email and had breakfast, mostly.  The class was fun.  There are different instructors on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so it is a different workout.  Both are really good and I enjoyed it.  This is only a 3 week class.  The next regular session starts in September and runs for 10 weeks, but I will be gone 2 or 3 of those weeks, so I am trying to decide whether to waste the money and sign up anyway for the time I will be here.  Still thinking - can't decide.

I spent the rest of the day around the house doing various odds and ends.  I also got in a good bit of family history time.  Bill had a job in Alabama and didn't know whether he would have to stay over or not - he did.  He called last afternoon to say he had just barely finished the first of the two jobs, so I had a quiet evening at home alone.  I watched a couple of episodes of Rosemary and Thyme on Netflix.  It is another British series about two women gardeners, who also solve murders.  Kind of like Murder She Wrote, except they are gardeners rather than authors.  The shows are so-so, some humor, rather predictable at times, but the gardens are gorgeous!

So, I started the day with a splash and ended with a ripple!!

Aug 15th - Fun Day!

This morning the RS president and I went to visit one of the new sisters in our ward.  It was a fun visit as we got to know her a little.  I think she is going to fit in nicely and will bring a lot to us, as well.

I hadn't been back home all that long when Lisa called and said she wanted to go to Kidsignment - a big kids consignment sale at the fair grounds - and wondered if she could drop the kids off for a while.  We all know what the answer to that was!  When they got here, Lisa fixed the kids a quick lunch and then took off to do some shopping.

After their lunch, Brooks was ready to nap and went down so easily.  He ended up sleeping three hours, so I guess he really was tired.  Meanwhile, Ashby played for a little while and then wanted me to play with her.  She had all the Barbie dolls out and had quite a story going.  When she got tired of that, we went back to put the sheets back on my bed.  They had been washed and dried, but I hadn't gotten them back on the bed before the kids showed up.  She then played on the bed for just a bit before we were surprised with Grandpa getting home.  Needless to say, she immediately wanted him to play with her.

After a bit of jumping on the bed, I think, and trying to make a fort with the bed pillows, I looked and Bill was heading into the attic.  Ashby came and told me that they were going to put the "real" tent up, but she wasn't allowed to go in the attic.  Sure enough, next thing I know there is a tent set up in the sunroom.  Ashby had fun playing in that for a while, especially zipping and unzipping the windows and door.  She was still in there when Lisa got back.

She had a good shopping spree.  She got 20 or more items, including some coats and jackets, and only spent $70.  She was very excited.  It was the second day of the sale and it wasn't too busy.  The first day had been a mad house!  At least now the kids have some fall every day clothing. 

When they left, I had to make a Walmart run to pick up some water shoes and a noodle for my water aerobics class tomorrow.  I also picked up a few groceries while I was there.  The shoes were just thrown in a big bin and I had to dig and dig trying to find my size - but I was successful and they were only $1.00!

This was a busy day - and a ton of fun with those kids here.  Ah, I love being a grandmother!!

Aug 14th - Something New!

Today was the first day of my new water aerobics class.  I went with a friend and it was really a lot of fun - and a good workout.  I love the water, so exercising in that environment is way easier to me, especially since I really hate to exercise.  This is just a three week class, twice a week.  I thought I would be sore by the end of the day, but so far, so good!

When I got home and dressed, I checked my email and discovered that Lisa and the kids were at the mall.  She had pictures done of the kids and then they were going to play and have lunch.  I hopped in the car and headed over, hoping to catch them.  They were still in the play area, so we had no trouble linking up.  Ashby was coloring and Brooks was going down the slide.  They both looked so cute in their new clothes for the pics.  Lisa had the thumbnail printouts and it looks like they got some really cute ones.  I can't wait to see them online once they are ready.

We went to the food court for lunch and then made a stop at the Disney Store, Ashby's favorite place!  Lisa was exchanging a gift that Brooks had gotten.  I don't buy things for the kids every time we go, but I did let Ashby buy the Rapunzel soft doll.  She loves those dolls and Rapunzel is her favorite at the moment.

The rest of the day I tried to get a few things done around the house and then took a little nap.  It was a busy day!

Aug 13th - More Visiting Teaching

We spent another three hours today trying to finish up the reworking of the visiting teaching routes.  Everything looks pretty good right now - sure hope it meets everyone's needs.  We discussed some plans for getting everyone excited about the changes and getting them to have the desire to accomplish it.  We will see what happens.

The rest of my day was usual stuff.  What can I say? 

Aug 12th - Welcome Home, Chris!

My great-nephew Chris returned home from his mission to Argentina Rosaria on Friday.  He spoke in his ward, Peachtree Corners, on Sunday and we went to hear him.  It was our first chance to see him, too.  It was so good to see how much he has matured in the last two years.  He is looking really good.  His talk was good - filled with his special sense of humor and also a powerful testimony of the Savior.  It was a wonderful Sabbath morning.

There was also an openhouse in the evening for him.  We, of course, attended that.  It gave us a chance to see him again and chat a bit, as well as to see other family and friends.  It is always fun to attend anything in the Roswell Stake area since we lived there so long and still know a lot of people.

Chris leaves on Thursday for Utah where he will be attending the University of Utah.  Sure glad we got to see him today - may not get another chance until holiday season!

Aug 11th - The Receiption

The wedding reception was a nice way to end an otherwise plain old Saturday.  We enjoyed chatting and socializing in such a beautiful setting.  The bride and groom were beautiful and handsome, respectively.  The food was good - Will did the barbecue pork.  It was an interesting reception, with a farm theme - definitely unusual, but lots of fun.  The groomsmen wore turquoise shirts and turquoise tennis shoes, with brown pants.  The bridesmaids wore turquoise dresses with brown shrugs (what are they calling them these days?) and cowboy boots.  The groom was in a white tux with turquoise vest and shoes.  The bride was in a lovely short white dress - with cowboy boots.  I loved it all.  The evening ended with all the wedding party, including bride and groom (who fortunately changed clothes) all jumping in the pool.  It will be a reception to be remembered!

Aug 10th - Weddings Are Always Nice!

Highlight of our day was going to the temple to see the wedding of a young couple.  We have watched this beautiful young lady grow up and it is wonderful to see her now make the decision to marry a good young man in the temple.  Being invited to attend the sealing was an added bonus.  It was beautiful and very special.  We are looking forward to their reception on Saturday.

I also had a chance to visit teach one of my sisters.  I always enjoy visiting her and today I got to meet the two new people that have moved in with her and the family.  One is her aunt, who is moving down from Virginia.  They are looking for a place for her to live nearby.  The other is a friend who has gone through some difficult times and will be staying for an extended period of time.  She also has a teen-age daughter, so things will certainly be lively around that house for a while!

The rest of my day was pretty much a rerun of every other day.  But then, isn't that what life is?  A boring train with with occasional bursts of pure excitement?  

Aug 9th - Stressful! Ang Grateful!

Our visiting teaching routes have been needing to be changed and updated for a while.  We have had a lot of move-ins and move-outs, plus changes in circumstances for many of the sisters.  Some of the existing routes have been doing well, but many just don't work.  All of that has meant that we knew a complete overhaul was due.  We have tried to be organized about the whole thing, having socials and interviews to make sure we had the best information from and about each sister, so we could try to meet everyone's needs.

So, today we started with the revising.  What a chore!  Melanie had things well organized, using magnetic boards and different colored name slips, etc.  Even so, it is a daunting task to try to match companionships that we feel will complement each other and then to assign sisters to each.  It is like a giant jigsaw puzzle that just won't come together.  There are always pieces that just don't fit anywhere!

The five of us (the presidency and the VT supervisor) worked for 3 1/2 hours and are still not finished.  We got all the routes set and maybe a third or so of the sisters assigned.  Whew!  We will meet again Monday to try to finish it up. 

The most stressful thing is that we know that when we hand out the new lists there will be complaints!  We have spent hours trying to understand the needs and desires of each sister, to put companions together who will enjoy each other and work well together, and then to assign sisters who will be most blessed by those particular visiting teachers. 

It is too bad that all the sisters do not have the opportunity to try to make something like this fit together perfectly.  Perhaps they would be more sensitive to the difficulties, but more importantly, perhaps they would understand the love that has already gone into the process.  We feel strong promptings in many cases and have no doubt that the Lord wants it to be done a certain way.  In other cases, we just have to do our best since we don't get those strong promptings.

I am grateful for a program like visiting teaching that is a means to provide love and support to every one of Heavenly Father's daughters here on earth.  Now how do we help everyone to catch that same vision? 

Aug 8th - Provino's for Dinner!

David's dad is in town for a few days, so we all met up at Provino's for dinner.  It was mighty good!  It was also nice to see Keith and get caught up a little on what he is doing.  The kids were so good.  Brooks spent his time playing with the Ipad.  It sure is a good thing that the screen is washable, because it had quite a layer of spaghetti sauce!

The rest of the day was pretty normal.  I worked on some RS things, as well as family history.  And, of course, the usual stuff around the house. 

Any day is a good day when it ends with Provino's - but it is even better when we get to see the kids and get caught up on all the hugs and kisses!

Aug 7th - Returning to Normal?

Well, with school starting yesterday and all the vacations over for now, I guess it means it is time to get back into a more normal routine.  Don't you love that?  Like I have much of a change from summer to the rest of the year! 

One thing did return to normal, though.  We had our first RS presidency meeting since the end of June.  With everyone's vacations, we didn't have any time in July when we were all here, so we just handled what had to be done by email.  We were due for a real meeting.  We got a lot accomplished and it was good to be back together and trying to refocus.

Other than that, it was my "normal" day!  Bill was home so he worked in the yard quite a while.  Besides my usual stuff, I spent quite a lot of time on family history.  I am still trying to make sure that I have everything as up to date as possible for my trip to Iowa.

I do have a pretty boring "normal," but quite honestly, I love it!

Aug 6th - Monday is Just Monday

What can I say about Monday?  It is the usual beginning of the week - don't want to get up, clean up the toys still hiding from the kids Sunday play, strip the bed and wash the sheets, etc., etc., etc. (as the kind and I like to say.)

I also worked a lot on family history, trying to get everything current for when I go up to Iowa the end of September.

Bill suggested we go out for dinner this evening, which I thought was a great idea, so we went to O'Charleys.  It was fun and very good.

And that is about it!  Just a Monday, almost like every other Monday!  I still haven't figured out how I can be so busy all day and not have anything to show for it! 

Aug 5th - Busy Sunday - the Best!

I started the day feeling kind of lousy - headache, stuffy nose, etc.  I even considered going back to sleep mid-morning.  But I didn't.  Instead I was busy getting ready for church, getting Sunday dinner together, etc.  By the time I headed out to church, I was feeling better.

I always enjoy Sunday meetings and really don't like to miss them, so I was glad I didn't take an early nap.  It was Fast Sunday so the meeting was testimony bearing.  As usual, there were some very nice and spiritual testimonies.  I especially enjoyed a couple of the youth who shared some really powerful testimonies about the Book of Mormon, which they were challenged to read over the summer.  Sunday School and Relief Society lessons were also really good.  It was a spiritually filled day.

When I got home, Lisa and the kids were here.  I actually thought no one was here when I drove up, because their car was not parked in the driveway.  It turns out that David had gone back home to show his old truck to someone.  When he came back, he had sold it.  We put the finishing touches on dinner.  It was a crockpot meal with pork, pea pods, mushrooms, carrots, etc.  I had to bake the loaf of bread, steam the rice, and cook some frozen spinach.  It was a really good dinner!

After eating, the kids were busy playing and we sat around talking and half watching the olympics when it was on.  I think there was also a Mickey Mouse video in there somewhere.  The cutest thing is Ashby's fascination with the gymnists and the divers.  She had her Babrbie doll doing some of the most interesting flips and dives anyone has ever seen!

As always, I love my Sundays!

Aug 4th - Just a Little Buzz Today!

This has been a mostly quiet day - besides the usual straightening, dusting, loads of laundry, etc.  I even took a nap this afternoon - still fighting off a sinus infection or something.

Our one little buzz was when Lisa came by.  She and Bill were taking the van to pick up the train table and she left the kids here.  So I had a couple of hours of delightful "buzz" time.  We had lunch and lots of play time.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, too.

Here is the train table, all set up with the train set, or at least as much of the train set that will fit!

Aug 3 - A Hive of Activity Around Here!

The day started off on a rather quiet note.  I was doing my usual computer, etc., stuff.  I even managed to get three loads of laundry done.  Then Lisa called and wanted to know if they could spend the afternoon.  Guess what Grandma said? 

Before they got here, Bill got back home, so he got to be part of the wild activities that filled the rest of the day.  It started with mac & cheese for lunch.  Then they started playing.  When Grandpa is around they want to play chase or hide and seek or run outside, so it is anything but quiet!

Then it was time for Brooks to take a nap, so Ashby had to settle down a little.  We finally let her watch some videos which kept her pretty quiet.  She even cuddled in Grandma's lap - how nice is that?  Lisa even curled up on the couch and took a nap. 

The respite lasted a couple of hours and then the wildness started again!  David was working late, so they weren't in a hurry to get home to make dinner.  Lisa found a train table for only $30 on Craigslist and was trying to make arrangements to pick it up.  Grandpa said he could take the van and help her get it, so they waited for the seller to send an address.

Meanwhile, we fixed dinner - tuna casserole, sauteed zucchini, broccoli with cheese, applesauce, and some kielbasa.   (Grandma was skipping the casserole this time, so had kielbasa instead.  Trying to cut a few carbs.)  Ashby was so excited to help with the cooking and did everything to make the casserole except the things involving the stove or opening cans.  She then played in the sink - "cleaning the sink" - for the rest of the time.  My sink hasn't been so clean in ages!

After everything was cleaned up, and they still hadn't heard from the seller, Lisa sent another email saying she would pick it up tomorrow.  It was time to get the kids home and ready for bed.  By then it was 7:30, so they were here a good part of the day.  It was a lot of fun, but definitely not quiet!

Aug 2 - Happy Birthday, Paula!

I just realized that today was my best friend ever's birthday and I didn't even do anything!  Now I owe her big-time.

I had my quiet day today.  I seem to be fighting off a cold, so I don't have much energy, have a sinus headache, and am sneezing and blowing my nose constantly.  So, it was a good day to be quiet!  Even so, I never did get a chance to take a nap - kept busy with one thing or another all day.  My only escape was a trip to the grocery store to pick up some items, get my prescriptions and deposit a check. 

Sounds like a totally lazy day, even though I checked off several things on my extended to-do list!

Aug 1 - Surprise visit from the kids!

I was having a quiet day at home - mostly working on the computer, all the usual stuff - when Lisa called and said they would like to come over.  My response?  There is nothing I am doing that cannot be put off!

So, I had some great visitors for the afternoon.  They had picked up lunch on their way and ate while they ran around playing.  What fun!  Lisa watched some of the Olympics - we have been recording it in case anyone wants to watch later. 

Brooks had just had his nap, so he was full of energy.  I bought an art table and chairs for the kids not long ago and he had more fun sitting there and coloring.  He is doing remarkably well for only being 20 months old.  He also seems to be favoring his left hand.  We will see, but we could have another Jason here.  He also played with the cars and the floor mat, the puzzle, and the Elmo books. 

Ashby spent some time alone in the play room, played the piano a while, and then played with her two Disney dolls that she brought from home.  She was reenacting a scene from the Beauty and the Beast play that she watches all the time on U-Tube.  When she went home, she took one of the Barbie dolls, because she wanted to play with the hair.

It was a great afternoon and I enjoyed just sitting and watching and being totally entertained!

July 31st - End of the Month, End of Summer

I remember when the summer ended near the end of August when we went back to school.  So now the kids are going back to school next week - so does that mean summer is over already?  It is way too soon for me, but then I don't have any school-age children, so I think I will continue my summer, thank you very much!

Today was also voting day for the Georgia primaries.  I went out and did my duty.  People don't always seem to realize that this particular election is one of the most important.  It is really the best place to make your own voice heard.  So I made sure my voice was heard! 

Other than that, it was a stay at home day.  Bill was out of town on a job, so it was really quiet.  I slept in - until almost 7:30!  I managed to get a couple of loads of laundry done and cleaned up the kitchen a little.  Other than that, I was at the computer most of the day.  Part of the time I was working on Family History.  Part of the time I was working on RS preparedness stuff.  I am not totally sure what else I accomplished, but I was sure busy all day!

I did get a call from the doctor and the blood results were back.  The sugar count was up a little more, so as a precaution, he is putting me on some meds and will check again in a couple of months.  I was glad I had already decided to try to lose a few pounds again and had actually just started.  We will see if it works - both for losing a few pounds and for reducing the sugar level.

Bill made it home about 10:00 - long two days!  But also profitable, so that is what is important.  He turns around again in the morning for another two day job down in Peachtree City.  He rarely is out overnight, so twice in one week is extremely unusual!  But one must go where the work is.

So this was another of those quiet, but busy, days - the kind I like the best.  Well, unless grandkids are involved!