Definitely Time to Head South!

Well, today definitely confirms it - we need to get south, even though it is not real warm there.  Still much better than PA.  We woke to 2 degrees below zero with a wind chill of -25.  Crazy.  It isn't fit for humans to go outside!!!!!!

We have had a wonderful time with family and friends since arriving home from FL right before Thanksgiving.  We had a New Years Eve party at our house for our card club couples group (4 couples, but 1 was in FL).  This group has been getting together to eat dinner out and then play cards every month for about the last 25+ years.  What a special blessing!  We also had fun playing some of the stunts that were done on the game show, Minute to Win It!  We ushered in the New Year with champagne and enjoyed watching the ball drop in Times Square.

New Year's Day was a relaxing day of watching the Rose Parade, some football, and enjoying the fire in the fireplace.  A day with nothing to do was much appreciated.

This Friday we are keeping all 4 granddaughters overnight and then their mommies and daddies will join us Saturday afternoon to celebrate both of our daughters January birthdays.  Should be an exciting 2 days!!!!  

Our youngest granddaughter had her 1st day at Pre-School on Monday.  Only goes 1 day a week for 2 hours, but it will be good for both Katelyn and her mommy.

We are starting to get organized for our trip south.  The palm trees, milder temperatures, and our new Motorhome, Waldo, are calling our names.  Plan to be on the road early Sunday, Jan. 19th.

Ken was doing some "research" yesterday, and found that RV-Dreams with Linda and Howard are planning a boondocking rally in Fort Ogden, FL from Feb. 9th through the 16th.  Are any of you considering being a part of that gathering?  You can check it out on their website - RV-Dreams,com. Should be a fun, informative, and interesting time.  Let us know if any of you plan to attend.

Just wanted to share a few photos from before Christmas.  Some are from Bria and Cali's dance recital and then a few from taking each of our granddaughters to the Choo Choo Barn where they also got to talk to Santa.

Bria is becoming a wonderful ballerina.  She
enjoys it very much and even does testing to
move up to different levels of ability.

Cali is our tap dancer, but thinks she wants
to take ballet next year.

Sam played an angel in her pre-school
Christmas pageant.  She loved showing
off her wings.

We took all four girls to the Choo Choo Barn.  So cute,
especially the circus and the zoo.

Katelyn enjoyed talking to Santa.

Sam wasn't so sure!!!

Merry Christmas to All!!

Hope all of you are having a wonderful Christmas Celebration!  We have loved this holiday season!

Monday evening was our annual Christmas Eve service (our church had 6 services between Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday evening) and we chose to go with our daughters family and her in-laws to the 5:15 service.  Then we were invited to her in-laws for a light dinner that also included our daughter's close friends who are also their next door neighbors.  We had such a good time and feel very blessed that all of us enjoy being together and that Sue and Dan treat our daughter like she was their own.

Our immediate family (our 2 daughters and their families) have decided to celebrate Christmas every year on Christmas Eve day, starting with brunch and ending with a tradition Christmas dinner later in the day.  This year it was a 12 hour day, ending with Sue and Dan joining us around 7 as well as the neighboring friends - Matt, Nicole, and their son Ethan.  What a special day!

Today, Christmas, Ken and I left at 9:30 to visit Jamie's family to see what Bria and Cali got from Santa.  Then on to Lanie's house to spend time with her family and check out Sam and Katelyn's gifts from Santa.  Another very special day.  We are truly blessed!

All the toys and "stuff" regarding the movie
"Frozen" were a big hit this Christmas!

Katelyn really enjoyed opening presents this year!

The men, plus Bria, deep fried the Christmas turkey outside
and it snowed some of the time.  It was cold, but nothing
that a beer couldn't help!

Cali shared her new dolls from "Frozen"
with her sister, Bria.

Today was a very cold day reaching only about 30 degrees, so Florida is looking better and better.  We plan to be on our way south on Sunday, Jan. 19th, spending time at Lazydays to get familiar with our new Motorhome.  How exciting!

We hope all of you have a very happy holiday season and a special New Year filled with memorable moments and fantastic adventures.

Another Busy, but Good Week!

It really is a very short time from Thanksgiving to Christmas this year!  Seems like I am having trouble deciding what needs to be done 1st.  Also, I love to make gifts for people, but this year that isn't happening.  We did a craft show last Saturday and again today (only found out on Monday that someone cancelled and I was able to get a spot at Wilson Middle School).  It was a good show and we were very pleased with the outcome.  Actually signed up to do it again next year!

Wednesday we had a very special visit with my mother and father at Masonic Homes.  We played cards all afternoon and we had such a good time.  They were so happy to see us after we were away for 6 weeks and they hadn't played cards during that time.  They enjoy playing pinochle and are such good players.  It really is a fun time and we are blessed that we are able to do that with them. From there Ken and I went to the Dutch Apple Theater for dinner and a musical version of A Christmas Carol.  The food and the show were excellent.

Last evening we enjoyed having dinner with our Life Group from Church and did a gift exchange playing now you have it now you don't.  Rick and Joyce were great hosts and served us delicious lasagna , both regular and seafood.  What a wonderful group of friends.

I also spent most of Thursday at Kitchen Kettle in the Village of Intercourse, not far from our house.  The Curvettes, my fellow exercising gals went there for lunch and to check out the shoppes.  I am very blessed to be a part of this group too!

Right now I am in our Family Room enjoying the fire that Ken started in the fireplace, the 1st one for this winter season.  It is relaxing and WARM, much better than the cold temperatures outside.  Tomorrow they are predicting some snow.  Florida, take me away!!!!!!

A Hectic Week In PA

Well, we have been home for 1 full week and it has certainly been busy! 

Tuesday we went out for breakfast since there was no food in the house.  Then off to buy groceries.  Plenty of mail, things to put away, etc., so the afternoon went quickly.  We did visit our daughter Jamie and her 2 girls whom we hadn't seen for about 6 weeks.  We were all excited to see each other.

Wednesday was back to our routine with me going to Curves, then cleaning the house, and starting to put out the Christmas decorations.  Ken enjoyed breakfast with his friend, Gary, and then spent the day at his desk going through all the mail and making necessary phone calls.  Welcome back to the "real world".  We finished decorating for Christmas before calling it a day!

Thursday, Thanksgiving, was a delightful day.  We were at Jamie's house from 10:30 to 7:30 enjoying spending time with her family and her in-laws!  We had a delicious meal including a turducken ( I don't know how you spell it) from New Orleans that was filled with cornbread stuffing.  It was positively incredible.  Jamie is such a great cook and hostess and Bria and Cali are such good girls.  They played together so nicely!

The bowl contained foam leaves that
Bria and Cali had written on each day
of November with something they
were thankful for.  So cute!
 

All ready for the delicious meal!

Looks good enough to eat!

Friday morning after Curves, Ken and I did just alittle Black Friday shopping and ended up at Costco getting a few more groceries.  After lunch, Ken loaded the car for a craft show on Saturday while I prepared food and set-up for card club at our house Saturday night after the craft show.  In the evening we joined our camping friends at 10,000 Villages to enjoy a light dinner and some great music.

After a short night, we were up at 5:30 to go to the craft show.  I was excited that my sister, Cindy, had the space next to us and we were able to spend time together.  After a successful show, we were on our way home by 3:30.  Unloaded, took a short rest, and then out for a light dinner with the card club couples and an evening of card playing at our house.  Another very late night.

My sister, Cindy, and her magnetic broaches for
attaching scarves, name badges, or glasses!

Sunday was Church, a relaxing afternoon, and then a small group meeting in the evening.

Today, Monday, we drove to see our oldest daughter, Lanie, and our granddaughters, Sam and Katelyn.  So good to finally be with them.  After a nice visit, we were home for lunch with more work on the phone and computers - seems like there is so much to "catch up" on.

Not a fan of this cold weather here in PA.  Love being with family and friends, but the warmth and sun of Florida sounds good!

Just signed up for another craft show this Saturday!  No rest for the weary, but I guess that is how we like it!!!!

A Big Day of Travel! Now Back In PA!

Wow!  What a short night's sleep.  I got involved in the Sunday Night Football Game and stayed awake till there was 5 minutes left in Overtime!  After all that, I decided to turn off the light and go to sleep!  Only found out this evening that Payton and the Broncos lost.  I was sad!

Anyway, Ken and I were up by 5:10, got ready, put things back in the rental car, and enjoyed and very nice breakfast at the motel.  We were on our way home by 6:15.  Could not believe it - we had frost on the car and we were in the middle of SC!  What is that about???  It was 24 degrees when we left!  I kept telling Ken to head South - it is way..... too cold!

The drive went very well.  We made 2 stops for gas, 1 for lunch, Chick Fil A for their peppermint shake, and a couple "potty" breaks.  Every time we got out of the car, we were freezing!  We came home I95, but at Fredericksburg VA we got on 17, then 66, and ended up on I81.  A more scenic route with less traffic!

We were at our home in Akron by 5:30 after 11 hours on the road and 650 miles.  A long day!  Seemed odd to not be towing and not having to by Diesel fuel.  We actually got good gas mileage!  We quickly unloaded the rental car (I can't believe that Ken was able to get all of this stuff in there!) and then drove to the Lanc. Airport to return the car!  We did a lot of racing to get it there before they closed at 7:00.  They are forecasting sleet and freezing rain tomorrow morning around 7, so we really wanted to get it returned tonight!

We watched The Voice and tried to rest and relax.  The last 3 days have been very busy and rather tiring.  Looking forward to seeing family and friends.  Lanie and her family left for Michigan around 4 today to go to Bob's sister, Nancy, for Thanksgiving.  They had planned to leave tomorrow, but because of the snow forecast for western PA, they needed to leave sooner!  We will miss having them with us for the holiday!  Jamie and Dane are hosting Ken and I and Dane's parents on Thursday.  We are excited!

On Our Way Back Home!

Like I said, we left Lazydays around 10 this morning, Sunday, to begin our journey back to PA.  Very excited to spend time with our family and friends, but dreading the cold weather.  Our bodies have gotten used to and enjoy the warmer temperatures.  After all, it was 84 degrees when we were transferring things from Willie to Waldo yesterday!

The drive went well in our Ford Fusion, but it is so full we couldn't have taken home even a small bag of oranges - there is no room!!!!  It is packed full!!!!!  We had a treat for lunch - we stopped at a Sonny's just after getting into Georgia!  I was excited.  Not many stops, but there was a major accident on I95 where we only traveled about 5 miles in an hour.  Not good when you are trying to cover a lot of miles.  But, we did stop at a motel in Manning, SC, about 119 miles into that state, by 7:45.  So, we will have a lot of miles to travel if we hope to be in Akron to sleep tomorrow night!  We shall see!  I have a feeling we will have a short night, since Ken tends to wake up early in the morning and will be ready to go!!!!

It is only 36 degrees here in SC - what is wrong with that picture!  We were freezing!!!  I much prefer going out the door in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and feeling warm!  Florida, we shall return soon!!!

A Whole Day Spent at Lazydays!

Yesterday, Saturday, was a crazy, but exciting day.  We were up at 6:30, rather tired from our late Friday night, and were on our way to Lazydays by 8.  We took a photo when we were hooked up and ready to leave.  This would be our last journey of towing Diesel and Willie.  Both of us felt abit sad, but excited for our next adventure.

Actually, this photo was taken at Lazydays.  Waldo
is behind Diesel!

I can't begin to express how efficient, friendly, and capable all the folks were that we dealt with throughout our day at Lazydays.  They have all of their procedures down to a science.  We learned that they have 150 salespersons, plus lots of financial folks, insurance agents, customer service people, etc.  It is so easy to get lost walking around their grounds. 

Upon arrival at their "transfer" area, we followed a golf cart to an area where about 40 spaces are reserved for people transferring things from their old rig to their new one.  You have a space with both rigs hooked to electric and their doors face each other so it is easy to move all of your "stuff".  1st we had a 2 hour orientation both inside and outside of Waldo with a thorough explanation of all systems.  Then he drove us to the main office to meet with a gentleman to sign all the paperwork, then on to the insurance department, and lastly to the gal who explained all the "perks" we would receive from Lazydays.  By then a taxi was there to take us to the Tampa Airport to get a rental car.  Can you believe it was our 1st cab ride and our 1st car rental????  We only got back to Waldo at 3:45 and then the work of transferring began.  Ken did the basement of both and also moving things from Diesel to the rental car.  I did most of the inside "stuff".  It is hard to imagine how many things were in Willie!!!!  We stopped at 7 to get something to eat at Exit 10, the cute RV Cafe at Lazydays.  Back to Waldo and Willie to complete the job, and believe me it was a job!  We decided to call it quits at 11 and we fell into bed, exhausted!

They have this transfer area and it is incomprehensible
how many people are there at the same time!

This is Waldo!

Back up by 6:30 to complete the task.  Not much left to do, but just like when you move to a new home, there are so many little things to gather together at the end.  We did take time to enjoy our first meal in Waldo - cereal and fresh fruit, but it will be memorable!  On our way to PA by 10 AM.  Took our last look at Willie and Diesel and it was hard to leave Waldo.  We are so anxious for our 1st adventure in our new rig!  We feel very good about our purchase.  It should provide us with many years of great adventures!

Felt right to be eating in Waldo!

Ready to "take off", but we will just have to wait!
Hard to leave Waldo in FL!