Before I tell you about my exciting night on Tues.  I just have to say that it's 10:30 am and it's only 68 degrees outside!!!!  It's a preview for fall I believe!  yesterday was so hot out and today we get this beautiful break.  Only going to be in the 70's today with NO humidity. :)  makes me happy.

Anyway,  on Tuesday night the youth group had a bon-fire and I was asked to chaperone for a bit.  No problem.  I had to bring Rachel over anyway and it's only 5 min. from our house.  AJ was working and came late.  The group decided to play a big game of soccer so one of the girls, Paige, asked me to hold her ring while she played.  It was a cute silver ring with a small diamond.  Very dainty.  I put it on my pinkie finger and proceeded to roast a hotdog and a smore while the kids were playing.  I ate my food and sat by the fire enjoying the evening.  Every so often I would place a log on the fire.  At one point, I was talking to Abby, Paige's sister.  She had broken her leg and couldn't play soccer so we were talking by the fire.  I put another log on and felt the ring slip off my pinkie!  It was getting dark and I couldn't see well.  I'm using my phone to light up the area.  That didn't work too well.  We are searching all around and can't find it.  I run up to the garage to get a flashlight and I'm telling Abby that I'll just have to buy Paige a new ring.  I said, "Where did she get the ring?"  Her reply..."My mom gave it to her.  It was her diamond from her engagement ring!"  WHAT!?  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Doesn't that just figure.  You try to do something nice and look what happens!  Well, you'll be glad to know that I found it! :)  What relief.  It was under some ashes but I saved it before it melted.  Can you just see that!?  I thought for sure I was going to lose the hotdog I had just eaten.  Nice huh?

Summer Time...

I know I always say this but I LOVE the seasons!  And right now, I'm really enjoying
summer.  I have been reading lots of books.  Taking long baths.  Sitting on the front porch
in the mornings with my coffee and devotional.  Cooking good food.  Going out for ice
cream and trying new flavors! (I'm really enjoying the banana cream pie right now!)
Swimming in the pond.  Going to the beach.  Sitting in the rocking chairs in the evenings
not doing anything!  Staying up late...sleeping in.  Life's good!

Kids came home from Mexico and we loved hearing all their stories.  It makes you feel good
when your kids serve others.  Rachel told us that she knows she's not called to Mexico.  She loved it but
feels led to be right here in the good Ol' USA!  Oh, and she didn't care for the food too much either.
They had beans and eggs each morning and she doesn't care for either one!  AJ on the other
hand loved the food!  He's a boy after my own heart!

Taking AJ for senior pictures on Wednesday!  I can hardly believe that we are starting
senior things!  How can this be!?  Should be a fun time though.  I think we'll go for lunch too!

So, while the kids have been gone, we've been having a nice time.  It's kind of quiet tough.  We can check the website they have set up to see pics of what the kids are doing in Mexico and updates.  So that's been nice.  They both wrote this morning to let us know how things were going.  I love that they are able to be there and see how God is working in their lives while they are there.  Can't wait to hear more about the things that impacted each of them.

I've been able to read a book, take long baths in my new tub!  Swim, visit with friends, go out to eat, sleep in and stay up late.  Today we took a motorcycle ride down to Ithaca.  What a gorgeous ride.  It's along the lake.  We stopped at a winery and did some wine tasting.  Then we had lunch at a sushi place.  Walked around and looked at shops and then headed home.  Stopped at another winery and tasted some wines and bought a bottle that we liked.

Tomorrow we are heading up to Sackett's Harbor with the in-laws for part of the day.
Enjoying this time but can't wait for the kids to come home! :)

4th of July weekend!

We had a great weekend packed with friends, family and great weather!
Saturday morning, we had  a time of prayer for the teens that were going to
Mexico.  Then that evening, Randy's sister Marcia and her family came for
the weekend.  They live in Pa..  We all had dinner together and then sat
around to visit.  On Sunday, we had church and then we had a big family
picnic.  My cousins, aunts, brother and his family from fl all came.  AJ had
some friends too.  I think there were about 25 of us.  We had tons of good food!
The weather was really nice in the mid 80's and low humidity.  We ate, swam,
played Can Jam, visited and ate some more.  Then that night Marcia and family
and my brother and his family stayed the night.  We were going to go to see
the fireworks but decided to stay home and do some that we had and have a bon fire.
Aj and his friends went to the fireworks and were able to go out on his friends
boat to watch them.  The boys slept outside in the tent.  Then in the morning we
had a huge breakfast and hung out some more.  It was so nice to see everyone and
just relax.  Here are some pics from the weekend:

(this was a technique that the boys learned at camp one year
to catch flies!  It actually worked.  Josiah caught one! :)


This morning the kids got up at 3am and left for the airport.
they are going on a missions trip to mexico for 10 days!  they
were both very excited about going and I know that they are
going to experience a lot of great things.  They are going to be
doing some work at a church, painting, street ministry, going
to an orphanage, and at the end they are going to a huge youth
conference for 2 days.  So excited for them.  I miss them already!
Not sure what we'll do while they are gone :)  We may take a drive
somewhere for a few days.

Here are some pics of the bathroom.  I am loving it so much.  The tub is my favorite part!  And I love how the glass tile turned out too.

The room used to be just a spare bedroom off our room and it had a hall way that went out and you could get to the other bathroom from it.  randy closed that of and added a toilet room there.

We have a hen who wants to roost on some eggs.  she's been trying and trying and since we don't have a rooster, they won't hatch.  So we went up to our neighbors who have a rooster and got a dozen eggs from them.  We put them under her and she's as happy as she can be.  In about 3 weeks we should have some baby chicks :)

Yesterday, the chickens were out back just making such a racket.  Rachel yells down that there's a fox in the backyard!  Randy had thrown out some bread and popcorn for the chickens and the fox was out eating it.  I think he was having an appetizer before he got one of the girls.  luckily we scared him off.  Randy shot at him and thinks he got him.  He ran into the corn.  Yikes!  

such excitement!  have a busy weekend planned.  going to a graduation party tonight.  Then we have company coming tomorrow late afternoon (randy's sister and family).  Sunday we are having a big family picnic here.  My cousins, aunts, uncles and brother and his family will be coming.  It's going to be in the 90's!  So, we'll probably be in the pond!  Going to see fireworks that night.  On Tues. morning, the kids leave for Mexico for a missions trip!  busy busy busy! :)