Good-Bye 2022

Well, here it is, the last day of 2022. I usually post a year-ending blog, but I'm not sure what to say. I've posted very little this year. I'm not sure if I'm lazy, too busy, or just not as interested in keeping up this blog as I used to be. I guess it's probably a combination of all three. I have thought about discontinuing it, but what does it really matter how often I post, right? Maybe at some point in my life, I will have something I really want to share, so I will be glad that it is still here.

As I look back over my blog, I realize the only thing I post about is my grandchildren and I feel that is okay. My grandchildren are really special to me and have probably been the highlight of my year. Even though we don't see the six grandchildren in Manheim as often as those who live close by, the way they run to meet us and their eyes light up when they see us and how they love to share what they have been doing, just warms my heart. Their individual personalities are so unique and we loved being able to spend one on one time with each of them when they spent a night with us this summer. Also, being invited to their birthday parties is always something we look forward to. Alexis turned 13 this year and that is certainly a reminder of how important it is to cherish each moment spent with them. The old saying that time passes quickly is certainly true.

The four grandchildren that live close by bring us much entertainment. In September I agreed to let Awstin help me at the store for two hours each month. He absolutely loves this and the customers enjoy him too. He told one customer that "you are really racking up a bill!" The customer just laughed but I tried to explain to Awstin afterward that we really shouldn't make comments on what people are purchasing! I always look forward to keeping Bryce every Wednesday. He has become quite the conversationalist and his commentary is quite entertaining. He also sings beautifully. Jake stops in often and his hugs and squeals of Maw-Maw are just precious. He also loves to video chat with me, which is quite hilarious at times. He carries the phone around and tries to show me things, but usually all I see is a ceiling or wall :). And sweet Cassidy's big smiles when she sees me and the way she reaches her arms out for me to take her, just melt my heart. She is such a happy, little thing and her laughs are music to my ears. She is just about walking and that will open a whole new world for her.

Steve and I are doing well. Steve is still taxiing for the Amish and continues to enjoy that. I spend most of my time managing the store. It has been a good year for the store and for that we are grateful. We continue to attend Victory Church and are very thankful for the new friends we have made there. In August we joined a small group and that has been a huge blessing to us.

Since we are over 60, the topic always seems to turns to health. We have been pretty fortunate this year in that we have had no major illnesses or health issues. Covid continues to hang around but for the most part is mild. Steve and I both had a touch of it in December but it was nothing serious. 

I think the older we get, the more we realize that we are not going to be on this earth forever. Just last evening we learned of the death of a 60 year old acquaintance. Two young dads from the local elementary school were taken unexpectedly from their families in the last month. None of us know when our time will come. The important thing is that we are ready. Our earthly minds can't comprehend it, but heaven will be beautiful and so much better than anything we have experienced here on earth.

I will end with the things I am thankful for:

For Jesus who died for me

For a wonderful church and church family

I am thankful that God has been faithful, even though there were times in my life when I didn't feel like he was.

For health

For a place to live

For a job (store) that I sometimes like and sometimes dislike but do find satisfying most of the time :)

Last of all (but not least) for my husband, my children and their spouses, and my 10 grandchildren. Next year it will be 11 grandchildren as Megan & Jeremy are expecting in July!

Here is our annual Christmas photos.

All twenty of us!

Our precious grandchildren

And just because I feel like it, here is a picture of me.:)

I just got new glasses. Do you like them? :)

Happy New Year!!!

2022 Grandchildren Birthdays!

Ten grandchildren = 10 birthdays to celebrate in 2022. Here they are in the order that they came in the year.

Jake - January 26 - 1 year old

Lydia - May 19 - 11 years old

Janae - May 27 - 2  years old

Awstin - July 12 - 9 years old

Clara - July 16 - 5 years old

Alexis - August 8 - 13 years old

Bryce - October 9 - 3 years old

Cassidy - October 26 - 1 year old

Mark - October 29 - 10 years old

Hannah - December 21 - 8 years old

We are so fortunate to call these wonderful children our grandchildren. Each one is unique and special and so, so loved. Thank you Lord for our family!

Cassidy is One Year Old!

How quickly a year passes by! Dear sweet Cassidy turned one year old on October 26. She has been such a joy to all of us. I love to see her beaming smile when she enters the store or our apartment. She may be little but she is so spunky. She absolutely loves her cousins and tries mightily to keep up with them. Much to her delight she has recently mastered going up and down steps so that helps her to follow them wherever they go. They can no longer go up to the playroom without her. We have the pleasure of keeping her one evening a week while Julissa works the store and we really enjoy that. She seems to like our company too!

Her birthday fell on a Wednesday this year and since those close by come for supper every Wednesday, Julissa brought a cake along for Cassidy.

Cassidy wasn't sure what was going on, but she was happy to be the center of attention!

I love the way she is looking adoringly at Awstin

And here is the birthday video from Wednesday. If you listen carefully you can hear Bryce singing. He has a beautiful voice.

On Sunday, Josh & Julissa had us and her parents for lunch for Cassidy's birthday. Julissa made adorable sheep cupcakes.

Isn't this just the cutest?!?!

That smile!

Here is the video from Sunday.

We love you so much Cassidy! We are so, so thankful to have you in our family!

2022 Sleepovers!

Just like last year, each grandchild over the age of 4 was invited to have a one night sleepover at our house this summer. We love being able to focus on just one child and they love receiving all our attention. Each child was treated to a game of mini golf, an ice cream cone from a local creamery and one meal in a restaurant. It's amusing to watch them look over the menu and decide what they want. Some made their choices quickly and others had a hard time deciding. The funniest choice was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich chosen by Clara! The mini golf games were fun. All the children did great and the only rule we gave them was that they had to get our balls out of the hole so we didn't have to use our aging knees to bend down. Some of them always remembered and others we had to remind as they bounded off for the next green.

The older girls I took thrift store shopping. They loved it and we were pleased with the bargains that we found. Steve took Mark fishing and I took Awstin to the Choo-Choo barn. (If you have been reading my blog you know that when Awstin was younger I took him there often and it was his favorite place. We like to revisit it once a year for old-time sake.) 

We also watched movies, played games, enjoyed the deck, played with cousins and Alexis helped me in the store for an afternoon. She was great and I wish she lived closer so I could have her help more often.

Here are a few pictures in the order that we had them. We started with Lydia in the middle of June and ended with Clara the beginning of August.

Playing with some of her thrift store finds

Cousin stare down

The fish that Mark caught

This picture wasn't taken during the sleepover but since his face was cut off on the fish picture I added this one.

Alexis loves all her little cousins and they love her

Working the store

Choo-Choo Barn! We spent 2 hours there and only left because it was closing time. I wonder if he will ever tire of this place!

Yum!

Mini-Golf! 

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. She must have tried at least five times to get this ball through the door, but she was determined!

Golf buddy :)

And we asked for a small dip!

I'm glad we can do this with each of the grandchildren and I'm glad they love to come. When I mentioned to Alexis (who just turned 13) that in a few years she probably won't want to come, she replied, "I'll always want to come no matter how old I am!" That certainly warmed my heart. 

Easter 2022

All 10 grandchildren! I am so thankful for every one of them!

We had a wonderful time as a family as we gathered together on Easter Day. I am amazed that our little apartment can host everybody somewhat comfortably. There are a few times when it gets really loud and the space seems small but for the most part the older children play upstairs and the adults and younger children visit downstairs and it is very pleasant. We had the evening meal together and then the traditional egg hunt. Everyone loved last year when we hid the eggs in the store and since it was cold outside we decided to do the same this year.

Steve spend a good part of the afternoon hiding the eggs and the children had a great time hunting for them. Here is the egg hunt in pictures from youngest to oldest.

Cassidy got help from Mommy to fill her egg basket and then.....

Daddy kept her occupied while her cousins were searching for their eggs.

Jake thought filling his basket with eggs was great fun...

...but after finding all his eggs he thought it was also fun to grab other things off the shelves so Daddy had to carry him :)

Janae admires her purple eggs...

...and is so happy to find another one in the freezer. Bryce watches her intently....

...and then gets some help reaching his orange egg behind the table.

Clara shows off the pink eggs that she has found.

Hannah digs through her eggs to find the best treats. 

Awstin counts his green eggs to see if he has them all....

...and Mark checks his bucket to see if his blue eggs are all accounted for.

Lydia searches the shelves intently to see if she can spot another egg.

Alexis checks to see if Grandpa hid some of her eggs among the cake frostings. 

Some of the children sit on the floor to open their eggs and find the treats inside.

The two youngest grandchildren had such cute outfits on that I just had to share them on the blog as well.

Such a cute matching hat with her adorable dress and sweater

So handsome in his Easter outfit!

We are so thankful for our family and we are also so grateful that Jesus came to earth and suffered the pain and humiliation of the cross so that we might be saved through Him. He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

A Weekend with Hannah & Janae

Jay & Kristen had their annual weekend getaway with friends at a cabin and their children spent the weekend with others. Kristen's parents had Clara, Josh & Julissa had Alexis & Lydia, Shawn & Melissa had Mark and we had Hannah & Janae. The weekend went splendidly and I think everyone had a great time wherever they were at.

I guess I'm getting lazy but the easiest thing for me to do is just post some of the weekend activities through pictures. Hannah & Janae were wonderful and it was especially fun to get to know Janae a little better. Until now, she has been a little hesitant with me and just left her older siblings have my time. But she totally warmed up to me and was an absolute delight.

Sticker time!

Full concentration from Janae :)

She is pleased with the end result.

Hannah did a beautiful job putting the stickers on the butterflies.

Hannah also put this puzzle together (almost) completely by herself

On Saturday afternoon, Megan worked the store so Jake spent the afternoon with us. Hannah went with the other cousins and played games over at the shop that Josh & Julissa had planned for them. They also did some roller skating. It sounded like they had a wonderful time. Janae and Jake got along very well.

At first Janae watched Jake eat his cheerios....

…..then she decided to help him eat them!

Jake stares intently as Janae shows him how the toy works

At one point I went down to the store to help a little. The kids loved being in the cart :)

Hannah would like to raise sheep, so Steve thought it would be fun to take her to one of his Amish friends and have her bottle feed a lamb. She loved it!

Meeting the lamb

Hannah never stopped smiling the whole time she was feeding it

Here is a short video of Hannah feeding the lamb.

It was a fun weekend for everyone but I think the siblings were all glad to see each other and Mom & Dad on Sunday and Mom & Dad were glad to see them. And Grandpa & Grandma were happy to go home to a quiet house :)