Extreme Makeover Home Edition

I really don't know how Extreme Makeover does it in 1 week. Rob and Leslie's future neighbor here told me today that I needed to change my address as I have been practically living in their future home. The carpenters and plumber finished today and the drywall goes up tomorrow. Amy and I have the 3 bedrooms and bathroom 99% done. We put in new wiring and a new breaker panel and are switching out the existing receptacles and switches to nice new ones so we have a lot of the electrical circuits shut off which includes the AC. It has been so hot in there as we work. Today Amy was in the bathroom painting and sweating and I heard her saying to herself "I love my sister,I love my sister". I guess she was trying to convince herself that there was a reason for the "blood ,sweat and tears". As I sit and type my fingers are a mixture of white, blue, plum and cafe something or the other paint. I haven't had my shower yet tonight. I do have to say that Les has picked out some really cool colors.I'll post some pics. Paige and Heidi have been sick the past couple days with upper respiratory. They stayed with their Mama Brenda today so Amy could help me. Bob and Cory worked at the house all day today too. They finished the wiring and installed the new insulation. We put new recessed can lights in the kitchen and Cory had the honor of spending some time in the attic which was must have been about 200 degrees. I climbed up the ladder to do something for him and it was like sticking your head in an oven. BUT!!!! I am so happy that in a week they will be here so all the STRESS and hard work is more then worth it. Amy and I did tell Les that she owed us a week at a spa. Well it is 9PM and I don't have payroll done yet and need a shower so I will be signing off for now. In case you wonder the plum room is Brookes and Cafe a la something?? is ROb and Leslies.Love to all.

I am including some pics of Rob and Leslie's house as it looks now and then will post some more as we go along. Can you believe that we plan to have it done in 2 weeks? It is really going to be cute and the same as a new house.

What a busy day. Jay, Bobby and I spent the day at Rob and Leslie's house doing some re-wiring in preperation for drywall. I managed (between numerous interuptions) to get 1 bedroom primed late this afternoon. Amy and the girls stopped by for some lovins from Mama and Papa. There were 4 carpenters there also so I ordered pizza delivered for lunch and it arrived the same time as Amy so they got to help us eat it. Heidi gets so excited about giving kisses when she leaves and it is so cute. Leslie called right before lunch to tell me they were at ER with Ethan. Her and Rob ran a marathon this morning and as they came across the finish line they were informed that Ethan had been injured in a bicycle accident. Guess he went face first into the pavement. He looks pretty gruesome from the pics she sent to my cell. He has a concussion, banged up a wrist, loosened some teeth and as you can see from the pic below messed up his face pretty good. I must close and get an estimate ready and then hopefully watch #24 win tonight.

Thought I would post some various pictures of my precious grand babies. I realize as I write this that some of them probably would prefer not to be called grand"babies". I am thanking our wonderful God above that in 2 weeks I will have them all close by again. All of you with grandchildren will understand that. I have a very busy schedule the next 2 weeks getting things ready for their move so I may be posting as much. But hopefully we will see all the family in person when we travel to Indiana to move the kids back. Love ya all
Donna C.

Papa's

huntin

buddy!!!!

Paige with her

crappie that she

caught on a bare

hook.

Brooke with

her bass. I'll

be so happy to

have her back

in Ohio.

Bob holding 15lb

25in channel that I caught

Kaleb is a future

major league

pitcher!!!

Tristin is proud of the

Crappie he just caught.

Bob and Kelsey at her

6th grade graduation.

Can't believe I have

2 beautiful grandaughters

in Jr high

I have 2 game cameras out and these 2 young bucks are the first to the corn pile every day. Between them and the 6 coons that come every night it is hard to keep up.

Heidi really enjoyed the waterfalls at a friends pool on their trip to PA last weekend. This guy installs pools for a living. Looks pretty awesome to me.

It's been a "Yea God" Day!!!

Pastor Greg always says it is a "Yea God" day when something special happens so I guess for me and my family in Ohio it has been a triple "Yea God Day". My kids who have been gone from here for almost 10 years are moving back in 2 weeks. Altho I am soooooooooo happy I know it is not the same story in Indiana. I know how I felt when they moved to Indiana (I thought I would lose my mine) but I also know how my mom felt when we left Indiana and moved to Ohio over 27 years ago. We all feel that God has laid the path for this move. They have a lot to do to get ready and vice versa here. Right now their house here is under major remodeling but it looks like it should be 99% ready when they get here. Between Amy and I and hopefully some other volunteers we need to prime and paint 9 rooms. The carpenters should be ready for us to do some re-wiring and the plumber to do his thing by this weekend. Then the drywaller will move in the first of the week. The new kitchen cabinets will be in on Monday and the flooring guys hope to have it all in pretty close to the move date of Sept 5th. We plan to come over on the 4th to get them packed up.

Sad News

I write this with a heavy heart for some dear friends of ours. Eight years ago Jay and I started a program where we host disabled or as Jay calls them "differently abled" friends who love to hunt but do not have a way to fulfil their dream. One of the first four who joined us (Ernie)has since became Jay's closest friend along with his brother Johnnie and both of their families. They live east of Cincinnati. I received a call yesterday from Ernie that Johnnie's 22 year old son Chris was killed in an auto accident. Chris has a son who turned 1 yr old today. Bobby and Cory are also close to Chris as they along with Johnnie lived and worked together in Florida for almost a year. Jay, Bobby and I will be traveling to Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon for the visitation.
Amy, Paige and Heidi along with her best friend Michelle and her kids Chase and Ashley left yesterday for PA. Michelle is from there and they went to host a surprise baby shower for Michelle's sis-in-law who is also a friend of Amy's. It was an 8 hour drive. They said the little ones did great on the trip. They won't be back until Monday night which is Amy's 28th B-day. Can't believe my baby will be 28. Sue mentioned on her blog a few days ago about her babies being in high school-hey sis I have 2 grand-daughters in Jr. high this year!! Talk about feeling old. I actually got to stay at home today, well most of the day. I had to run in town (12 mile) to meet a contractor to pick up a blueprint to figure. I should be doing that instead of this but I needed a break. The real reason I am home is because "Thank you good Lord above" there is a young man outside installing a dish which will hopefully by the end of the day provide me with high speed Internet. We live so far in the "boonies" that we have dial up only and no cell phone signal. So I will be a happy camper tonight. I will let you know my new address. Gotta go and get to working on that blueprint. Love to all.