Belated birthdays

I decided a few weeks ago to "try" to post a b-day wish for everyone in the family and I already missed the last two. So belated Happy B-day to Melissa and Kenneth Lee.Didn't have a good pic of Kenneth but here is one of Melissa.

So close but not close enough

Guess I am not doing bad for an old women. Was at Bob's house at 5:45 AM, and we were at our hunting spot at 6:07 AM. Had to climb a very steep hill to get there. We had a big bird come within 50 yrds over a null gobbling like crazy but he would not come in any closer. I held my gun up for what seemed like hours. The next thing we saw him walking up the other hill. So then we hiked back down the hill and crawled along a woodline to where another big bird was all fanned out with a hen. I got set up and Bob called him in to where I needed him to come another 30 yrds for a clean shot. Someone up on the hill shot and it spooked him . He turned and went back the other way. This morning Jay and I were up at 4:30 and at 5:45 we were walking back up the same hill in the dark. We took decoys and set them out on top of the same null. Yesterday morning the turkeys were gobbling like crazy but this morning they never once talked. We saw some coming down from another hill so jay kept calling. After a long time we had given up that they had went the other direction. Jay started to stand up and I saw him freeze in position. Then I saw the head of a hen and then a red headed Jake for just a second. I couldn't get a shot so jay shot but missed. So we moved around to another spot(straight up a big hill again) but nothing happened so we came home. As we stepped up on our deck a turkey went around the back of our pond bank which is only 50 yrds from the house. SO no turkey but had a good time sitting in the woods admiring God's great creations. I still have another 3 weeks to get my bird.

EARTHQUAKE!!!!

We had an earthquake this morning. It registered 3.4. It centered a mile or less from Rob and Leslies house. I was sitting in my recliner doing some paperwork at 9:45 when it hit. It felt like something had ran into the house. Quite a weird feeling. About a minute later the phone rang and it was Les asking "did you feel that?" She said their neighbor had stuff fall in his garage. It is so rare for a quake here that the last reported one was in 1926. Nevertheless it shook up people around here.The temperature got up to 87* today. I mowed my 5 acres this afternoon and sure got some rays. There was a nice breeze so it wasn't bad. I am off to bed early tonight as Bobby is going to try and call me in a turkey in the morning. I have to be at his house no later then 6AM and then we are riding together about 1-1/2 mile to where we are hunting. Bob got one there Monday morning. He is an awesome turkey caller. So hopefully tomorrow I will be posting a pic of me with my longbeard. Of course that is wishful thinking.

Happy B-day Gabe

Happy B-day Gabe. We love you. Andre and Mandi -you have the most adorable little blessings. Sorry that in this pic he has the evidence of a good cookie on his face but he is so cute it doesn't matter.

Bad Hair Day

Following hat day yesterday at Paiges's school, today was bad hair day and Amy got very creative. You all know how much hair Paige has. Amy took it up into several pony tails , teased it and bobbie pinned it into the shape of a birds nest. In the nest she pinned in my artificial bird she borrowed plus 2 Easter eggs. Guess she was the hit of the day. They took her to every class so everyone could see her and took pics. Guess they put the pic on the school computers for their screensavers. Amy said it was an ordeal disassembling the nest after school.

Heidi had her hair in as many ponies as Amy could get in.

Jeb had his hair spiked up. Isn't he cute?

I got the "VIRUS"

Bob called early Tuesday morning to see if I could keep Tristin. Said he wasn't feeling bad but was very croupy sounding. I met him to get Tristin and he was all smiles as he got in my truck and said "Mama, I got the virus" in his southern slang. We had a good fun day. He played in my big garden tub filled to the top with strawberry bubble bath for about 1-1/2 hours. He finally said he was ready to get out as he was all "prunie" but he said "I still got the Virus". He loves to draw and color and is quite good at it. He sketched me several pics and colored for hours so he was so easy to babysit.

Crazy Hat Day

Paige has had a busy week at school. First of all her mommy is officially depressed as she became a kindergarten mom last week. Tuesday was hat day and Amy couldn't let Heidi and Jeb feel left out so she let them wear hats when she dropped Paige off at school. Jeb is the little boy she babysits. His daddy is a good friend of Cory's and they were in labor at the same time in 2 different hospitals. Heidi is 16 hours older then Jeb.It's like raising twins and boy can they get into things. You can't beat Amy when it comes to having babies. Both times it was 2 hrs or less of labor and 1 push. Almost dangerous they were born so fast.

HAPPY B-DAY BROOKE

Today my sweet little Brooke became a TEENAGER. Seems like yesterday that Amy, Jay and I were racing to Lima, Ohio to make sure we got there before she was born only to wait for several more hours. Then soon after her birth she was put into ICU because of a possible heart issue where she stayed for a week. Praise God her condition corrected itself later. She has always been a little blessing. When they moved to Indiana you might as well have ripped my heart out.It took me a month before I could hear her voice on the phone without falling apart. So I am SO VERY THANKFUL that she is back here. I love you Brooke and am so proud of you. See you tomorrow at your party where I have a great surprise for you. And no don't call and ask me what.You will just have to wait another 24 hours.This is one of my favorite pics of you and I.

Easter Egg Hunt

Easter Blessings

I actually slept until 7AM on saturday. Got up and cleaned my house from one end to the other, got all the laundry done and put away and then at 1PM I started in making my famous cinnamon rolls for Easter service at church today. Got done with them and delivered them to the couple in charge of the Breakfast Nook at church. There were about 175 individual rolls when seperated. Got back home at 7:30 PM and put on a ham and scalloped potaotoes for lunch today. I also made a 7 layer salad. We didn't go until 2nd service today as Jay had to work as Guardian Angel that service. Headed home to beat all the rest of the gang so Jay could hide eggs as I got lunch ready. After lunch I gave all 7 grandkids their Easter baskets and then they headed out for their Easter egg hunt. They found all but one egg and Jay can't remember where it is. He says I'll probably find it with the mower. It was fun watching there anxious faces as they searched. We had a hughe crowd at church both services as we expected and Pastor Greg had an awesome message as usual. Now Mama and Papa are ready for a nap.

Happy B-Day PJ!

Happy b-day to my dear sweet little brother PJ who will be ??? tomorrow.I know his age but am not telling altho it is getting close to a BIG one. Just want you to know how much I love and admire you even tho you call me "Sipes".Honestly can't remember how that name got started. Hope you have a GREAT day.

From 80* to snow!!!

What a difference 2 days make. Sunday afternoon Amy , the girls and I were sitting in the grass in T-shirts in temps of 80* planting flower seed and bulbs to get started in my greenhouse and today it never got past 32* and snowed like crazy. So far it is not sticking. I am soooooooo ready for it to actually feel like Spring and stay that way. I have this whole plan mapped out to make the Rider's back yard into a beautiful flower garden so I am starting perennials to save money instead of buying perennials already ready to plant. I plan to take before and after pics. I plan to add a bunch more plants to my landscaping this year too. Am trying to get it where I don't have to buy many annuals. Jay and I had a free lunch at Bob Evans today compliments of a sales rep from an Electrical Supply house who is trying to get our business. I always enjoy a free meal.I especially enjoy the part where I don't have to fix or clean it up. I then stopped at the grocery store and picked up all the stuff I need to make about 200 individual cinnamon rolls for Easter service at church this Sunday. I usually make them for X-mas and Easter at church plus at X-mas all our friends, neighbors and some business associates get them. Spent all day yesterday finalizing my paperwork in order to get my taxes done. My accountant e-mailed me today saying I was running out of time. Now if I was getting money back I would have done it long ago but I am not in a big hurry to send Uncle Sam a check.

Engagement Pic

This is Bob and Leann's engagement pic. Isn't she pretty? She is a sweetheart.