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.

Happy Birthday Mark aka "Slickum"

Just wanted to wish an early happy B-day to a dear and longtime friend Mark in Albany, Georgia. Jay worked for Mark's dad 36 years ago and then at one point Jay and Mark worked together. We have remained friends over the years. Mark and his wife Billie Sue just become grandparents for the first time and have a gorgeous granddaughter. Just want you to know Mark and Billie that we have cherished your friendship. Hope you have a great day Mark!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROB!!!

Wishing Rob a happy 37th birthday today. I remember when he first starting coming around to see my little girl.He was a skinny little guy wearing penny loafers and Jay wasn't too impressed with him. I knew he was serious when he rode his bicycle about 7 mile from town to see her cause his car was down for some reason. Jay made all the guys that wanted to take Les out arm wrestle him first. Most of them never had a chance and Les complained that she would never get a boyfriend. Rob could by no means beat Jay arm wrestling but somehow won him over and the rest is history. We can't help but love him and he has been a great husband and father and son-in-law so we couldn't ask for more. Hope you have a great day Rob!!!!

Warning!!!

Don't try and talk my girls into staying or moving back to Indiana this weekend!!! They plan to leave in the morning. It was kinda weird this afternoon when Les, Brooke and Ethan came down to see us before they leave in the morning. For 10 years it was the opposite, they were crying and telling us bye for several months. I had to actually tell Les how to get to Washington by way of 257. Guess Rob was always driving and she never paid attention to which way they were going. Amy says she knows the way except for where to turn off before Jasper. I made them a map.Amy and Brooke have decided to pass the time texting each other with snide remarks about Les while she is driving. Should be an interesting trip altho I predict Heidi will entertain them while Paige and Ethan pick on each other.Jay leaves tomorrow afternoon for the Cincinnati area to do his 10 hour Continuing Ed class. He has to be checked out of his room and in class at the motel where he is staying at 6AM Saturday. He won't get done until 5:30. That makes for a long tiring day so he is driving back 45 minutes to his best friend Ernie's house (one of our paraplegic hunters) where he is staying the night and coming home on Sunday.I have 3 blueprints to get figured and faxed in before Monday so that will keep me busy Friday night and Saturday. Jay should be home shortly after I return from church on Sunday. So love on my kids all you want. later

Kelsey and Kaleb enjoying the food

Ethan enjoyed his "hunting" party

Happy Birthday Ethan!!!

Due to his b-day being on a school night and also Rob working evenings, we had his "hunting" party tonight. It is so wonderful being able to have the whole family here for such gatherings after 10 years of not being able to. is nice to have Leann added to the mix too.She is just in love with life and is so funny that you usually go away holding your stomach from laughing. She is just what Bob needs.The big date is June 12, 2010. We went from 80* last weekend to down in the 20's this week. Is raining today. I am sooooooooooo ready for spring which means landscaping and mowing which I love doing. Nothing smells better then fresh mowed grass. Have a lot of plans for Rob and Les's place for landscaping too.The good Lord continues to bless us with all the work we can handle. I have been able to stay home on the bitter cold days which I am thankful for. Last winter it seemed like I was out in it all winter. We have some big projects that will start as soon as the weather permits and then I will be back on the jobsite with my sexy red hardhat on. I decided to do one last check on the family directories before boxing them up and discovered I had misspelled a name. So I reprinted that page and then had to take them all back apart to switch out. As the note I placed inside the cover says "this book was made with love and is far from perfect" so please excuse any mistakes. I am sending them over this weekend. Brooke will probably post pics from the party so I am just going to post a few. Also say a prayer for Rob tomorrow as it will be the 1st anniversary of him losing his mom and I know it will be a tough day. You can enjoy my kids next weekend but you have to send them back. Later

Where did you all come from?

When looking up info in our outdated family directory I realized it has been quite a few years since it was updated. So, since I don't get to do as much for the family as my siblings being 6 hours away, I decided to make a new updated directory. It has been an experience to say the least but very educational. After several e-mail requests for info I finally got it all compiled. There are 27 books with 22 pages in each book. My poor printer about blew a gasket til I got all 594 pages printed. For those of you who don't know me that well-I am an organizer and when I start a project I don't quit until I am done.Example- when I decided to make Jay a scrapbook of our 36 years together I did it all in less then 2 weeks and there ended up being 37 very detailed pages. Anyhow it is all printed and now I am putting them together and will send them over with my girls who plan to come some time in March. Hope they are helpful to all of you in some way. Les is back to running and feeling good. It is amazing the advances in surgery today compared to when I had my gall bladder surgery 35 years ago. I was cut from one end to the other and in the hospital for 5 days. It was months before I could hold Les and take care of her. We may get 3 inches of snow again tonight.BRRRRR!! So anxious for spring and warm weather as I have new landscaping ideas I am excited about both here and at Les's place. Even looking forward to mowing my 5 acre lawn. I do my best thinking while riding on my mower for hours.Later
PS: Congrats to my dear lifelong friends Mark and Billie Sue from Georgia (originally Washington)who were blessed this past week with their first grandbaby, a beautiful little girl named Peyton Elizabeth.Now they will know what unconditional love is as that is what you get from your precious grand babies.