6/29/09 1345

Monday June 29 Phillip left about 8:30 to help before the funeral. Missy left about 9:30 to walk to church. I planted hostas that I had brought from home while Evan and Anabel ate toast and PBJ outside. About 10 we went to the park across the road where the service was being transmitted on a speaker outside the Vet. center. The kids played a while then I put them in the stroller and we listened to most of the service. I heard from someone that about 700 were at the church. The inside of the vet building holds about 600. We were standing outside with about 250-300 others. There were 5-6 football teams in their jerseys. When the service was over they lined both sides of the street to the cemetary. Others joined them. I counted (guesstemated) over 390 on the opposite side of where I was standing. So maybe there were around 1,000 lining the street. I took the kids to get a hamburger at the gas station, then home for naps. I left for home about 7:30 after we had pizza and salad for supper. On the way home I stopped at Lakeview to say hi to Matt. They were camping at BlackHawk state park. The pix is from before Saturday's race.

6/28/09

Sunday June 28 The picture is from Saturday noon at Howard and Anabel's. Sunday we ate breakfast in the sunroom. It was great to sit and visit with Jean, Arlen, Matt and Becky. Then doughnuts with Haley before SS. After church I drove to Parkersburg to watch the kids while Missy and Phillip went to the visitation. It was scheduled from 3-8. There was 4-6 blocks of people that waited 4 hours in line to visit with the family. Phillip didn't get home until after 11 when the visitation was over.

6/27/09 1314

Sat. June 27 We went to the Royal Run a 7:15. Donnie, Bobbie,kids,Frank and Jenny Hirschman were there. Free ice cream cones and rides for the kids. We went to Howard and Anabel's for lunch. Naps for some and visiting for Denny and Matt. Matt and Becky fixed supper as I worked at the unit and dug hostas for Missy. They went to town after putting the kids to bed. Jean and Arlen Schrum came to spend the night. His cousin from Manning died and they were in this neck of the woods with family.

6/26/09

Friday June 26 I worked up at the unit until 10. Denny was paying bills and doing quarterly end. Haley and Torren played outside while I cleaned out the drawers in the bunk house. She found paints and wooden things to paint. About 11 we went to Great Grandma and Grandpa's home. After naps we went fishing in Ida Grove. Haley had been wanting to go fishing all her life. This is the first fish she ever caught.

6/25/09

Thurs. June 25 Denny worked on filling out his application to hand deliver in the am. I had good helpers in the unit until after lunch when Denny took Haley and Torren into town. Blessings from Mary Jo...May the Lord hold you in the palm of his hand and keep you safe. May you find refuge in the shadow of his wing. May His voice guide you and His Word direct your attitudes, actions, and ways. May you bless someone today with a compliment or a kind word or a smile. God bless you.

6/24/09

Wed. June 24 Denny prepared in am for an interview so I had good help at the unit. Haley and Torren are so cute. Haley likes to feed pigs and Torren played great in the feed cart with 4 trucks. Denny also called to say Missy had called with tragic news. Ed Thomas - whose SS class we had been in on Sunday- was shot and killed this am in the HS weight room. The head pastor left Monday for a 2 week vacation. We'll keep Phillip in our prayers. I processed pigs at the unit while Denny put in an application for a hog job. Church at night. Denny took the kids to help him run the projector.

6/23/09

Tuesday June 23 Worked at the rec center. Grandma and Grandpa Johnson took Mandy to the airport. Denny brought kids in to Ida Grove for play at the park time with some kids from church. We swam a little at the rec center before heading home for naps...actually just Torren takes a nap. (When we talk about it Haley kinda winks like...you know, I don't have to take a nap...but we won't let Torren know.) I DID NAP. She watched a Disney video then played with some paper dolls. We went to Arthur library for story time and art project.

6/22/09 1255

Monday June 22 I went to the unit early, Denny fixed breakfast. Sarah, Elizabeth, Tracey, Mandy, and I were at Bible study. Isabelle and Haley played dress up. We took PBJ sandwiches to the unit for lunch. Denny and Mandy left about 1:30 for the bank to get out Mandy's CDs. She is looking for a car. Then they headed to SC to get clothes for Denny's interview on Wed. Nap for Torren while Haley and I looked thru stuff out in the bunk house. Haley likes to play with art stuff. Great Grandpa and Great Grandma picked us up and we went to Pizza Hut to meet D&M. Denny got a couple great looking shirts/ties.

6/21/09

Sunday June 21... Happy Father's Day Denny with his grand kids. We went to Ed Thomas's adult SS school. then to church. Brats for lunch. Mandy and I headed home about 2:30...WITH TORREN AND HALEY!! They are spending the week with us. We are so lucky. We got home about 30 minutes before Chuck Glade come to spend the night with us. He is on his way to Guthrie Center to visit his mom. I needed to go to the unit and Haley was going to go with me. When we were about to leave Torren realised he was going to get left...His eyes puddled up..."me, too,Grandma???" Of course...so cute. It was so good to sit and visit with Chuck later. I talked Missy into letting me borrow her library book on the tornado accounts of those in Parkersburg May 25, 2008. That community has really been though a lot.

6/20/09

Saturday June 20 We watched the little ones while Matt, Becky, Phillip, Missy, and Luke went for a run. After breakfast we went to Miracle Park. It's a new playground that has been constructed since the tornado. Mandy left for a wedding in Ankeny. We played and ate at the park, then home for naps. Denny and Luke started to tackle fixing the drip in the refirgerator waterline/ ice machine. Missy, Karen, and I transplanted 35 hostas in to her shaded house entry. She got them from her neighboors. Ping pong, pizza, pool for kids, and bonfire.

6/19/09

Friday June 19 It is so great when we can get our family together. After finishing up spraying the farrowing rooms and moving sows that are ready to have their babies into clean crates, we left for Parkersburg. Denny ended up taking the Harley so he could head back home earlier on Sunday. Mandy and I got there about 9. We had snacks... chips, crackers,brownies, and cowboy caviar.
Luke read to the kids before bed.

6/18/09

Thursday June 18 I left at 6 am and went to get Mandy at the Omaha airport. On the way home we looked at furniture and plants. One sofa at Denison looked pretty good. Dad thought so, too. After work we drove there and got the Lazyboy 3 seated sofa (with recliner seat on each side and a fold down table/drink holder in between the seats). We ate Mexican. At home the furniture did not fit in the basement door. Stress. We remembered it was a Lazyboy and the backs should come off. We did some cleaning and vacumning before taking it down stairs. I walked 4 miles.

6/17/09

Wed. June 10 I woke up and walked this am. Plus got flowers ready to take into IG. We sprayed and moved sows into 2 rooms. I brought subs back from IG for lunch. After work I did a quick job of mowing and we went to church at night.

6/16/09

Tuesday June 16 There have been a few full days in a row. Here goes. After working at the rec center I came home and about 11 Connie and Jerry Bergstrand came for lunch and a visit. It was SO good to see them and daughters Anneka and Lauren. Connie was impressed wit my wisteria, especially after I showed her pictures of how it looks in some places. They left about 3 and we worked at the unit giving shots til about 5:30. I started to mow. Flat tire...dull blades. Church at 7. Finished lawn when I got home.

6/15/09 1163

Monday June 15 The vet was here in the am. Tracey, Lynn, Laura, and Elizabeth came for Bible study. I took 22 small vases of daises to the widow's luncheon. There were 129 ladies. Tonite we worked on the basement and finished laying all the carpet. I made a wrong cut, but Denny saved the day. He got frustrated putting in the plates betweent the carpets.

6/14/09

Sunday June 14 After church we had a pot luck and quarterly business meeting. We came home for a nap and then took the Harley to Arthur for Firemen's supper. We drove to IG and looked at Dan Ellis's grape vines. After church we took the bike to Storm Lake for DQ ice cream. Lenora Leistikow was at Gina's birthday party. She is 94 and is kinda of like a mom to us kids.

6/12/09 1130

Friday June 12 I met Henderson and hitched hiked with them up to Decorah. We met Bruce and Maynard at Silvercrest to play golf. Four of them played and I walked. It was a great afternoon. Bruce Henderson was really happy because He beat Bruce and Maynard...That will not happen very often. Bruce Newhouse went home to sleep before his third shift 10 pm- 6 am work. We went to Pizza Ranch for supper. Then to Craig's home and we played a couple games. Keith and Jane came about 9. We played another card game. Jane told me about their trip to Zambia as we looked at the photo albums.

6/13/09

Sat, June 13 Keith fixed coffee in the am. We looked thru Craig's antique store. Then we went to Harmony. Keith, Bruce, Gail and I golfed a round. Jane drove the cart. We made a quick stop at Willow Glenn and then to Decorah to meet Nancy and Myrna Faye for lunch. We went to Gina Casterton's 90th birthdya party from 2-4. Gail and Keith had gotten invitations...Nancy and I crashed the party. They were pretty surprised to see us Newhouse kids there. All my childhood years we spent every Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving noon meal with them. We would rotate between the 4 families, Dad, his sister Stella Johnson, his other sister Verna Simenson and Dad's first cousin Norman Casterton. Gina and my Auntie Verna are the only 2 from that generation still living. We headed home. Denny helped put 7000 stickers on the water bottles for our church for the 3 city parades.

6/11/09

Thursday June 11 Good day. I spray painted furniture in the garage. I worked on putting mulch around my flower beds. Denny had a good visit with a possible job opportunity. Bible study at Ginny's home. Denny went to eat with his folks and I took Laura to Wall Lake. She spoke at a Presbyterian's women's guest night. She did such a great job talking about her blindness, seeing eye dog, and her relationship to Jesus. I was so proud that she was my friend. What an amazing lady she is!!!

6/10/09 1080

Wed. June 10 After work I painted an old dresser. Then we went to Howard and Anabel's to visit about the unit, UBI, century farm, etc. Good buns and lemon pie. Good discussion at church.
My sister Nancy sent this site. She was reminded about us growing up with piano lessons and how we felt we were really doing good when we got to play a song on the piano that called for our left hand to cross over the top of our right hand to play a treble note.

Here is the blog...

You've got to love us...

We walked into the lobby of the Mayo Clinic and spotted a piano. We have been married for 62 years, and I will be 90 this year.It's all attitude. Enjoy!!

http://www.fark.com/cgi/vidplayer.pl?IDLink=4365716

I remember Dad "playing" mom's keyboard in Texas when my kids were there. He would really laugh about this clip.

6/9/09

Tuesday June 9 Worked at Rec center. Denny went to IG to fill our FSA papers. About noon the weather forecast looked like rain for our motorcylce meeting at 5 pm. We invited every one out for brats on the grill. There were 11 that came. We ate out in the coop.

6/8/09 1041

Monday June 8 Rick Votrobeck came to walk through the unit this am. Sarah, Elizabeth,Tracey,Lynn and I were at Bible study. In the afternoon Denny and I went to Lakeview. We got a small table and 2 chairs to paint for the basement kitchen. Then we went to Storm Lake to get some parts from Hogslat. Then we headed to Menards in Spencer to get carpet for the basement. It is foam backed and Denny will be able to cut and put it down. The carpet for the yellow room was a remnant.

5/07/09

Sunday June 7 Happy anniversary Hendersons!!! After church we went to a benefit for Ashley Hittle (married name ???) and twin daughters. Then Missy and kids left for Parkersburg. Friday when I was out with the kiddos I noticed something neat.... It may not be special for 98% of the people...but I have a possible wisteria blooming on one of the playground structures in the back yard. 3 years ago I transplanted some vines from Brenda B'gmans. I thinks it is setting a bloom. Okay, the one on the left is like 50 years old...mine is 4 days three years old. I've always had high hopes. Can't you just see the slide being covered with lavender hangy down things??

6/6/09 1000

Saturday June 6 Lynn N. and I went garage saleing. No real treasures. We left for Lincoln about noon and got there just before Nicole and Ryan's wedding in a small chapel. The reception was held at the tree farm that Ryan works at...so pretty. We also walked out at looked at the grape vines that they have growing there. We got the kids home about 1 am. Phillip had driven down after VBS on Friday and he drove back to Parkersburg Sat about 8:30. Missy got home about 3 in the am.

6/5/09

Friday June 6 Nice to have Missy and the kids here. She left about 11 for Nicole's wedding in Lincoln. I did a little painting on the coop...so nice I can just slop it on. Mostly spent time watching the little ones play. They needed a bath after being at the farm.

6/4/09 961

Thursday June 4 HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRUCE!!! Thanks for the great time we had in Colorado last year at your time share. Missy got here about 3:30 (before Nicole's wedding.) Great to have them here. Pray we are in the center of God's will.

6/3/09

Wed. June 3 Denny got a Mama Coon in the live trap. HURRAH!!! You can tell my day went well. I got to play in my flowers. Also went to Prarie Peddler and got some more flowers. Denny worked on fixing the door at the unit. He also fixed the dishwasher about 5 days ago. Mister Fixit and Mister Kill It!! Gotta love him.

6/2/09 900

Tuesday June 2 Happy Birthday Gail!!! I worked at rec center in am. Finished processsing 1510 pigs. Praise the Lord.

Blessing from Mary Jo...May the Lord bless you this week with amazing, miraculous revelations of himself to your innermost being. May you rediscover new truth in His Word; May you be blessed in unexpected ways; May your life be brighter because of the love of Christ present in your heart and mind. May God's richest blessings be yours this week.

6/1/09

Monday June 1 The great hunter has just gotten 4 bunnies from the deck with Mike's rifle. But I don't think those were the critters that were up on the deck last night tipping over and digging into 2 of my flower pots. Bible Study was here this am with Sarah and Tracey. The dermatologist said I didn't need to beoconcerned about the spot on my left cheek...just age spot. He did measure it for a baseline in a year.

5/31/09 841

Sunday May 31 We rode with Howard and Anabel to Parkersburg for Phillip's installation as associate pastor at First Congregational church. 5 sets of parents/grandparents were there. Loziers were there for the service and then we went to see the house. visit a park and have ice cream. Glenn said it was amazing in rural Iowa they would drive 2 1/2 hours for another service on a Sunday afternoon. It says something about the level of activity... not too much going on in Arthur...and the availability of good friends...got to travel to keep the ones you got. I'll always remember that Loziers took the time to share this day with Phillip and Missy.
Blessing from Mary Jo ...May the Lord bless you this week with amazing, miraculous revelations of himself to your innermost being. May you rediscover new truth in His Word; May you be blessed in unexpected ways; May your life be brighter because of the love of Christ present in your heart and mind. May God's richest blessings be yours this week.