Tuesday February 28

February 28
2 hour late start because of late BB game last night. I took Missy in to IG to get a check up. I stayed with her during my first hour plannning period. Mandy watched the kids. At 5 I had an IEP this afternoon. It lasted until 6.
Brought root beer home for grands. Pictures of Matt and Kane on South Padre beach and Becky and Kane in Goldsmith's hot tub.

Monday February 27

Happy Birthday Elizabeth, I stopped at the Condo for a quick visit. Mandy had fixed the cushions for the seats at the foot of the steps. They look really nice. It is great what duct tape can do. Cathy gave me encouragement on the IEP's I have been working on. I brought pizza for resource ladies. We picked it up after the careers class interviewed Myra at Bomgaars. I took Carlie to Dollar General for class. After school the adult pep bus left for the state girls' BB tourney. Left about 4 and back to IG about 1 am. WE WON!! It was not a pretty game...but it was a win. I watched a Netflick-- Morning Glory -- on the bus. Now I am working on updating my blog. The hotspot on my phone is connected to my lap top. I am feeling pretty techy swavvee' I am taking Beth Stangl home after we get to IG. (I didn't get to bed until after 2 ouch. Glad for a 2 hour late start.)

Sunday Feb 26

We watched the last of the Netflicks before getting ready for SS this am. It wasn't the greatest, some old cowboy western. Took E&A for donuts. After church I went to IG to get To Kill a Mocking Bird to read. Then to Laura's place. She invited us and Mandy over for spaghetti after church. The lane is really getting sloppy. We napped and Denny worked on tax stuff. We went to prayer time, but set up for the Awana store instead. It took longer that I had anticipated. At night Denny showed me how to work the phone so I could perhaps watch a movie as I rode to Des Moines tomorrow to go to State Basketball game. The kids loved the South Padre Island beach.

Saturday February 25

Coffee at Dad's then Denny went to work in Odebolt. I went home and had chai tea in Sunroom with Missy. Phone calls from sisters. Then to Mandy's for lunch. She did my nails for a present. Phillip's guys came and moved furniture out of the basement to the grainery. It was so great to gert some of the furniture moved down there so Mandy could make room for her stuff. Mandy and I put material on 2 benchs at the foot of the stairs. Then home to get ready to go to Susan G. with Laura for supper. It was so nice. Great food. Great talk. Bob and Teeresa came for dessert after they were done watching Lozier kids. Great to be remembered. It seems at times this past year and a half my life is segmented. I don't get to spend quality time with those I have had as friends for a long time. This meal was a treat. Thanks Susan and Gorden.

Friday February 24

Nothing like 4 sisters to make a good time a great time. Carol Goldsmith and I both have four sisters in our family. Great times. I think there was a two hour late start so I could bake cinnamon rolls for the staff at the high school. The birthday person is suppose to bring treats to school. Mr. Miller made a point of telling me Happy Birthday twice today, once the first time I walked into the office. It made my day. After school I hung out at the Arthur bank and talked Denny into taking me to Storm Lake for Mexican after he got off work at 6. It was good food, but they had a reduced license. We looked for Awana store stuff, shopped at HyVee, and headed home.

Thursday February 23

The boys loved the cold Gulf of Mexico water and beach. It was so much fun for them to run and spash and play.

Wednesday February 22

I am putting in some Texas pictures for my enjoyment. When we took the little ones to the hot tub on Thursday one of the residents told the grands they had a bunny that ate cheerios. Sure enough the bunny appeared and when she got the cheerios the bunny came out from under the car and ate them out of her hand. Pretty cute.

Tuesday February 21

Stopped at Dad's before school. Mandy made it to Colorado. She is staying there to catch up on rest before heading to Iowa with Pensky truck loaded with her bed, a table, 6 chairs, a sofa, an ottoman, and a love seat. Oh, yes, back to the grind. The pictures are from Thursday before the wedding. Mandy with the 6 grands and fun time on the beach with Kane.

Monday February 20

Denny was up early to pack the van we had rented. Out of the house by 8:30 and on our way to Four Seasons. Jensens enjoyed riding the wedding trike around the park. We hung out at the trailer until 12, the time to catch our flight. Mandy and Jason rode to 4 Seasons with Newhouses. Jane took Mandy to do paperwork for renting a Pensky truck. We flew to Houston with Mandy and Jason. Then sad to tell them bye as they headed to Denver.(Their trip to Denver and billfold is another story.) Out trip home went great (aside from the fact we were having to return to the real world). We stopped and got Howard at Gary's home in Blair. We were back to the farm before 10. We listened to Girls' BB game on the radio. We won and are headed to state. Pretty exciting. They came from behind to win.

Sunday February 19

We hung around the beach house until 9. Then we went to The Palms for breakfast. Luke and Karen came down for a cup of coffee and then they headed out for the day. We ate and then my brothers and sisters came and used the places we had vacated. We ate outside on picnic tables. Johnsons and Jensens went to the beach to play and fly kites. We went to Gary and Howard to Brownville to show them Four Seasons. Denny rented a van to haul us back to Brownsville Monday morning. Matt and Becky left in the afternoon. Denny and I sat on beach until dark, the we volunteered to watch little ones while Missy and Phillip spent some time on the beach. Great weather. Wonderful wedding weekend. Time went much too fast.

Saturday February 18

LUKE AND KAREN'S WEDDING DAY!!!It was raining in the morning and cold. The forecast was sunny and windy. At 5 pm the weather was sunny and warm enough to wear sleeveless dresses. Praise the Lord. An answer to Denny's prayer the night before. My brother Craig was amazed that the weather was so great!! I was so thankful. Day went way too fast. More pictures later. Wish I had time to post all the activites of the day. It was great!

Friday February 17

Kane was the first up today. We went on a stroller ride with Torren. It was a long walk to grocery store. We bought Ohh’s, strawberries and Pringles. When we got back to house others were up and Denny and I headed to beach with 5 grands. We ate breakfast on the beach. Great food. The Ohh’s that dropped on the sand we fed to birds. It was kinda scarey for kids. Those birds swooping down and catching the cereal in their mouths. Matt and Becky fed Goldsmiths and us lunch. We had sandwiches, vegetables and fruit, Plus yummy bars. It hit the spot. Justine and Kevin got into the airport and dropped off some food that the sisters had fixed for the unrehearsal dinner that night. Denny ordered 200 C&C wings. Gail made sandwiches which everyone loved. In fact, Mandy renamed them… cinnamon rolls with meat. I invited Jim and Evelyn M. but they had other plans. Jack and Gloria were happy to join us. Nancy got the email about bingo and made 40 copies. Carol had bought pencils to write with. Denny started with a prayer. He prayed mainly about good weather on the wedding day. I told the group about the bingo game, (but I didn’t have any prizes). People worked on the game, while I got food out. I probably should have planned a little better and had the food more ready to put on the counter, but oh, well. Phillip set up the projector from Alan J. (Alan is in India and had left the projector with Jensens.) We projected the power point on the wall of the house. It was right next to the blue marlin fish head. Howard’s plane plans were delayed a little and Gary and Howard didn’t make it to the dinner. Later that night we just sat around and chilled. GREAT DAY IN THE VALLEY!!!

February 16, 2012

Brooks was up about 7. Now that is after I went to bed at 2. He and I went out in the stroller and toured 4 Seasons. Evan got up next and we three were out on the deck and dock. We ate donut holes and oranges for breakfast. Next was the pool and hot tub.(ie picture in hot tub) So much fun. When we got back from saying hi to Jack, Matt and Becky were at the trailer. 18 hours and some 25 minutes from St. Joe to Brownsville. Only 4 stops with 3 kids. Uffta!! So great to have them safely down here. Denny rode with them to the island, Phillip got McD's for lunch, Kids went down for naps, Missy and Phillip went to WalMart, Nancy went to airport. Gail, Jean and Mandy arrived, Celebrate on repaired dock (ie picture on the dock) Denny came back and loaded Jensens and us and we headed to the island. Our beach house is great!!! Right next to Goldsmiths, We unloaded and explored. Then to beach to play in the gulf. Back to Goldsmiths hot tub to warm up. Jensens served Lasagne, green beans and garlic bread to 2 families. YUM!! visit after supper. SO GREAT TO BE WITH FAMILY!! Before I went to bed I read Matt and Missy's last updates on their posts. Tears of sadness for the loss of Denny's mom. Tears of sadness, yet thankfulness for the knowledge that some things can never be taken from us. We have been blessed. Lord, help me love your way. You have left great examples for me to follow. I can't do anything without you. And when I forget that and do try it on my own...I fail so badly. Forgive me and help me. Thanks for the examples you have placed in my life.

February 15

Quick stop at Dad's before school. Denny helped him with addressing birthday cards, he was kinda confused. Early out at school. We left for airport at 2. Stress about payment for beach house. On the shuttle to airport we met superintendent of Becca's Sioux Central school. Great flight to Huston. Hustle to make connection to Brownsville. Then wait. Pictures are from the airplane ride and G'pa walking the Houston airport with Brooks to make the wait go better. Arrived in Brownsville about 11. Nancy was there to pick us up. We so enjoyed the warm weather on the deck. Denny and Phillip faced culture change of South Texas gas station. Barred windows, pay for items before get out of locked vault, but well worth the effort. GREAT night in the valley. Thank you, Lord, for safe travel.

February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day!! Denny greeted me before I could wish him a Happy Valentine's day. Mandy is flying to Denver before she heads to Texas for wedding. She had gotten her tickets prior to moving to Iowa and to change the flight to begin and end at Omaha was going to cost $300. Hence, she got a one way ticket to Denver and plans to drive a Pensky moving van back to Iowa with her sofa, bed and black table and chairs. Luke and Karen took this shot over their shoulder of the beach area where the wedding will be held in 4 days. They are planning a Mexican flavor to their wedding. I don't think they will be wearing those outfits, though.

February 13, 2012 23282

No school. It snowed 4-8 inches. I rode for coffee with Denny to visit with M&H, then home to get caught up on this blog and to start working on an IEP. Hopefully, this day will be spent reading a good book or watching some good movies. :) The pictures are from the power point for the wedding. Lots of cute pictures of Karen and Luke as "little ones". These pictures are the "child with cat" common thread.

Sunday February 12

Jensens went to Pocahontas. After church Howard took us and Mandy and Linda and Dean to the Pizza Hut for lunch. We stopped at Carol and Petes to visit about next wekend wedding plans. I came home and worked computer. At 3 I went to the country condo. Mandy and I worked on fingernails. And watched a movie. To say the least I am not skilled in holding still and not smudging nail polish once it is on. Thanks for being so patient Mandy. I was thinking it would maybe take an hour. Three wnderful hours with my daughter (watching a movie and smearing my polish) later I headed home. We called to put in our order for CC wings next Friday only to be told just to call an hour in advance, for up to 500 wings. We did make reservations in Burlington for Howard, Mandy and us.

Saturday February 11

Woke up this am and just hung out in bed for a while. Then we heard a rooster. Sure enough there was a rooster and hen right by our south window. KInda cute, especially because we were already awake. I worked on school work for HS all am. Watched and took notes on careers video, At 11 Missy took E&A to Storm Lake to get some PG 600 for the gilt Gretel that is not cycling. I took Brooks to Dad's, Denny was there working on bookwork. Denny and Mandy headed to town to get parts for moving TV cable to eastern part of basement. When I put Brooks down for a nap, I read "To Kill a Mockingbird". Now that was a treat for me. Assignment for 10th graders, but a treat for me to read something... fun. Phillip had taken Michael to take his ACT. Denny let Stangls use his pickup and trailer to move to the Nishumura country home. Jensens went bowling for Abby U.'s birthday party. At 7 I went to girl's BB game. We won, but not a great game. Denny and Phillip gave Gretel a ride in trailer, and the gilt fell out. The back gate wasn't fully hooked. By the time I got home they had found her and had walked her back to the barn. Uffta! We watched a Net Flicks at night. Somthing in the heart. Denny has gotten cords so Netflicks can be watched via our cell phones. Quite the Techie!!

Friday February 10

Stopped to the east before school. (It is now Monday am and I have no idea what I did Friday.) Let's see, I know it was Linda and Nancy N.'s birthdays. Happy Birthday Nancy Newhouse and Linda Whaley!!! I came home for a while after school then rode in with Mandy and Grandpa to go to a Valentine's dinner at church. Great food and the "really wed" game they played afterwards brought a lot of laughs. Howard left before really wed game started.

Thursday February 9

Happy Birthday Arlen, Hope you had a great day! I stopped to see Dad and Mandy before school. After school I swam with Susan. Missy gave us quisadias that she had fixed. We had the little ones down to watch the Toy Story 3 movie that Denny played from his phone to the TV. We put the Grands to bed while Missy and Phillip went to help Lynn and Toshi move things around in their country house. Second picture is from Dubuque. Missy, Katie, and Christy were hanging out in the hallway.

Wednesday February 8

Stopped at East Johnsons before school. Mandy had given Anabel twisted straws for her birthday. Brooks had a great time drinking pink punch from the straw the night of her birthday supper. Denny had a lot of laughs from watching Brooks. After school I headed to get a haircut. Then to the church to set a table for Friday Valentine's meal. Then to IG for the Awana Skating party. Lots of families turned out for skating. (Next yeat we should consider helping families pay $5 per member to skate.)

Tuesday February 7

Last night on the way home from town, I took a picture of the moon in the frost covered tress. I thought is was really pretty. After school I went to WW in Holstien. Anabel liked her dress that was a birthday present.