Sunny Saturday

This past Saturday we headed to a pond with a friend to do a little fishing. It was a gorgeous day. We couldn't have asked for a better day. The sun was shining, the breeze was blowing and the fish were biting.

The property owner is in the process of building and what a beautiful house this is gonna be. I told him if it were mine I'd stay and never want to leave to go to town for anything. The inside is just as great (or will be when it's finished).

The kids had a blast fishing. This bass was actually caught by my youngest son but he was fishing from way up high on a deck so he had to ask Logan (pictured) to remove it from his hook.
I off course, had to have someone take each one of mine off...EEwww!

School has begun in our neck of the woods unfortunately.
It's been a rough week (for me) trying to get in enough sleep. I'm used to sleeping in all summer so it's always a challenge when the schedule changes. All is going well so far. Gage is now going to the high school and doing good other than for the fact that he lost his cell phone the first day. 
Katie is being home schooled for her last year. Next year she will enter public schools at the junior high level. Hoping all goes well then too!
So as we trudge through this first week back...we ALL are counting the days until the weekend arrives.
Who knows, maybe we can get another great day of fishing in!

An Evening at the PBR

If you read my birthday post a few weeks ago you will remember that my brother and his wife gifted me with a set of tickets to go see the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) at the Wesbanco Arena in Wheeling, WV.
SO COOL!

Well this past Saturday was the night and let me tell you that I have never seen that place as packed as it was that night. It took us forever to drive through Wheeling just to get into the parking garage. As for the drive home, let's just say it was a LONG wait just to be able to get out of the parking garage. 
However, it was all worth it. 

Cowboys....Horses...Bulls...did I already say COWBOYS! :o)

There were only maybe four or five cowboys that stayed on for the 8 seconds but each and every one of them was interesting to watch. 

Then there were those bulls that had a mind of their own and wanted to wander around the arena after they bucked their rider off.

Thanks Thad and Crystal for a great evening of entertainment!

Snowy Saturday

It's been snowing all day today and I love it!
The wind has been blowing so much that it is hard to say just how much snow we got but my guess would be between 4 and 5 inches.
For the most part I've been inside admiring the snowy views from my windows. But I did venture out to shovel sidewalks which by the way was pointless because they are now covered with about 2 more inches of the white stuff.

Katie and the neighbor enjoyed a little sled riding between our houses. I banked up some snow hoping to stop them at the bottom of the hill but once they got the snow packed down they flew down the hill, hit the snow pile and went airborne into the road. I, of course was keeping watch for traffic and taking pictures as they came down.

It's supposed to snow more tomorrow as well as Monday so I'm sure these two will be back out sledding again.

Enough to Play In!!

We finally got enough snow to play in.
They were calling for 1-2 inches but when we awoke this morning this is what we found.
More like 4 inches!

Hubby got dressed and headed straight outdoors to begin shoveling & plowing sidewalks.

He was a little more eager than I this morning. Everyone (including hubby) are still off for Christmas vacation so I am thoroughly ENJOYING being able to sleep in in the mornings and being lazy. 

First Snowfall of the Season

We finally got some SNOW!
Not a huge amount but enough to make driving a little tricky this afternoon.
And just enough to build a snowman.

The kids were anxious to get outside and play and then after dinner they went out again to clear the sidewalks. 
It's bedtime now and still snowing so we'll see what we wake up to in the morning. 

The kids are all wishing for a white Christmas but I figure the snow will all be melted by then.
However, they are calling for another "bigger" snow to come through the day after Christmas.

The kids are off school now and hubby begins his vacation today so it can snow all it wants.
                 Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

First Yard Sale of the Year and a Great Find

Saturday morning I awoke early to head out to some yard sales (the first for me this season).
The Catholic church in our town has a HUGE sale each year and  I didn't want to miss it.
My most favorite find was that box of quilting hoops and stand. Just as I was browsing the last table of sale items I looked up and saw the box. I immediately grabbed it. 
For $2.00 how could I not??
Once home I laid it all out to see if all the parts were there.
Here's what I found.

From what I can tell everything was there as well as several other large hoops and a few small ones.

I managed to bring home a few more things.

I collect this series of Christmas bulbs. Each one has a picture of a special place here in our county and this is one I had never seen. It's got a few scratches here and there but for 10 cents I can't complain.

Growing up my Mom always cooked in Club aluminum pans and they are still a favorite of mine. Here are 3 of the six that I found. All purchased for $4. Several were Club aluminum and the rest were stamped Made in USA...not sure what brand those are. A couple of new handles are needed but that's not a problem as Dad can make me new ones. I'm going to clean these up a bit and if any of them don't clean up to my liking then they will be used for things other than preparing food in.
Not bad for one day of yard sales.


I better get back to preparing school lessons for the upcoming school year. I've put it off all summer but I must get a moving on it.
Have a great day!

Golfing at Grand Vue & a Brownie Recipe

The kids always have fun at this particular hole on the Putt Putt Golf Course at Grand Vue Park. You have to hit the ball across a narrow bridge over the water and if you miss it goes in the water. 

Of course the kids don't even try because it's no fun if it doesn't go into the water. If it's not busy & crowded then the kids usually go back and play that hole a few times. We never take score because we all stink at golf so we just play for fun.
Our oldest son is missing in these pictures but that is because he is off on a mini vacation. He sent me a few photos last night so when I get them loaded onto the computer I'll tell you where he's at and share a few of the pics.

Doesn't this brownie look yummy??
I've posted this recipe before but I'll share it again.
I made these the other night and as you can see I didn't even wait for the icing to harden up. I just dug right in!
Go HERE to get the recipe.

Just a Few More Days

Just a few more days of school left until summer break.
The weather has been pretty warm so it feels like summer is already here though.
I've got the pool up and running and the kids made their first splash in it this past weekend. I thought the water was a bit chilly but it didn't phase them or their friends at all.

The Jack Rabbit  

Sunday we made our yearly trip to Kennywood Park. I thought maybe it wouldn't be so busy since it was early in the season but boy was I wrong. The place was packed and the lines were long but we still enjoyed the day.

The Log Jammer

Raging Rapids

The Sky Rocket

Leaving the park

Now that the weekend is over I've been busy getting all of our homeschooling documents prepared to send into the school board. They are ready to be delivered however my truck won't drive.
I went to start it yesterday and put it in gear but it wouldn't move. You give it gas and the engine revs up but the truck stays put. Strange since it hasn't given me any problems in the past. It ran fine on Saturday and then boom Monday it wouldn't move.
I'm hoping it's something fairly simple but with my luck it will be something *big* with the transmission.
Just my luck!

Can't freeze time...

and we can't turn the clocks of life backwards so we might as well move forward.
As of today my clock struck 39 and it's slowly beginning it's journey on to 40. 
Yikes!
But that's OK with me. Age is but a number.
I mean look at men.
How many do you know that are 50, 60, 70 and so forth yet still act at times like a child?
So you see, it's all in what WE make of it. :0)
                                                          No offense gentlemen!


The whole family gathered this past Sunday so we celebrated my birthday early. We had dinner and then birthday cake.
Afterwards the kids wanted to go outside and practice shooting their BB guns.

And look Grandmas even got a gun!

She's gonna kill me for this one!

Hubby and the kids really surprised me with this birthday gift.

It's the new Kindle Fire and I LOVE it!
In my spare time you will find me playing my favorite game on it.  (Text Twist 2)

My brother and his family gifted me with all kinds of things that I love. 

Country Living magazine, Girl Scout cookies, candy bars and those blue Dryer Balls that I've been wanting to try. They aren't pictured because they're currently being used in a load of laundry but so far...so good! 
My clothes are soft and NO static.


Other gifts include money and these t-shirts from my best friend and her husband.

Love them!


Later tonight we'll enjoy dinner out at my favorite restaurant and the best part of course is the fact that I don't have to cook or clean up the kitchen so I'm a happy camper.
Hope you all enjoy your day!