Friday, July 30, 2010

Aidan is an artist

Yesterday I had charge of my two little ones. Keeping them is certainly a highlight of my week. Anyway, I know Aidan likes to color and I had this big piece of cardboard that was part of a package I got this week. (the package will be the subject of another post!) I asked Aidan if he wanted to draw....of course he did! I got out the crayons but soon thought that markers would be a better choice for this project =) I went on a hunt for some markers, preferably the washable variety. I found some.

Aidan, the artist, went to work.

Aidan working on his masterpiece


Finished, time to put the markers away


Nana, look......


I love this part of clean-up, Nana!


So much fun!


Little boys need some extra help to make them taller.
His Daddy used this method last week and Aidan did not forget!


Such a big boy....makes his Nana's heart melt.


Now for some pictures from last week......

Zoe loves her brother!

Christy found this bouncy toy at a yard sale. It's exactly like the one that was Paityn's which Aidan used and now Zoe uses at her house. This one was marked at $10, which Christy would have paid......but Christy is always after a  bargain. She offered $5 and it was accepted =)
 Now Zoe can have some fun at Nana's house too!


Where did my brother go?


Ahhhhh.....

Oops, I forgot......


Check out Aidan's 'cool dude' hair!!
Aidan got a hair cut. The gal who cut his hair asked if he wanted colored hair gel. Aidan said "Blue".
He got the blue!


Nana should have taken the nucker!
Aidan would have given it up....all Nana needed to do was ask =)

Thursday, July 29, 2010

A quiet week

Not much  happening this week. That's ok with me.

I keep my little ones today. I'm a bit behind in doing laundry so that may be a chore to try to fit between Zoe and Aidan needing Nana today.

Next week I will be working to prepare for a week at the beach. We have been looking forward to this vacation all summer!

Gina and Joe will be here on Sunday.....looking forward to that!

That's all for today. Like I said, not much happening!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Witmer Family Retreat

What a fun time we had! Being with my sibs is one of my favorite things. And having my kids (except for Gina, Joe and Manny) and grandchildren (except Laurencia) there was a bonus to boot. We did a lot of eating, talking and laughing. We missed my Dad but didn't dwell on it. We honored his memory throughout the weekend through conversation and during our Sunday morning worship service. What a man of God, my Dad.

Enjoy the pictures............


On the sofa- Grandma Mary, Christy (Rose's daughter) and Christy (my DIL). Behind the sofa is my sister Betty from New Hampshire.


My sister Mary Ellen playing a group game which included Merida (daughter of Betty)


My son Corey checks up on what is happenin' in the world and my brother Dick watches what is happenin' around him!


My sister Rose (from Georgia) helps herself to some awesome white chicken chili (made by my DIL Christy) and Betty decides whether to have a regular spicy burger or a really spicy burger!

My really tall grandson Andrew decides what to put on his salad while his Mom Kim  adds to her salad. Doesn't the bowl of fruit look yummy? Kim put that together =)

Daughter Ellen enjoys a soda while Olivia (daughter of Rose) watches. Olivia enjoyed being with Ellen this week-end.

The meeting of the great minds?!! SIL Scott, Scott (husband of Betty), Bob (husband of Rose), Matthew (son of Rose)

Comparing IPhones....... Dick (husband of my sister Jean), Lynn (boyfriend of daughter Greta), Greta

OK, Maribeth (daughter of Rose), there really is not a reason to hide that beautiful face!!

Watching a video taken last summer. It began with Barb, Jeanie and I were trying to sing a song without laughing all the way through it. We did eventually get it accomplished =) Also on it was the family singing with our Dad....precious beyond words.   In this picture....my brother Dick, sister Barb (from Idaho) and Isaiah (son of Betty)

Here we are, the Witmer family!
Front row: Mary Ellen, Mary (Step Mother), me, Barb
Second row - Jeanie, Rose, Dick, Betty
Missing are my Dad and sister Janet who live in Heaven

Dick and his grandson Austin

Betty and her family

Jeanie and her family including granddaughter Destiny, DIL Lori and Grandson Austin

Rose and her family - Christy, Katie, Maribeth, Rose, Bob, Olivia, Julia and Matt

My bunch that was there
Christy holding Aidan, Corey holding Zoe, Dale, Me, Scott, Marcy holding Paityn, Lynn, Greta, Ellen, Andrew and Kim

Watching it rain

Later on Sunday evening the girls met at Twin Kiss for some ice cream and then came to my home to relax on the deck. Here is Betty and my SIL Nancy.

Mary Ellen, Barb and Rose. We  were so sorry that Jeanie could not join us. They found a problem at their Lititz house that needed attention plus a drive to Reading to return Destiny to her Mom. She was surely missed! (Notice the strange shapes on the house from the sun shining through the trees!)

After it started to get dark, the bugs make it unpleasant to be outdoors. We came indoors so they could look around our house which was the Witmer Family Homestead many years ago. They enjoyed that.....lots of good memories are in this place.

Another Witmer Retreat is history. Precious times.

A few pictures

I don't have time now to post about the wonderful family week-end we just experienced. But I will post a few pictures....

Aidan and PopPop having some fun.

Corn on the cob......yum!

Paityn showing off her techie skills....

My crazy family!

More to come....................

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Happy Birthday to my First Born

July 22, 1975, early in the morning, I gave birth to our first child Kimberly Rose. She was 2 weeks overdue, a long wait for a first time Mom! I thought I was going to be pregnant f.o.r.e.v.e.r! She weighed 8lbs. and was 18" long. We were in love with her at first sight. Because Dale has really dark eyes and dark brown hair (well, had!) and I have brown eyes and had brown hair (it changes from time to time, haha), I always imagined our children with brown eyes and brown hair too. Kim [who for a few days was called Kimberly because I insisted on it, but in no time her Daddy started calling her Kimmy and it stuck till she became a teenager] surprised us by having beautiful Blue Eyes and Blond Hair! She was always a petite girl, our only child to not get taller than her Mom.

Today Kim is a wife to Manny,  step-Mom to Laurencia and Mom to Andrew. She has worked at Boscov's, a department store, since her high school days. She recently studied to become a Real Estate Agent. We are soooo proud of her! Besides being a valued employee, she is one terrific Mom and loves that hubby of hers too. She is a great cook. Kim has a little city veggie garden where she grows tomatoes, several kinds of peppers and some cucumbers. Her Grandpa, who lives in heaven, must be so proud =) ...my Dad was quite the gardener.

Happy Birthday, Kim!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

A surprise dinner invitation


Corey called around 4p today. He wondered if we had plans for dinner. I had a chicken in the crock pot and wondered what he had in mind. They needed to pick up Christy's car at the garage in Manheim and were inviting us to join them at Twin Kiss for dinner....their treat. How nice! I told Corey the chicken can wait till Thursday. (that's when I cook for him and the kids because Christy will be at work) Soooo Dale and Ellen had burgers and fries, I had a sub, Corey had a fish and chips dinner and Christy had a fried chicken dinner that she shared with Aidan. Of course, you can't go to Twin Kiss with out having........

Ice Cream!!!
Aidan is certainly enjoying his!

Christy enjoying a Root Beer Float
Corey has a Chocolate Milkshake

Dale just finished a choc/van swirl cone
Ellen had a choc/van swirl in a dish
(isn't Ellen's haircut cute?)

I take the pictures so there are never any of me...
I'm ok with that =)
Zoe was there too. She watched her PopPop
 eat every french fry.
 It was sooo cute!

The children entertained several older people
 who were eating there.
And, Aidan was in awe of a State Trooper who
came to eat at Twin Kiss too.

What a fun evening. Thanks, Corey and Christy,
 for blessing us in this way!

Monday, July 19, 2010

A busy week ahead....

Busy day today with my two little ones......

Zoe


Aidan


Aidan loves his sister,
and Zoe loves her brother.
Zoe giggles and giggles when Aidan entertains her.


Tomorrow Ellen and I go see Jess for haircuts. My hair is more of a mop these days...ugg! So ready for a cut and color.

Wednesday I will work like mad to get ready for overnight guest (s). We have an annual Witmer Retreat this week-end in York County. Sisters from Idaho, New Hampshire and Georgia will be coming to PA for this event. I am soooo excited to see them again. Betty's family and Barb all need some lodging before and after the retreat. Not sure which sis will stay here. And I have laundry to do, food to purchase and/or prepare, packing.....

Thursday I keep my two little ones again! I don't know how their Mommy will get ready to go away....she works late on Thursday and also works Friday evening. I can't seem to accomplish much when I keep these two.  But, I'm the old Nana not the young Mommy.....therein lies a difference, I am quite sure of that!

Friday will involve last min. food purchases and packing. Then to the retreat we go! We always have such a good time being together. We will be missing our Dad this year. I can't even write that without tears. But he is in such a better place....we wouldn't want him here with us with all the suffering he endured on this earth.

Oh, and I must also work on the Sunday meditation for our family church service. It needs some work to pull it together.

Yes, it promises to be a very busy week!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Where's Aidan?


                 Where is Aidan? I can't find him!

 
There he is!

 Aidan was in a fun mood yesterday. So delightful and so much fun for this Nana.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Sneakers


Remember these?

June 23 -
Made the trek to Sketchers, Tanger Outlet
Buy one, get one half off.....nice! We need 2 pairs.
Purchased the shoes on the left (for Ellen's left foot)
Ordered a pair to be shipped (for Ellen's right foot)
June 28 -
Pair on the right arrived
Oops, wasn't the one we ordered!
Called the store, was their mistake, will send out the
 correct pair, I will return the wrong shoes
June 29 -
Returned the wrong shoes
Correct pair should be on their way
Was given several 25% off coupons, nice.
July 2 -
No Shoes
July 6 -
I know there was a holiday in there, but we should have received the shoes
July 7 -
Called the store to let them know the shoes have not arrived yet                                
Manager said she would call the store that was sending them
Thought maybe the Holiday had delayed them.
Manager called me with a tracking #
I checked the tracking #...they were delivered to our front door on....June 28!
Houston, we have a problem!
I called again to inform the manager the tracking # was for the shoes I returned the week before.
The manager from the sending store was on vacation
The poor guy that was who was trying to figure this out also had a District manager in the store (stress!)
I didn't hear the phone ring (I was giving the house a good clean that day)
I checked the message....
The shoes are on their way (I guess they were forgotten, overlooked...whatever)
Instead of  $39.95, they were charging me half price...$19.97. Nice!
July 9 -
Shoes arrived at our door! The correct ones!
But I wasn't charged $19.97.
They were $17.50

Ellen got Sketchers sneakers for $37.47. Rare, indeed!
                                   
Sometimes the frustration, even when experiencing others mistakes, is worth it =)
            
             
                

Monday, July 12, 2010

Fun, Fahn Times!

Another fun family week-end is behind us.......

Saturday -

We went to Mary Ellen's house to see my nephew Eric Brubaker from Idaho and his girlfriend Jolene Nice from PA, Souderton area. They met on line some time ago. She had visited Eric's home a few months ago and this was Eric's first time to meet her family. She is a delightful young lady. We had a wonderful time visiting with both of them.
                                           
 Jolene and Eric


Ellen and Dale


We then went home to rest and wait for Aidan and Zoe to arrive. Corey and Christy were going out to eat by themselves. Aidan and I watched a movie, MVP, about a chimp that plays ice hockey while Zoe took a nap on PopPop.

Sunday -

After church the gang came to hang =) Gina and Joe were here today, wonderful! Kim had to work so she joined us after that. After lunch the Phillie's fans had to watch the game. Then...

What is everyone looking at??



Mario cart Wii game. Four people racing...fun!!
(Thanks to Gina and Joe for bringing it!)




Hi, Zoe! She looks comfortable!



Later we moved to the deck for fresh fruit and Ice Cream.




Marcy enjoying their new chair like the one I got Dale for Father's Day



Zoe hangs with Daddy



Gina and Joe



Daddy, I want this one and Aidan wants that one! (Paityn's words, exactly!)



Kim says, Yum....



Ellen loves her brother...especially when he can get her some Ice Cream!



Fun with Mom.....


Fun with sticks....


Sliding...


Smores!


Fun swinging.....



Back into the house to dance...


Slow dancing.....(how cute is that?!!)


Yoga poses!

 


Before going home, Zoe blessed us with lots of hearty giggles....oh so delightful!
(This picture was taken before the giggles began) 



Another  wonderful week-end....we are, indeed, blessed!