Meg is 1!

Meg Elizabeth Bowman turned one year old while we were at Mamaw & Papaw's house in Ohio! Almost 13 years ago, Riley turned one while we were at Mamaw & Papaw's house in Ohio! Back then we lived in Virginia and were out for cousin Megan Lynch's wedding. So both sets of grandparents were present along with Great Grandad Guy, and Aunt Ruth had made Riley a teddy bear gingerbread cake. This time we live in Kansas and were out to help Mom & Dad pack up to move. Upstairs in the storage closet, we uncovered streamers and party supplies, so Annie & Caroline had a grand afternoon decorating for Meg's celebration! Mom's thoughtful friend brought supper, so we could stay sorting stuff as long as possible. Here are some snapshots of the girls' handiwork and Diane's delicious meal of chicken&chip casserole, green beans, vegetables & dip, cornbread muffins, and cherry-oreo dessert. Meg's "cake" was a muffin. 

In the upstairs closet we also found some outfits that I wore when I was a baby, so Meg was gifted with those, and Caroline sewed her a little doll and ball. An evening stroll was in order after supper to enjoy the evening and each other.

I think she liked it! Happy birthday Meg!!

Beginning House Remodel

Way back in January, right before we left on the big motorhome western excursion, we had a couple weeks to get started on our recent house purchase remodel.

This is standing in the kitchen looking at the front door.
Shannon knocked out the walls the refrigerator is against and the upper cabinet.

This picture doesn't show the missing walls, but you can see the mess of tearing out!

the outside kitchen wall before

The kitchen skylight leaked and had already ruined part of the ceiling,
so that had to be sealed up while we were absent for 4 months.

I'll miss the light, but appreciate dryness!

This is the other wall Shannon took out to open up our main living area.

I took this picture standing inside the front door

taking out the last of the bedroom wall (kitchen to the right)

All apart, ready to put in insulation, can lights, tin roof, and ceiling drywall.

 

The Mess

So we loaded the RV, set out for Texas, and left the house project far behind, dangling in the recesses of our mind as we experienced the ultimate relaxed field trip out west!

Weekend In Orlando

Our family left the motor home behind and drove 14 hours to my parents place in Ohio. Shannon stayed with Dad while Mom & I flew out of Dayton early Thursday morning July 18, Orlando bound!

layover in Atlanta

MCI Orlando airport hotel

We took the public bus to our hotel a little ways across town. The driver almost didn't let Meg on without shoes. I hadn't even brought any as she's not walking yet! Good thing we were driving home and wouldn't use the transit back to the airport!

Here is the tower where our room was on the 6th floor.

The Peabody

mmm, late hotel lunch 

the bathroom mirror had a little rectangle television inside

glasses, no plastic cups (and no coffee maker)

robes for our comfort and convenience

view of the pool(s) from the elevator hall

We ventured to Florida for an encouraging, inspiring 25 year company conference celebration. It was a lot of fun and a treat too! The first time for Meg to fly, but unfortunately my camera wasn't accessible on the plane.

naptime in the stroller

evening out with friends and friends of friends

Denny's dining.

Now snoozing in fluffed comfort

waterfall landscaping we walked by each day at the Peabody

our organization attendees

The weather was pleasant, though coolish in the convention center. Surprising to me as I thought Florida in July would be awful humid! These gals are a hoot to be with and we traveled straight through back to Ohio Saturday evening, laughing, sleeping, listening, eating, learning, loving! Enjoying the fact that we feel great and can bless others with the same gift!

The family at home went swimming with cousins, tubing down the river, and out to eat for ice cream.

Can't wait to do it again!

Harvesting Hay

Our kind elderly neighbor let us use his hay equipment, so after Miller's Custom Baling swathed the brome grass, we let it dry a few days then Riley raked it. 

most of the 5 acres of hay

all done, ready for the baler

The girls fixed some herbal tea for us to enjoy on these sunshiny arid days. We have quite a stash of herbs that need used up, so they chose several varieties to sample.

sun tea in the making

peppermint, spearmint, red raspberry, & jasmine green tea

Peppermint and Red Raspberry Leaf are the children's favorites. We are so enjoying a full size fridge to keep multiple beverages cold! In the PPA, if we had milk we couldn't chill water, and we certainly never had tea!

Jack baling it up

Shannon's 'little tractor that could'

a full trailer load

headed from the field to the shed

Annie and Caroline took turns driving the tractor while the Shannon and Riley stacked the hay. A couple loads fit just right in the shed. Enough to get a taste for it and still be fun, but not tire of hard work! (Well, the little people anyway.) I didn't do much except take pictures, care for Meg and do laundry, meals, and other daily work. We haven't located our clothespins so I've been using 8 or so to hang out clothes in shifts or just drape over the line. Then multiple trips later to switch dry clothes out for wet and pick the unpinned off the ground, our laundry eventually gets done!

Annie's hay harvest supper

Hurray for a break from house remodel and food for future livestock + to spare!