Well, we certainly enjoyed our trip back home to Ohio! Not much time to relax, but here’s a few things we’ve been up to:
We had 3 wonderful Sundays at our home church! Pastor Mike Castelli finished his series on the book of Isaiah (which he began in January – hey, it’s a really long book!) and he started a series on the Reformation. Here’s what our bulletin said:
Five centuries ago on October 31, 1517, a young Roman Catholic priest named Martin Luther posted 95 ‘disputes’ on the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. These disputes pointed to church teachings and practices that he believed needed to be reformed, and he wanted to debate their truthfulness. This was the tipping point that exploded into what we call the Reformation. It shaped with permanence, the way we handle Scripture and the Gospel of salvation: the gaining of eternal life in Jesus Christ. The reformers referred to this movement of God as Post Tenebras Lux, Latin for After Darkenss Light. This Sunday begins an historical and theological look at the darkness of the times and the great need for reformation.
Pastor Mike is an excellent teacher and I encourage anyone interested in learning more to listen to the sermons at www.the-chapel.life You’ll want the Green Campus link.
We washed and waxed the coach. “Wax on. Wax off.” Yes! Just like that! Now imagine doing that to a bigger-than-a-city-bus size vehicle! Actually, Blaine did most of it. I was too busy socializing. 😊
We re-organized some things, especially in the kitchen. I had to put notes on the insides of the food cupboards so we’ll know where things are now. The cupboards are all really deep and it was hard to see where things were. Now I just have trouble finding things . . . But it will get easier!
I “Spring-cleaned” the entire coach. I know what you’re thinking – How hard can that be? It’s not very big. – and you’d be right. But I had to squeeze it in between visiting. : )
Spent quite a bit of time visiting with parents, brothers, in-laws and friends! We’re soooo very blessed to have so many!
Spent time with our grandkids – and their parents 😊 Some of the things we did with them were:
the Akron Zoo, a huge playground in Beechwood and lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, a visit to Ramseyer Farms “Fall Festival” in Wooster, dinner at a Hibachi restaurant in Fairlawn (that’s where they cook on a griddle in front of you and throw food in your mouth), played on the steps with the little ones (Gma got in trouble 😊), and paddled around Mogadore reservoir IN THE DARK! And just spending time with them – two are small (one and two) and don’t really know us yet, but the others are ten, seven and six and have been around us all their lives. We have four boys and one girl (the youngest). What a joy grandchildren are!
We celebrated Thanksgiving Dinner a month early at Blaine’s Mom and Dad’s. Of all our family in the area, only my brother and his family didn’t make it, so there was a total of 20 of us. So much to be thankful for!
We rooted for the demise of the Chicago Cubs and the NY Yankees (just because, if we couldn’t go to the World Series, we didn’t want them to) Yeah! God answers even trivial prayers. 😊
We made a curtain to go behind the ‘cockpit’ area to keep the heat/cold up front while we drive. It took some thought, but what we ended up with was simple and inexpensive. And most importantly, it worked!
And there was the discovery of how to definitively get rid of gnats! Yeah! Take an empty jar with a lid and poke 3-4 TINY holes in the top (you don’t want the gnats to get back out, but they have to be able to get in). Cover the bottom of the jar with apple cider vinegar. Watch the littler buggers collect in the bottom. When you don’t see them flying around anymore, dump the vinegar outside and rinse the jar.
We ate out – a LOT (everyone wants to meet for breakfast, lunch or dinner) Our dining out budget swapped with our grocery budget this month! But we (especially me!) love to eat out. Of course, I love to cook too. I guess I just love eating in general. . .
I had fully intended to take lots of pictures, but got so caught up in visiting, it just didn’t enter our minds often. Bummer! Have to do better when we go home for Christmas!
Our attempt at getting all the grandkids together for a picture. Didn’t happen. : )
Is that adorable, or what?!?
I don’t even know what to say . . .
He makes me smile! : )