FOTR

What is FOTR?  Find out more here -- http://www.familiesontheroad.com/

We are in the beginning stages of figuring out what we need to do for this to become a reality (and I love the idea of downsizing to a simpler life).  There is so much of this country that we haven't seen and this is the only way it will happen.  Not to mention we have friends/family who live all over and we'd get a chance to see them.  And, we homeschool, so it would be a great learning experience for the kids.  They weren't too sure of the idea when I first started talking about it (I grew up in a family that camped and I loved it!) and then we went looking at RVs.  That was an eye opener for them and now they are excited, too.  Even if we don't go on the road, we've decided we want an RV so the kids and I could at least visit different campgrounds while Kirk is working jobs that cause him to drive too many miles everyday (the joys of living in a rural area).  So, either way, it looks like an RV is in our future, provided we can save enough.

I have become friends on-line with another homeschool mom who's family lives this way, and we may be able to meet up with them this summer (Yeah!).  It will have to be in a tent but that's what we are used to anyway ;).  She keeps a blog of their travels if you want to check it out.

Off to daydream some more...

What I've been up to

Wow, I haven't posted in a while.  Life has been so busy lately and I've only really had time online to read messages.  No time to reply much either.

Some highlights since my last post:

• dance class
• AWANA
• walking everywhere (my attempt to not gain weight this holiday season and save gas money)
• coffee with a friend
• parties
  
• our church's live nativity went really well and we had a larger cast this year, and therefore more costumes to be made, plus more sets along the drive-thru
• Christmas projects with family and friends (decorating, cards, gifts, baking, etc.)
• practice so we have singers for our Christmas eve service
• caroling with our homeschool co-op
• everyday things (library trips, grocery trips, trips to piano lessons, laundry, dishes, cooking, etc.)
• educational pursuits (helping the kids with these)
• planning for a New Year's Eve get together at church
  
• sadness over situations within my family (please pray)

And now, I really should go to bed because I have more to do tomorrow...

Decorating?

Yesterday, we spent an interesting evening helping friends decorate for the Oil 150 celebration going on this week. There is a contest and let me tell you, they are out to win! An oil derrick in their front yard, no less! We started at 4:14 PM and finished the helping out part somewhere around 8:30 - 9:00 PM. We had people slowing down to get a good look (some also turned around to get a second look) and a few even parked to watch, lol.

Videos take too long to load so here are some stills from the many videos I took.

I thought I lost these

But I found them! Yeah!!!


I miss you dad!

Wagon Wheels West

This past weekend, July 31st and August 1st, was the culmination of Noelle's hard work this summer. Kyle was involved as sound man as well. Thought I'd share the memories :)



Getting ready to go on:

15

Kyle turned 15 yesterday. His requests for the day were a brownie ice cream cake and eating dinner out. Oh, and of course, family to share it with :)

Pymatuning

On Saturday, we decided to go to Pymatuning Reservoir.

We stopped at the car wash on the way and the kids and I took some goofy pictures.
We had originally planned to go to the deer park (actually a small zoo) but the place was crowded beyond belief (we'll go back on a weekday). We were hungry anyway so headed into Jamestown for some lunch. Then we drove over to the dam to explore.
Next we drove to the other end of the reservoir to feed the carp. Noelle has a joke she tells about how to cook a carp: Take a pine board and nail the carp to the board, cook in a 350 degree oven for 4-5 hours, take out of oven and throw out the carp, eat the pine board ;o)
Here's a couple videos of the hungry buggers:

We stopped at Family Ties on the way home and ate dessert instead of dinner. I mean come on, who has room for dessert after eating a meal? ;o)

To top off the day, we went for a walk to see how progress was coming on the community swimming pool. The plaster crew came all the way from Texas and they were swarming all over the place trying to get things finished for the opening in a few days.

All in all, a very busy day!

Memorial Day Weekend

Saturday the 23rd

I decided I needed to reclaim my front porch after doing the deck the day before. I hauled everything off, swept up all the leaves so Noelle could dump them over the creek bank, then put everything back in place and made room for our bicycles so they were ready for use.

Kirk cleaned out the fire ring so we could have a fire later in the evening. Then he and Kyle raked, mowed, weed whacked, and cleaned up the chairs for on the front porch. While the guys were doing that, Noelle and I took a planter back to the dollar store to get a smaller one for the deck table.

Dinner was eaten on the deck and it felt so good to have our *outside* room all set up. After clean up, Kirk made a fire and we enjoyed cherry mountain pies with a dollop of vanilla frosting. Mmmm...

Sunday the 24th

We decided to stay home from church and really spend time with just the family. Kirk ran to the store so I could make us all a big breakfast. Waffles, sausage, and eggs eaten on the deck. Beautiful morning!

Tom and Jeannette (Kirk's parents) took us out to lunch for an early 50th birthday present for Kirk. Then we headed over to the cemetery to place flowers on graves and walk around. We saw Great Aunt Jane there and talked with her a while. The kids and I also noticed that the cemetery was loaded with wild strawberry blossoms and began being careful where we stepped ;)

On the way home we stopped at my mom's house for a visit. My mom showed me the bluebird babies in the nest box and then bluebird parents began dive bombing us. I grabbed my camera and attempted to get a picture of one of them in the willow tree.

We were told to come back at 7 pm for a fire/cookout. It was a really nice evening!


Noelle, Larissa, and another little girl ran all over looking for critters and just having a blast together.

As everyone was getting ready to head home,
my mom decided we should all come back together and do it all over again Monday evening.

Monday the 25th

I needed to do some paperwork for the kids' homeschool evaluations on Thursday so Kyle and I stayed home while Kirk and Noelle went for a drive to look at trucks. The two of them also ate a late breakfast at a restaurant. Ky and I are home bodies for the most part so this was fine with us.

The fire/cookout was earlier than the night before. The great thing about the whole weekend was the beautiful weather! It usually rains (it did a little at the cemetery on Sunday but that was it) most of the weekend.

Another weekend...

Friday -- walked around town going to yard sales, payed bills, perused some stores, road our bikes to the library, walked to the store for a rotisserie chicken and some Italian bread for dinner, watched The Andy Griffith Show on DVD from Netflix

Saturday -- did laundry, dishes, played on the internet, worked on my CQ square, found some cross stitch projects I started years ago and did some work on one (the bee sampler to go on a pillow for Noelle), made a pasta salad for dinner, Kirk and Noelle went to Walmart for a giant sub for dinner and to get Noelle some shorts, watched The Andy Griffith Show on DVD (another one)

Sunday -- Kirk had to work today, kids and I went to church without him, I had power point today and recorded the sermon from our guest speaker Ed Black (a missionary to Croatia), took Noelle to Walmart to exchange her shorts (dad let her buy a size too small), got home and did dishes, walked to the store, made coleslaw and chicken drumsticks for dinner, did dishes, relaxed for a while, then wrote on this blog :)

Off to bed now, night all!

Concerts in the Park

Concerts in the Park starting up June 1

By Tom Boyle
Monday, May 11, 2009 10:58 PM CDT

With summer just around the corner, you can almost hear the sound of a band playing in Scheide Park in Titusville.

The Titusville Council on the Arts has released the schedule for one of the most well-attended events in the city -- the Titusville Summer Concerts in the Park series.

The 26-year-old program is a staple for family summer entertainment each year.

The concerts take place each Monday evening in June, July and August from 7 to 9:00 in Scheide Park. In addition, the Titusville Lions Club is present each week to provide food sales.

“Our program committee sat down and considered the acts we used last year,” said Penny Gustavson, executive director of the Titusville Council on the Arts. “We took attendance each week and considered the interest shown by residents.

“Every year the schedule changes, because we try to bring in new bands,” Gustavson said. “We put out the word early. Bands that want to play here during the summer must contact us by mid-January.”

Part of the process used by committee members to choose the musical acts is to listen to CDs forwarded to the arts council.

Gustavson said that last year's two most popular bands are returning: country band “Ghost Riders” (June 22) and 50s, 60s and 70s crooners “Top Cats” (July 27).

“People begged us to bring in a 50s and 60s band,” Gustavson said of “Top Cats,” who definitely filled the bill.

Another group that Titusville folks turn out for in big numbers is the polka band “Gerkmania.” Gustavson said that although these music makers are unable to perform on Monday due to work commitments, she will try to bring them in on another evening to perform.

“They are well-liked in this area,” she said. “We will try to work them in.”

Two newcomers to the Scheide Park stage are bluegrass band “Grass Fire” (June 8) and country rock's “Divided Highway” (July 6).

“[Divided Highway] is a very popular area band [that] we have not had the privilege of presenting before,” Gustavson said. “We are excited about being able to have them.”

Residents are encouraged to attend with a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the music each week. Families are encouraged to bring children of all ages.

In the event of rain, the concerts will be moved to Titusville High School. If Colestock Auditorium is not available, the show will go on in either the gymnasium or cafeteria.

The concerts are made possible through the generosity of several area civic groups and charitable organizations.

In addition to the concert series, the council will also be busy with Oil 150 Celebration activities.

Along with the tribute to Hank Williams scheduled for Aug. 18, Gustavson said there are a lot of other things planned by the arts council for Oil 150, pending the receipt of funding through grants.

Ethnic Day has been set for Aug. 20. The theme this year is the Seneca Indians.

“We are going back to the original collectors of oil,” Gustavson noted.

The Titusville Council on the Arts Summer Concerts in the Park schedule for 2009 is listed as follows:

June

June 1 - The Necessary Experience (rock)

June 8 - Grass Fire (bluegrass)

June 15 - Forsyth Special (Irish)

June 22 - Ghost Riders (country rock)

June 29 - Bill Beggs Big Band (big band)

July

July 6 - Divided Highway (mix)

July 13 - Loose Change Band (country)

July 20 - Newman (modern)

July 27 - Top Cats (50s, 60s and 70s)

August

Aug. 3 - Carl Olson -- An Instrumental Journey (pop)

Aug. 10 - CATRO (jazz)

Aug. 17 - Banjo Jammers

Oil Festival Special

Aug. 18 - A Tribute to Hank Williams






Posting this here so I don't have to go looking for it later on :)

Firsts of the Season

Nothing smells as good as clothes hung out on the line.
Our washer is broken and I had to go to the laundromat. I had a lot of laundry to dry but only had $1.25 left after washing it all. I used that to start the towels drying (nothing feels worse to me than a towel hung on the line soaked, only to dry like sandpaper). I brought everything home and most went on the line. Jeans and unmentionables went in our dryer at home.

The washers at the laundromat don't hold as much as mine so I don't like this option. Kirk went looking for a used washer and found one. It was $500 brand new, is three years old and they want $250 for it. We looked at new washers without fancy settings and they were $350 - $399. Still thinking which route to go.

It was very hot in the afternoon, about 85 degrees and Noelle decided to enjoy a cooling trek in the creek.
When its hot like that I do not like to turn the oven on or stand over a hot stove to cook dinner. We did a fend for yourself night and then had sherbet for dessert.

Need a laugh?

I'm in the mood for a pick me up and thought I'd share in case you needed one too.

Groundhog Day

Last night we watched the movie Groundhog Day in preparation for today's proclamation...




Yep, you guessed it...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Phil Says "Six More Weeks of Winter!"

Phil's official forecast as read February 2nd, 2009 at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob:

Hear Ye Hear Ye

On Gobbler's Knob this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2009

Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators

Awoke to the call of President Bill Cooper

And greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths

After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers,

Phil proclaimed that his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers were World Champions one more time

And a bright sky above me

Showed my shadow beside me.

So 6 more weeks of winter it will be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Make sure to check out the link "proclamation" to enjoy the rest of the pictures.

More Christmas Fun

A friend gave Noelle an Amish Friendship Bread starter and she had so much fun with it. Better yet, baking in your pjs.....

Our church Christmas dinner was a lot of fun and of course I ate too much. We had cinnamon ham and come on, look at this dessert table.....

One of the ladies of our church, Martha, is a florist and does such a beautiful job on the centerpieces. Names were drawn for them to be taken home. I didn't win one but got a picture to share.

The evening wouldn't have been complete without something fun for everyone to do. We split up into teams to sing The 12 Days of Christmas. Each team had to sing their part and make up motions. Kyle was on team 1 and provided the partridge (envision a shadow puppet bird) in the pear tree. Noelle was on team 2 and they were graceful (slow flapping of arms) turtle doves. My team was the 8 maids-a-milking and we pretended to be milking a cow. I so wish I could have gotten pictures of it all, lol!

Build-A-Bear Workshop

Stephanie posted about Build-A-Bear workshop and I thought I'd share some pics from when my kids did this, in 2003. Wow, it doesn't seem that long ago! Anyway, enjoy.













































I had to scan the pictures, sorry for the bad quality.

One Word Meme

Okay, Stephanie and Donna, here goes.......

YOU CAN ONLY TYPE ONE WORD!

Not as easy as you might think. Now copy or forward to at least 10 people. Change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers. Let me know if you're doing one! I'd love to see your answers!

1. Where is your cell phone? fictitious
2. Your significant other? working
3. Your hair? humdrum
4. Your mother? determined
5. Your father? coarse

6. Your favorite thing? horses
7. Your dream last night? technical
8. Your dream/goal? equestrian
9. The room you're in? dining
10. Your fear? none

11. Where were you last night? home
12. What you're not? extroverted
13. Muffins? apple
14. One of your wish list items? palamino
15. Where you grew up? podunks

16. The last thing you did? microwave
17. What are you wearing? shirt
18. Your TV? old
19. Your pets? dog
20. Your computer? temperamental

21. Your life? good
22. Your mood? mellow
23. Missing someone? husband
24. Your car? van
25. Something you're not wearing? contacts

26. Favorite store? discount
27. Your summer? short
28. Do you love someone? yes
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday

31. Last time you cried? yesterday
32. Who will repost this? Kerri?

Fairie House

Finally got around to constructing it although its not finished yet. Let me know what you think.

We obviously need a front but then I couldn't take pictures.

Here is the inside without the roof on.

Its located at the base of a tree that leans toward the Northeast. After our first try at building at this site, a thunderstorm with heavy rain and large gusts of wind blew through and we thought it was ruined. Nope. Completely intact and only one side was a little damp.

Okay, I like this one

I'm a Ford Mustang!

You're an American classic -- fast, strong, and bold. You're not snobby or pretentious, but you have what it takes to give anyone a run for their money.

"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Its my favorite car, well the classic 69 convertible is.

Hhmm....Really??

I'm a Talent!

You're a risk-taker, and you follow your passions. You're determined to take on the world and succeed on your own terms. Whether in the arts, science, engineering, business, or politics, you fearlessly express your own vision of the world. You're not afraid of a fight, and you're not afraid to bet your future on your own abilities. If you find a job boring or stifling, you're already preparing your resume. You believe in doing what you love, and you're not willing to settle for an ordinary life.

Talent: 56%
Lifer: 46%
Mandarin: 44%

Take the Talent, Lifer, or Mandarin quiz.

Interesting quiz Stephanie.

Not very addicted, yet......

47%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets