What Might Be Silly to You

 Since October, my family has really discovered Snap Chat.  We find it difficult to send any kind of serious message in this format.  
The grands have all discovered that if it is a doggy face, you open your mouth and a tongue rolls out.  Sometimes bunnies or kitties will spit hearts when you open your mouth.  No matter the day, the time, or circumstance, Snap Chat can make you smile. 
So, now after a few months, messages like this are completely normal.

Oh Dave

Out My Window in Edwardsville

 In late November the weather in the mid-South "usually" does not hover at freezing for so long, but it did just that while we were parked in Edwardsville, IL, at the home of our dear friends, the Lange family.  

This has to be one of my best OMW stays.  Watching horses made me forget that my toes were cold. I was fascinated by their daily routine, who hung out with whom, which horses were best friends, the boss horse, how they communicated, you know, things you ponder about horses. 

I included the OMW shot of the icicle :(  proving it is too cold to be in St. Louis area for Thanksgiving.  

One morning OMW I saw Arrow, the family dog and four of her eight puppies making a break from the barn. I believe that Arrow was thinking, "Listen, I am just going out for coffee, a little book time and just chill. I promise I will be back, really."  These pups made a break with mom.  I grabbed my coat and went out to help Josiah round up the herd.  Josiah and I could be heard saying things like, "I have two," or "we are still missing one," and "yikes, now we have another one loose." It was fun to be around such simple puppy joy.  All eight pups have new homes following the Thanksgiving break.  It was a very nice doggie fix for us as a dog in 8' x 40' just does not appeal to either of us.   

Halloween in Marengo, Illinois

Wednesday Morning 3/4 full

Sunday Morning

For the past 5 years, this has been a great school fundraiser at Zion Lutheran School.   You pay $2.25 per pound on the honor system. Choose your candy, weigh and pay.  The alcove where the candy was kept made me swoon such happy chocolate memories. 

Grab a bag

Out My Window

Arkdale, Wisconsin, and Luther

Bullhead City, Arizona

Lighthouse Marina, California

When I am seated at my desk, I can look straight out my back window, here are views  Out My Window. 

Pond before the flood

Belvidere, Illinois - a flooded pond

Acton, California, and Luther

Sherwood, Oregon
This view is not much, but everything else is beautiful

You Are Up 250 pounds!

The basement is empty

 Or you must lose 250 pounds by next Thursday! 

After living in haRVey for nearly a year, we confidently weighed ourselves at a CAT scale. haRVey is rated for 15,000 pounds gross.  Much to our now deflated confidence, we were 250 pounds overweight. We discovered our dietary excess in Kennewick, Washington, and made lists from there to Minnesota, as to how we would make our goal weight.  

Our first exercise was to empty out EVERYTHING from the "basement" (all compartments on the sides) and the "garage" (the front compartment near the hitch). After that intense workout, we were able to entertain each other with comments like, "Wow, I didn't know I had two of those" Or "We should really keep all of the tie-downs together" and my favorite, "How many of those do you really need?"  Yes, it was a really fun time.  

After combing through the outside we shifted our focus to everything inside. We emptied drawers and we each held on to the items from each drawer we used. That was interesting.  What can I say about spices? We had WAY too many and I know they don't weigh much every ounce counts! 

As a cool down thought just because you have an empty space you do not need to fill it. 

I frequently tell people this purge was harder on Dave as he had to let go of books, again! 

Everything Out!

We have successfully shed the 250 pounds and haRVey has a much better self-image and no longer dreads having pictures taken.  

The Learning Curve

 This is Logan.  He is our oldest grandchild and we see him for a few months each year.  It is always amazing to note how he has grown, what he has learned and what he is able to do.  We are often heard saying, "WOW, you could not do that last year!" 

So much of growing up is doing things for the first time!  These two pictures are Logan doing stuff he could not do last year.  Neighborhood Park has this twirly ladder that just was a little too hard to do, but this last summer - conquered.  Big Kid Park has a rope climb that was just a bit too high last summer although it was attempted many times.  This year - easy peasy!

Logan has enjoyed a nice elevator ride or better yet, an escalator.  We visited the Mall of America this summer for the sole purpose of riding ALL of the escalators. Yes, we did. :)

Sadly I do not have pictures, but he has successfully passed his escalator joy along to his cousin, Kai who joyfully raced to go again. 

Kai learned how to drink from a water fountain (bubbler) while we were visiting, it was wet and fun! Kai is curious and likes to try everything!

Scarlett, enjoyed her first camping trip this year. She is a natural!
She did not like riding the escalator or elevator at all.  On a family trip to a waterpark/hotel we took the stairs up and down all four flights many times rather than take the elevator. I am guessing next year she will be ready, but now she is ready to chill, nailed it. 

How many new things have you tried? I have not tried enough. I pray that I will be ready when the opportunity strikes. 

A Song and a Super Hero

This lovely young lady is named Sabra too! When we introduced ourselves to the school secretary at one of our long ago stops when my hair was brown, I was informed that a student had transferred recently and her name - Sabra. My response was, "You are kidding, I have NEVER met another person named Sabra." It was a treat to have our picture taken together.

When I was growing up I never had a license plate for my bike that said, "Sabra." In high school all my friends laughed at the way sports announcers massacred my name. It became a team joke. I have had mail come to me addressed to Sabarbara, Sabrina, Salora, Zombra, Sandra or even Debra and thought it is a good thing I answer to anything close!  My son, Travis, directed me to a great song, Sabra Girl by Nickel Creek. It is my morning alarm. :) My word of wisdom for this young lady would be - don't take yourself or the correct pronounciation of your name too seriously and WE have a Super Hero! 

Super Hero - Sabra

STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 We have witnessed many "close calls" over the years, and some of them could easily have been us.  It only takes a little distraction and wham, you back right over a stump.  

I took these photos while sitting at my desk after knocking on my window and yelling, STOP, but it was rather a lot like yelling at your TV. 

The RV owner was able to move forward with minimal damage to the undercarriage and much wiser.  
The RV park maintenance man showed up shortly after with a chainsaw in hand.

There can be a lot of drama watching people move in and out.  Colorful language and lots of yelling are always fun, but you can spot the seasoned RV'ers: barely a word passes between them, just hand signals and nodding of the head - poetry!

I have found myself running after folks waving my arms as they are pulling out of their campsite with a door open, the TV antenna extended or even air vents open.  

We have been through two TV antennas, lost fenders, a broom fell out of an open door - "Excuse me," said the nice lady in the car in the next lane, "but your broom fell out." We have even driven over a plastic wheel chock. Those things can explode, given enough pressure.

We have a checklist of sorts and never celebrate moving day in a hurry.  It takes about 2 hours to prepare the move, including hitching up haRVey. 

And always as we hit the road we say responsively, 
Initiator:       Lord be with us as we travel, 
Respondant:  that our house may not unravel.

Good Stuff We Love

We are celebrating ten years of this joyful journey and I can honestly say that almost every day is my favorite. 

Ascension in Apple Valley

A nice tribute

We have parked our house at Ascension Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, California four times.  With each visit, we become better acquainted with the people and the town. Our Google maps app can take a break while we knowingly travel around Apple Valley.  

The biggest claim to fame for the area is Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, who were both civic-minded and contributed much to the area. 

I celebrated my Birthday in Apple Valley at ...

Pamparara! A great Birthday meal.

Perhaps you have noticed

I have nothing to add

Fifi? Fifi, where are you?

...or make it stop

I love Wisconsin

 

Do you smell that?