We headed to Ohio on Friday...some by car, some by plane. It was a well coordinated trip out as Scott was at the airport within 5 minutes of our arrival. He had dropped off Drew and Jack at the farm enroute. It couldn't have been timed better.
Saturday, we enjoyed a day on the farm. Tommy, Drew and I went for a long walk with Max in the morning. Scott and Jack helped Grandpa Shisler with clean up from a Silo that collapsed in a storm while we were walking. Max was a littler nervous with their dog Cindy, but after awhile warmed up to her. We went for an afternoon drive to Amish Country and ate a late lunch at one of the local Amish Restaurants, Drew was in heaven with their glorious mashed potatoes. His favorite. We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out at the farm, cleaning up the concrete blocks from the silo spill, Scott mowed the yard and the boys ran around outside a lot.
Sunday morning we headed to church early, Scott showed the boys where his Grandma and Grandpa Shisler are buried at the cemetery that is next to the church. The sermon was excellent, all about our Nation needing to be "Under God" and how we have lost so much of that in our schools, in our world. It made me grateful to have our boys in a school where they CAN pray and the CAN talk about God freely and the bible CAN be used in teaching. Scott's older sister Kathy was at church and came home for "dinner" too. Letha made the boys favorite, pot roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, homemade jam....Yummy. That afternoon we played some, Scott's cousin Lisa and her family all came out to see us. It was nice for the boys to have time with their second cousins, they don't have any first cousins on the Shisler side so that was fun for them. It was H-O-T. Grateful they have central air in the house now. Sunday night was a trip to the world famous, "Dalton Dariette" for burgers and milkshakes. That was a treat.
Monday morning, more work to be done. The boys and I headed to Aunt Kathy's house to help her with her weeding and planting flowers. Scott stayed back at the farm for more silo clean up and another full mowing and trimming of the yard. They have a HUGE yard and it takes a very long time to get it mowed. I am sure his Dad was grateful to have a break from it. In the afternoon we played outside, it was HOT but nice to be outside. We played a LOT of whiffle ball, Max included. I wish I had taken pictures of our big game, but I was frankly too hot to go inside and get the camera. Once in the AC it was hard to want to come back out. Monday night Grandma Shisler made another delicious dinner, ham loaf with cheesy potatoes...yummy homemade applesauce and a peach pie. I can't forget to mention the news of the Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel resigning on this day. It is a bittersweet thing for our boys, and for Scott...I should say right now it's more bitter than sweet. We really admired him and are hopeful not all that is coming out is true. Some good lessons to come out of it all regardless.
Tommy had a baseball game tonight, so the unpacking hasn't been done yet. There is always tomorrow for that...the boys first "official day of summer" so they say.
Saturday, we enjoyed a day on the farm. Tommy, Drew and I went for a long walk with Max in the morning. Scott and Jack helped Grandpa Shisler with clean up from a Silo that collapsed in a storm while we were walking. Max was a littler nervous with their dog Cindy, but after awhile warmed up to her. We went for an afternoon drive to Amish Country and ate a late lunch at one of the local Amish Restaurants, Drew was in heaven with their glorious mashed potatoes. His favorite. We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out at the farm, cleaning up the concrete blocks from the silo spill, Scott mowed the yard and the boys ran around outside a lot.
Sunday morning we headed to church early, Scott showed the boys where his Grandma and Grandpa Shisler are buried at the cemetery that is next to the church. The sermon was excellent, all about our Nation needing to be "Under God" and how we have lost so much of that in our schools, in our world. It made me grateful to have our boys in a school where they CAN pray and the CAN talk about God freely and the bible CAN be used in teaching. Scott's older sister Kathy was at church and came home for "dinner" too. Letha made the boys favorite, pot roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, homemade jam....Yummy. That afternoon we played some, Scott's cousin Lisa and her family all came out to see us. It was nice for the boys to have time with their second cousins, they don't have any first cousins on the Shisler side so that was fun for them. It was H-O-T. Grateful they have central air in the house now. Sunday night was a trip to the world famous, "Dalton Dariette" for burgers and milkshakes. That was a treat.
We snapped some photos after church with Grandma and Grandpa Shisler and Aunt Kathy too.
The boys with their second cousins, the Weinmans. Jacob, Kasey and Laura.
Max doing what he likes best, dragging a bat around. *note for my Mom and Grandma Lu, Normally he had shoes on, he was out for the quick cousin pic, hence lack of shoes. :)
Scott and Lisa, they grew up 3 miles apart and spent a LOT of time together. Last summer, Lisa and her family drove to Iowa for a visit.
Monday morning, more work to be done. The boys and I headed to Aunt Kathy's house to help her with her weeding and planting flowers. Scott stayed back at the farm for more silo clean up and another full mowing and trimming of the yard. They have a HUGE yard and it takes a very long time to get it mowed. I am sure his Dad was grateful to have a break from it. In the afternoon we played outside, it was HOT but nice to be outside. We played a LOT of whiffle ball, Max included. I wish I had taken pictures of our big game, but I was frankly too hot to go inside and get the camera. Once in the AC it was hard to want to come back out. Monday night Grandma Shisler made another delicious dinner, ham loaf with cheesy potatoes...yummy homemade applesauce and a peach pie. I can't forget to mention the news of the Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel resigning on this day. It is a bittersweet thing for our boys, and for Scott...I should say right now it's more bitter than sweet. We really admired him and are hopeful not all that is coming out is true. Some good lessons to come out of it all regardless.
Max most liked pushing the paint roller on the driveway
Helping plant and weed at Aunt Kathy's house
Max getting closer to the dog
Max's very first tractor ride
Can you see his sweet little hand waving from inside the cab?
There's the sweet wave
Max made up his own game of roll the ball on the top of the pump house...it's slanted so it rolled back down to him. He LOVED playing that.
sitting sort of by the dog
Max and Aunt Kathy, if you remember, she had breast cancer a year ago and lost all of her hair in chemo. It was straight as a stick before, now...it's full of curl. :)
We packed it up and headed out this morning, those of us that flew got home by 10 am those that drove, 5 pm. WE are grateful to be home safe and sound. Tommy mowed the entire yard today so that Scott could come home and not have to do one more thing after his long drive. He had not ever done the front yard before, he did a terrific job and Scott was very grateful.
