Timber!!!!!!

These pictures loaded backwards to what I wanted them to load! So, start at the bottom and work UP to this one, please!
This last picture shows that they are almost through cutting up the tree. Afterwards they raked up a lot of the debris--wood chips and tiny broken branches, etc. While some were doing that, the owner brought out his stump grinder and set to work. The 2 stumps were ground into a pile of chips and sawdust. They went down several inches and ground up a lot of the roots, etc., too. It was really something to watch all of the process. We thought we would miss the tree, but really, we didn't miss it all that much. And we felt 'safer' because it was gone!
Now, they are getting down to the bigger parts of the tree. Some of the biggest pieces [and heaviest!] went onto a pickup one of the crew had there, but MOST of the wood went into the trailer.
Here is one of the crew loading up some of the 'brush'. When it looked to me that the trailer was getting pretty full, whoever was 'loading' would take a small chain saw down through the brush and cut it up some more. Then they would pile some more on ...and do the same thing again!
A lot of the leafy, smaller branches have already been cut up and loaded onto the trailer.hmmm! looks like we have the same picture--twice! GRRRRRRRRRR!

We had a big tree in our back yard last fall that needed to come down. It had several broken limbs and part of the trunk had been damaged. We had already asked this company to come and trim back some branches of our maple trees that were growing over the house. We liked how they worked [to please us!] and so we asked them to come back and take this tree down, too. To get to the tree we wanted down, they also had to take down a smaller tree that was right beside it. Here are both trees down and the crew is starting to cut them up into shorter logs for removal.

Bostin: FLAG FOOTBALL

We went to a couple of Bostin's games last year. Here he is after the game with his well-deserved drink! He did a pretty good job of HIKING the ball to the quarterback. He even ran the ball into the end zone once---but someone had captured his 'flag!

The next picture is of Emily in their garage at home. showing us how she could RIDE her bike.Bostin and Kirk after the game. It was a crisp, windy day. Thankfully the sun was shining!

Emily and her sunglasses. She was giving Stacy a hard time...trying to run out on the field. I think she finally got the idea that she would be in the way and MIGHT get run over!
I wonder if Bostin will play again this year? Emily goes to "Tumbling" class on Saturday mornings, now. Guess we will see how it all works out!

Their 25th anniversary!

I think this is a GREAT picture of Kevin and Cory!
Ron seems to be amused...probably at something Kevin was telling!
I think Ron took this picture of me that night.
Ron and I took Kevin and Cory to Independence last December to celebrate their 25th anniversary. Had a wonderful meal in an Italian style restaurant! Sorry, I can no longer remember the name---That happens when you wait too long to post these things. We thought about doing some 'shopping', but Cory was on crutches because she had injured her knee so we decided against it. We did drive through a couple of neighborhoods looking at the Christmas lights on our way back home. We had a really great time with lots of visiting and laughing!
[ I'm not sure why the picture of me loaded twice...but I could not seem to edit it out]

Can you belive it?

Just got my new Reader's Digest. An article in there is titled: How to SOUND Smarter. Covers a lot of the things [and more!] that I talked about in the last post.
There is a LOT of info in the article. Probably means I will have to read it several times for all of the information to even begin to soak into my brain!
I remember how my Mom was always LEARNING, up until shortly before she died at 97. She was a good example of how you can keep improving and growing as a person. One thing she never did learn: The difference between crotch and crouch when she was talking about pants. She ALWAYS said it CROUCH! Never could figure that one out. Love her and miss her, though.

Tricky words and spelling!

I probably notice these things more than a lot of people do...! But I've been noticing that there are a lot of tricky words that people have trouble with, and sometimes we stumble over the spelling of words, too.
Here are some examples: loose or lose? That belt is too loose, you'll lose your pants!
to, too, or two? I'm going to the store for two loaves of bread, do you want to come too?
bring or take? Will you bring me that list off of the fridge? I need to take it to the store with me.
There, their, or they're? They left their book over there on the table. Wonder when they're coming back?

There are several others, but you get the idea. Sometimes we have known which word to use in the past, but after seeing/hearing the wrong words used we get confused and can't decide which one is right!
I have a dear sister who always adds an extra' m' to coming. Another word that I see confusion over a lot is : congratulations. I think someone spelled it--conGRADulations for a card and somehow people began to believe that is how you should spell it.

Do you notice things like this too? Do you want to "help people out" when you do? Or, are you able to resist that temptation to constantly correct them?
BTW: I had to correct my spelling several times as I was typing this up!...My fingers hit too many keys sometimes, or the wrong key. Does that ever happen to you?

No pictures yet...

but need to post anyway!
Have you ever had friends that you were so 'close' to that even when you have not seen each other for a while...you just take up with each other like you saw them just yesterday???

That is how our friendship is with Glen and Linda W. We got to go see them in Indiana this past weekend. Had a great time laughing and talking together! Got to thinking though, that it had been close to eight years since we had been there. They were here to see us a few years ago, but we have not been there in...forever!
I sincerely hope we never have to wait that long again! Got to see Joe and Jean P. too. Fun to all go to dinner together and then to a southern gospel concert,too. We all went to church together on Sunday, and Ron and I saw several friends there that we had not seen in a long time either. This is the church we went to and worked for during the time Kirk and Karen were both born. A lot of faces were 'missing'...either moved away or passed away...but we were so pleased to see and worship with quite a few.
All in all it was a GREAT weekend!!!!

Found these old pics of Ron...

...And thought I would share them! Of course they loaded backwards to what I wanted them to load! So we'll start with the school picture first:

Not sure how old he was in this picture, but I'm guessing around 9 or 10. Can remember some of the boys looking a little like this at this age. Kirk's boy, Bostin, reminds me of this look, too.



These next two pics were probably taken at the place in Leavenworth Kansas where they lived for several years. They moved back to Kansas City for Ron to go to Northeast high school like his sister and brother did. Funny thing about this fact...My Mom and sisters all graduated from that same school, too. But by the time I was ready for high school they had built Van Horn high school. Even though my parents had not moved I was in the Van Horn district.
New suit?? And are those his Gym shoes, shirt and shots??
This picture was taken when Ron played in his first recital. I think his Mom made his 'tuxedo'. She was good at doing things like that! I think he was 4 or 5 here. Standing on their back steps. Kinda interesting to see her shadow on the steps and ground in front of him.
Been wanting to put these up for some time. Tried once and couldn't get the pictures to load. Kinda figured out what I must be doing wrong, so this time I got them to appear!
Hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane. I have lots more pics like this.