Sunday, June 29, 2008

Back To The Real World

Our vacation was wonderful; short, sweet, relaxing, full of love, may I repeat short? The kids were great, although the boys, 3 & 5, ran a competition the entire 10 days. Gavin learned the words winner and loser, biggest, oldest, best, etc. Caleb is just a tiny bit taller and lords it over his cousin. They provided constant entertainment. The girls squeezed every drop of enjoyment from their time in the pool, on bikes or at the beach. I never heard an unhappy word until Saturday morning as we left the island; much boo-hooing.
My friend, Connie, has already secured a beach house on Dauphin Island for springbreak, she was so impressed with the websites and my reports.

Mackenzie had her sinus surgery on Tuesday, still walking easy; claims her head was struck by a sledgehammer. It will take a couple of weeks to see any real results, but we are expecting good things. Poor child hasn't been able to taste for 2 years and sniffs constantly. She is getting a Wii for having "almost brain surgery", so even if the results fall short, she thinks she's a winner. Kids.

Steve has gone to Salem to pick up some animals we purchased this week. He has been wanting a smaller bred of sheep since selling his and decided to buy some crossbreds; Finn/Navaho/Churo. They are from the southwest and have long wool of varigating color. He also bought 2 Andorra goats for me. They don't even look real, but like stuffed toys. They are small and have long curly hair that lays in ringlets all over. The kids are going to love them, they are friendly and playful. Our neighbors are excited, too. They miss our mixed menagerie if we sell. Even the school bus drivers slow down for the kids to catch a glimpse of lambs and kids in the pasture. I'm still working on getting chickens again, but he just doesn't seem interested. Nina and Trent have an excellent flock and keep us in eggs, so I suppose I won't be getting hens anytime soon. If we had a pond I'd have 8 fine geese.

Wonderful news about Rachel and Andy, Elaine. Her healthy delivery is a great relief to your family, I'm sure. And such an unusual name, very elegant. She will make a wonderful companion to Anna as they grow. I hope to see pix on the 17th. I hope to meet everyones kiddos then, too. Are you bringing them? I'll help Janelle repair any damage before Brian returns, I promise. I carry a tool box most everywhere. Just kidding, Janelle, I'm sure 7 additional kids won't compare to Lady A.

What are we bringing for lunch? besides Alison's ice cream? I made some great Lime cookies yesterday. Very tea-party delicate. Not sure how they would stand up to wine, but they might go with the sparkly kind Elaine and Alison like. I'll bring some French Lick varieties. And a couple of loaves of the winery's bread and olive oil for dipping. Want salsa and chips? No problem ,just tell me.

We are having a B-day party for Michael today. He is 4 and such a cutie. He is Court's step-son and we only get to see him every 2 weeks. The kids want a cook out, so that's easy for me. The guys usually take over the meats and I do the inside preps. I have to fix ham salad for Kenzie, she can't have hot dogs or beef. and macaroni and cheese is a must, they can eat their weight in it and will. Our garden is really starting to produce, lettuces, cucumbers, a few tomatoes, rhubarb, peas. Green beans are blooming so they won't be long in coming. Steve keeps it looking like a picture, retirement is a good thing.

I plan to call Anna and Kirstie before the trek north, to plot the path. I have no grasp of who lives where on the map. You girls will have to get me to the closest house and take it from there. I am a good driver, but failed navigation. I think I can find Crawfordsville again, Anna, can we get to Kirstie's from there? Or does she come first? I may have to leave Valley at 4:00 AM. Plot it out on mapquest and email it to me, maybe?


Cannot wait until the 17th, Gaggle. Enjoy the coming days. Love, Hedy

12 comments:

Milk House door said...

I cannot wait until our get together!!! Jordan shows at the fair that morning at 10, so I probably won't be able to be at Janelle's until 1, but we will bring all the fixings for icecream! Rex won't be able to come becuase he is taking a summer class- macro economics- sounds fun, right???? Yuck. Working on adding gov't and econ to his license to hopefully teach gen ed at HS some day soon.

HEdy, your garden sounds amazing. I wish I had gotten ours out sooner. We have blooming potatoes, and tomatoes, but green beans are a week out from blooms and our peas will be late. Pickles will be soon, though. We continue to get rain almost daily, and that really slows things up planting wise.

Elaine what a little blessing! almost 9 pounds of baby. How wonderful!!!

Looking forward to seeing all of you!!!! Take care.

Janelle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Janelle said...

Not sure what happened with my first post, but let's try it again....If it posts twice, I'm sorry.

Yeah! Congrats Auntie Elaine! So happy for your family! Speaking of babies.....how about another gaggle baby? I'm due January 26th!!!

So excited to see you guys on the 17th....let me talk with Tucker and finalize details. If anyone has any suggestions for food, let me know. I think it would be good to grill out!!

Milk House door said...

AAAAAHHHHHHH (imagine me screaming with delight)!!!! Congratulations Janelle!!!! Can't wait to see you all.

Hedy King said...

Janelle, wonderful news, congratulations. How are you feeling? Cannot wait to see you all.

Elaine said...

Congrats Janelle...that is so awesome to hear. Maybe it will be a February 5th baby (with Annie).

I am so PUMPED about seeing everyone on the 17th. What time??? Has there been an e-mail going around discussing this? I'm not getting it if there has been.

What can I bring? I can bring brownies and monster cookies...are we grilling out?...I can bring something else...let me know.

I am enjoying summer...hard to believe it is already July...I go back on the 28th. I miss you guys, but I love hearing and watching my older two scream with delight as they run through the sprinkler in the lawn at my house this summer...it's awesome to hear!

Happy 4th everyone and I can't wait to see all of you on the 17th.

anna said...

Yay for Janelle! We can't go too long without a gaggle baby. Maybe by the time you have this one Kirstie will be ready to step up to the plate :) Sorry Kirstie, I had to say it! Hedy, Kirstie comes before me so you will need to get directions to her house if she is riding with you also. You are more than welcome to stay at my house that night if you don't want to drive back home...which I wouldn't want to do. I will even let you sleep in my bed and I will take the couch...I don't give that proposal to very many people so you should fell lucky! I can't wait to see you all in a few short weeks. The only problem is we have to go back to work so soon after that...ugh....I am very much enjoying my homework free summer! Love you!

Kirstie said...

Just letting everyone know that I got the info for July 17. I should be able to be there! I hope everyone is doing well. Can't wait to catch up. Is anyone bringing their husband?

Hedy King said...

Kirstie, let me know if you want a ride, I'll come get you before Anna. Of course, you'll need to give directions. I don't think Steve will be along; he just looks at me funny when I suggest it. Kinda deer in the headlights, "I have to meet them all at the same time" look. I think the guys would have a good time together. We'll see.

Jill Tucker said...

hey everyone.....i am hoping this works...lately i haven't been able to add to the blog....

as far as food goes, i think we should cookout. we could do burgers and dogs, or just dogs, whatever. if you all let me know how many you are bringing and what you prefer, i will furnish the meat, buns, and trimmings.

so that is out of the way. i think hedy definitely needs to bring salsa and alison has to bring ice cream makings. anybody want to do pasta salad or veggies? elaine can bring the other sweet dessert thing. we will need chips probably. what do kids eat? ummmmmmm......we can bring our own drinks maybe? god, i can't wait to see you all!!!

anna said...

I can bring chips and a bean dip or just a regular chip dip if thats ok. You know me...i don't cook much so simple is key! Hedy you need to call me this week so we can make a plan. I cannot wait to see everyone! Janelle you need to put up directions to your house. I'm not sure where you live. Did we say we were meeting around 11:00? I can't remember...i guess i can go back and look though. Silly me.

Janelle said...

4 days until Gaggle Fest 2008!! Woo-hoo!!!

Ok, so I've been gone on vacation to Norris Lake, TN since the 5th and just got back last night...paradise....no cell phone/internet for 8 days! I loved it, but was going crazy without contact with the outside world!

Just hung up talking to Jill and here's the plan....11 am, my house, Thursday. It sounds like Jill is bringing hamburgers and hotdogs. I will do a pasta salad and drinks. Sounds like we have ice cream coming in from Alison and Hedy is bringing her world famous salsa. Everyone else, bring anything you think will go with it. I can't wait to see everyone! I would tell you all to bring your suits, but since I don't have a pool, we would like kinda silly laying out in our swimsuits in the middle of the country. I will have the baby pool (and I mean BABY pool) full of water if any of the kids want to get in....and you too, Tucker!!

My house is very easy to get to, but obviously directions are going to be different for everyone. My address is 5556 S. 1200 E. Otterbein, IN 47970 I know that probably doesn't help many of you, so give me a call or drop me an email and I will give you specific directions. 426-7176 or jlhardebeck@yahoo.com

Looking forward to seeing you all!!!