Days At The Lake

It has been so hot that we have gone to the Lake for the last two days. Boy is it nice up there.....Love the Lake.

Our Last Day Together

June 27, Monday  Today was our last day together for this visit. Boy have the days gone quickly.  Wonder why that always seems to happen?  I guess we are having so much fun the time is gone before we know it. 
I have been wanting to have bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches all week and I decided this was the day we had to do them.  I had some beautiful thick sliced bacon.  Donna and I made them along with watermelon, leftover tator tots covered with cheese and sour cream if you wanted, and orange juice...yum yum!
While we were talking we decided that nothing exciting was going on for the fourth of July and we needed to start making quick decisions life is short....so Mike made reservations for all four of us to leave tomorrow for Hawaii.  Our plane leaves at 6:30 am Tuesday and we will return July 18th to Detroit.  Then a few days later Donna and Johnny will head for Virginia.

Donna & Johnny

Connee & Mike

Connee & Donna

Just kidding we are not going to Hawaii together tomorrow....instead, Donna and Johnny headed for home about noon.  They are having Karen and Glen up for the holidays on the fourth of July and would never miss that.  We did take some good pictures just before they left.
 

Hot Dog Cookout With The Family

June 25th, Sunday
Yesterday everyone came over for a hot dog cookout. 
These guys look like they are enjoying their Hot Dogs don't they?

We had quite a feast.  Donna fixed Pasta Salad, dips and chips, cheese and crackers, some dessert salads, and veggies.  I got all kinds of hot dogs, chili, buns, baked beans, corn, and tator tots.  Jewel brought ice, pop, deviled eggs, and an orange fluffy salad.  Kelly brought watermelon.  Everything was great. 
Kelly and Ben were here.  Jewel, Tiffany, Tanner, Destany, and Dakota were here also.  Jewel took a plate down to Jeff who was working on digging the basement to their new room.

In the evening we were watching the movie Marley.  It is a good movie but near the end both Donna and I needed to leave and go to the computer room.  We didn't have tears in our eyes...we just had to do some things right then.

Our Ann Arbor Trip

When we got up today we discussed the things we could do and decided on a trip to Ann Arbor.  We wanted to go to Whole Foods and a movie.  Ann Arbor is about 45 minutes away from Blissfield.....so not a long drive.
Whole Foods is a cool store with just about every food you could want to buy. It is the world's largest retailer of natural and organic food.   It has lots of samples to try....I love the samples and they do make me want to buy the ones I like. 

 

I bought red rice, yellow split peas, some baked cheese curls, Sea Salt Lime Mexican Chips, Four Cheese Sourdough bread, and the wonderful Fruit Tarts...yum.  I also bought a Coconut Tropical Mango Drink...yuk, it was not good!  Donna and Johnny bought some things too.  I think some are going to be stocking stuffers for their kids.  Guess what they are!  I'm not telling.

When we got to Briarwood Mall we were surprised to find out that the movie theater was no longer there....guess we haven't been there for a while.  Anyway, we got directions and found where it had been moved.  We were thinking of watching Super Eight or Bad Teacher....Super Eight won because it was time for it to start right when we got there.  We got our big buckets of popcorn and large Cokes and tickets.  Instead of getting the Senior rate of $7.25, we had to pay $10.50 because the show was in the IMax Theater....darn!  It was a big screen and very loud.....didn't have any trouble hearing that!  Here are the Kids in the movie:

http://www.super8-movie.com/#/video

Everyone thought it was a good movie except me.  I thought it was a $2.00 Kid's movie.  I did kind of like the little Zombie movie the kids of the movie made!

Then we head for home and decided we had to eat leftovers so we could clean out the fridge and be able to put all the groceries away for the Hot Dog Dinner we were going to have on Sunday.  The girls and their kids will be coming, so we should have lots of hot dog eaters.

Johnny had my computer desk all done except for putting on one shelf...the keyboard pull out one and the backboard.  Mike finished that up....I got to hold the flashlight so he could see the predrilled holes on the dark board and I also got to put on the wood colored plastic covers for the screws.  Yeah, it is all done and waiting for the computer to come.

Off To Tecumseh and Dundee Then To Toledo

We all slept in until 9:00am....I love to sleep in.....I guess it is because for 36 and 1/2 years I always had to be to work so early...and now I don't!  I decided to fix a small breakfast.  We needed to wait around for a expected phone call for Johnny and I need to package up some shirts of Mike's that I sold on eBay.  I hate to get rid of things...even Mike's things....that's why my house is so full.  Anyway, I was sorting clothing after our February flooded basement and checked on eBay to see what Ralph Lauren Men's shirts were selling for.....over $21.00...maybe that would make me want to get rid of some things....I would have eBay pocket money.  I love to have those little packages come in the mail for me.
By now I am thinking maybe we need a little more than Cherry Bread for breakfast...maybe add fried potatoes and sausage links....yes that sounds better!
We are getting a new computer....about time this one is old and so slow it is driving me crazy.  I found a computer desk that was small and would fit in the living room near the player piano.  Mike says he is a computer widower because I am always in the computer room...now I can be in the same room as him and still use my computer.
The desk came and it was all in a BIG heavy box....at least a million pieces.  Mike and I were just cringing and looking at the unopened box and wondering how it will ever get put together.  Mike prays a lot to Jesus when he has to do things like that.  Finally Johnny just walked over and started tearing open the box.  Before we left for the day, he had everything laid out on the floor and had looked over the BIG BOOK of directions...something like 28 steps!
Donna says if we are going to have fried potatoes and sausage that we may as well have eggs too...OK.
Then Mike says, "Where are the Grands Biscuits?"   I guess we should open up the Peach Butter too, then.  OK, not a small breakfast...a big breakfast is a good way to start the day!

Oh, I collect bears and like to decorate my house with them....do you see the 4th of July Bear Parade on my couch table behind Johnny?

Bethany called and said she was off today and was coming down.  She has been staying at the Lake and it was cool and rainy and cloudy. She decided to go with us for our day out.  First we had to go to Adrian to pick up some things....then off to Tecumseh, a nearby, cute little Town.  We stopped at the British Tea Garden...one of my favorite places that I haven't been to in a while.

It is a small place that has only about 14 tables.  A visit to the British Tea Garden wouldn’t be complete without a pot of tea. Your pampered experience begins with the selection of tea from their vast assortment. Your tea is then carefully steeped and served to you with all the proper tea accouterments. A fine china teapot, cup and saucer and tea strainer, all set the mood.

We each picked our teas, except the guys and all shared desserts- cream puffs and a Turtle Chocolate Lava Cake Yum, Yum.  I love all the tea pots, mugs and tea cups they sell there.  We all found our favorites.....even Bethany, she loved the Alice in Wonderland set.  But, we all kept control and didn't buy those lovely sets, cause as Johnny said, "Where would we put them?"

Then we went on to Dundee to the wonderful Cabela's Store...they have something for everyone.  However, Johnny and Donna had a mission...outfitting their new boat.  And they did a great job...everyone will be safe on the Cox Boat-it is unnamed as of now.

Check out this video:

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/video_popup.jsp?productId=756044 

By now we were getting a little hungry so we hopped in the car and headed to Toledo to Mike and Connee's FAVORITE restaurant....J Alexander's...the best steaks in the world.  Of course we are not allowed to go there without telling Kelly, so when we called her she said she would meet us there.  Jewel says it is an OK restaurant but certainly not her favorite.  We all ate our fill and then brought home big bags of leftover food for later. 

When we got home, Donna had some computer class work to do, Johnny got started on the computer desk, and I worked on my blog.  Then we all watched a little TV and went to bed.

The desk is coming along well.....Johnny is not pulling out his hair yet and he finished up on step 12....not done yet, but certainly getting there.

Isn't it looking great?
What a fun day we had...wish we could get together more often....

Visitors Are Coming.....Yeah!

I am so excited, my sister Donna and her husband Johnny are coming to see me this weekend. Donna and Johnny are from Virginia. I can't wait. I am going to make a list of restaurants and things we can do and they can choose.
I am busy sprucing up the house and even bought a new air conditioner for the front bedroom....the old one wasn't working very well. We also put up a stair rail on the stairs going to the second floor...

those stair are really narrow...we have needed that rail for quite a while.
I made a beautiful butterfly quit a while ago and have never used it....they are going to get to be the first to use it.

Of course this is the room my granddaughter Bethany sleeps in and she has her on touches with her posters on the wall. 

 The Madd Hatter in Alice in Wonderland....scary isn't it?

Mike made his famous Spaghetti and meatballs and his famous Spicy Salad Dressing.  Jewel and her family brought tons of great cookies and Kelly and Ben brought the Best Salad....great meal...love when the family gets together.  We were having such a good time I forgot to take pictures...maybe I will remember Sunday when we make Hot Dogs!

Busy Times With Grandkids

Boy has this been a busy weekend.  The Twins, Destany and Dakota, had their 8th grade Graduations yesterday....it was pretty cool...chorus, band trio, awards, 8th Grade Students' own DVD and my grandchildren and their friends. 

Destany Wells June 10,2011

Dakota Wells June 10, 2011

 Blissfield Middle School Graduation at the Element Church on Jefferson St.

 The Twins...Destany and Dakota

                      Electronics Ever present!

 

Later that evening the family celebrated with Tanner for his birthday...17....I can't believe it. He took his girlfriend to a movie and then we met at Taco Bell.

Dakota is playing in a basketball tournament today in Toledo.  We are excited about going to that...Destany usually plays in the girl's basketball games but for some reason the girls are not playing today.

Sunday Mike and I are going to the lake to rebuild the platform porch on the camp trailer.  It is really getting old and rotten.  We are kind of planning on having some of the grandboys come with us.  I thought they might like to do this building.  Just Travis was able to come and work with us.

Good job Travis...I love my new porch.