Long way to the grocery store

So hubby gets off work early today much to my surprise. I had the day off :) So he comes home and says lets go to the amish stores for groceries. Took the long way. I love him so much and he spoils me. I wish there was more I can do for him. I know I can be mean to him and I feel bad when I do but the stress of the other house, working more hours(not that I want to), my mom and her depression and mood swings. And missing a lot of my favorite people. Too much grief last year. A year ago today Ryan Gabriel Pick 9/3/06-10/05/06 went to heaven. He had kidney cancer. My daddy in February, my grammy in July and a very good friend "Big Ed" Treibley in April of this year. I miss them all so much.

But that's not my intent for this post. I want to show off the photos I took on the cycle ride (yea I got groceries on hubby's cycle "I Love Him")

Unfortunately we had to leave the other house go back to the mortgage company. We tried to sell it since June. No luck :( We got our shed, dishwasher and huge microwave this week. So now they have a for sale sign on it.

But it is a relief to not have to pay mortgage, lot rent, water, sewer, huge electric bill, car payment and the rest of the utilities from that place.

But our ride was so relaxing. We rode the way back way to the amish store, took a ton of pictures, had lunch, went shopping, took a ton more pictures (96 to be exact) stopped at our cemetary, cleaned all the graves off (I just didn't have the energy to upkeep them this year~miss everyone so much) and then took the long way home and took more pictures.

Thank you my love for being such a great man~

My wonderful husband

My wonderful husband got me this clothesline made with pullies. I love it. Will save so much money not running the dryer. I didn't have a clothelines since we lived in Allenwood. And he was such a sweetheart running 40+ miles roundtrip to pick it up.

He drove to the Amish part of Port Trevorton to pick it up. I love just riding around looking at their way of life. I so want to get back to living simply. I am starting. Now just to get the kids into not having to get something every time we go out. Any ideas?

First two pictures are of the clothesline

Second is Chelsea concentrating

Third is the fence row next to our house and in the distance is Josh on his motorcycle

Fourth is the area we use to sit out in the gorgeous summer weather. Which is almost over :(

My new venture

I have always wanted to write a book on grief. I have experience just about every kind. Stillbirth, cancer, suicide, car accident, Alzheimer's, osteo perosis/pnumonia,

I am going to start researching to get my thoughts together. Here are the books I checked out from the library today.

Our Summer

We had such a fun summer. Picnics in June, camping in July, motorcycle runs in August, and a long awaited family reunion/aunt and uncle 50th wedding anniversary.

Oh and baby showers galore! Three new babies. All boys. Jack Roscoe, Johnathan Duane, and Shawn Michael. All adorable. Oh the baby lust lately..

This is a picture of Wyatt heading off to play with cousins at the reunion. What a great summer! I am going to miss it :(

Getting back to Blogging

I am back after a bit of a hiatus. We are moved in. Will send pictures when I get everything where I want it.

Still trying to sell the old house. No luck. We want $18,000 had an offer today for $10,500. We need $18,000. $16,500 to pay off the mortgage and $1,500 to pay the realtor. I would like to get $25,000 with all the work we put into it. Laminate flooring, appliances, my huge kitchen (I'm gonna miss it) Here are some pictures. If you feel led, please pray for a fast and easy sale.....

Pray for Mei Ling
A friend of mine from Texas, Pat, just became a Grandma on April 27th. Her daughter, Melanie and son-in-law, Casimir are so thrilled with their new baby girl, Mei Ling. Mei Ling has had some problems since she was born. She has 3 small holes in heart that they say will heal up, but it is causing her to breathe so fast that they won't let her nurse or take a bottle because she might aspirate the milk. She is in the NICU of a hospital there in Texas. Pat has asked people if we will post her picture and ask for prayer for them. This is my favorite picture of Mei Ling and the first one I believe I saw. They were trying to give her a bottle to help with her low blood sugar. She does not look to happy about that. Isn't she precious? Please pray for Mei Ling.

At a Stand Still

We are at a stand still. With hubby not working and me only working part time the money flow is nill :( The pipes froze because of no heat up there. So we have no idea when we will get it done. I am so upset. I wish it was over. I hate this house so bad. Seven of us in a 3 bedroom trailer stinks!

Please if you are the praying kind do so for us.

My Happenings Today

I started my new job at Country Cupboard last Wednesday. (www.countrycupboardinc.com) Friday the founder Daniel Baylor
(http://www.dailyitem.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070203/NEWS/702030322 ) passed away Friday :( I never got to meet this wonderful man. Today was his funeral. What a celebration of this wonderful man's life! He done so much in his long life. There was singing, a wonderful eulogy from his daughter Carole and granddaughter Nici. I got such an urge to go after my dreams. His saying was "where there is an idea, the money will flow"

The service was wonderful. I have found my two favorite hymns. On Eagle's Wings and Blessed Assurance. They are so beautiful.

I went to the restaurant for the food and gathering after. I volunteered to help clean up and such. The stories I heard about Dan. Wow! I sure feel bad for never having a chance to meet him :(

Getting closer

Well today we got my mom's apartment primered. Audrey's room is primered all but a corner that needs some putty work. We have our bathroom, my mom's bathroom and her bedroom left to mud, sand and primer. We have my mom's ceiling, diningroom ceiling, hallway ceiling and Audrey's ceiling.

I am so excited! We are getting closer :)

Today's happenings

Well I started my day at 5am. I started my new job at Country Cupboard. I am working on the buffet. It's not that bad of a job. My hours for training are 6am-2pm. They do swing shift but the hours are only till about 9-10 at night. Nothing like pizza. I will not go back to pizza ick!

Hubby was working on the house when I was working. He got the kitchen primed and all it needs is paint, flooring and trying to figure out the cabinets. He got Josh and Wyatt's room primered. Just needs paint and carpet. We are getting sooooo close. I can't wait.

Now I need to start getting this place ready to put on the market. Hoping it sells quickly.....

This picture of our heat source there. Wood is so much nicer than oil heat. This place we are in currently is so drafty and the furnace is not very I don't know efficient.

More Pictures

Here are some more pictures of the progress at my mom's house

Pictures of our Progress

We didn't do much today. We had to go run some errands. So I stopped up after Walmart to take some pictures to show everyone our progress.

It seems like we are finally getting somewhere....

What a day! Starting on the house right after church and ended at about 8pm. What a day. Let's see Josh and Wyatt's room is all drywalled and mudded. Now sanding that tomorrow. Chelsea's room is done all we need to do in there is paint and carpet. I completed the diningroom all it needs in there is paint and to lay the laminate floor. I did the kitchen today. We need to touch up some screw holes in there and then primer it then it will be ready for primer. The livingroom only needs paint and carpet. My mom's "apartment" needs primer after we get the screw holes touched up. And then paint and carpet. Her bedroom needs primer, paint and carpet. Her bathroom needs some plumbing work and primer and paint. My side of the house in the hallway needs paint and carpet. Our bathroom needs some drywall work then primer and paint. And a closet built for the linens.
We are looking for a water softener. The house is on a well. That water is hard. Wow! I am so used to city water.
Audrey was up today. She worked more in her room. She is down to putting primer on her ceiling and we can paint and put her laminate floor down.
I start working at Country Cupboard Wednesday. It will slow down our progress up there but we really need the money. And with my mom watching the baby it's not that hard for me to go to work :(

Here's my story

My life began 08/24/1974. I am one of two children to Joanne and the late James Lee. My brother is Jimmy Lee. My husband is Robert. We met June 26, 1990. We have 4 children and 2 in heaven :(

My daddy passed away February 17, 2006 :( He was diagnosed with cancer in November of 2005. He asked my husband and I to move in with him and my mom. The house needed so much work that he didn't make it to see it completed. I sure hope he likes all we have done. I will be writing more of that in the coming days.

Right now we are done with the electrical. Working on the drywall ick! We have Audrey's room mudded and almost all sanded. It has primer on the walls now she is going to sand and primer the ceiling. Chelsea's room is mudded, sanded and primered on 2 walls. Josh and Wyatt's room is almost all drywalled. We need to put them in a window and drywall that wall then we can mud, sand and prime their room.

The livingroom is completed. Just needs paint and carpet installed. The kitchen needs sanded and primed.

The paint colors are so frustrating me. I am the worst at picking out colors. :(

Welcome

Welcome to my new personal blog. I am Jo Lynn mommy to four wonderful children and to two angels in heaven. Audrey is 15yo; Joshua is 9yo; Chelsea is 6yo; and Wyatt will be 2yo on 2/2/07. I lost a son Dominick Joseph at 17 weeks gestation on 3/23/96. And had a miscarriage at 9 weeks on 10/20/03. My wonderful hubby is Robert "Bob" "Franny". He is the most awesome man in the world. He is totally remodeling my mom's house for me. I love him so much. I will be posting more updates on the house, the kids, and things that I have an interest in. ie, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, homeschooling, stillbirth and such.