in the ice and snow, the boats await

slushing around today in the snow, and I mean serious snow, not just a few flakes~ I am talking deeper than Ashlee's knees friggin snow was well, an adventure.. on the way home from he market (have to go back in the morning because so many places were closed) we passed by the lake~ the lake like a giant cake sits frosted in ice, with snow toss across for hilights... almost un-noticable are the boats.... they are there like us, waiting for the warm sun of spring to thaw them out, and have thier winter covers pulled away~~

Spring has come at Ash and Andy's! up in the loft,spring is already there! Ash has her garden babies growing under thier lights, wrapped in plastic and growing green and beutiful.... as I look at those fragile little babies, and see Ash care for them, giving them a drink, I recall her past attempts at growing a tomatoe in a pot on the patio... hmmm.. let me just say that with time, her thumb has become much more green...

haha.... as we wait for the new over a foot of snow to go away, we will just focus on the garden already in the works, up in the loft~~

growing pains~

even though they are all grown up and in charge of the world, the kids will always be just that, my kids~ Mich is starting the painful process of finding a new sitter... again... it is hard for the kiddos when this happens.. they have to get to know someone new, and trust does not come easlily.... Ash is feeling the effects of being a big girl trying to find her own music of life.... she wants to do something that matters she says, live smaller, leave a smaller foot print on our enviroment... her Grampa would be so proud... a little farm girl living in the great big city....

work has been busy.... fo which I am thankful... it is always amazing to me that I get to play a small part in the launch of the career of another~~ who knows what they will do.. maybe the everyday, mundane, or maybe something really spectacular! They probably won't remember me 10 years from now but I want to ensure that I do everything I can to get them off to a great start! Work is busy, but what an amazing blessing~

Spring seems to be eluding for the moment... March 20th is out there.. somwhere.... but for now, it apparently is hiding under yet antoher round of fresh white stuff...

oh... speaking of white stuff... I finally got a new matress! A REAL BED~ ahhhh.. no more air matress for me... I am so thankful for this... it feels so good.....

wowza! time has surely raced right by

ok... so I have really not been holding up my end of the bargin with my blog.... I really am not sure why, but believe it is that thing called life.... and it has been hectic! Let me bring you up to speed....
Ash and Andy are well settled in to thier new home and spending thier first winter on the lake... as Ash says, it is so beautiful in the summer... but oh do you pay in the winter - but, they have been enjoying it, painting, putting in new windows, planning for a pellet stove install perhaps next year and the knock down of a wall which will allow them to move the dining room expanding the living area and making war for the new stove... awesome

Michelle and Jason are in the slow, long, slow process of building on. Our little Shelby is almost a year old... WOW.... and Grady will be three in March.... they are the lights of my life.... The are going to come tomorrow for a sleep over at Nannies.... we will cheer for the Steelers as they hopefully POUND the Ravens in the play offs.... which brings me to the house~~

yes, we are STILL here... Sam has the house on the market and even through the snowy weather we are getting internet hits... I am encouraged, and not feeling like nothing is hapening.... Sam is good and doing a great job on the listing... we dropped our price in the hope of inticing a buyer... this will be a lovely home for a new family, just as it has been for us.... I am doing good, given how impatient I am, at, being patient... I know beyond all things, that everything happens in God's oh so perfect timing....

I am looking intensly and continuing to research RV's.... the fifth wheel option is down to two, maybe three.... and the motorhome option, YES, has revealed two floor plans that I do like very much... we will see.. I stop in to visit in silence my pals over at Heartland Owners Forum... but try not to comment as I think they were growing tired of my sharing the journey from stick and brick to full time RV living...

if you happen by here, and are covered in snow...  I feel your pain. If you happen by and are in the sun (I know it is shining somewhere) then next winter, I hope to be with you

Godspeed

the most important moments in life are the ones that change it forever~

Ashlee and Andrew bought a house! after much searching, writing multiple offers, failed home inspections, OH DEAR ME, and tears... the perfect house appeared, they rushed to see it, wrote an offer that night and the home inspection is tomorrow.... they are so excited and I could NOT BE HAPPIER for them..... they are a great kids, yeah, I know, big kids, all grown up and in charge of the world.... haha.. but they are wonderful young people and they work hard.... this new house will be there home for years to come.....

I watched Ash over the weekend that I spent with her and Andrew.... well, not so much Andrew - he was out selling houses.... she is an amazing young lady... I could not be more proud of her..... I don't think there is anything she cannot do.....

last night and tonight I spent at Michelle and Jason's.... preparing for the arrival of little Shelby... Grady is going to be such a great BIG brother... he is excited and says Shelby's name all the time.. I am not sure he knows what he is talking about, but, he is excited none the less.... haha....

seeing Ashlee and Andrew prepare for thier new life in thier new home.... watching Grady prepare for the arrival of his little sister.... things I will never forget....things that will change life forever....

under all the snow, lies spring~

tomorrow is the first day of March and Ashlee is forcing spring by getting her garden plants started in her grow station... most people, me included, would just head off to the nursery in late June, buy plants that have been growing in the green house, stick em in the ground, and wait...... not Ash.. she carefully selected her seads, Andrew built her a beautiful grow station in the process of renovating the basement, complete with lights, heat pads, it is AMAZING! Ash painted it and carefully laid out her plan.... now she has peppers popping, tulips poking, tomatoes started, broccolli medatating - I am just so proud of her.... Ashlee is just, well, incredible! and how sweet of Andy to build her such a wonderful grow station....

Michelle and Jason, and sweet little Grady await the arrival of baby Shelby... she is due to make her appearance March 25.... personally, I think our eyes will see her before then..... we are anixious, excited, and somewhat nervous.. well, I am... Michelle is my little girl after all, and having a baby is a major body process..... I am an expert, as I am a Mother.... for me personally, I will be glad when delivery is over and Momma and baby are declared to be safe, and sound.... I so want to be with her to hold her hand just as I was when Grady was born... I am not sure I wll be.... I may be in charge of taking care of little Grady boy... we will see how this shakes out....

by the end of the week, we will see yet another round of snow.. then, temps warming to 40... I noticed yesterday, underneath all the white stuff, the pink rhododendron is loaded with tiny little buds...hiding safely there, under the protection of the white blanket of snow.... I am so anxious to see how the new rose shrubs will do this year... last year was thier first in the groud and they gew to 2' tall... I am hoping for an adult size of 6' - we will see....

over the next couple of weekends, I will put final prepreation in to getting the house on the market... I feel like I need to clean winter away..... then, once the snow mountains have melted away in the front and side yard, the sign can go up, the video and pictures can hit the internet, and I can await, the next chapter to come...... ahhhh.... under all the snow, lies spring.....

over the rivers and through the woods, again

after three weeks in Pittsburgh, finally we are headed home.... the snow has been amazing! 20 inches and noone in Pittsburgh has any clue of what to do with it.... it has been a long week for all here, that is for sure... hoepfully, I will be home long enough to get the house on the market... I am anxious for it to be sold and move on to the next chapter to come.... it is funny, Ash and Andrew are busily looking for a house to purchase and I cannot wait to get rid of mine... hmmm, too bad mine is not there... they could buy it~~

ahhhh.... going to go pack up, and load the car, grab some grub and put the dogs in their crates... home..... just cannot wait to get there.....

the quiet hours

ahhhh morning... one of the wonderful things about morning is hot coffee....ahhhhhhhh

G has a friend here along with her little guy... he is cute, a bit younger than Grady...just 17 months - a very happy little dark haired, smiling, laughing tater tot....  Ash and Andrew are drywalling their basement this weekend and I cannot wait to see pictures! and, hear the latest... I will grocery shop for Michelle today... she is tired and now very pregnant...a new baby girl soon in our future....Grady will go to a new sitter tomorrow... she runs her day care like a school... it is very exciting, but also, a bit unnerving.... Grady is our most precious posession....

I have watched and listened as really, everyone has to the news streaming from Haiti.... I hope everyone will give whatever they can... and most importantly, pray for these families who have been enduring this horrible situation, and who have lost the ones they love the most... it does not matter where we lay our heads at the end of the day.... we are in this together...