Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Going down memory lane ...

We have been so happy the past few days because we got to spend some time with friends that we don't see too much and especially get to 'be with' them that often! 

It all began on Friday evening when we arrived at a benefit auction.  We pulled in the long drive, parked and walked in to find something good to eat for supper.  ShaLyn, a good friend of Hadassah, spied us driving in and found us shortly after we got some food.  We didn't know she was in town and so this was a nice surprise to us all but especially to Hadassah!!!  (It just so happens that ShaLyn's mom is my BFF!)  These two love to be together and it's a never ending beg when she knows Sha is around and wants to be with her.  They immediately started planning to spend the night together.  They decided to go with ShaLyn home and have a sleep over but then get up super early to help with the benefit breakfast the next morning.  Meanwhile, the rest of us finished up our supper and headed off to Mike's late night ball games.

Saturday, the girls helped with the benefit breakfast and did a great job!  They did good at sticking to the job and helped with clearing off tables and wiping down trays!  From there they went from one pool to the next swimming pool.  ShaLyn's grandma was the driver and this tickled me because a way long time ago ... she was doing this same very thing for Rosa and I!  Hadassah finally got back home late that afternoon and just in time to go with us to a family gathering.  We had a fun night of sitting around the campfire and then watching a game mixed from football and soccer.  Or so I think???  :)  It was another late night out with friends and family and our beds felt wonderful when we finally got under the covers!  Thank you AC for working!!!  :)

Sunday morning we got up later than usual and starting scrambling to get ready for church.  We arrived a little on the late side but again we were surprised to have the Dutch family there!  The girls giggled and the boys reacquainted.  Right after the service, they met and played.  We were pleased to get invited to host family lunch with Dutch and Rosa and their family, giving us a good time to sit and chat!  Thanks John and Naomi for the delicious eats!!!  That afternoon, Mike relaxed in his new hammock outside under the shade tree while I took a short nap in the swing right beside him.  We've been having warm tempts but the breeze was great and sitting in the shade was perfect!  We both decided that it's been way too long since we got a run in together, so we tied our running shoes and headed out for a quick run.  It was cute because Ashlyn wanted along too and she got on her new grey sneakers and called them "her running shoes".  Mike and I ran while Matthew biked along side of us.  The girls stayed back at home.  Running is something that I continually have good intentions on doing more and really all I need to do is get determined to "just get out and do it".  I have no excuses.  Running in the mornings right now seems to be the best option but I can only sleep in during the "no school days".  Sadly, my sleep gets the higher votes lately!  Uhh.  Anyway, the run with Mike did feel good and on our way back we walked.  That felt good too.  :)))  Later that night, we started up the campfire at our house and invited Dutchies and Matts for come for smores.  The kids were again super excited but then let down when we got the text saying that they were not coming after all.  (I know that when you live out of town, things can change your plans pretty quick.  You can't near always spend all your time with one family even though our children didn't get that concept as easily as we adults did.)  We still had a good night roasting smores with Matt, Lena and Hunter.  :) 

Rosa called the next morning.  Her and Dutch were going out on a business adventure and wondered if the kids could stay at our house?  Bingo!!!  The kids played so well and did great!  Mike didn't come home from work till a little later and at 7:30, we were all on the back porch.  The kids set up the baseball bases and played kids VS dad's.  They had Mike and Dutch sweating and played them hard.  Hadassah and ShaLyn treated the dad's to homemade smoothies!  We ended up sitting on the back porch till late talking about 'the good old days'.  So fun!!!  I love thinking and remembering all the fun we had together running around as teenagers.  Rosa and I did almost everything together.  Then when the men in our lives showed up, it got even more fun!  We double dated!  We watched ALL their ball/hockey games!  We went to Florida together.  We were BFF's.  Between me going to high school and Rosa working during the day (this is actually something we did not do the same), we made the most of our youth days being with each other and friends in the youth group.  We loved it and so a night of remembering was again bringing us to laughter and smiles!  We were Taboo bombs and I wonder how good we could still be if we played this game again?.  We can still sing our favorite songs together.  It is a huge blessing to have good memories in the single and dating years of my life!  Even though they now live a few hours away, it's refreshing to "go down memory lane".  Thanks Dutch and Rosa for hanging out with us once again!!!  Fun times!!!

Tuesday, we had another day together and swam!  Rosa invited us to Sue's pool and with two other families there also, we made some big splash's!  The water did feel good on a hot summer day!  Thanks Sue!!!  :)  I also bought a new pair of running shoes!  Maybe that will be my new running motivation!?!  :)

It's warm and it's sunny!  This summer is going way too fast!  I keep hearing that the school things are now back in stores but I refuse to think too much of school yet and stay focused on our upcoming fun summer days!!!  We love summer time!!!