Saturday, October 31 - Happy Hall of Fame

Sharon and I decided to take a short fall trip and visit a few things we missed on our trip last year with the added bonus of a few days in New York City. We left yesterday afternoon and today we spent the afternoon at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. I had a great time going through all of the exhibits and shooting at the peach basket in the ground level gym.

We left Danville, Pennsylvania this morning, travelled through 5 states including Rhode Island which was #50 for each of us. Staying at the Airport Best Western in Providence, RI. Tomorrow we will be driving into New York City! Wish us luck.

Sunday, October 18 ~A New Baby Grandson

What better excuse to get back to writing my blog than the birth of a brand spanking new little grandson.  Our youngest daughter, Sara and her husband Matt, had their little one on Thursday the 15th at 12:15 pm at Bethesda North Hospital in Cincinnati.  She called me a little after 5 am and I was in my car and on the way by 5:45.  When I got to their home, Sara was pacing but not too concerned but she, Matt and Matt's sister Sarah left for the hospital before 8.  I fed Evie some breakfast and dropped her off at daycare/pre-school and then on over to the hospital.  Things didn't start hopping until about 10:30 and after 11 things really started to go pretty fast. Sara was experiencing back labor again so she finally relented and went with the epidural.  I'm not sure how effective it was during the delivery but she said she felt great afterwards.  He was born at 12:15 and weighed 7 pounds and 9.3 ounces, Evie was 7.11. but he was 21" long and she was only 18".  He is perfect in every way and so alert.  He would open his eyes and seemed to be taking in the new world around him.  We are so thankful that God has blessed us with another precious grandchild to love and spoil.

Mommy ready to go to the hospital

Bethesda North Hospital, Cincinnati

The waiting game, before it got more intense

Welcome, Arthur James Neufarth!

Our precious little A.J.

Aunt Sarah

"He's pretty cute, isn't he?"

Home sweet Home!

Evie welcomed her little brother home by singing to him after supper on the first day home!

Sunday, August 30 ~September is Upon Us!

Where does the time go? Our wonderful trip to the northwest seems like such a distant memory.  It is great to take these amazing trips but when I return it seems there is always so much catching up to do. Our garden is just about gone,  My green beans came on while I was gone and they weren't much when I got back.  The raccoons once again managed to enjoy our sweet corn much more than we did.  We do have triplet fawns that have been frolicking around all of our apple trees, more than likely they have a little buzz from the fermented apples they have been eating.  The buckeye trees are loaded with nuts and they have already dropped most of their leaves into the swimming pool indicating another job that has to be done.

Our family did just return from what is becoming a family tradition, a trip to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee before Luke and Lily head back for their school year.  It is the one trip that I do not have to mandate that Andy take because he so loves to go.  He has always loved the area and especially Dolly's theme park.  I think the first time we went the park was called the Silver Dollar something.  When we were in college, the Sigmas and the Zetas, our fraternity and sorority, would always spend a week end in Pigeon Forge in the spring so our memories go way, way back.  Of course at that time Pigeon Forge only had a few motels down along the Pigeon River and was simply a place to stop, grab a bite to eat and fill up before entering the Smoky Mountains.  Today it is a busy little city with restaurants, gift shops, arcades, outlet stores, motels, condos and rental cabins as well as the iconic Dollywood Theme Park.  I will give my usual plug for what we believe is the best "family" oriented theme park on the planet surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. 

Dinner, Monday evening, at the Dixie Stampede

Driving to Cade's Cove in the Smoky Mtns.

Our favorite ride at Dollywood, the River Rampage!

Sunrise from our condo, Rivershore Condos

Dolly's grist Mill

The church at Dollywood

Luke and I rode the all new, Wild Eagle roller coaster

Lily and Evie at the Dixie Stampede

Getting autographs after the show

Dinner at Paula Deen's new restaurant in Pigeon Forge

The fountain in the Island Square across from Paula Deen's

This year we chose a condo overlooking the golf course located just 2 miles from Dollywood instead of a cabin.  There was an indoor pool, a lazy river with inner tubes and you could walk along the Pigeon River.  Sara and Matt didn't have any time left after their trip to the Outer Banks but we picked up Evelyn on our way through Cincinnati.  We were a little worried about the weather forecast but we had perfect weather and because the schools start in early August in Tennessee, we pretty much had the entire park to ourselves.
September will prove to be just as busy as we prepare for our Childhood Cancer Walk at CHOP in Philadelphia and this year, my brother Bob, also has a team walking in the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Columbus on September 13.  Lots of walking for 2 great causes!

2014 CHOP Walk

2014 photo with the Rocky statue. This year the event is being held at a different venue, disappointed!

Sunday, July 19- Part 2- Mt. St. Helen's

Sunday morning, after a scenic drive to Reflection Lake and Steven's Canyon, we headed south towards Mt. Saint Helen's. I have been searching the gift shops for Bigfoot souvenirs for Luke. For future information, at exit 20 of I-5 we hit the mother load. We were in Bigfoot Country. We were told that there have been more Bigfoot sightings here than in any other part of the country. After a tasty lunch at the 49'ers Restaurant we drove to the observatory overlooking Mt. Saint Helen's and arrived just in time for a wonderful film showing the eruption that occurred on May 18, 1980. We listened to a young ranger explain a little about volcanoes and the rebirth of a mountain following an eruption. We were certainly in awe of the landscape.
    Our trip is rapidly nearing it's end and we will be returning to the rains, and mosquitoes, of Ohio on Tuesday. I hope you have enjoyed following along with us. We have had many laughs and have enjoyed seeing this beautiful country where we live and basking in her beauty. God certainly knew what he was doing when he created this earth we live on.

Sorry, Luke, I don't think he will fit in my carry-on

Mt. Saint Helen's landscape.

Johnson's Ridge Observatory

Life returns

I loved this t-shirt, Bigfoot doesn't believe in you either!