Tag Archives: Ohio

O.H.I.O.

So Ohio was great! We were so excited when we learned late last year that an Ohio ministry had joined our SOWER family! And especially pleased that it was only about 45 minutes from our Ohio kids. Not in the same direction, mind you, but still. We didn’t make any weeknight jaunts (we are, after all, working folks during the week) but during the weekends we did manage to get in a couple of sporting events,
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a Kentucky Derby Party
Kentucky Derby hats!
a lovely family Mother’s Day gathering
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and even a purple manicure from an experienced technician.
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Oh, and did I mention there were some fun games on the deck
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and some lovely snuggles.
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Being able to work at Heartland this May was especially fortuitous because it coincided with our oldest granddaughter’s high school graduation!
Ellie’s graduationNot sure where the years have gone – but we were delighted to be able to share in the festivities. Although we weren’t sure we’d be able to actually go to the ceremony with all of the COVID restrictions, at the last minute the family was granted a couple of extra tickets so 6 of us (7 counting the daughter in the band and already there) were able to be there in person.
OK, it was kind of a far away in person sort of thing, but it was still thrilling to see this young beauty take this momentous step.
Ellie’s graduation
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(Pops stayed home with the boys and the baby and watched it on the TV!)
I loved watching the three oldest girls interacting together down on the field after the ceremony –
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But I think maybe this one is my favorite!
Ellie’s graduation
Because, well, they’re sisters! And God made each one of them delightfully different!
Another highpoint of our time in Ohio was our last day when the whole clan (except Ellie B) came up to OUR Place for a picnic!
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We took a fun hike
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and the kiddos had a great time playing in the creek!
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After we stuffed ourselves and folks began to pack up for the trek home I even remembered to get some group pictures before we said our final (for this time) good-byes! (Lord willing, we’ll be seeing them all in July at our Family Reunion at the Cabin!!!!)
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Man, I love these guys! I think we might just have to volunteer at that Ohio project again!
The next morning we packed up and hit the road. But more on that later……
I know this has been long, and more than a little photo heavy, so thanks for persevering to the end! I did spare you from SOME of the photos, so if you’d like to see the rest of the set, you can check them out HERE!

Ohio Days – Part Two

Our long weekend in Ohio wasn’t just about getting that basement ‘suite’ finished off. It was about getting to see our family, of course! After that oh-so-brief meet and greet with little Everly when she was all of two days old, it was wonderful to get more acquainted with her.
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With so many willing arms to hold her, I was glad to get any opportunity to cuddle with that little cutie. For me, one of the high points was getting all of our Ohio family together for a Sunday afternoon picnic at a local park. There was a great obstacle course that all the kids really enjoyed while we older folks just moseyed along to watch.
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Yikes – that was pretty high, brave little one!
Everyone safely maneuvered the course and we even got a chance for a group picture –
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Of course, the two girls on the left go with the adults on the right and vice versa, but you can see we were quite the crowd. (Even a few over the ‘no group larger than 10’ COVID restrictions. Shhhhhhh)
At the end of our picnic time the girls began a quick game of “Get the Hat on the Baby” –
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Oh the joys (or dangers) of being the sixth child! With both Mom and Dad supervising the game, I think little Everly rather enjoyed the attention.
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It was great to spend time with the kids as they were all getting back into their fall schedule. School is looking different this year for both families, but everyone seems to be making the best of it. With everyone growing up so fast it makes me ever so thankful for Zoom and FaceTime and texts with pictures and phone calls. (Yes, dear children, that was a not so subtle hint to CALL YOUR MOTHER!)

Precious days indeed!

The Great Bedroom Shuffle Update

This basement renovation – finishing off space in the basement for a bedroom, small bath, and closet – started back at Christmas time when we were last here in Ohio.
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With a family of 7, one of the biggest challenges was rearranging all the stuff just to make an empty space! 10 years (and two kiddos) ago, that very space had been made into a big storage room –
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And trust me, it was full!!
Other parts of the basement had been finished off in 2013,
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and has been well used as extra family space.
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(It got ‘all the way’ finished after I and my camera left!)
But to add an official bedroom and bath entailed challenges over and above just figuring out how to rearrange the family ‘stuff’.
Like an egress window.
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It was a big job (especially during a pandemic), but it was in by the time we arrived. Yay, Toby!!
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As you can see, it was no mean feat!
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The other big, needs-to-be-done-before-Pops-arrived, task was moving the plumbing to the correct spot for the bathroom. Thankfully there WAS plumbing already there, but of course, not where it needed it to be.
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Yeah, that was a BIG job!
By the time we arrived last week, all the walls had been constructed, the shower had been roughed in –
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and, the drywall had been loaded into the basement! Pops was all set to go!
With Toby home over the weekend, the ceilings went up and the walls were starting to take shape!
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(for perspective – I’m standing in front of the window, and Gary is standing in the closet.)
Toby always heads to the basement when he gets home from work to lend a hand –
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and sometimes the prospective occupants also show up.
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To help. Right!
Hallway done –
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(bathroom on the left)
The last of the drywall in the bathroom will be installed once it stops raining long enough for the guys to pick up the green board at Lowes-
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So at this point, with the exception of the inside walls of the bathroom, all the drywall is up! The mudding has begun, and you never know, but maybe there will be painting accomplished by the middle of next week! The list is still pretty long to get the area Teenage Girl Ready, but it certainly has been exciting to see all the progress made in less than a week!

With the weekend coming, Toby and Pops should be able to get lots done by working together. But since it’s also one of the last weekends before the baby arrives, I think there will also be some Family Fun time too! And that’s a good thing!

Thanks for coming along on our Renovation Trail!

Steph

This I have learned….

If I don’t do my blogging in the morning BEFORE I head into the house to spend time with the grands, I’m too brain dead by the end of the day to put more than a couple of sentences together! So, until tomorrow morning, when I plan to do a bit of The Great Bedroom Shuffle update, here’s what I got for ya –

The pictures from yesterday were from Zion National Park in Utah. We only spent a day there, but it was amazing!! For a couple more pictures and a bit of commentary about our time there, here is the original post!

And as a quick preview of tomorrow’s post – here are the grands who will be moving into this basement ‘suite’ once it’s complete. I think they were pretending to be helping here – though I’m not really sure about those scissors!
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See ya tomorrow!

Steph