Enjoying A Day in Amish Country...

Friday (8/14) enjoyed a day with Marcy, Joan and Marion
in Holmes County. Here we were ALL enjoying the cheese
'taste test' at Heini's Cheese after taking the tour...

The view behind Der Dutchmann restaurant...

Ate a delicious lunch at DerDutchmann and then the

ladies relaxed in the rocking chairs on the porch...

After some shopping we put the convertible top down

and took a ride through the countryside.. I so enjoy the

shaded country roads... and I think Marcy, Joan and

Marion did also. Joan and Marion are from California

and don't see much countryside like this very often...

On our drive we saw a four-horse hitch coming in

from the fields..

Upon arriving home Marcy and her son, Austin, took

a ride on the four-wheeler before having an impromptu

supper of hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill along

with yummy corn-on-the-cob!!

At the end of the evening a big flock of geese flew

over the house... I wasn't able to get them all in the

picture, but it was an impressive sight. You definitely

could HEAR them before you saw them...

It was a great day to be outdoors!!!!

Time Flies with Growing Boys!!

Ben... May 2006... first outing to see Thomas the Engine... I think
Ben preferred his nap time...


Ben... April 2007... enjoyed spending time outdoors...

Nathan... April 2004... Happy and content...

Nathan... April 2006... wasn't this just yesterday??

My 'tree' studio where I enjoy taking everyones picture..

Nathan is really growing up...

Ben didn't want to be left out and posed for me in another part

of the tree... I like the expression on his face here. After pics

in this tree Ben had to 'climb' two more trees for pictures!!

Nathan enjoyed the push I gave him on the tire swing...it's a

little difficult pushing the swing and then grabbing your camera

for a photo... but it must be done!!

While Ben got his ride on the tire swing, Nathan tried to

throw a ball through the moving tire... our children use

to do that when they were growing up...

Nathan pulled one of the flags out of the flower bed, so I told

him if he was going to play with a flag...Grandma Shari had to

take a picture and then we sat and talked for awhile. You

never know what you'll LEARN while talking to Nathan!!

Ben in the last tree he climbed... you have to be fast with the

camera because he's forever moving... I guess that's what

little boys do!!! Ben is quickly growing up!!

The years are swiftly passing...

This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!!

Garlinger's Visit....What FUN!!!

Paul, Patsy and Aaron visited the Riley's this week... We haven't
seen them for three years..but it seemed just like yesterday. We
lived next door to one another for several years in the early 70's!!

Aaron had the MOST FUN riding 4-wheelers... Dale, Mark,
Paul and Aaron had a 4-wheeling adventure and Mark
recorded and shared the movies on a DVD with them.

Garlinger's home on wheels - beautiful accomodations..

Returned from a short ride and ready for supper...after

washing up. Need I say some faces were dirtier than others..

Dale and Mark led the way and Paul and Aaron were the

dust eaters...

Aaron took the 4-wheeler for a spin after supper and Paul

said he'll be talking about 4-wheelers for a long time..

What good friends...come back anytime...3 years is much too long!!!

New Porch....yeah!!!!

So THANKFUL for a new porch!!! Dale says it's his Father's Day
gift from Mark who encouraged him to build. I think it's my
Father's Day gift too and I LOOOOOVVVVEEEE it!!!

The Flora, the Fauna and the Boys!!

This was a beautiful evening for a 4-wheeler ride with the
boys... taking in the view along the way...

Ben was getting ready for the ride, wearing his shades..

Then Nathan and Ben put on the helmets.. Cori, Nathan has

a little struggle getting your helmet on. He's a growing boy!!

After picking some yummy black raspberries I got the boys

to pose for a picture.. Couldn't take too long, the mosquitos

were looking for some attention - and they were definitely

getting mine!!

The raspberry patch.... they were everywhere!!
Mark has taught Nathan and Ben to only pick

the ripe berries and leave the rest for later...

Here Mark was offering a handful of berries to Ben..

Nathan and Ben in the sunshine...

More flora and fauna..

Let's go again real soon, it certainly is a stress reliever!!

FUN with the Riley Grandchildren...

Jordyn is now ONE year old and wants to do every thing
her brothers do...
Here Jordyn was examining a rock on our neighbor's front porch..

Ben playing peek-a-boo with me through the fence..

Mark and Andrea brought them to the house clean...but

they didn't stay clean long... they love to play in the garden..

Just try and keep Nathan out of the garden...it isn't going to happen..

Dale gave Jordyn a ride on the 4-wheeler..

All the Riley's like a ride on the tire swing... here Ben does his

best to hold on tight!

Jordyn enjoys her ride with Dad standing close by..

Nathan has lost TWO front teeth this summer...

Plattner's Return...

LauraLee and Chad returned to Ohio for the beginning
of their May vacation... I tried to get as many pictures
of the grandchildren that I could... Here are their two
girls: Jolene..
Jubilee..

Here is the crew that hiked the gorge (1.8 miles) but to me it

seemed alot farther... could say I'm out of practise in the

hiking mode... It was good for me (I know) and I need

more of the exercise, I guess the Plattner's will just have

to come back again because most of my family doesn't enjoy

hiking.... and I won't mention any names...

We had a good time and a delicious picnic at the park..