20211125 + Thanksgiving

20211125 + Up early and L, Hazel and I headed out. We swung by the mailbox to see if some stuff I shipped was stuck in the chute, it wasn’t. We swung through McDs and headed to the Farm. It was an easy drive up and we got there in good time. L helped GmaW get things set up and I took Hazel up to Gma&paW’s. The boys showed up and I headed down and more and more folks showed up. It was nice to be back in the old Farmhouse with all the family after missing last year with the lockdown. It was nice to catch-up with folks. Roger prayed and we we had a very nice meal.

After our food settled a bit I went up and got Hazel and a group of us headed to the Falls.  We walked all the way up and L&I’s first house was gone, so was Oneida lodge, but my bridges still are there. The trail down to the falls is in really bad shape and treacherous. We went down to the falls and then back up, not out and around to the pines as the trail was not passable. We made our way back to the Farmhouse and hung out some more. LD&G worked on crafts, J vanished to Gma&paW’s while we were on out falls walk. We caught up some more and folks started heading out. D stayed to help clean up and Them he headed out. He is driving to Ann Arbor MI for the OSU game tomorrow… We got some things cleaned up and headed up. JG&I played some euchre with GmaW and then J headed back to the bedroom. G&I stayed up and played 3 way solitaire with GmaW, a new game for G. Everyone to bed and G&I stayed up with Gpaw showing him how to use the TV and review his health. J up late having a rough night.

20210725 - Picnic

20210725 - Up in the am and J headed to work and LG Hazel and I headed to Delaware to meet up with L's family for a picnic. IT was a nice time and really good to see folks and catch up. It was really hot and I was feeling pretty tired so we didn't stay to late. Home and L ran G out to a friend's to spend the night. D stopped over to get supplies to clean up the house he's living in before he moves in to the new one. L and I sat around watching the Olympics. J home after a long day and watched some of the skateboarding with us before heading upstairs. L&I watched some gymnastics and swimming before heading to bed. I was up late.

20210515 - STATE CHAMPION!!!

20210515 - Up in the am and G&I headed out to pick up some auction wins. Gary is shutting down his store and relocating. G&I got our stuff and headed home. L delivered some food and cleaned up her friend Marlene's house as she is with her father in hospice. G headed to the State Track meet early with some of his teammates. I headed out to meet cousin Jennifer and her dogs at the Gahanna dog park and walk and chat a bit. Hazel and I swung through Wendy's to get frostys and lunch on the way home. Home and ate and listened to G's baseball games on my phone, they won one and lost one. L&I got ourselves together and headed to Hillard to the State Track meet. We got some good seats and were joined by Terrill and D showed up. We bet on all the races and then the very last race, the MAIN EVENT, the boys 4x400 that G and his buddies were in. The race started and was FULL GO from the gun! We yelled and screamed and cheered!!! we were in 3rd, then 4th, then 1st, then 2nd and then G pushed through at the alst second and got 1st to handoff to Owen and he zoomed the boys to a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP and new school record of 3:41:13. AMAZING FAST!!! AMAZING TO SEE!!! SO EXCITING!!!!

We rushed over to the podium for the awards ceremony and it was SO COOL!!! We took tons of pictures and then all the boys and families came back to Coaches in Gahanna for a celebration dinner. Home, the adrenaline still rushing and settled in for the evening.

20210512 - Can Man

20210512 - Up in the am and on an early call. J home from school early and headed to work. I spent a bunch of time today analyzing data for a migration we're doing. GpaW had Roger and Brad over to help with a couple things at the farm today. L and G home, L took Hazel on a walk and then cooked us some dinner. I had a Landscape Board meeting and the McClains came over to hang out on the back porch. We chatted and had a good time. J home from work and back out with some friends. We wrapped things up and got to bed in good time tonight.

20210410 - Maple Syrup Day @ the Farm

20210410 - Up way too early and LJG Hazel and I got everything loaded in the car and headed out. We made a quick pickup at McDs and headed up to the Farm. It was an easy drive and we got there about 8:30. Dale and Roger were there boiling down already and the steam was floating. I helped GpaW get some things set up and Brad and Dave were there helping too. GmaW took L and Dave's girlfriend Tammy up to the house to give her some bday presents and Dave Dylan and I took a walk back through the woods. We ran in to Tim in the woods working on a deer stand and chatted with him a bit. Back to the Farmhouse and more folks were there, all family, unlike years past. J&G took the pug and went up to the pond and all over the Farm. The weather was absolutely perfect and it was a nice small crowd and gave me the chance to talk with folks and not be so busy. The sap boiled down and stories were told. We had a nice lunch and then we poured off the syrup. Folks hung out a bit more and headed up to the camp and we got things cleaned up pretty quickly.

We got things cleaned up and LG&I changed and headed to Galion for baseball. The first game got away from us. G had a good hit and stole a ton of bases but we had a couple bad innings we couldn't recover from. G took the mound for the start of game 2 and did really well pitching, the lessons obviously paid off. He also got a great hit down the 3rd baseline. The rain came in the 4th inning and they called the game. Gma&paW were on their way to the game so we met them at DQ and had dinner and chatted about what a lovely day it was at the Farm and think everything went well and folks were glad to be out and together.

We drove home through some really hard rain. Home, unpacked and L&I sat in the living room with Thunder Force, a new movie, on but were in and out to consciousness... To bed in good time after a very nice long day.

20210404 - Easter with Everyone

20210404 - Up in the am and D home to get J&G to carry them to Gma&paB’s for an Easter lunch. We all headed out late due to J... L, Hazel and I in one car and the boys in another. They passed us at one point, hope they don’t get a ticket. Made it to Gma&paB's and chatted a bit then had a huge lunch. After lunch the kids played outside in the beautiful day and we just hung out, relaxed and chatted the rest of the day. DJ&G headed home a bit early and L&I left later. Super nice to be together with folks again and outside. Home and L&I watched some American Idol. Chris came over and we talked about his job change last week and watched the Walking Dead.

20200705 - He Can Still Paly

20200705 - Up in the am and LG&I headed to Dayton to watch D play some baseball. D's old team called him last night and needed a second baseman, so he got up early, worked and then went straight to Dayton. We got there and it was HOT. Russ & Nancy and cousin Lori came to hang out and chat and watch D play. It was a great afternoon but very hot. D's team lost but D played second well, made a great barehanded double play, and connected during one of his at bats. D took G home and L&I headed home. Home and DG&I headed to the Mallonn's to work on the pergola. we got the roof on and L came over to check it out. J stopped over after he got off work. We got everything on and tightened down and it looks great! Home, cleaned up exhausted.

20191229 - Winger Christmas Party

20191229 - Up in the am and we had some bfast and hung out at the Farm a bit before heading over to Shelby for the Winger family Christmas party. We had some good food, Chinese noodle candy, played soem games and learned to tie a bow tie! We passed out gifts and hung out with the fam until late. We packed up and headed head home. Still pretty worn down and happy to rest after the wonderful trip.

20191026 + PARTY TIME

20191026 + Up early and got hings rolling. We got the door off from the kitchen to the garage and started the chili. I ran G to his basketball tryout and then hit Kroger one last time for ice and couple things we forgot. Home and got the TVs on and everything else set up. Tom showed up and helped with hot dogs and last minute details. Soon the folks started pouring in, D even came back from school! We had a great crowd, 70 folks, despite the rain. Everyone sang happy birthday to me and we all had a toast. The Buckeyes won and it was a great time! Folks left and L&I got pretty much everything cleaned up quick. We sat down and watched some football and G&I stayed up way to late watching the Oregon game. A great day surrounded by family and friends!

20190106 - Basketball Family Dinner

20190106 - Everyone up late in the am. I attached myself to the desk and got things done and lined up for the next couple of weeks. In the afternoon We all headed to Marion where we met up with Gma&paW, Roger and Jeane and Greg and Debbie for G's basketball game. G had one of his bet games this year and the boys won. After the game we headed to Ralphies for a nice dinner. A nice quiet long drive home and all to bed in good time.

20181230 + Winger Christmas

20181230 + Up in the am had some bfast and then we all got ready and headed to John & Mary's in Shelby for the Winger Christmas party. There were a ton of family there and we had a great time catching up with folks, visiting and just enjoying time with each other. There were fun games we tried to cheat on and we even played some UNO on the iPhone with other family members, a good time overall! We swung by the Farm on the way home to pick up Lilly, said thanks to Gma&paW for a fun weekend and all our gifts and then headed South. We got home in good time, got everything unpacked and put away and settled in to watch a A-X-L a new movie the boys wanted to see. It was a good movie and we were all tired and headed off to bed in good time.

20181122 - Thanksgiving @ the Farm

20181122 - Up in the am and DJ&I and for the first time with a gun G went hunting. We had about 8 of us and it was a different experience without a dog but we did pretty well scaring up about 10 pheasants, G shot at a couple of them but didn't get one. The group only got 3 in total but it was a good morning and good experience for the boys. Up to the house and DJG&I got cleaned up and headed to the Farmhouse. Roger gave grace this year and we had a full house with a huge meal with tons of family around from all over. It was a very nice time and we got to visit with lots of folks. L took a hike up to the falls, I tried an impossible puzzle and had no idea where the boys went. After everyone left we headed up to Gma&paW's where we for some reason ate more and played some fun Christmas games. Not up too late, very tired from a long day.

20181121 + Setting of the Pheasants

20181121 + Up in the am and L prepared the dip for me to take to work. In to work, no J this am and traffic was surprisingly light... In to a quiet workplace and getting things done. As it got closer to noon the place got louder and food was set out and we had a feast! It is a nice group of folks and there were some good and interesting dishes. After lunch I packed up and headed home. We got ont he road and made good time to the Farm. We met up with Gma&paW and the Halsteads at the Farmhouse and chatted for a long time. Roger showed up with pheasants and we all went out to release them. The Halstead girls were a bit shay at first about the process but gave it a try and had a good time. Back to the Farmhouse and we all chatted until they had to leave, great to see them. Up to Gma&paW's house where we got the guns ready for tomorrow and GpaW got us Chinese for dinner. We had a big dinner and then hung out a bit watching TV and looking through ads. To bed in good time.

20180901 - Running Family & Friends

20180901 - Up WAY TO EARLY to drive J to XC bus. Home and slept for another hr and then got D&G up and we went to watch J run. J did great, he ran 3.1 miles in 20:04! DG&I swung through a Waffle House for a feast on the way home. Home and D&G played some wiffle ball for a bit, then G to the basement screaming at his game, D&I did some things on the back porch (pay his school bill, ck his Gahanna retirement account...) and then he gave his car a once over while I did some work while watching the OSU game. Later D ran to get J and get some things for his car maintenance. I stayed on the porch as it started pouring and D ran to get DGF7, J got cleaned up and plugged into the Xbox and G ran to Goodwill with Gma&paW. Gma&paW back and got J and they all headed to the Laser Tag place, D&DGF7 met them there. I hung back and got some more work done. D&DGF7 picked me up about 6:30 to go to Massy's Pizza for a family get together after the Laser Tag. It was a nice event to mingle with folks. Home and watched some TV with J&G.

20180714 - Last Game & Picnic

20180714 - Up in the am and we all piled into the car and headed to Dublin to watch D play baseball. J&I dropped L&G off and headed back to McD's to get some bfast. Back to the game and it was not the prettiest game. The boys ended up losing the game which knocked them out of the tournament and was the last game for the season. It was the last game ever for 4 of the boys and I am guessing the last Summer game for D as well. After the game we headed North to Delaware State Park with a stop to gas up D's car. We got to the park and met up with L's extended family for a late 4th of July picnic. It was good to see folks, catch up, try once again to fly a kite. We stayed for a bit and then D&J headed home. J met with his merit badge counselor and finally finished his cooking merit badge! LG&I headed out shortly after. LG&I headed to Reynoldsburg to pick up some auction wins and look around the store. We then headed to the Government Surplus store to look for a hammock, failed, so we hit Meijer and got D a backpack for school, a hammock for G for camp and some snacks for the campers. We got home and unpacked, and then had the boys pack their packs and double check everything to make sure they were ready for camp, J suddenly has no shoes... D&DGF7 ran and got us pizzas. Hung out on the back porch until I couldn't take the bugs anymore.

20161124 - Thanksgiving @ the Farm

20161124 - UP in the am and DJG&I got dressed warm and orange and headed out with the hunters: Roger, Johnny, John 3, Sierra, John C, Greg, Christopher, We walked the usual route and D got a bird, J&G hit the brush with sticks and found bones, I got a bird and we all learned we are pretty horrible shots... Back to the farm house and I cleaned my bird and D helped Christopher clean his first bird. 

Up to the house to get cleaned up and then down to the Farmhouse where the Family gathered around the large tables for grace, fellowship and stories like we have for generations. It was a great meal and put most of us to sleep. 



We then mustered up the energy to head up to the Falls for a brisk hike.

Back to the Farmhouse where the ladies worked on a craft and the boys headed out for some more shooting. 

After everyone left we got cleaned up quickly and headed up to Gma&paW's to hang out and watch a movie. Very thankful to have such a big family.