Busy... busy... busy... As I am sure all of you are, too !!! We are ready for Christmas !!! All our cards sent, gifts given, tree and lots of decorations this year.. made lots of cookies, church programs, dinners and Christmas parties.. We have had visitors from Ca. and are now anxiously waiting for more company from Colorado.. They will spend Christmas with us so that should be fun !!! We have not had any snow but have had some COLD weather lately in Florida... The pool has been closed since the last of November but we plan to heat it up over Christmas..... and enjoy it for a few days.... We celebrated our 45th Anniversary on Saturday ... Went over to Fort Lauderdale for the night ...took our friends to the airport, did some shopping, watched our son and daughter -in -law and granddaughter Emily run in a race.. in the rain !!! We have attended some beautiful Christmas dinners and programs all to celebrate Christmas and the birth if our Saviour .. Jesus Christ !! IT is a WONDERFUL time of the year !!!

How do you like my new Christmas blog?? Actually Tabitha did it for me.. She knows how to do those kind of things... Now she will have to change it again after Christmas..... We have been busy sending out our Christmas cards, decorating, baking... Tim has been volunteering out at ECHO.. an organization that sends seeds to 3rd World countries.... They are having a big conference next week so I plan to volunteer there, too.... It is starting to look like Christmas up and down our street as our neighbors are putting up more and more decorations.. A lot of activities will soon be in demanding our attention.. with parties, church programs, visitors, Christmas dinners, etc.. May we not forget the Birthday of our Saviour. JESUS CHRIST !!!

Thanksgiving !!!

What a great time we had over Thanksgiving !! Some Sower friends , the Pickards from Ca. came to visit us.. We spent 2 days visiting, eating, playing games and swimming.... We celebrated Thanksgiving dinner at Golden Corral along with 1/2 of Ft Myers.. ha ha .... The pool is lovely and warm.. Our daughter-in-law ran the 5K early in the morning and then they came over to meet our company and swim and soak in the hot tub !!! Tim had a safe and good trip to Haiti. Thanks you for all your prayers... Since he has been back, we have been busy with church, finishing the painting and decorating the entire house ( including bathrooms ) for Christmas.... The lanai has so many lights that the neighbors have commented.. Love to swim at night under the lights.....so calm and pretty... Have most of our shopping done and are starting to work on the Christmas letter... Hope you had a good Thanksgiving and an even greater Christmas !!! In all your business.... Celebrate the Real Reason for Christmas !!

The Team in Haiti !!

An update of the Team to Haiti... Heard a few hours ago through internet.. They had hope to get their tickets changed and fly out a day early because of the Hurricane Thomas BUT all flights are cancelled out of Haiti on Friday !!! They sent a few pictures of unloading a truck with bags of rice into a church in anticipation of the people who will come there during the Hurricane.. They are all in good spirits and want to help all that they can.. Please pray for safety and the people living in tents.... Thanks Carole

Tim is in Haiti on a Mission trip with a group from Spring Arbor, Michigan.. He really was looking forward to going in spite of the epidemic of cholera.... praying they will use common sense and God will protect them.. He packed 4 suitcases... only bringing one back.... so he took a lot of donated clothes and he cleaned out his closet..also candy and gum.. They are going to a Christian school.. We had a great trip to Tn, Wi and Mi a few weeks back but glad to get back home and to sunny Florida... The weather has been 85* and I still swim every day !!! Heard they had fierce winds in the north and a lot of people lost electricity. I anticipate Thanksgiving with company from Ca. but at the present I am addressing our Christmas cards and listening to our Christmas CD's... My sister Donna and I are presenting trying a diet so even thought she is way up in Michigan... we call each other every day to compare out food journals.. It has helped somewhat. What with the holidays coming... Enjoying all your blogs and wishing you a great day !

It has been almost a month since I last wrote.. A lot has happened.. At the present we are on a 4000 mile trip from Florida to Tn. ( daughter Kathi and family ) north to Wi. ( daughter Kari and family ) over the UP to Cheboygan ( sister and brother ) and down to middle of Mi. ( daughter Kristy and family) and back to Florida.. way south !!! We wanted to visit 3 of the kids ( son lives 12 miles from us ) and 15 of the grand kids... and see some colored leaves... so hopefully will be able to get some good pictures...The Today show on TV said the best place in the nation is where we will be in the UP of Michigan....Miss the pool and home but.... Tim is going on a Mission trip to Haiti when we get back home....Then we expect company for Thanksgiving and after Christmas... from Colorado and California... We are presently 1500 miles on our trip and 5 days into it.... So until I get some good pictures to post of the trees.....................................

Some more beautiful sunsets from the lanai.... We have really enjoyed having our grand son Nick live with us for 2 months but he got a job offer up in St Pete/ Clearwater area ( 2 hours north ) so he moved on Labor Day with a friend from his home town.. Sure seems funny without him around the house... Tim keeps busy and I keep relaxed !!!!

We plan a trip in the near future somewhere north to see some colored leaves... not sure when or where.... Seems hardly anyone blogs any more . Keep in touch !!!