August 2017 – Page 2 – Asbery's Echoes

Rain Beautiful Rain and Packing For Tomorrow

We are getting rain today – lots of beautiful rain! It’s dark outside and thundering and sweatshirt wearing cool and rain! After being in a severe drought this is oh so welcome. Our yards are dry and brittle and full of cracks. Everything green has turned to brown. The crops in the fields are suffering. We’ve been trying to watch our water usage due to having a well. Our “chance of thunder storms” has turned into this beautiful beautiful rain that looks like it might actually stick around for awhile. We will take all we can get!

I might not be ready for Eric to move out but I am ready for this pile to be gone out of my dining room!

Today will see us packing. We take Eric to college tomorrow. Sending your child off to college is so bittersweet. You’re so excited for them and this new journey in their life and yet at the same time you’re sending your baby off into the big old world. It’s scary and knowing you’re not going to see them every day. Eric was my baby for 12 years and we definitely thought he was always to be the baby. I spoiled him I’m afraid more than I did the other two because he was the baby and he was that much younger than Abby and Aaron. But, he’s ready for this. And we are so very proud of the person he has become. He’s focused and has plans and he knows what he wants. Now it’s time for him to start on the next step in making those dreams come true. And he’s only going to be an hour away so I really can’t complain – I can visit whenever I want!

Eggs and Frogs and Fish

Look what we found this morning! I know it’s crazy to get excited about a couple of eggs but when Joe brought the first one in to show me I got so excited and yelled for Eric to some see! Of course an 18 year old boy doesn’t understand why his mother is acting like a fool because her chickens are doing what chickens do! But, he’s used to me and humors me. Most of the time! And then I felt bad because Drew isn’t here to share in the excitement! So of course I had to take a picture and send it to Beth to show Drew. I know he’ll be excited to check for eggs now – at least until the newness wears off!

Speaking of Drew – Beth has been sending me lots of pictures and it seems he’s having lots of fun! This is the longest he’s spent away from home and he’s far enough away that there’s no running to get him if he’s homesick but I’m sure he’s staying so busy that he’ll be fine. Joe and I on the other hand are probably missing him more than he’s missing us!

Anna and Marley – my uncle’s granddaughter and great granddaughter – they definitely got the Houseal fishing gene!

We spent today in Burlington at the annual Houseal Fish Fry. My mom and her two brothers are avid fishermen and we all love to eat the fish they catch. Uncle Terry and Aunt Judy host the fish fry every year and since Uncle Donnie and Aunt Susan spend their winters in Florida this is our annual family get together. Terry has two beautiful ponds – one for fishing and one for swimming. It was a beautiful day, cool with a nice breeze. It was a little too cool for swimming so there was a lot of fishing and 4-wheel riding and lots and lots of visiting. A fun family get together that we look forward to every year.

Wednesday Chatting and Stitching

Happy Snowman designed by Tina Herman, Shepherd’s Bush.

I had a surprise visitor yesterday. Aaron stopped by and spent the majority of the day here. It was so nice to see him and have a nice chat. We hadn’t seen him for what seems like forever. He started a new job as a manager at Walmart and he’s also still working part time at Casey’s. He’s been putting in 70+ hours a week between the two jobs. That’s too much as far as I’m concerned. I tell him what I think but ultimately it’s his decision and he knows I support him in whatever he chooses to do. As a Mom I have that right to tell him how I feel. He can take my advice or not, it’s his life and he’s an adult. He just knows I’m going to tell him how I feel and at the same time respect his decisions!

While visiting with Aaron, Eric and Drew I gathered up floss and linen and got a great start on Christmas ornaments. One stitched and a good start on another. I stayed pretty true to the suggested colors on these two, just switched them up a little. I still have to decide on Baby Girl’s. I’m thinking pinks of course! And I need to figure out a font to use to stitch the year and their names. Then hopefully I can find some tiny snowflake buttons and some fabric to back them with at Hobby Lobby. It’s great knowing I can head to Hobby Lobby now whenever I need to and not have to plan a trip to Iowa City! It’s good to be back to stitching. I didn’t realize how much I was missing it.

The rest of today is going to see us working on Eric’s bedroom, doing laundry and packing for college. My pack rat Drew is having a ball. Eric is giving him all his Iowa State stuff and he’s loving it! Then tomorrow we meet my sister to drop Andrew off with them. He’s heading out on a camping trip with them in their RV. They’re going to Illinois for the weekend. Saturday we go to Burlington to spend the day at our annual fish fry at my aunt and uncle’s. Looks like a couple busy days ahead. Sunday and Monday will be finishing up packing, organizing and probably shopping so we can move Eric to Iowa City on Tuesday. Now I’m going to be wanting to plan trips to Iowa City. I have a feeling he’s not going to be coming home often so we’ll be heading that way if we want to see him!

Panic!!!!

I searched and searched but could not find a picture of the stockings I made for Abby. These are my family stockings. As you can see – the first four match. Then Eric came along and I stitched him a Shepherd’s Bush stocking. Then Andrew – he loves that his is the biggest one of them all!

No – I am not ready for Christmas yet! I am ready for fall. We’re having such beautiful fall like weather and it’s my favorite time of the year but as I was searching through some of my favorite cross stitch designer’s patterns this morning looking for patterns to make my annual Christmas ornaments for Drew and Braxton I was not having much luck. Then I decided to check out the Shepherd’s Bush site and see what they had. I found a free snowman pattern that is so cute and I can customize it with different colors and add their names. Perfect! But searching the Shepherd’s Bush site led to panic mode! Oh my goodness – here I’ve been stuck in a rut not having anything really to work on crafty wise in the evenings, just yesterday I was thinking about how I’ve not been in a rut like this in years, when all of a sudden it hit me. I have to stitch a Christmas stocking for baby girl. Maybe that explains the rut – I knew there was something I needed to be working on. How could I have not remembered this before now? When Braxton was born I made Shepherd’s Bush stockings for Jeremy, Abby, and Braxton. I picked Shepherd’s Bush for many reasons – they are beautiful, they all match, they come in a kit and specifically, there are so many of them that I knew if/as Jeremy and Abby added to their family, I could easily find a pattern to fit in with what I had already made for them. The panic part is due to the fact that these stockings are big and intricate and take time – lots and lots of time! So, this morning Drew and I picked a stocking, ordered it and now I will wait impatiently for everything to arrive – and I’ll have to break the news to Mom. She did all the sewing into stockings after I finished the cross stitch part last time. Hopefully she’ll feel up to the task again! In the meantime I should probably get started on the ornaments. With baby girl coming I’ll be making three this year instead of two!

Monday

After spending the day in Ottumwa shopping with Eric for college we made a spur of the moment decision to pick up supper in town and head out to Belva Deer and go for a hike. Drew had a free pizza from Casey’s he earned at school and we decided to use it tonight. It was a beautiful evening – cool and calm – perfect hiking weather!

A Sweet Surprise

Kelsey, Whitney, Drew and Matt. If the girls are anywhere around, Drew is going to be with them!

We camped over the weekend with great friends we met through Joe’s work. Joe and Steve work for the same company and they cover the Midwest territory together. Joe in southern Iowa and Steve in the northern part. Joe and Steve are such good friends and since both families camp they thought we should all camp together a few years ago and we’ve been camping together ever since! They came to Abby and Jeremy’s wedding and we went to Whitney’s graduation. We have visited each other at various times for various reasons throughout the years. This year at our annual camping trip to Clear Lake we got such a sweet surprise. We met Whitney’s boyfriend Matt last year and he just fit right in with our little camping group. They are now engaged and they asked Drew to be their ring bearer at their wedding! Drew absolutely loves “the girls” as he calls them, Whitney and Kelsey, and he and Whitney have a special bond. Joe and I feel blessed that she asked Drew to be a part of her special day and Drew is beyond excited! Plus, he got a new dinosaur from Whitney so he’s doubly excited!

Photo #8

August 4, 2017 – We need rain. We are now in a severe drought area. We had approximately 1/2 an inch of rain this week but hadn’t had anything for so long that the little we got didn’t do anything to help.

Ma7 3, 2017 – The sun is shining, the trees are budding out. It’s looking like spring! First day in almost a week with sunshine.

April 3, 2017 – Overcast skies but the yard is greening up. Joe has rolled it and run the mower over it already.

National Night Out

National Night Out was a huge success again! Our City Police Department puts this on the first Tuesday in August every year and they do such a wonderful job. The kids have a blast – they come home with a bag full of stuff – pens, balloons, tattoos, koozies, t-shirts, balls, juice boxes, candy, etc. And the community donates prizes galore. This year they had six bicycles to give away! It’s such a wonderful way for the kids to interact with our City Police and our Sheriff’s Department and to make them feel comfortable talking to them and being around them. It’s just a great evening for all involved and we’re happy to be asked to be there and participate with our shave ice!

I don’t get to wander around and really see all the fun things going on. I only get to see a very small piece of the action as I can’t leave our stand. We stay busy the whole night! Our square is blocked off and the stands are set up on the street. We set up in the courtyard. There were water fights on the south side of the square and bouncy houses were set up on the east side. And so much free entertainment provided by our very talented locals in the community. There was a petting zoo set up too. And pizza and kettle corn. A fun night held just for the kids in the community!

Yesterday we slept in after having been up late selling. Then we made our grocery list for the weekend and off to Osky we went to Fareway. Today I’ll be making salads and packing up the camper for our fun yearly camping trip to Clear Lake. We’re planning on leaving tomorrow morning around 10:00. No rush just enjoying the trip there. It should be a fun weekend for sure!

August Is Here

Wow, July went fast. It always seems to me that once we hit the 4th of July the summer just flies by. We are getting closer and closer to fall – yeah! Although August means school starts back up too which this year means watching Eric leave the nest. He’s ready and we’re ready too. The only one not ready for this big change is Drew. He’s going to miss having big brother around.

Yesterday was a beautiful day. I turned off the air and opened up all the windows. I love having the windows open! If we could just get some rain now. I spent the day getting ready to sell shave ice and washing up the bedding and tablecloths in the camper and then took Drew school shopping. We picked a good time to go – the stores were nice and quiet and Drew was no nonsense about it. He had no trouble picking things out – he just wanted to get it done so he could get home and spend the evening outside with Daddy!

Today looks like another nice summer day. I’ll finish getting everything together to sell tonight. It’s National Night Out and there will be kids galore up on the square with games for them to play, handouts and freebies, free entertainment and I think even a bouncy house or two. It’s a great way to celebrate our City Police and Sheriff’s Department and for kids to get to know them. Our Police Department does such a good job putting this on every year for the kids in the community and we are thankful they ask us to participate.