This past Sat.  Cody was trying to finish up his community service, Fred was taking Caleb and my nephew Brady to their Hunters Safety class, and Cecilia had went with Novalee and her family for the day to the Downing Appreciation Days, so Chancy and I spent all morning together and a good part of the early afternoon, going to a local fleamarket that is the 2nd weekend of each month and to a local estate Auction.  At the flea market I spent $12 on myself…bought three things

nothing I needed but some things I liked!  blue pottery bowl $6, old blue transferware plate $2  cute little winter christmas decoration $4

I spent $45 for Hubby! 

$40 for a dead sign for our road, and $5  for the spreader!

Chancy spent $100

 on a pair of chaps for bareback riding ;-( 

 ……..oh to be young. 

after that we went to the Estate sale.

Chancy bought a bunch of very long drill bits

of some sort that Fred was wanting  for $7

and I bid on a few things but everything I was interested in was going high.  So I told a friend of mine who is an antique dealer in Memphis MO that I was going home but there was a cute little old pottery bowl with a red stripe around it and a few little red stars on it that I would like to have.  I told her what I would be willing to spend and she said she would bid on it for me.  I also pointed out a blue pottery bowl that I was interested in. When I told her what I would spend on it, she laughed and said you will not get it.  She was right it went for almost 3 times what I was willing to pay.    She did get the other bowl along with a few other things they put in a lot for less then half what I had been willing to pay!   

 I was very happy

It was a good day!  With good deals and lots of quality time with my Chancy!

what do we do on labor day? 

It looks like most of my children think we sleep.  

Fred had to work today   

 I am baking cookies in anticipation of a possible softball game

 this evening with anyone from the church who can come.

Caleb decided to play monopoly by his self.

 the first weekend of August we had a spur of the moment Zimmerman reunion.  For the most part it was the ones from Iowa & Missouri who came.  So we averaged in the high 60′s as to how many were there for meals.  We had earlier tried to plan a big family reunion at a campground, but alas it kept not working out… so we just had a get together during the day on Saturday and again Sunday with 2 meals served each day.

On Saturday we met at the Lacey State Park Lodge in Keosauqua Iowa about a half hour north of where we live.  It was a very nice facility and only cost $75 for the day…I meant to take pics from the other two sides but never got it done.  Most of the other two sides had a huge wrap around porch that had a roof over it.

My cousin Brandon’s little gals surveying the drink options along with Novalee’s Kaitlin & Abigail in the back

Mom & Aunt Miriam washing dishes

the kitchen was not real big but was adequate for our needs.  The men had barbequed

chicken outside.  Everyone brought a dish or two to share and drinks.  We all had plenty to eat

My cousin Charlotte’s Anita and my sister Novalee’s Abigail, 2 peas in a pod, same skin tone but hair as different as can be except for the curls!

Here is Aunt Sandy with two of her grandchildren, Bertha’s Maddy, and Clinton’s Mitchell

Here is Novalee’s Husband Darin, man in yellow shirt, with my twins in red shirts, my cousin Wendell in Navy blue shirt,back on either side of Cody is my cousin Bethany’s two boys, Colby & Ryan, and last but not least are Novalee’s two boys Brady & Sawyer

Early in the day lots of the children and adults took hikes around on the trails looking for a way to get down to the Des Moine River. It was a lovely day.

some of the older men sat on the porch at the picnic tables

left to right

Uncle Fred, my dad Ray & Uncle Shannon

Oscar was very involved in a Honduras soccer game

There was lots of card games played and some of us put together puzzles.

Cody, Fred, Uncle Leonard & Darin

Bethany’s Lizzie, Cecilia, Kaitlin, and Chancy

my cousin Treston, Cousin Clinton, Cousin Bertha’s Husband Shelton with baby Wyatt and cousin Wendell.

there was lots of visiting

and playing

cousin Brandon’s Serena

Cousin Charlotte’s Anita, Mikaylia & Adam

still working on the entryway…here is what I have so far. It’s lacking something on the wall and pulls on the dresser. Not sure I like the color of the dresser. It looks rather orange in real life instead of the red it should be. Im open to ideas and suggestions especially for the wall, and any other suggestions would be helpful

as you can see from the previous post I am still working on the new entryway…..almost done with the painting, hoping to get the floor done on Saturday!

This year for Bible School we chose to use some material from the Institute in Basic Life Principles Character Sketch.     We chose 5 animals from the one book and are doing a  different character study each night.   Ann Yoder fixed a nice scene in the front of the church for the children using the animals we are discussing.

here is the mouse

the alligator

bobcat

opossum

hummingbird

Chancy is in charge of games and several

 of the youth boys are helping him

some of the ladies who were there chatting

some of the children snacking

the younger class coloring

the younger classes room

playing games

the middle class

Tyler & Cody ….observing!

Ann, Elycia & Erica recently worked on the flower beds at church

So if you are in ourneck of the woods …

come on over!

When we moved into our house, at the front of the house there was a Walk -in-pantry just off of the kitchen.  When we added on in the back we added the new kichen and a walk in pantry.  The old pantry was no longer used.  So we have this space/closet, off the front of the living room that was unused.   We also had no “front” door. So everyone always came in the back door where my family throws off  their shoes and such. 

Since we finally added on to our deck, wrapping around the front of the house,  we had a place to put a front entrance.  We decided to make that walk-in-pantry into an entry way.  So here is what we are doing.

 As you can see none of it is done…….it’s a work in progress!