We had the chance to get together for one of Bonnie's finest roast beef dinners, and to also celebrated Amy's birthday....
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Nick was David Beckham, the famous soccer player, with faux-hawk (fake mohawk).
Darth Vader (aka Sean). Kiki didn't even recognize him!
Hannah, the Mime! She was great and it was her own idea!
As you can tell from the shirt...Allison IS the Center of the Universe!
Michael & Emily were too old to head out tonight! Just these four headed out for the night. Nick & Allison got to trick or treat by themselves (with each other) for the first year! Thank God for cousins!Happy Halloween
Monday, October 11, 2010
Disney Wine and Dine half Marathon
Managed to complete the half marathon without too much agony. I was a little slower than I wanted at 2 hours and 39 min., but I really enjoyed it, and can't wait to do another Disney race. Dave's turn in two weeks with the Cincinnati Half Marathon!!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Ryle High School Homecoming
Tonight is Ryle's Homecoming Dance. Michael & Mckenzie are going together and Emily is going with her friend Foxx. Emily had dinner with her girlfriends before the dance. Michael had dinner with a large group of friends. Everyone looked amazing & they are all so excited!
Michael & Mckenzie.
Emily & her girlfriends.
Michael & Mckenzie & their friends.
Thanks to Em's GREAT hair stylist...Aunt Amy!
Emily & Foxx
Michael & Mckenzie.Thursday, May 20, 2010
Update for Grandma
We visited the eye specialist a week ago and Grandma does have the "wet" macular degeneration in her right eye. This is very diappointing news but it is treatable at this stage. The doctor has said that it is a very mild case and that hopefully she will respond to the treatments and they will be able to keep the disease from progressing. She had her first treatment yesterday. This involves getting a shot directly into the diseased eye. Of course they numb the eye but it is a very unsettling experience. The "shots" will be given once every six weeks for three treatments. After that they will run more tests to see if the treatments are successful.
We also visited her G.P. this week and he has recommended that she undergo physical therapy to strengthen her legs. She has had weakening of her legs for the past couple of months and hopefully this will help.
We go in next Thursday for an evaluation by the therapist and a recommendation on what may help her. Let's hope that she will be more mobile and move about easier.
Her birthday is the 29th of May and we will be having a little get together for her. She will be 94 years. old. Go Granny!!
I will continue to keep you all posted. If you get a minute, drop a line here to the blog or drop her a note.
bj
We visited the eye specialist a week ago and Grandma does have the "wet" macular degeneration in her right eye. This is very diappointing news but it is treatable at this stage. The doctor has said that it is a very mild case and that hopefully she will respond to the treatments and they will be able to keep the disease from progressing. She had her first treatment yesterday. This involves getting a shot directly into the diseased eye. Of course they numb the eye but it is a very unsettling experience. The "shots" will be given once every six weeks for three treatments. After that they will run more tests to see if the treatments are successful.
We also visited her G.P. this week and he has recommended that she undergo physical therapy to strengthen her legs. She has had weakening of her legs for the past couple of months and hopefully this will help.
We go in next Thursday for an evaluation by the therapist and a recommendation on what may help her. Let's hope that she will be more mobile and move about easier.
Her birthday is the 29th of May and we will be having a little get together for her. She will be 94 years. old. Go Granny!!
I will continue to keep you all posted. If you get a minute, drop a line here to the blog or drop her a note.
bj
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Hi Everybody
I hope all you mother's had a great Mother's Day. We had a great day here in northern Kentucky. Julie and Cory had us all over for a cookout. How brave they are! The weather did not cooperate as much as we would have liked, but we all had a really good time.
Hannah's First Communion was a few weeks ago and it was indeed a beautiful day. What a little angel she is!
Emily's 8th grade dance was this past week end. She and her friends are really beautiful young women and they all had a great time.
Both the LaRoy's and Wiehoff's have been busy with soccer, basketball, scouts and on and on. I think they are all ready for summer vacation.
It won't be long now.
Grandma's medications for her congestive heart failure seem to be working well. She has had no swelling in her ankles and has had no more breathing episodes that we know of. I do think that the whole ordeal has slowed her down a little bit, though.
Her latest concern is her vision. It has been slowly deteriorating for the past few months and has reached a level that is fairly difficult for her to deal with. Her left eye is the one that had the macular degeneration so badly a few years ago. This eye is not very functional. The vision in her right eye has dropped from 20/30 to 20/50. The doctor has increased the power of the reading part of her glasses lens. So far this has not had a very big impact on her vision. We will be seeing a specialist today to check for macular degeneration progression in her right eye.
In other news, Ken is doing better after his second surgery and we are all looking forward to the day when he and Todd will be making a visit home.
Trenda will be having sugery on the disc in her upper neck area next Monday. This will hopefully help the problem that she has been suffering with for so long. Good luck Trenda.
Let's hear from each of you. Share some of what you each are doing. I will continue to post updates on Grandma.
bj
I hope all you mother's had a great Mother's Day. We had a great day here in northern Kentucky. Julie and Cory had us all over for a cookout. How brave they are! The weather did not cooperate as much as we would have liked, but we all had a really good time.
Hannah's First Communion was a few weeks ago and it was indeed a beautiful day. What a little angel she is!
Emily's 8th grade dance was this past week end. She and her friends are really beautiful young women and they all had a great time.
Both the LaRoy's and Wiehoff's have been busy with soccer, basketball, scouts and on and on. I think they are all ready for summer vacation.
It won't be long now.
Grandma's medications for her congestive heart failure seem to be working well. She has had no swelling in her ankles and has had no more breathing episodes that we know of. I do think that the whole ordeal has slowed her down a little bit, though.
Her latest concern is her vision. It has been slowly deteriorating for the past few months and has reached a level that is fairly difficult for her to deal with. Her left eye is the one that had the macular degeneration so badly a few years ago. This eye is not very functional. The vision in her right eye has dropped from 20/30 to 20/50. The doctor has increased the power of the reading part of her glasses lens. So far this has not had a very big impact on her vision. We will be seeing a specialist today to check for macular degeneration progression in her right eye.
In other news, Ken is doing better after his second surgery and we are all looking forward to the day when he and Todd will be making a visit home.
Trenda will be having sugery on the disc in her upper neck area next Monday. This will hopefully help the problem that she has been suffering with for so long. Good luck Trenda.
Let's hear from each of you. Share some of what you each are doing. I will continue to post updates on Grandma.
bj
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Grandma....
Grandma had her angiogram yesterday at 3:00 p.m. The doctor said that he was very pleased as he found no new problems with her heart. We knew she had congestive heart failure and a 'leaky' valve. There were no blockages or anything unexpected. He said that her problems will be controlled with medications.
She had to lay flat for about 5 hours and then they watched her for another hour and we got home around 9:30 last night. She was pretty tired but other than that she was doing well. She had a very restful night and was doing well today.
We have doctor visits next tuesday and thursday with her g.p. and her cardiologist. I will keep you all posted as to how she is doing.
Ken's big surgery is tomorrow, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
bj
Grandma had her angiogram yesterday at 3:00 p.m. The doctor said that he was very pleased as he found no new problems with her heart. We knew she had congestive heart failure and a 'leaky' valve. There were no blockages or anything unexpected. He said that her problems will be controlled with medications.
She had to lay flat for about 5 hours and then they watched her for another hour and we got home around 9:30 last night. She was pretty tired but other than that she was doing well. She had a very restful night and was doing well today.
We have doctor visits next tuesday and thursday with her g.p. and her cardiologist. I will keep you all posted as to how she is doing.
Ken's big surgery is tomorrow, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
bj
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Happy Easter
Happy Easter to all
It was so good to be with everyone on Easter Sunday and get caught up on everyone's news after such a long hard winter. It was indeed a beautiful day.
Spring has sprung. The weather here in Kentucky is really beautiful. Mrs. Duck (we recently found out her first name is Jemima) is on the nest again and taking very good care of what looks to be about a dozen eggs. She carefully turns and covers each egg each day. I think this is a little earlier than last year. Can't wait to see them hatch.
Spring break will be here in Northern Kentucky next week and it looks like a good week for all of the kids.
The week before Easter we were visiting Todd and Ken for about 10 days. Ken needs to have another surgery on April 16. The doctors will drill 8 holes into the top of his skull in an effort to allow blood vessels to be pulled into his brain. This is a very simple explanation but the surgery is more complicated than I can explain here. Please keep them both in your thoughts and prayers. Ken will need to discontinue his Plavix for 10 days before the surgery and this is what caused him major problems with his surgery last November. He has been off the Plavix since Sunday and so far things are going pretty well.
On Easter Sunday night Grandma had an episode of breathing difficulty.
She did not tell anyone until monday evening. Mike was with her and said she was still experiencing some shortness of breath. We took her to her general practitioner on Tuesday. He had some blood tests done, made a couple of small changes in her medications and called her cardiologist for a consult. We took her into her cardiologist the following morning and he recommended an angiogram. Ted was with her at the cardiologist and he was very impressed with the doctor's explanations and reasons for the test. Grandma has agreed to the test and will have the test at 3 p.m. on Wednesday April 14. If there is a need for a stint it will be put in at this time. We know that there is a problem with her heart but the only way to pinpoint the problem and be able to treat it is with this test. Overall Grandma is doing fine at this time however she is a little nervous but I think the wait is the most difficult thing for her. Amy paid her a visit on Friday afternoon to check her lungs and talk to her about any questions she has with the procedure. She is ready for this to happen.
The doctor recommended that she not be left alone at night as another episode could happen (it is more likely to happen at night when she is laying down). Debbie, Mike and I have been taking turns spending the night with her. On Sunday Linda is coming up and has agreed to stay with her through her test on Wednesday.
That is all the news from here. I will try to keep everyone up to date on all the happenings of next week. Keep us all in your prayers.
bj
It was so good to be with everyone on Easter Sunday and get caught up on everyone's news after such a long hard winter. It was indeed a beautiful day.
Spring has sprung. The weather here in Kentucky is really beautiful. Mrs. Duck (we recently found out her first name is Jemima) is on the nest again and taking very good care of what looks to be about a dozen eggs. She carefully turns and covers each egg each day. I think this is a little earlier than last year. Can't wait to see them hatch.
Spring break will be here in Northern Kentucky next week and it looks like a good week for all of the kids.
The week before Easter we were visiting Todd and Ken for about 10 days. Ken needs to have another surgery on April 16. The doctors will drill 8 holes into the top of his skull in an effort to allow blood vessels to be pulled into his brain. This is a very simple explanation but the surgery is more complicated than I can explain here. Please keep them both in your thoughts and prayers. Ken will need to discontinue his Plavix for 10 days before the surgery and this is what caused him major problems with his surgery last November. He has been off the Plavix since Sunday and so far things are going pretty well.
On Easter Sunday night Grandma had an episode of breathing difficulty.
She did not tell anyone until monday evening. Mike was with her and said she was still experiencing some shortness of breath. We took her to her general practitioner on Tuesday. He had some blood tests done, made a couple of small changes in her medications and called her cardiologist for a consult. We took her into her cardiologist the following morning and he recommended an angiogram. Ted was with her at the cardiologist and he was very impressed with the doctor's explanations and reasons for the test. Grandma has agreed to the test and will have the test at 3 p.m. on Wednesday April 14. If there is a need for a stint it will be put in at this time. We know that there is a problem with her heart but the only way to pinpoint the problem and be able to treat it is with this test. Overall Grandma is doing fine at this time however she is a little nervous but I think the wait is the most difficult thing for her. Amy paid her a visit on Friday afternoon to check her lungs and talk to her about any questions she has with the procedure. She is ready for this to happen.
The doctor recommended that she not be left alone at night as another episode could happen (it is more likely to happen at night when she is laying down). Debbie, Mike and I have been taking turns spending the night with her. On Sunday Linda is coming up and has agreed to stay with her through her test on Wednesday.
That is all the news from here. I will try to keep everyone up to date on all the happenings of next week. Keep us all in your prayers.
bj
Thursday, April 1, 2010
We are Alive and Well in NC
Hello to all, finally back up and running, thanks Todd! It's good to hear what's going on with everyone, and for those who are going through a trying time, our prayers are with you.
We are all good here, busy with life and all it has to offer. Love watching the kids grow up. Zack is doing great in school, math is the most challenging subject but he's such a trooper, he keeps trying. He is such a good kid, he makes us laugh. Chase is the brain, everything comes so easy to him, he's a sweetheart and a great brother. Meg still runs things!! I am the princess, she is the queen!! She's amazing as well, we are so blessed to be their parents.
We miss seeing you all and hope life finds you well. Lots of Love from the Jenkins!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Update
Ken has been taken into OR for a cerebral angiogram. Dr. Deshmukh is performing the procedure himself. Hope to hear more in a few hours.
If the angio shows that the artery bypass is not supplying enough blood, we have to discuss more options. Perhaps a vertebral artery to MCA bypass which would mean another surgery on that side.
Here is the angio from October 2009. The left side shows his good side. The right side shows the bad one.
Sigh . . .
If the angio shows that the artery bypass is not supplying enough blood, we have to discuss more options. Perhaps a vertebral artery to MCA bypass which would mean another surgery on that side.
Here is the angio from October 2009. The left side shows his good side. The right side shows the bad one.
Sigh . . .
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Happy Spring!
Finally the snow has melted and we are starting to see some green leaves poking up out of the ground. Probably the one real sign of spring for us around here was that Mr. and Mrs. Duck returned this week for a short visit. One of the first things she did was to check out the area where the nest was last year. They are so beautiful and fun to watch; I hope they end up nesting with us again this year.
Mom had her follow up visit with Jim (her G.P.). He was quite pleased with her progress. He
has cut her water tablet in half. He also stressed that it is very important for her to use her cane as she expressed to him a feeling of unbalance when she walks. Nothing really new, her blood pressure is excellent and he seemed quite pleased with her progress.
She had a pretty busy week this week. Tuesday is the day we go to the grocery and run other errands. She is ususally out from about 10 a.m. to around 2 or 2:30. I think this tires her out quite a bit but she likes going out and choosing her own supplies. On Wednesday we went in to the doctor and stopped at the drug store. Mike, Rick and Debbie treated her to dinner out that night. On Thursday we had lunch with Chris and Teal and she seemed pretty pleased to be out and about. On Friday her cleaning ladies came over. This is usually a busy day for her and also a great opportunity to have someone different visiting.
I know Linda has been busy with her gardens, Andy is working hard on exams, Julie and Cory are busy preparing for moving day and the LaRoy's and Wiehoff's are juggling all their usual activities. Amy is having some work done around her house and busy preparing for Hannah's First Communion. Ken is making slow progress but progress nonetheless.
Sherry, it was so good to hear from you. Please, keep in touch.
If you are reading this -- take a minute to update the rest of us on what is new with you.
Enjoy these beautifu day. bj
Finally the snow has melted and we are starting to see some green leaves poking up out of the ground. Probably the one real sign of spring for us around here was that Mr. and Mrs. Duck returned this week for a short visit. One of the first things she did was to check out the area where the nest was last year. They are so beautiful and fun to watch; I hope they end up nesting with us again this year.
Mom had her follow up visit with Jim (her G.P.). He was quite pleased with her progress. He
has cut her water tablet in half. He also stressed that it is very important for her to use her cane as she expressed to him a feeling of unbalance when she walks. Nothing really new, her blood pressure is excellent and he seemed quite pleased with her progress.
She had a pretty busy week this week. Tuesday is the day we go to the grocery and run other errands. She is ususally out from about 10 a.m. to around 2 or 2:30. I think this tires her out quite a bit but she likes going out and choosing her own supplies. On Wednesday we went in to the doctor and stopped at the drug store. Mike, Rick and Debbie treated her to dinner out that night. On Thursday we had lunch with Chris and Teal and she seemed pretty pleased to be out and about. On Friday her cleaning ladies came over. This is usually a busy day for her and also a great opportunity to have someone different visiting.
I know Linda has been busy with her gardens, Andy is working hard on exams, Julie and Cory are busy preparing for moving day and the LaRoy's and Wiehoff's are juggling all their usual activities. Amy is having some work done around her house and busy preparing for Hannah's First Communion. Ken is making slow progress but progress nonetheless.
Sherry, it was so good to hear from you. Please, keep in touch.
If you are reading this -- take a minute to update the rest of us on what is new with you.
Enjoy these beautifu day. bj
Monday, March 1, 2010
Greetings from 3113 Edge Mar Dr
Hi All!
I think I have finally figured out how to post to the blog. Sounds like Bonnie has been keeping everyone up with Mom/Grandma. I just came from her house and she seems fine today even worked around the house a bit. When Mom works around the house it means she will be tired for the next few days. I try to go over at least once a day and check on her. Mom's basement recently started to leak with all the snow melt but hopefully it will stop again.
Julie and Cory close on their house in the morning. Julie has lists of things to do; or rather a "book" of things to do, according to Cory. I will start helping with the painting on Wednesday. I'll try to remember my camera to get some pictures posted.
Andy will start taking his exams sometime this month. I know he is looking forward to this portion of his studies to be over.
Glad the snow is starting to go away....everyone keep warm.
Debbie
I think I have finally figured out how to post to the blog. Sounds like Bonnie has been keeping everyone up with Mom/Grandma. I just came from her house and she seems fine today even worked around the house a bit. When Mom works around the house it means she will be tired for the next few days. I try to go over at least once a day and check on her. Mom's basement recently started to leak with all the snow melt but hopefully it will stop again.
Julie and Cory close on their house in the morning. Julie has lists of things to do; or rather a "book" of things to do, according to Cory. I will start helping with the painting on Wednesday. I'll try to remember my camera to get some pictures posted.
Andy will start taking his exams sometime this month. I know he is looking forward to this portion of his studies to be over.
Glad the snow is starting to go away....everyone keep warm.
Debbie
From Todd
Some spam has been coming through on the blog as comments. They pose no danger, and the IP address from the sender is being blocked, so they should stop.
Todd
Todd
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Happy March!
Hello Everyone! Things are great with me! I'm actually enjoying all these snow days...it's so nice to be called in the morning and told to go back to bed! Ha! I'll live in the moment and enjoy the free time when I can get it.
School is good. I'm really looking forward to our new school. I took a tour last week and it's really coming along...and So Big! We're hoping it will be ready in May for our Honor's Night but we'll see.
I'll be taking two classes this summer towards my Master's. Other than that, nothing else exciting is going on.
Ted...thanks for the math puzzle! It was an easy one but I just might use it in 2012 when Leap Year comes back around. The answer? If the year is divisible by 4, then it is a Leap Year. Let me know if there's a faster way!
And finally...Happy Birthday to Scott on Monday!
Hugs to All!
Sherri
School is good. I'm really looking forward to our new school. I took a tour last week and it's really coming along...and So Big! We're hoping it will be ready in May for our Honor's Night but we'll see.
I'll be taking two classes this summer towards my Master's. Other than that, nothing else exciting is going on.
Ted...thanks for the math puzzle! It was an easy one but I just might use it in 2012 when Leap Year comes back around. The answer? If the year is divisible by 4, then it is a Leap Year. Let me know if there's a faster way!
And finally...Happy Birthday to Scott on Monday!
Hugs to All!
Sherri
Saturday, February 27, 2010
I am not sure if anyone is reading this or not....but I will keep posting news about mom as I get it. As a result of her previous symptoms, she had a echo-cardiogram run a week ago. Ted talked with Jim this week and he felt that everything was normal for a 93 year old person. There is a little 'mild' valve leakage but he felt it was nothing to be concerned with. He said he would like to send the results on to mom's cardiologist and have him take a look at them. On Thursday of this week, we went in to see a cardiologist. He agreed with Jim and said that mom is doing great for her age. No problems. He conferred that her water retention was very mild and she appears to be responding to the water pill. He checked her and said that her ankles and legs were not swollen at the time we were in there.
She asked him why her legs are so shaky and why she has no ambition....his response was the same as Jim's....you are 93 years old.
She is also having trouble with her vision, but that is a result of the macular degeneration. I think she is coping pretty well with all of these things, but I think when she sits and dwells on them it gets her down a little.
She also had a visit with her gyenecologist. She has been wearing a 'pessory' for years to help with dropped bladder and whatever else drops at her age. She has to have it removed and cleaned about every three months. The doctor found a small irritation behind it and decided to leave the pessory out for a while to give the irritation time to clear up. Hopefully she won't have any trouble while this device is out. It can be such a nuisance.
That is about all for now. Can't wait for spring around here. So much to look forward to.....
sun.....warmth.....sun.....blue sky.....did I say sun?
Julie and Corey are getting ready to work on their new house. How exciting! Perhaps we can post some pictures soon.
When you get time, let us know what is going on with each of you.....and if you get a minute,
give mom a call or drop her a line.
bj
She asked him why her legs are so shaky and why she has no ambition....his response was the same as Jim's....you are 93 years old.
She is also having trouble with her vision, but that is a result of the macular degeneration. I think she is coping pretty well with all of these things, but I think when she sits and dwells on them it gets her down a little.
She also had a visit with her gyenecologist. She has been wearing a 'pessory' for years to help with dropped bladder and whatever else drops at her age. She has to have it removed and cleaned about every three months. The doctor found a small irritation behind it and decided to leave the pessory out for a while to give the irritation time to clear up. Hopefully she won't have any trouble while this device is out. It can be such a nuisance.
That is about all for now. Can't wait for spring around here. So much to look forward to.....
sun.....warmth.....sun.....blue sky.....did I say sun?
Julie and Corey are getting ready to work on their new house. How exciting! Perhaps we can post some pictures soon.
When you get time, let us know what is going on with each of you.....and if you get a minute,
give mom a call or drop her a line.
bj
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Mom's follow up.....and...Snow
Hi, Everybody,
I took mom back to Dr. Schneider today for her follow up check up.
This morning, she said that her left arm started hurting her last evening and it was quite sore. Amy has been a great 'on-call' nurse for mom but because of the symptoms that she has been experiencing, we decided to take her back in for her follow up visit rather than wait till later in the week. Dr. Schneider (Jim) was pleased with her progress. She had lost 4# since last week's visit, her 'shortness of breathe' had improved and the vein in her neck no longer appeared distended. He did not know what was causing the pain in her arm, but felt certain after a thorough examination that it was not heart related. He sent us to have her blood work and x-rays redone so that he could compare them with the ones we had done last week. He also ordered an echo-cardiogram which we will have done tomorrow.
Overall I would say that she is feeling better than last week, and I think the medication he has her on will help to keep her from retaining fluids.
I think all of this has made her a little tired, but other than that I think she is doing quite well.
I will use this blog to keep you posted on her -(among other things). Checkback often to keep up with her progress.
The snow is beautiful. Yesterday I felt like I was stuck inside a snow globe and someone was shaking it constantly. Hope you all are able to enjoy it, though. We have been enjoying watching the neighborhood kids sled ride and snow board in the back yard. Kim and Amy and the kids were over one day last week, and we really enjoyed watching all of them! They have had a perfect year for it. Some of the kids built a snow ramp yesterday (probably from watching too much olympics) , but can't seem to get it all perfected yet. I heard tonight on the news that we will perhaps have more on Sunday......ssshhhh! don't tell Kim.
We talked briefly with Todd this afternoon. I hope he will be able to post some pictures of what it looks like in Washington. He said he had a 15 foot pyramid in his side yard. It is where the city has 'dumped' a lot of the snow that they have scrapped from his street. All is well with him and Ken is continuing to slowly improve. That is of course always good to hear.
Linda, I was not able to find a picture of the bird you were talking about. We have a plethera of starlings or grackles or whatever you call them. They are driving us nuts!!
I have had a yellow bellied sap sucker who has been visiting regularly. He/she is not particularly beautiful, but I just love to say....."yellow bellied sap sucker". Try it....it's fun!
Larry, I am still looking forward to something from you and Trenda. I know your hours are crazy right now, but perhaps soon.......
That's it for now. Stay warm and be careful when you venture out in the snow. bj
I took mom back to Dr. Schneider today for her follow up check up.
This morning, she said that her left arm started hurting her last evening and it was quite sore. Amy has been a great 'on-call' nurse for mom but because of the symptoms that she has been experiencing, we decided to take her back in for her follow up visit rather than wait till later in the week. Dr. Schneider (Jim) was pleased with her progress. She had lost 4# since last week's visit, her 'shortness of breathe' had improved and the vein in her neck no longer appeared distended. He did not know what was causing the pain in her arm, but felt certain after a thorough examination that it was not heart related. He sent us to have her blood work and x-rays redone so that he could compare them with the ones we had done last week. He also ordered an echo-cardiogram which we will have done tomorrow.
Overall I would say that she is feeling better than last week, and I think the medication he has her on will help to keep her from retaining fluids.
I think all of this has made her a little tired, but other than that I think she is doing quite well.
I will use this blog to keep you posted on her -(among other things). Checkback often to keep up with her progress.
The snow is beautiful. Yesterday I felt like I was stuck inside a snow globe and someone was shaking it constantly. Hope you all are able to enjoy it, though. We have been enjoying watching the neighborhood kids sled ride and snow board in the back yard. Kim and Amy and the kids were over one day last week, and we really enjoyed watching all of them! They have had a perfect year for it. Some of the kids built a snow ramp yesterday (probably from watching too much olympics) , but can't seem to get it all perfected yet. I heard tonight on the news that we will perhaps have more on Sunday......ssshhhh! don't tell Kim.
We talked briefly with Todd this afternoon. I hope he will be able to post some pictures of what it looks like in Washington. He said he had a 15 foot pyramid in his side yard. It is where the city has 'dumped' a lot of the snow that they have scrapped from his street. All is well with him and Ken is continuing to slowly improve. That is of course always good to hear.
Linda, I was not able to find a picture of the bird you were talking about. We have a plethera of starlings or grackles or whatever you call them. They are driving us nuts!!
I have had a yellow bellied sap sucker who has been visiting regularly. He/she is not particularly beautiful, but I just love to say....."yellow bellied sap sucker". Try it....it's fun!
Larry, I am still looking forward to something from you and Trenda. I know your hours are crazy right now, but perhaps soon.......
That's it for now. Stay warm and be careful when you venture out in the snow. bj
Monday, February 15, 2010
Snow.....Snow....Snow.....Everywhere
Let it snow........let it snow......let it snow???????
Who said that???????
Well, here we are again. The third major snow storm in 10 days.....and Todd has had more than we have...I thought everyone might enjoy these pictures.
You can view an enlargement of these by clicking on the photo. More.....
I think we may have found the cause of all this.......it may be the new deck furniture we bought...see below with the snow covered screens........
We hope everyone can enjoy the moment......and that this may be the last snow this year. Enjoy and be careful
Friday, February 12, 2010
Good Morning Everyone!!
Hope this finds you all well and happy on this beautiful Friday. I thought I'd let all of you that feed the birds to be on the watch for a Yellow-Rumped Warbler. We have one that showed up on Wednesday and has stayed here all day every day since. He is eating just on the suet feeder, and seems a little shy, so the other birds keep him on the move quite a bit. He's very pretty and I got a good picture to show you all when we next get together. Look in your bird books to see a picture of him. Mine is a young one, but can see the yellow spot on his head starting to develope. I also had a Rufous-sided Towhee eating right on my feeder. He's very pretty also, and the first time he has gotten on the feeder. Usually eat on the ground. We had a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker on our pear tree. He came for a couple days, but has not returned. Also got a picture of him. You can see all the holes he drills around the tree. I've also had a Cooper's Hawk that flew down and killed a female Cardinal right in front of me. I wish they would stay in the woods where I don't have to see this. Scared the warjeebies outta me!!
Well, that's about all for the wild life around here. Haven't seen any deer or turkey this year at all. Do miss watching the deer. Watch for the different birds you may get at your feeders. I get so excited and spend a lot of time with camera in hand trying to get a picture of them all. Such fun and a real good excuse for not getting anything done!!
Take care and let me know if you spot anything in your yard that is "new" to your neighborhood.
Love, Linda
Hope this finds you all well and happy on this beautiful Friday. I thought I'd let all of you that feed the birds to be on the watch for a Yellow-Rumped Warbler. We have one that showed up on Wednesday and has stayed here all day every day since. He is eating just on the suet feeder, and seems a little shy, so the other birds keep him on the move quite a bit. He's very pretty and I got a good picture to show you all when we next get together. Look in your bird books to see a picture of him. Mine is a young one, but can see the yellow spot on his head starting to develope. I also had a Rufous-sided Towhee eating right on my feeder. He's very pretty also, and the first time he has gotten on the feeder. Usually eat on the ground. We had a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker on our pear tree. He came for a couple days, but has not returned. Also got a picture of him. You can see all the holes he drills around the tree. I've also had a Cooper's Hawk that flew down and killed a female Cardinal right in front of me. I wish they would stay in the woods where I don't have to see this. Scared the warjeebies outta me!!
Well, that's about all for the wild life around here. Haven't seen any deer or turkey this year at all. Do miss watching the deer. Watch for the different birds you may get at your feeders. I get so excited and spend a lot of time with camera in hand trying to get a picture of them all. Such fun and a real good excuse for not getting anything done!!
Take care and let me know if you spot anything in your yard that is "new" to your neighborhood.
Love, Linda
Thursday, February 11, 2010
First Attempt
Hi everyone!!
This is my first attempt on the family blog, so I am going to keep it short. Just wanted to know a couple of things.
1. The messages from you all comes to my regular e-mail at ltdue@insightbb.com, and when I signed up from the invitation, it required me to have a google e-mail address, which I already have. Which account do I use to post blogs?
2. How do I post pictures?
3. Let me know if you all got this.
Love,
Larry and Trenda
This is my first attempt on the family blog, so I am going to keep it short. Just wanted to know a couple of things.
1. The messages from you all comes to my regular e-mail at ltdue@insightbb.com, and when I signed up from the invitation, it required me to have a google e-mail address, which I already have. Which account do I use to post blogs?
2. How do I post pictures?
3. Let me know if you all got this.
Love,
Larry and Trenda
Monday, February 1, 2010
I will be trying Linda's recipe for pork tenderloin this week. It sounds really good. Linda has also inspired me to dig out my cross stitch and work on an old project. I forgot how much I enjoyed it.
I just finished a book that I really enjoyed, so I thought I'd pass it on. The name of it is
"The Help". It is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960's. It is about the relationship between 'southern ladies' and their black housekeepers/nannies. It is really good. Try it. Now I need another good one....any suggestions from anyone?
The sunshine over the past few days has given me new energy to face some of the many
jobs and chores around here. Can't wait for spring. Kim was walking in her yard a little today and discovered that her crocus are starting to poke through the ground. Won't be much longer now; although we are probably due for another snow fall or two.
I talked with Gail Mark this week. She is very excited to have a family reunion.
I guess we are the only family she has outside of her kids and grandkids.
She would like to have all of us over to Susan's house sometime in late April or May.
Susan lives in Mason, Ohio which is up beyond TriCounty Mall.
I offered that perhaps they could all come to Mom's birthday as I was pretty sure that we would all be together then and we could have a nice visit here on this side of the river.
She will be in touch to make further plans. I'll keep you all posted.
I just finished a book that I really enjoyed, so I thought I'd pass it on. The name of it is
"The Help". It is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960's. It is about the relationship between 'southern ladies' and their black housekeepers/nannies. It is really good. Try it. Now I need another good one....any suggestions from anyone?
The sunshine over the past few days has given me new energy to face some of the many
jobs and chores around here. Can't wait for spring. Kim was walking in her yard a little today and discovered that her crocus are starting to poke through the ground. Won't be much longer now; although we are probably due for another snow fall or two.
I talked with Gail Mark this week. She is very excited to have a family reunion.
I guess we are the only family she has outside of her kids and grandkids.
She would like to have all of us over to Susan's house sometime in late April or May.
Susan lives in Mason, Ohio which is up beyond TriCounty Mall.
I offered that perhaps they could all come to Mom's birthday as I was pretty sure that we would all be together then and we could have a nice visit here on this side of the river.
She will be in touch to make further plans. I'll keep you all posted.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Hi Everyone,
Two post in the same month. Oh My!!
Lee and I had this for dinner last night and it is good, so thought I'd pass it along.
Here goes
Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloins
1 lemon, zest grated
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons....we used 4)
Good olive oil
2 Tbls. minced garlic (6 cloves....we used 1 whole head)
1-1/2 Tbls. minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 Tbls. chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teas. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
3 pork tenderloins about 1 pound each
We used a boneless pork loin roast and cut to size what we thought we needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 teas. salt in a sturdy 1 gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. (DUH!!) Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but perferably overnight. (We did 6 hours.)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously wth salt and pepper. (Now here comes the part I hate!) Heat 3 Tbls. olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides until golden brown and you have grease splatter all over your kitchen!! Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the pork for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part. Transfer the pork to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it's just fine she says) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect on the platter.
Ours was not too pink, but I do question if this is right or not..guess I'm just funny about pint pork!!
This is Ina Garten's recipe, so I guess she knows what she's talking about cause it was really yummy.
Serves 6 people unless one of them is Lee and then you better get what you can cause he just keeps eating and eating!!
Let me know if you try it and how you like it.
Enjoy!!
Love, Linda
Two post in the same month. Oh My!!
Lee and I had this for dinner last night and it is good, so thought I'd pass it along.
Here goes
Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloins
1 lemon, zest grated
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons....we used 4)
Good olive oil
2 Tbls. minced garlic (6 cloves....we used 1 whole head)
1-1/2 Tbls. minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 Tbls. chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teas. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
3 pork tenderloins about 1 pound each
We used a boneless pork loin roast and cut to size what we thought we needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 teas. salt in a sturdy 1 gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. (DUH!!) Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but perferably overnight. (We did 6 hours.)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously wth salt and pepper. (Now here comes the part I hate!) Heat 3 Tbls. olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides until golden brown and you have grease splatter all over your kitchen!! Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the pork for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part. Transfer the pork to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it's just fine she says) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect on the platter.
Ours was not too pink, but I do question if this is right or not..guess I'm just funny about pint pork!!
This is Ina Garten's recipe, so I guess she knows what she's talking about cause it was really yummy.
Serves 6 people unless one of them is Lee and then you better get what you can cause he just keeps eating and eating!!
Let me know if you try it and how you like it.
Enjoy!!
Love, Linda
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Hi All,
Thought I'd take a few minutes and bring everyone up to speed.
The new year got off to a real bad start. Stacey's baby had a tough time of it for awhile and Lee and I were busy trying to help out while they ran to the hospital. Little guy is stable for now, but will continue to stay in the hospital for some time. The other two are doing great, and are just rotten.
When we had that real cold snap, our water froze up. Lee had to get under the house to fix that problem so the pipes wouldn't burst. That lasted a couple day, and was a real blast!!
And now, we both are trying to get rid of some kind of bug. Lee is feeling lots better, but I still don't feel real hot. Been going on for two weeks now, so I'm really fed up with it. Amy has it also, and I think we got it from Miss Charlotte. She can stay home next time!I have started Weight Watchers and have been on it for about three weeks. I don't have a scale, so I don't know if I've lost anything or not, but hope so.I want to get rid of about 40 pounds, so I'm really sticking to it. It's not hard and I'm doing real well. Wish me luck. Would like to drop 20 pounds by this spring.
Haven't talked with anyone, so I'm hoping everyone is well and doin great. Guess you're all looking forward to nicer weather like we are. Ready to get out in the yard and burn some fat!!
Well, I guess that's it for now. Take care and let's hear from all of you.
Love Linda
Thought I'd take a few minutes and bring everyone up to speed.
The new year got off to a real bad start. Stacey's baby had a tough time of it for awhile and Lee and I were busy trying to help out while they ran to the hospital. Little guy is stable for now, but will continue to stay in the hospital for some time. The other two are doing great, and are just rotten.
When we had that real cold snap, our water froze up. Lee had to get under the house to fix that problem so the pipes wouldn't burst. That lasted a couple day, and was a real blast!!
And now, we both are trying to get rid of some kind of bug. Lee is feeling lots better, but I still don't feel real hot. Been going on for two weeks now, so I'm really fed up with it. Amy has it also, and I think we got it from Miss Charlotte. She can stay home next time!I have started Weight Watchers and have been on it for about three weeks. I don't have a scale, so I don't know if I've lost anything or not, but hope so.I want to get rid of about 40 pounds, so I'm really sticking to it. It's not hard and I'm doing real well. Wish me luck. Would like to drop 20 pounds by this spring.
Haven't talked with anyone, so I'm hoping everyone is well and doin great. Guess you're all looking forward to nicer weather like we are. Ready to get out in the yard and burn some fat!!
Well, I guess that's it for now. Take care and let's hear from all of you.
Love Linda
Friday, January 15, 2010
Nick Wiehoff--2nd. Place in Mann School Spelling Bee
We are very proud to announce that Nicholas Wiehoff finished in Second Place in the entire Mann School spelling contest.....See school notice below and Photo of Nick and his trophy.....Congratulations Nick
Mann Elementary School Website—Jan, 13, 2010
School Spelling Bee WinnersCongratulations to Will Foster, our school spelling bee winner and Nick Wiehoff, our runner up! Will will now take an entrance exam to attempt to qualify for the Cincinnati area Scripps Spelling Bee next month!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
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Monday, January 11, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Snow is on the Way
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....Winter is here, so bundle up, light a fire, and make the Hot Choculate...
Monday, January 4, 2010
Happy New Year to all!
Here we go again. My new year's resolution is to once again try to keep in touch with everyone through this blog. If you cannot enter a post, let me know through my e-mail and I will try to help you out. Todd is the mastermind behind this blog, I know he can get us all up and running.
Through the holidays it is always so good to be together and hear from one another. It is my wish that we can keep that going throughout the entire year.
Danny and Becky, we so enjoyed the picture of Tommy and Maria and shared it with everyone through the Christmas holiday.
Mike celebrated Christmas Mass on Christmas Eve at the convent and we were all invited to attend. That was really a special event for us all.
New Year's Day brought us all together with Fr. Mike and Fr. Rick. There was once again so much good food, games, and just enjoying one another's company. Mike prepared a huge pot of 'soup' for our dinner. Everyone wanted the recipe, so I have included it below. (Yes, it does say 88 ounces of broth! That is not a typo)
Just an update to get things going.
Things in Florence are winding down now that the holiday season is just about finished. It has been terribly cold here but no snow yet.
Grandma is doing quite well. She is like the energizer bunny. Nothing stops her. I think she has some plans for doing some special sewing projects during the winter months.
Andy was in for Christmas. It is always so good to be with him and experience his unique sense of humor. As always, those visits are too short and we don't really get to visit as much as we would like. Perhaps we need to go to Boston!
Todd and Ken did not make it in for Christmas this year due to Ken's health situation. His headaches were quite severe and on Christmas day needed to go to the hospital again. He was in ICU for a little over a week. They are now
managing his medications and he will hopefully be returning home tomorrow.
For those who do not know, Ken has been diagnosed with a disorder which affects the vascular area of the brain. He required brain surgery and experienced 4 strokes over the past 2 months. He is improving but still has some hurdles to overcome. Please keep them both in your thoughts and prayers.
Kim and Amy are as busy as every with all the usual juggling that mothers today are required to do. Kim, Brian, Amy and Dave have recently started a exercise program that involves 'running'. For the life if me, I cannot imagine why. But they all seem to be enjoying it and sharing their experiences with one another.
Amy has entered a mini-marathon for next October in Disney World. Kim and Brian are working on putting together a trip to LasVegas sometime this winter.
That will be a lot of fun.
All 'the kids' are doing well and staying very involved in so many activities - soccer, indoor soccer, volleyball, basketball, academic team, scouts. The list goes on and on. But they are all thriving and doing well. This year will see Michael turn 16 and learn to drive and Emily will be leaving middle school to be a Freshman in High School in the fall. Allison and Nick will be moving on to Middle school. Sean will start Kindergarten! Where does the time go?
For now enjoy the winter months, and if you get a chance stop by and give us an update on what is going on with you.
Hope to hear from you soon. bj
Father Mike's Pasta Fagioli
3 tsp Oil
2 lbs. Italian Sausage
1 large Onion
4 cloves garlic crushed
14 oz. Carrots, slivered (you can buy match stick carrots at grocery)
14 oz. Celery, diced
48 oz. Tomatoes, diced canned
2 Cups of Red Kidney Beans (canned)
2 Cups of White Kidney Beans (canned)
88 oz Beef Stock
3 tsp. Oregano
2 1/2 tsp. pepper, coarsely ground
5 tsp parsley
1 ½ tsp Tabasco Sauce
48 oz Spaghetti Sauce
8oz. Ditalini (small tube pasta)
Preparation:
Brown sausage in oil (drain if necessary), add garlic, onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes; simmer for about 10 minutes. Add drained and rinsed beans and beef stock, oregano, pepper, parsley, tabasco sauce and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for about 45 minutes until carrots and celery are tender. Add pasta and cook prior to serving.
Here we go again. My new year's resolution is to once again try to keep in touch with everyone through this blog. If you cannot enter a post, let me know through my e-mail and I will try to help you out. Todd is the mastermind behind this blog, I know he can get us all up and running.
Through the holidays it is always so good to be together and hear from one another. It is my wish that we can keep that going throughout the entire year.
Danny and Becky, we so enjoyed the picture of Tommy and Maria and shared it with everyone through the Christmas holiday.
Mike celebrated Christmas Mass on Christmas Eve at the convent and we were all invited to attend. That was really a special event for us all.
New Year's Day brought us all together with Fr. Mike and Fr. Rick. There was once again so much good food, games, and just enjoying one another's company. Mike prepared a huge pot of 'soup' for our dinner. Everyone wanted the recipe, so I have included it below. (Yes, it does say 88 ounces of broth! That is not a typo)
Just an update to get things going.
Things in Florence are winding down now that the holiday season is just about finished. It has been terribly cold here but no snow yet.
Grandma is doing quite well. She is like the energizer bunny. Nothing stops her. I think she has some plans for doing some special sewing projects during the winter months.
Andy was in for Christmas. It is always so good to be with him and experience his unique sense of humor. As always, those visits are too short and we don't really get to visit as much as we would like. Perhaps we need to go to Boston!
Todd and Ken did not make it in for Christmas this year due to Ken's health situation. His headaches were quite severe and on Christmas day needed to go to the hospital again. He was in ICU for a little over a week. They are now
managing his medications and he will hopefully be returning home tomorrow.
For those who do not know, Ken has been diagnosed with a disorder which affects the vascular area of the brain. He required brain surgery and experienced 4 strokes over the past 2 months. He is improving but still has some hurdles to overcome. Please keep them both in your thoughts and prayers.
Kim and Amy are as busy as every with all the usual juggling that mothers today are required to do. Kim, Brian, Amy and Dave have recently started a exercise program that involves 'running'. For the life if me, I cannot imagine why. But they all seem to be enjoying it and sharing their experiences with one another.
Amy has entered a mini-marathon for next October in Disney World. Kim and Brian are working on putting together a trip to LasVegas sometime this winter.
That will be a lot of fun.
All 'the kids' are doing well and staying very involved in so many activities - soccer, indoor soccer, volleyball, basketball, academic team, scouts. The list goes on and on. But they are all thriving and doing well. This year will see Michael turn 16 and learn to drive and Emily will be leaving middle school to be a Freshman in High School in the fall. Allison and Nick will be moving on to Middle school. Sean will start Kindergarten! Where does the time go?
For now enjoy the winter months, and if you get a chance stop by and give us an update on what is going on with you.
Hope to hear from you soon. bj
Father Mike's Pasta Fagioli
3 tsp Oil
2 lbs. Italian Sausage
1 large Onion
4 cloves garlic crushed
14 oz. Carrots, slivered (you can buy match stick carrots at grocery)
14 oz. Celery, diced
48 oz. Tomatoes, diced canned
2 Cups of Red Kidney Beans (canned)
2 Cups of White Kidney Beans (canned)
88 oz Beef Stock
3 tsp. Oregano
2 1/2 tsp. pepper, coarsely ground
5 tsp parsley
1 ½ tsp Tabasco Sauce
48 oz Spaghetti Sauce
8oz. Ditalini (small tube pasta)
Preparation:
Brown sausage in oil (drain if necessary), add garlic, onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes; simmer for about 10 minutes. Add drained and rinsed beans and beef stock, oregano, pepper, parsley, tabasco sauce and spaghetti sauce. Simmer for about 45 minutes until carrots and celery are tender. Add pasta and cook prior to serving.
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