Country Crafts Christmas Party

Our group is small now for Country Crafts, just Judy Marcus, Jason and Amy but, we had a fun evening by having our Christmas Party at Horses of Hope near Baxter Springs, Kansas. We reserved a table and had lots of fun being entertained by the Duling Family before the meal. They always have a silent auction and a country store with Horses of Hope items. All proceeds go to a very good cause helping many with disabilities to be able to ride for therapy. It is always a fun evening!! After the meal a group of young people perform a play sharing the true reason for the season. I won a snowman in the silent auction but, Lora won a beautiful painting and some pottery mugs. She has bought some of the pottery every year!! Amy was going for a beautiful Santa tree topper but, she and Jake had to leave right after the meal and although we bid a dozen times for her, we didn't win. We had a fun evening!!

We saw our sweet friends, Art and Pam Brown and their daughter Abi there.

Hillsboro 2008

We survived another Hillsboro! I had taken a really nasty cold a couple of days before we went and on set up and travel day I was so tired. Amy went with us and was awesome help as usual. We left around 8:30 ate in El Dorado and got to Hillsboro around 1:30. It was so quiet, nothing like the olden days when things were so busy. We got a good parking place in front of the Ford Dealer and he came out and told us there was a fund raiser for someone who had health problems and we could park in his parking lot (great location!!) for a $25.00 donation. Chuck would have probably donated the money any way but we had a great place to park.



I should go back a moment....we had reservations at the Hilltop Motel in Hillsboro, we had only stayed there once before and were debating on whether to sleep in the van or stay in the motel. It was the most horrible place we had ever stayed but, it was close....Amy has lived a more sheltered life and was unsure if she wanted to stay there but, came very prepared, a chair to sleep in her own pillow and blanket. She couldn't go the beds being on cinder blocks and a number of other things. We finally decided to stay there anyway because I felt so bad and really needed a morning shower. We drove up and Chuck went in to get a room....instead of the Iraqi man there was a little couple, she didn't have many teeth and he looked pretty worn down but, they were so proud, they had bought the motel 3 weeks ago and even planned to replace all of the beds. Only one problem, when they bought the motel, they didn't get our reservation. Amy was ready to shout for joy, they had no vacancies!!!! Below is a picture of Chuck going in the office and the little lean to area off to the side, maybe it will give you an idea of what it was like.

We ended up calling Florence, Kansas, 20 miles away and stayed where we use to stay. We were all happy and the drive wasn't that bad!!

The show was really good, no economy problems in Central Kansas. We had 6 hours of being really busy! The weather was gorgeous, no wind, no rain, God truly blessed our weekend.

As I remember back on past Hillsboro stories, one of my favorite is about dad!! Back a few years ago you had to get in line to get your packet early and that he did, about 6:30 the night before. He wanted to be first in line, I can't imagine!!!! He would take a cot and overalls or something warm on the cold nights and he was set for the night. One time the lady next to him ask for his name because she didn't want to spend the night with someone she didn't know!! Some sweet friends of ours, Becky and Bubba did a video of the Hillsboro craziness when the packets were handed out. I still love to watch it!!!

Another time dad was sleeping in his van in the drivers seat. The police came up and woke him up and told him he might want to take his foot off of the brake, because he might run his battery down!!

Hillsboro is a killer show because set up and tear down all happen within a 24 hour period but, oh the memories it does make!!

Meet Edwina!

I'm not very good at keeping caught up on this but, this is candy cane season!!!

We had a fun day of camper shopping. It was fun but, we still can't decide. Seems we have a problem with spending money.

Janice's New House

Her dining room and living room!!

Her back yard!

We finished at about 4:00 and went to Janice Mertz's new house and had a fun supper at Del Rio with her and Ed. Janice bought her house about 3 months ago and has just the cutest place in the world. Janice you did good!!! She lives just 3 or 4 blocks from Amy.

Ed and Chuck!!

She has a cute new 12 week old dachshund whom she named after Ed!!! Meet Edwina!

Meet Edwina!!

It's raining and raining now. Hurricane Ike must be getting here. We talked to Chip and Tholocco who live between Houston and Galveston last night. They are at their daughter Shilo's in Ft. Worth. We just pray their house will be okay. It is 19 foot 6 inches above sea level.

Have a great weekend!!

Amy's Surprise 30th Birthday Party

Through much hard work on Lora's part, we pulled off a surprise 30th birthday party for Amy. Thanks to all who came and kept the secret!! Carol and Perry, Tara, Jerime and Ellie, Sheryl and Duane, Brenda and Katie, Barry, Lori, Whitney and Erica, Bobby, and of course Chuck and Jake! Dad had a shot in his eye on the afternoon of the party so, they couldn't be with us which was the only bad part. We are planning cake and ice cream at their house on Sunday afternoon, after all, she only turns 30 one time.

Lora, Chuck and I arrived at Josie's in Scammon, Kansas, at about 6:00. Lora had bought party hats, noise makers, fun straws and all the confetti and tablecloths. We hurriedly got things ready and with a secret phone call from Tara, we knew when the birthday girl would arrive!

She really didn't know anything about it. It was fun to surprise her. The food was wonderful as usual. I divided my leftovers for 2 more meals!! Yum yum!! Chuck's mom use to love Josie's so, I say she was smiling down.

Lora, Amy and Tara

Ellie and Gus

30 Years ago Chuck was working for Gulf Chemical, a great job, and I was working for the Kansas Veterans' Commission. Amy was due on August 17 but, about that time we set up a dark room in our bathroom to develop black and white pictures ourselves. I would sit 9 months pregnant cramped in the little bathroom in what became Aunt Carrie's house and is now one of our rentals, watching Chuck develop the greatest black and white pictures. We bought all of our supplies at Wingo's Camera in Joplin and at that time was one of my favorite places to go. When the 17th of August came and went we were still busy developing pictures. We were anxious for little J. R. (Jeffrey Ryan) to get here, we had no idea in that day whether it was a boy or a girl. We were so young and life was so fun!

We had decorated the baby's room in Sesame Street, and Big Bird and Cookie Monster were anxiously awaiting the new arrival. Mom embroidered the neatest Sesame Street Picture for the room and it was perfect in our eyes. Mom also crocheted baby afghans for the new baby, along with Madeline Hamacher, Cheryl Haynes, Mrs. Cowan Polly's Grandma, Grandma Seal, Polly and some others I can't remember. The baby was going to be well taken care of, hopefully not spoiled!!

On August 29 we went to bed as usual and the contractions started, I would hit Chuck and tell him to time them, by the time the next one would start he would be sound asleep, they were quite aways apart so I guess it didn't matter. We got up in the morning and things were still far apart. As the day went we were sure it would be that day. In the afternoon we called my Dr., Dr. Mary Shanahan, only to find that she was not in the office and we would have to call Dr. Bopp's office, as he was on call for her. We called and they said to come to his office and they would check me and see if it was the real thing. Well, I was dilated to 5, so it was the real thing! They sent us on over to Freeman Hospital and we got there around 5:30 p.m.

As I was growing up, dad always said when you get married you are on your own. He didn't mean it in a bad way at all, he wanted us to be dependent on ourselves not on them, not that they wouldn't have been there in an instant. He had seen so many other kids of our generation not step up to the plate and be responsible. Anyway, Chuck and I called no one else, we just went on to the hospital. Looking back now and seeing how everyone does it now, it would have been so much fun to have had everyone there.

We got to the hospital and things were really progressing, I would look at the clock, thinking it would be 10 or 12 hours and not knowing if I would make it or not. Well, at 8:12 p.m., on 8-30, little Amy Susanne was born weighing 8 lbs 14 oz. and according to our phone bill, at 8:28, as I was being wheeled to recovery I called my mama and told her It's a Girl!! We were all so surprised but, I was so very happy!! I never ever wanted a boy again. I had my precious not really so little baby girl, who appeared to be all cheeks and chin! Chuck remininces about Dr. Bopp and how drunk he was as he delivered her, something daddy wasn't to thrilled about!! But, he didn't drop her!!

And so now, 30 years later, it seems so appropriate that Amy is studying photography and loves to take pictures, it was meant to be. We are so proud of how beautiful she is, inside and out.

So, Lora, thank you for all the hard work you did on the party, you are both such a blessing.