First day of a new school year

We made it through day one of school. Yeah! How many more to go? Everyone seems to like their teachers. Brittany made a few new friends since many new people always move in right before the new year. Brittany was lucky and only had a half day, only having to register for classes and things. The other 3 had a full day, but didn't seem to mind. They will probably drop in bed tonight since the night before the first day always seems to be hard to get to sleep. Jessica had her first homework assignment: an interview with parents as to how she was named. Zachary had to memorize his class pledge they will recite every morning, and Andrea and Brittany got lucky and didn't have anything. Return for the continuing saga about the school year as we progress.





Jessica, Zach & Andrea before school



Brittany before leaving for school



Meagan was more than happy to tell everyone goodbye. She shut them out the door



Brittany & a new friend Whitney



The whole gang together, Katelyn, Brittany , A new friend Sara, Kristin and Ashley



Good friends reunited and acting crazy, Katelyn, Kristin & Brittany



Good friends Katelyn & Brittany

School time again...

Well the haircuts are done and the school supplies are bought. We have met the teachers for the year and bought new uniforms. The kids are anxiously (well maybe not so anxious) awaiting Monday morning. We are all dreading the early morning madhouse rush of getting dressed, fighting over the bathroom and just waking up period. The part I dread the most I think is packing lunches everyday. I do okay the first month or so, then it gets monotonous. Anyone have any new lunch ideas?

office update

Progress is being made at our new office. The drywall has been hung, finished and painted. The A/C ductwork is in place, just needs to be finished as far as installing the vents in the ceiling. And the drop ceiling framework is ready for the ceiling tiles to be put in place after a few minor details are finished up. Rod is at the office now running phone lines for the different offices and computer system. The doors are being installed today also, and soon the flooring will be in. It's starting to take shape! We are in search of decorating items and office furniture. We are still hoping for a move in date of Sept. 1st. Below are a few pictures of the progress.

Looking back towards the separate offices ,kitchen area and training room



Front desk area and conference room

random pictures from vacation...

My dad took us out to eat after getting family pictures taken.


This is the only brick street in town. Rod & I bought our first house on this street. It was an older home built in the late 1800's. Most of these homes were owned by doctors when they were first built. It was huge, 3 stories tall and over 6,400 sq. ft. We lost it to a fire while redoing it in 1994.



This is where I grew up



We tore down an old fence and put up a new one at my parents.



We actually caught Brittany in the act of working



Even after all the work and busy times of visiting friends and family, a few of us did manage to relax a little bit.



This is our favorite little ice cream stand in our hometown. They have good food and good ice cream. The best part is , they are cheap. We managed to visit it at least 3 times. Not good for the diet, but hey we were on vacation.



This was the kids ice cream cups they got. They decorate them up cute. The kids really love it!


We went to a small version of a chuckee cheese. This place is called The Squirty Worm. There pizza is much better and it's small so you can see what each child is doing at all times. The kids love this place of course.



Andrea & Meagan enjoying a little ride



Meagan was playing the game where you stomp on the things that light up



Britt is trying out one of those skateboarding games. Good thing it wasn't real or we would probably be visiting the hospital

Friends and Family

On one Sunday while in Ohio we went to our other local Pilgrim Holiness Church pastored by Don Nichols. We have lots of friends there so it makes it nice to see everyone at one time. Below are a few snapshots of some of the friends we saw.
Also that afternoon we had a family cookout at Rod's parents house. Some of those pictures are included also.







Rod, Greg Burley and Zach. We had to get a picture of these guys together because Rod is short, but Greg makes him look really short



We got to see Joyce Barnt.The kids just love her and Merlin too. Joyce used to babysit Brittany & Jessica when we lived up North. She was a fun babysitter!!



Rod with Merlin Barnt, Al Motter and of course Zach had to pop in the picture



Meagan found the water fountaine at church.



From Left Jason, Jerod, Emily And Janiece (these are Janiece's two boys and Emily is her oldest son Justin's wife)



Rod talking to his brother-in-law Dan and his oldest son Justin



Rod's parents with all 12 grandkids. Sad part is 6 of those are ours



Back row Left to Right Janiece (oldest)Rod & Renay (youngest)Front row Rod's dad Bob and mom Kathy



This is Rod's baby sister Renay, husband Doug , and daughter Cassidy

friends and fun

When we go to Ohio we always have to stop in and see good friends. The Leppla's are always ready for a good fight. The kids all love to go there because they have fun toys and it's all out war when the toys get brought out. Their poor house is never the same once the Brown clan has been there. We always have good fun and good conversation while we are there. Thanks guys for putting up with us a few hours.




Zach and everyone else fights over this dart gun.



Laura Leppla is helping Andrea fight with a thing that shoots balls



Lex is shooting the air poofer (bazooka)



Ben Leppla with andrea, Zach and Jess enjoying a popsicle



Linda Leppla



Martin Leppla and Andrea

John Deere country

If you look at the pictures below you will see that my dad loves John Deere tractors. Although my parents live in town they own property in the country and my dad has a large barn and a small shed type building on it. My dad buys and fixes up old tractors, Mainly John Deere and takes them to tractor shows . He lined up some lawn tractors and some old tractors he's fixed up and wanted pictures of the grandkids on them. Maybe some day we'll have to have a race and see which tractor will go faster.




All the grandkids on John Deere riding lawn tractors



All the grandkids by an old tractor



Goodbye city life, Green Acres here I come



Rod, Meagan & I on an old tractor



This is my dad's barn



This is a little one room school house down the road from my parents barn

More on the vacation....

Well, we have been home for a week and a half, lifes been busy, it's way too hot to go outdoors and my internet for whatever reason is not allowing me to upload pictures. So I came to Rod's office with laptop in tow and plugged into his dsl and so here we go. Maybe we can finish out the vacation pictures. Many people have asked about Rod's foot. It's doing better. He was actually able to get a shoe on Sunday and go to church. But it was pretty tight. The swelling is going down finally after a week plus of pampering it. The doctor says it's not broken and he sees no fractures on the x-rays, so guess we are dealing with a major sprain. He's been on crutches and icing it up and just now able to walk and put some pressure on it. But too much walking makes it swell again and very painful. I have been the chaufer(sp) and he has been the backseat driver. YEAH!
Anyhow, below are pictures of when we finally got into Ohio. We went to Rod's Aunt Jeanie's first and made a few days of it. We enjoyed visiting and just relaxing.





Rod talking with his Aunt Jeanie



Meagan enjoyed stealing the wires to the croquet set and running away.



We bought the kids a cheap croquet set and they had fun hitting the ball around



Meagan thought Aunt Jeanie's sidewalk made of bricks was fun to run down



Aunt Jeanie had this old style pump in her back yard and the kids thought it was really neat.



Rod and the kids and his Aunt Jeanie went rollerblading. They have some hills so it was kinda fun to go down the hills on skates.



There was a play area across from our park site that the kids enjoyed.



At the state park we stayed at they had a treasure hunt the kids participated in. It wasn't anything special, but something different to do.



We went to a state park and camped overnight and the kids enjoyed roasting marshmallows



This is what Meagan thought of vacation. She was so tired she crawled up on the bench of the table in the motorhome and fell asleep and laid her head on some boxes under the table.