Paul & Marsha Blog

 Once again I want to get ahead of Tim with my posting about Thanksmas.  The other family members did put some photos on the site but little was said.  I would put some pictures too but so far my three sons haven’t given me the instructions on how to do it.  I think they like knowing somethings I don’t have a clue about.

  Each year Thanksmas seems to become more special and of course louder.  This past Thanksgiving which was celebrated at Tim and Julee’s  was louder than the past.  The girls and Luke are getting very confortable together and that leads to chasing one another throughout the house.  At one point they were all cheering for Penn State.  Reese started the cheer with “Go Penn State! Volleyball Game” and started marching throughout the house next comes Sydney, Avery and Luke cheering Go Penn State.  They even had pompoms. It was a sight to behold.  I think if JoePa would have seen it he would either resign or ask for an extension on his contract to have such supporters.

  Tim and Julee were wonderful hosts.  The food was excellent as usual.  Tim made a great meal for everyone.  Lyssette provided several delicious pies and Robin provided an outstanding cassarole.  Reese helped me make a pecan pie which was devoured in no time.

  We spent my birthday in the car headed to PA.  We stopped overnight at Jim and Judy’s.  Saturday  we stopped in DuBois to see Grandma Mary.  She enjoyed her Thin Mints but didn’t have anything to say.  After a short visit we headed to Joel and Robin’s.  Sunday we woke to a surprise snowfall.  In the late afternoon Reese, Robin and Joel went out sled riding and snowman building.  It was perfect snow for the first snowman of the season. Neither the snow or the snowman lasted too long but it was a great photo op for Geema.

  It is so enjoyable to spend time with family especially at this time of the year.  We are truly blessed to have such a great family and are thankful everyday for them.  We are so glad that the brothers and sisters have such a great relationship and are willing to go out of their way to get to together and spend time as an extended family so the cousins get to know each other. We know at times it is difficult, loud and confusing but that is what makes family a family. We do appreciate how everyone steps in and supports one another. Someday (in the not too distant future, I hope) we will move closer and will gladly hosts many of the get togethers.  Until then Thanks to each of you for stepping in and making these special memories for all of us. Love, Mom

Hi.

  I can’t believe that it has been 6months since I last posted something.  I’ll blame it on not having passwords, etc.  I have been quite busy.  As Tim mentioned in the family site, we’ve been back and forth a lot the past few months.  Short version back in March to help with Luke and Jake for two weeks.  Back to Peoria for some more teaching like one week and then spring break and Easter so back to PA this time.

Joel Robin and Reese were out for about 10 days in May.  We had a great time at the zoo and Riverplex, swimming.  I made the mistake of saying we’d be going to the beach in a couple of weeks so Reese wanted the beach right then.  We ended up filling a sand box with sand and telling her it was the beach.  She learned how to make and break sandcastles so whenwe did get the beach she was proficent in both areas.  As quick as the other grandkids could make the castles she’d knock them down.  She loved the sand and was making sand angels and doing somersaults in the sand.

  Now comes June and the US Open just happens to be in Pittsburgh.  Paul, Joel and Ray had tickets for a couple of days.  Joel spent most of the week going between South Park, where Robin’s parents live and Oakmont.

  Following that we headed to Fenwick Island for a great week’s vacation.  For Father’s day we were all together.  there is a fabulous picture of all the dad’s and kids with Paul on Scott’s site. Just click on Scott’s family and scroll down and check it out.  I think it was the general opinion that we do this again next summer.  The kids were great and we all had a wonderful time.  The guys even got some golf in as well as swimming in both the ocean and the pool.

  From the beach we headed back to Scott’s.  I stayed the following week while Paul flew back to make sure the hospital didn’t fall apart while he was away.  He then flew back the end of the week to spend the 4th of July with Joel and watch the colorful display of fireworks from the front porch.   It is a sight to behold  seeing the fireworks going off near Beaver Stadium.

I eventually came home for a few weeks before going back for Sydney’s 5th birthday. After Spud’s birthday I spent a week with Jake and Luke helping out while their regular babysitter was on vacation.

  While I was home I painted the living room and kitchen.  The biggest happening in that time was the official groundbreaking for the new hospital.  Paul and about 30 others got their shovels in the dirt and got this $280 million project started.  It was a touching program with Sister Judith Ann’s  quote about ” it being the right time, the right place but most importantly for the right reason.”  The Children’s Hospital has been in the minds of many for several years.  Paul has been working and planning for this almost from the time we’ve arrived here.  Can you imagine it will 10 years in November since we’ve left Pittsburgh?

It is hot and humid here so it must be time for school to start. On Wed. it is back to the regular job.  School starts with inservice Wed. and Thurs.  I won’t have any kids until a week from Wed. and then only the 8th graders.  I may have the same cushy schedule of wed. and thurs. But I finally got a larger room.  The 7th grade will have 27 students in each of the classes.  I definately needed more space.

I’ve rambled on long enough but in 6th months a lot has happened.  Jake can now sit up by himself and loves to eat applesauce and ceral.  Luke is a great big brother.  Sydney will be starting kindergarten.   Avery is talking lots and Reese is climbing up climbing walls and trying to ride bicylces. There never seems to be a dull moment.  Take care and I’ll try to keepa little more up to date.

The phone rang a little after 8 am our time.  Scott was calling to let us know that Jake Paul had been safely delivered.  He is 7lbs10oz and 20 in long.  I finally say a picture of him tonight.  I think Scott and Lyssette are going to have their hands full with those two.  I can see Luke leading his little brother to the dog dishes already.  It is wonderful having another baby to spoil and to shop for.  I’m looking foreward to spending some time getting to know this new little person.  I know he already has a special place in our hearts.  The joy of being the grandparent is that we can spoil all we want and then we head off back to Illinois for month or so ( just long enough for the parents to get them unspoiled) and then start the spoiling all over again. Check out Scott and Lyssette’s link from the family page to see some fun pictures of Luke and Jake.

It is COLD and snowy.  The wind has been howling and it is feeling like minus 15 degrees.  I know this has hit most of the northern climes and some even have more snow than we do but what happened to this Global Warming that has been making headlines right and left.  Today was one of those days when it felt so much better to be inside and just looking at how beautiful it was.  It did make me get soem much needed cleaning done so there is an up side to all of this.

Not a lot of new stuff going on for us old folks.  Just waiting for the arrival of grandbaby number 5 and 2nd grandson.  If all goes according to plans Lyssette is scheduled for a c-section on Feb. 20.  I think she is ready to have the lilttle guy here.  I’m looking forward to his arrival also.  I plan to go to Ijamsville for nearly two weeks in March and help with “Jake” and Luke.  I’m sure they’ll keep me out of trouble.

It has only been about 6 weeks since we saw everyone between Christmas and New Years but being so far away makes it seem longer. The parents are good about keeping me up to date via e-mail with photos etc.  I’m glad Tim took the initative and got the web site up and running.  They all have such busy schedules but it is a good way to keep in touch.

Not much excitement here. Just snow, cold and work.  tomorrow I have my wonderful 8th graders.  We are making masks.  In a couple of weeks we are going to go to the Museum and see an exhibit of Ansel Adams photographs.  There aren’t the usual AA poster print photos this is his own personal collection on loan from his son and daughter.  They are truly magnificent.  I’m not sure the kids will appreciate them or not but it will be worth the hassle if only one or two are touched.  My prinicipal is even going and he readily admits he doesn’t understand art and is intimidated by it.  I’ll be very interested to see his reaction to these.  The photos must be close to 36″ x 40″ all in black and white of course.  Naturally they are all landscapes of some of the National Parks.

Well I guess I’ll quit rambling for now.  I had to post something so Tim doesn’t feel like he can hog the whole website.  Someday I’ll get him to show me how to post pictures.  I think I’m doing pretty good even get these posted.  Take care everyone and stay warm, Marsha

   This has been a tough summer for me.  My mother passed away in Aug. the day before my dad’s birthday. She was 93 years old and had a long life.  She and my dad were married around 70 years.  The last 8 she has lived alone in the house that my dad helped his uncle build nearly 100 years before.  It was a small two bedroom bungalow in a small coal mining town surrounded by my dad’s relatives.  She always felt like an outsider but she stayed raised my three older sisters as well as the little brat that grew up to be me.  Her life wasn’t easy but now she is at peace.

On Sat. we got a call that Russell wasn’t doing too well and then about 3 hours later the call came that he had passed away.  He was 91.  His funeral will be on Sat, Nov. 18, 8 years and 1 day from my dad’s funeral.  It is hard seeing this older generation slowly dwindle away.  Mary still remains in body but her mind and spirit has long departed with the eating away of Alzhimer’s disease.  Once in a while we still get a glimpse of the women she once was.  The one regret that I have is she never got to know any of her granddaughters-in-law and what wonderful choices her grandsons made and to see and enjoy her great- grandchildren.

 Enough of this maudlin junk, there are so many funny stories to tell about Russell that I could spend all night writing.  One Paul always loves to tell is when he came to visit us in India.  He was terrified of snakes and in India cobras as well as vipers are common.  It is the practice to pull the grass away about two feet from the sidewalks on each side so if there is a snake or scorpian you can easily see it.  One night Paul and Russell were walking between buildings and Russell was going cautiously shining the flashlight going back and forth across the sidewalk making sure there were no surprises to step on.  Paul gets a couple of steps behind him and comes up behind and pinches him on the backside.  He jumped and went flying down the sidewalk to get in the house.  Of  course Paul is standing outside just laughing his head off.

  Russell loved to travel and he made several international trips in his day.  He went to Romania to see this young man who loved tennis.  I think Ray and Sharon went on that trip with him and Mary.  The young man he went to see eventually came to the States and is now a doctor in the Pittsburgh area.  He went to the Holy Lands and I think he made three or four trips to India.  On his trip coming home from India, Scott and I flew back with him.  This is in 1973 and terriorism wasn’t anything new to Isralis.  We had to land in Tel Aviv to change airplanes and the security measures were unblieveable.   I wasn’t sure whether we would get out of there because Russell didn’t believe in taking out his ticket or passport like he was instructed to do.  I really think he was asleep through the entire announcement so he wasn’t too cooperative.  One of the guards came up and put his machine gun to Russell’s chest while he was reaching in to get his passport.  I breathed a huge sigh of relief when we were finally back in the air.  I wasn’t sure how I was going to explain to Paul in India or Mary in Pennsylvania why Russell was either dead or detained in Isreal.  That same trip we nearly missed the connections from Paris to New York because Russell wanted to see some of Paris and was taking his slow old time changing from one plane to the next. If you were with Russell dor any length of time you knew he was interested and intrigued by everything and time and deadlines didn’t matter if it was something he wanted to know more about.

   In the late evenings when the house was quiet we could still hear the typewriter down in the office as he would writing to his many connections throughout the world.  He will be missed by many for his letters, quick notes, newspaper clippings he was sure you’d be interested in, etc.  For the rest of us he’ll be missed as RUSSell, dad or grandpa.  We’re sad but we know he is in Heaven and probably trying to get answers to all of his silly riddles and Bible quizzes he made up.  Maybe he was given a violin or mandolyn and is now playing for the angels.  Maybe is running and playing with his great-grandson Samuel and taking him on grand adventures as he diid Samuel’s dad , Dan and cousins when they were young. I’m sure he’ll be waiting for us when it is our turn and wondering ” Where have you been?” 

Hi,

   I don’t want Tim to get any big ideas that he is the only one who can post on the web site.  I may be having a birthday in a few days and getting into a new decade but I can still learn how to do new things.

It has been a great November so far.  Sharon and Eva were here over the weekend.  Eva loves to come to our house and be the center of all the attention.  On Sat we went to a pancake breakfast/craft show.  After that we went to a place that you can decorate your own greenware ( pottery that has been fired once) and then it gets fired again with the glazes on it.  You paint the glazes you want.  I’m anxious to see Eva’s piece.  She had lots of great colors on it.  Her favorite spot to go to in Peoria is Tanners Apple Orchard.  Usually she comes in October when it isn’t quite as cold as it was last Sat.  She fed the goats and the llams, raced around the hay maze and had to try out every piece of playground equipment at least a dozen times.  Meanwhile, Sharon is inside enjoying the Christmas atmosphere and warm interior and I’m outside taking pictures and freezing my little fingers to the core so Eva has some great memories.  On Sunday after church we headed to Chuck E. Cheese, another one of Eva’s favorite places to go with Uncle Paul.  She ended up with a record ( for her) of 197 tickets.  Does that give you any idea of how much she played?  Each game is a token and she had over 80 tokens to use for the afternoon.  Paul left to go play golf and we finally got her out of there and back to our house by 1:15.  By 1:30 they were on the road headed to Indianapolis.  Ray is Brazil, fishing on the Amazon River so Sharon is doing her loop of visiting all of her friends in Indy, Dayton and Cincinnati.  Must be nice to be retired.

I really must go.  I have wonderful 6th and 7th graders tomorrow and it is late.  Take care and God Bless, M

I can’t believe I’m sitting here writing on a blog. It is hot here today. It is suppose to be 92 degrees. It is Oct. 3. It is suppose to be fall. Paul played golf Sunday and Monday in Galena. It is a resort town in the northwest corner of Illinois. They had a good time. He says the stores are the small knick-knacky kind I like so maybe sometime I’ll get to go there.

We had a grand visit with Ray and Sharon, Paul’s brother and sister in law. We went to Chicago for the weekend. On Sat. night we went to see the Blue Man group. I thought it was great. No words all in pantomine but they sure could get their message across. Then on Sunday the guys went to Wrigle Field for a ballgame. Ray had never been to Wrigly so that was special. Sharon and I went to see the King Tut exhibit at the Field. It was impressive to say the least.

All of the kids were out here at some point this summer. It was great to have this big house full of running and laughter. When we moved here we bought a house loo large for us assuming the boys and their families would visit. It proved to be a wise choice this summer.

Here is the first post for mom and dad.