Teach-In

Last Wednesday, November 14th, was our annual Teach-In at work where community members and parents come in and share with the students what they do, or teach a lesson, etc. Our class went to four different presentations. Following are pictures from three of the presentations.

Orange County Fire/Rescue, specifically our neighborhood firestation, Station 70, brought by thier engine and here is the engineer and one of the other firefighters suited-up. Orange County Search and Rescue brought by three dogs - a yellow lab, chocolate lab and a South African something-or-other dog. This is an all volunteer team and they go all over the country doing search and rescue. The South African dog. Mounted Patrol from the Orange County Sheriffs Department. The horse's name is Ditto!

Revival Week

Last Tuesday thru Sunday, the 6th-11th, we were in revival with Rev. Marshall Smart. The services were good. Bro. Smart didn't feel that he can handle singing yet, so Bro. & Sis. Sweitzer from Kissimmee provide the special singing on Tuesday and Friday nights, Bro. Smalley from Seffner provided the special singing on Thursday night, our family provided the special singing on Wednesday night, and Jonathan & Karen Kline provided the special singing for Saturday night and Sunday. We had record attendance for Sunday School that Sunday morning of 44 and record attendance in Church of 70. We had a carry-in dinner after church and that was the big reason that our attendance was up so high for the service.

Barberville Fall Jamboree

On Saturday, November 3, we went up to Barberville for thier Fall Jamboree. The whole family was supposed to go but it ended up just being Mom, Dad and the girls. David and Andy went and helped Rick give our one cow a shot, and Hannah went garage-saleing with Aunt Esther. We enjoyed walking around and seeing the different craft exhibits and listening to the music. The Keili Kids were there and we listened to their first performance. They are awesome!

The sign at the entrance to the settlement.

Homemade Ice Cream - Yum - It was delicious!

Jenny petting Pete!

The Keili Kids

Fall Is Here!

Fall is finally here. It has been in the 70s the last few days and overcast. We got some rain this morning but only a few sprinkles on Thursday and Friday. I put this wreath together yesterday and hung it on the front door. I don't think I did too bad for my first attempt at something like this.

Miller/Seeley Wedding

I'm posting some pictures that Aunt Roberta shared with me from Nathan and Sarah's Wedding last Friday night.

Bride & Groom The Happy Couple The Wedding Party Uncle Paul with his Grandson, Gabriel All the relatives

Congratulations Nathan & Sarah

Congratulations to Nathan Seeley and Sarah Miller. They are getting married this evening. Wish we could be there but it was just to much to cram a trip to Pennsylvania into 3 days. We love you!

Ranch Work

On Saturday, September 15, 2007, David, Dad, Jonathan Kline, Jr., Jenny and I went out to our friend Rick's property in Groveland where we keep our cattle. We eartagged the calves and banded two of the three bull calves. Andy was supposed to have class today to study for his test but could not sit all day due to just having had his appendectomy on Monday. He and Hannah came by on their way home. Andy couldn't get in and help but he could give instructions.

Jesse and David work with one of the bull calves. This one is only a few days old. It wasn't hard for them to grab this one and tag it.One of the calves takes a dip in the stock tank trying to get away from David and Jesse. Too bad I didn't get this as a video clip. It was quite funny to watch! This was one of the other bull calves. This one had to be banded as well, so Jonathan got to get in on the action and help hold the leg rope while Rick banded the calf. One of our two calves, Annie. Our other calf and her mother refused to come into the pen so we couldn't tag her. After we were all done, Andy gave Jenny a driving lesson in the old truck that Rick keeps out here. Jonathan, David, Andy and Hannah

Story Time

Andy reads a story to Jenny and Luke. Luke is one of the little boys that Mom babysits. Grace, Rachel and I were students of his Grandma in high school and David and Andy were her student-assistants. I knew his Dad in high school and we attended his parents wedding. Little did we know at the time that we would be babysitting their son :-). Luke and his family traveled all the way to Ohio this summer to attend Andy & Hannah's wedding.

I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged by Connie Downer -- So here are 7 random things about me you might not know.

1. I've never flown in an airplane. (I think I might like to try it sometime but I can't afford it right now and don't want to fly alone the first time.
2. Someday I would like to visit the Dry Tortugas Islands near Key West. (The only way to get there is by boat or plane)
3. I've always wanted to live on a farm or ranch. (Maybe it will happen someday!)
4. I have lived at the same address since birth.
5. I have an AA with a pre-major in Education and I am working on an accounting correspondence course.
6. I have thought about becoming a middle or high school math teacher.
7. I have never been west of the Mississippi River, south of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, or north of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

I tag Carl Heintzelman and Bill & Marilyn French.

Monday Update

Andy went back to work today, he is still a bit sore but otherwise feeling fine. On Saturday, Dad, David, Jenny and I and Jonathan Kline went out to our friend Rick's property and helped him ear tag and castrate calves and worm his cows and bull. We got all but one of the calves tagged (one of ours) and we castrated two of Rick's three bull calves. The one we didn't do was only a few days old. Rick had brought out his Dixie Chopper and when we left, David took the trailer with it on out to Andy and Hannah's and mowed for Andy. After we got Andy's yard mowed we headed back home. It was Grandpa Miller's birthday and he was headed to Summerfield to preach on Sunday, so he and Grandma Ruth stopped by for a birthday lunch. Aunt Esther came down and Andy and Hannah came in also. Andy was supposed to go to class but was unable to sit all day long so he picked up his paperwork and got what he needed to study this week and came to meet us with the cows.

Update on Andy

On Monday morning, Hannah took Andy to the ER with severe stomach pains. A CT scan showed appendicitis. He had surgery that afternoon and spent the night in the hospital. He was released from the hospital on Tuesday about 11:00 am and went home. He has to be out of work for a week and can't drive while he is taking the pain medication. This gives him lots of time to study for his Journeyman's test. He started his Saturday test prep classes last Saturday and will have classes for the next two Saturdays as well. Hopefully he will be taking the test on the 13th of October.

Inspirations Concert

Friday night, September 7, Grace, Jenny, David, Andy, Hannah and I went to the Lakeland Center for "A Night of Inspirations"! We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the singing and the music. Sorry some of the pictures are so dark.

Jenny, Grace and David

Hannah and Andy

The Inspirations

Matt Dibler, Mike Holcomb, Darin Osborne, Melton Campbell, Myron Cook and Martin Cook

The Old Bear Hunter, Jack Laws - Original Baritone, with Darin and Melton

The Inspirations

Darin Osborne, Tenor

Martin Cook, Pianist and Emcee

Archie Watkins, Original Tenor

Mike Holcomb, Bass

Matt Dibler, Lead

Melton Campbell, Baritone

Check Out This Child Prodigy from Hollywood, FL

Check out this 6 year old who can play 200 songs on the piano from memory. His name is Ethan Bortnick.
Etnan - video powered by MetacafeHere he is on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day! I hope you are enjoying your day off. We are at Aunt Esther's with Andy and Hannah and the Jonathan Kline family.

Heading Home

David, Andy and Hannah are on thier way home today. They hope to be home around 7 or 8 o'clock tonight.

Surprise!

David, Andy and Hannah left Wednesday night and drove straight through to Ohio. They pulled the trailer that Hollidays had left up to Bud and Anne Holliday's house in Bloomingburg and then went on to Hannah's parents house. Connie (Hannah's mom) didn't know they were coming and got a big surprise when they got in. They plan to go to Indiana to visit Troy and Christie Thomas Sunday afternoon and then head back home on Monday.

School!

Well, the first week is done. Five days done and 175 to go yet. We still only have two children in our class. We have been told that more are supposed to be coming. We'll see. I'm going to enjoy my weekend in the mean time.

Back To School

Well, we went back to school today after an extra long summer. Normally we start back to school the first or second full week of August but last year the Florida Legislature passed a law that starting this year, public schools could not start any earlier than two weeks before Labor Day. Please, Pray for me and my fellow employees at my school. Our Principal projected us as having 450 students this year and we barely made 400 today. If we don't meet projection some of us will have to move to other schools. I work with Special Needs preschool children and we are supposed to have 4 students this year but only 2 showed up today. Even though the school gets more money for students in my class, they probably won't keep the unit open for just 2 or 3 students. I'll keep you all up to date on the situation. On the positive side...Several of the staff members painted the cafeteria over the summer and renamed it the Pine Castle Cafe. We are hoping that by giving the cafeteria a "Restaurant" name the students and staff will treat it as such and behavior will be restaurant behavior.

VBS 2007

Finally, Here are pictures from VBS. We ended up having a total of 24-26 kids most of the nights.

Holliday's Farewell

Sunday, July 15 we had a farewell lunch for Holliday's after church at our house. We had chicken & gravy, diced potatoes, Pennsylvania Dutch green beans, cole slaw, broccoli salad, rolls, iced tea, lemonade, chocolate cake with peanut butter icing, pecan pie, lemon merangue pie, oreo pie, and cherry cheese cake. We ended up serving 33 people.

VBS

We are busy getting ready for Vacation Bible School right now. We start on Monday! Our theme this year is Sailing on Life's Sea. The kids in the neighborhood are really looking forward to attending. We basically have the church decorated and are getting the last few things together as far as who will be teaching lessons on what days, etc. I'll try to take some pictures to post later.

Congratulations Grace!

Congratulations Grace on your new job!! Grace has been looking for a clerk position in the school system for at least a year and a half. Last week a friend of hers called her and told her about an opening at the school where she was going. Later in the day the school secretary called her and asked her to come in for an interview. She went in and interviewed and this week they called her and asked her to come back in for an interview with the adminsitrator that she would be working with. When she left the interview she had the job contingent on the fact that her current principal would let her leave. They called her back later in the day and told her it was a go. She will be working as the 6th grade clerk at Piedmont Lakes Middle School. Congratulations again.

Back home again!

We are back in Florida, after our trip North for Andy and Hannah's wedding. I've posted some pictures below from our trip. My wedding pictures got moved to Hannah's parent's computer by mistake, so I'll post some of them once I get them back on CD.

Pinnacle Overlook in Kentucky/Virginia on our way to Ohio from Tennessee.

Standing in Kentucky and Virginia on the way up to the overlook.

One of the views from the overlook. I believe this is Tennessee and Virginia.

Where the girls stayed in North Carolina on the way home. Our cousin Alicia's house.

Grace and Hannah Kline on Uncle Carl's porch waiting for everyone to get ready to go. (North Carolina)

Julie and Aunt Roberta get ready to wave us off on our way home with the traditional white grocery sack! It's a Bump/Miller tradition!

Welcome Home!!

Welcome home to Bill and Marilyn French. They arrive back in the states today for about two months before going back to Tiawan for another year.

What's New

This is what our family looked like this weekend. We had Jonathan and Karen Kline's children with us for the weekend while they were at the home-school convention. We had a lot of fun. Some of us spent most of the day Saturday and Monday out at Andy's house working. Andy's goal was to get the floor done before we leave for the wedding. We finished laying the vinyl last night about 9:00. It looks really nice. We are now busy packing and getting ready to head north for the wedding.

Another Girl!!

Annie

Flossie, with her new baby girl, Annie, born Sunday, May 27, 2007

Summer Vaction is Finally Here!!!

Yippee!! Today was the last day of school and it is officially summer vacation. We even get a few extra weeks this year since we don't go back to school until August 20 instead of the first full week of August. For those of you out there who haven't finished the school year out yet. The countdown is on and summer vacation will be here soon!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there. All of us owe our life to our mother.

It's A Girl!!!!

Shadow with her 10-11 hour old calf, Skipper.

New Baby

We found out today that Shadow dropped a calf this morning. Hope to have some pictures soon!!

Surprise!!

Hannah flew down on Friday and surprised Andy. I took the day off work and picked her up from the airport. We were going to meet Andy for lunch and surprise him but he wasn't cooperating as we wanted him to. We ended up taking Hannah down to Andy's office and she went in and told the receptionist who she was and was taken up to his office. When he finally noticed she was there he stared at her for a while and asked her where she came from. Needless to say, Andy took off early and came home to take Hannah out to see their house in Webster. When they got out to the house they had another big surprise. A pipe under the kitchen sink had come loose and flooded the dining room, kitchen, laundry room, bath room and the closet in the spare bedroom. We are in the process of drying things out now and will soon be starting to repair the floor and other damage. We told Hannah that she now had the advantage of getting the kitchen exactly the way she wants it.

Jenny

Here is Jenny with Candessa, the dog that belongs to the neighbor who lives behind Andy. She loves to slip through the barb-wire fence and come over and play with Jenny or whoever is in the yard.

Spring Break

Last week was spring break and Grace, Jenny and Laura had off from work and school. Grace, Mom and Jenny spent some time working in the yard and Jenny had lots of fun playing after two tough weeks of Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test AKA FCAT testing. The first week she had a 60 minute session of math on Monday and Tuesday and two 60 minutes sessions of reading on Wednesday. The second week she had a 60 minute session of science on Monday and Tuesday and then a 70 minute session of either reading or math (Norm Reference) and then an 80 minute session of the other subject. She was quite worried about the tests but God helped her and after they were over each day and we asked her how they were she would say that they were easy. The first weekend of spring break we had the five oldest kids in the Jonathan Kline family down. We had a lot of fun playing games, music, and visiting. On the 10th we celebrated David's birthday along with Leah Holliday's birthday. We had Hollidays and Bickerts over as well as Warren and Nicole Fink and their girls. Last Sunday the Philip Miller family spent the day with us. Aunt Esther came down after church for lunch. We had a good time visiting with them and played a round of Scattergories after the evening service. On Tuesday, a former pastor and his wife, Ron & Rosy Hays and their son, Joe, came by for supper and a visit. It was nice seeing them again and catching up on their family. We are back to the grind for the last nine weeks of work and school. Time sure does fly the older we get.

Sad News

We were deeply saddened Tuesday evening with the news that our close friend Smoky McDonald was killed when the backhoe he was operating at work rolled over on him. Our thoughts and prayers are with the rest of his family during thier time of grief. We have many happy memories of times spent with the family both here in Florida and after they moved to Tennessee. We will surely miss him but know that God doeth all things well and will help Patricia and the rest of the family through this tough time.

Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday, Hannah! We love you!

Missionary Conquest

We had some family together time yesterday (Sunday) afternoon playing Missionary Conquest. We had a lot of fun. Andy and Jenny alway try to keep each other from being able to conquer Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran. If you conquer those three countries and have 400 blessing points you can win the game. This is a fun game to play and we like it better than Monopoly since your goal is to evangelize the world and go on as many mission trips as you can instead of seeing who can make the most money. David had a lot of fun taking notes on all of the other players to use when they came before the Mission Board for a hearing.

BEEF!

This is what our table looked liked after bringing home the beef! We picked up 1,295 pounds and this is most of it.

God Takes Care of His Own!

I'm sure most of you heard about the storms that went through North Central Florida on February 2. One of the tornadoes did a lot of damage in the town of Lady Lake. Many homes and businesses were destroyed. One of the places that was totally destroyed was the Lady Lake Church of God. Not far away from that church is the Lady Lake Allegheny Wesleyan Church. The tornado went down the road that the Lady Lake AWC church is on and damaged the properties on either side of the church but no damage was done on the property of the Lady Lake AWC church. It was like God picked up the tornado on one side of the property and set it down on the other side of the church property. We had wondered if there had been any damage from the storm at the church and when I heard the good news I said, " That shows God's hand at work!" To view pictures of the storm click here.