Wii Challenge...

is a great time to invite family for a bowling night, wii fitness fun, or go kart racing. Steve & Lisa brought the kids for a fun-filled night. We had a blast! Eating pizza, kids playing, the men watching a movie while Lisa & I were testing the waters of the WiiFit.

Our neices, Karmyn & Kendra.

Having a great time... boxing!

Thanks for coming and spending your Friday night with us- we had a good time!

Happy Birthday Gram

Grandma Halsey celebrated her 84th birthday at the beginning of March, this year! A group of ladies met in Toledo's Cracker Barrel for lunch. Toledo was centrally located for us to meet. Sandy(mom's cousin) was coming from Indiana, Sandy's daughters live in Toledo, Mom was picking up Grandma & Aunt Pam, and Makaleigh & I were coming as well. So in all, everyone drove about an hour to visit & eat a birthday celebration with Grandma. Mandy had to work, but we missed her!

Deb, which is my mom...the only daughter of four kids. Makaleigh, my only daughter of three children and the oldest grand-daughter of four girls and eight boys. But, Grandma on the other hand, had two sisters and two brothers. What a great picture! I love you all...

A Four Generation...how awesome!
Grandma Halsey(84) with daughter Deborah(54),and Grand-Daughter Stacy(soon 35), and Great-Grand-Daughter Makaleigh(14). Sorry about the ages! But easier for me to remember now, than in a few years and trying to decide what our ages were.

I think Gram enjoyed her day... I know Makaleigh & I did! And it was wonderful meeting second-cousins, Becky & Wendy too!

Happy Valentine's Day

Noah had been bugging Dad to take him shopping for Valentine's Day. Noah must totally understand that buying gifts for people that you love are a nice and loving thing to do. He really loves to see your face light up with the surprise of opening and liking the gift he bought. He is so sincere and very caring about you and your feelings. Saying things like: Oh, mom would like that...I think she would really like me to buy this for her! And I need to get my sister, Makaleigh a flower to show her I love her. Scott was saying, if he would let him buy everything he seen for the two of you, he'd need a loan.

Look at that face...so proud to make the women is his life happy!

Thanks for your Patiences!

Let's see...so much has happened! First things first, thank you for being patient with me during a rough month. A writer's block of what to write about, not that they weren't things important enough for me to share, but just lots of thoughts of my Grandpa. Everything took me back to my Grandpa.

For those of you that knew that my Grandfather was battling with lung cancer and those of you that didn't, we lost him on Valentine's Day. My Grandfather was an active, young 83 years old. He loved to travel to Florida for the winter months, and restore John Deere tractors, and most of all take care of his gardening. Well, he farmed a few acres with his son, Bryon. Also had a few fruit trees in Florida. Grandpa also enjoyed a good family cook out with lots of family around.

Makaleigh has started spring softball through the school last week. Grades are good and made the Merit Roll this semester. Makaleigh and I are going to Washington DC for the school's 8th grade trip in a few weeks. We are looking forward to spending four days in DC.
Evan is active as always! He is practicing baseball twice a week for a travel league. And will be in a regular season of ball as well.
Noah has informed us that next year he is going to wrestle. But for now, coach pitch is right around the corner. This will be his third year of baseball. He will enjoy a baseball clinic which is coming up soon.

My Grandpa...

My Grandpa was such a wonderful man! He has lived an amazing life of 83 years. Born to the name of Marvin James Halsey on May 10, 1925. A son, a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a great-grandfather and a friend. The list, I'm sure could go on...

He served in the US Air Corp, now known as the United States Air Force, as a gunmen in World War II. He kept a record of each mission, medals that he received, and moneys from different countries. Grandpa came back from the war and married his sweetheart, Carolyn. Together in happiness, they had four children: Ronald James, Donald Marvin, Bryon Earl and Deborah Lynn.

As the family began to sprout, so did the love of being a grandfather. I remember going into the garden and Grandpa grabbing a carrot for me to snack on, Gramma and I taking him lunch on a country road during the summer mowing season, taking riding in the wagon of the mower. Mandy had said while she would be shooting the basketball, the sound of his John Deere was popping then the lawn mower, and then again the John Deere. I think all of us have great stories to remember about him.

During a recent visit to Gramma and Grandpa's house, Grandpa had mentioned to Evan, "To be good, and if you're not going to be good, to be twice as bad as me!" To this day, that's a saying/motto that our family enjoys! It brings a smile to our faces everytime! That was Grandpa, always trying to bring out the rotteness that was in you.

Grandpa's health was good, he had overcome prostate cancer and regulated his sugar diabetes. He was on his way to Florida and fell in the parking lot of a gas station hurting his shoulder. It just wouldn't heal right, and come to find out it was cancer. Cancer that was attached to a nerve under the hurt shoulder. Radiation and chemotheraphy to follow was soon administered. A stroke...then the thought of losing Grandpa was closer than we wanted to think about. Grandpa, the fighter that he was, didn't give up...he was able to get well enough to come home to Ohio.

We had an 'unforgettable' Thanksgiving dinner. Lots of family, lots of food and lots of photos were taken. We decorated a Christmas tree with each family member having an ornament to hang. Grandpa chewing on a turkey leg, saying that 'the mashed potatoes were delicious', and Bo showing pictures of his first deer of the season to him. What a great day we all had!

I wanted to make a slideshow of Grandpa. So, we went through all the old pictures of when the kids(which are my uncles and my mom) were young, Grandpa was skinny, and at every family gathering. I have a nice collection of the times through the years spent with Grandpa. Music was an option, and I had found the perfect songs. I was able to have the photos and songs on a disc to share before he past away. We watched and listened to the disc with teary eyes and Grandpa's dancing feet. Sorry to inform you, but Grandpa past away later that morning just before noon peacefully on Valentine's Day.

I will miss him always and always wish we had more time... Remember, to appreciate your friends and loved ones, every day as they may not be there tomorrow...