2010 Recap and Catch Up....Sorry for Long Silence!

Sorry for the long absence. Let me bring you up to speed.

In late August 2009, we moved into our new 38-acre farmette 7 miles east of New Castle, Penna., off PA State Route 108. We love it here. (House pictured.)

During the 2009-2010 school year, we homeschooled the kids again with a lot of help from Blackburn Study Center in the North Hills of Pittsburgh.

Ellen ran cross country and track for Laurel School district as did Clint (photo is of Clint in his track uniform with Evelyn and Meredith in front). Clint, as an 8th-grader set a couple new school records (the 800-meter and 1600-meter...basically the 1/2-mile and mile). There is a strong class of 8th graders this year, so most likely the records will be broken, but it was quite an accomplishment.

Ellen is applying to colleges. She and dad (me), along with Ellen's good friend, Alexandra Clellend, attended a visitation day at Houghton College in Houghton, New York (about an hour south of Buffalo). (That's pronounced "HOE"-ton, not "HOW"-ton.) She liked it, applied, and was accepted. She also applied to Grove City College, just a week ago and we are awaiting their response.

Ellen and dad (me) also went to Shanghai, China, for a week in November. It was a business trip (my fourth and Ellen's second) and we thoroughly enjoyed the time. (Ellen is pictured being silly in a red dress I bought on my first trip to China. I bought it for her mother, but it didn't go over so well.)

Meredith started running cross country for Laurel during the 2010-2011 school year. She is actually very good and came in 2nd or 3rd on her team for most of the year. She's looking forward to track season which starts sometime later this spring. Meredith is the most social of the four kids, easily makes lots of friends and enjoys her time with friends. She could easily be a phone junky...talking with friends all the time.

Evelyn is rocking through the 2010-2011 school year. She's disappointed when all she gets on a test is a 100%. Evelyn is also our chicken-lady...meaning she is the one in charge of taking care of our 16 chickens which we acquired in August 2010.

Mary started working for Adoption Connection, a subcontractor for the State Wide Adoption Network of Pennsylvania. She does child profiles and child preparations (child preps). She really enjoys it and is very good at it.

Other significant news of 2010 includes Grandpa Glenn (Dave of Dave and Loa) had what we understand to be a stroke right around Thanksgiving time. He was admitted to the hospital for several days for testing. There appear to be very few side effects. He's pretty normal.....as normal as Grandpa can be.

Grandma and Grandpa Glenn are staying in Florida for 2 months this year. This is the first time staying two months.

Pap and Peg Kimpel are doing fine. Pap's Parkinson's is getting a little worse but he continues to have a GREAT attitude about it and is staying busy. Pap and Peg continue to remodel apartments in their building in Ellwood City.