27 days and counting

Well to most people the Warrens Cranberry Festival does not seem like it is any big deal, but to our family it is a major event each and every year. I just ordered almost $700. in 6' balloons for the parking system that Will and I designed. Each major parking lot has a huge balloon or two flying above it so that people can remember where they parked. You would be suprised how many people drive through the middle of a cemetery and cannot remember that they did. It is quite funny when you think about it sometimes, they drive right down the lanes inches from the tombstones and don't remember them at all. I tease them about it quite often as we look for their car....they all say they were in such a hurry to get to the fest that they didn't even notice.
Last year we created a new system for our 150 plus tour bus parking (the big greyhound type).....made a few changes this year so we are looking to see if they worked.
Will and the kids are one of the feature singing groups on Saturday so they are practising for that. The kids both have solos in the Crantastic Singers this year, so they have two practises a week. I and my co-chair (my cousin Marcie) are revamping two areas of the festival so work has begun on that. In a week or two we will start marking out where each of the almost 1500 booths will be in town. We have a pvc pipe square for the art and craft booths. We use spray paint to trace each and every 10' X 10' square on almost each and every lawn in town. Then we have those engineering measurement wheels for measuring distance for the flea and antique market (all are 18' deep with different lengths up to 120'). It's a big job and by the time we are done my shoes are completely bright orange.
Will and the kids collect cardboard and shop during the festival. I help to run the church booth in front of our church selling coffee, pies, cranapple cider and other goodies. My radio is always on for Cranfest business though and many times I will have to run and fix something that needs a board members attention. Lots of work with me getting to bed at 12:00 midnight and being back to the church the next morning at 4:30am, but it is worth it! So many people have such a good time and our church is able to send money to support our missionaries. It truly is a blessing for all. How else would our church of less than 50 active members be able to support our missionaries with thousands of dollars, plus being able to be a blessing to all those that come into contact with us. I look at it as we might be the "only Jesus" alot of these people have ever seen. What a great opportunity to make an impression.
We have a great Southern style gospel sing on Saturday night which is a huge success!
Well, now that I have bored you to death with details, maybe you will forgive us if we don't update this as much as usual in the next month. I didn't mention many of the other jobs that we need to do for Cranfest and here at home getting ready for cold weather between now and then. Will told me yesterday that it is time for him to get his construction hat back on. We bought a wood stove for our new room and are looking at getting one for the living room. We are trying to economize with gas prices going up, but wood is still $35 a cord for us. Look at it this way, $1800 for gas OR $300 or less for wood and only one tank of LP (about $600) for the winter. Wood could actually cost even less if we get a chance to cut it ourselves. Our friend Amanda will be coming over and she and I (and the kids) are going to cut up some dead fall at Mom and Dad's farm. She runs the chain saw, not me. Remember that I'm the one that almost cut the top half of my thumb off with a hatchet(we won't go into that right now). I will however say that my thumb is completely healed with no nerve damage and you cannot see the scar unless you hold it right up to your face. The nail is perfect(as perfect as any part of me is HA! HA!) God did marvelous work with something so bad that the surgeon just rolled it back together as best he could, roughly stitched it closed and told me I would have to just see what would come of it. He told me that it would be ugly and he didn't seem to know how it would heal. Well, God did! For the most part it never even hurt. What a blessing.
Well, time for work again. It is a never ending cycle. I wish that I was more organized and neat. I'm glad that Jessa likes doing dishes and setting the table etc. Hopefully, she can take over all of that when she's older and I can be released from that misery. I LOVE TO COOK, but hate to do dishes. Maybe I'll just switch to paper plates and plastic forks.
Have a blessed day.


Jacob is enjoying golf. The daily practises are no fun for Will and I though. They are from 9-11 and it makes no sense to come home between so we fill in the time running errands. I would rather be working at home. Oh well, school starts the 1rst. They were going to start it the day after Labor Day, but we had so many snow days last year it ran late. They are trying to be a little better prepared this year. I will be glad the kids are going. For the most part they are getting along VERY well, but even though they won't admit it they miss school. They are ready to see their friends. I pray that it is a wonderful year. They both have grown almost 2 inches in the last 5 months and have changed shoes sizes two and 1/2 sizes. I had to replace everything for school this year. That is very painful when you fill out the check.