Yummy!

The owners of our truck decided to give us a Christmas bonus. They told us we could choose a nice restaurant and go out to dinner on them! :o) Amber had told about this place a long time ago and I've always wanted to go try it out. Wow! It was really delicious!

For an appetizer we had the fiesta cheese fondue. The cheese sauce was just a little bit spicy. They gave us some apple pieces, bread, mixed raw veggies and tortilla chips to dip in the cheese. We did our best not to eat TOO much of that, because we knew the best was yet to come!


Next, came the main entree. As you can see, we had quite a selection of meat!

Along with the plate of meat, we had some potatos, broccoli, mushrooms and zucchini, as well as some yummy dipping sauces. We knew the best was yet to come...we didn't eat all the meat and veggies because...

...Cookies and Cream Flambee!!! You can't tell, but I took the picture just as the waiter set it on fire! :o)

Mmmmm...strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, pound cake, brownies,rice crispie treats and cheesecake to dip in the chocolate mixture!!


Even though we had "saved room for dessert," we still couldn't eat it all!

Whew, what a meal! Thanks Dan and Bettyann!!

Christmas in the Desert

Well, it's official...we're spending Christmas in Arizona this year. We were not able to get a load heading back east. :o( But, the silver lining to the cloud is that Amber's grandmother lives here and has graciously invited us into her home. My parents bought us tickets to see a Sight and Sound production on Dec. 28th. We have a load picking up Dec. 26th in El Paso, TX going to Detroit, MI. We figured out if we can average no less than 55mph for that trip and immdiately head to PA after delivery, we can make it just in time for the show. You'll all have to help us pray for good weather and clear roads for this 2600 mile trip we have to make with about 50 hours to do it in.

On the Road Again!

Yipee! After hours and hours of waiting, our truck is finally fixed! Tim was a sweet husband...he let me enjoy the comfort of the driver's lounge while he "camped out" on the lift gate of the truck. The shop would not allow us inside the truck while it was being worked on today, and we had to keep the back of the truck in sight, so.... as you can see, Tim had quite a neat little set up. :o)
Tim insisted I share this little story. Yesterday, I was sitting in the truck and one of the service guys opened the door to do something. He thought he had scared me, so I guess he felt he should make some small talk. He asked where we were from to which I replied, "Arkansas." "Oh, Are you Irish?" HUH???? That's a first!! I was taken a little off guard, but I told him no and that actually my husband was the one from AR, I am actually from upstate NY. "Oh, well my mother is from Arkansas and she's Irish," he replied. Again I had to quickly disguise my reaction. Let's just say we're in EL PASO, TX and the guy looked about as far from being Irish as anyone I've ever met!! Oh well, ya never know! Anyway, the story is a bit funnier if I TELL it, I've never been a good writer (where's Travis when you need him?).
Anyway, we are FINALLY ready to hit the road! Arizona, here we come!!!

We Interrupt This Broadcast for a Special News Flash! Happy Birthday, Sis!

Wow, it's my big sister's birthday! Time really flies. It seems like only yesterday she was teasing me unmercifully and bossing me around (oh wait, that WAS yesterday). When we were kids I never dreamed that one day my sister and I would actually WANT to spend time together. But, here we are years later and now we have such a good time that it's really a bummer we live so far apart! I am continually amazed at the talent and creativity she possesses. Not only does she have talent, but she uses it! She plays the organ every Saturday night at the Gospel Center. She is an incredible musician! It's amazing how she can play a song on the piano after only hearing it only once or twice! She's a Sunday School teacher for the bus ministry at her church. She plans, decorates and coordinates the VBS program for the 3-5 yr. olds at her church every year (not a small task, believe me)! This year she even brought her entire family to Arkansas and helped our church with the teen VBS class! She conducts craft classes for a group of ladies once a month. She even finds the time to volunteer at her kids' school as librarian! The list could go on and on. The bottom line is, when she sees a need, she does everything she can to fill it! I'm proud to be her baby sister! :o) Maybe if I hang out with her long enough some of that creativity she has will rub off on me!
Happy Birthady Sis! Hope this year is even better than the last!

PS The snowman you see in the picture is one of her creations :o) She crocheted the hat and scarf (along with 12 other hat/scarf sets) so the ladies could put them together on craft night.

The Verdict is In!

And, it's not pretty! The turbo went out on our truck. The simple version is that it is a very expensive and time consuming repair. Fortunately we don't have to pay for the repair. Unfortunately, we also can't make any money until this truck is up and running again. :o( AND, it's not looking so good for Christmas in the east. Oh well, God is still in control. I'm sure he has a reason for all this. Meanwhile, we have to "babysit" this load, so we're not getting much sleep. I'll let you know when we get up and running again.

The Jury is Still Out!

After sitting all night outside the Freightliner Dealership, we know one thing. The truck is broken. We still don't know what the official diagnosis is, however. We were supposed to be in Tucson, AZ by 3:30 this afternoon. That is NOT going to happen. The technicians here are scurrying around like snails in the dead of winter, so I'm thinking we'll be here a while. Stay tuned for further developments! :o)

Uh, OH!

We are having technical difficulties! It is only 1 week until Christmas and we are having truck issues in El Paso, TX. A VERY long way from where we want to spend the holidays!! Please help us pray that the truck only needs an "easy" fix and that we get a load heading back east ASAP! :o) Even though it's nice and warm here, we don't really want to spend Christmas in Texas! Help us pray and we'll keep you posted.

Breakfast with the Taylors

We had a delivery in TN yesterday, and we found out we were going to be just a few miles from Pastor and Mrs. Brian Taylor. :o) We met them at Panera Bread and enjoyed a couple of hours of fellowship. They have two very beautiful daughters. We really appreciate having friends that will take time out of their busy schedules and meet up with two lonely truck drivers. Thanks to all of you out there that have met up with us at one time or another. We are so blessed to have you as our friends!

West Virginia

We had the opportunity to spend a few hours with Bob and Amber (and of course, baby Joseph). We really enjoyed getting to see them again. It's so nice to have them over on the east coast! :o) Joseph is growing so fast.

Here Turkey, Turkey!

I once had a teacher that told us the turkey is the dumbest animal alive. Sometimes she would tell us to stop acting like turkeys and think things through before we did them. I should have followed that advise last Friday! :o) My sister really wanted a laptop computer. She found out that Circuit City had them for sale for $300 on Black Friday. Alas, there is no Circuit City near her home in Lebanon, PA, so she convinced her little sister to try and get one for her. I have gone Black Friday shopping every year for the past 4 or 5 years and I actually enjoy it. But, my usual practice is start at about 4AM when the first store on my list opens and systematically work my way through until I get all (or at least most) of the items I'm wanting. I knew that some people go really early and wait in line for stores to open to get some of the big ticket items. I thought, hmmm..a laptop computer...I'll have to start out early. So, I convinced my friend, Leora to come with me and we set out at Midnight Thursday night. On the way down we laughed about how silly we were to be out that early. "We'll just sit in the van and keep warm until the crowds start coming" we nievely said. Then, we pulled into the parking lot at Circuit City. After much searching, I FINALLY found a parking space. The line was already half around the building!! I could hardly believe it! But, we came prepared...we had our coats, a scarf, some gloves, blankets and folding chairs. "We'll just settle in and visit and wait for the store to open. How bad can it be?" "Brrr....it's so c-c-c-old...only 4 more hours...??? We can do that, right?" We knew it was cold, we didn't find out until much later that it had gotten down to about 17*. We took turns defrosting in the van, but we never did truely warm up until much later in the morning when we finally got down the business of REALLY shopping. Anyway, we finally made it to 5AM when the store would open. Time to get that laptop, right? WRONG! After all we were about 40th in line and they only had 12 laptops!!! Poor Laurie...I tried! But wait...apparently the Pennsylvanians are not as determined as the Arkansawyers...Laurie got up at 4AM and went to Staples to wait in line (they had a deal on a laptop as well). Believe it or not, she got it! After I had treated my frostbitten toes and thawed out my nose...I decided that next year I would REALLY be prepared: propane heater, extra thick blankets, hot chocolate in a thermos....WHAT AM I SAYING??? I think I'll just go back to arriving at the stores when they open and leave the waiting in line for the real professionals! :o)

Sweet Home Alabama!

Well, we did spend last weekend in Alabama. :o) We really enjoyed getting to catch up with so many friends all in one place! Jessica was a wonderful hostess, as usual. We spent Saturday evening at Daniel and Holly's. We really enjoyed catching up and cutting up! :o) They have a cute little dog (you'll see him in the pictures). Tim and I are usually loved by children and anmials, but this little guy was terrified of us! I did manage to catch a snapshot of Tim holding him before he bolted to the other side of the room, but other than that short moment, we had to admire him from afar.
Sunday, Jessica and Marissa provided us with a wonderful Sunday dinner. We really enjoyed the services at the Talladega Bible Methodist Church both Sunday morning and evening. I'm not sure how Marissa managed to escape from my camera's range, but I'll be sure and not let that happen next time.
We had to be in Atlanta first thing Monday morning, and we have been running hard ever since. We are finally pausing to catch our breath this weekend. We have a load scheduled for pickup Monday morning in Memphis, TN. Then, hopefully we will be off and running until Thursday. If you think of it this week, please help us pray that we will get a load bringing us close to home by Wednesday night. We would really like to spend Thanksgiving at home this year! Thanks in adavance!

Good Coffee and Good Conversation

We had a great (albeit short) time in Hobe Sound. Saturday night, Rod and Betty took us out to dinner. Then, Sunday they overfed us again! :o) We really enjoyed visiting with them and our other friends down there. Now maybe you can see why I call Betty the "Queen of Hospitality".
Now we're in Alabama and waiting for a load to take us somewhere exciting for the weekend.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

A Dad is a person
who is loving and kind,
And often he knows
what you have on your mind.
He's someone who listens,
suggests, and defends.
A dad can be one
of your very best friends!
He's proud of your triumphs,
but when things go wrong,
A dad can be patient
and helpful and strong
In all that you do,
a dad's love plays a part.
There's always a place for him
deep in your heart.
And each year that passes,
you're even more glad,
More grateful and proud
just to call him your dad!
Thank you, Dad...
for listening and caring,
for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you!
Happy Birthday, Dad!

Florida!

We have been Soooo busy! It's hard to believe I've been away from my computer for such a long time! :o)
We are in Melbourne, FL tonight, and hoping to head down to Hobe Sound tomorrow afternoon if we don't get a load out. We always look forward to spending time with our friends down here. :o)

"I've Been Everywhere"

The first song on my playlist is one that Tim has loved ever since he was a kid. Now he can sing it about himself! :o)

We really enjoyed the scenery on the way down to St. Paul, MN from Canada. We even stopped in a little tourist town and walked around a bit. We even went into the railroad museum. :o) It was a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Strange Loads

I'm often amazed at what some people consider important. We are in the expedite freight business, and often we are asked to haul one or two small items "hot shot" so a company can keep in production. Sometimes you have to wonder just how important that one little item can be...we took a train seat all the way from Plattsburgh, NY to Thunder Bay, ON (which is right by the Wisconsin border).
Tim took a picture of one of the train cars at the production plant we went to. Looks kind of luxourious, ay?
I also included a picture of a tree I saw in NY...I thought it was pretty funny that only half of it had turned. :o)

Pastor Appreciation

A Pastor's Heart

A well spoken message stirs a heart to rejoice
There is nothing like a strong, resilient voice
But when sorrow comes, there is no better gift to impart
Then the gift of a caring, pastor's heart
A loving touch or a kind word
A moment of counsel from God's holy word
A telephone call--after you just heard..,
Is the gift of our pastor's heart.

Lord, bless this pastor
In each new day
Bless his ministry along the way
For fame and fortune can never impart
The precious gift of a caring pastor's heart

Just a servant of Christ
and at times a dear friend
With a desire to love God
To the very end
Tending his flock in the Savior's way
Is the gift of a pastor's heart

Striving to live
as an apostle of Christ
Serving his father giving Godly advice!
Preaching and teaching and sharing the Word
Is the gift of a caring pastor's heart.

Sandra L. Adams, Copyright 2000




We are so blessed to call Charles and Leora Schenck our Pastors! I have never been very good with words (I use a lot of them, but don't put them together very eloquently). These two poems I found say it better than I ever could. We really love and appreciate our pastor and his family! They love God and their church family and do a wonderful job of showing it!




The Pastor's Wife

She's a Godly woman, she has such grace
Always a warm greeting, a smile on her face.
She's always encouraging, she knows her place.
She is - The Pastor's Wife.
She has to always look just right
Always on time, though the schedule's tight.
From early morning, 'til late at night
Always - The Pastor's Wife

She's such a Lady, everyone's friend
She serves with love from deep within.
All the rifts she tries to mend
Oh she's - The Pastor's Wife

She carries your burdens, she prays for you
Sometimes she cries the whole night through.
But you won't know when she's feeling blue,
'Cause she's - The Pastor's Wife

At church as she starts to walk up the aisle,
So many need to stop and talk for awhile.
Though she is tired, she has her own trials
She's patient, she's - The Pastor's Wife

Her life, her time, is not her own
There's always a need, they go on and on
With a knock at the door, or a ringing phone.
That's the life of - The Pastor's Wife

Her husband she shares with a whole congregation
She humbly accepts his intense dedication.
In loneliness she kneels to see consolation
God Bless - The Pastor's Wife

She will someday reach the end of this race
As she meets her Master face to face
Surely our God has a Special Place
In Heaven for - The Pastor's Wife!

Happy Birthday to You!

Today is Leora's birthday! :o) She is not only my pastor's wife, she is a very dear friend! I was looking for pictures to post today and realized I don't have any of her. Shame on me! I had to go borrow some from her website, and even then there aren't any of just Leora alone. She is always behind the scenes working to be sure everything goes smoothly. She doesn't like being in the limelight. But, for today... :o)
I'm sure those of you that know Leora have seen how very talented she is. She plays the piano, cross-stitches, crochets, scrapbooks, decorates cakes, and the list goes on and on. She is also a really good listener. I could keep listing all her good traits, but I'll save some for later this month (remember, this IS Pastor Appreciation month).

PS This should have been posted last night, but blogger wasn't working. :o(

Fall Frolic

I had the opportunity to help out at the Gospel Center this past weekend. They were having their annual Fall Frolic. It is an opportunity for them to reach out to the community. They had lots of fun activities for kids as well as some musical entertainment and food.
I brought my niece and nephews with me and they had a good time! Carissa even won the best costume contest.
To see more about the Fall Frolic, click of Robert's link in my blogger buddies column.

Happy Anniversary To Me! :o)

Step back, girls....a lot of you have been bragging on your husbands lately, but I have to tell you...I WIN! Tim and I have been married for 7 wonderful years! He is truly the love of my life. He is compassionate and understanding and a wonderful spiritual leader in our home. As most of you already know, we spend a lot more time together than your average married couple. We are on the road 6-8 weeks at a time and most of that time we are confined to a little truck cab. We learned more about each other in the first 2 weeks of driving truck together than we had in 5 years of marriage. :o)
If you have ever been around us, you know that we are one of those sappy couples that tend to make others sick. Sorry, but we intend to stay that way!
I am really blessed to have such an understanding husband. He knows about all my quirks, and loves me anyway. If you'll notice, I never lack for pictures for my blog. I don't even post half the pictures I take. He is always willing to stop the truck (or car) to let me take advantage of a photo opportunity. He also lets me visit with any and all friends and family within driving distance. He understands my need to socialize! :o)
This past weekend, we had some time off...what did my husband do? He spent the time working his head off to fix some things in my mom's kitchen.
I have really enjoyed the past 7 years of married life and am looking forward to many, many more happy years as Mrs. Timothy Teed!

More Friends

I was able to spend some time with Amber, Bob and Joseph Howell this week. :o) We had lots of fun, as usual. I went down to WV where they are living right now and stayed a night with them, then Amber brought me up to Lebanon and stayed a couple days. Of course, we had to take Joseph for his first trip to Hershey Chocolate World. He was such a good baby the whole day! Amber and I always have lots of fun when we're together (and very little sleep).

Friends!

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Last weekend we were able to spend Sunday with some good friends of ours, Jaron and Andrea Sickler. We really enjoyed seeing them and their girls again. It's hard to believe how much Katrina and Katie have grown.
We became friends with Jaron and Andrea while we were all still living in Hobe Sound. Andrea and I have been keeping in touch ever since. They are actively involved in their church especially with the youth group.
Andrea is the model housewife...I am so impressed with all her gardening, canning, scrapbooking, sewing, cooking, mothering...etc. And, Jaron is quite the handy husband. He has been working hard at remodeling their home.
We always have such a fun time with the two (well, now it's four) of them. Their girls are an absolute delight!

7 Random Facts

Hmmm.....I think my life is an open book....I'm not sure if I can come with 7 things about myself that none of you know. But, here goes:
1. When I was in high school I played a bird in a school play...I had to whistle a song.
2. I have sung songs in at least 8 different languages (English, Spanish, French, Creole, German, Hebrew, Latin, one of the languages from a South African Tribe).
3. I have sung in Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Disney World, Hobe Sound Bible College and various other places.
4. I used to sing women's barbershop (and loved it)!
5. I am in Pennsylvania tonight! :o)
6. I have 11 nieces and nephews plus 5 more "adopted" nieces and nephews.
7. I am the youngest of 5 children and my (much) older sis has a blog too. :o)
8. I am an overachiever! (tee hee, just kidding) I only put a #8 so I could be sure and tell you my name is ShaRRon with 2 R's just my mom's way of making sure I am noticed!

Ketchup Day!

Wow! It really hasn't been THAT long since I've posted, but I sure have lots to tell about and lots of pictures to post! I think this is going to be at least a 2-parter. :o)




Last week we had the opportunity to pick up a load in St. Petersburg, FL and I remembered that one of my "blogger buddies" lives in that area. YEA! So, I called up Jennifer and asked if we could meet her for lunch. She accepted my invite and we got to spend some time visiting with her and her new son, Evan. Jennifer and I went to college together, so we had a good time reminiscing and catching up. Tim and I really enjoyed getting to hold Evan, too. He's such a sweet, friendly baby.
We left Florida and headed back north to Philadelphia. Since our delivery was only 90 miles from Mom and Dad's we, of course, headed over there for the weekend.


One of my cousins was passing through the area Friday night and needed to pick up something from Dad, so Tim and I drove the item out to the interstate and met up with her. Since it was the middle of the night, I didn't take any pictures of the adults in the group, but I did get one of my cousin's baby, James. He was such a cutie pie! :O)


Saturday, we went over to my brother's workshop. He is getting into woodworking and has just started learning how to make dove tail joints. He gave us a step-by-step demonstration. I have put in an order for bookcase! I can't wait too see how that's going to turn out!

A Fun Weekend

We were able to spend this past weekend in Lebanon, PA with my family. I'm always excited when that works out! We got in Friday night just in time to have dinner with Mom and Dad. Then, Saturday we met my brother, Jamie and his fiancee, Jennifer for lunch at the Olive Garden (yum!). He's looking much different these days...


BEFORE


AFTER (See, he cleans up nice)

Saturday afternoon we went by the GMC's Sunday School picnic. We enjoyed watching the children play. I can't believe how much my nieces and nephews are growing.
Kevin and Austin were playing football.

Austin Crocker

Kevin Sherman

Jeremy, Katlyn and Carissa were having fun with relay races.


Carissa Sherman


Katlyn Crocker


Jeremy Sherman

Phillip and Randy were having fun "fishing".

Phillip Crocker and Randy Sherman

Noelle really enjoyed the bounce house. :o)


Nathan had fun watching all the action.


I had more pictures to post (some of the adults in the family), but alas my battery is about to die. I'll try and get those posted in the next few days. (I know you'll all be holding your breath until then).
And now, off to Jacksonville, FL.

PS I also have to wait to post the pics of Noelle and Randy due to SLOW internet connection.