4 Hearts ABC's

07/10/2025

The start of my daughter Amberlea’s fundraising art. She’s working to earn her trip to Europe. Items will be available soon on Whatnot and here on Facebook.

07/07/2025

Tonight I’m kicking off my road trip WhatNot sales! Be sure to join me to see what I got on the road to share with all of you. 5:55pm PT
New to WhatNot? Great get the link and FREE money to spend!

Whatnot - The Live Shopping Marketplace. Shop, sell, and connect around things you love. Explore 250+ categories, including coins, sneakers, fashion, electronics, sports and Pokémon cards, fashion, plants, jewelry, and more. Join Whatnot today.

07/01/2025

In Seattle, WA with a different partner in crime. Came to drop off the RV, and why not play while we are here! Aquarium and Pike’s Market. I think the giant stingray was my favorite part! Oh and hanging with Jeff ❤️

06/28/2025

After another long drive we made it home to OR last night. It was so good to see my hubby, kiddos and dogs! And oh how I missed my bed! 🤣 Now to unpack and clean the RV.

06/27/2025

Yesterday we visited Jackson, WY. Did some shopping, rode in a stagecoach, and grabbed some lunch. Cute little tourist town! Then we went up the road to see the Grand Tetons. Our last Etna was last on our list of places to see. Almost 40 years ago my husband’s parents brought him to Etna, WY and this is what inspired our trips to find the other Etnas. We ended the day driving into ID.

06/26/2025

Yesterday we did a lot of driving! Leaving NE and made it into WY.

06/25/2025

Yesterday on our way out of IA we stopped in “Antique City”, then made our way to NE. Shopping, rain and the road.

06/24/2025

Yesterday we drove to IA to have dinner with my sister and her family. It was so nice to see where she lives and catch up! Oh and I got to see her cute dog that I always say I’m taking with me 🥰

06/23/2025

Yesterday we spent the day in MN. Took Caleb to see my Daddy’s grave for the first time. Met with two of my sisters and went to a car show and then to the Mall of America.

06/23/2025

Yesterday we drove to Etna, IL., Effingham and then to WI. But before we could leave IL. I needed to get out and walk a bit, what better way than find an amazing antique store! This place was so large and had so many cool things to see!

06/22/2025

So far this trip I have focused on one side of my ancestors, but today while in Illinois we planned a special stop for Caleb. This stop deserves its own post!
75 years ago Caleb’s Great Grandmother gave birth to a little boy in this Effingham hospital. Back then they kept the babies in the nursery and the mothers in the maternity ward. Late at night, a fire started in the basement and soon in engulfed the whole hospital. None of the babies, including Caleb‘s great uncle survived that night. His great grandmother was one of the patients that were told to jump to save their lives and bravely did so. She was injured quite badly with multiple broken bones and unable to take care of my then five year old mother-in-law and her three sisters.
I think about what a strong woman she must have been, to have lost a child so unexpectedly and horrifically, and yet had such a fight to get better and be able to get back to her other children. But this horrific event would forever change who my mother-in-law would become.
Many years ago, I came to the conclusion that we are all here for a reason and once we have fulfilled our purpose, we are called home. And I wonder when I see a situation like this, what is the reasoning? Why would an infant be brought into the world for just mere hours, just to be tragically and horrifically taken away? Today as I googled the hospital fire to make sure I was going to the right location, I read an article about how this fire changed fire codes and safety measures all throughout the United States. So when I see a doorway to the staircase in buildings, I will always think of that precious newborn baby boy and his courageous mother and the sacrifices they made to better the world and make it a safer place.

06/21/2025

Yesterday we started down the road and saw one of these churches from the road, quickly got off and ended up seeing many!! Then back on the road to find Etna, OH and Etna, IN (which ended up only being a road🤣) Ended our day going to Gary, IN to see the Great Lakes.