Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween

Look what came knocking on our door around lunch time! A beautiful princess accompanied by 2 handsome knights and a very darling dragon.
I wonder what they want? The 2 knights are exploring their goodies.
I can't even get the princess to look away from her treats.
But I did catch them with some pretty silly lips!
A jack o lantern pizza made a pretty tasty lunch.
Look at the yummy ghost coming out of the haunted house...
I think he is a tasty treat!

Yum!
Happy Halloween!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Cooper and Grandma Day

Yesterday Jackson had his 2 month check up. He weighs a whopping 15 pounds 11 ounces. {Just checked and he is 2 pounds bigger than his brother was and we thought he was big!} Anyway, Jessica dropped Cooper at my house to spend some time with Grandma. He arrived at 8:30 and we began our time with breakfast {and a little candy}. Then on to watching a Halloween show, playing with blocks, fire trucks, and more. I was getting tired of playing and it was a beautiful day so I suggested the park. We have a fun little park right at the top of our street. So we packed up a snack and off we went.

Here is Cooper with his snack. I decided we should eat first, before the sandbox. {smart grandma}
He likes to dig and also throw the sand. No one to throw it at so it wasn't as much fun.
He likes the slide and I hope his mommy notices how nicely he is going down. He went down the other slide rather quickly and didn't really like it. He's usually pretty cautious.
I took Cooper home after lunch and hoped that Jessica had gotten a nap. No such luck - maybe next time!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Pumpkin Patch Fun

It is a beautiful day in Texas - sunny and crisp -75. Just a perfect day to pack up the grandchildren and head to the pumpkin patch. We had brunch at our house today and then planned to go take some pictures at the pumpkin patch. Ben really wanted to ride with Grandma and Grandpa, then Cooper and Elizabeth wanted to also. The problem is my car only has 2 car seats - so we tried lots of negotiating and bribes for various ride combos, but they weren't buying it. Of course we love the fact that they want to come with us, but what to do? Luckily Laura had Elizabeth's booster seat in her car, and after much moving of junk {aka Christmas shopping} out of my car look who we have in the waaay back!Here are the 2 boys in the regular Grandma car seats.
A full car - but lots of chatter all the way to the pumpkin patch.
Ben has found some pumpkins.
Elizabeth and Cooper.
Benjamin and Elizabeth - sweet picture.
Laura and Tom's beautiful family.
Jessica and Ryan's turn.
The best we could get of the 4. We have our appointment this week to get pictures in their costumes - I should sell tickets to watch us trying to get these 3 looking and smiling at the same time. They are challenging - unlike their mothers - just point a camera at them and they would pose!
They had little tractors to ride. I love how Elizabeth is helping her little brother.
Cooper can't quite reach the pedals.
Let's not forget the littlest pumpkin - Jackson. Aren't those the best cheeks? Very good for kissing.
2 boys - no other words necessary.Our cautious Elizabeth.
Arms full of love.
Cowgirl Elizabeth looking cute.
Her brother Ben. {love the ears}
Jackson had to get in on the fun.
Such a fun picture of Cooper.
Driving the old tractor.


And that's it! A new record for pictures in a post. I didn't even include the brunch pictures, I will save those for Thursday, if I decide to participate in TT. {Tablescape Thursday}

It was a perfect day for a trip to the patch - and it was fun to get to go along with the kids. This is why we moved here after all!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

It's Fall Y'All

It has been raining for days in Texas. Welcome to fall!! We don't get pretty colors, we get rain, and then the leaves turn brown and fall off. I'm glad they are still on the trees, it isn't very pretty here when they are gone. I have been doing a very little fall decorating and thought I'd share. Here's the front of the house - see all that orange? All I did was 4 little pumpkins for my 4 little pumpkins.
Now it's a little closer and you can see the pumpkins.

My front door decoration lost a few sunflowers during its time in the attic. I'll have to add a few next year. It isn't until you take pictures of your house or yard that you see all the things that could be made better. I try to take pictures every year of the things I do, then I can see all the changes I should make in the future.
The above pictures are all of the front door area - the door hardly anyone uses. This is the kitchen door on the side of the house. The driveway goes right by it so usually everyone uses this door. I don't usually decorate here, but thought I'd do these pumpkin "things". I don't think they qualify as topiaries, they are just a wreath and a pumpkin. But they add a touch of fall to the place most people see. I like to sit on that bench as the grandchildren ride bikes or play with bubbles and chalk on the driveway.
I'll try and clean up the inside and take a few pictures of my few things. I don't do a lot for fall - lots of pumpkin candles and that's about it! Hopefully I can get some pictures of the cute little pumpkins that visit me!!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Fall at the Cabin

After we finished up in Chicago, we headed to Wisconsin. First we spent the night at Bob's folks new place (no pictures) and then on to the cabin. This first picture is from the first or second year we bought the cabin (fall of 2006). Very simple, but very sweet. It fits our family perfectly.Bob went to play golf and I had to capture just a little of the fall colors. We missed the peak by about a week I think. Last year we were up for Bob's niece's wedding in mid October and just missed the peak again. (this year too early and last year too late- next year maybe just right!)
It was still very lovely at the golf course and I'm glad Bob got a chance to play a round.

This picture is our beaver lodge - right at the end of our dock. Isn't it great? I want to start taking some pictures yearly to see if they put any "additions" on their lodge. We have about 2 acres, 1 acre is wooded - for now! They have done quite a bit of damage.
This is a picture of the lake - the day we arrived it was so calm, warm, and sunny. The water is like glass, but not a lot of color in the trees.
This is the cabin as we left it this year. Notice the 2 tone stain job. We planned to stain the front of the cabin before we left, but it was not nice weather at all. We did that little bit in the drizzle. It was so bare there that we really needed to get some stain on before the snow piles up. Hope the neighbors don't mind looking at that all winter.
Thought I'd add 2 pictures from last fall, taken in mid October. Still very pretty.
Can't wait to get back next summer. We really enjoy our time there and know we are very blessed to have it!

Last of the Chicago Trip


We were lucky enough to stay in the beautiful suite pictured in the previous posts, and we were also treated to a little, but very cute "snack" every afternoon around 4:00.

First up, always a favorite with us - a bottle of wine. This came every day.
I didn't take a picture everyday, but I did get 3 of the 5 days. This one was so good to look at that we didn't even want to eat it! So simple really, but the presentation is beautiful. I think I could do this, although I'm sure I never will!
Fruit smoothies
Little sandwiches
The rest of the pictures are just some random shots to finish off this trip. I wish I had gotten a picture of Amy and Jim and Bob's folks. I know some were taken of them, but I guess they weren't on my camera.

I did get a picture of our good friends Linda and John. We went out to dinner with them this evening on a boat on Lake Michigan. They are from Kansas and we don't get to see them as often as we would like, but our friendship goes back 25 years and is very special to us.
On our first day with Laura and Tom and the kids we went to lunch at the Eleven City Diner. (I don't think that is the exact name, but I am too lazy to look it up) The diner was fun and the food was good.

On the way back to the hotel, we walked to the park on the lake. There is a sculpture of legs - lots of them, the kids had a blast running in and out of all the legs.
A quick shot of the family near the lake. You can see the sculpture in the background.
And finally, a shot of us. We had to go to a "dinner" every night and I think this is the first evening's attire. It's the only picture I had taken of the 2 of us. The rest must be on someone else's camera.

These are the last of the pictures of our trip. We left Chicago and headed to our cabin for a few days of R and R.