Summer Photo Wrap-up

The Rest of Christmas Day

Little Decorators

I only had time to decorate cookies myself before Christmas.  The kids patiently waited until a few days after to have their turn.  They did a beautiful job!  You should have seen how high the sprinkle piles were on a few of the cookies!  Not only did they look good, they tasted delicious.  Good job Layla and Julius!

Getting Spoiled at the Local Fire Department

When Beepaw and Damma were visiting from Missouri, they took the kids with them to run a few errands. As they passed the fire department which Beepaw used to belong to, they saw that they had all their trucks out on display. It didn't take long for the fire chief to offer the kids a ride on the brand new fire truck. Can you tell from their faces that they were in awe!

Of course Layla had to hop on the front of the truck and strike a pose, just like her great-grandma Carolyn! These kids are not shy of the camera, that's for sure. They had a blast, getting to ride the truck, blow the horn and sirens and run the lights. Thanks Beepaw and Damma for giving them such an adventure!

Last Day of Summer

Today we enjoyed our last summer day as a family. Nate reports back to work tomorrow. Today was a scorcher, so we decided to be away from the house as much as possible. We went and ate at Little Caesars and then cruised around town checking out twin mattresses. Julius is still in a toddler bed, but we feel he is no longer getting the quality sleep he needs because the bed is too small for him. Holy cow, mattresses are ridiculous! We looked at several stores and just priced things out. We'll save the spending lots of money for another day, lol!

Then this evening we packed up dinner and headed to the beach. We actually had to pay to get into the park because when we traded in our old van, we forgot to peel off the state park pass. Bummer. The lake was nice and cool. We enjoyed real turkey sandwiches, just like after Thanksgiving dinner, along with cucumbers, strawberries and lemonade. Thanks Mom for dropping off the fixings! It made the perfect beach dinner!

The lake helped us cool off enough that we could come home and face our hot house. I am looking forward to some cool, crisp air in the weeks ahead. And I really miss soup. I am ready for some good soups and chili. Hope you all are drinking up these last days of summer, too!

Last Summer Days

Our computer has not been working the best lately, so I haven't been able to blog. We are enjoying our last days of summer around here, as Nate returns to work next Tuesday. We definitely could use some routine around here, but I am always sad to see him go back to work. I think he is bummed, too!

But, the cool nights bring promises of fall. I love fall. Already some trees are starting to change a bit and the golden rod is bloomed, making country drives most enjoyable. I am ready for some cider and doughnuts! How about you?

A Break...Ahhh!

We have finally received a break from the heat. It is such a welcomed relief. We are still enjoying some warmer temperatures throughout the day, but the humidity is gone and the nights are very cool. The nights have even been cool enough to shut off some of the window fans.

I am always amazed at the end of a season how ready and excited I am for the next season. Now I am not ready to write off the remainder of the the summer. I still want to get in a few more days at the beach and some extra Vitamin D, but fall is such an amazing season and I look forward to it each year.

What are your favorite seasons and why?

Last of the Chicago Pics

We busted on the scene at Jeremy and Tonya's and invaded their small apartment with our rambunctious family. Many might be worried about how we fared in a tiny place with so many people (and animals), but really it wasn't bad at all. Jeremy and Tonya might feel differently! I bet their place felt like a mansion once we got our family and our stuff out of there.

I love being in a smaller place because it always reminds me of how little we can actually get by with. I read some articles recently on simple and small living that you might enjoy too.

But Will It Make You Happy?

Tiny House

Don't Leave!

When Houghton Lake was over and we arrived safely home, the kids were bummed to hear that Uncle Gilbo was going home. No, he's not really their uncle, but we all affectionately call him that. Julius asked if he could spend the night. Sorry, bud. Gilbo has to go home and go to work.

Houghton Lake 2010

For the past four years, our family and a whole handful of other friend's families have been heading up to Houghton Lake for a long weekend of fun. Jen's father kindly lets us overrun his beautiful lake-front home for a few days, and he and his wife even prepare all our meals for our rowdy gang. Through the years, our numbers have multiplied due to some fertility issues, and now the children are close to outnumbering the adults. By next year I am pretty sure they will take over.

This year's weather left us all wanting, but we still managed to have a great time and even sneak in a bit of swimming and boating. The stars every year are corn hole and various board and card games. The kids had a blast, too, but all the parents were always pleased when the kids were tucked snug in their beds. We aren't the rowdy group we used to be. Craig, Jen's dad, said we drank about a 1/4th of what we have in years past. And he would know. He bags up all the cans! What can I say, we are all getting older with more responsibility! And maybe a bit more sense!

Thanks Craig and Marie for pampering us so well for the weekend. Thanks Dave, Jen, Kate and Dave for planning and preparing such a special weekend for us. Thanks to the rest of the gang who was up there. We had a blast! See ya next year!