Out and About (again)

I got up this morning while it was still dark, hopped in the shower, and got ready for a drive through the countryside. Joe and I each poured ourselves a cup of coffee and set out a little before 8 am. It was a gorgeous day to take a drive and see what was left of the colors of autumn. I dropped Joe off at his place at nine, turned around, and headed back "from whence I'd come."

The little diner where I'd gotten soft serve pumpkin ice cream on Friday afternoon was closed. So was that antique shop I always want to stop in. I drove on past the Dunkin Donuts where I "always" stop to use the restroom, but I did make several roadside stops to snap a photo here and there.

Not too far into my journey home, I turned off the main road to find my friend Della from 18 Under One Roof and stopped in for a visit with her. She offered me coffee, but I was already coffeed up from my drive and opted for a visit to the lavatory and have a glass of water instead. I met a few of Della's 16 children and had some nice conversation with Jon who was snuggled down on the couch with a very furry and friendly kitten whose name I don't recall, probably because the list of things they call her was too long to remember.

When I got home I was too sleepy to wash my Monday bedding, so I checked my computer and then curled up on the couch with one of Mom's afghans and took a nice long nap. When I was all nicely rested, I got up and stripped the bed. Don't you just love fresh, clean sheets?

October Gathering

It was a nice day for a family gathering, even if it was cold and somewhat wet outside, even if I did forget to get Ben's coffee and even if Jakie did spill the cup he eventually did get. It was a good day even if Dave did sleep through most of the afternoon.

I made regular chili and James made green chili stew. We had sopaipillas with honey and apple pie a la mode. Leta brought a pumpkin cake and there was plenty of coffee for the big people.

There were football teams on TV, children playing Hungry Hippos, and a few "time outs". I think everyone had fun even if Lucas did say it wasn't a "fun day".

I think I should sleep good tonight.

(Tomorrow morning I'll get up early and take Joe back to school, and then maybe I'll find a friend on the way home.)

Family Ties

We took Josiah out to meet his new nephew this afternoon. I'm always blessed to watch my boys hold these brand new family members with "relative" ease.










What a bunch of goofball kids I have! Maybe I did something right after all, and then again, maybe they just take after the other family goofballs. There are plenty to choose from, on all sides.

Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch

I had a few wild children on the way home from finding Uncle Joe this afternoon, but then again, they did fall asleep on the way there and I did sugar them up on the way home...

First we stopped at Dunkin Donuts and found some tasty treats, and then we went across the street and found something else sweet and yummy. (It was Della's fault. She mentioned the soft serve pumpkin ice cream and it was scrumptious! Hmm... I do have to take Joe back to school again, and that means I'll have to drive past that ice cream shop again...)

 Hey! I'm getting pretty good at this grandma thing. Don't you think?

Cooking Up Something Good

I managed to get through the day with three children without feeling like a crazed lunatic. Perhaps the knowledge of wild hormones has helped. There was still fighting, yelling, and biting, but at least I wasn't doing it. ha ha!

Rice Crispy Cookies were on the schedule today.

 Those backyard bonfires of summer left us with an abundant supply of marshmallows. We made two batches of cookies, I sent an unopened bag home with the kids, and I still have three bags left. Maybe one day a few of them will end up in a cup of hot chocolate or some No-Bake Cookies.

Tomorrow we're taking a drive to find Uncle Joe and bring him home for the weekend. We're packing a lunch and we might even stop at Dunkin Donuts on the way home.

Return Visit

One visit to the hospital to visit a new baby is never enough, especially if the baby has to be shared with multiple relatives, so Hannah and I picked up Bethany today and made a return trip. He even had his eyes open! There is nothing quite like a brand new baby, especially a new grandbaby.






Hannah is my Baby Whisperer, quiet and calming. She has nothing but love and adoration for each and every new baby we welcome into our clan, and they always feel the love. I can't wait to see how the bond between this little boy and his Aunt Hannah grows. She is truly inspiring.





Bethany didn't make it to the hospital yesterday. Today was her first meeting with her newest nephew. It is a beautiful thing to watch my children interact with our new babies. Tender kisses, gentle hugs, and sweet caresses are given in abundance. I'm so blessed to have managed to catch a few of those moments on my camera today.




I couldn't go home without a picture of the new family, so Nate climbed up onto the bed beside his beautiful bride with his tiny son in his arms. They are all smiles and blessed beyond measure. It's hard to believe my little guy is really a daddy, but it's looking good on him so far.

Awww.... :)

He tiny, he's sleepy, and he's adorable. His daddy looks tired and his mommy can't keep the smile off her face. He already has more than enough people to love and we are going to have to practice sharing all over again.

Happy Birthday, Baby Boy! (Updated version)

Yeah! He's finally here. It was a very long and exhausting day for the new mommy and daddy. "Grueling" he called it, but little Spencer finally made his appearance at about 4:15 this morning. I have no stats and no stories. That'll come later.

Spencer James weighed in at 7 pounds 2 ounces and is approximately 20 inches long. I'm hoping to get a peek at him later this evening. Stay tuned.

Waiting on Someone...

The time of arrival has... arrived. Prayerfully there will soon be a small bundle snuggled in his mommy's arms. Sabrina is in labor and so we wait for little Spencer to be born and pray.

In the meantime, a family photo album, just because...

Our oldest son Jim lives in Minnesota with his beautiful wife and curly haired boy.

Dave and his small tribe of warriors live in the same town as we do.
He and Leta have 2 boys and a little girl.

Bethany and her husband live a couple town over with their two boys. 

(This is last fall's family photo. Jakie has hair now.)

Joe is going to going to college about an hour south of here.

 Nate and and his wife live in Rochester and are eagerly awaiting their first baby. 

He'll be here any minute.

 Ben works in a collision shop about a half hour away and has his own apartment.

His girlfriend Morgan is helping him fill out forms for college classes.
They enjoy hanging out together in their spare time.

Hannah has taken on a weekly babysitting job which keeps her busy. 

She enjoys hanging out with Sergio and sometime his little brother too.

Seven kids, seven grandkids.

Foot Loose

The back section of our roof is bad, really bad. It's not the ideal time of year to pull off a section of roof, but that's what's happening. It's old, it's rotten, and My Darling isn't even sure it would have held up under a heavy winter snowfall, so off it came.

To prove the point, he acci- dentally miss stepped and put his foot through the kitchen ceiling. He almost caught the wall underneath but missed instead. Thankfully the damage is limited to near the back entrance.

 Look! Now we have a skylight. I've always liked skylights. But somehow I doubt this one will stay.

Perhaps Betsy will be relieved to know she isn't the only one with a mess in her kitchen. I swept up the dirt, dust, insulation, and bits of shingle that were on the floor this afternoon, but I'm preparing myself for more mess in the days to come. I don't think the roof or the hole in the ceiling will get fixed without more mess in the process. Good thing we have a nice collection of shop-vacs.

Step On It

My Darling is getting a few outside projects done before winter sets in. It's late in the season, getting cold fast, and threatening rain, but they're tasks he had on his to-do list this year and we're running out of time. Yesterday he tore apart the railing on our front steps. Today he replaced it and it's looking pretty spiffy.

It would be really great if we had a few weekdays of unexpected warmth and dry weather so he could work on the back roof, and a buddy or two to help might be good also. Last week's forecast called for a lot more rain than it actually delivered. Maybe this next one will be the same.

Finally Friday

I kept the little ones inside this morning so that they could completely obliterate the house before we headed outside for the

afternoon. It literally looked like the toy cabinet had exploded, spewing its contents all over the living room. I took solace in the fact that the last time it looked like a tornado had blown through they actually got it all cleaned up and put away by themselves. Hunger will do amazing things... especially with little boys. I learned that with mine. "Don't use food as rewards and punishment," say the experts, and I have to wonder if they ever had children.Lunch time is always a great incentive.

After lunch we headed out into the sunshine and found it to be a bit colder than I'd anticipated, but I'm too stubborn to drag my winter coat out of hiding just yet. The kids don't even appear to notice when it gets cold, probably because they never hold still long enough to cool off. I searched out spots in the yard that were either sunny or sheltered from the lake breeze since I didn't feel up to bouncing on the "wampoween."

Just before my daughter in law's return, we took a walk out to the back corner of the yard where our property meets up with the orchard, the same spot where I let Rocky pick apples last fall. (Hey! It was exactly a year ago!) I let the kids each pick three apples, one to eat and two to put in a bag to take home, then I took a couple of pictures.

PS. Our seventh grandchild is due tomorrow. Prayers for Nate and Sabrina are appreciated.

Shedding Some Light

Truth be told, I'd rather bake pies than dust... However, it appears some dusting may be in my future. Sunlight has a way of bringing into view things that remain hidden in the shadows.

Ah... too many life application lessons there. My poor tired little brain isn't quite up to pondering, sorting, and putting all that into words today. I've been finding sleep elusive and unwanted thoughts keep bouncing about in my mind all night long keeping me awake. (Don't you hate when that happens?) Today both granchildren and sleepiness kept me from dusting. For now you can rest assured that if your house isn't spotless, you are in good company.

I took the kids for an orchard walk today. Nothing soothes the soul quite like an autumn walk through the orchard. I could be dusting underneath chairs and other furniture, but I think perhaps I'll build a fresh pie for tonight's gathering over at my friend Brenda's house.