it's time to catch up!

I can't believe how long it's been since I've updated my blog. Time has gone too quickly these past couple of months. Because I missed out on blogging several things, this is going to be a potpourri of pics. Enjoy!


Wayne did a lovely job with our garden this year. He even got onions to grow larger than a golf ball. (We have never been able to get good sized onions before.) This was the largest one, it is 7" across. Wayne was so excited. We also grew wonderful potatoes, carrots, lemon cucumber, tons of beets, deliciously sweet corn, peas, and voluntary cilantro from last year. Of course we had more tomatoes than we knew what to do with. Bradley grew a very successful pumpkin patch for us. We had pumpkins lining half the side walk up to our door. It was great!

This was our other terrific success this year. We had the most beautiful raspberries and blackberries this year! It made a lot of wonderful jam, and other desserts. I did get tired of picking the berries though.

This beautiful dress was given to Elli by her Aunt Kerly and Uncle Steve for her birthday. She looks so fancy and likes to dress up in it for church. Thanks Kerly!!

Bradley enjoyed carving several of the pumpkins he grew. We did have our annual pumpkin carving party at my sisters house, we even made home-made donuts this year. They were awesome!

Halloween dinner consisted of mummy hot dogs, and the witches brew drink you see below.

Bradley was Snake Eyes, a GI Joe good guy. He ran around doing all kinds of ninja moves all evening.

Elli was our sweet little strawberry, which was perfect since she spent a good majority of the summer out in the strawberry patch eating anything that was ripe enough.

Elli has the cutest way of saying pumpkin, she says "monkinee". I think it's my favorite word!

Family Photo Shoot

These were all taken by Christy Hair of Cheapshots, my brother took the next few for us.

Kindermusik

On the last day of class, miss Cammy brought everyone antlers and dotted their noses like Rudolph. I can't say enough about kindermusik, Elli looked forward to every class. We aren't going this next semester because of RSV and flu season, and it makes me really sad. Elli is going to miss it terribly! She talks about Cammy at least once a day, usually several times a day. It has been a major contributor in her large motor and social development. I think we owe a lot of the progress she has made these past couple (ie: WALKING!!!!) to her involvement in kindermusik. I look forward to getting her back into it next fall.

Story time: that cute little boy in the orange check shirt is the sweetest little guy. He loved Elli and always wanted to hold her hand during circle times. He would sneak in as many hugs and kisses as he could too. So cute!!

Bradley was with us the day of her last class, so he did the rocking song with Elli. I think they both loved it!

Saying goodbye to her little friend. We will miss seeing him every week.

Miss Cammy, we love you!!

So, Bradley was having a ginger bread house contest for den meeting last week, and he begged me to help him do a castle. I wasn't sure how to pull it off, and was about ready to just do the regular house, but then I saw a box in our storage room that helped me visualize how I could make it work. (yes, I ended up doing to castle while Bradley was at school) We didn't get all the candy done, it will be a good weekend project!

This is one of the most exciting things for me. I haven't painted since my senior year in high school, nearly 20 years ago now. I finally got the nerve to take a painting class. This was the painting that I came home with. I still need to do a few touch ups, but I was really proud of myself. It was enormously fun to get back into painting!!!

One major event that I sadly didn't take any pictures of was Thanksgiving. We hosted the dinner in our almost finished basement. It was so much fun to have everyone down for the day. We almost had enough pies for each of us to eat our own, but they were absolutely delicious! Especially Marianne's key lime, WOW! Marianne also made darling place setting with tiny white pumpkins my dad grew. She painted names on them so we all knew where we were sitting. Wayne had cut our Christmas tree the weekend before, so I was able to get it up and decorated. The atmosphere was lovely, the food was amazing, and of course the company was perfect!

I will get some Christmas photos taken around the house and give our annual Christmas update soon. Thanks for your patience in letting me catch up on the last 2 months!