Quick Pics

Just time to post a couple of quick pics of what's been going on around here:
If you couldn't tell, this little sweetie has won his heart...

Giggles for grandpa

Olivia found Aunt Melissa's Barbie stuff, she thought it was pretty cool.

Reading stories to his favorite girlies

This is a coat tree we made for a friend who just had a baby...jungle theme nursery. We've done a ton of these with different themes. Maybe we need to come up with something new.

It's way past time to get off the computer and get to bed--if the Bears will just hurry up and beat the Packers so it will be safe to go upstairs ;o)

Too Busy to Blog...But Not Too Busy for Some Football

Not sure how things got so crazy all of a sudden, but I boy have I been busy. This Tuesday starts our fall women's Bible study. I am very excited to have nearly 30 ladies between the morning and evening groups. We are doing Priscilla Shirer's One in a Million and so far I LOVE it. Got some stuff left to prep for Tuesday...better get busy on that!!! We started a new small group tonight that met at our house. I think it will be a great group. I just finished a week long marathon scrap project for a friend's baby shower. Unfortunately I finished so late the night before that I didn't get to take any pics. I took the day off Saturday to attend the Beth Moore simulcast, it was so good. One of the best ever and was worth every moment!

One thing we almost always find time to do is Friday night football. We are die-hard fans, at nearly every game. We have sat through some really crappy weather over the years but this year has been BEAUTIFUL so far! A friend took this picture Friday night of Grammy and her favorite 3 year old! I love it!



Time to stop playing on the computer and get to bed...two sweet little girlies come early in the morning and grandpa is going on a business trip so I'm gonna need all the rest I can get!

Hog Days...It's Time to Come Home Again

We went to my hometown of Kewanee, Il for the big Hog Days celebration held every year over the Labor Day weekend. The town's claim to fame is being the Hog Capitol of the World...seriously.

The highlight of the celebration is that most of our family gathers there...but the pork chops grilled in the center of town are a close second.

Mmmm good!

Don't ask me why, but my family has always parked in the funeral home parking lot several hours prior to the parade and had a pork chop picnic. Olivia pulled up her chair and chowed on a pork chop sandwich of her own. Everyone loved the pink piggie cupcakes too!

My nephew Noah's creative kettle corn bowl

And a creative use for a lawn chair while we waited and waited and waited for parade time

Gotta have a little cotton candy too!

Finally time to raise the giant flag so the parade can begin. Olivia really liked this huge flag.

The parade finally begins

There was alot of flag waving...especially by this cutie!

Loved the old fire truck

What's a parade without a Shriner or two (or twenty)

I always love the bagpipes

We're still watching and waving. Surprisingly I don't have any pics of tractors or princesses. My daughter-in-law kept count--44 tractors and 60 something princesses or queens. Sheesh!

This was how Olivia watched some of the parade. She said: "I will just cover my eyes". Then she would peak through her fingers.

This is an example of some of the things she did NOT want to see

She did however like the bulldogs dressed like pigs. Only in Kewanee :o)

Sweet baby Ella did great too! No pork chops yet, but she liked the parade (at least the part she didn't sleep through!)

One of my favorite pics of the day...this girl already knows how to take in a parade!

It was a fun family weekend...already looking forward to next year!

Our Very Busy Day!

Our sweet granddaughters are here for the day. It is gloriously cool and sunny and beautiful! After a little sweet talking Olivia convinced her grandpa to get her new tire swing hung this morning. They had a fun trip to the hardware store where they sat in all the chairs and had a sucker. Then she and grandpa had some fun swinging.



We also made pink piggie cupcakes to take to the Hog Days Parade tomorrow :o) Olivia was in charge of noses!

She took her job very seriously. She is pretty meticulous when it comes to her crafts...especially food crafts!

A little quality control


Would you like one?

Makin' pig faces :o)

Finished product!

Then Olivia and I headed off to her first day of preschool all by herself.

I am happy to report there were no tears from Olivia or Grammy, although it is hard for me to believe that my baby girlie is big enough to go off to school.

I came home to find Grandpa and Ella enjoying the beautiful day on the porch!

Time to run...little Ella just woke up from a short nap and it is almost time to get our big girlie who is planning to "have a cold, cold popsicle with grandpa" when she gets home!

30 Years Ago Today

30 years ago today our lives changed. Dramatically. For the good. When God sent this precious blonde haired boy to make us a family.


And now he is 30. And I am old. And he has his own beautiful family. And we are so proud of the husband and father he has become. (And we like that they are all dressed in Cubby blue)!

Happy Birthday Tom...we love you!