I can no longer....

....procrastinate and put off FALL!!! Like it, or not, it is definitely here---it was about 38 degrees when I went to the gym this morning @6:30!!

My problem isn't fall, I actually LOVE fall...the changing leaves, a chill in the air (just enough to wear a sweater), tailgating before the home football games, kids back in school, pumpkins and so much more! It's what follows fall that I have a problem with....SNOW/GRAY SKIES/SLICK ROADS/FREEZING TEMPERATURES....you know, WINTER!

So, for now I will just sit back, relax, and enjoy FALL! Two things that accompany fall in our house are a bowl full of beautifully colored gourds and pumpkins and a "Farmer's Market" Yankee candle---it smells yummy, just makes you feel like fall!! (My very favorite Yankee candle "Harvest" was discontinued and replaced with "Farmer's Market"...I was skeptical at first, but the aroma is very much the same, all "spicy" and "fall!"

A Smile...

Smiling is infectious, you catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too.
I passed around the corner, and someone saw my grin
When he smiled I realized I'd passed it on to him.
I thought about that smile, then I realized its worth,
A single smile, just like mine, could travel round the earth.
So, if you feel a smile begin, don't leave it undetected
Let's start an epidemic quick, and get the world infected!
Everyone needs a smile!These smiles make me HAPPY!!! :0)

Look who's in....

PRESCHOOL!!! The little guy we used to call "Baby L" is growing up way too fast, and last week he started preschool!!! His Mommy reports that he loves it! He cried the first day when she picked him up---he didn't realize that he would get to go back the next day!!! That is a sure sign of someone that had a terrific first day of school!! :0)

I know I'm very prejudiced, but I just think he is adorable!!!

Have you ever seen a "Pumpkin Tree?"

Here it is....

"K" and "R" have a prolific pumpkin crop this year! One of the pumpkin plants crept out of their yard and through their fence and up a tree in their neighbor's yard!!

This "not so small" pumpkin has become a real attraction in the neighborhood! The picture doesn't do it justice---it's REALLY BIG to be hanging in a tree!!

The "Champion"...

The highlight of our fun weekend at the lake over Labor Day was the "First Annual Labor Day Olympics!" There were participants from all 6 cabins in Jamie and John's "cabin neighborhood." We had 18 teams and 10 events. Some of the events:

*badminton

*chipping the golf ball into the center of the floating inner tube

*bolo ball (or Hillbilly golf) see below:

*horseshoes

*kayak race

*water balloon toss

*marshmallow on a spoon race

And....others, too numerous to mention (plus, I can't remember!!) :0) So, after the Olympics they added up each team's points and awarded 3 medals---gold, silver and bronze. Then the three teams with the most points had to compete in "The Amazing Race" to and follow directions and find clues that would lead them to the TROPHY!

"A" was paired with one of the three college boys at the lake--Jamie was also on their team--and they "rocked" as "A" would say!!! They won the Silver medal and also won The Amazing Race!! He was SOOOOOOO excited, he actually slept with this trophy!!!

What a FUN weekend for the kids, and us "old folks" too!! :0) We are already looking forward to the "2nd annual" next year!

Our "Little Putter"....

Sarah just sent this picture of "L" playing putt-putt...his VERY favorite thing to do. They have a course near them that has "real" grass on the fairways and greens, and "real" sand in the bunkers!! "L" would like to go every single day...he's developed a love of the game at an early age!!

Feelin' creative....

I've been doing some scrapbooking the past few days! I haven't done much this summer, and it is fun to get back into it. I might just have do some more tomorrow!! :0)

A little cabin in the woods....

....is where we spent the weekend! Jim's Dad built this cabin (honestly, with his two hands)!! We don't get there very often because it is a 5 1/2 hour drive from our home, but we decided it was time to trek to the wilderness in the central part of the state for a weekend...and, to check out the cabin. Jim has such fond memories of the cabin, he "lived" there in the summers for many, many years. It it very charming, as little cabins go!! Turning off the "main" highway for the L O N G curvy road to Warm Lake (it seems more like "126" miles! OK, so I lied..there is this one straight stretch in the whole 26 miles!! :0)We wound "round and round" and "up and over" a very tall mountain!!! Then, we came to an area that was destroyed by a wild fire two years ago. The devastation was surreal---it felt like we were in a Will Smith movie scene!! :0(YIPEE, we finally arrived... We did have indoor plumbing....this is from the "olden days" when Jim was little!! :0) Poor kid!!We took two long walks while we were there....so much incredibly beautiful scenery, and SO quiet, it really "refreshes and recharges" the soul!! We don't go back often, but we do need to get there with the grandchildren!! So much to explore, they will LOVE it!!


**One footnote, the very first evening we were there we broke the TV!!! :0( Now, I'm sure you're thinking "Why in the world would you watch TV when you are in the woods to commune with nature??" Well, just let me tell you, when it gets dark, it is VERY dark (and quiet) and a little TV just makes it feel a little more like home, (plus we have "Dish Network" so we feel obligated to use it since we are paying for it!!) The television and video player (VHS) is all in one machine...we put in the tape, "The Red Violen," settle down with a glass of wine...ready for a nice, quiet evening. Well, the tape gets stuck, the TV won't work, and BOOM---we do, indeed, get our nice, QUIET evening!! :0)