Halloween 2009

Well, what do you do on Halloween with a bunch of great kids who are to old to go trick-or-treating???? You throw a party of course! With Bonfires, Carmel apples, fog machines, really loud music, crazy games and fantastic costumes . . . they're already planning next years event!

Mark and I are just so proud of how wonderful these kids and their choices in friends are.

That's Hannah as the Queen of Hearts, Gus as The Riddler, Ryan as Two Face, Ryan's friend Sophia is a Muse (I asked if she knew what that was . . . she told me "someone who plays music" . . . I love teens!).

Ryan's Bass . . .

A quick update on Ryan's music; he is in the advanced Orchestra this year in school, and is First Chair with his Bass. I don't have a pic right now, but will get one on here soon. I just wanted to update everyone on how fantastic he's doing.

Hannah & her Guitar . . .

Hannah has taken on the music world this year as well. I bought her her first guitar a year ago for her birthday and she has been taking lessons ever since . . . her teacher says she is great and of course I think so too! I'm amazed at how much she can learn in only a year. She is too shy to sing in front of other people yet, but she's talking about joining choir next year so I think it's coming - I can't wait to hear her play and sing.
Here she is a year ago when I bought her the guitar, and the next picture is of her and her teacher.

Gus's choir concert

Gus has always proven himself a musician, but this year he has really gone speeding ahead with his progress. His beloved piano teacher Miss Elaine retired this year and Gus took that little break in his efforts towards piano to take on a few new instruments; so far this year he has bought and taught himself the Ukulele, the Bass Guitar, & the Harmonica; and he is now working on his voice! He's in Choir, and Music Composition & Theory in school, and was just invited to join the Advanced Men's Choir as well.

We were very proud to attend his first Choir concert this month and are looking forward to several more this year. Here are some pics of that day!

Grandkid update . . .

Trinity lost a tooth . . . and is still most beautiful little girl in the world!

HOMECOMING 2009 ! ! !

"Beauty is not caused. It is. " Emily Dickinson

We have the most beautiful kids, both inside and out, but when they clean up . . . man do they look good! You know, these kids are really great. Mark and I had so much fun on Saturday helping them get ready for their school dance.

This was Gus's first dance and he was intent on being the perfect boyfriend and doing everything just right . . . he did, he was the star. And boy did he look great doing it!

Hannah of course had to pick this moment in time to try hair extensions for the first time, and the search for the perfect shoes covered every shoe store in three towns . . . but it was worth it, she's the most beautiful girl in the world.

Ryan put in his two cents worth wherever he could and Mark again posed with kids who towered over him -he's just the best dad making all of this fun in our lives possible.

A busy fall . . .

Coming together is a beginning;
keeping together is progress;
working together is success.- Henry Ford

I haven't posted much lately, we've been so busy around here as a family. We're renovating the upstairs of the farm house for Hannah and Gus, it'll look great when we are done. Drywall is in and painting going on now, then carpet and new furniture, I'll take some pics then.
The other HUGE project around here is my new chicken coop, LOL, we've been almost 4 weeks building it and probably have another 2 to go (I estimated that it would take a weekend). The kids have been working their tails off, I swear Hannah could become a building contractor! She is so smart when it comes to figuring out how to put something together, and can she use the power tools!!!

Well, we will have it done in time for our annual BBQ . . .

. . . which by the way is October 17th! If you haven't received an invitation yet, call me to make sure that I have your correct address. See you there!

Here are some pics of the "Coop de Ville" in progress: