Feliz ano nuevo

2010 comes to an end at midnight. Addy and Emme are planning stay up to celebrate with noise makers, headbands and "goodies". I'm thinking we will celebrate with the British about 8pm CT.









The last several months we have been busy planning how to spend the winter. After studying many options, we came up with a partial plan. Thought about camping, but that idea grew too big as we went from "tent camping" to a new vehicle and a trailer. Too much change for this year. Finally found a cottage to rent for February on the Texas coast, and we will spend January and March mooching off friends and relatives as we travel. So far we have
spent time with the families of an aunt, 2 cousins, 1 niece, 2 brothers and 2 sons and a stop in Hot Springs Arkansas just driving to Texas. Also had breakfast with friends and attended a retirement party where we saw several former co-workers. Look out 'cause we might be headed YOUR way!







Backing up a little, after the family gathering in IL Labor Day, we returned to Freeland and finished the garden work. As we cleaned up the refrigerator to leave for the winter we found some interesting ways to use up produce. Even made pumpkin cookies, puree and soup from the pumpkins Addison and Emerson had painted Labor Day. YUM!
Roger began the project to finish the basement. Unfortunately I failed to take pictures of before so will only have "after" ones. It is looking quite nice. He paint/stained the floor and built walls, enclosed a closet and paneled the window and electric panel. Later he plans to paint the formed concrete walls.
In November Anne made another trip to Arizona to visit her sister and their mother. In amazingly good health, but with limited energy Mother celebrated 99 years of living on December 15th. We are hoping to celebrate 100 in 2011.
On Thanksgiving Anne fixed an easy but traditional Thanksgiving Dinner and Kate, Mike, Samuel, Dan. James and Kyla all joined us to be "stuffed". We had fun watching the kids and chatting, eating and watching parades and football.













So here we are ending one year and beginning another. I have often thought this past year about our friends in Mexico and all the other Peace Corps volunteers around the world and I feel we as a country do not give them the Thanks they deserve. It is as hard to put your life on hold, leave your comfortable home and family, learn another language and live in a new country in the effort to spread peace as it is to take up arms and fight a war. I know it is important to protect our country and our freedom, but MY wish for 2011 is that we can take a lesson from our Peace keepers, medical missionaries, habitat workers, Red Cross volunteers and others who work to find ways to live in harmony throughout the world.
From my Latin classes in 10th grade,

PAX

Summer 2010

We spent the end of July in TX with Addison and Emme while Andy and Kerry were both out of town. Had lots of grandparent time and fun. Went on a preschool field trip, swam in the backyard pool and cooked yummy meals together.






Back in MI to keep Samuel a few days and catch up on our own homeowner responsibilities. Lots of veggies to process and a new back yard to prepare.










Quick trip on my part to accompany Kerry to FL to take care of some family issues.


Two days with James in Novi including a day at the Detroit Zoo.








Then a great family vacation with our kids and grandkids in IL over Labor Day. What fun and great pictures! The cousins played very well together in spite of an almost 10 year age span. Andy and his family stayed on for the week and we did crafts, ran the golf hills, played mini golf and other relaxing things.



Walking Samuel across the street.




Finally a day trip to Novi to stay with Kyla for a day.







Home again to catch up and then back to TX for 10 days!

The end of September, back to Austin to stay with the girls. Andy and Roger went on an adventure to the "jungle" to swing in the trees (Canopy tour) like monkeys! I think they had a fun time! Maybe another time more of us can go.






This year our adventures included a lot of travel and family time.

Just thought I would catch up our post. It has been awhile.
We have been traveling some this summer,

Spent a weekend babysitting Kyla while her parents attended a wedding in May.

Also spent Mother's Day with my own Mother (98 1/2 years!) and my sister.

Also attended Samuel's baptism. He was quite the little man, interested but a little skeptical.










I went to a wedding in Denver.









We spent a week in Texas staying with our granddaughters while Andy and Kerry were simultaneously out of town. It was fun and challenging. The girls love to spend time in the pool and that requires fun attention of all adults. They were good though.




Dinosaur digging with Grandpa on the class field trip









Little Chef Emme







Today we went to Grand Rapids to the Chihuly glass exhibit at the Meijer Gardens. Amazing! Worth the trip.

Progress!

We have been making progress on the yard and the finishing touches on the house. The deck work started Friday and will be finished Monday. It will be great to grill out and sit on the deck and watch the birds and the garden growing. Grass is long enough to mow! What fun that is! At least the rider from Andy makes the job quicker ( of course there is no trim work needed around bushes, etc. yet)
Here are some pictures.

Garage floor finished!








Meanwhile we are fully enjoying being near some of our grandchildren and always planning the next visit to the others!

Samuel and Kyla had a play day Memorial Day Weekend.
Here are some random pictures. Check the previous post to view them.
Kyla; the Dancing Queen
Samuel sleeping at Dow Gardens
Both babies WORN OUT!
Playing on the floor. That is Samuel's pacifier Kyla is chewing. She even got HIS thumb in Her mouth. Don't know if the grownups laughed more or the babies!

Play Day

Projects

Another adventure project! Painting the garage floor.










From beginning





To end! Part one.

More adventures in Michigan

We have a navigation system for our car and have used it lately to travel within Michigan. It seems "he" likes to show us some circuitous routes. Last Monday we went to Holland to see the Tulips. Needless to say "Navi-man" made us wind around a number of roads to cross the state and then through the town to get to the farm. Good thing we have our own sense of direction and can read the signs!
The tulips were amazing. Just when you think you have seen all the colors, you turn to another section and find some that have been hiding behind others! Here are some of our favorites.










Meanwhile at home the yard is taking shape. Grass is coming up in the front yard, the veggies are getting planted at the appropriate times and some fruit trees are in the ground. We spread seed on the "hill" for a wildflower area










and will have a butterfly/hummingbird garden as soon as the patio is poured.

So the grass is planted in the front yard and the first of the bushes are in the ground. There are blackberries in the garden space and gooseberries on the side of the house. The gooseberries cost $5, the holes cost $50! Not bad?


This weekend is the Freeland Walleye Festival and the neighborhood has it's community wide garage sale. We decided to participate with the few things we had unpacked and wondered WHY we stored them. Made $30 the first day. Not bad when we normally would not do a garage sale.
Also discovered we are on the parade route. Just find a spot on our berm (the hill in the back yard) and enjoy the festivities. Then later we watched the fireworks from the driveway. Even Samuel liked it. Not too close for the noise to scar him and close enough he could see the flashes. What fun!