Everything Pumpkin

That time of year again when Pumpkin flavors are everywhere.
I always tell the grandkids to try it first before you tell me you don't like something. So that is what I am doing this year. Trying new pumpkin products I see.

As much as I love pumpkin there are some things that do not need to be pumpkin. Potato chips really - No.
I have had my fill of pumpkin beer and wine too. Oh yeah and pumpkin salsa. Gonna pass on them this year.
I can stand pumpkin air freshener for about 2 days - then I put it away. I have about 5 pumpkin candles (Gifts from people) that I still burn.

I thought everything pumpkin doesn't have to be sweets, right?  Changed my mind when I tried pumpkin Ravioli and pumpkin soup. Yuck... Though they may be better homemade. Not eating it.

Breakfast is where I get my main pumpkin fix.
Bread, English muffins, bagels along with pumpkin cream cheese and waffles, are all stocked up in the freezer. And it goes without saying that I love me some pumpkin coffee.
This year I found cereal, so I  of course I had to try them. Thumbs up on the mini-wheats, Our basement looks like a episode of extreme couponing I bought me some extra. I was disappointed on the Special K and Life. I'll have to use the rest of these to make crusts for my pumpkin cheesecake.
Pumpkin Oatmeal - people, just put some pumpkin puree in your oatmeal and save the money on the flavored ready made stuff. Taste better too.
Bryan found some Pumpkin butter for me that is super good on toast.
I do like a pumpkin donut once in awhile, but I am not sorry to see them go at the end of the season.

I pass right by the pumpkin cakes. My sister Vicki has the best recipe anywhere. I make my own pumpkin cookies and muffin and cheesecake.  I do have to stock up on canned pumpkin.
I do prefer store bought pumpkin pie though.

I also tried a few new ice creams. Pumpkin Pie ice cream is better than just pumpkin flavor (I didn't finish the carton). And I don't usually eat ice cream. Ha.

I do eat pumpkin yogurt and pudding - add a little pecans and some whip cream Yummy...

So I will continue to try new pumpkin flavored products when I find them.

Grandparents Day

Mike and I went to visit with Roger and his class for Grandparents Day.

It started with breakfast and a ceremony put on by the 8th grade class. Then we headed to the church for a "Guardian Angel" mass.
Each kindergartner is assigned to an 8th grader through the school year to help guide them through the mass. Roger got a cute 8th grade girl. After mass the 8th graders pinned an angel to the shirt of their assigned student and then walked them back to their classroom.

 There are only 17 students in Roger's class. Here is his teacher Mrs. Brewster. Roger is assigned to #5 (for everything) - His seat on the rug is right smack dap in the corner, by the door. Check out the uniform. No arguing in the morning about what to where to school.

Doing the calendar for the day

He then showed us his desk and the things he was learning.

We couldn't leave without a tour of the classroom (which is small). There is learning tools and student artwork everywhere around the room, including hanging from the ceiling.
Again his backpack and coat and all things personal are stored in #5 cubbyhole.

Roger was so excited to see us and show us around. Mike and I were more excited to be there.

Pumpkin Farms

I love all the changing seasons.

In the fall I love the colors, the crisp air, the falling leaves, football games, and pumpkin farms.

We got to spend a Saturday night with the older grandkids traveling through a corn maze. Mike was the keeper of the map and even though it took us an hour - we made it thru the whole thing.

That really is us coming out of the last trail. There was 2 and we did them both We are not just posing for this picture at the exit.

There was a young boy who had gotten separated from his family and so he joined our group. Turns out he saw Mike's USMC t-shirt. He told Mike that his sister is in the Marines now. She is stationed at Cherry Point. Mike walked out and met his Mother and Aunt and told them he was at Cherry Point too.

Then we got to spend a Sunday with the younger grandkids at Goebberts. This place just keeps getting bigger . It;s been a few years since we have visited.

First stop had to be the pumpkin eating dinosaur. Last time we were here Luke was just a baby and Roger was timid. Not this time... Not sure if they wanted to get closer or just climb the fence.

We spent a few dollars on feed for the animals in the petting tents and then decided to break for lunch before heading over to the Play area. Mary had packed sandwiches and snacks.

Mike can not pass up a roasted ear of corn. Ever!
Owen wanted a taste and then another and then another. Pretty sure he just wanted the butter. He loves his butter.

Sharing with Owen

After lunch we head on over to where all the action is.
They have so much for kids to do here and so many kids running around. Crazy!!
We didn't have to worry about spending more money on camel rides or horse rides. The boys were happy just running around from playground to climbing haystack to hay tunnels.

Owen running to Daddy

When we left (after 2 1/2 hours) there was still more people coming in. Cops were out directing traffic. Guys were pushing out cars that were stuck in the mud in the fields. I was just glad we were on our way out.

2 great Autumn days spent with the grandkids.

Tim...Ber

There has been a tree in our backyard dying a slow death.
A branch fell off of it a couple of summers ago and I have been scared another will follow. Dreaming about it squashing someone underneath.
Time to get this thing down.

They show up Thurs. morning. It rained all day on Wednesday.
The ground is soft.
They said no problem.
Mike and I thought they knew what they were talking about - They do do this for living.

Turns out they don't. It took them 3 hours to get this heavy truck unstuck.

Mike specifically told them the location of our septic field and told them to not drive on it.
They either didn't listen or didn't care because after day 1 our yard was wrecked.

This is how they left it Thursday night telling me they would be back on Friday. I wanted to say - You would be done if you didn't spend 3 hours on freeing the damn truck. But believe it or not I bit my tongue and said OK.

Then they brought in the front loader to haul all this lumber away. Mike and I have enough logs for 6 years and this tree is enormous. 10.5 feet circumference.
I again told them about the septic field. The front loader is not that heavy, they said. Once again I had no idea and trusted them to know what they were doing.
After 15 minutes I could see they didn't care. I went out to talk with them again and ended up in the house crying. I gave up.
It's only a lawn. It's only a lawn. It's only a lawn.

Mine is ruined. Everywhere.There is not one place in our backyard that they didn't run something over and make ruts. They laid logs down for the truck to fall on and those even got stuck.

Their stump grinder wouldn't start so they will be back to finish.
I went out Saturday morning to look more closely at the holes them made.They filled them in with sawdust and mulch. Mike and I spent the next 3 hours digging them out. I want dirt not filler.

They said they will take care of the holes when they come back to do the stump. I am going to have to trust them - again.
Next time I will wait till the ground is frozen. This time I have to "Let it go" Get it? Frozen - Let it go.
I know what you are thinking.
Where did you find these guys?
Well, they did Sharen's tree last year and they did an awesome job.
I haven't paid them yet and they haven't asked for any money.

I certainly have my work cut out for me to get my lawn back to where I like it.
I enjoy having a beautiful lawn (something I learn from my Father). I enjoy keeping a beautiful lawn. Damn it!
It;s only a lawn. It's only a lawn. It's only a lawn.

Elgin Masters

It's been 22 years ago since Mike was asked to start a new softball league in Elgin.
They had a over 50's softball league and thought maybe there would be some interest in a over 40's league. Mike was playing in 3 leagues then and was turning forty that fall.
He agreed to get it a shot.
The games were played out at the softball complex, but were completely independent from the city program.
An article appeared in the Courier News about the new league along with our home phone number and the 40's masters was born.
Mike was excited when our phone started ringing. Me not so much...
Men would call and ask about joining - some had 5 or 6 guys that wanted to play together and Mike filled the rest in with singles.
That first year he had 4 teams and the league was born.
There were no sponsors. Each player paid to play. The city ordered t-shirts in different colors.
Of course Mike had his own group of guys for his own team. The Navy Team!

The league has been holding steady with 8 teams for quite a few years now, but Mike was ready to give the paper work and all the hassles to someone else.
Men wouldn't pay. Managers wouldn't turn in rosters. Rain outs were time consuming. Time for someone else to run the league.

All of a sudden Monday nights were fun again.
His team is good. They have won the league 6 years in a row now - Undefeated.
Teams complain that he stacks his team. Anybody who know Mike know that's is so not him. It's just guys brings their softball friends along. Rules were made to make it harder for the "Navy" team. Home runs were outs 1 yr. Doubles the next yr. then singles. It didn't matter. Navy Ruled!

 Mike spends the majority of the time just coaching now. I can tell when he comes home if he does play though, his knees give him away.

2016 Team Navy

He has a wide range of ages 40 to 60.
None of the original team is still with him, but Eric's (the youngest on the team who turned 40 this year)  father and uncle played with Mike the first few years.

Reflection

Mike gets up early each morning, around 5:15.
He is usually quite and I can sleep through him getting ready for work.

This morning I heard him and for some reason I could not get back to sleep so I decided to not fight it and got up.
I grabbed my coffee and sneaked out on the back deck to enjoy the crisp morning. I say sneaked because we have a motion sensor on our back porch light and it was dark enough to set it off. I did! but it soon turned off.

I sit there thinking about a conversation I had with my son. Bryan is looking for a new job. A big decision for a man with a mortgage, a wife and 3 kids to consider.
He told me his next week at work is going to be hectic and wished he could be like us.
NO, you can't wish your life away - you have so many memories to make and things to do and explore with your kids. Your job is the means to get where we are.
I told him he can only make the decision that is right for them right now.

I think back on the all the decisions I've made.
Did I make some wrong ones? Wrong - I don't know. I can't admit to that, though some were pretty questionable, but those are the ones that shaped me into who I am.
Would I want to go back and change things? No point in thinking about that - not go happen. I made some tough decisions with my life and I can honestly say that I made the right ones at that time. Though painting our bedroom a bright, bright purple was pretty bad.

I am sorry for some things I've done and said but, who isn't? Nobody is perfect. Hopefully I have been forgiven.
I decided that "What ifs" are not for me...


 Then the sun came peeking over our house and shined his spotlight right on the flag that Stacy painted for me.
I'm thinking that today is going to be a great day.

A quote from my Grandson, Roger, about his kindergarten.
"I do my best and God will take care of the rest."

Snap Circuit "Happy Birthday"

Roger has had a fascination with electricity since he could crawl to an outlet and pull the plugs. 

He got these really cool toy - snap circuit building blocks.

He surprised his Papa for his birthday with a colored spinning wheel and blinking light on one board and a singing "Happy Birthday" on the other board. 

These blocks are so cool. They run on batteries so there is not a lot of juice to shock.

"Hurry up Papa and blow out the candle on the pie - we want cake."
Mike loves lemon pie and the boys have their eye on the angel food cake. Mary had both bases covered.