sweet september

My parents bought this playhouse for the kids back in 1988.  It's had a lot of repairs over the years, new roof a couple times, walls have rotted and been replaced.

A couple times it has been moved, which we do by rolling it on pipes across the yard.   It's handy to be a plumber, always spare pipe around.

For a couple years I've thought about decorating it for Halloween or Christmas, and this year it actually happened, and it wasn't even that much work.

It is pretty empty inside these days, don't have any kids to play in it.   Maybe some ambition will take over and I'll clean it better and paint the new wall, sew some curtains.  But for now, it is just empty.

But fun--it looks intriguing from the park.

We made our way to volley ball a couple times.  This is her first year and they're doing great. Heidi's coaching.

Last night she appeared, desperate to get up on the bed. 

Whatever, you kooky dog.

Then I heard the thunder.

We've had little rain all summer, few storms.   Well,  this week it has rained for days, and last night storms kept rolling through, nothing dangerous, just pleasantly dramatic flashes of lightening and rolling thunder.

It felt pretty nice.

When Kari left for St. Cloud this morning it was still storming.  The drive was not good in storms off and on the whole way.

It was dark until almost noon, and it felt lovely in the house, windows open, cool damp breeze, rain.

Friday, Friday, best day of the week.

Onward, 

Love, MOM

look who is five

Today was a great day celebrating.  Heidi spent the whole day just with her, visited my parents in the morning, went to the Children's Museum, and we had cupcakes in the evening.

My dad gave these paintings to the kids, special chicken paintings.   

Delighted, laughed right out loud.

 A few pics from years ago:

Happy birthday darling girl, thank you for being ours.

This whole family is better with you in it.

Lucky little old us.

I hope the year ahead is full of happiness and adventures,  Love, Grandma and Grandpa and Eveybody

ask, and you shall receive

Little Jay and I were chatting and I requested photos of the grandpets, and he sent these.

Awww, good looking pets

 So much love, MOM

family fun fest

Apparently her tablet broke and it led to a really crappy day that needed improvement, so they called us.    It's flattering, but also kind of a stretch. We're really boring.

But!

Today were were going to the Family Fun Fest at the cousins school and they agreed to come along.

After we ate popcorn and went nuts on the patio for a while, we headed over to the school, and it was super fun.  Many activities were in the gym because of the rain, but that's fine. We loved it.

The little sister won that big stuffed s'more thing right away.   Amazing!  It was just a lucky draw of a lucky ticket, and then the others tried and tried and won nothing--little trinkets, nothing amazing like that.

There were tears, big giant tears in big blue eyes.

Grandpa took this all in for a minute, and then next thing you know, he's in line with more tickets to try his luck and try to improve the situation. He won the pink elephant and then a kid one the other critter, and the day was saved.

Outside in tents we ate mini donuts and corn dogs and pizza while others played bingo and kids ran all over.

What a great Saturday night.

Love, Mom, aka Grandma, aka Val
 

saturday soccer

Alicia asked us to go along for lunch afterward, very nice.

They mixed all the flavors of pop from the pop machine into weird concoctions, forgot the ice, argued over this and that, were completely delightful.

I love you guys,   Grandma

 

friday football

Homecoming game was out in Woodbury, exciting game.

Before it was done though, this guy was on crutches too.  Not good.
 

Hoping for a quick recovery.  

Love you, Grandma

halloween decorations

The boxes were dragged upstairs and the dusting began.   It's been a while.

It felt good.

Now that it is dark earlier in the evening, the candle lights are welcome.

This googly eyed guy was from Maria, new last year.  Also fun to have something new.

These are not new. Those Simpson's lights are at least ten years old.  The original lights inside them wore out, so new light strands were shoved in there. It's not perfect, but good enough.

John made the bat back in first grade or so.  

Love, MOM