Christmas Costume

Carrie and I dressed up Elise - she was supposed to dress like something you see at Christmas - can you tell what she is???? Thank you, Carrie!

Thanksgiving

Elise and I got the rolls baked early this year and put them in the freezer - unfortunately I forgot to take them out of the freezer. Jenna came to me during the meal and asked where they were. She ran down to the basement freezer, thawed out a bag in the microwave and served them - better late than never?

Unfortunately the above table never quite got everyone sitting down for a picture. Carrie made cut out leaf and pumpkin cookies on which she wrote a number with frosting. Before the meal we all picked a number out of a bowl and sat down to the plate with the corresponding cookie number. Lydia, Carrie, and Lina

On Friday evening, the Paul McClain family, the Dorns, the Buglers, the Bensons and the Blaubachs ate a dinner of Aunt Marilee's spaghetti - mmmmmmm! Then we had a time of singing Christmas Carols per Grandpa McClain's request. Don't let Uncle Peter fool you - he's looking at the computer on his lap.

On Friday evening, Aunt Sandy & Uncle Clarence, Uncle Steve, Aunt Debbie & Uncle Bob, Uncle Mark & Aunt Amy with XW and SQ, and Grandma and Grandpa Blaubach came over to welcome Shen Quin (pronounced Shen Cheen). Great memories!

Long weekend in Florida!

Toby eats peas and beans right from the can while he waits for the main courseMya and Grandpa loved painting together on the computer
This is how the guys liked passing their time . . . on the computer together while . . .

watching the gameS.

Lydia's birthday

Happy 20th birthday, Lydia!!

Thanks for sharing that pumpkin pie with us - yummy.Sisters

Halloween

Elise (a Wizard of Oz Poppy)

and our neighbors, Joan Butz (cow)and Merritt (Laura Ingalls Wilder), went trick or treating.

I think the candy has been et:)

Lina loves to read the picture books that Angie, Kristen, and Carrie

make at Christmas time each year.

The bumblebee is filling up her bag with Grandmas candy

for the trick or treaters.

Aunt Jenna and Belle

Bumblebee and fairy princess

This & That

Here's the only picture I have of Nathan this fall - you know what they say about the squeaky wheel. He's not very squeaky, but we love him.

The last of the roses. They bloomed again this fall, standing tall for us to enjoy!

The rose in the middle is standing still - just not always outside in that spot

Elise and Sarah played mini golf at Mactoberfest held at MacArthur Elementary School.
Elise lost by one stroke. She is not growing a beard here,
but she did have some major chapped lips going on.





Elise sporting her new haircut

Holy Hill in the fall

Lydia and I meandered around Holy Hill one Wednesday afternoon

in celebration of her birthday. What a beautiful time of year!

Dad, Jenna, Elise, and I spent some time enjoying the scenery

at Holy Hill one Sunday afternoon.

Yes, we climbed the steps to the top of the tower - a WINDY day.

Elise counted the correct number of stairs while climbing - I was one off.

Four years later . . . and they're off!

The night before the removal of Nathan's braces.

Four days later Renee Krause took these & other pictures in

Old Falls Village Park for his Senior Pictures

Fall is here

This is the last daisy of the season.

Photo taken for Tonya for whom the flowers were planted:)Jenna and Elise twirling at the park near CrossWay Church

on the day of the "Grand Opening".

First day of school

Nathan and neighbor, Brian begin their senior year - where have the years gone??

Jenna begins 8th grade and Elise 5th grade.

Elise's recital

Elise has been taking voice lessons this past year and recently participated in a recital.

She sang five songs - I'll just post two of them:)

"Castle On A Cloud" from "Les Miserables"

"It's a Hard Knock Life" from "Annie"

Strawberry Picking

Lydia all ready to pick those juicy strawberries!
Hard at work

I think she's studying each one:)

Done - ready to turn some of those berries into jam and freeze the rest.

Lydia hulled all 38 pounds. Thanks, Lyd!

Nathan and Evan's shinanigans

While Pastor Jason and his family were gone over Memorial Day weekend, Nathan, Evan, Jacob McClain and a few others set this "lawn ornament" on his lawn. Jason got a big kick out of it and used it on Sunday for an illustration. They removed it shortly after he arrived home.
Aint it grand?

The yard gets a face lift!

Bushes from back removed

(now we need to remove the old dishwasher from the side!!)

evergreens from around River Birch removed

Huge pine that had its top lopped off removed
(see the pretty sunset in the background?)

pine bush removed from around lamp post

Suggestions welcome for ideas to replace open areas. I like it plain, but would

like to add a bit here and there. With the ideas, help is also welcome:)

Dad's birthday

After a meal of rib eye steak, twice baked potatoes, french-style green beans,

and red grapes Dad and kids pose in front of his traditional chocolate eclair cake.

Happy birthday:)

Nathan is 17!

Dad gave Nathan his gift - $$ toward an X-Box:)

Yummy apple pie for his birthday celebration!

Spring is here!

Jenna, Elise, & our neighbor, Merritt inspecting, smelling and displaying

the daffodils in our back yard.