Pumpkin Patch

Ben didn't get a pumpkin, so I guess he will have to share with Ella this year. I don't think that next year he will want to be left out.

We went pumpkin hunting for halloween.

There were sooo many to pick from but we finally found a couple that we could take home.

Abby wanted one from a display rack so Andy had to climb up to the top to get it down.

We had to party after supper, it was grandpa's 70's birthday & grandma/grandpa's 39th anniversary.

We thank Brenda & Doug for sharing their northern home for the week end. Before we leave on Sunday we will go to Lake Michigan to look for rocks.

The little park is where we use to go when we came up here with the kids when they were small. It sure was a great weekend to have all the family together for some quality time. The kids were fun an they had fun playing. Ben didn't get into all the action, but next year he will be ready willing an able, watch out girls.

Torch Lake

Arrived today an the first thing was to turn on the heat, it didn't work. Called to have the heater man come to fix it. I was mowing the yard when Andy came out to tell me to cancel the repair man because there was another thermostat in the hall way, furnace was working. Yea.

The boys were playing with their toys. They are getting ready for the circuit. It might take some more time with working together an I don't know how well they will be accepted. Do they have high hopes?

Amy had to work in Grand Rapids so she will arrive here late.

Gym class

I took Ella to gym class today. The class starts with stretches and then they go into the gym for other activities. Miss Julie keeps the kids moving, however as I have know from working with young kids their retention period isn't very long. She has the obstacle course to start with and then some running from wall to wall, some are going backwards.

Today she used floor hockey for the kids to play. Pucks and small soft balls were used.

Ella didn't do to bad, I had to keep her mind on how to hold the stick, it was similar to how she handled a ball bat.

Ella was having lunch so I had some special time with Ben. He sure wants to sit up and I don't think that it will be very long before he does.

Jen fixed some solid food for Ben and did he ever wolf it down, I don't know where he put it. Scott & Jen just purchased a new fridge but I think they will have to

get a bigger one soon.

Abby Grand Rapids

Amy was called into a couple meetings scheduled with Zondervan on Monday & Tuesday so I am here watching Abby.

Amy & Abby arrived after I did on Sunday night an Abby was wound up pretty tight an she didn't go to sleep right away, however she didn't wake up until 9:45 AM. Abby remembers very well an she mention Sunday night that she wanted a waffle at breakfast in the morning. Well, we missed that. We did some activities in the room an then figured we should get something to eat seeing how we missed breakfast so we headed for pizza @ Costco's. Went back to the room and Abby took a long nap.

Abby wanted to go to the park so we ask at the desk about playgrounds and they mention the mall had something inside for kids. Well, I figured there had to be some schools in the area, we found one a couple miles away. Hey, Wheaton, Ill has the best play areas for small kids that I have seen lately. There were two areas one for small kids an the other for kids in the 5 to 6 grades. Abby didn't play on many of the items as she would have at the purple an orange park at home. She did swing on big kids swings. Actually most of the time was on the swing.

Amy mention that it might be around 8 PM when she would get done, so we stopped at Mickey D's for a sandwich. We had just gotten into the room when Amy called to say that she was on her way.

Tuesday was a blah day, Abby didn't get to sleep very early Monday night so Amy woke her up for breakfast and then I tried to put her down for a nap but she didn't sleep a all.

We checked out at 2 went to the airport to watch some planes but there wasn't any activity so we stopped a Wendy's for a sandwich, just about completed the sandwich when Amy called to say that she would be about another half hour. We took our time and just arrived at Zondervan's when Amy was leaving. I came home and Amy & Abby went there way to Wheaton.