Happy 7th Birthday Emily!

 Happy Happy 7th Birthday Emily!!!!!!!  She was so very excited to add another friend to her over-grown population of stuffed animals, the newest unicorn named "Bella". 

 She wanted to give Hailey a big hug for all her cool presents, especially for "Bella" the unicorn.

We decided to try some "clip-on" earrings and see how that would work out-so far, she likes them-at least for a little while. 

We tried on the new dress Grandma Jan made for her, and she loves the color purple!  We will be trying to find some pretty socks to wear with it and some new pretty winter shoes.

More to come from the birthday party next weekend-It's the Zany Zebra birthday party coming up!

~Happy Fall~One more day on the lake!

 Dad and the girls took one more spin on the boat last weekend before it got too cold-each caught one fish, the day was a success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                THERE IT IS: here is the first big bluegill that made it all worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                 FISH NUMBER 2: Hailey caught the 2nd bluegill all by herself-she's a pro.

Here is Hailey getting ready for Thanksgiving in a hat found at the end cap of Walmart :-) No, I didn't buy it!

Happy Halloween~2015

It's finally here!!!!!!! Happy Halloween!!!!!!
 Trick OR Treat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Meet:  Maleficent and Little White Kitty-Cat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                       Halloween Barn  Party:
                                   Friends Maggie and Angie sharing a moment of adult time!

                             Emily and neighbor Brayden as a Ninja turtle playing; the blow-up of Kevin The Pirate minion was a surprise and success to the party!!!!!!!!!!!!

                    These are some friends over at Meesha and Maggie's house for Trick-or-Treating

 This is Maggie's daughter Abbey dressed as a Lady Bug............Next year I'm dressing up for sure!

Pumpkin Patch Picking

                                             Going for a hayrack ride to get our pumpkins!

We just couldn't decide which ones!

There were many other things to do than just pick pumpkins!

                                We got caught in a jailhouse-we were yelling "let us out now!"

Good Times at Bottomview Farm! 

More to come from those pumpkins we picked-Halloween Pictures next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Camping at Shawnee Nat'l Forest-Oct. 10-12

 Camping Trip at Bear Branch Campgrounds:  Theme of the weekend- "Keep it Rustic"
The campgrounds were a bit rustic, but it worked out great!  We were the only ones I think without horses, but our neighbors were so cool to let us pet their's, and the girls got to play on the playground.

 GARDEN OF THE GOD'S-BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

              At the top of one of the many high rocks you could see over the landscape-really pretty!!!

 There were many rock formations all around us; there were carved walkways for tourists to make their way around the hills.

 This is one of my favorite pictures of the girls at the Garden of the Gods...........................

 Since Shawnee is known for horse-back riding, we had to take a morning and go for our own tour of  the area on horse-back-everyone did great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 We will be back soon!!!!!!!!  What a pretty place to see!! Who would have known it is right there in the middle of southern Illinois!!!! Thanks Papa and G-ma Jan for joining us!!!!

2015 Fall Class pictures-long over-due

                                   Fall 2015 Class pictures: Hailey 5th grade;  Emily 1st grade

I'm always so excited to get these back to see how well they smiled for the camera!!!!!!