Our Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

Erica, Tommy, Brody (5) and Bryleigh (18 months) met Paw Paw, Grammy, Ethan (6), Ella (4) and Sophie (3) at the Old Baker Farm Pumpkin Patch on Saturday, October 25. We watched the Indians dance, climbed the stacked rolls of hay, fed the horse, saw the baby animals in the barn, made our way through the corn maze and the square hay bale maze, watched the Civil War re-enactment and rode to the pumpkin patch to pick out our very own pumpkins. It was a beautiful fall day and we enjoyed ourselves tremendously.

Making Memories

We had 4 of the grandchildren spend the night with us Friday night: Ella, Ethan, Brody and Katie. We have not had Katie spend the night in a long time! It was beautiful Friday night, and we spent alot of time outdoors. Jerome showed the kids the martin gourds and dipper gourds, apple trees, peas, tomatoes in the garden..............they were all impressed.

Brody & Ethan played golf on the sod farm and just ran around and chased each other. Ethan is a really good golfer. Brody hits left handed!

Sophie came over about 8:30 Saturday morning and joined in the fun. Next time we must let her spend the night too.

Bryleigh and Erica came up later Saturday afternoon - Tommy was to have a Oxford football pre-season game but it was cancelled on account of all the rain from Hurricane Faye. Brian & Hope were cleaning out their garage getting ready for a yard sale next Saturday and Clay & Melanie were getting a new room ready for Sophie.....Brian and Hope brought Sophie the twin bed that Katie & Ella had used. Alas, we said our goodbyes and Jerome and I collapsed about 8:00 p.m.

Speaking of rain.......all morning we rode bikes and big wheels and every riding toy we had in the garage until Jerome finished working in the garden. He went in to take a shower and before we could load up and head for Lakeside Park, the rain came. It was not heavy though, and the grandchildren wanted to continue riding their bikes in and out of the sprinkles and under the carport.

Then we started painting the carport floor (with water, of course). Then we moved on to watercolor paints on paper. We even "painted" hop scotch on the floor - Katie is really good at that. Brody and Ethan played pirates, Indiana Jones, and Ella and Sophie dressed up in all the princess clothes and high heeled shoes.....so cute.

Katie was getting over bronchitus, so she would "rest" by watching the Disney channel & Hannah Montana, etc. She helped Jerome shell peas and really enjoyed it! Then she played games on the computer, thanks to Heth saving appropriate games to our "favorites".

What a wonderful day it was !!

School Starts Again

Katie started third grade. She already reads on 5th grade level.
Ethan started first grade. His good buddies are in his class again this year.
Brody started 5 year kindergarten. His teacher goes to his church - he knows her already.
Ella started 4 year old kindergarten. I still see her in the grass skirt in dance recital.
Sophie started 3 year old kindergarten. Going to school, she told her mom she was a "big girl".
Bryleigh started to day care.
Abby gets to play at home with grandma all day.

Looking forward to Grandparents Day at School..........hopefully it will not be on the same day !!
Different schools - surely not!

The Longest Yard Sale

We went to the longest yard sale last weekend. We start at Ft. Payne and travel back down to Noccolulu Falls so we are going against all the traffic. We had a great time. We always find things for our eight grandchildren or our house. Ran into some old friends. We always eat lunch at a church that is raising money for the building fund or youth group. This year they served BarBQ and fried Banana pies. I think I enjoyed the two peach fried pies I had around 9 am that morning.

We bought children's clothes, books, toys for our 8 grandchildren. Enough to fill up the back seat of the truck.

Jerome bought a complete edition of June, 1968 Birmingham News...the issue of Bobby Kennedy's assissination. We enjoyed reading all the stories but enjoyed the want ads most of all. 3 BR 3 BA home in Mtn Brook for $38,500 and 100 acrea on Logan Martin Lake for $100,000, and Buick LaSabre for $1695.00. Of course, in 1968 I made $5200 a year.

The TV Guide was interesting: Channel 6, 10, 13 and 42. We laughed at the titles of the shows: I Love Lucy, The Flying Nun, Bewitched, Marshall Dillon, Dragnet, Peyton Place, The Dean Martin Show. The listings were divided up by Friday morning, Friday Afternoon, and Friday Evening. Alot of room air conditioners for sale @ $250, Huge cabinet style color TVs for $300. You got 6 shirts dry cleaned for $1.35; Trousers for 57 cents and Sweaters for 37 cents.

Abby's First Visit

We had our first visit from Abby this weekend. Her first time to come to Alabama! Heth and Cindy wanted to come for Brody's 5th birthday party on Saturday, so they came on Thursday night and spent all day Friday up until party time on Saturday. Erica and Brody and Bryleigh came to spend Friday with us also. It was such fun. Abby is such a precious girl and a happy baby. What a smile !! She showed us all her new tricks since we last saw her. And Abby sleeps all night What a blessing to Mom and Dad. She did great. Looking forward to doing this again real soon.