Sunday, October 30, 2016

From Train Bells to Wedding Bells



Just yesterday we celebrated the marriage of Grandma Marian to Leo, ages 87 and 85 respectively. The ceremony was fitting, the decorations simple, and the company happy to see these two 'spring chickens' start their lives together. Praise God for the union of marriage!

5 handsome boys helping the newly weds celebrate!

Let's start at the very beginning...of October, that is! Theo and I took a canoe ride on Silver Lake in Laona WI, where we spent 4 relaxing days with our family. 

We gazed at the sun setting,

Swam in the cool waters, 

And road a steam engine into a small village. This gentleman kept things rolling along...

...and kept this crew in line!

Not sure about these two, though! Cousin Reuel and Theo waiting for the train.

A short, but sweet time! Where to next year?

We received tickets to the Packer-Cowboy 
football game thanks to some super generous friends.

Fifty yard line, 30 rows up...can't get much better than this, 
though a win would have been the icing on the cake!

Raking leaves at their first fall...

Pile it up, jump in, giggle, repeat.

Later in the season- pushing down the leaves in the trailer to make room for more. We usually have many rounds of raking here, with plenty of old oaks & hickories making their canopy over our home.

A sneak-peak of some fall school pics. The day was so beautiful & sunny- we took a little stroll through Greene Isle park.

Most days look like this...all working on different projects, eating snacks, and some little ones making their way to the table top...

We carved a couple of pumpkins this year & baked their seeds- yum!!

Earlier this month, Silas became a little bit richer and a little bit smarter- 
now he knows to not ever put money in his mouth again!!

Visiting with cousins in their beautiful new home in Oshkosh- all the boys!

"Mom, like my outfit?"

Not a finer moment...The boys and I took a quick trip to Menards to get a small can of paint for our living room trim. We paid, and were leaving the store, and I dropped the one and only can they had that we needed in that color- AHHHH! I was with 3 boys- people jokingly passed us & said, "uh oh, which one of you did it?" Do I dare raise  my hand?! I admitted it! BUT needed to get a shot like this! 

Our dear friends the Carlsons visited all the way from Arizona. We had two almost full days and one evening running around with sticks, playing school, catching up, & putting together shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. What a blast we had! 

Here is Gretta and her friend Alaina working on their 
Essentials of the English Language 
school work- so much more fun with friends!

And lastly, Leila working on her reading. I tried to capture a look she gives me when she doesn't remember a sound of a letter- but she new I had my phone out! 
That's all for now. See you in November!