Jack'o lanterns

Here is their finished product!

Kim is here..

Kim came to visit for the weekend, the kids have a long weekend due to the Columbus Day holiday. I bought pumpkins for carving, so here they are! Of course Paul , (Nicks friend since they were 3), spent the majority of the weekend with us too.

Fall scenes

Fall is falling! Everything is giving their last bit of energy to finish the season!

Monkshood

My Monkshood is blooming, that truly means the end of summer is here!

Blanket Flower

I planted this Blanket Flower from seed in the spring, the flowers are similar to the coneflower, but you can see in the end it is a ball shape, the plant did very well as you can see from the size, hopefully it will winter well and I'll watch it grow again next summer.

New Christmas Fabric

I bought this Christmas fabric in a quilt store in Shreveport when I was visiting the kids, I am looking for a pattern, anybody have any cool new patterns they would suggest? All but one of the fabrics are part of Nancy Halvorsens "12 Days of Christmas' collection, the one with the little trees is from Diane Knott "Dear Santa"

Nick and his date, Brooke, homecoming 2008

What a good looking guy!

And a good looking couple!

Those Nasturtiums!

They come in many different colors

The Bees love them, they smell like roses!

And they have absolutely taken over!

They will grow and bloom all summer, but when the cooler temps come, they just take off. I have found them climbing up shrub, they will sprawl across the lawn, it really is a sight to behold, and they smell divine. Ahhh, the simple pleasures in life!

Caylee

Caylee had a list of things she wanted us to do together, and we have finished most of them. Last night I made breaded chicken for supper and she made a fruit salad for dessert. Also we made this really cool book bag for her! She has had almost every minute planned out, and we have had a blast!!

Jordan's game!

I came to Bossier City, Louisiana on Sunday to stay with Caylee and Jordan while Chris and Jen flew out to Colorado Springs to look for a house. They sold their house and closed on Monday, so now they are preparing for the move. They called today and said they have narrowed it down to 2 houses, and asked for prayer to choose the right one. I knonw the Lord will lead them exactly where He wants them to be. I am really enjoying spending time with them. I helped Chris with a photo shoot Monday night for a restaurant here in town. It was all still life of their sandwich, salad and dessert products. Their specialty dessert is called the "Humphrey Bogart" It is frozen yogurt with honey, granola and 3 different fresh fruits of your choice, and it is delicious!!! If Chris passes on any of the pics I will post them. It was so nice to spend time with him doing what he is loving doing!! A mom just misses time with her son and cherishes when she can spend a little time in his world.

So as they are gone I am filling in and enjoying every minute of it!!

Jordan is in 7th grade and decided to play football this year, as you can see he is number 12. He got to play, he is closest to us in the front line. They were the guests, and as you can see, THEY WON!!! He is growing up so fast - I just can't believe it!! He has been very helpful all week, and Caylee had a list of activites for us to do, we are slowly getting each item checked off. Last night we had a dance off, I taught her some really cool moves, like the Jerk, the Swim, the Monkey and the Twist - she said she already knew that one, she taught me a few moves of her own. I watched Jordan, but would not even think of trying his moves - he moves way to fast and I am sure I would trip over my feet or put my back out!

Daphnes learning pillow

Daphne turns 2 on Friday!!! This pillow will help her learn to do all the closures and the zipper on the front opens to a big pocket for her stuff

Dew Drops

Click on the photos to enlarge, they really look cool!

God creates the best art!

Prayer request

Daphne at Chuck E Cheese for Cassies 8th Birthday party

John called yesterday to share some news from a doctors appointment for Daphne. They have been concerned for some time about Daphne's speech development, they have taken her for hearing tests, which appeared normal, so they went on to a child development appointment. At the appointment they did a Childhood Development Assessment and they are of the opinion she may be autistic. There is more testing to be done so they are not saying this is a diagnosis, but rather an opinion from the assessment. They are setting up several different therapies in the home for her to start as they continue the testing. They are sending an interpreter with each of the therapists for Tania, so that is great. Please pray for Tania and John as they work through this and as they further test her. Pray God will bring support into their life in the form of Christian women and men that can be an encouragement to Tania and John. Thank you.

Dad and his boys

A 40th birthday party!

Wendell's brother in law turned 40 and Becky had a surprise party!

Complete with..... a cake!

And an "old fart mobile" That really had the sound effects!

They live in Dale Indiana which is 1 hour from Louisville, so of course we had to spend the night with the boys (and their parents)

What handsome men!!! Hope you all are staying safe during this hurricaine weekend, we are receiving a ton of rain, we had over 2 inches on Thursday and that was before the hurrcaine made landfall. Be safe!

My cookbook cupboard

I have been looking for a cupboard to hold all my cookbooks, recipes and some of my old bowls. I have looked and looked, but no luck. I found this cabinet on clearance at Shopko marked down from $179.99 to $79.99. It is solid wood, not fake stuff, so I thought "I can make that look like I want" - so what do you think?

The metal recipe box was our "craft item" over Christmas - Jen, April and I each made one and they turned out so cute!

I have plenty of room and a little to spare for growth.

Another loss.....

This is my cousin, what a good and loving man, I will miss him. John C. Baraona
JOHN C. BARAONA, age 61. Founder of local dry-cleaner and community leader. Former Revere School Board Member, Cuyahoga Valley Career Center Board Member, Cose Board, Greater Cleveland Growth Association, Ohio Dry-Cleaner of the year, Fairlawn Chamber Citizen of the year and member of many Cleveland and Akron area Chamber of Commerce. Preceded in death by his wife Jane (nee McAllister). Loving son of Charles (deceased) and Josephine (nee Scopilliti); Cherished father of Elizabeth Long (Jason), Katie, Annie and Maggie; grandfather of Kylie Jane (deceased), Andrew John and Thomas Warren Long; brother of Roseann Valus (John), Charlene Valvoda (Ken), James Baraona (Lisa) and Sandy Baraona; uncle of 19 and great uncle of 20; Godfather to 13. Friend to many, loved by all. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Victor Church, 3435 Everett Rd., Richfield, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008, at 10 a.m., where friends will be RECEIVED FROM 9 A.M. UNTIL TIME OF SERVICE. (PLEASE MEET AT CHURCH). Family will receive friends at A. NOSEK & SONS, GERBER-McCREERY FUNERAL HOME, 8150 BRECKSVILLE RD., THURSDAY, 6 - 9 P.M. AND FRIDAY 2 - 4 AND 6 - 8 P.M. The family suggests donations to the John and Jane Baraona Memorial Fund c/o FirstMerit Bank.

Fall Table Runner

I took squares from 2 different quilt projects from my latest American Patchwork and Quilting magazine and made a fall table runner - turned out cute don't you think?

Shots from my garden this morning

It is cloudy, misty and a bit chilly, I think fall is in the air!

Weather change

It had been in the 90"s, but the past 2 days it has been in the 60's!!! Yesterday it rained the entire day, when I dumped the rain gauge this morning it had 2.4" of rain - we were already way ahead of average, now we are REALLLY above average.. we are 20" above last year and 10 inches above the normal. It has been good for the trees and shrubs to have the ground saturated to a greater depth.

That is very apparent by these pictures!