Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Hope your day is TWICE AS NICE....
Because IT IS FINE TO BE 69!!!

We Love You!

Let's celebrate when you come next week!

Mark, Sara, Ky, Rocky, Moe, Buttercup, Nacho and Coco

August Already?!

Wow!!  Hard to believe that I turned my calendar to August today.....this summer will be coming to an end soon and I haven't documented hardly any of our July memories.  So, better late than never.

We stayed close to home on the 4th of July. We went to a park and had a picnic and played the current favorite sport at that particular time.....





.....tennis!!!  A game for......




.......all ages.  Even Grandpa H. was nabbing some shots!!!!



There was also a splash park right next to the tennis courts and it happened to be a VERY hot day.

While Nacho splashed his heart away.....Coco was more content to be in the background.....she LOVES water......but will have nothing to do with water splashing IN HER FACE!!!  Wading out into a pool until the water is past her neck?.....No problem.  But if a few sprinkles happen to blow her way?.....She's outta there! 



It was a "dancing with the rainbows" kinda day!




God Bless America in July.....and in August....and in every month of the year!!!



Piano Recital

Sunday was the piano recital debut for Moe and Buttercup.

It was held 'coffee-house' style in a little cafe that adjoins an historic opera house....which is located in a very unique downtown square.

Buttercup began lessons this winter.....the teacher started working with her for 5 minutes after each of Moe's lessons.  She did wonderfully!



This is Moe's second year of playing piano.  He has learned so much under the guidance of this teacher and played "Music Box Dancer....a favorite of Grandpa's.  He did wonderfully, too.



It was all good.........

down to the last drop....and to the last song.

And it was extra special because Grandma and Grandpa were able to be at the recital.

"Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty.  Magical music never leaves the memory."--Sir Thomas Beecham

Hope you hear some magical music this week!
Sara

Week-End Activities

While Mark and the three older boys were.....

in St. Louis, MO enjoying sun, baseball, 85 degree weather and.....

winning a 2nd place trophy.....

I was at home with visions of paint colors......

.....dancing through my head. Dancing so much that it made me dizzy! The whole family had plans to go to St. Louis together, but because Coco had been sick all week and Nacho was catching the same viral, croupy illness, I decided to stay home. Grandpa was also going to be home alone this week-end, so he decided to come visit us and start "The Great Household Painting Project." We have all white walls and white wood-work throughout our whole house. Little by little, we have plans to change all that whiteness. We got a wonderful start and our family room looks so fresh and clean and...... colorful.....not so stark white anymore.

Grandpa also got the kitchen and dining room taped and ready to paint, but because I wasn't able to decide on just the right color, Mark and I will have to finish these rooms without his painting expertise. The color I intend to pick out will also be painted through the rest of the downstairs and upstairs, so I want it to be just right.

It was wonderful to have Grandpa here. It was a memorable week-end. We listened and sang along to "Malt Shoppe Oldies" while Grandpa worked and I stared at the walls and snuggled with sick kids...........waiting for the perfect color inspiration. Watching paint dry can be fun.....it was the perfect, slower paced week-end activity for me! Oh yeah, and a few extra Starbucks trips mixed in there, too!

Have a colorful, wonderful week!

Sara

We Had Lots of FUNnel Cakes

"We have bought them and eaten them, and they are very delectable, but NEVER have made them. It will be a unique experience. Grandpa's idea.......we'll see if it works.

Should be fun......and yummy."

~Quoted by Me on Monday night

It WAS fun and and the funnel cakes WERE yummy!

Grandpa bought a kit from Bed, Bath and Beyond for half price and we decided to try it out late Monday night after the basketball games.

It was very easy. Just add water to the mix.....

Pour batter into the specially designed container......

Place the metal ring (from the kit) in a small pan. Add oil.

Pour batter.

Grandpa was the official cook. Even though it was his first time, he made it look like he had done this many times before.

His funnel cakes looked perfect!

State Fair quality!!!!

Add a little powdered sugar....

or strawberries and whipped cream.....

and you have a tasty treat in minutes.

Grandpa says he's leaving the kit at our house.

The official "Passing of the Tongs" ceremony was conducted and now Moe is in charge of making the next batch.

Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for the fun experiment!!

We Have Mentos In The House...

And that....

...can only mean one thing.....

Grandpa and Grandma are at our house!!!!
(Nacho loves Mentos and Grandpa always brings him some)

They will get to see the three older boys play basketball and help the youngest boy celebrate his 4th birthday druing their visit!!

Everyone is doing well and feeling minty fresh around here!
Sara

November Visit

We enjoyed our visit with Grandpa and Grandma.

Not only did we celebrate a belated birthday...

but we celebrated an early birthday, too.
Coco will be 1 next week and she had fun opening her present to see......

what was inside.

She was delighted with her new, pink stuffed bunny......

and looked bright and fun in her new outfit!!

One night, we had a Yahtzee show-down.....a night that went by all too fast......as they all tend to do when were are spending time with those that are dear to us.

Grandpa and Grandma left for home yesterday......Dad gave them last minute directions ......which must have been pretty good because they called last night and they made it home safely.

We miss them and there are subtle reminders of their visit spread throughout the house....

a pink bunny sitting lop-sided on the couch...

South Dakota potatoes on the menu for supper tonight....

deck door windows that sparkle as we walk by them....

Reminders that fill us with thankfulness...

Thankful for the gift of grandparents!!!

We love you!

Have fun playing "Hand and Foot" today!!

That'll be the next game-night.......we look forward to you teaching the kids at Christmas!!