Visiting Grandma and Grandpa Jones

Nate's sister, Nancy, flew home last week from New York. We spent our long MEA weekend back home (Oakdale, WI) to catch up with her and Nate's folks. I worked on November lesson plans and on my 37 report cards the whole weekend. I did take a break to watch a few movies and play a few games. Then, Nate's dad hooked up the tractor to a trailer and took us for a ride through the woods and around the block. It was a perfect day for it. We had a nice weekend.

Elyana on Aunt Nancy's lap


Mikayla blowing bubbles on our tractor ride.


Nate sitting by his mom. Check out his new knee brace...


Mikayla snuggling with my adorable niece, Alice (Micah and Jordan's baby). Did you know I was a Great Aunt?!


I wish this photo had turned out better, but this is what you get when using a cell phone camera... It is Nate and Elyana watching deer in the field each with their own binoculars.

(Nancy,can't wait to see some of the photos you took too! It was so nice seeing you again! I can't wait to come to NY and see where you live some day!)

Halloween Preparations

Elyana cracked me up this week. I bought her a new package of underwear. In the van she was reading the package to me, "100 cotton brefs and they are scratch and sniff." Did I hear her right? I questioned her and she pointed to the Fruit of the Loom logo. "Why is that there then, mom?"

It was one of those things I had to blog about so I wouldn't forget.

Mikayla received a Personal Achievement award at her school assembly this week. Because it was on a day I had to work, Nate took a half day off to be there for her. It was a surprise to her and we are very proud. After she accepted the award, she detoured over to the Kindergarten class to hug her sister before going back with her class. I'm bummed that I will miss another event coming up on Monday. Each of the girls have a costume parade led by their principal. Mikayla is sad that I will miss it and so am I.


Feeling guilty about my absence from their life lately with working, is probably what inspired me to carve a pumpkin for each of them. They choose their templates and away we went. Mikayla insisted on giving hers a bubble bath while she was waiting to get hers carved.

It's Raking Time!

Last week we raked up the leaves from just one of our trees. 4 more trees plus what the neighbors tree dumps on us left to go....Blah!

I always like to take a photo of the girls in the leaves each year before I rake. Here is this years!








Now, since I take their photos in the leaves each year, I felt like looking back at some older ones...

2006


2007




2008




2009




2010