Halloween at Music Class

October 28, 2009 Wednesday
All the kids dressed up at music class today. One of our members who loves photography took professional pics of the kids as well. We had a lot of fun! I thought the pictures were adorable!

Ta Da! A princess of course!

And Princesses are always in charge!

They are also sweet and beautiful!

Princess Mircea
She fits the role magnificently!

Peek a boo!

Awwww! you are a sweetie Casper!

So patient with all the dressing up.

Casper and his mom!

Yvonne is great with Casper!

The wonderful group of ladies that I volunteer with at Mainly Music

A day with Samantha and Alex

October 27, 2009 Tuesday
Today we had my sister Ginny's 2 kids over for the day while she went to the spa. Dad came over to "help" babysit--but we all know that just means one more "kid" to watch! snicker!
It was a busy and fun day! We will have to do it again!
(I wish I had taken more pics!)

Alex on the horse, Samantha and Mircea

Dear Grumpy and Daka,

Who is watching Whom?

October 26, 2009 Monday

The fish will follow us around in their tank, if they want to be fed. It is rather funny. Casper likes to watch the fish, and Cea likes to help feed them.

A Redneck in the Suburbs

October 24, 2009 Saturday

Bryan went hunting this morning. A little after 7am, he called to say he shot a 2 point buck (with a .44 magnum revolver) at 40 yards. A friend of his helped him haul it to his truck in a wheelbarrow, and he brought it home.
Mircea was VERY excited. She could not wait to eat it! She would tell us she was hungry and that it looked yummy!
Bryan then explains to me that the whole purpose of the play set that he built was so he could hang his animals off of it. So, he gutted it and skinned it in the back yard and then I took it to the butcher to cut it up and package it (Mircea went with me--she was worried I might get to eat it before she would--she was quite disappointed when she realized we couldn't eat it that day. At the butcher shop other hunters were dropping off their deer as well, and would ask me if I shot it--I was tempted to say yes, but remained honest instead.)
Mircea now tells Bryan, "When I grow big I will go hunting with you!"

I'm glad Bry got himself a camera--otherwise this picture would never have existed!

To sum it up--it was quite an exciting morning! (no sleeping in on this Saturday)

Getting ready to gut the deer

Putting the swinset to use

Hooray for Daddy!

Wow! our backyard looks so classy!

This was his first time skinning a deer

The butcher and other hunters thought he did an awesome job skinning his deer!

We are looking forward to getting our meat from the butcher. Obviously we will be making Chili, and we plan to make our own jerky, and maybe we will make summer sausage. . . I am looking forward to using it in our regular casseroles as well. (It is quite satisfying to have a freezer full of meat!)

Princesses and Art

October 21st Wednesday

This afternoon Mircea dressed up as a princess and we decided to do some more artwork. . .

A butterfly cutout that is sticky, and crepe paper squished into little balls

having a blast

The final product

This princess is sure talented in the arts!

Music Class

October 21st Wednesday

Today Mircea sat up with Lisa and helped lead music class. She was quite shy, and mostly solemn up front, and her movements were pretty small--but it was fun to watch her, and I definitely appreciated Lisa having her up there so I could focus on Casper.

Mircea and Lisa

Mircea took this picture of Ellia, Megan, Casper and me during snack time

Saying Goodbye to the baby gate

October 20th Tuesday

Casper can go up and down the stairs with ease, so it is time to get rid of our beautiful baby gate. Bryan made this baby gate when Mircea was little (he got the design from his mom, who made built one for Dewey or Darren.) None of the store baby gates worked with our stairs and banister. Personally, I think this gate is awesome! It had a spring-loaded hinge, so it was quite easy to work and to top it off, it looks great as well!
So Cea used it, then our neighbors borrowed it for their little girl (their 2 oldest daughters would use it as a hitching post), then we got it back for Casper, and now we are saying goodbye to it once more, and it is going back to our neighbors as they are expecting #4.

Deer Call

October 17, 2009 Saturday

Just a funny video of Casper and a Deer call. . . Bry is working on getting the kids interested in hunting at an early age! Mircea already thinks that when she is 5 and can start school that also means she can go hunting with dad. We shall see. . .

Mircea and Casper at the pumpkin patch

October 13, 2009 Tuesday

While I was with Katie and Matt and Naomi for Naomi's birth, Casper and Mircea spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa. They took them to the pumpkin patch for fun and for fall pictures with the pumpkins.

Casper playing soccer. He can move and kick the ball!

Cea has her own tea party

Getting ready to go!

Cea at the pumpkin patch

Casper at the pumpkin patch

Driving the tractor--Watch out for the pumpkins!

Grandpa, Casper, and Cea

Cea posing as the great pumpkin

Where's Waldo?--Can you pick the "punkin" out of the field of pumpkins?

Got to find the perfect pumpkin!

How does it taste, Casper?

This was the pumpkin Casper came home with!

Cea digging through the bin with Grandma

It looks like it was a beautiful day and that everyone had fun!

Happy "Birth" day Naomi

October 12th and 13th Monday and Tuesday The birth
October 15th Thursday A visit
October 30th Lunch at Kt's

Monday afternoon Katie gives me a call to say she is in labor. (She had previously asked if I would be at her birth--which I had said YES too!) On the phone she was breathing hard through the contractions but able to carry on a conversation.
I met her and Matt at the hospital--at that point she needed to stop for contractions, and wasn't fond of speaking through them.--but we were all in good spirits. She got the birth room that she wanted--it was nice and big and had a large tub in it as well.
I have to say she sure had a large and awesome entourage at her birth--her hubby Matt, myself, a doula, the doula's assistant, Kt's mom--Cheryl, and whichever nurse was on call.
Kt labored hard, and was amazing! She quite impressed me. The end result was a beautiful healthy baby--Naomi Rose, Born October 13th.
Thanks for inviting me to this very special event! It was neat being one of the first people to meet Naomi!
A special thanks also to June for babysitting for me at the drop of a hat! And to my parents for babysitting as well.

Matt and I getting ready to grab a bite to eat in the hospital cafeteria Tuesday morning.
it was a short break for us, while we were unable to be in the room with Kt at this moment.
I am just impressed by the fact that you can't really tell that we have been up all night!

The bountiful spread!


I felt quite special that I was one of the first to see Naomi. Matt brought me into the NICU to see her, and so I got some pics of him with his new daughter!

Matt cutting the "extra" umbilical cord off

Daddy looking at his perfect little girl!

It is love at first sight!--
he appears to be totally wrapped around those tiny little fingers she has!

I get a quick picture with her too!

Snuggling with Daddy, now that she is dressed and ready to meet the world!

A proud Dad

Grandma and Grandpa meeting Naomi for the first time!

On Thursday I went back to visit Kt and Naomi at the hospital. . .

My mom comes for my 2 little monsters--Thanks for babysitting
Casper thinks he is a big boy and can drive!

Here are his 2 back seat drivers!


Finally get to see Mom and Naomi together.
What a sweet little baby!


2 of our ministers stop by for a quick visit.

Naomi

October 30th Friday,

My Mom and Dad, Myself, Cea and Casper all went to visit Kt, Naomi, Kt's mom-in-law, and her Aunt-in-law. We brought lunch, and had a fun visit.

Casper is playing with one of the cat toys. It is a ball with a battery that causes it to roll around randomly. He loved it and chased it every where.--It looks like we might need to look for toys in the pet store for him!

Kt's mother-in-law Cheryl and her sister Karen

Naomi (She is in Casper and Cea's old car seat)


Congrats Matt, Kt, and Naomi! You make a great new family!