Halloween 2014

Halloween is always a big deal for the kids - anticipation is the best part! The school has a contest to decorate a pumpkin as a book character and we had fun choosing a book and making their pumpkins.

Emily's - Knuffle Bunny



  Samantha's - Room on a Broom witch



Megan's "Day of the Dead" - Our Dominoes - Kyle & Heather's "Lego My Eggo" - Emily the Witch
and Samantha the Gold Medal Gymnast

Emily wanted to be a "really scary witch" but she's just too darn cute to be scary!!

 



Surprise!

The girls have been excited about a surprise for me. They couldn't keep it a secret any longer so they made me a banner:

 

 

It is a pre-season game with the Houston Rockets and they know I love the Spurs! They are probably more excited about surprising me than they will be about the actual game! Emily wanted to know if we would see "Tony the Tiger!"

Back in Houston

We arrived in Houston about a week earlier than the girls expected and surprised them when we picked them up from school! We were all so excited to see each other!

We have exchanged cool and rainy for hot and rainy - still in the 80's here! But, we are back in the land of HEB, Mexican food, Chick Filet and shopping!!!

We were able to get a site, at the last minute, in the RV park that is really close the Heather and Kyle's. Unfortunately, all it has going for it is location, location, location. No major improvements so it still lacks even minor amenities. But, as Roger says, why make changes, when it is full all the time?!

We celebrated Roger's birthday one more time - Heather made him a delicious banana cream pie! - and the girls helped him blow out his candle! They gave him a dozen golf balls that they put an "R" and other sayings on - "awesome," smiley and sad faces!  So cute!

Our bikes are at their house so Roger goes over and rides them to school every morning and then does his exercise biking around their neighborhood. They want us to come eat lunch with them sometime but because of the overcrowding at the school Emily eats at 10:30am! She told me "Tima gets up so late she can have her coffee and donut with me!!"

Cascades Golf Course

All of the grandchildren arranged to have a bench placed at the 13th tee of Cascades Golf Course, in Jackson, in memory of Mom and Dad. Dad played there regularly - his home away from home in the summer. The placement overlooks a pond in the nearby park where they ice skate every year. Mom loved to skate and spent her childhood winters at the rink so, it is a perfect place for a memorial to them both!

It was cold the day we planned a golf outing with friends to see it and colder yet on the day we went with Judy, Mel and Ray! Time to head south toward the sun!!

The "golf gang" at Cascades Golf Course

 

 

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

We just spent three nights at Cuyahoga Valley National Park - between Cleavland and Akron, Ohio. We lived in Michigan for years and never knew it existed! It was a nice way to enjoy some "Indian Summer" days and for Judy and Marilou to get out with the new motorhome.

We hiked to Brandywine Falls and the Ledges on Tuesday and biked on Wednesday.



The Ledges

Brandywine Falls

The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail follows the historic Ohio & Erie canal route through the Cuyahoga River valley. In the early 1800's and during the Civil War long and narrow barges hauling all kinds of supplies were pulled along the canals by horses on the banks. And a series of "locks" allowed them to move up and down the valley. There is no water in most of the canals now but the horse trail provides a great, level, bike/walking path. It is scenic with many historic markers. The Cuyahogo Valley Scenic Railroad has many stops along the trail and for $3.00 you can load your bike and catch a ride! We rode about 12 miles, enjoyed a picnic lunch, hopped on the train, rode it for about 20 miles back, got off and rode our bikes back to the car. What a fun day!

Beaver Marsh on the trail

We found the "Winking Lizard Pub," in Peninsula to be a great place to rejuvenate weary hikers and bikers!

Locks on the canal

Hitching a ride on the train

Hometown Football

We went to our high school football game last night. Hanover-Horton beat Addison 30-13! A cool but not cold evening - a fun trip down memory lane! We only know a couple of kids on the team and in the band but we heard several names we recognize - figured they are the grandchildren of our classmates!

Michigan Summer

We've been here in Michigan for about 3 weeks. Enjoying spending time with family and friends - golfing, shopping, dining out and relaxing. We've seen more rain since we arrived than we have since leaving Texas last December! But, everything is green and lush and cooler.
Loving the farmer's markets with all the fresh vegetables, sweet corn and blueberries.
Marion and Dave hosted a "Hewlett Reunion" yesterday and it was so good to see nieces, nephews and their families. Everyone seems to be growing up when I haven't aged a bit!!!