Please remove your shoes(and don't take a better pair when you leave!}

What do you think of this sign?

I just laughed and laughed when I first saw it, but I also thought I
NEEDED IT.

We just put new carpet in the living room that is light
colored and no shoes are allowed nor is any food or drinks.

First time I saw the sign it was marked down from 19.99 to 14.99.
I didn't get it.

Next time it was marked down to 9.99.
I got it...and I LOVE it!

I've been doing a little decorating here and there. This is really not exactly like I want it, but
I got tired of messing with it so it is what it is. Does that ever happen to you?  Most days
I love to decorate, but some days it just doesn't fall together so I give up. yep.
I guess I'm a quitter...of sorts. :)

You are probably wondering what the BELIEVE chalkboard has to do with the decor.
Absolutely nothing! HA! It is my word of the year and has been there since
January 1 and I just can't change it. It was a very appropriate word I might add.
With all the changes our family has been through this year I have to BELIEVE
that everything will be okay.

I also wanted to share a new fountain with you that was just installed in Bryan, Ohio.
I call it a local town because we are there every other day it seems. Okay, maybe
not quite the often, but a lot!  Isn't the fountain just beautiful?

This is kinda random, but this past week a HUGE part of our willow tree
FELL DOWN...GO BOOM!

Hubby was contemplating cutting this part of the tree down because it was splitting, but
he didn't have a chance. We woke up one morning and he looked out the window like he
always does and said, "Well, I guess I don't have to cut the tree down". We were
floored! HOW did we not hear this huge tree fall in the night? 

Thanking God that it didn't come down on the house!
As you can see it just missed it so someone was looking out for us that is for sure.
I am also very thankful that it didn't come down when hubby or I were mowing
underneath it. That would not have been good.

We have a lot of it cut up and hauled off to an area on our property, but we still have the largest
part of the trunk to get cut up. We do a little at a time because we are OLD and we just
 can't handle hours and hours at a time. :)

While we were outside working on the tree, hubby showed me this hornets nest in another tree
in front of our house. There doesn't appear to be any activity at all so it must be an old one.

I just can't believe it is almost the end of October already!! The fall colors this year were
spectacular in Michigan! I took a lot of photos and am overwhelmed by the beauty that
God creates for us every year.

Oh, one more thing...we have a new granddaughter!!! Grandchild #9!! She was born
yesterday to my oldest son and his family. They now have three sweeties.
Keira, Kanaan and now Korrah  Michelle Boothman. She weighed 6 lbs and 8 ounces
and was 19.5 inches long. Born around 4:30 pm. We hope to visit them on Sunday
and get a few snuggles in.

Happy fall day to each and every one of you!!
Blessings~

Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile!

Autumn is sure putting on a gorgeous display here in Michigan again this year.

I L.O.V.E. it!

I wake up to this gorgeous scene day after day. This is across the road from our house.

I guess there are perks to living in Michigan on a back, dirt road after all. I mean
you just don't see this beauty in the city.

"Come, little leaves"
said the wind one day,
"Come to the meadows
with me and play.
Put on your dresses of red and gold;
For summer is past,
and the days grow cold."
~ George Cooper

I shot these photos yesterday in our front yard when the sun was shining through the trees after a rain.

Can you say AMAZING??

Delicious Autumn!
 My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird
I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns!

~ George Elliot

Fall fun with Family

Our son and his family came from North Dakota to visit us for a few days and we made the most
 of the time we had together with our two precious granddaughters. We miss them very much
since they moved away, so it was great to spend some time together.

One day the girls and I made Halloween cupcakes together and I tried to capture the process.
I took a few more a LOT MORE photos, but I realized that you don't want to see 500 photos
of my grandchildren. Although I just can't understand why not! ha!

LOVE this one of Ainsley and her little bare feet. 

They took turns putting the batter into the cupcake liners...

Then they started frosting them...

 ...and they added sprinkles.

There was a lot of laughing and licking going on. Too fun and great memories!

We also visited a corn maze one day that is a few miles from our home and Ainsley hopped up here
to have her picture taken.

Grandpa took them a wagon ride. They always love to do this. I think he enjoys it as much as they do.

What little child doesn't like to pick up stones and leaves and all kinds of treasures?
I haven't met one yet. 

This is our family in the middle of the corn maze. 

The girls also love to play dress up whenever they come and it did not take them long
to pick out some dresses and put them on.  I keep a stash of them just for times like
these. 

Sisters Annika and Ainsley.
{Annika is wearing my sunglasses}

There was a petting zoo and the girls loved the animals!
A calf, pigs, goats and sheep. They really were cute little creatures!

This girl is limber! I remember those days...very faintly. ha!

This little gal is such a hoot! Her daddy told her to tell him which way to go and
she did pretty good, but this time she didn't tell him so he kept on walking
right into the corn. She thought that was pretty funny.

We love these witty, spunky, beautiful granddaughters of ours and we are so thankful that
they were able to spend a few days with us. They have moved on to North Carolina now and
we miss them already.  Annika will be going to another new school and their parents will
 be getting new jobs.

 Hubby and I are adjusting to a "new normal"with them so far away,
 and we are surviving...barely. lol

Prayers appreciated for them all.

Blessings~