Our September

 We spent Labor Day weekend in Bella Vista, Arkansas with family. We enjoyed lots of time visiting, swimming, boating, kayaking.  It was a fantastic weekend.

I helped Will catch a nice little Bass.

We went over to a waterfall to look around one morning.

Sarah and Silas found a little lizard while we were at the waterfall.

We all got to take a ride in Ernie and Judy's new old car.  It is pretty amazing!

Thank you Ernie and Judy we all had a fun time with you and can't wait to come back again.

Bret and Marc came to our house in early September.  They hung out with us one evening.  We ate dinner then played wiffleball, volleyball and pool.  It was great to have them here with us.  The kids especially loved getting to play games with their uncles.

The next morning, the boys got up and drove to Concordia, Missouri to visit their Grandma.  It had been a long time since they had been together.  They all agreed that this visit with their Grandma went well.  She knew them, was up in her chair when they arrived, and visited with them most of the day.

Eric facetimed us while they were there.  Grandma Great got to talk to me, Silas, Phoebe, and Sarah. She smiled and laughed with us.  She asked us about what we each had going on.  She asked me about work.  She talked to the kids about school and sports.

The kids and I attended the Hutton Block Party. (Eric was visiting his Grandma.) It was at Tanganyika Wildlife Park this year.  We fed animals, walked around the park, ate dinner, and Silas sang Karaoke. Below, the kids with Eric's friends/coworkers, Spencer and Ryan.

Popee took Phoebe to the musical CATS in mid September.

EP and Lindsee came upon a good deal, on an almost brand new, electric bike/trike....they got it for Dad to ride on bike rides with them around town.  Sarah and I were on facetime with Lindsee when they surprised Dad with the bike.  We got to watch his first ride! Go Dad!

Dad came to town to attend the Grandparents lunch with Silas at the elementary school.  Dad picked up Arby's sandwiches and cherry turnovers for them to eat together.

The leaves have started to change color.  Fall is my favorite season.  I love the leaves, cooler weather, colorful mums, pumpkins, the holidays approaching, my birthday, jeans and hoodies, and warm pumpkin spice drinks from Dunkin Doughnuts.

I got to see this beautiful Sunset one evening on my drive to pick Phoebe up after volleyball practice.

We celebrated my birthday over a couple of days in September. I started by spending a day with Dad.  I helped him with a few things around the house and we cleaned out the boat and got it ready to be stored for the winter.  That night we went out to eat Mexican food with EP, Lindsee, Will, and Gene T. (Gene is one of Dad's BFF's.  They have been friends since before I was born.) I had to wear the sombrero while workers yell/sang happy birthday to me.  It was really funny.

After dinner, I helped Lindsee get a bike back to their house.  We, of course, did this in the most fun way we could think of.  I climbed on the back of Lindsee's big hauler bike, held the littler bike above my head, Dad thought we were doing something dangerous and couldn't watch as we took off out of the driveway and she pedaled like a crazy woman...all the way back to her house. At one point as she was pedaling us uphill, both of us laughing like crazy, as she said, "I was made for this."  She was hilarious!  The situation was hilarious! We were hilarious!

The next night the celebrating continued.  First we ate dinner at HuHot. Yum.  The food was good, but the company was better.  We shared lots of laughs.  It was just what we all needed.  Happy 46th birthday to me!

Back at home after dinner, I opened my gifts, we ate cake, and played games together.

EP welcomed me to the "46 CLUB".

The games we played were PIT, Mr. Mouth, Perfection, and What Do You Meme (family edition). Pictured below, are the winners of those games.

What a great birthday!  I am so thankful for my family that helped make my birthday joyful this year. Although it was different, as most "big" days are now, (grief has a funny way of sneaking up on me and leaking out of the corners of my eyes), I didn't want grief to cloud my day.  I told Eric I just want to laugh. And, this family of mine completely came through for me.  I had to wear the sombrero when we went out to eat Mexican food.  I rode on the back of a bike, pedaled by my sister, while I carried another bike. We ate HuHot. And, we had a hilarious game night. Thank you to everyone who sent me a card, sent me a text, sent Facebook wishes, called me, or celebrated in person with me. Your thoughts of me warmed my heart, helped me smile, laugh, and gave me joy.

Silas and his good friend, Owen, planned a fun sleepover.  They filled their time with games, go-Kart riding, eating, watching a movie, and decorating Halloween cupcakes.

Phoebe and Sarah decorated some Halloween cupcakes too.

Sarah and Jax attended the musical SIX together.

Lindsee got to come to some of Phoebe and Sarah's volleyball games.  Popee and Uncle Dale came to cheer on the girls as well.

Phoebe's choir, the Silverbacks, got to sing at an outdoor gathering.  They did well for their first performance of the year.

Lindsee and I planned this VERY FUNNY photo shoot of Belle with Sarah's "The Cat Likes Me Best" mug...We posed our dog, Belle, with the mug and then tried to get our cat, Lucy, into the picture too. (Lucy does NOT like dogs.  She hisses and growls at Belle a lot.)  So, after we took these pictures we immediately sent them to Sarah, who found them hilarious.

All three of our kids participated in "See You At The Pole" again this year.  This is a national day of prayer where kids of all ages meet, before school, at the flagpole to pray for their friends, teachers, schools, communities, our state, and our nation.

Sarah posed for a couple funny pictures with two of our Leghorn chickens, Honey and Clover