November 2017

We started November with our family camping trip.  This year Jason and Jennifer were involved in getting their house ready to sell so they didn't come.  Hannah and Michael weren't up to camping with a baby so they didn't come.  That left Jimmy, Rachel, Lilly, Lucy and us.  The first night, there was a power surge at the campground that damaged Jimmy's camper so they ended up having to take it to be repaired.  That left us.  The others came during the days and we made the best of it.  On Saturday we had a campground birthday party for Lilly, Lucy, and Jimmy, who all have November birthdays. 

Rachel, Lucy, Phillip, and I hiked the historical trail at Kings Mountain National Park.  

We began a new Thanksgiving tradition this year.  We all signed the tablecloth.  For the babies, we traced their hands.  I wish we'd begun this years ago. 

Catherine and Thomas

Jennifer and Abram

Hannah and Thomas

Jonas, Abram, Lucy, Catherine, Lilly, Thomas

October 2017

In October,

Thomas turned 6 months old.

I turned 63 years old. Phillip asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday, and I told him that I wanted to watch him turn this dresser into a patio table. He did, and I'm very pleased with it.

Catherine had eye surgery.  She did very well and everything is fine.

She is growing into such a big girl!

We celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary with a trip to Savannah.

We tried to take a selfie with the Tybee Island lighthouse in the background but we had some technical difficulties.  It is back there, I promise.

We carved pumpkins.

Our grandchildren enjoyed dressing up and had a fun Halloween.  

September 2017

Catherine came to visit and met her cousin Thomas.

  

We celebrated Hannah's birthday

and Abram's birthday.

We had two scary events this month which could have ended with serious injuries.  

Jonas ran full force into the side of our car.  He hit it hard enough to leave a sizable dent, but he wasn't seriously hurt, not even a bruise or bloody nose.  

Lilly was riding in the Teryx with her dad (It's some sort of off road vehicle, I think.) and this tree came through the passenger side.  

The Teryx was totaled but Lilly only had scrapes and bruises.  We are very thankful that both Lilly and Jonas are safe.

Catherine went to the beach for the first time. 

 On August 1, Thomas turned 4 months old.  This boy gets cuter every day!

Our family celebrated Catherine's first birthday. 

She has certainly come a long way. We are all so thankful to watch her growing and thriving.

Grandpa, Grandma, and Catherine

We had an eclipse party.  It was an amazing sight to watch.

The kids played in the pool.

 We made eclipse cookies.

Abram enjoyed licking the icing more than decorating the cookies.

Lilly and Lucy, along with their neighbor, opened a lemonade stand.  We were proud to be among their customers.

Thomas met a friend of the family.  They hit it off very well.

It was Lucy's turn to have a sleepover.  We had fun polishing our nails.

Phillip made this tray for me to hold the salt and pepper grinders.

Work is progressing in the remodel of the house.  The floors are down and the kitchen cabinets are installed.

The French doors and deck are finished.

July 2017

We celebrated the Fourth of July.

Thomas 

Abram and Lilly

Jonas, Lilly, Lucy, and Abram in the background

The garden was productive.

Catherine turned 11 months old!

We made the move into our new apartment. Work should start on the main part of the house in a few weeks.

Lilly spent the night with us, the first sleepover in our new space.