Nature's Last Smile

 

There is a sign up at Peanut's "big boy school" that says, "Fall: nature's last smile."  Not sure I agree entirely with this statement since the first snowfall is pretty amazing, but I think I know what the author meant.  Fall is easy.  It's a beautiful change of season that gently reminds us that there is winter to come.  Can you imagine if there was no Fall before Winter?  Just Summer right into full on Winter?  Oh my... that would be rough.  Yes, the winter is colder here than where I'm from...and yes, it is much longer.  You need things like heavy coats, mittens, boots, shovels, and I am now the proud owner of a snowblower!  But there are wonderful things about it too.  Like the first snow fall, how cute the kids look all bundled up, neighborhood bonfires, and outdoor ice skating.  Sometimes I feel like I live in a place that only existed in books before I moved here.  I am glad though, that before we bundle up and face the cold that we have this lovely time of year called Fall.  The beauty of it amazes me each year and I can't believe some of the scenes that unfold right outside our door.  Here is Peanut enjoying the leaves down the street from our house. 

 

 Happy Fall Yall!

Flying South

I can't believe it's already been two weeks since we got home from our trip to see Grandma and Grandpa!  We were busy before we left, and have been busy since we got back.  The trip was such a nice time to relax and enjoy each other.  Peanut had really expanded his vocabulary since our last visit and it was so fun to hear him converse with my folks.  We Skype regularly and he didn't need any warming up when he got there.  He was right at home and chatting them up on the way home from the airport.  Here he is the next morning after we got in late on Tuesday.

We had been up late so we decided to take it easy with a trip to our favorite duck pond and park.  We took a net to catch some minnows but, as all our fishing trips so far, we came up short. 

 

The ducks were happy to see us and we had plenty of food for them.

We ended up at the same park later that week and Peanut and Grandpa Chuck played a little baseball.  Peanut's favorite part is running the bases.  I think Grandpa Chuck got plenty of exercise!

 

 

It was hot the first couple of days we were there.  And with Peanut racing around the playground and chasing squirrels you can see he worked up quite a sweat!  Good fun is sometimes messy. Smile.

My mom is so sweet to always have activities ready for Peanut when we visit.  She had a bingo game in the car that he loved and lots of fun stuff at the house too.  Here they are on the patio making play-doh cookies.

 And lots of time lounging on the floor reading books and playing games.  He was hanging on her every word and learned about lots of new animals while we are there.  The marmoset he is holding got to fly home with us! 

Peanut knows almost all of his letters now and had so much fun practicing with Mom.  It's nice to have a retired kindergarten teacher for a Grandma!

 Stay tuned for part two of the trip... we had lots more fun!

Have a great week friends and family.