Carving

Skinny Uncle Pat, Samantha and Emma and the
deer's neck!


Erin helping happy Emma carve her cat.



Uncle Chris carving Ella's spider (and Emma).



That's Chelsea carving her wolf howling at the moon
(and a peace sign) and Madison with her snaggly-toothed
traditional guy in multi-colors.

On a clear day, we can see forever. And our front yard
goes all the way to Japan!



Chloe in her pumpkin-matching sweatshirt. She
carved a cross-eyed guy (or gal). His eyes were X's so
s/he really was cross-eyed!!

We all had a really great time!

The Drum Circle At the Beach

MJ lost her drum but found a camera!


Let the drumming begin! (The pumpkins are
waiting!)



Maddy and Emma got into it!
Chloe loves that creaky thing!

Ella liked drumming, too. (Frank is wearing his

cool jacket from Gianguido's company in Trento.)

Frank also drummed a lot when Ella let him!

The Halloween Brunch

Sunday morning before Halloween:

First we had breakfast of fresh sliced fruit, juices, scrambled eggs, sausages, toast and cookies. Chris and Denise arrived first with jack-o-lantern cookies, then Erin with the sausage and hard boiled eggs, then V with the makings for a bunch of scrambled eggs, then R & K with iced ghosts(cookies). Tom had sliced cantaloupe, cheeses, oranges and Italian homegrown tomatoes in EVOO, garlic and balsamic vinegar. D made lots of toast and everyone kept grazing. It was a delicious brunch. We were trying to complete the brunch, drumming, and carving before the Seahawks played at 1:15.

Thirteen Things I love (in no particular order) 1. I love Tom, he's trying so hard to take good care of himself. 2. I love Dr. Price, he is so cool! 3. I love MJ's blog because of all the gorgeous photography. 4. I love V's blog because it's always so unique and interesting. 5. I love Angelo because he always loves me. 6. I love our new roof and our new woodpile. Thanks, Pat, Chris, Dave and Dick! 7. I love blogging and reading blogs, including D's, C's, S's, P & A's, R & K's, Ry's, F's, Steph's, Mary's. (Hope I'm not leaving any out; I love them all!.) 8. I love my daughters who make me so proud and happy, and C & D and all my very special grandchildren. You're all wonderful and I'm proud. 9. I love Pat and Allison and their families and wish them all well. 10. I love living at the beach and soaking up the sunshine (like today). 11. I love being in good health and having everyone in my family healthy. 12. I love being stress-free (like now) with Tom's surgery behind us. 13. I love being surrounded by family and friends, feeling the love, and getting my Christmas shopping done early!!! (Gotcha V!)

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Papa Celebrated the Homecoming!

Sunset October 21, 2008

Beautiful shots and beautiful thoughts for Randi and Ryan.

Celebrating Safe Returns With Lasagna and Pot Roast

We Celebrate Ella's and Lila's Birthdays Oct 19

Ella turns 5!
Lila turns 2!
MJ turned 16 in September!
Allison and Madison visited Papa last week.
Doesn't he look great!!??

October 21, 2008

The contractor finishes the new roof!

The mountain is out, the tiny grebes have returned, the Lincoln, the Shoup and the Momsen are in port!


Midnight loves us! (She has a new food dish.)

The Rockin' Maiers Rock On Home

The Italy/Ireland Venturers Return Home Tonight.
In fact, V called from the Newark airport at noon our time and they are in the USA!!

Clean Again! (Off Oxygen!)

Two not so great pictures of Tom but he's actually very happy -- happy to be home from the hosp again and happy to be off O2.

Keep Your Sunnyside Up!!

Sunrise October 1, 2008.

Nephew Thom Turns 25

Happy Birthday, Thom!!!

Thom is the son of my brother Scott. Thom turns 25 tomorrow (on the 29th).

Twenty-five years ago, Scott and daughter, 4-yr old Erica dashed over to M'ville from Bremerton when mother Donna went into labor. I was the only relative Scott could find at home so I was chosen to care for Erica. Since Scott had to make the round trip from Bremerton to M'ville and back to B'ton, Scott was a bit late for Thom's birth. Missed it -- but not by much.

I loved entertaining Erica and was one of the first to learn that Scott had a son and Erica had a baby brother! Again, Happy Birthday, Thom!!

(Thom graduated from my old school, Central. Little-known-fact: Veronica was born in Ellensburg.)

Lunch in the Sun on Sunday

Papa, Angelo and I enjoyed lunch in the sunshine today, Sunday, Septemer 28th, 2008.
The thermometer still says 75 degrees and it's after 4:00; it may have been 80 today!!

The New Woodpile and Appreciation

Our new woodpile: I'm kinda' slow with the thanks and gratefulness, but many, many thanks to Pat, Chris, Dave and Rich for procuring, hauling, and stacking our winter supply. We shall be toasty!!
Chris,the good son!
Pat, a good nephew. Pat doesn't just fish; sometimes he loads, hauls and stacks wood!

I don't have a picture of Dave or Rich, but thanks also to them. Dave provided the truck and the trailer. Rich found the wood for us.

The woodstackers/haulers were here on Wednesday, Sept. 24th. Thanks, guys!

Megan Turns 13 at the Great Wolf Lodge

Megan celebrated her 13th birthday with us on Friday night, the 26th, with cupcakes and ice cream. She was looking forward to Saturday when her folks were taking her, Tristan, and several schoolmates to the Great Wolf Lodge for a day and night of waterslides and revelry. How exciting! Maybe Denise will share pictures with us of the "big" party!!

Look! Megan has a big owie on her chin (double-click the scanned picture).

(Look again; Papa took his oxygen off!!)

Madison Turns 10 Sept 16, '08

Madison went shopping for art supplies: sketch books, watercolors, paintbrushes, colored pencils, charcoal pencils. She promises to bring us some of her artwork soon!!

Tom Before During and After