Another catch-up

Do you have a favorite site? I have many, as you can tell by my multiple blog lists. There's one site, though, that's a favorite when I just want a little brain pick-me-up or if I need a quick gift idea or boy-project. Check out One Pretty Thing. I found this blog at some point a year ago or so and visit it every couple of weeks. It doesn't matter what type of project I'm looking for, I'm likely to find something there - along with several projects I WASN'T looking for! (Like I need a bigger 'wanna-make' pile!)

Fall is definitely upon us. We made our last beach trip for the year on Monday and, despite the toasty air temperature, the water was too chilly for this momma to enjoy past her ankles. The pools are closed, kids are back in school, the leaves are starting to change, we've even had our first freeze warning... I do love fall - the sights, sounds, smells.

Here's a quick wrap-up our our last month of summer...

Our waterways finally dried up enough that we were able to go hiking in our favorite parks

(notice all the sand along the path - they had to use a plow to clear sand from parts of the trail from all the flooding!)

and swimming in our favorite creeks/rivers.


We went picnicing anywhere we could picnic,


did some "workin' man stuff",


made monster bubbles,


helped out the firemen,



got creative with recyclables,


went canoeing and fishing - for real and for not-so-real,


did some more "hiking",


entertained butterflies,


morphed into our alter-egos,


bumper-boated,


raced with legends,


got stuff done (aka visted machinery hill at the state fair)...


*WHEW*


I had to laugh at the State Fair, when I checked in on the face-painting progress only to find that, once again, unbeknownst to each other,
the twins had picked out the same character. Luckily, this year, the two gals in the face-painting booth used the same design for Spiderman. Last year's 'rainbow' tigers (here) took quite a bit of moral support to convince them both that they really looked like tigers.

We also made it to the firetruck parade again this year. It was a bit more somber than last year as it fell the day before the 10th anniversary of 9/11. After a week full of reminders of what all occurred 10 years ago, it was hard to see a firetruck and not have those images flash to mind. The parade was less than a quarter of the size it was last year. We're guessing that was due to help being sent out to the various large wild fires around the country. Doodle #3 was rather thankful for the short parade as the first couple sirens sent the two of us to the car a block or so away. He thought it was much more fun to watch the firetrucks with a little sound-proofing provided by the closed car... Here the boys are waiting for sight of the first engine


Thanks for your patience and for plowing through one big update with lots of pictures. This blog also acts as an update page for Grandma and Grandpa - so lots of Doodle pictures is a must!

Now with earlier sunsets and earlier boy bedtimes, I might actually get back to having crafting time again - and having crafty news to share! If nothing else, I've signed up for a Christmas swap again this year that will get my crafting time in gear (more details on the swap later)!

Happy Fall/Spring, wherever you are!