FALL HERITAGE DAY

No extra hour of sleep this Saturday morning as we need to get to market earlier for our Fall Heritage day celebration.
We got there in plenty of time and got set up before the crowds got bigger . On the outside we had biscuits and gravy for breakfast and music to entertain as folks spent a relaxing morning .

There was a combination of the old and new parked along the street.

Hubbie stayed and helped with the sales through mid morning and I am very thankful for the good sales day we had. I had on my "heritage" outfit for the day.

There was an art show up on Main street which added to the crowds in town today.
The weather has been as perfect as you could have wished for today with bright sunshine in mid 70's temps with a breeze making it feel really nice.
I love walking around market this time of year and seeing all the festive brightly colored Fall decor and goodies.

I finished the day almost sold out of my baked goods for the best day of this month.
I left market and stopped at Aldi which was very crowded and no fun to shop in today. All the roads seemed to be more crowded today making me fear the coming leaf season traffic headaches.
Hubbie was just finishing mowing the lawn when I got here and he helped me get things unloaded and put away.
I needed a few minutes of down time to rest my legs and mind before jumping into anything else this evening.
I reluctantly got up a little later and put some chicken tenders and tomato seasoning in the pressure pot for supper. Hubbie fried our last cutting of okra and some yellow squash I bought at market today on the grill to go with a couple ears of corn from market . It was a very good supper and now each time I eat fresh vegetables I savor them because I know they are quickly coming to an end.
After we ate we watched the news and then did the chores for the evening.
As September comes to an end and look back at the month I am humbly thankful for the wonderful memories we made.
We started the month out with fun at the 71st Apple Festival in downtown.

 On Labor day the family went on a hike to the Dupont State Forest waterfalls for a fun filled day.

We celebrated g-daughter RL's 2nd birthday at a small party at her house.

She also started a new preschool which is every day from 8:45-12:00 at Mud Creek Church and she loves it.

 A hurricane named Irma came through our area with high winds and flooding rains leaving a mess to clean up but thankfully no damage here.

Hubbie and I both had our annual physicals and bloodwork done this month and both of us are very healthy.
I have been going to all the home volleyball JV ball games with daughter while she kept score for the team.
Hubbie and I made a lake trip with #2 son this month as the boating season is drawing to an end with the cooler temps.

 We also took the girls on our first trip to the pumpkin patch .

G-son started his Fall soccer season and his team is doing well so far.

We have had a lot of fun with these two little loves as we watch the relationship between then blossom.

Hubbie is getting used to his retirement routine and we are doing things that we have been putting off and are enjoying things much more as we get used to new schedules and routines with both of us being here all the time.
Yes this has been a wonderful blessing filled month and as it becomes part of our family history we all have our eyes on our Lord and Savior to see what He has in store for us in October .
God Bless and Good Night.

SCHOOL LOCK DOWN FRIDAY

Up and out on this last Friday of September. Both g-girls are here early and are off to a happy start this morning.
G-daughter RL loves her preschool as the expression on her face in this picture out in the hall shows.

She walked in today with one of the little boys in her class named Mossimo.
I came home and had my breakfast and started baking for the day. I baked 12 caramel, 2 chocolate, 3 pound and 2 pans of brownies before having a late lunch.
G-daughter IR sat in her bumbo seat and watched us have our lunch. She is beginning to really observe things and watch what you do.

She had a really independent time today and wanted to just lay on the couch and be left alone.

Hubbie went outside to blow leaves off the lawn and I worked on some photo downloads while she was in this mood.
Hubbie's leaf blowing didn't last long in this sunny 86 degree afternoon and he was back inside to cool off.
Unfortunately daughter had a nerve wrecking time this afternoon as the high school she teaches at went under code red lock down because a student on the adjoining middle school campus was seen with what they believed was a gun .

School was about 30 minutes late dismissing until law enforcement offices completed their sweep and found no weapons. Thankfully everyone was safe.
G-daughter IR was definitely ready to eat when her mom finally got here.
After she nursed we all headed back out to the high school to support the volleyball teams efforts of raising money for breast cancer research. They were selling a chili supper before the football game for $5.
The skies looked really threatening but only a few raindrops fell as we ate our chili supper.

Hubbie and I came home and got the chores done and then I spent the evening in the kitchen icing cakes and getting ready for market.
The principle at g-son's elementary school is retiring and today was her last day. I have enjoyed getting to know Donna as she is a very nice person and has been a great principle in her time at his school. I wish her all the best in her retirement years.

D-in-love works at this school also and I know she hated to see her boss / friend leaving.
As this month comes to an end I have to look back and wonder where September 2017 went as it seemed as if I only blinked and it was gone.
As hubbie and I continue to adjust to his retirement and a different schedule with 2 little girls in our lives we are doing our best to enjoy each minute of everyday.
Thankful for the many blessings that God continues to shower on us each day and for the love of Jesus Christ.
God Bless and Good Night

DIFFERENT MARKET DAY AND 2007 G-SON PICS

This is going to be  a different kind of Thursday market day. Son-in-love's mom, Connie , who usually takes care of g-daughter IR on my market day can't come today so IR is going to market with hubbie and me.
G-daughter RL is also here this morning waiting for me to take her to preschool.
I did chores and got things ready to go and we were only about 5 minutes late leaving for RL's preschool.
Hubbie went on to market and I met him there after dropping RL who was going to have another exciting day as the sheriff' dept was there with their armored vehicle. She was calling it an "army truck" have no idea where she got that ???
IR was asleep when I got to market and slept while we got unloaded and set up. When she woke up she was hungry so I fixed her morning bottle. I have a microwave behind my table so it isn't any different from doing it at home I just have to take all the supplies with me to market.
She was a happy girl this morning and talked and squealed all morning.
I had a customer looking at my baby bonnets and was wondering if they would fit a 3 month old ?
I had the perfect model !!!!

IR conked out and took a great nap in this little rocker bed we took with us.

I had a pretty good sales day even after a really slow start this morning so I am thankful for that.
Hubbie went to Hot Dog World for lunch for us and a neighbor and I had one of their delicious Greek salads.
We left market and hubbie went to the dump for our weekly drop off and I went to the bank and PO .
G-daughter fell fast asleep as soon as we started moving. Hubbie met me at Ingles near the dump and sat with g-daughter while I shopped in there . Then we went to Aldi and he did the same thing although she woke up while I was in there.
One more stop on our list today was Sam's Club, hubbie usually does this one by himself but we needed to renew our membership and we had a $90 credit so I had to do this since the card is in my name.
G-daughter IR was happy to help shop here anyway.

We headed home to meet daughter at 4:00. She took IR inside and fed her while hubbie and I unloaded both our vehicles.
This day worked out pretty good and I was thinking g-daughter IR is about the same age as g-daughter RL was when her other g-dad had to have his leg took off  and I had to start taking her to market with me.
This is both g-daughter's at 14 weeks old . G-daughter IR on left and g-daughter RL on right in Santa hat.

Hubbie and I did our chores and watched the news tonight then cut the small watermelon we bought yesterday at the farmer's market and it was really good. We are wishing we had bought more of them at $2 each !
As this month quickly comes to an end I need to get the last decade pics on here. In September 2007 G-son was our pride and joy and he sure loved his Pawpaw.

This is the only pumpkin that we grew that year but it was a big one.
Thankful for the blessings of this day and for the loving protective arms of a loving Savior.
God Bless and Good Night

OUTLET SHOPPING TRIP

G-daughter IR was here extra early this morning so her mom could attend the "see you at the pole" prayer service at the high school today. It was a beautiful morning to be outside early.

I took g-daughter RL to preschool and came home to have my breakfast. I don't have much baking to do today and hubbie needs a new pair of flip  flops so we decided after IR had her morning bottle to go over to the Asheville Outlets and check out their after season sales.
I packed up milk and a bottle for a 1:00 feeding and away we went.
We pretty much had the outlet center to ourselves this morning.

G-daughter IR did great on her first shopping trip with Neena and Pawpaw in her "shop till you nap" shirt.

We didn't find many sales but hubbie did manage to find a pair of new flip flops that will finish out this season at least for him.
We picked up some things for daughter and did get us a couple more grill mats that we use.
We were done shopping about time for g-daughter IR to have her 1:00 bottle and I fed her just like I used to feed g-daughter RL when she went shopping with us in the back of my Honda.

We left the outlets and stopped by the WNC Farmers Market. I love to go here this time of year just to look at all the beautiful Fall colors and today was really nice.

We bought some Muscadine grapes, a late watermelon and a couple late cantelopes and a large Candy Roaster for more pie making later.
We also made a stop at Foam and Fabric in Fletcher to get me some stuffing for a pillow order I need to get made and shipped to a customer in Charleston, SC.
We made it home with a sleeping g-daughter IR just before her mom got here from work.
After they left we watched the news.
We did chores and then I baked 2 pound cakes for market tomorrow and did weekly paperwork and paid bills for the week. We also watched the first episode of Survivor on TV.
Thankful to God for traveling mercies today and for all the blessings along the way. May all your prayers get the answer you pray for .
God Bless and Good Night

R. I. P. SWEET ANNIE

Up  a little extra early this morning as hubbie has his annual physical this morning and needs to be in Asheville at our doctor's at 8:00.
He helped me get both girls settled in and RL having her breakfast. I didn't shut up the chickens last night so I won't do anything with them until I get home after taking RL to preschool.
RL wanted to be my helper with IR this morning since hubbie was not here.

 Sweet sweet loves !!!!

We started loading up about 8:15 and made it to school right on time with both girls sleeping peacefully.
I woke them both up and carried g-daughter IR into the school with G-daughter RL.
RL went right in and started playing without hesitation today even with IR  there.
With IR fast asleep as soon as we got back on the road I stopped by a carwash and gave my Honda a good scrubbing. I haven't washed it in a long time and black tree sap was starting to get on the top and hood.
I came home and with g-daughter IR still sleeping I washed all the windows on the inside and scrubbed the last bits of sap from the top and hood.
Hubbie came in from his appointment with good news that he had dropped his Cholesterol from 267 to 226 in a years time by taking a couple Red Yeast Rice capsules each day.
He and I both are really trying to watch our health as we want to stay as healthy as we can to be able to help with these grand children as long as we can and we thank the Lord each day for allowing us the health to do it.
We came inside and while IR slept we had a late breakfast. Then I gave the chickens some corn and did some housecleaning.
We left early to go by Tractor Supply with a 10% off coupon and get chicken feed and shavings to put on the floors of the chicken houses before we picked up g-daughter RL from preschool.
When I went in to pick her up she was so excited as the fire truck was still outside and they had all got to get inside the big truck and the teacher said she had a very very good day.
As soon as we hit the road this happened and we made one more stop to pick up Bernie's medicine at our vet's office which is on the way home.

Both girls woke up when we got home after we  unloaded all the feed so we all had lunch together today.
Sadly this afternoon one of my outside 4-legged kids lost her battle with the infection that set up in an injured hip . Annie had suffered since early last spring with this leg and we had tried different treatments but nothing seemed to work. R.I. P. Annie we will miss your protections and patrols around the farm very much.

 And the kids will surely miss your good nature and patience with them.

Hubbie buried her in a hole he had already dug before we went on vacation thinking the other 4-legged outside kid named Sadie that is very old and senile would die while we were gone . This heat of the last few days is really taking its tole on her also.
D-in-love picked up RL and daughter ,IL and I got ready to go out to the volleyball game .
IL was all happy and ready to go cheer on the team.

But she got tired and bored pretty quick !!!!

North JV  played 3 sets and lost in a very close match to North Buncombe.
I came home after the game and did chores before hubbie headed over to daughters to meet son-in-love to try and straighten a tree that blew over during the storm.
I had a late supper tonight as I was really hungry.
This little sweetie is 14 weeks old today, stop getting so big so fast !

Thankful for the blessings of this day and thankful for mine and hubbie's good health that God blesses us with.
God Bless and Good Night