A few more pics

This is our lane going the other direction, to the mailbox on Hammer Road. As you may have gathered, it's known as a driveway to city folk.
This is our southern border. The cluster of trees is our neighbor's farm that we chose to not buy.

Another look at our neighbor's farm, looking west. Our build site is on the left just out of sight.

More pics of the property

Here is the view facing north from where we plan to build our house. The trees on the right are Sue and Ron's property. The other pictures are of our great discovery. Not only do we have a creek, the source of it is on our property in the form of several fresh water springs! What a refreshing spot it will be on a hot summer day.

Our property

This is the lane on our property in Iowa. The smooth hill ahead is where we plan to build our house. The trees on the left in the distance mark the corner of the property that belongs to my husband's sister Sue and her husband, Ron. If all continues to progress as planned, we will sign papers in January. We plan to move there when we retire, but that won't be for several years. This picture was taken in July, the snowy one was taken in January 2008.

Laura and Tracie

Today unexpectedly we ran into an old friend of ours: Laura C.
Back in the day she was Tracie's dearest friend. Here they are with their homemade "cabbage patch" dolls. We have many fond memories of this young lady, who now has a family of her own.

Sewing for my granddaughters

I have some sewing projects in mind for my three little granddaughters.....DRESSES!!
Here are some fabrics and patterns I may choose from. But I'm not saying who gets what cuz I want it to be a SURPRISE!!

Isabella Amaia
Tracie Lee with Gma Cook I see the resemblance, don't you?

A New Tradition

This year we decided to start a new tradition. Two of our granddaughters live near us so we invited them to sleep over Thanksgiving night. Their parents can do the crazy 5 AM Christmas shopping, if they want to. What we will do is MAKE GINGERBREAD HOUSES!! We are going to make wonderful memories and will look forward to some future year when their baby cousin Isa can join us from South America. It was really my idea, but Grandpa is willingly going along with the plan and being a big help, as usual. Right now we are still just waking up. But since Great Gma and Gpa gave the girls, Maddy & Trinny, a gingerbread house KIT, we are all set to begin when we're ready. Will Grandpa and I ever be ready? After all, these girls are just 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 years old! Are we crazy or what!? More to follow....

This last photo shows Maddy phoning her mom when we were all done. She was so excited, told her mom to, "come quick and see the pretty house!"

While we were still in the decorating mode Trinny was all about the candy and how it tasted. She would lick a piece and then put it on the house! I gave her a small pile of candies to keep her involved but every time there was none left in front of her, she would climb down from the tall stool, go around, and climb up on Maddy's where she could reach the big stash of goodies! It sure kept me on my toes, trying to keep her safe from the candies and the candies safe from her! I realized what an agile little thing she is. So many times I thought she was going to fall off the stool but she never did.

Maddy on the other hand showed how big she's getting, she'll be 3 soon. She seemed to understand without much instruction just how it's done. She did her share of tasting but kept it separate from the decorating. She really enjoyed the process and has been telling her mom every day that she wants to go back to Grandma's to make another pretty house. I think before Christmas they will enjoy decorating Gingerbread Cookies!

Oh, and one more thing. These two little girls are darling and their mama always fixes their hair so cute. Grandma doesn't have the same knack, just wanted you to know that I'm aware of my shortcomings. :)

This new adventure

I have joined the world of blogging. It's a familiar place, but strange at the same time. As I have enjoyed reading the blogs of others I wondered what I would say if ever I decided to jump in and join them. And so I have. My adventure begins today. It's Thanksgiving Day 2008. I have a lot to be thankful for, my daughter-in-law for launching this blog for me. And for all my kids, grandkids and my loving husband. Being a wife, a mother and a grandmother is certainly an adventure, if you look at it that way. And I always have, I think. I do like adventures, as long as I feel in control. I really am not much of a risk-taker or a seeker of the adrenalin-rush. And I discovered a few years ago that if I never, ever again go to an amusement park like Six Flags, I will not miss it.

But this blogging thing seems to me will be a really fun adventure. I am excited about the possibilities! A great creative outlet. And I expect I'll learn lots.