shooting wild animals "for fun"!

 Should I even publish comments from "unknown"?  Whatever.  I just thought I'd pop in and justify Paul for this person who couldn't leave their name.  He would never, ever, shoot a wild animal just for fun.  He does have fun, but should there be a law that one shouldn't enjoy hunting?  There are way too many deer in New York State.  I won't spew the statistics, anyone can ask google.  The department of environmental conservation, which Paul deeply respects and abides by their rules, has a good eye on the population and adjusts hunting licenses each season accordingly.  There is bow season, and shot gun season, and one can only shoot in the area they are permitted for.  

Yes, Paul had fun chasing Newtie with that deer head.  Men are strange creatures.  But.  He would never shoot a wild animal just for fun.  He had that deer processed, and he will be making venison chili and meatloaf.  One time, a few years back, there was a wild field grouse running about our yard, and Sunny was interested.  She pounced on it and killed it.  Paul felt so bad, he dressed it and grilled it, because he thought it would be a shame for it to just die for no reason.  (I did not taste it, he said it was really gamey)

I know we are all different, and hunting doesn't appeal to everyone.  I wouldn't want to do it, but Paul loves being in the woods and watching the wildlife.  He works hard to get a humane shot, to kill the deer quickly.  

Anyway.  Yesterday was a busy day!  I got home, started cleaning off the deck, then ended up going out and about with Sonja and Kaia, and Camille.  

We drove over to Skaneateles Lake and walked a bit...a brisk wind, and the shadows were so long so early in the afternoon!  But oh so lovely.

It's easier to walk pushing a stroller:). 

Kaia says "hi" to everyone!

(shh, you can tell someone is going to have a baby brother for Kaia!)

We ended up going to a fish fry place, they had a sign in their window that won our hearts:  "Fresh Apple Fritters"...made to order...um, yes.  We may as well get some fresh fried fish too, I don't usually like seafood, but I do like haddock.  (Camille got chicken tenders:)).  The apple fritters did not disappoint.  They were hot and filled with fresh apple chunks.  I shared with Kaia.  She also loved the fish.  

So I didn't get my deck cleaned off, but it's started, so now it's niggling at me to go finish up.  I emptied out most of the plants, so I can store the pots for the winter.  I swept off some leaves, but have more to do.  Most of the furniture cushions have to be thrown away, they're in awful shape. 

Today Miss Cam has class in the small city, so I'll try to bring some things to donate...right now, my comfy chair is comfy and my coffee is good.  I'm back to drinking it black in the morning, trying to lose a few of these pounds that found their way back on my tummy.  I'll never be skinny, but I don't want diabetes, says the woman who just bought 31 pounds of candy.  

I'm reading Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins, it's the latest of the Hunger Games books.  It chronicles Haymitch Abernathy's experience in the 50th games.  It's pretty much like the other books, with different characters, but it's essential to read it because the girls are going to see the movie when it comes out.  Also, my 13 year old granddaughter, Anya, has been bugging me to read it so she can talk to me about it, and what's not to like about that?  

Ah well.  I think our long stretch of gorgeous warm and sunny weather is coming to an end soon...autumn chills will arrive, coziness will appear...I don't mind.  But snow, don't make me go anywhere in it!!!!

Here's your Nicole picture for today, I snapped it last night from the angelcam...

(her cute little hands!!!)

yes I did...

 Have you ever had a really good dream, then woke up and it wasn't a dream?  That happened to me today.  It started as an ordinary day, I went to the pool, ahh.  Then, to Target all by myself because Paul was hunting, Char was at clinical, and Cam was doing homework.  I wanted to get Cam something for her birthday, she is turning 19 this weekend.  (Happy birthday to my blog, it turned 19 this past summer...)

So I got a coffee, and behaved myself, didn't buy any more Christmas things I didn't need.  I found two things for Camille, then ended up over in the Halloween section.  Well.  The end cap had candy corn, and lots of other bags of candy, the sign said 90% off.   90%!  

Well.  

I added it up, 31.7 pounds of candy...for $23.57!  The 55 ounce bag that was 24.99:  $2.50.  The candy corn was 28 cents a bag.  I know, I know, it's a LOT of candy.  But.  I had everyone over on Sunday, and a huge bowl of candy was gone by the time they all left.  I figure if I fill the bowl every Sunday, this should last us the winter...:)

I also got some Chobani Cookie Butter Coffee Cream,  it's so good!  It's just real cream with flavors and cane sugar, I add just a tiny bit to my afternoon coffee sometimes...mmm.  And, a Christmas rug/mat for in front of the sink!

Home again, ahhh...love being home.  It's so warm out today, I am going to clean up the deck...empty the flower pots (wah!!!), put away some chairs and cushions.  

Warning:  if you don't care to see a grandpa teasing a French Bulldog with a deer head, scroll on past...

(Newton was scared of it, but loved it too). (for the record, I'm kind of scared of it too...)

But the cotton candy sky last night!!!!

Ah well.  Things are fine around here.  Evelyn came over to visit yesterday with baby Bridget.  I rocked her to sleep:).  Then Cam and I went to the small city, and got some groceries for our meal plan list.  (last night, they made pizza, but I had leftover beef stew and an arugula and cucumber salad, with walnuts, craisins, lime juice, and olive oil...salt and pepper).  

Tonight is chicken stir fry, tomorrow is Fajita soup, then Friday is pork chops with roasted apples, sweet potatoes, and red skinned potatoes, with broccoli.  

I need to get moving again, outside in the warmth to clean things up a bit...you all have a good day!

can't keep up!

 

Amelia Bedelia?  The maid?  Since the maid isn't coming today, we'll have to clean this place up ourselves... What? !  I can't be the only one who said that to my kids through the years.    Well, I was the maid for Halloween.  The apron I made from a new in the package bedskirt I got from the thrift store for three dollars, because you never know if you need to make a maid's apron.

Miss Blythe

Camille

Sonja with her little Kaia bunny

Except for Adrian in his sunnies, those are all grandchildren of mine...

Declan has something Junie wants...

Baby Bridget Suzanne

And, your dose of Nicole:

She wasn't with us of course, but she's always in our thoughts.  

Abigail said she's been more awake!  She's like, what is going on?!   The hardest thing is I want to scoop her up and sing her songs....

Evelyn is here with baby Bridget, so this is a short check in post...all is well, have a really good day!

let's be real....

 I'm getting old, or why would I be so tickled to solve the Wordle so rapidly?

I was also tickled when I was looking at the strange weather forecast yesterday, and said, "Sunny, sunny, sunny!", and this sweetheart looked up at me and tilted her head.

Then I found an old picture from when Cheryl and I went camping by ourselves for a week.  I've told this before, but it's my blog, so I can tell it again, ha.  We had a week reserved, and I had either nine or ten kids, as I'm not sure if I was pregnant for Kathryn or if I already had her...(I told you I'm old).  Cheryl had her seven daughters, and we brought one of our brother's little girls "to help":). (she was about 14).   So that's about 17 kids altogether.  Cheryl had her own camper and her own campsite, but my campsite was right on the beach, so we spent most of our time there.  

One night, we had a campfire, and you can imagine all those kids gathered around the fire...my sister and I were both kind of strict about safety, we taught the kids to stay put and if they wanted to get up, they walked BEHIND the chairs, so no one fell into the fire.  anyway.  We had to sing the George of The Jungle song several times for Sam, and there was a lot of fun and silliness, which must have triggered the rangers to come see what was going on.  Cheryl had just kiddingly said We're running low on firewood, we'll have to go purloin some more..., when out of the shadows two rangers appeared, on either side of our circle.  What's going on here? , they wanted to know.  My sister stammered, Oh, my sister and I are here without our husbands.  We're just here camping with our kids...  The officer told us to keep it down a little, then they left.  Cheryl and I looked at each other and just died laughing...We're here without our husbands!  Oh my goodness.  We laughed about that for years.  It just sounded so...flirty?  oh my goodness.  

Anyway.  I'm sure that was a challenging week, but I only remember how much fun it was.  

It's the price we pay to be parents though.  We do the hard things so the kids can have fun. 

I am so thankful that I had my sister Cheryl as a partner in crime, although I say that jokingly, we would never actually steal firewood or anything else.  We liked to have fun with our kids though, and were willing to suffer to do so.   She was always up for a last minute outing.  She would pack up her girls and bring them over here, and they would play in the woods or play the screaming game downstairs or put on plays, play dollhouse with my kids...we went strawberry picking and to the beach and to playgrounds.  

Memories.  Yes, I'm getting old.  If I could go back in time and do it all over again, I would.  The lack of sleep, the crazy busy mornings, the exhausted bed times...oh, the times I tucked them in with my heart not in it because I was so focused on getting them all to bed, how I would love to go back and say prayers with them and listen to all those things small children think of to say when it's tucking in time.  

Happy Halloween, to those who celebrate it.  We're going to Jon and Rosi's house this afternoon, and giving out a ton of candy.  The grandkids will go trick or treating, and some of us will stay at the house with the babies...Kaia might go trick or treating, but Emilia and Bridget and newborn Jovi won't.  We'll have pizzas and I'm bringing bbq'd meatballs.  There will be snacks and drinks and lots of fun.  

I might dress up....we'll see...what??!  I have time!  Have a good day!

it seems so summery here in new york!

This fine day, ahh, I took my time getting coffee and relaxing...because I knew I was going to be doing some sorting and organizing.  I worked on a closet downstairs.  It's mostly empty and vacuumed out now.  I threw away three pairs of old shoes, donated a pair of nice boots, a basketball, a trombone, some ice skates, some swim floaties and a small life preserver.  I threw away two large bags of egg cartons I had collected for people who had chickens, and never gave to them.  I also threw away a metal framed backpacking rucksack, probably fifty years old.  What?!  You wanted that?!  Everything I donate, I picture one of the kids wanting it.  It has happened.  I donated a five cup coffee maker, next thing I knew, Evelyn was wondering about it, as she decided to start making a pot in the morning instead of always an Americano...being a new mama busy with a baby.  oops.  Then she wondered if I could put Olaf out this year, which I painted a few years back...nope, donated.  I hesitate.  I took a pic of one of the small swim floaties, which has been hanging on a nail in the hallway for a few years...I did not buy it, so I posted the pic on the family chat.  crickets.  Into the donation bag it went.  

I saved some badminton rackets.  I've saved more than I will end up saving, but at least there is a preliminary emptying of the rooms.  The day of reckoning for the room of books is coming..ugh, books are heavy.  I have at least three big hard cover nursing books, and loads of other books.  They aren't mine, but no one wants them anymore.  Well, Em said she would take the Chronicles of Narnia books.  

I have an electric bassinette that I bought a few years ago from Marketplace for Blythe, which she liked, but Margaret doesn't want it for this baby.  I have an Uppababy bassinet and bassinet stand, an Emmaljunga pram and double stroller, a nice Baby Jogger stroller from Marketplace with a brand new tray I bought for it, a walker, booster seats, high chair, pack and plays...some I'll keep (you need a few pack and plays when you're a grandma.)  This baby stuff is not from my kids, except for the plastic Little Tikes booster seat, and the Emmaljungas.  It's stuff I got for the grandkids:)

Cleaning out a house where you raised sixteen children is an emotional ride.  The hopeful minimalist, that is trying to emerge out of the maximalism, loves some of the very things that need to be gotten rid of.  I happen to love the outcome of purging...the nothingness, the vastness, the empty drawers and roomy closets.  I like fewer choices and simplicity, but I love the toys, especially the old ones they don't make anymore.  Keep what brings you joy, they say.  What if it all brings me joy?  I also like to have a whole slew of decorations, especially Christmas stuff.  Every year I get a few new ornaments....

I will clarify:  I am not a hoarder.  I have no problem parting with most of the stuff.  It feels fantastic, actually.  I like to go through my cupboards periodically and get rid of odd mugs and travel cups.  One of these days I can downsize my glass pie dish collection...now that I only make three or four pies for thanksgiving, with everyone else making some too, I don't need that big stack.  (when all the kids were at home, making 12 or 14 pies wasn't unusual!).  

There comes a time when a mama has to come to terms that she no longer has to hang on to things "in case someone needs it someday".   I had several costume things hanging in my hall closet...a few capes, a few old dresses, a clown costume...I got rid of it all.  Santa hats and witch hats, extra mittens and hats.  

When all the kids lived here, we needed so many sheets and blankets and towels and mittens!  There were never extra to spare.  Now...we do not.  

(adjusting to four people in the house is a gradual thing.  I made only one sheet pan of meatballs the other night...it was really too many for us, but a first for me, I usually make six or more pounds of meat into meatballs, two huge trays!)

We still get together frequently, so of course I still make huge quantities of things for Sunday gatherings.  But on a day to day basis...it's a learning process.  

If it weren't for the stomping of little feet when the grandkids come over, I think it would be really hard to live in this vast, formerly overflowing house, echoing with memories of lining kids up for baths and showers and serving dinners with two high chairs and kids all around those two big tables.  

Anyway.  It's been a good day.  Camille and I headed to the small city, dropped off the donations, then she went to class and I went to BJ's, for frozen meatballs and Stubbs bbq sauce...trust me, put those in the crockpot, and yum.  They're for Saturday, our Halloween gathering.  

Home....Cam and I got busy making dinner.  I cut up the chicken breast into strips, against the grain, and put them into pickle juice, while Cam cracked eggs then made up the bread crumbs.  I trimmed and cut up the Brussel sprouts and peeled and chopped red skinned potatoes for mashies.  Cam breaded those chicken strips, and put them in the air fryer with the Brussel sprouts, and got those potatoes on to boil...she made the mashed potatoes, and we had a fantastic dinner while watching the last episode of East of Eden.  (it was really good, followed the book, but there are parts you have to fast forward through!)

Anyway.  It's quiet right now, but I have to go pick up Camille soon, from band practice.  

Sweet baby Nicole is doing better, her mama said.  She's requiring less oxygen, but is still on antibiotics.  

You can see in this pic that she has that chin....it's a family thing.  :)

She cried a bit the other night...

Stopped and opened her eyes a bit...she's so cute.    (These pics were from the Angel Eyes cam in the NICU, I check on it several times a day!)

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handywork."  Psalms 19

You all have a really good night....

 

randomness on a Tuesday...

 There were no grandchildren involved in today's busyness.  I got up, dawdled around, did the crossword puzzle (oh you young busy mamas, don't hate me, I know!), drank my coffee...ahh, so nice!  Then I did some sorting and cleaning, got two bags to donate.  One large bin of Barbies with a few Kens and a bunch of clothes and accessories:  I did keep a lot of it.  I found an original Fisher-Price Little People, the girl with the red dress. I kept her.  

Then it was time for another coffee, and then time to go out the door for Cam to go to class.  We stopped at the new Byrne Dairy in town to get our free Tuesday Refills, we think we're so funny...you don't even have to go to the register, just raise your official Byrne Dairy refillable mug towards the cashiers, and out the door you go.  A lady held the door for me, she had her mug too, she said, Don't you just love Tuesdays?   Now that you mention it, yes, I do.

Off to Aldi I went while Cam went to her college class.  Avocados, pears, raspberries, cheese, eggs, coconut milk, walnuts, ravioli, a pizza dough, chicken breast, a smallish chuck roast for the crock pot, crackers, a jar of marinara sauce, and a bottle of lime juice.  There must have been more, it was a hundred dollars.  After getting Cam, we stopped to drop off the donations, then got gas, then to BJ's for two bags of coffee and two bags of candy.  

We're planning to gather at Jonathan and Rosi's (and baby Emilia's) place for Halloween.  The grandkids will all go Trick or Treating from there.  Some of us will stay there with the little ones, and we will give out candy.  We will have SO much candy.   Maybe 11 of my kids, some spouses, most of the grandkids will be there.  We will order pizzas, and have snacks and way too much fun.  

Tomorrow, I'll get up earlier, go to the pool, and Kaia Jean will be here when I get home.  Cam will look after her until I get here.  Rhys is coming for a visit at some point, and we might try to go to Target...not sure.  

Here is your daily dose of sweet Nicole Elizabeth.  I cry as I write this.  This little darling has beaten the odds, but she's struggling now.  I'm not sure how things will go, but I love her so much my heart just aches.  Please pray for her mama and daddy, that they can have peace and be strong in the coming days.  I am very thankful for all the kind words and prayers from all of you friends who read this.  It might come to mind that God isn't listening, but He is.  This baby has been such a gift.  She is so loved.  

You all have a good evening, and thank you again...

pictures from normal days....

Camille aka Aunt Cam, with baby Bridget

Char...Ev...Nate..Ellis in the front, Margaret, Blythe, Achilles...

Aunt Sonja with baby Jovi

Me with baby Emilia

Cousins and best friends Jamie and Blythe (that is a doll!)

Sweet baby Nicole

Today:  Ev with Bridget, Suzanne playing Sorry! with Rhys, and Jamie, with Kaia watching

Cam on the couch, Sonja with Kaia and Ellis

Babies and more babies!  In the last year, there have been 5 grandbabies born (Samantha, Emilia, Bridget, Nicole, Jovi), with two more due in the new year.  

This fine day, after the pool, Suzanne came for a visit.  So Evelyn came over with Bridget, and Sonja with Kaia, then Kathryn had an appointment for Jovi, so she took Achilles and we watched Rhys, Jamie, and Ellis.  (They were SO good!).  We had coffee, we had tastes of the amazing cinnamon rolls Suze brought from Wegmans, the kids had pears and cheese and crackers and cookies, and shh, candy corn.  (Jamie was so sad they were all gone yesterday, he said, "I smell the candy corn...", but the bowl was empty.). So I bought a new bag in the Dollar General today after the pool, the autumn mix with the pumpkins in it.  

Sweet baby Nicole has some infections going on, don't know much more than that, but it's a really hard situation for the soul.  We love the babies, we love the children God sends us right from heaven.  They are entrusted to us, and we are so thankful for them.  I'm not sure what to say about this, it hurts my heart.  

The girls are watching East of Eden, so I am watching it with them...so you have a good night!