Family Sunday

  

Kate is back in Ohio and Brooke, Amy, Abe, Cassi, and myself all met at The Cheesecake Factory for a little celebration before heading over to take a look at Kate's new apartment!

Abe was in his element...surrounded by adoring aunts and Oma...while close to his beloved mom.

 

Cassi played "Where's your nose?" with Abe and he could not stop looking at her.

 These two totally bonded over lunch!

 Abe was quite the little ham and thoroughly enjoyed his booster seat as well as his lunch.

 Abe has graduated from all baby food and formula.  His drink of choice is water.

 Auntie Brooke gave her little guy a big kiss goodbye.

 Amy and Abe were off to do a little shopping...

 Kate, Cassi, and Brooke with the coolest elephant ever!

Wouldn't she look great on our farm?

 Back together again!

And then...

 Kate's apartment complex is tucked away in a wonderful natural setting.

My sister plans on buying a home in a year or so and this will be just the place to hang her hat until she does.

 Lovely...

 I really felt like I was at a resort...There is also a golf course, snack and lunch bar, comfortable gathering areas, and rooms for get-togethers.

Everything is brand new and beautiful!

 Kate LOVES her new living space.  Her original apartment turned out to be too small and angular and the view wasn't what she had hoped for.

So the Sisters had a very nice talk with the rental agent and another PERFECT apartment was chosen.

Thank you, Super Dave!

 Kate's view from her deck...

Hopefully, Kate's furniture will arrive soon and she can start creating her new nest!

It was the best of times...

It Takes a Family

 Brooke...

 Me...

 Teamwork and an important message...

 Joe put up new blinds...

And then there is all that painting still going on...

Thank you, dear Joe!

Happy

This is why I love Lyn-Way...

Returning to Her Roots

 After one year of California living, my sister is moving back to her home state of Ohio!

Kate's car left for home several days ago.

Kate's moving van is too big for her apartment complex, so the initial pickup was done in a U-Haul and then transferred to the "mother" moving van.

Kate has done enough packing and unpacking and packing...etc...to last a long time.

Kate captured her beloved cat, Whimsey, in this very telling picture.

Like this room, life in California felt very empty.  Her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson lived over an hour away and they have a busy and full life.  Kate loved visiting them as their schedules allowed, but her own life was missing all she had ever known and as she discovered...treasured.

The constant California sunlight Kate looked forward to was not enough to make up for the beauty of the changing seasons and was therefore fractured...much like in this picture.

My sister views this past year as a time of personal evolution...much healing and reflection took place and she is focused and at peace with herself and filled with an unbounding sense of joy now that she is coming home.

Kate is returning with a devout appreciation of the past, but more importantly, an eager and postive anticipation of the road ahead. 

Four of the five siblings will be within "family gathering" range on very short notice and my own heart couldn't be happier!

Kate's journey continues...

Some Enchanted Evening

 Last night at Lyn-Way, we were having dinner with our friend, Jim, and he introduced us to another Lyn-Way regular, Dwayne.

I could not believe my eyes!  He looks just like this picture of Mickey Rooney.

Of course, I told him he could be Mickey Rooney's twin and he laughed and told me he gets that all the time.

 I immediately envisioned my new friend as a younger Mickey and asked him if he could sing and he responded he did and from what I heard later, is quite a talent.

I decided to call him Mickey-D and felt a kinship with this very nice man.

Tonight...

Mickey-D and his wife again dined at Lyn-Way and he told me he had noticed me before because of my "braids"...and that I reminded him of Judy Garland when he first saw me!

How amazing is that?

And then...

My new friend sat next to me in our booth and leaned over, put his arm around the back of my seat, and proceeded to serenade me in the most beautiful voice!

For that brief space of time, I felt as though we were Mickey and Judy in an old Andy Hardy movie and it was just beyond wonderful...

~Those are the moments that make life worth living!

Inspired By Picasso

 Betsy has asked Bobby to help her make a sculpture much like the ones Pablo Picasso created.

 Bobby thinks Cubist Art is fun!  It's all about putting shapes together in a three dimensional form.

After some creative decision making and teamwork...

 Betsy and Bobby LOVE their very first sculpture!

 Betsy believes even Picasso himself would be impressed with their art piece.

Later...

Picasso is indeed...VERY impressed!

~Art is as unique as the artist who creates it~

Molly Mouse and Friends

Molly Mouse knows

 When the weather is fine

It's just the right time

To hang towels on the line.

And The Preparation Goes On

 Joe just keeps on keepin' on!

Thank you so much, dear husband...

 The middle part of this board is soft enough to use as a bulletin board.

 Red and Grey...Can you guess what's coming next?

Remember, we live in Ohio!

I am sure Brooke's students will like this board.

Slowly, but surely...

Tuesday So Far

Early this morning, I saw our beloved...yes, I said beloved...Sunflower enjoying her breakfast.  Our sweet groundhog lives in a field which has been left to Nature and she is a joy to watch.

I checked on Joe's progress on the Walton Homestead and did a bit of my Happy Dance!

During my morning tea, I "made" the living room curtains.

Later...

 Brooke deemed this day School Supplies Shopping Day and suggested we have lunch at Rockne's in Strongsville...not far from the teacher's store.

I had the BEST salad in the Universe!!!

 This store has tons of fascinating materials for teachers and non-teachers alike.

 I can't wait to make this!

 This "sculpture" should be tons of fun to create!

While Brooke continued to shop, I returned to the car to read my latest Kindle download on my iPad.

I am totally loving this enchanting little story!

I am now home thinking about dinner and working at Brooke's school for a bit after dinner...and wondering if we are going to be seeing some thunderstorms tonight...It is extremely humid right now.

I so love the everyday-ness of life.

Around Hittyville's Friendship Pond

 Grandpa Hardy and his grandson, Rusty, are admiring the first blossoms of the newly "planted" pond plants.

 Rosie is more interested in finding out what happened to the Hittyville Frogs who used to live in Friendship Pond.  They disappeared about a month ago and no one seems to know where they went or why they left.

 Rosie can't even get the Pond Fish to help her solve the mystery.

They seem as puzzled as everyone else.

 Lewis and Hitty Rose are going to have their picnic lunch on Friendship Rock today.

 The Gnome Fairy is making sure the hummingbird feeders are in good working order.  Sometimes little bees get stuck in the holes trying to get a taste of the sweet nectar.

 The Gnome Mice are inspecting all the new myrtle plants and are thrilled the little purple flowers are starting to bloom.

No plant food is needed here today.

Sheriff Andy just heard a rumor there is a band of Merry Friends living in the Hittyville Forest with a leader by the infamous name of Robin Hood.

Watching out for pirates has been the only real concern Sheriff Andy has had in Hittyville...until now.

Hopefully, the rumor is just that...a rumor.  Hittyville's Lawman doesn't need to worry about land pirates too!

~To be continued~