Letting the Adults Out to Play

If you guessed Anna Nichole Smith, you are correct! Click to enlarge and you'll get the picture.

Okay, so it's the weekend after Halloween and we decided to get together and have a little costume party of the adults only kind. As you can see, Barb and Scott went for the punk look, at least I think that was a costume. Chris and Laura did a priest and Catholic school girl duo. They got some dirty looks at the convenience store they stopped at, I heard.

Ray and Cindy came as a colorful matched pair of piratey people, stunning our other guests by being the only ones to fit into store-bought costumes this year!

Ken, our favorite biker, showed up with ELVIS! Wow! I don't know where he dug him up, but other than being a little hoarse, "Elvis" was in great shape!

Ummm.....I'm not supposed to tell, about the ghoulish thing that showed up with a cardboard coffin full of edible body parts. Let's just say Val had the night off, and leave it at that!

We played a game called "What's My Line." If you click on the pictures of the game, you may be able to read the tags on the player's backs. We had a gynecologist, a proctologist, a pimp, ho, gigolo, and of course, a colostomy bag salesman. If they didn't guess their "line" they had to pay a penalty.

These are the people who didn't guess their lines. We opened the window, turned the speaker to the front yard, and the losers had to hoof it around the yard doing the bunny hop! Other than getting a little sidetracked by an overzealous and confused leader, they were good sports and embarassed themselves very well.

Little Miss Jamie was Anna Nichole Smith, and the more fuzzy navels I drank, the more she looked like the real thing. Especially when she danced and waved her body around. I myself dressed in a dress that made my butt look big. Really, really, big. I shook it and wiggled it all night long to the music, and at about midnight, it started to fall off. When Fritz got home (in spite of heroic efforts he could not get the night off) I let him see it, then shucked it off and threw it in the closet. Mike and Margie attended a special barbershop show prior to coming, so they didn't wear a costume, but they definitely had their party clothes on! OH, by the way, we all had a really great time! Lots of laughs, and it was great for all of us to get together and see each other again.

Pumpkin Pudding

Picture #1 shows the great pumpkins carved by the Wilson -Baldus family. Chris's tall pumpkin hovers over Brandie and Grace's on the left. Laura's graceful design is on the top step with Emily's bride of Frankenstein creation below. This is when they were freshly carved.

Picture #2 shows what happened a week later. Chris's grinning pumpkin collapsed and drooled pumpkin juice. The others softened and slowly melted down so that the scary faces looked even more insane. It was cool!

Candy Quest in Grand Haven

This year Laura and Chris invited us to spend Halloween at their house. As you can see, the kids once again outdid themselves with their costumes. From left to right, Emily as a medievel princess, Brandie as a red devil, Grace as a punk witch, her friend Molly as a medievel witch, and Chantze as a weird monster. In front, Brooke and Paige have adorable princess costumes. The candy haul was pretty good this year. I heard more than one kid felt a little too-much-candy nausea this year. Downstairs in Grace's bedroom, the big girls sort their booty.

The weather held out, there was only one sprinkle just before we went out. It couldn't have been a nicer Halloween. When we got done with our long walk, Laura and Chris provided plenty of snacks, including apple cider, donuts, crackers and cheese, and cookies.

Birthday Squishees and Wedgies

What does a birthday have to do with squishees and wedgies? Well, when two special little girls like Brooke and Paige celebrate their upcoming 7th birthday, the happy happy joy joy is hard to control! Although I must say Aunt Jamie did her part to foment chaos. There are more cute pictures but Blogger only let me upload these few. So, there is Emily getting a wedgie. Ray and kids squished by Jamie and her minions. Dancing to sparkler lights out on the concrete driveway pad on a very warm October 6 night.
The macarena, the Casper slide, and some great freefrom stuff. Limbo and pin the tail on the donkey rounded out the games. Cindy and Ray made some great decorations and served some very good party food, including a pasta salad that was a standout. The cake was lovely, and Brooke and Paige couldn't get enough of opening presents and playing with them. May all their birthday wishes come true!

Birthday Dinner at Finley's

This is Valerie on September 16, 2007, her birthday! Jamie, Fritz, Laura, and I celebrated with her at Finley's where they not only serve good food, they take a ten spot off the bill if you go on on your birthday! A good time was had by all.

If cats could talk.....

Paige, Brooke, Emily and I were at the park near the ovals when the Kaye Barker was leaving port. It was great to watch until we were blasted by the ridiculously loud horn!

After the rain

It was great listening to the rain on the metal roof of the van as I sat down by Lake Michigan and watched the storm come in. Then the grand finale, a rainbow to the east, over Muskegon Lake.

Never A Dull Moment At The Lake

This is the partial lunar eclipse we saw down at Pere Marqette park on August 27, 2006.

The ship in the background is the Samuel de Champlain/Innovation. It was scheduled to dock today at 6:00 P.M. Unfortunately, the 1,000 footer, the American Integrity, got there first and ran aground, corking the entrance to the channel like a cork in a bottle. After about an hour, the American Integrity wiggled free, but backed off to let the other ship, a 544 footer, go in first. This is the second time a ship has run aground in the same place. The Corps of Engineers will only dredge once every three years, and the entrance to the port of Muskegon isn't due until next year. Lower lake levels have caused a number of problems for the big freighters this year.

A Time of Remembrance For Our Mother

Montague Township Hall, August 25, 3 days after what would have been my Mom's 75th birthday.
We gathered together with friends and relatives to honor and remember our Mother, who died September 22, 2006, in Tulsa.
Tributes were made by family members who spoke about her and sang songs. The tables were decorated with her favorite things, like roses and lighthouses and seashells. Some of her favorite foods were served. We played her music, played a DVD of her life in pictures, and released balloons in the air that contained messages from us all. It was a truly meaningful and heartfelt way to say our goodbyes and remember how much she meant to us all. She will always be in our hearts, close, until we meet her again beyond the rainbow.

Friends of a Lifetime

I have known Debbie and Lyda (and their older sister Linda, not shown) since I think about the age of 10 or 11. We have been friends ever since, even though separated for over 2 decades. This summer the 3 sisters came up to visit and although I could write reams about how much I enjoyed their visit, suffice it to say that those bonds made in childhood not only stood the test of time but are even stronger than before. To know them is a privilege, they are all special each in their own ways. This first summer without my mother coming up to visit was happier and even comforting because I got to see the Redding girls.

Future Rock Stars?

When Ray and Cindy went on their 1oth anniversary vacation to Mackinac Island, Brooke and Paige stayed at my house. We went to hear Aunt Valerie sing at the Foxfest in Lakewood. I think they liked being on stage! Watch out Mom and Dad....it's in their genes.

Risque, Naughty, Homewrecker Bathing Suit

Okay people, this is the bathing suit that was commented on by a woman whose husband and children were in the hotel pool at the same time as Jamie. This was in Escanaba. She was overheard to say that kind of suit should not be allowed in a family pool! Take a good look. IT WAS GRANDMA LARSON'S bathing suit!!!!

Summer Day

Summer days are meant for backyard lounging and snacking. Between the sandbox and the swingset, Paige and Brooke did some reading homework and then enjoyed some fruit and crackers.

Chantze wasn't here on this day, so he missed seeing and hearing the big hawk that sat in the neighbor's yard all day and made a racket. We also saw a bunny and ate some raspberries from the bushes. But the next day he came and earned some money for a Trac phone by using the weed whacker and watering the plants.

On the Way to Montague One Day

I don't think any explanation is necessary here.

Debbie and Lyda

For those of you who didn't get to meet them this time, here is Debbie and Lyda (formerly Reddings, now with married names.) This was taken at the airport, as Debbie had to cut her visit short due to severe back problems. Linda came too, but I didn't get a picture of her. They rented a really cool cottage on Lake Michigan and we had some wonderful visits. We spent some time at Val's around the fire and went on some joyrides, too! Of course we visited a restaurant here and there. But the very best part was just being with them and visiting about past, present, and future. Many a night we stayed up late talking about things that no one here would remember or understand. It was really special. That's why we consider them more sisters and long lost family instead of just friends. Anyway, they had to go back. Yesterday I received a huge basket bursting with fresh cut flowers from them to thank me for my hospitality. The gratitude is mine for being able to reconnect with them.

Fourth of July. Family, park, picnic, and fireworks made it such a special day. Aunt Jamie kept the kids busy with "Mother May I?" and "Red Light, Green Light" to which she added "Gray Light." We had sandwiches and pizza. We walked up the hill to Wesco and brought back hot coffee. Just before dusk, a thick fog rolled in from White Lake but cleared by the time the fireworks started.
There was apple juice, water, coffee, punch, beer, pretzels, every kind of chip, cheese popcorn, and peanut butter cookies to keep the troops quiet for the several hours we were there. Getting there early paid off, as we got easy nearby parking, a spot close to the bathroom, and a perfect view.

Grace and Emily watched the fireworks with their Dad and Grandma somewhere in Whitehall but we didn't run into them. Scott and Barb Sarazen brought their daughters, two with boyfriends, and Ray Redding wandered over to visit with his daughter and stepdaughter. We ran into a few more people there we knew.

This was our family fourth of July get-together at Goodrich Park in Whitehall. Ray has lost about 40 pounds since spring so he didn't mind me taking this picture of him enjoying one of the many servings of junk food Jamie brought to feed the flock! Oh, and did I mention Scott Sarazen made a run to Little Ceasers? That's Cindy with a breadstick.