Snow Day

Had our first real snow storm of the year come through Tuesday into Wednesday. Mare Bear and Pixie had a blast playing in to snow regardless of the bitter cold winds. Love seeing their smile with rosy cheeks and hearing the ear piercing squeals. Their sleds were turned into snowboards for the day and Pixie even broke out the skis (thank you Grandpa for sending them north with Mom). Our escavator did a super job this past summer building them the perfect hill to sled, board and ski down. It's a little short for the skiing but it works, and wears out Pixie in just a couple trips. Hope you all had a good snow day and were able to enjoy the beautiful blanket of snow.
Till next time...

My Man

My Bear never seems to listen when I tell him, I don't want anything for my birthday or a holiday. Especially this year, we got our home for Pete's sake. Anyhow, Bear sent me his camera to replace mine (the one that decided to die just before Christmas). Along with a card, 2 SD cards and bottle of Beautiful (my perfume). He always finds a way around it. As in giving the girls money to go buy Mom a present or just having stuff shipped to the house. He's good at it you see, he has to be in order to get it by me! Would I change it? No, it adds to our playful side.
Of course the card made me cry, tears of love and happiness for the simple fact I love this man and he loves me with all of his heart. Ever hear of love at first sight? How about finding your soul mate? One true love? We fell in love the first time we met, knew in an instant he was the one for me. Some kind of strange feeling came over me, like a sign, a my neck is tingling hot and I have to walk away sign. Thought to myself, "What was that?!". His voice, his eyes, his aura, leather hat, denim shirt, and wrangler jeans. Oh let's not forget the one in a million smile, or the butt! Saw that as he was walking out the door, hoping he would come back soon, maybe the next night I worked. Sorry but it's true, I looked and I liked. Everything was right!! I fell in love with a construction worker. Hard working, honest, good, true to his word, and good looking to boot. I wondered what would he see in me, a single Mom with 3 of my four kids to support, bar tending in a private club(not the naughty kind either)? I worked hard and loved my job and took care of my children, teaching them right from wrong and that without an education you won't get far. All of a sudden this tornado hit and turned our lives upside down and inside out. Tornado being Bear coming into our lives and staying, never fearing my independence or my children. Here's a single man with no kids of his own and he wants to see me?? What is wrong with this?? Nothing as I found out a little later. He always wanted to "help" me he would say, that was his way and still is his way of getting away with buying/giving me things I need or want. He has been there steady and true, through think and thin, good~bad~and ugly, with open loving arms for 3 years 5 months. Time has flown by, seems like yesterday he was meeting my little girls for the first time at the laundry mat (my dryer died). By the way shortly after that, he bought me a new dryer. This is a man I barely knew buying me a dryer, because I needed it, couldn't afford it and going to the laundry mat was eating up all the food and bill money. He knew this and took it upon himself to buy it, and come out to install it. What a man, telling you he is a good man isn't enough, he's mine though and I love him with all my heart. Over 3 years and we are still in love like we were when we first met. Sure we have our days where we might not like each other a whole bunch but we still love each other with everything we have! Communication and trust are 2 major components of our relationship, the rest falls into place. We were married just under 1 year ago. Poor bear had to wait until I was ready to take the plunge again. I knew he was the right man but being stubborn old me, I had to make sure we were both ready for this new chapter in our lives. Bear even asked the girls if he could marry me, how sweet is that? All 3 of course said yes and me too! Where has all the time gone? Now we have moved to da U.P. eh, started yet another chapter in our book that will I'm sure go by so fast we won't know what hit us. I guess that's what happens when you are struck by a tornado as strong and loving as our Bear! I love my true love, soul mate, best friend, Bear!!
Til next time..

CRIME, Who gets paid for it?

Hmm....Who said crime doesn't pay?
Ask the crack heads that broke into my husbands truck last night!!!!
You go to bed thinking the locked truck you park outside is just fine.
Wake up to find the back window shattered and everything scattered!!!
You try to think of everything you normally keep in your truck so you can tell the
police when they arrive. But wait, when you call them, they tell you they're not coming?!?!
Which adds to your dismay. Go inside to talk to the hotel manager on duty, they tell you it's your own fault for parking there????
Go back out, check over your truck, find blood all over the back window and seat. Don't touch it, don't know what the doper has for diseases!! Your GPS is gone with home address in there, Cd's are gone, Binoculars gone! Not sure what else is missing cuz you don't have time to think, you have to go to work!! All for what, so they can go get high???? Addiction is so powerful, it can take a good person and change them into someone they would never be otherwise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I lived with one for many years, I know what it does. It destroys not only the person but everyone around them!!! They will do anything to get that high feeling, even loose everything they have, steal, lie cheat just to get high or drunk! Alcohol is no better!!!
My little Yooper girls want to get their friends together, gather up shot guns and go take care of those crack heads, Yooper style!!!! What little minds think at times like this. Mare Bear had a thought, they have the GPS that has out address in there, what happens if they come and break into my truck or our house??? They have the directions right to our home!!!!
Not likely they will show up here as they were most likely just looking for something to sell so they could get their fix!!
It's a bad world out there, not one I want my girls to ever know about! Too bad we can't put them in a bubble and keep them safe from everything!!!
What a way to start the day! My poor Bear works hard to get the things he wants and needs and this is what happens to honest hard working people!!!!
Til' next time

DECEMBER

December 1st already! Where did the rest of the year go? Seems to have flown by like there is no tomorrow. Our year has been filled with so many exciting things. Girls(first time on a plane) and I flew to Arizona in the Spring. Poor little Pixie, thought she was going to have heart failure, she is deathly afraid of heights. She was a trooper though, plugged along with tear filled eyes as we got on planes to reach our destination. Last flight back to Detroit was a night flight where you can look out to see the city lights, all she kept saying "Mom it's so beautiful and peaceful, we can only fly at night the next time!". Before that flight she said she was never flying again!! Ever look into an 8 year olds teared up eyes and tell them they have to do something you know they don't want to do? It's just about as hard as delivering them! Mare Bear loved the flying and the whole adventure. There were so many new and different things to see and we didn't see a 1/4 of what I had planned.
We paid off our property in the U.P. in May and decided that we were ready for the big move from Trollville to Heaven. Looked at a place in June and started the whole process of getting the mortgage and house and everything that goes with it. Took many trips back and forth and finally had our home ready to move into Labor Day weekend. Our home is beautiful!!
August we moved our oldest out for 1 month and then she moved to Grandma's for what I think will only be a year. We will see. She is in her second year of college at a community college and looking to go to a big university to finish her schooling.
September 8th Mare Bear and Pixie started school at a brand new school! They joined Girl Scouts, mini cheer camp, and scrapbooking. They both have made friends quickly and love school, in fact they are on the A/B Honor Roll!
We have had so many visitors to our new home. Friends and family all agree we have a beautiful home. Only made one trip back to Trollville.
Now it's December, wow! Our slice of Heaven is decorated with lights and trees and ribbons. The prettiest time of year and my camera decides it doesn't want to work!! UGH!!! Haven't done a lick of shopping and don't really want to! I love this time of year but I am not a shopper, not one little bit! This month is filled to the brim with activities, family and fun! Little girls have their Thursday's full of scrapbooking and Girl Scouts, weekends are filled with shopping, wrapping and making gifts. This week add on a Christmas parade the girls are in for GS!! For me there is the same on the weekends, add cooking and baking to the list too. Besides Christmas there is my birthday, Anniversary and maybe a trip or 2, then January is right around the corner. Oh and not to mention that the girls will be on winter break for 16 DAYS!!!! What am I going to do with them for that many days?? Go crazy comes to mind. I will keep the busy, and maybe just maybe they will help me clean house! Ha who I am kidding?
Anyway, I hope your holiday season is filled with, family, friends, love and laughter.
Til' next time...

Venting etc...

Thanksgiving here and gone. We had a wonderful meal with my parents even though it was an hour late. Oh well at least we were together and ate delicious food and too much of it.

Hubby was home all weekend. He pulled a muscle in his back at work so it was a VERY laid back weekend with lots of rest for him. I understand that when you are in pain, it's hard to be who you normally are and can be crabby, cranky, bitchy, needy, snippy, argumentative, take things the wrong way, etc... And he was all of that plus some. He was still like that last night. He tried apologizing to me and asked me to tell the girls he was sorry. I am hear to tell you it wasn't accepted too warmly after the 4 days of him being, ok, let's just say it a Butt*&%@!!! Don't get me wrong we love him more than anything in this world, the past 5 days have not been the greatest for us here. Normally when he's home it's happy and busy and filled with lots of love. He truly is a good, honest, giving, hard working, hard loving man, that normally has a soft spot for all of us girls he loves. Our bear was just not himself this trip home. Bear travels all over the U.S. for his job. He is a superintendent who works on Industrial chimney's for one of the largest company's in the world. A dangerous, mentally and physically demanding job. He works hard everyday and it shows when he gets hurt as he is not getting any younger or the fact he's been doing this job for over 30 years. He doesn't like leaving us and our new home to go to work which adds to his dismay. I truly understand all of the feelings he has, still doesn't make me or the girls like it when he acts like that.
Alright I vented not sure if I feel better or not.
Our tree is up, tallest tree I have ever had. Looks beautiful and adds a warm glow in the house on cold nights. Mare Bear and Pixie even put mini trees in their rooms this year with mini ornaments and lights and beaded garland. They were so proud of their creativity and I have to say I am too. We have snow on the ground once again this morning and the roads were like an iceskating rink. Our bus was 20 minutes late, good thing it wasn't too cold out there waiting. Girls were running around playing to keep warm. There is something about a dusting of snow that makes children light up.
Kayla is gearing up for finals for the 1st semester. She had a 6 page paper to do for English, received a 195/200!!!! Just got a call from her, A on Biology lab final!!She never ceases to amaze me!! Go Kayla Go!!!! I am so proud of her with all of her accomplishments. Four and one half years ago, where we were this would not have been possible.
When I stop to think about how our life is now and how much it's changed I am in aw! For some reason I have blocked out most of the time before 4 1/2 years ago. There were good memories in there somewhere. We have been so busy living life and making new memories and traveling. Love this life I have been given. Thankful? What do you think? Yes I am thankful for every moment, even the not so good ones.
Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. Anyone want to do my Christmas shopping? I am a scrooge when it comes to shopping no matter what time of year it is.
No pictures this time, my camera for some reason has decided it will consistently take blurry out of focus pictures. It's making me insane. Normally my point and shoot, Kodak camera takes wonderfully clear shots, what is up with that? Hubby asked me what I wanted for my birthday - that's coming up faster than I'd like - and I replied "nothing". That changed this morning while trying to take pictures of the girls in their new hats! Sent him a text message telling him, I give up my "nothing" reply, has turned into an I want a new camera!!! It won't be the one I really want since I am too much of a penny pincher to spend that kind of money for something like that. It's not a necessity , it's a want and to me there is a HUGE difference. If it's a need that costs big bucks then I hesitate less, if it's just a want then I usually won't spend a lot unless it's something for someone else. We never take anything for granted and just like most people in America live pay check to pay check so when bear gets laid off we are hard up for cash to say the least. Not savers at all, we live for the moment which catches in a pickle every time! Darn it anyway. Some day I hope it will be different.
Well I have lots to do today and sitting here rambling on isn't getting them done. Til next time...

Having bloggers block! UGH! I feel my adult ADD kicking in for some reason, my mind has a billion thoughts racing through it so fast I am unable to get them all down before they disappear into nothingness. Not sure what to write about today, any suggestions? I could write about our recent visitors, or the pending holidays and the fact I have zero shopping done, or my children, or the near accident I had on the ladder, or the fact I haven't had my does in with their fawns in a few days worries me that something has happened to them, or the rush of emotions that are about to come over me when my husband walks through the door tomorrow night after being gone for over a month. Bad grammar to have run on sentences I know. I could tell you my parents are coming up for Thanksgiving and this will be their first visit to our new home and the fact that I am more nervous for them to visit than I have been for any of our other visitors. Why? Well I don’t know why, my parents are not the judging type. I guess it’s because I speak so highly of what I call my own heaven and I hope they will think the same? Not sure, I am open to any of your thoughts on this, leave me a comment if you have any ideas of why I’d be nervous. None of them seem to jar the fingers enough to write. So I guess for today I may just ramble on and on about senseless things.
This one thought however is not senseless: I am one proud Momma!! All of my girls are doing awesome in school. Oldest Rie is carrying A’s in college!! Woot Woot!! And the Mare Bear and Pixie are both on the A/B HONOR ROLL for the first time!! Another Woot Woot, please? They are all good students and should be proud of themselves.
Then there is the dark cloud of sadness, wondering how my boy is, and wishing he would go to school and get an education to have a better chance at life, wishing he would talk to me or want to see me. Life choices is what that comes down to. I can’t write anymore about him today, sorry tears are rolling down my face. He is truly my only sadness. I miss my boy!
I was able to see a long time friend of mine when we visited Alpena. I miss her so much. She and her family helped me so much when I needed them. Hope to get to see her soon. Her new grand baby is precious. The Mare Bear and little Pixie visited some of their friends and family too. Shed a few tears too. It's so hard to see everyone in 2 short days but we crammed as much as we could into our time there.
We celebrated my Mom's birthday during that visit as well. She is now 67 years young and told me she wants a face lift for Christmas either that or don't take close up shots of her anymore. Also got some shots of all the girls with the baby! One though, makes me shutter. I don't want to see this one for a while, my oldest daughter holding a baby! Even though it's not hers, that's the site I can't bare to see anytime soon.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Sweet pea’s Heaven. I have been busily putting up lights outside. Looks pretty darn good so far. I need more things to plug into though. That’s how I had the near accident with the tall ladder. I was doing something I probably shouldn’t have by myself. I have a grapevine wreath, up in the peak of the roof, that I took back down after Timothy was so kind in helping my get it back up. Well I got the idea of decorating it for Christmas. That won’t happen again! As I was trying to make sure it was secured, I leaned over too far on the ladder and it started to slide!! What was probably only 6 inches felt like 3 feet, it slid, I got a death grip with my fingernails into the cedar siding.. When I steadied the ladder back up where it shouldn’t slide, I exited the ladder shaking all the way, vowing I will never do that one again!! Next time I will heed my husbands warning of it being too dangerous and what if I fall who will take care of me and the kids!! Yesterday, staying on the ground, I went out and cut some more balsam tips , brought them in and decorated a little inside and out, add a little ribbon and pine cones, birds and walla (how do you spell that anyway?). I can hardly wait to get our tree up. It will be taller this year, yeah which means more lights and more decorations. Menard’s loves me. I wanted to get a real tree but I keep looking at one in Menard’s that looks so real and I wouldn’t have the mess of the needles. Decisions! Pictures will follow when I finally decide.
We are anxiously waiting for our big bear to come home. I long for the feel of his embrace, safe secure in his arms. The feeling it gives me is nothing I have ever felt before him, being in his arms makes everything alright. All my worries and problems seem to just disappear. The kisses that make me know how much he loves me, whoa the kisses! Hmm I think I better keep all these thoughts and feelings to myself. I love that man with all my heart and soul, we were meant to be together is all I will say. Maybe someday I will write how we met and all the emotions and other things but for today I will leave it alone.
The girls had their first sleepover. I forgot how giggly little girls are late at night. Last time I poked my head out of the door was sometime after 11(way past their and my bedtime), asking them to be quiet. I gave up and went to sleep, not sure how late they were up. Next day they were tired to say the least. Didn’t slow them down though. My brother and his wife came to check out the new house and visit with us. Last time they were suppose to visit they had a minor accident and couldn’t make it. They were riding through the U.P. on their Harley when a grouse flew up into his face. Not sure how he didn’t lay that bike down or worse, I guess all of his years riding experience paid off. He had cuts around his eye and a fractured eye shelf, took him a while to recover. So this time they were in their truck. They brought us a house warming gift that matches with our décor. The girls and their Aunt played with play dough making all kinds of things. Then the fun started, they all went swimming at the motel. I didn’t bring a suit, so I thought, I always carry one for tanning and forgot it was there till later in the evening. I was the photographer is what I told them. My camera is just not made for action shots and that’s something I need with 2 girls constantly on the go! One shot is just a reminder of what we will get to look at for the next few months, gray skies. I had a JD and coke, something I haven’t had in many years! Last time I drank that I ended up divorcing my first husband! Which by the way is good thing. I couldn’t even finish my drink, the taste was awful. Give me some wimpy Malibu Rum and Pepsi and I’m good. I just can’t handle that hard stuff anymore, kicks my butt!!! We had a wonderful dinner after the first round of swimming. The girls said the restaurant was fancy, which it was. Had linen table clothes, linen napkins, cups and saucers, water glasses, shiny silverware set in the correct spots, beautiful centerpieces and candlelit. They haven’t been to anything like that before. It reminded me of a restaurant my family went to on Saturday nights. My parents owned a ma & pa type general store for all of my growing up years and then some until they were forced to close due to lack of business. Some Saturday nights we would rush to the restaurant just before their cutoff for serving, just to eat a delicious steak, baked potato, French onion soup and warmed mini loaves of rye bread with real butter. Odd, can almost taste it 30 years later. After dinner the girls went swimming and we just sat and talked. Another late night.
Sunday night bedtime rolls around late again! UGH!! Mare Bear remembers she has homework! Stayed up to help her and finished around 10ish! They are off the rest of the week for the Thanksgiving holiday. Good thing, they can help me clean, vacuum and dust.
Here’s hoping you all have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I hope to, it will be my first without my oldest baby being with us.

Just one of the beautiful sights I see here in heaven almost every night! Thought I'd share..

What will come next Spring?

Sun has been shining the past few days which gives me the opportunity to be outside getting some much needed things accomplished. When we moved we dug up just about every plant we could so that we would have some things to start off our flower gardens here in the U.P.. Well then the rain and the cold set in and there was just no way of getting them in the ground, we also couldn't plant them in the clay and sand mix we have. So, they sat in the containers just withering away. Being soaked by all the rain didn't help matters either. Last week I was finally able to get some black dirt hauled in and start on my flower gardens. The little girls helped me by starting the rock borders and then I hauled in wheel barrel load after load until I decided I needed an easier way to do this, my 4X4 truck that never sees dirt! Speaking of which is in desperate need of a wash and vacumming. The gardens don't look like much now but in the spring when they start to peak out from under the soil I will be so excited to see what grows!! I lost a bunch of Daffodils that were frozen and turned to mush :-(. Most of the flowers and vines made it here just fine despite the weather and my not being able to get dirt here. They should be just fine, October and November are both R months, my Grandma always said to transplant things in a month that has an R in it. All of the plants and vines I brought were hers, hopefully we can keep them growing. Next spring will be so different and beautiful here in Heaven.
Busy day ahead, better get a move on!
Have a GREAT day and remember to SMILE and enjoy the day you were given.

WOW!! What a busy weekend we had here in Heaven. My oldest baby came up for a visit and a concert, plus it was Halloween weekend. Mar Bear and Pixie could hardly wait for her to get here and pick them up from school to spend some time with their sissy and her friend Tim. I think they were just as excited to see him as they were her. Our weekend was filled with lots of food and laughs, naps, pumpkin carving, dress up, concerts and carnivals. I made all of her requested foods and sent some of Momma’s home cooking home with she and Tim. All of them ran through the house laughing and playing and tickling each other, and found the can of reddi-whip in the frig. Kayla figured out that getting up on Tim’s shoulders she is able to reach the peak of the cathedral ceiling in our home. She looks so happy and content with their relationship. I forgot how much sleep a 19 year needs hence the reason for naps. They were able to see some of our critters we so enjoy watching. Tim wasn’t to crazy about Bear’s hunting rules, no shooting the does which have fawns with them, no shooting the fawns. Also add in the Michigan U.P. hunting laws and you can pretty much say he was only allowed to shoot a 6 point buck or larger. Kayla brought gifts for the girls too. Mar Bear got a beautiful painted pony figurine for her horse themed room so that she may start collecting them for a display. Pixie got curtains that match her personality to a tee! Also brought what I like to call Pixie dust, a box filled with puff balls, pipe cleaners, felt, large google eyes and glue! Thank you Grandma, she said your welcome at least it wasn’t beads! AHHHHHHHH!!!!! (YELLING) What did I get? I got hugs and thank you for the food. Halloween was fun and hectic as usual! In the kitchen for 5 hours cooking and making things for the carnival didn’t do my back a bit of good. I hurt it the day before carrying sacks of corn out to the feeder for our critters. Big Bear wasn’t too happy with me either. His comment to me was, “Why didn’t you have Tim do it?”. My reply, went over like a lead balloon “I can do it myself and he was taking a nap plus I had a break in the rain!”. Poor man married a woman just as stubborn and do it myself as he is. I helped the girls get their hair and make up done in time to go trick or treating. They both fit their costumes this year, devil and a witch!! Did I say that, oops! They did on that day and many others too. Kids will be kids I guess. I have to say that they are the most beautiful witch and devil I have laid eyes on, of course I am prejudice. Afterward we went to the carnival at their school and they had a great time, playing games and just being with their friends all dressed up silly and scary. Their carnival reminded me of the old days at Maple Ridge Elementary school when we would hold ours every year. When we got to the 6th grade we were able to participate in the haunted house. That was fun for some, not me, I still to this day don’t like scary things. Kayla went to a Dierk’s Bentley concert while she was here. I asked her how it went and all she said was it was ok????? Just OK?? Hmm what is up with that were my thoughts. I talked to Tim and found out part of the problem, she is what someone who is politically correct would say, vertically challenged. Me being the politically incorrect Mom, says she is short just like me! Hey, good things come in small packages!!!! They munched on chips and cheese and talked about the music and said he put on a good show and he sounded great! However their pictures didn’t turn out too well since he has such an awesome light show. We were all just pooped after the busy day and hit the hay for the night. Our last day was short. Breakfast and Tim helping me do things I had orders to not do myself. We had to fix the grapevine wreath that started out round and ended up egg shaped since I didn’t support the bottom, oops. Wreath is now rounded again, feeder is partially full and Bears hunting stuff is here and not in storage. Thanks Tim. After his time helping me he almost forgot his boots on the porch, he said he would have missed those. All in all it was a good weekend. Kayla and Tim had a safe trip back down state and the girls are back in school for the week. We have girl scouts this week and a playoff game we might attend. Mar Bear and Pixie will get their girl scout pins this week, WAHOO!! Have a great week and enjoy the sunshine while it’s here.

Dirt, Fingerprints and Sunshine

What is up with this crazy weather? It’s wreaking havoc with my girls normally healthy life. They both came down with some kind of viral sinus infection. UGH! Each of them missed 2 days of school. All better now and back to school. Our Big Bear came home this past weekend. It was a much needed family time even though it seems to have went by way too quickly. His own to do list while home keeps growing, as he makes sure his honey do list is done, since he doesn’t want to be on Momma’s list. We were able to get our kitchen appliances and a new bed! Wow a brand new electric range, micro/hood and a dishwasher! No more guessing what temp the oven is on which in turn means no more burned food unless I fail to set the timer. Also no more dishpan hands for this Momma. And when the day is done I get to lay down in a new comfy bed! Everything new, not old or hand me downs. I don’t want to seem ungrateful for the things I have had , I am grateful for them too, but new things that don’t require too much maintenance I am truly grateful for. It was great to have our family together even if for a short time. Missed our oldest but I guess that’s what happens when they grow up. Hubby was able to have 3 home cooked dinners and breakfast too, he misses them so much. To us, it’s a treat to eat out and while he’s home that’s the last thing he wants is to eat out. We had more visitors here in Heaven. Our neighbors from Cathro came up to hand deliver the girls Halloween candy. It was a surprise to the girls since they had no idea they were coming. They arrived and I snuck them in the back door while the girls were occupied with other things. The looks on their faces when they realized I had someone with me was absolutely priceless!! Our guests only spent the day but promised next time they would have sitters for their 4 horses, 2 dogs and 4 cats. What a wonderful visit we had, although it was much too wet and mucky to show them around our property. Not sure how safe that would be as we have found out the bear is a Momma (Sow) with 2 cubs. They are so beautiful. The girls had an awesome time cheering with the Varsity cheerleaders last week. The weather was terrible, wind, pouring rain, but, they all were smiling through their frozen little lips. We left the game early, frozen and girls soaking wet. Why were they soaked you ask, well they didn’t listen to the Momma when she told them to put on their rain poncho’s. Their reply to that is, you can’t look good cheering with a rain poncho on! Home we went to dry clothes, warm blankets and Hot Cocoa. What a great school to attend!! They offer quite a bit of different things to children of all ages. The World Champion Youth archer attends their school, eighth grade student competed with 600 other kids to take the win, how cool is that? Our Varsity team made it to the playoffs and first game is home! Wahoo!! Girls will be sporting their gold sweatshirts Friday to show support for the team. We have a very special visitor coming this weekend, the oldest daughter, the big sister, the 2nd Mom, the smart college student! So I will be busy baking and cooking all of her requested foods. Even though I long to be outside while the weather is finally giving me a break from the gray skies and rain that have plagued us all of October, I will cook for my baby. Speaking of which the sun shone through the door yesterday showing some billion (looked like that many) little fingerprints that I hated to clean off since they are only little for so long. Oldest baby is proof of that, where did the years go? She has grown into a beautiful young lady, Love her and Miss her terribly but I know she is doing what she has to do. She is attending college, living with my parents, working and dating a great young man. She is doing all the things I hoped she would do as well as all the things I didn’t get to do. Hubby often asked me, “Why do you push her so much?”, the answer to that is I want her to have the opportunities I didn’t have because of the choices I made. We will eat, go to the game, come home, eat and warm up. Saturday is Halloween and everyone is going trick or treating, yeah!! We have a carnival afterwards and then Kayla and her boyfriend are going to a concert, she will finally get to use her birthday present. Sunday will be a sad day, she has to go back down state. At least she won’t be alone for the long trip back home. Hope to get back down there some day. It’s so hard for me to leave Heaven where we are happy, relaxed and content, to go down where we are stressed, worried and tense. We are getting more critters coming in to eat the corn. Mar Bear and Pixie have a daily routine of throwing out 5 apples for their deer. We all enjoy watching them and how they all have their own personality. Some of the animals aren’t too welcome around here, like the coons and possums. The coons yes are cute but they get into everything and are very destructive. The possums are just oversized rats, sorry they aren’t cute at all.
Almost forgot, 3rd time was the charm for our snackbar to be installed!! Wahoo!! We have lots more room to use for baking and making things. With the fall back time change coming upon us, I am finding it harder to get out of bed right along with Pixie and Mar Bear. The missed the bus once this week and almost missed today, UGH! What to do, what to do when the comfy bed calls you! Have to get up earlier is how to solve the problem. We live in Central time zone but go by Eastern time, don’t ask me why, I don’t know the answer. Part of me thinks that’s why we are having a hard time getting up. Who knows?!
Hopefully I will get back to blogging more consistently, I have been feeling less than creative while we had all the gray and rain surrounding us. I was finally able to get a load of dirt hauled in to make it possible for me to get some of my plants in the ground that have been sitting in buckets, bags or whatever they could fit in, since the move. I think I may have lost some of them but still have plenty to plant to keep my Grandmothers plants going in yet another place. They have moved from Farmington to Long Rapids, from Long Rapids to Cathro, from Cathro to Sweetpea’s Heaven. I hope they survive the move and blossom in the Spring. Enjoy your weekend whatever your plans may be. :)

Winter in October?

Ummm…. What happened to Fall and Spring? We went from Winter to Summer, Summer to Winter?

At least that’s what is seems like to those of us in Northern Michigan.
We had some visitors again. No bears this time, well maybe a couple depends on your definition of bear. We had a fun filled day with freezing temperatures and snow! Took a trip to the local corn maze for another visit and I was correct the colors were absolutely gorgeous! All of the kids enjoyed climbing on the tractor made of hay bales. We had a little slower trip through the corn maze as I told the Pixie to take it out of Marathon mode before we even started. They enjoyed the zig zag turns and loops that make the tractor in the maze. While we were walking through it began to snow, just flurries but none the less the were trying to catch the flakes on their tongues. I couldn’t get my camera out fast enough to get pictures of that site. Next on the list of things to do was a much needed warm up in the barn with the cutest calf. I have to tell you is quite the ham when it comes to getting his picture taken with small children. All of the girls squealed with excitement when it was their turn to go in the stall with him. However he was quite intrigued with one of the girls jacket zippers, in fact I think he was trying to eat it! He made sure to give each and everyone of them calf kisses before they exited. On to the next fun thing was the hay mound and the hay bale maze, made for people just the size of our smallest visitor. All of them enjoyed it no matter the size. Our final adventure on this huge farm, our hay ride. Sure it was cold and I along with MarBear were the only ones with our winter coats on and zipped but none the less we all had fun on the bumpy road through the fields and woods, but no Grandma’a house to go to.

Thanks to the help of my personal decorator I finally got the huge wreath hung on the end of the house and some other things on the inside done too. Also put out our welcome sign thanks, Tathia for touching up one of your beautifully painted windows. I have to say it looks like it was made to go there. I got in trouble from the big bear for climbing up on the ladder to do the hoisting of the wreath. He is the one that climbs for a living, up to 1000’ chimneys! YIKES! I didn’t even get close to that on my ladder and I did wait for some one else to be here to hold the ladder. Well that’s my story and I am sticking to it even if he didn’t buy it. I know, I know what if something happens to me, who will be here to take care of kids, that’s why I waited for a spotter. I guess the next time I need something done up higher than 3’ off the ground I will be patient and wait for him to come home. Yeah right, me be patient! I heed his warning though.

Monday morning I saw a strange sight, snow in early October! It snowed all day until we saw a final accumulation of 2”! I have to say though, it was so peaceful and beautiful to wake up on Tuesday morning to the site of everything covered in a white blanket of snow. Nothing more grand than to see the tree limbs bending with the weight of this white stuff we call snow. Those friends that ride snow mobiles in the winter I am sure were quite excited to see this. My father is already prepared for his winter full of skiing everyday except Saturday week in and week out. Here is a 70 year old man that is healthier and more active than most teenagers! He jogs, or rides his bike almost 5 miles everyday in all seasons, if he doesn’t ski that is. Not much holds him back from skiing not even winter storm warnings, which leads me to believe he is a little crazy. Sorry love my Dad. Lone little MarBear found a frozen puddle to play on, trying to make sure she cracked every square inch of ice. Pixie was and still his sick with sinus pressure and low fever and don‘t forget the cough that keeps her up all night. Poor baby, she hates to miss school and her friends.

Girl Scouts has begun. I will have pictures from that soon. The girls loved their first meeting and look forward to many more! They have a great leader that loves to have fun and teach the girls at the same time. YEAH!!

I leave you with some of the peaceful shots of our first snow in DA U.P. eh…

Visiting Fall

Our Indian Summers seems to have left us now as fall settles in all it's splender. As I look around at all the glorious color surrounding us, I have to stop and take it all in. All of the yellow to orange and red catching my eye as I have camera in hand.
Girls have come accustom to watching the critters outside. We have 3 bucks and one doe along with all of the birds, squirrels and Alvin(the chipmunk), that come in regularly to munch on our corn. There of course are the nocturnal animals such as the Raccoon family that stumbled into our corn. Also found out there is a bear roaming around our property. Yes you read that right, it's not blurry, we have a BIG BLACK BEAR here in heaven, imagine that! Caught him on the trail camera coming through at night too! Imagine my surprise when I was downloading the pictures and this big black image shows up! The porcupine is no longer with us, yes this critter is not a welcome addition to our wildlife. It's quills can hurt other animals not to mention they destroy the trees. Don't mean to offend anyone that may be reading.

We had our first visitor to our new home last week. My friend/sis Jodi, Aunt Jodi, to the girls, came to see us and our new home. Had a great relaxing time. She brought us gifts too! Yeah! Girls love their new kickin' sweatshirts! If I were a young girl, these would be my everyday throw on and go out the door shirt. I gave her a tour of the city and country and lakeshores we like to visit. Girls and I took her for a short walk in the woods before dark and before we viewed the bear photo! I hung the wooden sign Jodi brought for us in our entry way.



The girls and I have been busy doing crafts and making Halloween suckers! Yummy! They look pretty good and the girls even put fancy ribbons on them. Hope their friends and teachers enjoy them as much as we did making them.
Our home has become our Home Sweet Home, just as the sign from Jodi says. We are making it our own. Poor Bear got scared by a little defenseless squirrel on the porch yesterday! She screamed as she went to the front porch. Poor little thing (the squirrel) probably got the poop scared out of it!

We are suppose to have more visitors this coming weekend! Yeah!! Looking forward to showing them our Yooper home and life. Hope we have better weather than today! Today is a rain day, that is not muting the pretty colors. I will leave you with some of the beautiful images that surround our home here at SweetPea's Heaven.
Hope you enjoy them as much as we do.