ELEANORS FIRST PICTURES

Eleanor went to JCPenny for her first portrait pictures today.

Here is a sample

Here it is again.

That is my son Michael with daughter Eleanor

Here is the whole family

Michael - Karla

BABY-Eleanor

SHOPPING FOR THE COTTAGE

We went looking on Friday evening for a chair to go with the sofa. We are still trying to decide but I thought this one looked good. You can see a sofa similar to ours in the right corner of this picture. I think they would go well together. I took off my shoes and curled up in it to see if it was comfortable, the kind where you can read a good book. It is extra large but not a chair and a half. It would fit my hubby well as long as we get the ottoman, which we plan on doing. It was warm and inviting..just the way I like it...cozy and comfortable and big enough to add a grandchild next to you. My grandchildren love for you to read to them, even Hunter, although his attention span is about 3 minutes, he loves to open and close books.

Here is the sofa we chose. I think it will work well in our space. It is neutral enough that if I change the pillows and add a throw, I think, it will change the look to keep it casual. I like it when people come over and feel like they are able to sit on your furniture . I want my rooms to be inviting and comfortable where people like to sit and stay awhile. We chose several others but ended up coming back to this one thinking it was the most versatile for the space. When we finally made the choice the price had dropped 100 dollars so we also got a bargain. I just love a bargain...don't you?
After all of that we went to the Buffet for dinner. We don't do this often but I happen to have a coupon and it ended up being a very good night. There was Salmon, Steak, Ham, Turkey then on the other sidebar there was pot roast, teriaki chicken( not sure how to spell that) pork chops, shrimp scampi any ways it was really good. We left stuffed and happy to go home to think about what chair we should choose. I am sure we will take our time and look at a lot more but I will compare them all to this one...it was comfortable and it is a Lazyboy so it should last awhile.
Have a great weekend!!

AROUND THE COTTAGE.....

We had another playdate with grandson Hunter, Probably the last one until after the Holidays

I will begin babysitting my grand-daughter Eleanor the last week in November . Hunter is a lively , curious little fella and requires constant supervision so to have a new baby and him might require a bit more energy than I have to offer:) Grandpa and Hunter started the day with Mickey Mouse and Cherrios

Above is the sofa we will be replacing, It has been ordered and should be here in about 2 weeks.
We took Hunter to the Mall to buy some new shoes.He does not like to be confined in his carseat

He loves the play area that the mall provides and the weather was rainy that day so it limited what we could do.


He really enjoyed this ride with the Pink Panther. When it stopped he kept poointing to where he saw the money go in, I think that meant he wanted another turn.

He just loves the pet store. He cries everytime it is time to leave.

He thought maybe he could take a nap in the bunkbed but Grandma said no way, he would definately fall out. Grandpa just laughed

Grandpa and Hunter were playing cars . Hunter loves to go out side to the screened-in porch

Grandma said not right now, I was trying to make dinner, so he went back to playing cars.

It was a fun time but boy, I am sure tired after he leaves. I had Eleanor for a few hours while her mom went to the dentist and then we picked Hunter up for an over-night and all day playdate then Eleanor came the next morning while her mom went back to the dentist . She just sleeps and eats so she does not require as much energy as Hunter. I think I will take a nap.

AROUND THE COTTAGE.....

Fall has come to Wobegon so we took a walk
A sun setting in the west

a stop along the river

Some geese , I think Canadian, flying South?

Harvesting some corn

The trail

A restful place to take a break.

Well...some of you know how dissapointed I was when my daughter decided to put my grandson in daycare and I would no longer be his daytime caregiver. Since that time my son and his wife had a baby girl . Their plan was to put her in daycare but now that it is almost time for my daughter-in-law to go back to work she has been thinking maybe ....Grandma could watch her, at least through the winter months. There is so much illness in the schools this Fall and I would think in the daycares also, so I am very excited to have the oppurtunity to take care of her, for at least a little while. God shuts one door and then opens another.

WINTER AT THE COTTAGE...too soon:(

Well we woke up this morning to a winter wonderland.

it was only about an inch of snow and we could of had 3

so I won't complain. We headed out to go look for a new sofa

and it was snowing then.

It would have been nice if I was christmas shopping

Then sun did come out after lunch and began melting the snow

by dinnertime it was back but very little flakes and only a few.

The temperatures are suppose to warm up by Saturday

and be near 60 degrees. Some say that November

will be warm. I will have to wait and see. This is the earliest snow

we have had sense I moved her 9 years ago.

I am use to the very rainy northwest..Washington State

born and raised there and miss it dearly.

COTTAGE WEATHER.....what happened to Fall??

This is what we woke up to this fine Saturday morning.

I would have put the cushions away if I really thought WINTER was coming. Living most of my life on the west coast I think Fall should last a bit longer.

Here in th Mid-West the Spring is short and the Fall is short.

I am not ready for Winter

Please just a few more weeks of Fall ... Pretty Please.

It is going to be a very, very, very, long Winter I think.
It is bad enough when you go shopping all the Christmas
decorations are out and when I asked for the Thanksgiving
table cloths and dishes they weren't out yet.
I know there is not a lot of money to be made at Thanksgiving but PLEASE...
My daughter works retail so I know why the companies do this
and times are tough with the slow economy but I don't do Halloween
not into all that scary stuff, so I like the Harvest type decorations.
I guess I will try the craft store I am sure they will have some things available.
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND
( hope winter hasn't come to your neck of the woods)

COTTAGE PUMPKIN PATCH DAY

Well the weather was a bit rainy off and on all day.

We decided to go anyway and hoped we would get a few breaks.

First there was breakfast with grandpa

The the long ride to the farm...pumpkin patch
Hmmmm....these pumpkins look good.
The fields were very muddy from the rain
so we stuck close to the barns.
Hunter still falls alot ..
he has only been walking for a couple of months



We looked at the animals first
He liked the baby bunny

The llama was a bit more scary

he tried to nip at our shirts

Hunter is not to sure of the baby goat

Grandpa was there for support

Ok grandpa ... what's next?

are these the pumpkins?

hey grandpa..it is kind of high up here.

The sand box filled with corn was fun
a very interesting idea.

There was a big bouncy thing he liked

and some play horses he rode on.

Now time for that pumpkin picking...

Well.. maybe I will play with the puppy first.

The pony ride didn't work out so well.

He liked the pretend ones better.

Too many animals at ones..

they all wanted to eat our shirts and jacket.

Goats will eat anything

Ok grandma ... I want this one

He took a pumpkin home
He will carve it closer to Halloween.

Next year we will find a drier patch to visit.

COTTAGE DATE WITH HUNTER

We picked up Hunter at his house Friday morning.

He was waiting for us and got so excited when we came in.

He must have a good time when he is with us..ya think?

Safely tucked into his car seat we headed west to Walmart

He tried out a couple of rides with grandpa while I checked out.

The reason for stopping at Walmart you ask?

To buy a toy of course..but this time it will stay at grandmas.
Went home for lunch and some playtime with grandpa.

after a nap we stopped by the Farmers Market

but it was raining so we didn't stay long.

Off to the mall..they have a playland and a few rides to enjoy.

Hunter got to ride in this car...granpa thought it was a good idea

I think it is a fire truck..he is posing like the big kids,

one hand on the wheel one out the window

a short stop to see mommy on the job

she really enjoys our visit.

one last stop at the pet store while grandpa picks up something for dinner.

he loved the kittens and these colorful birds

and the bunnies.. ok.. and the puppies

I have more pics but really you have to stop somewhere

He really was upset when we left the pet store

but we have a big day tomorrow.

Hopefully the pumpkin patch.

It has been rainning.

I hope it holds back a little so we can enjoy the day.

Hope you all having as much fun this weekend as we are.

COTTAGE SUNDAY....

Sunday with grandma.

Eleanor is helping me make chili.

Sundays after church my son, his wife

my husband and I get together for football.

This week we went to our place for chili

and the Minnesota Vikings Game

She was very tired after helping in the kitchen

I think she is going to like to bake and cook.

She was a very good helper.

We then headed over to my sons house

where we watch the

Seattle Seahawks lose to the Bears.

I am not sure if Eleanor is going to be a football fan.

She has long fingers so I think she will enjoy the piano.

This is the first grandchild we have been so involved with

and it is wonderful to be such a big part of

her life. My son is always sending little videos which

I may post sometime.

Life really is a miracle.