Scare on the Square/ Bobby & Ella's Sleepover - Take 2

Below are some pictures of things that have been going on around our house. We attended Collierville's annual Scare on the Square Friday night w/ 8 kids in tow and 4 adults. Afterwards, friends, family, & our neighbor Faith came over for a warm bowl of taco soup and some cupcakes for dessert. It was a blast! Each restaurant and business had trick or treating for the kids as well as games, face painting & other crafts set up for the kids near the depot. The kiddos loved it! in the pictures you will see that we had Woody the cowboy, Jesse the cowgirl, Belle the princess, Abby Cadabby, and a snow princess (baby Callie was wrapped up warm in her pea in a pod costume ;) We were very well represented. Lol

In the next collage of Picts, you will see the two wild ones at their sleepover. They stayed up late, played and played, ate candy, had donuts for breakfast the next am, and had complete access to their passies the entire time- everyone was happy and other than a minor scratch by Ella to Robbye (someone wanted their purple high heels and didn't want to share- yes, that would be my child--- Robbye (middle child of 3) is much better at sharing than my only child is!!!) they had a blast and got along great. In fact, when it was time for Robbye to leave Saturday at noon she said "But I not ready to go home yet!" lol. At least I know she had a good enough time, that it will be easy to get her to come stay again! Looking forward to watching these two grow up together more like sisters than cousins..... :)

Fall is here - Our FAVE time of year!

We have had a cold snap here in TN and are certainly enjoying the fall weather around our house. We have decorated the house w/ pumpkins, gourds, mums, fall door & table arrangements and Ella is sporting all of her fall/ jack o lantern/ pumpkin attire. I will have to say that this house is much more fun and appropriate for decorating. I have front steps and bigger flower beds to work with along w/ a dining room table & a real mantle to decorate. :) Ella and I have been coming home after work and going outside to enjoy the beautiful weather before it gets too cold and we are stuck inside all winter. Many afternoons have been spent in the backyard jumping on our new trampoline (thank you Noni & Ra-Ra!) & writing w/ our side walk chalk all over our deck. Trips down to Maw Maw and Pop's cove on our various outside riding toys has also been an afternoon must.

On another note, Tim & I just celebrated 4 years of marriage this week this past Thursday! We were planning on going out to eat that night, but our sweet neighborhood had our first "neighborhood night out" since we have moved here, so we wanted to attend that so we could meet some more of our neighbors. It was a blast. (I didn't get many picts - must have been talking too much!) They had various chili's with all of the toppings and roasted smores and hot dogs for the kids over a fire pit. There was also a lady there doing balloon animals and face painting to entertain the kids. They even had door prizes! I am continually amazed at the genuine, kind people that live in our neighborhood. Everyone is so friendly and has made us feel so welcome. Another sign from the Lord that we are where we are supposed to be. Ella has made a couple of friends her age in the "circle"- Morgan who is 3 lives in the back cove of the neighborhood and Faith lives right next door and Ella absolutely ADORES her. Faith is 7 and is so good w/ Ella. She has been over multiple times to play w/ Ella in the backyard or upstairs in the playroom. She even ate dinner w/ us one night! Its great for me too b/c when Faith is over playing w/ Ella, its like having a free in home sitter so I get a ton of stuff done around the house while Faith is entertaining my curious toddler! Life in Collierville is good. :)

Today, Tim sponsored a chili cook off event for The Exceptional Foundation of Memphis. It is an organization that provides activities and teaches special needs children and adults. It was a great event and supported a great cause. One of Tim's clients has a child that currently attends there and they had asked Tim to be a sponsor and participate in the event. Tim happily agreed to support the foundation and I even got to meet both of his clients today and their special needs child. Very sweet people. We didn't win the chili cook off, but he and Benji's chili was WONDERFUL. Very spicy and very tasty- they got my vote ;)

Anyway, I feel as if I am rambling today. Enjoy the picts below and have a great LONG weekend! (Bank is closed on Monday for Columbus Day so Ella and I are going to spend the morning at the Memphis Zoo & meet Daddy for lunch- looking forward to day at home w/ our baby girl :)

Ella Grommersch @  20 Months

Cheesing for Mama

BIG JUMPS - our favorite thing to do. Good thing Tim signed Ella back up for that hospital income policy jic trips to the ER are foreseen in our future. She climbs and jump off of everything!

Petting our concrete Boston who Ella thinks is a "titty tat"

More smiles....Getting ready to head down to neighborhood night out in Winwood Farms

Is Pete trying to photo bomb?

Walking down to Maw Maw & Pop's cove for NNO!

Balloon animals and face painting for the kids

Ella has discovered coke and can you tell that she knows who to go ask in order 

to get some in her cup.....

Until next time - Enjoy your weekend!

Big Daddy comes to Tennessee for a visit...

Tim's dad came to visit us this past weekend and boy did a lot of projects get done around the house! Talk about a productive weekend thanks to Big Daddy Grommersch!!!! I had a checklist waiting on him and would you believe that he and Tim got each and everything done that I asked except one tiny little thing (& believe me the list wasn't short!). I am so blessed to have not only a wonderful husband but great father-in-law who enjoy doing "fix up" projects around the house and are always taking care of things as such for us. Here is what all they got accomplished (doesn't writing it down just make you feel even more productive? Go ahead - make fun of me now!!!- LOL):

-Ran electrical to the front steps of the house and installed malibu lights across the front of the house.

-Ripped up a dead tree that was in our front flower beds

-Hung the new fixture outside our front door

-Replaced the light above our garage

-Installed kick plate on the back door

-Finished replacing all the door knobs upstairs on all doors

-Hung shelf underneath kitchen tv for box to sit on along w/ decorative brackets- looks awesome!

-Tighten all ceiling fan fixtures

-Hung & attached american flag to outside of house

-Hung antique shelf in MB and Ella's antique keepsake box in DR

-& finally removed shower head restriction on our master shower head

Whew, that makes me tired just typing it! To say I am so grateful and thankful feels like a slap in the face to Mr. Pat, but I am soooooo very thankful for all of his help this past weekend. Not to worry though b/c I kept him well fed and hydrated - only going out for dinner once and lunch once. I cooked a yummy pot roast and fixed a fresh salad one night and a homemade lasagna and fresh salad another night. I also had breakfast and lunch each day for him. To top it off, I made a chocolate chip pound cake the last night he was here to celebrate his upcoming birthday next week. Tim and Ella surprised him by coming around the corner singing Happy Birthday to him w/ candles and all. Who knew that Pat had Tim when he was only 7?!? LOL. Oops....I didn't have a "5" and I knew someone was in denial about turning the big 5-9 so I thought he would get a kick out of the 39! LOL Enjoy the picts below. Can you tell someone loves their big daddy just a little bit? ;)

Surprised BD w/ an early BDAY Cake- Chocolate Chip Pound Cake -YUM!

Ella helping blow out the candles...Ck out those lips :)

Still trying to blow them out!

Playing on the steps w/ BD

My FAVE pict

I don't know who is more obsessed w/ whom? ;)