Odds and Ends.....

 Well, in addition to preparing for the Christmas Season, we are also prepping for high school! Yes, high school!  When I started this blog, i had a 5year old son and was impatiently waiting for a daughter from China!  Well,  Jesse is going to be a SBA Eagle next year, and took his high school placement exam yesterday.....Oi Vey!!  Can't believe how quickly the time passes by.  Jesse's goal is to play golf for the SBA Eagles and will practice with all his might until the summer, when the team has been finalized, but the coach has assured him there's a place on the team for him!  So we are proud of Jesse for finding something he truly loves and desires to  improve!

 Little Claire and her scarf that magically disappeared out of my closet......

Yes, this is one of the first pictures (if memory serves) when I created my first blog post while we were awaiting Claire's referral......

The kids' Aunt Cathie and and Uncle Charlie visited over Thanksgiving from Ocala, Fla. and had a little time for fun and games......Fibber to be exact!!!

November Happenings!!

Well, lots has been happening in November! SFA students performed "Blackbeard" the play and on Friday all the students dressed like pirates....well at least Claire did!  Jesse is way to cool for that stuff now!

 Jesse growing leaps and bounds!

 Lance celebrated his birthday Monday with his favorite cake and dinner!  Hard to believe how time just passes so quickly!

Claire and the 3rd grade class went to see "Schoolhouse Rock" at the Orpheum and she was lucky enough to sit in the front row....had a blast!  Even I was singing along from those songs from when I was a girl in elementary school!

 Lance and I fancied up for a big wedding this past very cold weekend.  Had a blast! This was the after pic...a little worn for wear by this point....

Fall, Halloween, and Other Stuff!

 Well, October comes with the end of soccer and golf, sadly.  Lance and I really had gotten used to all those games and matches!  Well, time for a break now!  Here is Claire with her soccer coach at the last practice of the season!

 Here is Jesse and the rest of the golf team at their end of the season banquet.  They had an awesome local golfing legend to give a little talk and present them with their trophies.

 Claire, aka 'Granny" at the SBA trunk or treat, with Nana and PawPaw, who decided to come out as well!

 Claire's class Halloween Party goodies!

 This year's craft was Mod-Podging a frame with lots of scraps of Halloween Paper and a cute spooky picture of them was inserted after the fame was dried...super fun!

 Granny at the Tiger Game.  Weirdly enough, the Tigers played a home game on Halloween night and we were torn with what to do. Turns out, the entire Tiger Lane turned into a big trick or treating fest!  The kids got just as much loot as if we had been in our own neighborhood!  We all had a blast, and the Tigers won...it's a win-win! 

 Our warm view from the box.

 Jesse's costume.....he was a glow stick man....his idea

Well, we hope everyone had a great Halloween and lots coming up soon, so promise to post again shortly!!!!

Love, Gretchen

Golf, Golf, Golf.....

 Well, the golf season came to a close Wednesday with the big PAA end of the season tourney at Mirimichi.  All the Parochial Schools participated and SFA came in first!  Jesse and his team did fantastic, and all their hard work throughout the season paid off. Jesse wishes he had scored a bit better, but he helped his team and they had a blast in the meantime!  The most important part is that Jesse has truly found something that he loves and wants to continue and improve upon..and that makes me happy!  

 Jesse's Coach giving him last minute advice.....

Final scores from Wednesday's Tourney

 

A very happy Jesse and a very happy team!  Lots coming up...so promise to post again soon!

Golf Golf Golf.....

 Well, Jesse's SFA Team Golf is in full swing (pardon the pun) and actually almost done for the season.  The boys have had a terrific season, and are undefeated!  Next week is the big all school tourney at Mirimichi, so that should be lots of fun.  Jesse's golf game has grown leaps and bounds, and he is just loving it!

 The 7th/8th Grade Team

Will post pics from the tourney next week....lots coming up soon!!!

DC Weekend

 Well, Lance and I took a well-deserved weekend trip to DC...childless I might add, and had a blast!!!  The kids were being spoiled by the grandparents, so it made it quite easy to leave knowing how well taken care of they were!  We went for a solid 2 days and are tired to the bone...but we had a blast and the weather was just perfect!!!

 Love the clouds rolling in as lance is walking to see the capital for the first time....

 I do not do  "selfies" very well!

 Yes please! Every girl needs a hope diamond....

 And a pair of ruby red slippers....these are the real ones of course!!!

 I was persuaded to jump by my friends when they found out I was traveling to DC, but Lance decided he didn't want to be a single dad...so I just looked. No jumping this trip!

 Our great state at the WWII Memorial....an amazing site to see!

 Little Lance...Big Abe

 One of the amazing sculptures at the Korean War Memorial

Yes this is how we got around all day Sunday!

Well, we just saw so much and took so many pictures that these few don't do it justice...but I will post again with soon more beautiful shots form our nation's capital!!!