SPOOKY HALLOWEEN

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Today was the PawPALS Party. We all dressed to be spooky and it worked...the children were not sure who each of us was!!!

Tonight is the waiting for darkness to set in and the children to arrive. Shouts of 'trick or treat' are beginning to come faintly over the wind... Candles lit, pumpkins set...treats are ready... only the waiting is left.

First Frost of the Seaason

Monday, October 29, 2007

IT IS COLD HERE... finally!! We have had the first frost of the season last night. The temperature was 31 degrees when I got up this AM. The field that I took the dogs to was pretty yucky yesterday. It seems like the dry weather with the now rapidly cold and the major rains for three days with big time winds made the leaves fall. I guess we need to break out the sweaters. The dogs are now sleeping with me to make sure that they stay warm during the night. That is fine by me...I stay warm that way too!!

Apple Picking in Vermont

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Today was a bright and sunny Sunday. So, this afternoon Carrie and I set out to see the colors (or as the locals say it 'FOLIAGE'... whatever!). We headed North through Massachusetts and found our way to the southern edge of Vermont. The colors were ok, not as great as they are near school (I guess it has been colder up there and the trees are further along). Anyhow, we found our way to an apple orchard. You can see that we picked apples! FUN, Fun, fun!!!

We had a great time. The orchard has a draft horse wagon that you can ride through the hills of the orchard. It was a cheap $2 a person, cheaper than a movie for sure!! It was so much fun and the trees were pretty loaded in the areas where the 'YOU PICK' signs said NO YOU PICK HERE!!! You can see how the younger trees are full of apples.

So, we finished some picking in the 75-80 degree weather and made it back to the barn for some hot apple cidar, cidar donuts (which I DiD NOT LIKE), and a chance to relax before the drive home. It was a pretty and special day. Nice to see how God's hand is in everything, even the apples and the pretty 'foliage'!! After a relaxing afternoon, it is time to return to the reality of the fall -- school work!!!

TV Crews

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Today was a major event. We had a national NBC news crew at PawPALS. Oh yeah...now that is a good time. The children were psyched. As for me, not as psyched!! They filmed the whole PawPALS and then we did individual interviews with two students, the principal and me. Should be interesting. But the best part was the NEW LOGO'ed clothes. I got some things from Lands' End for the staff and made iron on shirts for the students. We all looked pretty classy for sure!! I will keep everyone up to date with the show, the dates and the DVD.

Steppin up the Steps

Saturday, October 6, 2007

For the past year, we have struggled with the 'lovely' steps coming off the back porch. Finally, we have been able to get help making this area look better.


CB's brother works making decks and other construction jobs. He came on his time off and transformed the back entry into the porch. It looks SO much different. You can see from the before and after pictures that things are NOT the same.

If you look really hard and imagine... there was a really nice 1940's-like indoor-outdoor carpet covering the cement stairs going onto the porch. Oh yeah, really nice!!!

We LOVE our new look. Plus, there is space to put flowers or a little lawn chair to read outside and catch some of this early fall sunshine. The dogs LOVE the wooden steps and find it a great place to take a little doggie nap in the sun whenever I am home from the office.

This might be the last job of the 2007 year. BUT, we still have the steps off the front of this porch to finish. The wood is sitting in the back yard...now it is finding the time to make the small deck porch and stairs. Whew..almost ready for snow to get here!!! Naw... just kidding!

What's my name...

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Gidget Rav
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) ChocoChip Grandma VH
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) J'Van
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Green dog
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, hospital where you were born) Lynn Jane Lamb
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Van Ja
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) The Blue Tea
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Willem Cornealius
9.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) Hmmm...this is really a Witness Protection name... (no middle name, no middle name)!!!
10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) Boston Borchers
11. SPY NAME: (favorite season, fav. flower) Fall Tulip
12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) Blueberry Sweat Panty
13. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) Coffee Birch
15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) The Garden Rainbow Tour

I am not bored...just trying to waste time and NOT WORK!!!