Pumpkin Point Farm

It’s that time of year!

With an extra long weekend here in Utah (School’s out for UEA), my son Andrew, daughter-in-law Irene, and I took the local grandkids to a pumpkin farm.

(What’s better than a trip to a pumpkin patch when Mom and little Aubrey have been staying at Primary Children’s Hospital all week and some siblings are feeling a little lonely and sad?)

We headed to Riverton, a suburb at the south end of the valley, to Pumpkin Point Farm. 

It was an unusually warm day for October.  The sun was shining brightly (not the best lighting for photos) and the pumpkins were all lined up, row after row after row.  There were pumpkins for every age, taste, and budget.

The kids loved the corn maze.

All the vintage farm vehicles were a bonus for the antique lovers.

 

And the kids!

Each one got to pick their own pumpkin.

 

Fall touches were everywhere.

Everyone had fun.

Even those who slept through it all.

The best part of the whole day:

Guess who was waiting at home when we returned?

WELCOME HOME AUBREY!

 

Happy Fall everyone!

JoAnn

Mums the word…and other ramblings

Sorry about the cheesy title (I couldn’t resist).

I’m very tired tonight.

Sometimes, when I get too tired I end up being quite goofy.

My best humor often comes after 11:00 p.m.

I can be really, really funny.

Do you believe me?

Or…

Maybe it’s just that when I’m overly tired I find everything funny.

Who knows?

At any rate, I’m even struggling to come up with simple words to write this post and wish I could tap in to some humor right now.

I miss Johnny Carson.

He could make you laugh out loud  (the snorting, laugh till you cry kind of laugh).  Does anyone remember the Potato Chip Lady?  (Google it some time when you need a good chuckle.)

Jimmy Fallon also knows how to be funny.

He is an expert at picking just the right words, facial expressions, and body language to make every day situations humorous.

Which brings me to the mums. 

(Mums the word, remember?)

Aren’t they one of the most lovely flowers?

I love how they wait all summer before they bloom.  They kind of show up when other flowers are losing steam and fading away.  They are like the hoped for hero who comes at the very last minute to save the day; brave souls who welcome a little challenge and even flourish with the cooler weather.

A true “late bloomer” kind of beauty.

It’s a good thing we have a long weekend coming up.

Hopefully, I’ll get some rest (and stress relief) and

a have a chance for enjoying some fall color.

I just love fall mums!

JoAnn

P.S.  Praying for some good news about little Aubrey, who is recovering from tonsil surgery and just ended up back in the hospital.

P.P.S.  Why do schools use crazy activities (crazy socks, wild hair, backward clothing) to reinforce “saying no to drugs”?  It makes for a long day for teachers!

A Girls’ Get-away

September has been so lovely.  

What a beautiful time of year for an outing.

Last weekend some of the girls in the family got together for a little over night stay down town.

It was a bit spontaneous, and not everyone could make it,

(we wish we had planned it sooner), but it was relaxing and fun.

We will have to do it again when everyone can come!

We ate simply, people-watched, and peeked in a few stores.

It was restful and fun.

We stayed in the heart of Salt Lake City at the Marriott Hotel.

Due to a little mix up with our room, and too many people booking the same hotel, we ended up with four of us sharing two full size beds.  You could say it was a “bonding” experience.

We spent most of our time at the City Creek Center.

It is an open shopping area with all kinds of stores, restaurants, fountains, and plenty of fresh air.

We enjoyed watching the Comic Con crowd as they took time off from the convention at the Salt Palace to eat or shop.  They were trying to break a record for having the most dressed up attendees and everyone came  as some kind of fantasy, science fiction, or comic book character.

They did break the record, with the Guinness Book of World Records there to make it official.

We saw some pretty creative costumes!

Where else can you hear the workers at the food court say, “Batman, your order is ready”?

It was interesting to see a little costume adjusting going on, too.

The best activity we enjoyed was trying to figure out if some of the  mall crowd were really dressed up as someone, or just free thinking individuals.

(Maybe some people wondered the same thing about us!)

All in all, it was a nice outing.

What are your favorite girl get-away activities?

JoAnn

Dear Mrs. Clegg

I really love the little notes, pictures, and letters I receive from my students! 

They are always sweet and complimentary.

I have hundreds I have saved and collected over the years.

This is one of my latest.

Can I say it made my day?

JoAnn

P.S.  Maybe it’s time for a hair appointment.

 

September’s Snapshot

What a month of contrast.

Summer one day, fall the next.

Back to summer again.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Are you enjoying this crazy time of year?

I am!

JoAnn

 

Beginnings, endings, and a new way of shopping

Beginnings:

Our granddaughter Maddie just turned eight years old.

In our church, that is the age that most children get baptized.  They are considered to be at an age of accountability and are responsible enough to make wise choices.

Maddie chose to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by being baptized.

Her mom took some really cute pictures to document the occasion.

We are very proud of her.

Endings:

My husband and I have spend the last three years serving as Inner City Missionaries in the Glendale area of Salt Lake City.  Our responsibilities were to help people find services that might help them become more self-reliant.  We didn’t take people’s problems away, but we helped them find solutions they could try.  (Did you know the phone number 211 is a wonderful resource for someone with pressing concerns?  They know all the right people to ask for help.  Anyone, anywhere should be able to call that number.)  We loved this opportunity and felt like we made some wonderful, lifelong friends.

I especially loved the older folks in the church ward.  They were quite independent and didn’t need our help, but we enjoyed visiting with them every Sunday.  They all sat together on the back row, and people passing by would all stop for a chat or a hug.

Sweet Donna is 96 and still mows her own lawn.  She never misses church.

Maybe I like her because she reminds me so much of my Grandma Palmer.

Margaret is from Scotland and has the perfect Scottish brogue.  She is also in her nineties. 

Gus leads the singing (I often played the organ) and is one of the original ward members from the early days.  His brief case was filled with candy for all the kids (and adults) who say hello.

Our service time is up, and I will really miss them all!

A new way of shopping:

This picture speaks for itself.

Zachary makes every ordinary activity interesting and fun.

What beginnings, ending, or unusual activities have you experiences lately?

JoAnn

P.S.  School is getting a bit easier for me.

Knock on wood!

Heading off to school….

I often feel like I’m on both sides of the school fence- as a teacher and again as a grand parent who sees my little  “grands” so excited to start school.  I’ve witnessed the many debates on what to wear on the first day of school, listened to the worries about making friends, and shared in the joys of buying school supplies (Yes, I have those same emotions.)

This year we have a veteran entering third grade, and two very ready kindergarteners.

We also have two who get to go to preschool.  No pictures of their beginnings, yet.

I am trying to balance my role to be a fun, kind teacher, and yet teach my students how to follow directions, perform multiple procedures, and push themselves to work hard.

Can I say it has been a tough start?

I have a really large class and a few resistant rule followers.

I’ve got some students who are having anxiety at being at school.

There are two with health worries.

Some have more energy than their little bodies know what to do with, and there are those who struggle with learning and keeping up.

I keep forgetting afternoon recess, wanting to send them out at last year’s time.

Some days our cooler doesn’t work.

I feel like I’m carrying the world on my shoulders right now, and I can barely drag myself home at the end of the day.

(Hence, a postponed goal of no chocolate or soda!)

It will get easier, but for the next few weeks I’ll probably be a little more grumpy than I’d like.

I guess I’m hoping I don’t dampen their excitement in the process.

Wish me luck-I need all the patience I can find.

Oh, to be Mrs. Landers, Beaver Cleaver’s teacher!

JoAnn

P.S.  Their sweet hugs and little notes are pretty good therapy for me!