Too in Winter

Bleak! No other way to describe this wintery view of the lake and shoreline. Just plain bleak!

But then this snowy bridge below doesn't strike me as being so forlorn and desolate, like the picture above. The snow-dusted bridge just looks pretty!

Himself has ordered his Christmas present (he told me after it was ordered). He ordered a wall heater with a thermostat so I think I foresee some winter visits in our future!

We have gone down in the winter and stayed. We heat the cabin with the oven and electric heaters but his Christmas present heater will be more efficient, more cost effective and an investment in our future visits. We look forward to our future visits.

I've got to get my skis dusted off!

9 years ago

where has the time gone?

We were putting the houseboat in for the first time in 2000.

Look at this pretty, young crew member . . .

Weren't those fun days?

I do too have on skis!

This is what Himself and I were doing a year ago. I'm wondering if that is why we sold III, so we wouldn't have to go out and fall down again this year? However, I do mean to get the skis out and try it again. Guess this too will have to wait until after Christmas but then watch out! Walking trail, here I come! Are there any volunteers to go with me?

I do apologize for that hat on my head but I've always heard you need to weat a hat outside and this one is wool and warm. In fact it was too warm and I wore it only long enough for Himself to snap this action shot and sorry I wore it that long!

My grandbabies' cheeks . . .

Cousins. My grandchildren find a great connection with "cousins". I love it!
Next series of photos will be labeled "kissing cousins" . . . cuz I've got lots of photos!

Audri! ! !

Nana said " No Jumping on the Bed!"

At the cabin . . .

Nana is always after grandbabies for bouncing on the bed but if I were to look at statistics, we probably get more SMILES (Maddie is hiding hers!) from bouncing on the bed than we get injuries. (I just remember the injuries better, I guess!)

"went to the doctor and the doctor said "THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR JUMPING ON THE BED!"

And for eating Cheesies in bed, Jack!

Double Trouble

More fun at the cabin! I can't figure out what Gabby is doing. It looks as though she is sitting on the top of the stroller. But surely Nana wouldn't let her do that just for the sake of a picture? Well, maybe I would if PaPa was there to hold on to the stroller.

Another cutie!

Little Maddie Mae's big old eyes have always been blue but with her lovely dark hair now, I had forgotten that she had very little for a while. When I get a hold of her again, I'm going to kiss her cute cheeks for old times sake!

More cheeks!

This photo of Joey, Blue Eyes, is so cute! Don't you love his fat, little bow legs? I think this was Joey's first trip with Nana and Papa, photo dated July 2004.

Poor PaPa!

Ornery eyes!

Sweetie Pie

Pinch these cheeks! What a cutie! What fun.

Wheeling . . .

July 2002.

Youngters!

Kristy & Erica, is this the time you were driving around with the brake on?

Yes, I did have to bring that up. lol

Morghan Grace's first trip to the cabin

Look! this little girl looks suspicious! She's hanging on to that water pistol! She might need it. What is she doing here, at this little cabin, with two ol' fogeys? Picture is dated September 2000.

Isn't she adorable?

Winding Down Time

The new header photo was taken 363 days ago. Just about a year.

Last year, Autumn must have come later than this year as the trees in the photo are just beginning to turn.

Himself and I seem to spend his birthday at the cabin. That makes it easier to keep track of and he sure likes it there.

We will winterize, clean out the fridge, pack things away and enjoy some fine Fall weather. We hope!

Independence Day

This was a good time -- pontoon time on Twin Lake.

Wait! who is driving?

Why isn't Dana at the helm?

Oh, probably Craig or Himself.

Don't you wish we were just getting to spring?

Instead of Fall?

Oh, Stop Nana!

Don't wish our life away!

Some folks love Fall BEST of all.

Gramma Hof did. She loved autumn and cool nights and the smell of burning leaves.

As does Himself.

I will try to appreciate each season, more fully.

Live one day at a time!

Seize the moment!

Good Days

Audri had her turn at the cabin the beginning of August. Where has the time gone? Why haven't I written?

Audri is going to be as much of a little cabin person as all her older cousins are. She is following in their footsteps.

Audri already loves the beach, the sand and the water, even tho this day was blustery and cool.































Yep. That's a toothbrush between Audri's toes. ?????

One thing Audri Lu likes better than the beach and the cabin is her cousins!

It is cute when she calls out "cousins! Cousins!

Audri is talking and thinking. She is asking and learning.

Her's a big girl now, Nana!

She's not a baby. Audri is growing up.

West Virginia Scenes

The Appalachians are kin

to the Blue Ridge Mountains!

These look pretty blue!

The New River Bridge

Highest bridge in the U.S.

Check out the GPS -- look out for that corner!

One more photo to post from Wood County and then a few more stops on vacation.

On the agenda:

Springfield, Illinois

Hannibal, Missouri

St. Genevieve, Illinois

Fasten your seatbelt!

Put new batteries in the camera!

Enjoy the ride!

My preferred mode of transportation

Someday! someday I may travel like this.

Gramps' Tree House.

Craig, are you old enough to be on the 2nd level? I don't think so!

GETDOWNRIGHTNOW!























A future goal of ours is to build a two-level tree house at Too. In Orient, we built a single level house. I thought, for our first attempt, that we did a fine job with that tree house. I think it provided fun and entertainment and lasted quite a while. For the last several years, I have been thinking about, plotting and planning, a two level tree house and maybe, eventually, a third, higher level.

Add to that a wish for a ZIP line and we've got lots of fun ahead of us . . . Craig and Johanna, folks have taken your Orient ZIP line (PVC pipe on a rope) idea and expanded it! Look here . . .

I may have to be a tree hugger

I love this tree. It holds three swings. I have never known another tree to support two swings, let alone three! I have known higher swing trees (Gramps' at Shagbark) but never a tree that held three swings.

Himself and I have talked that when/if we build a house here, the tree may have to go . . . but after contemplating this, I think the tree can NOT go! I think I may have to hug this tree!

Gabby, this weekend, figured out why the tree has three swings. If Aunt Erica is here, there is one for Morghan, one for Jack and one for Madeline. If her folks are here, there's one for Gabby, one for Joey and one for Belles.

She didn't go on to say, but I got the gist, that if all the family is here, PaPa might have to wait his turn. Poor PaPa. There's nothing more relaxing then a good swing!