2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Great Movie

I just finished watching this movie and can't tell you how wonderful it was! The time flew by; the story was engrossing and that is it true made it that much better. I would recommend it highly. Found out that Temple Grandin will be speaking at one of our local university in March! I plan to attend

Merry Christmas

from me and Santa

Stewie

Stewie, the elf on the shelf found an interesting place to hang out. So far Stewie has toilet papered the Christmas tree, dumped flour on the countertop and made snow angels and a few other mischievous things!

family holiday night at the foundry

Another great night at the Foundry Centre for the family. D and D coloring their Christmas box. The Centre had four stations. Pipe cleaner ornament, wreath making, air dried clay ornament and these tiny little boxes. They both took alot of time to get it just right.

showing off her snow flake.

the family.

After the hot chocolate and cookies we ventured up to the artist studios and watched a couple of artist paint. Both ladies were very nice to the little kids and asked them about their art work.

celebration of lights

R and I visited the Celebration of lights the other night. We did the walk thru. One night during the season, instead of driving thru you get walk and see the lights closer. There are craft vendors, hot chocolate, music, the lights, and fireworks!

We were lucky; it had rained all day but stopped as we arrived. I especially like this! O'fallon's own Loch Ness Nessie wearing a Santa hat.

Another of my favorites.

I was interview on the local cable television station during our walk. I hope I did ok; I don't have cable so I won't be able to see it!

book club december

This was our book for December. It was good, very predictable but a nice change from the heavy readings we have done.

Thanksgiving crafts

Again a little late showing Thanksgiving celebration, but I've been busy finishing up my painting of my house. I'm almost finished with the painting yaaaaaaa. Little Miss M is above with her turkey bib on her first Thanksgiving.

some of the kids of the family doing Christmas crafts. Each year I try to get a craft kit that all the different ages can do. B and N are the oldest and they were very helpful to the little kids. It was 60 degrees on Thanksgiving so the kids were able to play outside and do their crafts in the garage.

D with her reindeeer

Happy Birthday Dave!

Happy Birthday to my first born; then now with his girl

a day at the river

we took a ride to the river today! Last time I was here was the day my dad died so the drive was bitter sweet. this is my handsome great nephew, P posing for me on a piece of driftwood

the last time i was on the ferry I didn't notice these caves on the bluffs

my niece m and my grandniece little miss m

she is so darn cute!

an old barn on the great river road on our way to Pere Marquette Park

a view from the bluffs, p and i hiked a trail about a mile up the bluff, since it was just he and i, we didn't want to get too far into the woods.

p and the wood carved mother nature

inside the lodge with p

one of the cottages you can rent

another view from inside the park

the view from the loading dock bar and grill. While we were there p and i talked about the flying fish that are in the river and he was so interesting in them, he couldn't wait to get home and look them up on the computer.

beautiful sunset on the way home

2011 caveman ziplining

my son had my camera and took this movie as we ziplined

ziplining

I did something crazy a few weeks ago with my son D, his girl K and some of their friends. After an hour drive south of home, we met at Meramec Caverns for some high flying fun. we went ziplining, it was exhilarating. The worst part was climbing up the towers to get high enough.

i'm getting suited up with the body harness, something you want when you are 80-100 feet off the ground.

getting ready to take off on the fastest of the 5 lines. we went about 50 miles an hour and it was so fast it was over before you realized it

waiting for the rest of the group

coming into the last tower, this one was 1200 feet long and you had time to take in the scenery

we had lunch inside the caverns at a nice restaurant and wandered around the little museum they have at the entrance to the cave. this is an iron boat found buried under mud in the Meramec river close to the caves. it weighed 400 pounds and possibly was used to deliver gunpowder down river to the Union troops during the Civil War

The Meramec caverns are reported to be a hideout of the outlaw Jesse James in the early 1870's because it was big enough for his men and horses

some of the fall color on the bluffs

Halloween

I know this is a little late but here is D's halloween costume that his mom and i made. D was a komodo dragon lizard. He really really likes reptiles; can't wait to see what he will want in 2012

2nd book club book

this was my second book with the book club. Another book that I wouldn't have read on my own it was pretty good, I'd give it a 8.

Klondike park

Early one Saturday morning I took yet another road trip with my poor camera

begging for mercy. It has been getting quite a work out lately.

I drove to Klondike park about 20 miles from my home

R had told me about this park and about the views from the overlook. What she didn't tell me it was up a mountain. I was the only person in this area and hoped I didn't run into any animals, 2 legged or 4 legged. The view was wonderful. The rich farm lands of Augusta bottoms, rich with the soil that the Missouri river leaves when it floods

this is at the top of the overlook, thank goodness I didn't have to climb any higher, I was really out of breath

panoramic view of the fall colors

this is the Labadie power plant that sits along the river; there is something wrong with seeing smoke stacks in this pretty view. The lake is a abandon quarry where silica sand was once mined. The sand is like powered sugar and glistens in the sun.

I am seeing faces in the stranges places lately.

another face

I was a little early to see much fall color on the trees but I wanted to take advantage of nice weather we have been having

this monarch butterfly posed very nicely for me

Lewis and Clark are supposed to have camped on the opposite bank

beauty shot