Hey Diddle Diddle, Dance to the Fiddle

Reilly had a wonderful birthday. Best Birthday yet (which he says every year)!
We put on our cowboy boots and headed over to the barn dance across the Road. Boy, was it ever fun! Monica and Tim and ALL the kids were there, so I never had to worry about not having a partner to swing me round and round. Meghan has fallen head over heals in love with Reilly, and she even turned down the adorable little brown haired boy with dimples when he asked her to dance with him. She confidently shook her head and said, "I'm going to dance with Reilly."
In My opinion the East Coast could use a few barn dances to loosen everybody up a little.

Art Project of the Year

Creative Juices were flowing. The fall inspired artwork is a masterpiece.

It's The Birthday Boy!

On September 28th of the past 24 years a little boy has gotten breakfast in bed to welcome the next year of his life. Today, wasn't any different. I continue to pretend that I have forgotten all about Reilly's birthday and neglect to acknowledge the big day. Just once I think I'm going to trick him into thinking that I have forgotten. Reilly Loves pumpkin so it has been a pumpkin filled birthday indeed. Pumpkin pancakes, Pumpkin Ice cream from Moomers, Pumpkin pie and a little boy with pumpkin orange hair to give him a million hugs and kisses.
Happy Birthday Dear Reilly.
I love you!

Bernstein Bears "Too Many Tests"

I'm just taking a little mini break/distraction from studying- neonate attachment and development, historical chemists, ionic, molecular, polyatomic ions and compounds, and Lewis Structures.... (haven't started studying nutrition yet)... to say "hello". Today is Kelly's Birthday everyone... So let's all shout Horray!

Wow, that was one of my loser moments. Look at what my isolation is doing to me...

Mom Z shared this with me yesterday morning. Will's homework assignment.

At least he's honest.

Question: What is your favorite thing about writing?

Will's Answer: Nothing

Question: What is you least favorite thing about writing?

Will's Answer: Everything

Anyways, Wish me luck.

Under the Weather

Well, this weekend has been so busy and I am feeling a bit under the weather. I have a terrible sore throat. And, I am not sure how this relates or doesn't relate to the sore throat, but I can't seem to stop burping. Reilly is quite impressed... or not impressed.
I have 3 tests that I am studying for and I am feeling "angst". It is so much information to cram up there- I might explode!
Carpenter stopped over for lunch after Sunday School today, and that always brightens my spirits. He begged to borrow my "happy sad doll" that Kelly had brought me back from Haiti. The doll has a happy face on one side and a sad face on the other...
Devon came home for the weekend, and instantly there was so much more "energy" at the house. It's funny how the dynamics change so quickly from day to day.

It's a bird... It's a plane... It's Super Sam!

Yes, I know what you are all thinking. "Rachael has turned into a cat freak..." Well to be quite honest, there hasn't been many other note-worthy blog adventures lately besides the entertainment that we get from torturing our poor animals.
School is incredibly busy and I had my first big exam this week- 3 Exams next week.
And a busy weekend ahead of us... More to come...
Goodnight
Signing Out,
Super Sammy and Super Baby

Prof, I promise, my cat ate my homework!

It is a cold! Crisp! and delightful Saturday afternoon in Traverse City. 56 degrees and windy. We bundled up and went Sutton's Bay farmer's market this morning and window shopped in a few of my favorite store. I found the most spectacular shoes at the Lima Bean. But, that's about all I could afford right now,
Lima Beans.
I am waiting for tea kettle to boil so that I can have an excuse to take a break from learning the similarities and differences between plant and animal cells metabolic processes.
I think Sam has a fat complex these days. I didnt think this silly cat could get any fatter, but shockingly it seems like he has been eating bricks! The cute pouncing that he used to do in the morning to get me out of bed is not so cute anymore! As I am doing my homework, he has been trying over and over again to crawl into the little slots that are about 1/4 his size. He seems determined to get in.
Signing Out! Have a wonderful weekend. Kiss somebody you love.

M.C Hammer Pants

Every morning when I get ready for school, Reilly is still sound asleep. I feel awful turning the lights on to make a clothing selection... And I am not usually dressing to impress. This morning, I was running so late that I grabbed the first pair of pants I put my hands on... No, Kelly they were not wooden or metal- not even glass pants.... They were my M.C. Hammer Pants. You know the kind that you think are kinda trendy and edgy that you buy because they were a really great deal... Baggy on top, kinda tapered on the bottom. Yup, and i didn't realize how silly I looked until I caught my reflection in the full length window walking into the Science Building. No turning back now rockstar.

Ridiculous Raccoon Rampage

My husband is not a violent man. He doesn't condone unnecessary use of guns and he has promised me that he doesn't like hunting. With that being said, I regret to say that I think he has some fantastical dream of forever putting to rest the raccoon that has been tormenting poor Baby, the kitty for quite some time.
We were laying in bed, just drifting off to sleep, and we heard a loud scream from outside. Yes, Devon the old lady scream that only Baby is capable of. I promise it wasn't Me who let her out!!!
Anyways, Reilly jumped out of bed and was downstairs to the gun safe before his feet even touched the ground. He was gonna get em' this time..... Dun Dun Dun Duuuuuun.




Well, They got away. But, I got out of bed just to take a picture to document why
I will be crabby for my busy day at school tomorrow.

Barbershop Blues

We had to get a haircut today
before we went outside to play.
Droopy eyes were gone before
the very first strand fell to the floor.

A first rate Date

Reilly had planned for us to have a date today. Naturally, being the fair and considerate guy that he always is, his date consisted of a little for her and a little for him. We went hiking for her (me) and attempted golfing for him. Reilly says this picture of me golfing is "terrible form". I say, if the ball gets where it has to go... who cares what you look like in the process. I won.

Toot Toot- breakfast in bed

Carpenter and I made a plan to give Grandma and Reilly breakfast in bed this beautiful Saturday morning. Buckwheat pancakes sounded good in theory and oh so healthy. But upon first taste. BLAH! So, the little genius decided that chocolate chips were the only way to magically make them delicious. We were all set, ever so gently walking up the stairs, to deliver the tray to the sleeping beauties. And sure enough, Johnny came POUNCING with delight up the stairs and sent me and the orange juice tumbling to the floor. We would never have imagined it, but the orange juice soaked, buckwheat, chocolate chip pancakes with honey were DELICIOUS! We ate and watched Thomas the Tank. Can't think of anything else I would rather have been doing at 8:00 this morning.
We are going hiking today- I'll post again

The Lion King

Sammy's favorite spot. We have worked so hard to have Sammy keep his tushy off of the counter tops. But, it is just to cute to see him snuggled up in the windowsill behind the sink. The only tragedy is in order to get to his spot, he must climb on the counter. We decided it didn't bother us, but if we have friends come over, and they witness the counter top jumping we will emphatically reassure them that
"we don't know what has gotten into Sam... He has NEVER done that before...."!!!!

An Elephant is stomping around in my room!

Well, I am on my break from class and i just had to share a short story about our night. After Monica rounded up her brood we had a few hours to breath and go for a nice long walk. Then Carpenter (our red-headed nephew) came to spend the night. He is 5 and has an imagination that would shock Willy Wonka himself. He emphatically told me that there was no way he was eating the nice tofu stirfry that I had made for supper because "it will make me so sick that I will die".

After playing fishy in the bathtub forever- I finally had to give him the magic potion that would assure him that he didn't need to sleep in the tub. Grandma Hobbs read Carpenter stories on the top bunk (because the bottom bunk was taken by all of the animals).

After many many kisses we said good night and shut off the light. About 10 minutes after what we thought was the definitive silence of sleep we heard a little voice yelling... "Grandma!!! What is the Animal called that has the REALLY long TRUNK?" I can only imagine the safarri he was on in his dreams.

Children

Monica (who happens to be expecting again!) dropped off the kids for a few hours this afternoon while she went shopping. Well, that is always exciting. This isn't even the whole crew. Name tags become a necessity or else you have these little voices chirping "No, silly Rachael, I'm not Meghan, I'm Sarah. I'm not Matthew I'm Jonathan.... " etc you get my point.
Jonathan fell in the pond- That was exciting.
Anyways, if I get the itch for my own I know where to go to borrow one for the time being.

Scandelous Sunshine

Time with the Wiechel's is a guaranteed fun and enormous amounts of laughter. We drove out to the cottage and was it ever a blast. Judy Zwiep singing the funeral ho-down was a highlight as was the big cinnamon bun and deep mug of delicious coffee first thing in the morning.
I managed to wiggle my way out of having to water ski ( I HATE water skiing). But, I did get to fish without bait. I am still convinced fishing is much more effective when you give the little critter something to nibble on. But, we should just ask Mindie, because she IS the professional fisher-woman.
It wouldn't have been a compete day if we hadn't run out of gas during our relaxing afternoon on the boat. "The Pontoon Boat to the Rescue"!
All in all... a wonderful time had by all. Back to the grind of school tomorrow.

The Beach

Good Harbor Beach is no Jersey Shore. No concession stands, no boardwalk games, no
funnel cake, no strangers laying on top of you because there isn't enough beach.
But, it is beautiful!
It was probably one of the last beach days for the summer. Reilly and Devon played in the water for a long time and I took a nice leisurely stroll down the beach and took a little snooze.