It's that time of year again!!

This is one of my favorite times of year....FALL! I love it for thousands of reasons, but mainly because I get to watch my kiddos play and cheer at football games! It is getting a little cooler now and it is nice to be able to sit out on the porch or by the pool and listen to our water fall/fountain. The deer have been out a lot here...saw 9 last night and 4 again this morning.

There have been about 50 Canadian geese in our pond for the last week or so.

Last week we had a visitor of a different color....I have never seen these birds here before.

Zoe let them know real quick that they were not welcomed by her!!

So they left!

I just love it here. I never know what I will see when I look at the front door! I always dread when I see an armadillo, or heaven forbid, a SKUNK! Zoe never misses anything. If something comes on any of our land she knows instinctively...like an alarm was tripped! Here is Zoe.


Every day is a new day for this crazy dog. She is completely and utterly living each day to the fullest. As some of you know, she was found on our building site Christmas Eve of 2006, I believe. She was hairless, freezing, wet, and infested with mange. We figure she was probably 2 months old. Someone had poured used motor oil/diesel all over her, I suppose to try to cure the mange. She was literally next to death. Joe brought her home, rather than putting her out of her misery (bless his big heart). We nursed her back to health and she has never let us forget it! She is, as Ms. Abbie calls her, a Goofy Dog!, but I think that is what makes her so lovable. I often tell people, if she sees a bird you would think it was the VERY FIRST bird she had ever seen. She is that way about life...maybe we should learn something from her...maybe she is not that "goofy" after all. Maybe she just lives life.

I love you Zoe!

School is going great for Anna and Jake. I think Anna was made for Jr. High. She has loved every day of it so far! There is something to be said about that, cause Anna can always find something wrong, but not this time!!! Yeah! She has band first period. She is attempting to play the trombone. Anna cheered in the Red and White Scrimmage game last Friday night. They did a great job. All of the practicing this summer really paid off. I am so proud of her. I asked her after the game if it was as much fun as she thought it would be and she said, "More!!"

Anna is one of the bases. (middle, left)

She obviously has her Dad's brute strength!!

Jake seems to like 4th grade. He is really excited about football. We signed up last Saturday...x-small pants, small helment, small pads, 64 lbs! I think the scales may be a little off, but maybe the other team will think he is bigger than he really is!!! I'm sure they will be shaking in their boots, uh, I mean...cleats!

REBEL

These, I guess, are what they call the dog days of summer, as Rebel can attest to... I snapped this picture yesterday without him noticing. I love that dog!

We worked in the back yard all weekend trying to get ready for landscaping! It has been a lot of work and it has only begun. I hope to start putting out plants next week. Joe's Mom is coming and I'll get her expertise on what to plant and where to plant it! She loves doing that and I could use the guidance. Maybe I'll have pictures soon.

Here is a picture of my wonderful parents. Thought I'd throw that in for those of you who know and love them as much as we do! Anna took this pic in Florida.

Oh, and a few more of us from Florida that I found earlier today!

Anna and Jake in Florida

Bye for now!