Cleaning Out The Cobwebs!

Finally updating the old bloggy-blog so bare with me!! I'm putting the last few weeks on here together, we've had a great September. Just in the last few years have I realized that autumn is my favorite time of year. I LOOOOOVE fall weather! We've been enjoying our time outside and Stella can not wait to jump in the leaves, luckily for her we will have TONS and TONS and TONS of leaves! :)
A few weeks ago we went to Okoboji for our last hoorah for the season. We have had so much fun there this season. The kids have come to LOVE going to Okoboji to Grandma and Grandpa's house. They love the lake, the jeep, the golf cart, the parks, the toys, the unlimited attention from Grandma and Grandpa!
Here they are getting ready to go fishing with daddy and Grandpa.

A couple of weeks ago some of my family from Arizona traveled to Iowa for the University of Arizona vs. University of Iowa football game. The Hawks came out the winners of the game, but everyone still have a fantastic time being together! :)

Sara and Wes, aren't they cute! Not sure what is going on here, but everyones expressions are super funny!
Stella with our fabulous neighbors Cheryl and Keith! And yes, Stella is holding an ISU Bud Light and yes, Keith has a cookie stuffed in his mouth....that's the way we roll!

Jennifer getting ready to blow out her birthday candles!

Sara, Stephanie, Jenn, Me with Uncle Mark!!!!!! I think his face says it all! :)Uncle Mark seems to be somewhat calmer with the second generation.....not sure why as I'm sure they will turn his hair more gray than we did!

Mom checking out Stephanie's scar wounds from being thrown off of Nelson's horse!

Great photo of Brad with his dad, Nelson.

We can't get any more "city" than this. Keith and Cheryl were draining their inground pool, getting ready for winter. So the street had a lot of water in it. The kids go put on their swimsuits and grab their fishing poles to "FISH" in the water! So funny that they were fishing on the street, but they had fun. :)

Porter has been enjoying Stella being in preschool! He has been playing with his "boy" toys a lot lately now that Stella hasn't been around to boss him! :) Here are a couple of photos of him playing with his choo-choo's the other day.

Labor Day Weekend

We spent the long weekend in MA for Labor Day. My Aunt Kay and Uncle Larry celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday and it was really nice to help them celebrate that huge milestone. It was fun to hear their stories about their wedding day. :) My great-uncle Paul and great-aunt Evelyn also were back from Texas and we had fun visiting with them, also.
Starting the blog entry off right....Dad and Uncle Mark---who live to antagonize each other!! Notice Dad giving Uncle Mark some much needed bunny ears!!! A group shot, a few peeps from the evening are missing, but here is a bunch of the Watson family!

Aunt Kay playing with Haydn, Stella and Porter! They LOVED playing with her! :)

Hannah came down with Wes on Sunday, they were at the Iowa game on Saturday. Here is Stella and Hannah playing in the tree outside mom and dads house.

Dad drove 2 older ones out to Loch Ayre to check out what was happening at Aunt Ann's cabin.

Mark and Ken hard at work sealing the deck. Luckily, I was there to supervise them!!! ha ha!

Say Cheese, Haydn!!!!!

Three Little Monkey's playing in a tree........

Steve trying to shake the monkey's out of the tree! :)

Sara and her fav bro-in-law!! Sorry Patrick that is what she told me!! Just Kidding!!! :)

Obsess Much????

Porter was calling for me yesterday to see his "tool belt"....I'm thinking, P-man, you do not have a tool belt, what are you talking about??? Well, he had made his baby a tool belt! I thought that was pretty smart!
Here is his beloved baby with the tool belt, carrying Porter's most prized possessions: screw driver, saw and hammer.

Tonight I went to peek in on him as he was sleeping (yes, he even sleeps with his hammer!) and this is what I found.......the hammer tucked behind his ear!!!!!! And this photo DID indeed wake him up, but it was worth it! Mike had a good laugh when I showed him. :)

Nest

Stella and I were outside yesterday while P was napping and I was getting some of our autumn decorations out. While putting away some summer items I found this birds nest with 4 eggs inside! It was so neat and perfect! This nest was built in a flower arrangement right next to the front door and anytime we would come and go from the door the bird would fly out and eventually the bird moved away and I guess left its eggs behind. Stella wants to take the next and eggs to school tomorrow to show everyone. Although, she did "pop" as she called it (BREAK) one of the eggs already!

Buying In Bulk

We joined Costco a few days ago....and came home with 6 thousand pounds of spinach, broccoli and hummus.......now we just need 17 more kids to help us consume it!

Stella's First Day of Preschool!

Our little girl started preschool today! She was so excited and so were we!! No tears were shed as we said our goodbyes, just all around excitement. :) She goes 3 days a week for 2.5 hours a day. The photos are somewhat out of order, so bare with me!

Here she is going into her preschool.

This morning before we left the house, her backpack is as big as her! She picked out her outfit all on her own at the store a few weeks ago, she loves purple!

Playing in the yard before leaving.

Next to her cubbie at school.

She and Porter checking out one of the toys.

One shot of the inside of her school, there are 3 large rooms that open up into each other and another room across the hall is where they have music class.

Okoboji with The Watson's!

Mike has been working in Okoboji for the past couple of weeks. Last Thursday, the kiddos and I went up to see Mike...needless to say the kiddles were VERY excited to see Daddy!! We had a great treat of having my parents (Jay and Donna or Nana and Papa as they are known to Stella and Porter) join us for a few days in Boji! We had a great time and my wonderful inlaws were fabulous hosts as ALWAYS!
Steve, my father-in-law, had a DOUBLE knee replacement 2 weeks ago from yesterday and he is recovering really well! We are pleased as punch and hope his "new knees" allow him to be turning cartwheels shortly! :) The day before we left Stella, Porter and I were at the mall and we saw this shirt and HAD to get it! Stella wore it the first two days we were in Okoboji, it reads: I love Grandpa! Stella with her Grandma and Nana....such a lucky girl!

Dad, Mike and Stella went out with a fishing guide on Saturday afternoon and Dad (who has not been fishing in probably 40 years!) caught the biggest fish! Stella kept calling it an alligator!!!! Here he is with his prized catch.

All summer we've been meaning to stop at this exhibit at Okoboji called "Big Bugs". An artist created....well, I guess Big Bugs, out of wood and they are displayed at Okoboji this summer. I think there were 10 different bugs scattered throughout the display, here is Stella, Dad, Porter and Mike under the Praying Mantis.

Papa was "lucky" enough to be put in charge of pushing the youngins' at the Big Bug exhibit.

Family photo overlooking West Okoboji. Stella and Porter with their Grandma, Papa, and Nana. Steve wasn't able to come due to the double knee replacement.

Stella and Porter in front of the huge spider web and spider.

Dad on a jet ski! We had a lot of fun playing on the lake!

My poor little guy!!! Stella, Porter and I were in the hot tub and they were having so much fun playing, all of a sudden Porter is jumping to me and hits his forehead on the side and INSTANTLY gets a huge goose-egg! I felt horrible, but he was fine. Here's his goose-egg :(

The dudes!

We took a nice boat ride around Okoboji on Sunday night, it (like everything) was a lot of fun.

Stella and Nana:

Captain Mike

Stella and Porter, full of smiles on the boat ride.