Halloween 2015

This Halloween was sure different from our last couple of years!   When our first granddaughter Emily was little, we went out trick-or-treating with her and her Mom and Dad.   Then she started going with her little friends, we bought our house, and we figured it'd be fun to stay home and hand out candy.   Then a few years ago we were invited to a friend's house for a party....and we did that for the last few years.

This year we were going to be back to handing out candy because no one was having a party and, frankly, I missed seeing all the kids dressed up.

But our daughter Wendy was working on Halloween night and wasn't going to be able to bring our grandkids Noah and Elsie out for trick-or-treating.  So we volunteered.

And since Wendy would be working until midnight, we volunteered to have the kids come to our house and keep then overnight afterwards.  Our first grandchild sleepover!

The kids got to our house in time for supper...Mac and Cheese and Chicken Fingers, of course!

Then it was finally time to get into costumes!

Elsie was Sheriff Callie from a cartoon and Noah was an Army guy.

Grampy put on his cowboy hat and a poncho - not really going for a certain costume but he looked like a Mexican Bandito!

I chose not to wear a costume, but I had on my "Old Navy" sweatshirt so Noah said I could be a Navy guy.  When I pointed out that it said, "OLD" Navy, he said "That's the PERFECT name for you!"

We stepped out the door on the dot of 6pm as the kids couldn't wait any longer.  It was wonderful because the weather was perfect.  It's been a long while since I've traipsed from door to door with little kids to beg for candy.....what a blast!

We lasted an hour, which was plenty of time to fill up their Halloween pumpkin buckets.  "So heavy I can't even carry it," said Elsie!

When we came home, Noah asked if they could keep their costumes on and hand out candy to kids that came to our door.  Of course they did and that was great fun too!

Finally it was time to clean up, put on jammies, and settle down on the couch to watch a video.  The kids had brought "Home" with the voice of Jim Parsons as the little alien creature.   A perfect movie for adults and kids!

When the movie was over - at 10pm - both kids were still awake!  I was counting on them to fall asleep while watching TV.  Hubby volunteered to stay downstairs on the recliner and keep them company until they fell asleep and I went up to bed.  He joined me at midnight - both kids were finally sleeping.

At 7am I heard a little voice....I wasn't sure if it was in my dream or not!  Nope, it was Elsie - she and Noah were wide awake and ready to play!  We played and had pancakes for breakfast, then took them home around 11am.   We were tired but so very happy!

ARLO!

Hubby has always loved Arlo Guthrie, so wasn't it just serendipitous that he decided to bring his "Alice's Restaurant 50th Anniversary Tour" to Boston on Hubby's birthday!!

Our plan was to go and spend the day banging around Boston, but the weather didn't comply.  So we left home around 4:30 to go in and have supper at the Cheesecake Factory - that being Hubby's favorite restaurant.

It was a quick and easy walk to Berklee Music School's Performing Arts Center.   It's a very cozy and intimate venue...perfect for Arlo.

Hubby anticipating the beginning of the show

Arlo's daughter Sarah Lee opened the night

His son Abe also played the keyboard and sang harmonies.

It was a wonderful night of song and stories

We posed for a selfie in front of the stage

When he came out for the second set, Arlo thrilled the audience with his famous "Alice's Restaurant" song with a background of scenes from the movie.

It was a wonderful birthday for Hubby!

Topsfield Fair 2015

One of our favorite activities in the fall is attending the Topsfield Fair.  This  year's theme was "Sunflowers"

Children created displays of decorated pumpkins

The largest pumpkin this year was just under a ton.

                        

We got to hold newborn chicks and 

watch some hatch from their shells.

My friend the Llama.....he has fuzzy lips!

Also made friends with some cute goats.

and an Alpaca!

 Then it was time to eat!  A plate of freshly fried potato chips.  I told the guy it was a ridiculous amount of chips.........

But I did manage to eat them all!  (with a little help from my friend)

Checked out the craft area.....

maybe this should be my new winter look

It took us a while to find the sand sculpture

This cow is as happy as a pig in mud

Speaking of pigs.......

The traditional Topsfield Fair photo

One of our "must see" attractions.....Robinson's Racing Pigs

A little parade 

Finally at night we stayed for some of the rodeo.  I have to say it was very badly organized....but the announcer kept us laughing with all his goofs and gaffs. 

Really a fun-filled day and the weather was perfect!

Apple Picking 2015

It's been our pleasure to continue the tradition of taking Emily apple picking - something we've done with her since she was about two.  This year we picked a chilly, raw day so there was no wagon ride but it wasn't raining!

Emily looking oh so stylish!

All the good apples were up high so Emily volunteered to climb and get them.

She thought it was hilarious that she wiped her mouth with her sleeve.  She managed to eat three or four apples while we were picking.  (I might have eaten two or three myself.  The lady said we could taste them if we wanted to know what they tasted like before we picked them!)

My favorite part of the excursion - apple cider donuts!

Emily remembered sitting on the wall from last year.  She insisted the cement was warmer than the wooden picnic bench!

I asked her to pose.....

a bit different from her first time ever at the apple farm!

Back to our house......she showed us her progress on the ukulele.

Then we started making the apple pies.  Her favorite parts are getting flour everywhere and eating the raw sugar!

Helping Memere peel the apples

Helping Pepere mix the ingredients

I showed her how to use the Spirograph while we waited for the pies to bake.

And played some "Penguin Pop-up".....a game she gave me because she knows I like penguins.   It's very funny when she knocks my penguin off the board!

This year, Pepere had a bumper crop of apples on our one and only apple tree in the backyard.  So Emily consented to some more picking.

A little help from Pepere

Showing off the bag full of apples we got from our tree.

Bergeron Family Reunion 2015

The 22nd Annual Bergeron Family Reunion was a great success despite the less-than-pleasing weather!

I was really down in the dumps all day on Saturday watching the weather report and thinking it would have to be cancelled.....for the first time ever!   

Hubby and I decided we'd go up to the State Park and just wait in the parking lot for awhile to see if anyone else showed up.  When we got there, it was misting out.

Sure enough, my very favorite cousin Glenn - a die-hard reunion attendee, showed up with his whole family!  Even grandson Anthony in his little raincoat and his daughters in their rain ponchos. 

He had an "easy-up" so we said, "Let's do it!"

Hubby sitting with all his friends!

A little misty rain didn't stop the kids from playing on the beach.  Some of them even went swimming!

My sister-in-law Angie, her grandson Damien, and my cousin Susie visiting from Maryland....she's from the other side of the family!  But all are welcome!!

My brother Steve brought his little grill and fired it up to warm some chili and cook lots of other scrumptious food.  Glenn, Scott and I hang around for a taste!

Cousin John is a happy (crazy) guy!

and his wife, my cousin Fran, is no better!

Cousin Cathy with her granddaughter Amber

Glenn's grandson Anthony somehow ended out with a chocolate face!    His Mom Bianca is holding him and his Grandma Janice looks on.

A nice conversation between me and my twin cousin Francine.  Her mother and mine were identical twins, and being the same age, we are told often that we look alike.

We turned out to have a crew!  Dad had called in the morning saying he might not go.  But when I called to tell him lots of people were there, he showed up for an hour or so.

Lots of discussions going on

Gary, Tommy, Steve and Jimmy

We tried to get everyone together for a photo.  Some had already left, so there were more than this that attended.

As usual, I wish I'd gotten more photos.  Many family members who were there are not in any photos, including my Cousin Ruth and her husband Rick here from Ohio!

We found out that there will be three more babies born this year.   And my Uncle Chanel is the oldest at age 87.  

I was so happy on the way home.....so glad we had another successful reunion and already looking forward to next year!