The great outdoors

Fall has arrived but, except for a few coolish days last week, you would never know it.  The humidity seems to be gone though and that has made it pleasant enough to make playing outside a little more tolerable. Playing outside is where we want to be and that is exactly what we have been doing.  Mom, Bekah and Hugh came to visit last weekend and so we spent some quality time outdoors.  Bekah, or Sister B as I like to call her...



taught my girls the ins and outs of a good old fashioned round-off while she was here...



I know she will thank me for posting this picture later.  She stuck the landing and I would totally give her a 9.8 overall.  Who knew you could still be a gymnast at the ripe ole age of 31?

Lily made me fix her hair to go outside...

She REALLY wanted to wear her hair in little piggie tails like Hannah so this is what we ended up with.  They were a little lopsided and you have to wrap the rubber band around each one a million times but hey, she is happy and that is what is important right?

Hannah has been working diligently on this masterpiece...

She discovered that if you dip the chalk in water before you apply it then the color is much more vibrant.  I am not sure how long it will take for the rain to wash away this artwork...it seems a little more permanent...but it kept her busy for quite some time :)

We have closed up our summer garden and are making way for fall and winter vegetables.  This was our last harvest of the summer...

Hannah and Lily both loved the home grown okra.  This was a new vegetable for Lily and since Hannah did not really remember eating it last summer - semi-new for her.  I know I said this last year, but if you have not tried grilled okra with a little olive oil and sea salt you are missing out.  Our garden was such a success except for our squash.  Something decided to eat it before we could and our squash plant never recovered.  I will miss all the pretty colors and yumminess of our summer garden but am looking forward to what fall and winter bring.

Oh and I wanted to share a new friend that we have outside of our front window...

It is an orb spider and is a type of garden spider that is supposedly nice to have around.  I first met this spider when I went to bend over to pick something up off the ground and almost stuck my face in the center of its web...exactly where this spider was sitting.  I almost had a heart attack.  After a little research we found out that orb spiders are not considered dangerous and, since Hannah and Lily really like to watch it out the window, I decided it could stay.  This spider is especially neat because it eats its web every night and weaves it again by morning.  Ok I know enough with the spider talk!  I hope I haven't put anyone to sleep or given anyone nightmares for that matter.  Hope to be back soon! Good night friends!