September Visit Home!

Our visit home is done. We accomplished a good bit while we've been here! In fact, we've done SO much we are tired and looking forward to getting back down to help care for the quads!

What HAVE we done??

I THOUGHT I could bow out of the fall decorating this year.

Or at least just take a few things back to the RV Park and decorate a LITTLE there!

NOT!!!

I find I simply cannot bear to NOT decorate! BOTH homes!

I decided to get it ALL down and then put half of it up HERE and take the other half THERE! Since we will be back home for a few days in October AND November I thought it was totally worth all the trouble!

I loved seeing all my favorite decorations.......and they are ALL 'favorites!'

The foyer HAD to be decked out!!!

I always sing the hymn 'Come Ye Thankful People Come' every fall.

I even taught myself to play it on the organ.

I've never seen a pumpkin I didn't like!!

Normally I would have added a garland of fall leaves to the fairy lights but I'm taking them to the camper.

Putting up my fall things made me so happy and every picture I post just brings a smile to my face!! I LOVE all things FALL!!

I especially enjoy the golden glow of autumn. I would keep fall up all year round if it wouldn't make me seem eccentric!

I added a few simple wreathes to the living room and covered the table with a heavy woven cloth.

The Pilgrim Boy and Girl were made by Amber when she was a little girl.

All of us - Amber, Ben, and I  - made sets! I still have all three!

Perhaps I should give Amber's to HER!

(Maybe next year!)

We'll be taking this back with us after our October visit.

Every year Louis Dean reads The Ghost-Eye Tree by Bill Martin.

LD was a second grade school teacher for 25 years and did many a workshop with Bill Martin. He treasures this book which the author signed.

This year he will be reading it to the Quadruplets!

I imagine by then they will be able to sit in their Bumbos.

You're never too young to be read to and it will mean so much to 'Grand Dad!'

He always wears this old hat when he reads. The artwork next to the book is LD's version of the Ghost-Eye tree!

The fall table has already been used!

Our friend, June, came over after church on Sunday bearing pizza and salads!

We had the nicest visit catching up with everything and everybody.

June and I have spent many a Tuesday evening around this table doing art!

The old white fireplace mantle now holds a mirror but is still a perfect place to hang garland!

We may not host many fall meals in the dining room this year but it's all dressed up - just in case!

My clay pot planter is the worse for wear this year.

He has cracked his head and been mended and now his hat is all in pieces.

Not bad, though, since he is about 20 years old!

This smaller version has held up nicely.

This is in the sewing room.

Another set of Pilgrims! They were made by Benjamin.

Just a few things added to the den.  The lights bring out the natural stone and earthy colors used in there anyway. The den is one of my favorite rooms.

I've taken to sitting in here at the game table with my laptop these days.

It just feels so homey and comfortable in here!

Another comfy place to sit is on the front porch - although more often than not we sit out on the driveway with our feet propped up on the stone wall.

We're going to miss being here on Halloween to visit with the children this year.

Normally we sit out with the lanterns burning waiting for the trick or treaters.

I usually dress up and we always take pictures of the kids.

I hope they will remember to come back next year!!

I didn't decorate the gazebo at all.

We did enjoy a nice fire out there last night.

The first fire of the season is the most special so I'm happy I got a picture of it.

Louis Dean and I sat out there like old times.

We have really enjoyed our time at home!

While I spent my time decorating and cleaning, Louis Dean built a new gate.

The old one came loose while we were gone - the ground here in our area shifts!

This one should be good for awhile!!

Our time here is done. The car is packed with not a bit of extra space! I plan to take a picture of it tomorrow after we get back down to Houston. Louis Dean is already asleep in bed and has been for hours now. He likes to drive in the wee hours of the morning and since HE drives and I sleep - that suits me just fine.

The house is all clean and tidy, laundry all done, dishwasher just finished its cycle.

Nothing to do now but slide into bed for a few hours!

I LOVE the feeling of freshly washed sheets and the smell of CLEAN!

While I am leaving one home - I will be returning to another.....albeit smaller one!!

Amber said one of the nicest things to me the other day.

She and Mike had gone over to the RV Park to 'switch places' with us for a little while.

It was the first time she'd been in the camper since we had redone it.

She said it smelled just exactly like HOME!