Sams moving in!

And no it's not actually done but the carpet is in and wood floor is down (entry and kitchenette) and that's good enuf for us. It's so hard to get a good photo because my camera lens is not a wide angle.

We still have much to do * but at least he has his privacy....and we see light at the end of a very long tunnel.


* Trim the doors, put up baseboards, finish bathroom, tile kitchen counter, put in kitchen sink, paint stripe on one wall, build platform for bed, refinish side table for couch, paint dresser for bathroom sink, put in shelves in kitchen, paint front door, stain and put up window sills....a VERY long tunnel.

Basketball Game

Exeter lost but did better than expected, they were actually up by 6 points in the first quarter. Wil is a starter and had a good game ...well, lets just say that he had a good second half (16 points).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fun day at Moms house....good food, good wine, good people....lots to be thankful for :)

Our first dusting

Just a tease of what's to come.

The Arteest

I remember when our cupboards were covered with the kids artwork....nobody colors around here any more.

Thanks Maggie!



ps. I helped with the signature... :)

Maggie and Friend

Though Annie was not enamored of the new pet, Maggie sure loves him!

Pre-Halloween Photos

We're waiting for the real Halloween pics from John and Ashley (hint hint) but they probably have a life, so in the interim....here's a couple of the kids trying on their disguises.

Actually, Maggie is in Maya's Scooby-Doo costume but Maya didn't seem to mind. And hey, next time you see him, ask Steve to do his Scooby imitation...it's very good and doesn't sound the least bit like a Middle Eastern gentleman :)

More Napa Fun

More of the Kids

Reading to the Kids

And for those who have never had the pleasure, listening to Steve read to children is an experience...this man gets into his characters :)

Cousins

Annie loves Maggie (and Eli and Maya)....and she just had to show me the sunset from the top of the hill (photo op, or just another chance to drive the gator?)

Napa

We had a great time at John and Ashleys this weekend; the vines are absolutely beautiful right now (this photo doesn't do them justice). I didn't even know that grape vines changed color...ours go straight from green to dead.

Annie had the privilege of baby-sitting Eli and Maggie and did a great job (except for the frog aversion). She loved taking them for rides on the gator, reading stories to them, and fixing their meals.....but has decided that she will not be having kids....ever! (taking care of children is a great birth control method for teens...yea)


I'll post more on the trip as I have time....the pics are still downloading :)

The New Car

Maureen and I went to Fresno yesterday - I had an appointment with my "gastroenterologist"; if you know what his specialty is then I can tell you everything is okay with that particular part of my anatomy. I love my new car. It's so much fun to drive. I am still learning what all the buttons are for. It has that "fancy" remote that locks and unlocks the car. And if I ever any more children I have kiddie seats! All is well here. Weather is great, more like summer (not hot though). Maybe we will get fall one of these days. ....Mom

Latest Project

Steve and I have started a new blog called Suburban Sharecroppers and would like to invite you all to see what we are getting ourselves into. It's a pay-for-post blog (a whole $1/day) and they will be keeping track of visitors to insure that someone is actually reading it. If all you do is click on it occasionally we would really appreciate it (fiendish little mercenaries that we are:)

Thanks!!!

ps. and Steve is actually writing some of the blog, we just can't figure out how to add him as a contributor....we are morons!

College

Brad and his truck...along with 2 other water polo alumni... were in the Homecoming parade last Friday. It's Exeter's 100 year celebration so they asked graduates to come back and participate in the celebration. I was on the wrong side of the street to get a shot of him driving...but I liked the sign :)

Joshua's Swim

I don't know that Joshua really wanted to be the first to use the pool (or the last before winter), but when he found my old wet suit, he knew he had to go in (he's just that way). I told him he looked like a bear out for a swim. With the weather being overcast and the water around 64 degrees, it was more of a polar bear swim. I told him while he was down there to clean up the leaves. That didn't work out so well, so he just swam around.

Testing...

OK, it only took me a week to figure out how to actually access this blog and then post.

We had our first snow of the season yesterday. It didn't stay, but it will before long. The nights are dropping into the low 30s. But its just our early warning. It'll be back up in the 70s next week. The leaves are changing and the mountain has snow on its peak again.

Ken

Thanks Mom

Mom won a couple of tickets (at the luncheon on Sunday) to the Taste of Visalia event downtown Tuesday night. We had a nice time, got to try some new restaurants and eat at some of our old favorites. Steve's still not lovin the suishi and there is a new Brazilian place called Rio Churrasco that we all agreed was very good....but Fagazzis is still the winner overall.

Tommys ran out of food....cretins.

Oh, For the Days of Summer!

One of the pleasures I was reacquainted with this summer is children and the absolute joy they have in a pool. Maya would be beside herself. Thank you Maya, Elias and Maggie for reminding me.



One of the joys, har har, of being a high school teacher is Homecoming. The gamut I'm running these days is from over-sugared Frosh that are experiencing Homecoming for the first time, acting like kids before Christmas; and seniors that are too cool and too involved in catty backstabbing fights with other seniors because this is their last Homecoming and it HAS to be Great.

Me? I'm getting the Baseball Car cleaned up to be in the Fall Festival parade on Saturday. Just another chance to embarrass some people so they can twist their noses into the air. Then I can spend a week with mi familia.

I THOUGHT I would be the first.....

...to post a picture ( I thought it was understood that I have no life).

Tinkerbell riding Buckwheat

Maggie's 3 year old fantasies were fulfilled when she became Tinkerbell...

Yippee Yahoo

We have 6 contributors...not sure who this Myrtle Groggins person is but.....yea!!!

Come on Mike and Steph (and Naoko and Ken).......get on board!

New car

I just had a call from Chuck - everybody knows who Chuck is - my car is just about ready to pick up. He discovered the light in the radio was out so he is having it replaced. He has had it smogged and it said it is so clean. I am so anxious to get it. Now we have to go to the DMV and get it transferred. He is going to go with me to do that.

Steph and Ken were last night. They had been in Chico - Michael was in a play at school. Had the Garvers - actually Steve, Maureen, Sam and Wilson. Had a good time. The Kelloggs were going home today.

That's it folks!

Family Blog

Starting a new blog today for the entire (almost:) Derr family... including those who decided to change their name to Kellogg and Garver. Feel free to post whenever you want, let us know what you all are doing and add photos if you can figure out how...email me with any questions.

Come on guys....try it.....it'll be fun!