Halloween 2017

Jessi's Halloween décor

Orange & black day!

Today's lunch note

J's 3D haunted house from school

E's 3D haunted house

Getting ready for the big night...

TA-DA!

Luigi & Mario ♥

Bumping into friends!

Jessi and her friend Natalie

Emily and her friend Kassie

Trick-or-treating at our own house

A Princess has got to eat after all that walking!

For the first time in 10 years, I didn't carve a pumpkin this Halloween! How strange. Other than that, it was the usual fun and games. We ran into lots of school friends while trick-or-treating, so Emily and Jessica actually ended up splitting up and hanging out with their respective friends. A good night and lots of treats!!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Birthday Steve/Daddy/Baba/Feebas!

Steve has a lot of nicknames! The girls regularly call him Baba (not sure where that came from) or Feebas (a Pokémon name), and sometimes they combine the two to make Beebas or Ba-Bee. In any case, it was his birthday today!

We had a quiet celebration at my parents' yesterday, which included cards, presents, and cake.

New slippers! 

Grand-Papa's Jack-o-lantern ready for tomorrow 

Thanks for the help, Caleb!

Today Steve woke up to a surprise gift: a Wii U!

While the girls were at school we planned to hike at Parrott's Bay, though only 15 minutes into the walk, I clumsily stepped into a big puddle and soaked my shoes. So back home we went and played on the Wii U instead ;).

Today's lunch note 

We topped the day off with some delicious cake baked by the birthday boy himself (I helped by greasing the cake pan!).

On the dinner menu:

London Broil, grilled asparagus, and sweet potato fries 

Yummy cake?

We love you Steve/Daddy/Baba/Feebas/Beebas/Ba-Bee!

xox

Great-Grandpa Gerald

Steve's grandpa, Gerald Paul, passed away yesterday at the age of 91. We are saddened by the news and will miss him dearly at all our family gatherings.

Gerald Paul

June 26, 1926 - October 27, 2017

Ever since Steve and I moved back to Kingston in 2007, Gerald was a regular guest at our birthday and holiday celebrations. He was never short on smiles, good conversations, and kind words.

Gerald's wife, Shirley, passed away in 2014.

Gerald & Shirley (2008)

Guests at our wedding (2008)

 Holding 1-year-old Jessica (2012) and baby Clara (2013)

Family photo (2016)

Gerald was the grandfather I never had and also a big supporter of my writing and ukulele-playing. Being a writer and playing the uke himself, he was always eager to hear about my writing projects or whatever new song I had learned.

Blowing out a candle for his 91st birthday

(June 2017)

Luckily we had a chance to visit Gerald at the hospital this week before his passing. He liked to remind us that he's had a good life, a great life, a beautiful life.

Rest in peace, Great-Grandpa ♥