The Leaves are Falling

Last year we let all the leaves pile up and 'raked' them all in one day. We decided that it would be to our advantage to gather them more frequently than that this year. Rustin bought a lawn mower with a bagger from the neighbor so he as been using that while I get them out of the flower beds. So far he as done it three times. There is a compost pile a few blocks away from our house so we have a convenient dumping place. One day I was watching Tiffany and she wanted a leaf pile to jump in so I told her we could rake up a pile. Grace loved it also, except she thought she would try the leaves for taste. This was also the day that Tiffany came into the house without Grace and all of a sudden I looked out the door and Grace was climbing our back, cement steps for the first time. Talk about heart stopping!

If you read Susan's blog you know I was in Tremont two weekends ago for a surprise visit. I had a nice time. A good amount of work and play! Mom seems to be healing well. Every day there is less pain and more mobility.

This past weekend I had the urge to go shopping so I convinced Rustin we should go to St. Cloud. The only reason he was able to go was the inches of rain we have been receiving. I decided we needed to buy a gun cabinet because one day Grace and I were in her room and I looked over and she was playing with one of her daddy's guns under the bed. I didn't think that was a good idea, so we found one this weekend. Grace did really well shopping. She's a woman after my own heart.

No, Grace still isn't walking, but I think her vocabulary is exceptional. (I might be a little bias.) Some new words are up, hello - with her hand (the phone) held up to her ear, Bob, baba - bottle, uh-oh, and of course mama and dada. She smacks her lips really loud if she wants to eat something. She's getting good at pointing at what she wants. It's hard to believe my baby is going to be one in a couple of weeks!

11 months

Grace turns 11 months today. My how time flies. She and I took a walk this morning and I just had to laugh. She was waving from her stroller like she was a queen in a parade. Then we arrived at the post office and she wouldn't wave at the postmaster for anything. She definitely brings much laughter to my day. (usually!)
Last Saturday we went to Keith and Lois' house in Alex. (They are the couple I worked for during my internship.) They had bought a large quantity of paint from Sherwin Williams and offered some to us for our new store. After loading that up we took them out to eat at Dolittles. It served great Italian food. Grace seemed to charm everyone around us. I sometimes think she is misbehaving but atleast they weren't upset. We played games at their house afterwards. It's always a good time with them.
Rustin does soil-sampling at work. I was at Meadowland on Sat. morning and he called not having a good soil-sampling day. The previous week a head-gasket was replaced. Then on Sat. the truck was making noise again. He felt like it was his fault. I had to reassure him of the fact that you can't expect an '88 truck that is driven through bumpy fields all day to be in perfect condition. He called back a little while later and said the truck was finished-he had blown it up. I don't totally understand engines but I think a rod went somewhere it wasn't supposed to. I personally was glad because nickeling and diming old vehicles can be a pain. This week he has been transforming one of their other trucks into the 'new' soil-sampling pick-up.
It has been a little rainy up here this week, but this is a good time to catch up on indoor work and organizing. Sometimes even a little book reading!
My mom is having her hip replaced this Thursday, so hopefully all goes well with the surgery.