Ready for Halloween!

We shopped for our pumpkins again at Orange Park United Methodist Church; one for AA and one for me to bake. The four cups of puree is now in the freezer and the pumpkin ready with a jar candle inside. Happy Halloween!
A few photos of our loaded pepper plants (below). Most of the plants have peppers that are way too hot for humans to consume; hopefully in the spring, we can change them for some peppers that we use regularly. The jalapeno peppers do get used, Ford is making stuffed peppers this weekend with sausage and bacon. Can't wait!

Carving the pumpkin per AA's instructions:

Cooking the pumpkin after it was baked in the oven for 45 minutes (cut off the outside peeling after roasting, so much easier!):

Don't eat too much candy!

Golfing - Fall Tour Jacksonville - South Hampton

Another great U.S. Kids Golf Foundation Tour event held at South Hampton yesterday. It was the first beautiful day of our "Fall" weather. Low 70's with a slight breeze. The first time since April that I actually sought out the sun while watching the game. Usually, we are all trying to find some shade to get away from the BLAZING, HOT sun!
Daughter and Daddy found some quiet time; we did have to wait at a few holes, so the round was not rushed at all.

AA bought an orange/black hair ribbon at the local OP Fall Festival last week, so wanted to wear it today with her favorite black outfit.

By the time we reach the 8th or 9th hole, the girls are ready for the game to end and start getting silly. Keeping them focused can be a challenge. After the hand shakes at the 9th hole, running is the norm.

Hugs. AA is usually the squished one!

Waiting for the award ceremony, Daddy Caddy got a few good pictures:

AA did one of her best rounds with a 44. With a few mishaps, she would have been around 39 - 41. After every round, it's like telling the story of the "fish that got away"!

Second place, the red medal:

Goofy girls:

The six and under boys, Phillip won with Kelly in second and Aiden taking third place:

Aiden and Phillip:

A great day!

Week of October 21st - Ramblings

The weather has cooled, only in the low 80's beginning this week, with a promise of being much cooler by week's end. We strolled to the River House on Monday and enjoyed sitting outside on the deck. I am still nursing my left knee, still sore from a few weeks ago, can't seem to sit down long enough to let it heal (who can sit for a week?).
Alyzabeth has had her golf lessons, she loves playing with the "swing box" and takes a few swings when she walks by it; she played nine holes with Aiden Clark at Eagle Harbor on Wednesday and said she had fun playing with him. At school, they had a fun run and she completed 33 of the 36 laps. She said her two big toes was getting sore so stopped. That probably means she needs new sneakers, hopefully up one size.
More golfing on Thursday at River Bend. Then a practice round at South Hampton on Friday with golfer friend from Eagle Harbor, Aiden; that is where the U.S. Kids Sunday Tournament is. She is doing great with her slightly longer clubs. Here's a fox they saw at South Hampton on Friday (yesterday):

Off topic a bit, want to share this with all my Pride and Prejudice fans. I listen to lots of books driving to and from work, so stumbled upon this one at the public library and could not beleive it was written in the style of Jane Austen and was about Elizabeth Darcy about six years after her marriage to Mr. Darcey. It is also being made into a miniseries for PBS. I'll be watching it in early 2014!

Saturday (today) we went to the RAM again; hadn't been there in a very long time and afterwards had salad and pizza at Moon River. We love our old "neighborhood" favorites. We also ran into Mr. Bernie who used to work at the Wine Warehouse (closed for more than a year) and now has his own wine shop on 1080 Edgewood. We loved talking to him again about "value" red wines and were happy to reconnect. He has an appreciation for wine and can recommend low priced wines that have a good taste as he has tried them all and knows what we like. Since we were so close to the Edgewood Bakery, we just had to stop in and select a Halloween sweet treat! Yummy! A fun day for us all! Now to relax and watch some football, baseball (Go Red Sox!! - since this is Alyson writing this post!!) and NASCAR!

We are going to start a "leaf" garland/banner on November 1st. I saw it on someones blog; cut out a variety of leaf shapes on colored paper and each day write something that we are thankful for, then I plan to "clothes pin" each leaf to our display cord we have in the house. I think it will be a nice reminder of how blessed we are and add to the Fall decorations.

Next week is Halloween then the following week, we have a vacation planned to Key West. Many friends and family are flying in to meet up so should be a great time and a great place to relax!

Photos to follow of AA's golfing adventure tomorrow (Sunday)!

Wrapping Up the Weekend - Sunday

On our trip back from Orlando, Hubby found a "Swing Box" for a good price on Craig's List. We connected with the Seller and drove to his home to pick it up (after AA's golf tournament). When we arrived, the Seller's wife came out and recognized Ford. Can you believe we were buying a golf item from our grown daughter's good friend from High School and college? Yep! Talisha is just as gorgeous and friendly as when we last saw her years ago. It was too funny!
AA is enjoying her new "toy"; we need to get moving and find a new home! Living in a condo with AA's stuff is getting CROWDED!!

We walked to the Orange Park Fall Festival on Sunday afternoon after a morning of getting everything unpacked from our past few days. We were all tired so rested and didn't get moving for church.
At the OP Festival, we took a quick look at all the craft booths, then we headed home. AA climbed through a fire truck, played on the play ground equipment and then we saw a truly "redneck" craft - a rake for a wine glass holder (no, we did not buy one!)!

By evening, I realized we had some apples that were getting "old"; so made some applesauce. Yummy!
Next up is Monday, the start of another great week!

Golf - Orlando's Orange County National - Crooked Cat Course

Since there was no school this past Friday, and no Jacksonville U. S. Kids Tournament this weekend, we decided to honor our promise to AA and take her to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on Friday and to enter her in the Orlando Fall Tournament on Saturday. We like meeting up with Bella's family and enjoy a family golfing outing at a new golf course (new to us) and we knew the Dunham family would be there too.
The Club (which has two courses plus a nine hole par 3 course) had it's own motel on site; we stayed in a room overlooking the putting green. Very convenient and reasonable price! There is a Grill restaurant which had basic breakfast, sandwiches and a nice bar area. Golf carts were sparse, but because we were guests, were able to be first with anything we wanted.

From the Club, looking toward the putting green, Motel and Hole #1:

We brought some games and toys, so played Othello. Fun game and AA beat me the first time playing!

The driving range is a 360 range, an entire circle where someone can be directly across from you practicing too. This place is huge!

Ninth hole at Crooked Cat, looking toward the Club house:

The first four holes were the toughest (two par 5s, two par 4s which AA bogied the 5s and par the 4s, scoring 20 total on first four holes). Then we saw the 9th hole (par 4). Tough, tough for the girls.
Trying to come up with a strategy for the girls:

The end! Smiles all around when the competition is over!

Next, Bella loves hugging and picking up AA. Isabella is a charming, funny, beautiful child! She is a joy to be around and really brings out the best in AA! (you may notice that all the girls still have their gloves on except AA; notice her hand tan line?).

A good score for AA; as always there was three to four strokes that should have been played better; overall AA is improving in leaps and bounds!
PD from our Jacksonville Boys group plays in all the Orlando Tournaments and he had a best score and place first! He's an amazing player too! (turns six in December).

The award/medal ceremony:

We hope to enter a couple of Orlando tournaments again in December! Lots of fun!