Getting ready for Christmas

At last it is December.....and 2009 will be over soon. What a year it has been for us! So happy to have found this house and to be living here. We always will treasure our times and friends in Michigan and are so glad that we lived there for so many years...but are now very glad to be here. Hope that 2010 brings us a buyer for our house up there! But Michigan will always be in our hearts and we will always visit dear ones there!

I am happy to have found a job I love...even though I have an hour and half commute to get to it. I have just completed orientation to be a hospice nurse for Visiting Nurse Assoc. of Greater St. Louis...who I worked for for about 15 years when I lived in St. Louis previously. When I see patients, I will get paid by the patient so my hours will be my own and I won't have to fight rush hour traffic to and from St. Louis. I think I will find it very rewarding. I am only going to work one or two days a week.

We have started decorating this old house for Christmas and it has been fun. We don't have too much outside except for lights....and lots and lots of candles inside. But I plan to go to after Christmas sales and stock up on bargains for next year's decorating! My sister and family are coming for Christmas from Maine....and we are sooo excited to have them here! Then two of my three brothers and families and are coming to join us for New Years. Also we will host get togethers with the kids and grandkids and some of our wonderful friends, so the holidays here in Owensville will be very special for the Balluffs! We wish everyone who follows our blog a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Will post pics of holiday gatherings after...and I promise to keep it going in 2010! Please keep in touch with us!!!

Thanksgiving

We were so happy this year to be able to spend Thanksgiving with family!! It was a great day. Luke was in the St. Louis Thanksgiving parade playing his trumpet in the HS marching band. He is only in Jr High...but is THAT good with the trumpet. We saw him on TV but did not make it in to see the parade....had a BIG turkey to stuff!! Everyone brought dishes and wine and we had a great time. Too good of a time to take too many pictures. But here we are.......

A fall day....

A couple of weeks ago...we had Ella and her parents out for some touring around the countryside, to a winery and some shops and then to spend the night. Can you tell I like taking pictures of Ella? These are at the winerySometimes she gets tired of posing for sooo many pictures!What a great family!Dancing in the field at the winery.....It is a beautiful setting.....and she looks sooo small...Playing Old Maid with Yeye back at the house.... Believe me...she knows the rules!Clowning around with Yeye....Relating to Cali....

Crazy fun Halloween Party!

We were invited to our dear friends' Ron and Janet's house for Halloween. Jan always decorates so nicely for every holiday. Cannot wait to see her Christmas decs!Next year, we are gonna all come in costume....but after a bit...we all tried on my mask!Ron had his own look!We spent some time outside by the fire. It was crisp but really a beautiful fall evening. Great food, some drink and good, good friends! What more can anyone ask for??

Visiting Ella at gymnastics class

Back in October, Mike and I were lucky enough to meet Ella and her mom for lunch and then to go see her do gymnastics. She is getting good at it too! And all the kids were sooo cute! Here she is with Yeye and her mom clowning at lunch.....

A pre-gymnastic run....where does she get the energy!

Lining up....they were all sooo very cute!

Learning how to flip over the parallel bars. She did flip with her teacher's help but I never could get a shot of it.
Doing really good on the low balance beam....
Learning cartwheels
AND the HIGH balance beam!! Good job little Ella!

A trip to Chicago for a family wedding.....

Mike and I went to Chicago last weekend for my niece's wedding. We traveled in tandem with my brother Steve, his wife Pam and their grand daughter Amanda who all live in Springfield Missouri. My other brother David and his kids Becca and Nathan met us there. We missed David's Natalie and my sister, her husband and son Corey. Wish we ALL could have been together! Here is my third brother Paul's wife Judith and their son Evan. Paul is the father of the bride. We are in the hotel great room...and Evan does not like his picture taken and rarely sits still....but is sooooo cute!Evan....a blurrrrr......We all are pretty much computer addicts...maybe none as bad as me! But here are Steve and Amanda on the hotel computers.Paul and Judith had us over to their lovely home for a wonderful lunch the day of the wedding. The wedding did not start until 8 and the food was to be vegan...so they gave us all a meat fix! BUT the wedding food turned out to be very delish! As was Judith's meal! Thanks guys!!!Evan in his Halloween costume....with Steve...Evan and his Uncle Dave.....Evan, Amanda and Judith....A WONDERFUL meal!Steve, Nathan, Becca, Pam and David....with Paul in the background
Next post the rehearsal dinner and wedding!

My niece's wedding in Chicago!

We were honored to be able to go to the rehearsal dinner which was held at a wonderful new Thai restaurant. The food was totally the best Thai food I have ever had and I think everyone agreed! Here is the BRIDE!! Stephanie with Amanda.......

Dan and Paul...brother of the bride and FOB!

Scott and Stephanie....the happy bride and groom on their last night of singlehood!Steve and Pam....He: "My dear would like some SAKI??" She:"What are ya....nuts!"Brothers.....Evan getting sleepy and finally holding still!!! My sweet and wonderful brothers....David and Steve.Pam and Amanda...two very special ladies!I guess you all know who these two are!! The next day we finally headed to the wedding dressed in our best! Here is my lovely and sweet niece Becca and her proud dad! This was what he would have worn when he was to have walked Becca down the aisle...but instead was in the hospital after a heart attack and major surgery. Paul walked Becca down the aisle at her wonderful outdoor wedding. We are so glad that David was at this wedding....and the rest of them to come! Who will be next??Becca, David and his son Nathan...Us.....Amanda, Pam and Steve...looking so sharp!Paul and Judith looking very, very nice!The wedding was held upstairs from a bar...but the space was sooo charming. Gorgeous flowers and votive candles all over. It really was lovely. The ceremony was pretty traditional for non traditional Stephanie! She looked beautiful! There were about 100 people there...and after the wedding, the chairs were cleared away and the reception was held right there. The ceremony was very meaningful and sweet and the reception was lots of fun. Thanks Becca for the two pics from your camera! She took this one and is a great photographer!

Steph and Amanda. Steph is a published author of two young adult books. So proud of her!! And Amanda is one of her biggest fans! Loves her books...read the new one straight through in the car coming back from the wedding! We all got our copies there...and I will be reading it soon!My cousin Anne was there with her husband Randy. It was SOOOO good to see her again! All of us kids grew up with Anne and her sisters Sally and Wendy and we share lots of memories that no one else has! I love these girls....and miss you guys so much. We need to do a reunion!!Sweet and silly Amanda....took my camera and took some great pics with it. Thanks Amanda...you were such a pleasure to be with!Receiving line fun.....Scott and Stephanie.....The food was plentiful and totally delicious!

The vegan cupcakes were the best I have EVER had....people on Facebook are still talking about them!
Thank you Mr and Mrs Scott Lewis for such a great wedding!!! And thank you Paul and Judith!