My newest sister

Meet my good friend De Ann Green. We are the same height, the same build, have similar hair (but I just cut mine), both wear glasses, and have big smiles. I've also noticed our basic taste in clothes is pretty similar. And I do believe we're just a couple years apart in age.

We're both also newer to the ward. The Greens moved in a few months after we did. Since then we've had people confused. Little kids in the ward get us mixed up. People stop and ask me or ask her if "our sister is in town". This has happened multiple times. Someone at a ward activity said it was so nice that my mom was in town. De Ann's mom was there. We went to women's conference together at the stake center (where De Ann knows people--she lived in another ward here about 5 months prior to moving to ours). 5 or 6 people randomly told us we looked like sisters. They were genuinely surprised that we weren't! We were dying.

So, before the end of election day I want to hear what YOU think! My huge band of readers. Look to the right of the blog and take the poll! Let your voice be heard!

Parnell Tower

So, you want to check out the fall colors in Wisconsin? Visit the Parnell Tower! Wow. After a short walk through the woods, and a few (ok, many) stairs, you are overlooking a gorgeous view 25 miles in each direction.

The bear birthday

In honor of Grandma Stewart's great bear hugs (she loves to give and to receive) we had a "bear" party for her birthday. Did you know you can still have "kid" parties, even when you're a grandma?

We played "bear, bear, hug" (duck duck goose), a Stewart party must. We played a bear-themed guessing game. And lastly, we played "hibernation." It's our very own invention (surprise, surprise) where we are the bears and have to store fat for winter's hibernation--this is accomplished by stuffing our oversized shirts full of balloons, of course! Check out this video...

And here's the bear cake. It actually looks really good compared to what it looked like coming out of the oven! Flat. The cake seemed to bubble over the sides of the round pan and just cook flat. Barely got it out of the pan alive--definite "marks" where it stuck. The the cupcake ears. Flat too. Scary. Overcooked. I couldn't get one out alive. So, I peeled two tops off and thanks to "concealer" frosting we rescued the bear cake! And it acutally tasted great!

Happy birthday, Grandma!

Grandma Stewart Visits!!

Daniel's mom, Debra, came into town to visit while her husband was off in Austrailia (!) on a long business trip! Oh my goodness, did we have fun.

The day after she arrived was Saturday and we all went out to Milwaukee to see some sights. We took a ferry boat tour up the Milwaukee River, which turned around in Lake Michigan. So, we saw the city on the river, and saw the gorgeous, enormous lake at the end. Notice the lighthouse. Lighthouse? Aren't those for oceans?

Next we stopped by the Milwaukee art museum. This huge white structure is newer and was added onto the original museum, which is very boring on the outside. It definitely draws the crowd and is just cool (and there's not even art in it!). We probably saw 4-6 wedding parties taking pictures while we were out.
Inside the museum

The art museum from the side
From the front entrance. Those "wings" or the "sail" or the "fin" are made from many white beams that acutally close up toward the center at night. Funky, huh?

Then, there were halloween cookies

Eliza's signature cookies: blob of frosting, shake of sprinkles, and handful of candy corns (that she would later pick off).
Grandma and the kids played board games, did puzzles, and dressed up in tutus. She even went to help out in Andrew's class one morning and got to go chaperone Abby's field trip to a play!

Just before she left, we took Debra to see the Kohl's headquarters. So, here's a look at it!

The cube

Well, when Grandma wasn't busy with the kids, my Mother-in-law and I got projects going! We shopped for curtain and pillow fabric (another "before and after" to look forward to), found a few living room accessories, and shopped for the many pieces to the kids' halloween costumes. We zipped around town like crazy women and got a lot done! With her lovely assistance, I even painted that kitchen wall on her birthday! (And had the tape off before dinner.)

Andrew in action!

Check him out--all 49 pounds of him! He's the one with the ball on the far right! Run! Run! I just missed getting this shot of Andrew here...could have if it weren't for those two kids in white running into him!
And today he took a fall and got the wind knocked out of him. Warms a mother's heart.
(p.s. If you click on the pictures and enlarge them you might actually be able to see his face!)

Befores and Afters

MY HAIR BEFORE (There are very few pics that show the full length of my hair!)

MY HAIR AFTER (It was just time for a change...It's been nice, cut a good 8 inches off) THE HAT BEFORE
THE HAT AFTER (this is Abby's hat for Halloween, does it say Strawberry Shortcake or what!?)
MY KITCHEN BEFORE
MY KITCHEN AFTER (This yellow color will look smashing with some pillows I'm going to make for the living room.)
THE TABLE...AFTER (I saw this idea in a magazine. Get a piece of glass cut to cover a small table. Put scrapbook paper under--it's inexpensive and changeable! Besides, I'd been wanting some toile in the house for a while. And the silver dish is to catch keys etc. I like it. And the table's a lot less cluttered than it used to be!)

"napkin ring"

You know when you're missing something? You think the youngest kid is the last person to know, but they take you right to it? Well, a while ago I was going to put on my rings, but my wedding band was missing from its usual spot. Immediately I knew I better ask Eliza. (And find a higher place to keep my rings!) Upon my inquiry she walked me over to the kitchen table. She then proceeded to the tightly scrunched up napkin there. Carefully, bit by bit, she uncrinkled the napkin. All the while I'm just shaking my head in disbelief. I just KNOW she has the ring in there. And yes, deep in the napkin was my little wedding band. Phew!!! The irony was that I had just finished cleaning up the kitchen. I got to the table and probably picked up 90% of what was on it. When it came to that napkin and another little thing or two I remember thinking...later. Well, it's a good thing!!! I don't know if I'd have ever seen the ring again if I had thrown the napkin away.