Halloween is in the Air

Pumpkin carving is a Ziejewski family tradition. This year we had to fit it in before Steve left town for the week. Sunday night we each decided on a design and went to work.

Which pumpkin belongs to which carver?

The backyard is glowing!

Each fall the backyard becomes this sea of yellow. The maple trees practically glow, lighting up the not just the outside but the inside as well

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The splash of red is my beloved dogwood tree. Each spring it's beautiful flowers make me smile and remind me that warmer days are ahead. It disappears into the green of the woods as the bigger trees envelop it. And then with the fall, there it is peeking out from the yellow to make me smile once again.

Better than a Video Game

On Saturday we visited one of the state parks with ATV trails. It had rained earlier in the week and I hoped we wouldn't get too muddy. Well...we weren't the muddiest people there!!!

At the end of the day CJ decided that the real thing is so much more fun than the video game!

Now, what was I doing???

Somewhere between showering and brushing his teeth CJ created a pyramid of Dixie cups.
He then knocked down the pyramid, brought all the cups downstairs and built it bigger.
I wonder if the teeth ever got brushed.

Such a Life

This morning I was downstairs quietly working on homework. I must have been so quiet that Tucker thought I had left for work. He looks pretty comfortable and was only a little annoyed with the flash interrupting his beauty rest.

Many times I have wondered how he manages to unmake a bed, it's a little easier to understand now!

Wow - 84 years young!

Last week we got to see the legendary B.B. King perform. He is an amazing entertainer. He had us dancing, clapping, laughing, singing and even crying. It was a delight to see him act like a kid with his band, joking with them and teasing them. He told stories, some funny and some with life lessons. He even sang a song about the little blue pills! After the show he stayed on stage signing autographs for the audience.

On our way to the car Steve mentioned that he would have like to have seen him in his prime, when his knees were younger and his stamina better. After doing some math we figured that unless his prime was in his 60's there was little chance that Steve would have been interested. B.B. King started performing in 1947!! CJ needed some help understanding just how old BB is so we said - take one PopPop and add a CJ to it and then you have BB! Wow - 84.

Old Fashioned Fun

It just warms my heart when CJ and his friends find ways to have fun without a TV, Video Games or organized activities.

A couple of nights ago he was helping Steve in the garage when a friend stopped by. CJ and Douglas borrowed the air compressor hose and used it to shoot airsoft pellets, shoot a dowel rod, and blow up and I do mean blow up balloons(they are boys after all). Then one of the boys would blow bubbles and the other would spray the air hose at them to disperse them all over. It was quite a night.

Today it's a baking soda and vinegar day. When asked where this explosive fun was going to take place, the neighbor boy quickly answered "outside". Good Answer. (Eleanor did you ever find out why there was a stain on the ceiling above the kitchen sink?) There are 5 kids in the driveway squealing each time they shoot a water bottle high into the air! Okay that one went higher than the house!!!

There is fun without 'technology'.

Crab Outing

While talking on the phone with Bunny, CJ checked on the crabs and this is what he found.
Notice the 'naked' crab!!!



That would be Thor, by the water dish, without his shell.
Thinking he was trying to molt CJ, calm and cool under pressure, prepared a personal crabitat for Thor.This way he could have a private space for growing a new exoskeleton.
We soon found out that there was no molting in the plans - he was just out for a stroll!!!

Crabs at Bunny's

C.J. requested his crabs be added to the blog so here are the two new ones.

They were adopted at the Jersey Shore and now enjoy a quieter Midwest lifestyle.

While in Philly they enjoyed a stroll in Bunny's Zen sandbox.

Pippin and Bilbo leaving their mark!

Critters on the Porch

Tucker was enjoying the cool morning oblivious to what was overhead!

A stickbug was (and still is) hanging out and keeping dry.

I have often said that we have some cool bugs in this neighborhood, this may be the best yet!

Puppy Sitting = Pia Pup

Our house was full of puppy love for a week.
Kassiopia came to stay with us while her people went off for a well deserved vacation.
Pia had many names during her week with us; PipPup, ChiaPup, PiddlePup, and LittleDog were a few.
She and Tucker got along very well, Tucker was so very sweet with her. He didn't mind (too much) when Pia grabbed on to his cheek and hung there, he didn't mind (too much) when she bit his ears, and he especially didn't mind when she wanted to play, play, play. He did enjoy the peace and quiet when I took Pia to a friend's house for playdates with her new puppy, Sampson.
We hope Pia enjoyed her week with us as much as we enjoyed having her at our house.

The First Day of School

Look at that smile.

It's hard to believe that this picture is from the first day of school and not the last.
CJ loves middle school. Maybe 'love' is a little strong, but he likes it more that he has ever liked school. He enjoys the freedom of changing classes and having time to talk to his friends. Having orchestra/band everyday is great too. He has completed two weeks of school and is still smiling. His teachers are kind and fun and make learning less stressful, even math is fun!

A Ride in a Glider

CJ was back in the air flying a plane again.

This time it was a glider.

Off to Hershey Park

CJ is off to Hershey Park today with Aunt Kate, Uncle Mark and cousins Darcy and Kelsey. It's a great day to get wet on the water rides, it was 79 when I got up at 6 this morning!!!

Furball was playing alarm clock this morning.

Down the Shore

A trip to Philly in August means a day trip to the shore. So off to Ocean City we went. The weather was pretty typical for August, hot, hot, hot. Fortunately, we had a sea breeze and the water was refreshing, a little cold maybe, but very nice on such a hot day.

CJ brought his army men. What's a beach with out army men? After setting up the fortifications he went off in search of baby mussles and sand crabs.

The ocean was pretty calm and the waves breaking very close to shore. Not a good body surfing day, but CJ did a lot of practicing.

One of the great things about a trip to the beach is making new friends! CJ and Janie spent the afternoon together. They body surfed, boogie boarded, floated, had lunch and played in the pools left behind by low tide.




How do you top a great day at the beach? You don't, you just keep adding to it by wandering the boardwalk.

CJ got 2 new crabs and chocolate fudge. It doesn't get much better than that!!!