Bits and Pieces of Fall

Now that December is here, I realize what a wonderful fall we have had. Full of trips and fall activities that always add up to this being my favorite season.

Beautiful trees in our yard and on our drives .

 


Sharing apples and conversation with good friends.

 

Enjoying multiple concerts, including an amazing one by The Lone Bellow.

Watching the Bengals vs. Browns in great seats, then outrunning a tornado to get home.

 

Enjoying a chicken dinner with my favorite vet on Veteran's Day.

...and cheering on the #1 Pacers during multiple games since October.

 

Fall Ride

My favorite place to visit during the fall season is the property behind my grandparents' house. So many girl scout camp outs, sled riding adventures, and quad rides through the years. Some of my favorite childhood memories were made right here. Jake and I took a ride on the Gator the other day on the property just to enjoy the scenery.  

Grandpa's Museum

The main reason for our little road trip to Michigan was to take Grandpa to the Bay County Historical Society's exhibit on the Patrol Craft Sailor Association. The PCSA is a group of Navy veterans that were on Sub Chasers and Patrol Craft boats in WW II and Korea. Grandpa was one of the PCSA's founding members and has been really looking forward to seeing the completed exhibit in Bay City, Michigan. He met with the museum's historian who talked to him about his ship and copied some of his old photos and memoirs to keep in their archives. Grandpa was even in a film they were showing about sub chasers as you entered the museum.  It was a really great experience to have with him and the family!

The Infamous Trailer

For years my grandparents have been telling me about an old trailer on their property. They said it was full of furniture and mementos from my great grandparents. To a lover of old things like me, this sounded like the holy grail. The only hitch with the infamous trailer was that it hadn't been opened in years, and most likely will be filled with all kinds of critters.

Well, we finally got up the gumption to crack open the trailer last week. Of course, I made sure to wear my dad's knee high boots, just in case a raccoon decided to get a little too fresh with me. I was most definitely not disappointed with the contents of the infamous trailer. It was filled with my great grandparents kitchen chairs, bedroom furniture, and dishware. We found letters my grandpa wrote home during World War II. We even found the sides to my grandpa's baby crib. 

I think the best part of the experience was seeing Grandpa and Grandma react to the things we found. They could tell you where furniture sat in the old house and what year different letters were sent home. I'm currently cleaning up some of our treasures so that yet another generation can use them and remember the stories of where they came from. I just love that.

Instagrams Of Our Month

 

Golden Harvest with Nate/ Dogwoods in bloom/ Bookstore in Grand Rapids/ Our Bronner's purchases/ VanDyke street in Holland, MI/ Nightly bike rides/ Vera Bradley outlet sale/ New Life International retreat center/ Lunch with Grandpa/ Aud and Em at Emily's bachelorette 

60 Years Together

Grandma June and Grandpa Leroy celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Thursday. Yep, I said 60. That is completely amazing to me. They are such a team; they look out for each other, they help each other, and they giggle with each other from time to time. It's a relationship that I really look up to as a newlywed.

We celebrated as a family last night with dinner and cake.

Grandpa's 90th

My Grandpa Leroy turned the big 9-0 on October 20th. We celebrated the next weekend with an open house at Uncle Dan's house, which just so happens to be the house that Grandpa was actually born in. I wanted to section off part of the room with a velvet rope just like the do in museums, but no one went for it. Oh well. We went for a WWII/patriotic theme for the party- right up Grandpa's alley. Grandpa had over one hundred people come to his shindig. He's very proud of turning 90, as he should be!

 Grandpa's friend, Don, played "Happy Birthday" and "Anchors Aweigh" on trumpet in the middle of the party.

 First family shindig after the honeymoon. Do we look nice and married?