B-O-D-E-G-A

 On our way to our annual family reunion trip to Bodega, we stopped back in Petaluma. The Wild Goat Bistro is our new favorite, and they even served up lunch on Blue Willow plates. Grammy used to always serve meals on them as well.

 Owen ate some breadsticks and a few slices of bread, which is pretty cool that he can enjoy something when we go out as a family (not very often!)

 If he only knew how often he has been weighed...

 We stayed at the same house as 2 years ago, which I think has the best views.

 There was a lot of snuggling and couch time.

 And basket time

 We celebrated Kim's 50Th Birthday with a shutterfly book Brian made her and homemade cream puffs.

 It was good to see college Bryce.

 Savannah has a way with the kids.

 Hat's off to a great trip!

 Pat a cake with Auntie Wyntie.

 The coke people

 More couch snuggles- Elise and Uncle Brian (Owen says Byron)

 Owen couldn't get enough of his cousins, loved playing and snuggling dawn til dusk!

 Elise and Owen played Kitty cats, meowing throughout the house. They are ~2 years apart.

 My boys sure love the ocean.

 Beautiful succulents on one of our many walks.

 Marsh and I  on a jaunt.

 He loves the beach, could play for hours!

 Family pics

 Mixing up the cream puff batter

 They were so good, and a decent size too.

 COUSINS!

Uncle Chris with one of the kitty cats. By the end of the 3 days Owen was calling Chris "Uncle Chris" since he heard it so much.

This tradition started before my parents had us kids. They would go camping with the Leins side of the family every year. Then Doug and Syl had kids, and my parents too, then The Bowens had the boys. We continued to camp once a year at various locations: Yosemite, Big Sur, Bodega, Dillons Beach, Hope Valley, and Mendocino. As Gramps aged, we started to rent a house instead. It's not as much work, and in theory we all get more rest. It is easier with little kids too, for the most part. Every other year family from NY and TN come as well. We missed them dearly and hope to see them soon.

Home front

 More canning going on this summer, lots of green beans and okra in the pressure canner.

 Fudgy is quite the protector, we now have 4 sheep to help keep the grass down.

 Sunflower skeletons.

 He wasn't posing on purpose! He has a ton of fun poking in the gopher holes, picking green beans, feeding Fudgy zinnias, you name it!

 Flower power around the tomato, don;' know why this happens.

Our biggest and orangest pumpkin so far... It's about a soccer ball size. Second year planting them, and first year with luck!

Canning Day

Back in September I hosted a canning morning. Stefanie wanted to learn how to can, Wynter had excess strawberries to jam, and Chris had scored us a ton of pears.

 I made a simple syrup, but it didn't need to be super sweet since I was using the pressure canner. Pressure canning heats the jar up to higher temperatures than water bath canning, so you don't need to pickle or sweeten low acid foods for safety.

 Friends for a long time!

 Wynt brought Elise up to play with Owen while we were heating up the kitchen. Wynter and I have canned before at her house but with the stairs there Owen is always a wanderer. This was much easier, him and Elise are just two peas in a pod.

 Ahh the beautiful kitchen... Ha!

 Pressure canning!

Elise and Owen reading for days.

Fall Rambling

Fall has come, as you know
The garden continues to grow and grow.

The oven's out, the range top still works,
Owen's getting lots of quirks.

We have a few pumpkins and a gourd,
One things for sure, we are never bored.

Two weddings, a trip to SF, Dad up for a weekend, and off to Apple Hill
The gas tank has been getting it's fill.

Not posting pics yet, just busy you see~
Blogging hasn't been a huge priority.

The holidays are almost upon us,
Owen won't stop singing "wheels on the bus".

So with another line, I'll be done for the night,
Fall is upon us, enjoy it with all your might:).

Love to all, thank you for reading 8).