HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our grandson Jonathan who turns "2" today

Happy Birthday to Jonathan Scott Nichols who is 2 years old today!! We can't wait to see you tomorrow.....and celebrate with you! Keep posted everyone as I will be blogging with pictures when we get back!!!

Presidential Poll

Please take a moment to complete my Presidential Poll. (to the right > of the screen)
http://kenandjudynichols.blogspot.com/

Hello all!
Well.....you can tell I have way too much time on my hands because now I have posted a Presidential Poll on our blog. I thought it would pretty interesting to see what the final vote would be if I polled our friends! I'm not sure how many votes it will allow you to make....but if the program will let you....please vote once for each registered voter in your house.(I'm sure you will be honest!!!!)
I think these results will be quite interesting since our friends and family have many political views. I am also inviting my facebook friends to participate.....hopefully I get a large turnout! I know!!!!! Let's call it "early voting" at the "Nichols Notes".....and I am your "Internet community organizer" LOL.

Love to you all,
Judy

When Cash Wants Out!!!

Thursdays With Grandma

We started out Thursdays with Grandma playing "Hungry Hippos"! The boys were pretty competitive and beat Grandma two out of three games!!!
We read some books, Isaac did his schoolwork, and after his nap, Seth got to talk to Aunt Heidi on the phone!

One of the highlights of our day was a visit to our friends the "Haven's". A family friend, Laura Erdman, was very gracious and drove us over to Kinglsey. Because Laura was able to go, we could also take Annabelle with us this Thursday! Annabelle really liked Laura and even shared her baby and blanket with her!

Ruth Haven had some chicken eggs in an incubator....so when we got there...we thought we may see a chick hatch,,,,but I guess it finally made it's entrance at 8:00 o'clock at night!
Here are some pics from the day. Once again.....we had a great day together.....and really enjoyed that Annabelle could be part of it too! Thanks again Laura for all of your help!

"Hungry Hippos" and Isaac




Seth talking on the phone to Aunt Heidi

Seth watching the egg......the chick was "peep, peep, peeping"

Laura and Annabelle


Annabelle and a pumpkin they brought back from haven's

Isaac, Esther, and Seth watching a computer game

Pumpkin Roll...........Mmm Mmm Good!!

Here is a recipe that Emily posted a couple of days ago.....and that Ken made for dessert on Sunday. It was really good!!!!!! Here's some pics of the finished product....and the recipe is below! Enjoy!!!!!!

http://the30centconnection.blogspot.com/

Pumpkin Roll

Cake ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
powdered sugar ( needed for a towel, to keep the cake from sticking)
Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
4 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
powdered sugar for topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and spices.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until well blended.
Spray a 10 1/2" X 15" non stick cookie sheet with cooking spray. Pour the batter onto cookie sheet, spread evenly. Bake 12-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Prepare a clean kitchen towel by sprinkling heavily with powdered sugar.
After baking, turn the cookie sheet onto the towel, the cake should slide out onto the towel. Starting at one end, roll the cake into the towel. Cool 30-40 minutes.
For the filling, stir together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and butter. Mix well.
After the roll has cooled unroll it and spread the filling evenly. Roll back up without the towel. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or until filling is firm.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

Mmmmmmmm....good

Check out the swirl in the middle!

All gone!! Grandpa.....is the last bite in your mouth????

Uncle Joel and Annabelle

Thursday With Grandma

Today at Grandmas: First we read books, played with play dough, read some more books, Seth took a nap, Isaac played some Wii, Grandpa came home for lunch, and then if was off to Modern Man and M'Lady for haircuts!

3 year old Seth sat as still and quiet as could be while he

got his haircut. Carla said he was excellent and not many

children his age are this well behaved.

(Thanks to Jason and Emily!!! It's easy to take the kids places)

The finished product! I had a cape on too since Seth

sat on my lap to get his hair cut

All done!!!! Now it's time to wait for big brother Isaac

Isaac.....just before his haircut

Seth enjoyed a tootsie pop while waiting

Isaac was all smiles! Especially when the clippers tickled

Just about done....

Then it was off to "Daybreak" we went.

"Daybreak" is an adult day care home for Alzheimer's patients.

The home is managed by our good friend Diane Cooper.

This is our second visit with the older people, who really

enjoy hitting the big balloon ball around with he kids.

We had lots of fun and were very noisy!!

The patients loved it!!!

Jim just hit the ball to Isaac....who is waiting patiently

Diane and the boys....who were all tuckered out!

Here they were listening to Jim play his harmonica.

Thanks again Diane for having us over....and for the cookies

and milk!! The boys have developed a love and

respect for the "older generation". Wait!!! Would you consider 53 (my age)

to be part of the"older generation"?

VIP at AWANA....Rollins Christian Fellowship

On Wednesday night I went with Isaac and Seth as a VIP guest to AWANA at our church.

I had a great time going between the Sparkies and Cubbies and seeing the activities of the evening! I especially enjoyed watching Jason lead song time in the sanctuary. I sat right in the front row with Isaac and it was such a blessing to see the enthusiasm of the children!

Thanks Jason for picking me up to attend. I loved my visit for VIP.

Jason waiting as clubbers came in to the sanctuary

Jason led the song time for all of the clubbers.

Here he was leading "My God is so Big!"

When we were done singing Isaac said...."I LOVE to sing!"

The leaders were pretty brave in letting the kids color with

markers!!! The only rule was...."Children, you may not

color on another person with your marker."

Seth was just finishing up his picture

He really took his time and did a great job

Cubbies listening to the puppet time

Sparkies circle...the yellow team

Game time in action

Isaac got to take "Sparkey" home last week.

When NOT to Cry!!!

As many of you know (especially Ken) on occasion I have my little "melt down" crying sessions.
Sometimes......for no particular reason at all! Well..... during those little episodes...a person can learn alot about when to....and when NOT to turn on the spicket! Here are my lessons learned as to when not to cry: I hope you find them helpful to your tearful situation...should you ever find yourself in that predicament....or blessing...depends how you view it.

#1 Do not cry if you do not have access to a kleenex box! (or paper towel, or toilet paper)

#2 Do not cry when you are reading or on the computer....you will experience blurred vision

#3 Do not cry when you are driving. (I don't need to explain)

#4 Do not cry in front of your animals......they become very distressed and tend to follow
you around until the whimpering subsides.

#5 Do not cry when answering the phone because "sniff, whimper, muffled sound, gasp,
sniff again, swallow hard, whimper".....people may not understand you on the other end of
the line!!!

#6 And lastly......do not cry when you are receiving narrow band uvb light treatment and
you are wearing goggles......because they fill up like little lakes...and you cannot see!!

Stink Bugs

I used a zoom....and did not get too close....

Creepy.....smelly bugs

Along with the amazing color and beauty of the fall season also is the besiege of the dreaded "stink bug"!!! I have detested stink bugs for as long as I've known about them. They taunt me by landing on the living room picture windows......sometimes as many as "THREE" at a time!! Occasionally I flick them with my finger off the screen, I have brushed them away with whatever I can get my hands on to brush them away with, and then I have made the ultimate "bad choice"....I have squashed them with my shoe! ARGHHHHH......what a wretched smell one little bug can give off! Not only the initial "stink".....but the lasting odor that challenges you not to squish any of his relatives!!! This morning I researched this little pest to learn more about it's "defenses". I have attached three websites that I thought you may find interesting........if you are as inquisitive as I.

Not only are the stink bugs trying to make their way into our humble abode, so are the lady bugs! "They're everywhere They're everywhere!!!".....one could easily shout as you wander around on a fall day......and it's the truth! How could such little bugs pose such an annoyance to mankind? Well.....when you look at it.....some people can be as annoying as stink bugs and lady bugs...the difference is....you can't squish them with your shoe!!! (nor would I want to! I'm just joking people....just joking!)

So for now......I'll tighten down the doors and windows....check the screens....and usher the ones out that want to hibernate in here for the winter. I'll use these shoes for walkin'........that's just what I'll do.....one of these days those bugs will never ever bother you!.


http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/brownMarmoratedStinkBug.htm

http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/veg/bean/brown_marmorated_stink_bug.htm

http://bugguide.net/node/view/182

My Week In Review

Sunday.....Oct.5

Ken went out of town on a business trip to Miami, Florida this week. he was attending a boat show where Fiamm had a booth and display of their horns and products. Sunday morning our good friend Diane Cooper picked me up for church and I went with her to Temple Hill Baptist Church in Cadillac. It was so nice to see many people whom we have been friends with for a very long time. Two of those friends are Don and Hilma Lamphere who stopped by last to cut some of our hydrangea flowers so Hilma could make a wreath. Well......here it is....and it's absolutely gorgeous!!! Thank you Don and Hilma for making this for us....and for your sweet friendship!!! When they brought the arrangement this week....I was able to talk Hilma into spending a little more time at the house so she and I could play some piano duets.....and sing together! What fun we had! And....it was a special treat for my parents, who had come on Monday to spend the week with Joel and me.

Judy, Don, and Hilma

Sunday after church.....Jason, Emily and the kids came over for the day!

The weather was pretty mild.....so we spent lots of time outside.

Tuesday, Oct.7

Heidi sent some adorable pictures of the kids for us! We are planning on going to Jenison the end of October........but that is still toooooo long in between visits for us....so Heidi sends pictures in the interim! Our grandchildren are growing so fast! We can't wait to see them!

Wednesday, October 8.......Isaac's 5th Birthday

We all went to Jason and Emily's to celebrate Isaac's birthday. We took a family bucket of KFC, and Emily baked a cake. Here are some pics from the time we spent together. Since Ken was out of town he called Isaac up to wish him a special day!

Grandma Judy and Grandma Karen with Isaac and Annabelle

Isaac.....just after he talked with Grandpa Kenny on the phone!!!

Playing the Wii

http://the30centconnection.blogspot.com/

Check out Emily's blog of Isaac's b-day

Thursdays With Grandma......and Great Grandma and Great Grandpa

I didn't take many pictures today.....but would like to highlight the days' activities!! When the boys arrived, Isaac showed me some more of his birthday gifts that he received from Stephanie and Ben, and the items he got at the AWANA store at church. he is a Sparky now! He played with those things and visited with Great Grandma, while Seth played a memory game with Great Grandpa. About mid-morning Seth took a nap....and Isaac did his homeschooling. My Mom was delighted to watch him do his work and the two of them had some fascinating conversations! One of the conversations involved age!

Here's how it went:

Isaac "Grandma, your skin is wrinkly, why?"

Mom: "Well Isaac, that's because I'm old"

Isaac: "oh....well how old are you?

Mom: "I am 83 years old"

Isaac: "How old is Great Grandpa?"

Mom: "He is 84"

Isaac: "Well if you are 83 and Great Grandpa is 84....then he is older than you!"

Mom: "That's right!!"

My Mom was surprised at Isaac's' ability to figure that out.....and quite amused.....well maybe except for the wrinkly skin!!

Isaac helping Seth with his zipper

Great Grandpa helping Seth with his shoes. Normally Seth does not need help with his shoes....but somehow the back was bent down on the right foot...and Grandpa needed to maneuver it a little bit.

Isaac wearing his new shirt from Uncle Joel

Friday, October 10

Well here it is Friday already!! Ken got home early Thursday evening, Mom and Dad went back to Onekama, Joel is in school, and I just spent close to 2 hours working on this update!!

Whew.....(if that's a word?).....I am glad to be done! Have a wonderful weekend everyone! It sounds like the weather is going to beautiful for Fall colors! Personally.....after a short snooze, I can't wait to get outside!