Happy Halloween!

Now Zoey waits on the Rainbow Bridge

I'm just so deeply sad to report that we've lost another doggie family member this month.  My doggie step sister, Sage, died just a few weeks ago, and now our doggie niece Zoey has passed onto the Rainbow Bridge as well.  While Sage lived a full life of 13 years, Zoey was only 5 1/2 years old, succumbing to cancer this morning - a shock to everyone.

Mandy & Nick, we love you and send out lots of prayers and support right now.

Miss Zoey B, we will miss you - even your cousin, Sophie - and are so grateful you are no longer suffering.

Zoey B & her little sis, Baby Addie

UPDATE:  Here is Mandy's beautiful eulogy to Zoey B, with some great doggie photos.  No doubt she was a joy to have in their lives!

Baby Addison's Baptism

Last weekend, Trey and Isabella flew up to Chicago to be with the Latta family for Addison's baptism.  Sean and I stayed home, as I, unfortunately, can't handle 5+ hour car ride at this point.  

Congratulations, Baby Addison!  Cousin Sean and Aunt Amy MISS YOU and LOVE YOU so much!

The Latta Family

Chubby-cheeked Baby Addie

Baby Addie and her Uncle Trey

Pumpkin Farm #2!

After Saturday, you'd think we'd stay home and rest on Sunday.  No.  Not us.  On Sunday, Grammy made us breakfast, and then we got ready for our yearly family trip to the pumpkin farm.  Unfortunately, as I mentioned, Isabella opted to not come these past two weekends, and she and Trey are in Chicago this weekend.  So we won't have her again until Halloween weekend, and by then it will be too late for our family pumpkin patch visit.  So this weekend it was, given the warm weather!  We missed you, Isabella!

And while I say "warm weather," let's be clear - it was Friggin' Hot!  I would have been more comfortable naked, but am pretty sure it might have made others uncomfortable.  We headed to Thies' Farm in Maryland Heights - our new favorite place, after years of going to Rombach's. We visited the petting zoo, ran into a friend of Trey's, got a cool beverage and a snack at concessions.  Then we headed into the play area, and the man was nice enough to not charge for Sean.  First up was the big slide, which Trey and Sean rode together last year.  Which is what I was expecting when I was standing at the end, ready to take a picture.

Instead, Sean came shooting down by himself!

I wonder if he's having a good time?

Just to be sure, I blew the photo up - and yes, it appears that Trey did in fact throw Sean under the bus here - er, I mean down the slide!  

Doesn't that kid look happy?

Ah, this is more Sean's style - having Dad push him around the farm on a mini-John Deere!

Grammy  & Sean aboard the pirate ship!

How Tall This Fall?

Hard to tell with that mop o' curls on top!

We also climbed around on some pumpkins, rode the hayride wagon around the farm.  Which threw something out in my lower back, and I creaked around until my chiropractor appointment Monday morning!  The pictures from the hayride are...well, not good, so you'll just have to pretend you were there!  But we had a great time, and then scooted out of there for a Sunday drive.  We drove up through the farms on the way to Trey's work, off of Hwy 94, north of Boschertown.  We supported the local mom and pops and picked up some pumpkins and hay for the front porch.  

But we didn't rest when we got home!  We decorated the porch, packed Grammy up and Grandma and Papa Z showed up!  I was a smart cookie and threw some sirloin in the crock pot that morning, and we had a great dinner and visit that evening.  

And then we crashed!

Trey, Sean & Amy

Happy Birthday, Melissa!

A belated Happy Birthday to my dear, dear friend Melissa - who celebrated 36 years on Saturday!  WooHoo!  Originally, we had to turn down the invite to go out with the Schneid's because we were supposed to have Isabella this weekend.  But Isabella opted to spend the weekend up in Hannibal, so Grammy drove down to get some Sean-time in, and let us go out for the evening.

We had an absolute blast!  I was already tired from the Backyardigans excursion with Sean that morning, and didn't get the nap in that afternoon that I probably needed.  Oh well, I pushed on through 'till 2am!  We picked up Andy & Melissa and headed to Roberto's in South County - a very unassuming strip mall restaurant from the outside.  But we indulged in amazing Italian cuisine, a fine bottle of wine, and then each ordered a dessert to share.  Trey and I dropped all the remaining profits from our garage sale, but it was well worth it for a once or twice a year dinner with best friends.  I had a Filet/Shrimp duo that was divine, and while I enjoyed my chocolate avalanche, Andy's homemade cannoli was the best I've ever tasted!  

Afterwards, we followed Trey's suggestion to Novak's - an unlikely destination for two 30-something married couples.  Novak's is a lesbian-friendly bar down in a revitalized part of the city - only five or so minutes from our old apartment, but a million miles away from our current home in St. Peters!  They have a drag show every Saturday night, plus a DJ afterwards - and we loved every bit of it!  

First off, I can honestly say I don't ever remember seeing pregnant women out back in my dancing, bar-hopping days.  So I don't know if the stares were more for being cute or for being pregnant!  And you can really get through a crowd of people in front of the restroom when you're pregnant!  Novak's has one of the most diverse crowds I have ever seen - lesbians, gays, straight couples, black, white and everything in between - the people watching was some of the best I've experienced in this rather normal Midwestern city.  Even if we were in the minority, we never felt uncomfortable or unwanted - we danced our butts off, drank (Sprite and water for me!), and chilled out on the outdoor patio as needed.  One of the "bouncers" - a could-hardly-have-been-old-enough-to-be-there girl guarding the exit off the dance floor - rubbed on my belly, excited for me, though apparently unimpressed with the name Ryan.  And Trey acknowledged the multiple men sizing him up (I mean, he is too cute for words!), but shook his tokous anyway!

So I can't recommend Roberto's or Novak's enough!  I should have probably taken photos at the beginning of the night, rather than at the end - after we've been sweating and dancing for couple of hours...

Andy & Melissa - the birthday girl

My too-cute hubby and the Big Preggo

Your Backyard Friends.....

We had a slammin' busy weekend, but at least it was fun-busy, as opposed to the drowning-busy I've been experiencing these past two weeks.  It may take me all week to chronicle all we did, but at least we had a blast!  First off......

Saturday morning, Sean and I followed up our Go Diego Go experience with something much more enticing for Sean - The Backyardigans Live at The Fabulous Fox!  I had four tickets to the Meet & Greet, plus VIP seats, thanks to my awesome, awesome friend, Melonie, and her girlfriend, Cindy, who contract with the touring company that puts on the Nickelodeon Shows.  Last time, Sean got to meet and visit with Aunt Melly and Aunt Cindy; unfortunately, they were not here this weekend.  

 

I brought along my friend, Amy, and her little Backyardigan fanatic, Gracie, arriving at the Fox around 9:45.  We waited around for a bit before being led down through the bowels of the Fox to their Meet & Greet room.  Sean was excited, and kept asking where Pablo was.  And then Austin and Tyrone walked in!  Each family went up one at a time to get their photos taken, but all Sean cared about was where was Pablo!  So I told him when we got to meet Tyrone, he could ask him - given that they're best friends and all!

Well, Sean wasn't asking anyone anything when we walked up to the front, and I was pretty sure he was going to rip my flesh off before this thing was over.  He was petrified.  Beyond belief.  I have to admit, for kids who have only seen the cartoon, with their cute little faces, I'm sure seeing a real, human face in the costumes - standing right in front of you - was scary.  Plus, Tyrone was freakishly short next to Austin.  I was a little weirded out....

Tyrone, Austin, petrified toddler, me

We got Tyrone & Austin's autograph on our shield!

Then we headed back up to the lobby, grabbed a snack and hit the Merch stand.  Once again, thanks to Aunt Cindy being a Merch manager, we got to shop for free!  Within reason, of course!  I got both kids a t-shirt and glowing wand, and added a lunch bag and straw for Sean.  (Hey, we have a lunch bag for Parents Day Out now!)  I really, really wanted each of the Backyardigans dolls, but decided that was going a bit overboard, especially when Cindy wasn't even there!  

Gracie & Sean sitting in their seats.  

I think that's supposed to be a smile on Sean's face!

My big cheeser, so excited for the show to start!

Then we got to watch the show - which I don't have photos of, as no cameras are allowed.  Here are some promotional stills.

 

But now I have to be honest - the show, the production itself, wasn't really that good. I'm glad I didn't drop the big bucks for the tickets and merch - the Diego show was ten times better.  The songs fell flat, the set design was ho-hum, and the actors were mixed.  While Tasha was dead on and phenomenal (and everyone else was pretty good), Pablo was terrible.  He sounded and acted nothing like Pablo - a deep, pompous voice?  Has this actor seen the episode the show was based on?  (Because I've seen it a few dozen times!)  And did anyone from Nickelodeon watch this before they sent the production out on tour?  Two other parents in the audience were saying the same thing during intermission, so I know I wasn't the only one who felt this way.  

Of course, in the end, all that matters is that Sean had a blast, and he's still talking about it today, Monday.  And he keeps singing "We're knights, that's right!" all around the house.  Happy kid!

Sage - Now waiting on the Rainbow Bridge

I'm very sad this morning to post that Mom and Jay's dog, Sage, passed away last night - peacefully, at home, in Mom and Jay's arms.  She was a gentle old girl, and an incredibly loyal companion to Jay for over 10 years.

Jessica & Sage in April of this year.

Say "Hi" to Willie for us, sweet girl.  He's waiting on the Rainbow Bridge, with all our other long-passed puppy loves.