Tuesdays with Sammy

I've had a great time the past few weeks.  Tuesdays have been my time with Sammy.  Levi & Natalie have been in swimming lessons and for a couple hours Sam and I have done our own thing.  Sometimes we hiked the Mall and rode the carousel, many times we came home and rode the golf cart around the yard, once in awhile we went grocery shopping.  Today Grandpa stayed home and we had Sam together.  He braved the 39 degree weather and took Sam on the golf cart while I fixed lunch.  A good sign that Sam is growing up - he sits still and likes to read a book.  Here is Grandpa reading a story to Sam.

Pumpkin Carving

Family Home Evening last night with George & Anna  - pumpkin carving.

Big Loss

It's time to document some serious weight loss on Harry's part.  I've managed to shed a few pounds, but Harry's downturn has been remarkable.  Thanks to daughter, Amy, we were introduced to the "Eat to Live" diet (or as everyone calls their current diet - our lifestyle change) based on the book by the same name by Joel Fuhrman.  We did learn that we can go off the diet now and then and not suffer drastic weight gain if we maintain the diet most of the time.  We had hot dogs (turkey) and s'mores with the grandkids Friday night and no significant weight gain.  In fact, Harry hit his all-time low at weigh-in this morning.  I don't think he'd mind my telling statistics for him.  He started at 260 on July 12 when he began living the "green life".  His cholesterol was high.  He weighed in at 212 this morning and after less than a month on the diet, his cholesterol was all within normal or good ranges.  

Amy gave us a 1-page Do's & Don'ts and we've followed that pretty much, though we bought the book and have gotten some guidance from it.   Her 1-pager is shown at the right.

Here are the before and after pictures:

Today and May 2008 - New goal...  200!

Harry and His Bees - Winter is Coming!

I may have forgotten to mention in the posts that Harry is now a beekeeper.  He took a course last January and started the process of building his hive.  He got his bees in May and began his official hobby of  beekeeping.  Some time in late June or July the bees swarmed.  He worried at first but was assured from the supplier of his bees that this was a good thing.  He collected the bees that had nested on the ground near his old hive and put them into a box for safe keeping, then ordered another hive that came in a couple days and managed to get them into the hive.  He now has 2 active hives.  No honey for us this year - the bees need all they produce to get them through this first winter.  Perhaps next year!

Here are recent photos of Harry with his colonies.  He's helping get them ready for winter.

A Visit to Chuck & Amy's New Place

We visited Chuck & Amy about a week ago as they were moving to the country.  The kids are excited about their new surroundings and it looks like "kitten" will adapt after she learns not to dash into the house every time the door opens.  She is now an outdoor cat and expected to do her duty catching mice.  

Amy reports that they are very happy in their new place after a week of unpacking and getting things in order.