Farewell to the Flatland

Autumn Blaze Maple at Grandpa Mac's

Rocky loves his QT pumpkin spice lattes, too

It's been a wonderful 7 1/2 months in Kansas!  We've had fun, learned a lot, made new friends, and had some quality time with "old" friends and family.  We've felt the love!

kids craft time at GPNC

11-19-15:  I've so enjoyed my volunteer job at the Great Plains Nature Center this year.  My last opportunity there was helping with a Kids Craft session on Oaks and Acorns.  David was kinda concerned about me teaching these impressionable young midwesterners to say "acorn" the way we say it in the south. I think I was able to stay away from that word since I was simply assisting!

Rachel let the kids see one of the owls up close and personal

I believe he was listening to her intently -- he knew he was fixin to go on a road trip

coloring oaks and acorns

We had a wonderful group of pre-schoolers and some were great artists.  They all rec'd an "akern" with a happy face on it as they left.

our Asher is the cottonheaded fella on the front row, right

Tonight I drove over to Douglass for Asher's Thanksgiving program.  Sadly, David was too sick to join me.  I was able to join Justin, Brooke, Andrew, and all the other grandparents.  We got there too late to get a prime seat, so my performance pix aren't close ups.  But the show was a blast!

 their friend, Aislin's 1st grade group

Asher's 2nd grade group

got those McClintock dance moves

both grades together

Brooke, Andrew, Asher, and Justin

sweet little fam

Grammy and the A's

we missed you Grandpa!

the boys with their Papaw and Mammy

Asher showing Papaw our "hewoh" magic trick

Enjoyed the evening with our fave little family!

11-21-15:  Today is Edith's 96th!  She's an a amazing, forever young woman!  So happy she's a part of our family!

When I got out to walk Rocky this morning, there was a tiny bit of snow around the edges of the rv sites.  Wasn't expecting that just yet!

11-22-15:  One of the things David and I love about the prairie is that we see soooo many birds of prey!  Even in the city.  This morning I drove over to Derby to go to Walmart.  I saw a bald eagle on the way.  I pulled over and snapped a pic or 2, but since I only had my cell phone camera, it didn't show up.  When I parked at Walmart, 2 more were circling the store!  Couldn't get their pic either, but I really enjoyed watching all 3 of these beauties!  Eagle-spotting never gets old!

celebrated our server's upcoming delivery day

11-23-15:  Another thing that super cool up here is seeing the thousands of geese migrating through!  Lotta honking going on this morning and we see gaggles that go on as far as the eye can see!

One of our fave breakfast spots is Jimmie's Diner on Harry St.  We've gotten to know one of the servers since the first time we went in there with our Razorback shirts on.  She grew up in Fayetteville. We've all been anxiously awaiting her baby gender news.  I predicted a girl, and sure enough!

made her kinda emotional

We brought her a pink cocoon and some girly burp rags that I'd made for her.  She's so sweet!

she recently found out she's having a girl

gotta guess what it is, Rizzo

took her a minute, but she finally guessed it is a cocoon!

I showed her pix of how it works

she wore the burp rags!

I just love it when I get to meet a WWII vet

Her baby girl will be born before we get back to Wichita, so hopefully we'll see pix when we return.  On the way out the door, I stopped and thanked this WWII vet and a Korean vet that were having breakfast with a couple of their other buds.  The friends tried telling me he just bought the hat, that he really didn't do anything in WWII.  That sounded like something my friends would've said, so I didn't fall for it.

 photobomber behind Sondra

Visited Sondra, the birthday girl, and gave her one of my latest handmade "wreaths".  We love this lady and have so enjoyed volunteering for them at the rv park these past couple of years.  Hopefully, we'll get to do that again in the future.

Frank was framed!

David's dad's Maple tree is totally popping

Visited Mac today as well and said our "cya laters" to him. His Autumn Blaze Maple tree is looking mighty good this November!

Brooke treated us to homemade chicken/noodles before we left

11-24-15:  We wanted to get together with Justin and family to celebrate an early Christmas before we head out.  So Brooke cooked her famous chicken and noodles for us for supper. YUM!  Gotta get her recipe!

I think the boys loved my peanut butter pie

even Andrew with his sick tummy

Asher wanted the recipe

now he's asking me more specific details.......as if he's the one that'll be making it

Justin

Andrew got me hooked on Bop It!

then gave it to me as we were leaving!

early Christmas for the boys since we were heading south in a couple of days

I might've tied them too tightly

nope, they managed to get them opened

KEVA blocks from Exploration Place

Linda Sue told us about these

we thought Justin would like them, too!

and Grandpa

they're unique in that they are precision bldg blocks -- all the same size

Brooke studying the instructions

a quick family photo before leaving

love this group

Always hard to leave our Wichita family, but certainly looking forward to seeing our Texarkana peeps!

Love to all our Heartlanders!


Grandpa, Grammy, and Uncle Rocky

PS:  The pix below are what Justin woke up to the next morning.