OCTOBER 2022

 Wow, October flew!!!

I finally figured out how to easily download pictures so here is a recap of this beautiful month :)

I saw this at a local place last week and had to take a picture -- this would describe both my sister and me ;). Hahaha.

The holiday traffic seems to officially be out so I will be avoiding a large shopping area near me and the mall exit for the remainder of the year :/. Ugh.  I took this picture Saturday while I was waiting at my third light coming off the interstate (I was heading to tennis and glad I planned to be early):

I grabbed this image off one of my Facebook friend's profile -- we will celebrate this for a long time:

I have always loved living in East TN but never more than this year.  The added benefit is having kids who are current Vols -- so much fun to celebrate with them :)

TN plays Georgia this weekend -- we both have 8-0 records and are placed 2 and 1, respectively, in the nation.  The game is in Athens so we'll be glued to our televisions for sure, as I'm sure most college football fans will be.

This gorgeous girl turned 22 this month.  I just can't believe it -- twenty-two years really flies by!!!  She was unexpectedly home the day after her birthday and had a few gifts to open (including these new Crossfit shoes from her siblings) but we forgot her chair picture :/. This is a traditional yearly picture, taken in the same chair every year of every child's life. . .boo.  I'll get her next time!

On her birthday she met us and her grandparents for lunch:

A few cards had come for her in the mail, along with Grandma's dollar :)

Many people in the area have gone on and on about what a beautiful fall we are having (and we are) but I'm spoiled with falls in the midwest, where I grew up, where the seasons aren't so dry and the color is just a bit more vibrant.  I will never, ever take a beautiful sunset for granted. . .or the ability to take a picture like this while I'm playing tennis OUTSIDE in October :). The best part about our area is how long our our warm season lasts!

And I didn't only get to experience a sunset here in Knoxville, but also in Florida this month:

It was actually cooler that night then the night I was playing tennis - ha!  Of course, being near the water makes a difference.  

We hopped down to the west coast to spend the weekend with my brother and his wife.  When we got home I realized we only had one picture together:

We did go hiking together and then to a little town where we walked around their revitalized downtown area, cute city park, and had a great lunch out.  We spent the rest of the day watching football, which is exactly what we love doing in the fall when the college teams are at the height of their seasons!

College-football watching together as a family

On Friday my brother signed the three of us up for an airboat ride/tour.  Kris was working. . .someone's got to keep the lights on, right?

We had prepared for a chilly day, knowing that the high was in the low-70's and we'd be on the water.  It was a lot of fun and we had a great guide.  It was interesting to skim over water that was just inches deep!  Our guide was terrific and knew the wildlife in the area well.  We even saw dolphins up close!!  

My baby brother and I -- after the boat ride there was a great fish place at the dock and it was delicious.  We had gone out for breakfast beforehand so only ordered two meals -- one fried, one grilled -- and still didn't finish all of it.  A great way to start the weekend :)

Taking the cute doggies out and about in the neighborhood -- the weather in Florida was perfect.  Kris says May and October are the best down there.

My sister was visiting her university daughter that same weekend so we were trading pictures back-and-forth -- she got her on a hike (pretty unusual) -- the weather in VA was spectacular that weekend also!

We were going through some photobooks my brother had -- this was my sister's graduation in 1994 (??).  So proud of her then and proud of her now!!  She just embarked on a new adventure, going off on her own after 20+ years in one area.  Her patients hated her leaving (I can understand!!!) but this new situation is a good one for her and her new patients are lucky to have her.

This one didn't make it to the TN-AL game because he competed in his first-ever Crossfit Games.  His sister was there to cheer him on -- I am so very impressed with this achievement.  The dedication to diet, sleep, and workouts was ambitious, all while working a full-time job as a civil engineer.  It's so much fun watching your children navigate the world on their own steam.

This one's least favorite thing is to have his picture taken, and especially taken when I want one -- ha!  BUT, TN-AL was a special day, and his cousin was in from Nashville, so. . .I got this :)

He's such an amazing person -- you just never know what he's aiming for next but it's always high and he never doesn't think he can't do it.  My kind of guy!!!

(Apparently he was on TV a lot during this game -- so much so that one of the trick-or-treating families in the neighborhood mentioned it last night and the game was two weeks ago!)

Speaking of trick-or-treating, this girl came by to say "hi" and eat dinner with us then get a pic with Tommy on her way out to a Halloween party:

Margaret's dinner -- ha!  Ms Barbara made her favorites -- brie and almond green beans.

We like to eat together on Beggar's Night and then combine all of our candy (three houses on the cul-de-sac) and some dog bonesfor the trick-or-treaters.  

One of my work people and I dressed alike one day -- both feeling the fall weather coming on (and me trying to get a few more days out of my pedi and sandals).

I read a lot of good books this month (review of some here) and this was another I finished last week.  A MUST-READ.  It's a hard read because it asks you to identify with people that caused a lot of pain and grief in our history.  But they have a story too. . .and hard is just hard.

A fitting end for this October wrap-up. . .our last day out on the lake, at the beginning of the month.  It was a chilly but beautiful day.

The colors were not all out yet, but any day on Dale Hollow Lake is a good one :). Tom and Robert will finish getting the boat put up Saturday and then we'll hibernate until April when we can head back!!

Happy first day of November. . .have a great one :)

Love,

Jenni