Grandma Snider has been here for a two week visit. We've had so much fun. I haven't had time to post but I have been taking pictures, lots and lots of pictures. So here is a photo diary of our time with Grandma.

While she was here Grandma had her 77th birthday.
Emily helped bake her cake and decorated it all by herself.

Grandma enjoyed watching the kids making Jack-O-Lanterns. I took the kids to Walmart to get free Halloween pictures taken. Aren't those great? We have always gone to our church's Fall Festival but I begged out of working it this year so we could do something different. This year we decided to split up to better meet the ages of the kids. Cecil took Emily Trick or Treating. I think this was her first time ever. It was so sweet that she had her Daddy all to herself for the night. I took Brandon to meet some friends of ours and attended their church's Halloween party with them. The party was great, the hay ride was long and cold, her church folks are gold but I must say you truly know your partying in Texas when a rooster is strutting around your feet. After the party we all went over for Brandon's first ever haunted house. Ours is a fundraiser for the local fire department so that was a bonus! We made it home around midnight and Emily was still up waiting for us. Fun night. I think we'll all remember the year we did something different!



One afternoon we took Grandma over to the Texas Freshwater Fish Hatchery . After wards we went for a picnic at the East Texas Arboretum. I didn't get any pictures there because my camera is eating batteries like crazy!

On the way home we stopped so I could vote. We live in a small town so there is virtually no wait. The kids have always been able to go with us and watch the whole thing. This time Brandon sat in the car with Grandma. Although he likes to talk about politics he has kind of been there done that on watching us vote. So, I just took Emily in with me. I voted on a machine. So, I let her punch in my code and hit enter when it was called for. She was so proud to vote. I hope they both always remember what I've taught them about being an American, our freedoms, and how important it is to VOTE.




On another day we took her the Brookshire's Wildlife Museum. This is a neat little place and completely free of charge. As you might glean I forgot my camera this day so your stuck with my tiny little camera phone pictures. This museum has a lot of real animals that have been stuffed so you can get really close. The polar bear really makes me feel tiny. It also has a neat little 1920's store and a nice playground. This is a small museum but crammed packed with neat stuff. Grandma said she liked this place best of all. Emily and Brandon like it because I always buy them a giant jawbreaker in the gift shop.




The day we came home from the Brookshire's Museum our dogs treed this guy. This story is actually on going and I'll surely address Mr. Trouble in a blog in the near future.



Right before Grandma went home she also got to go the the 4-H food show to see the kids compete. Brandon made fried rice and served on out of a Japanese dish w/ chop sticks displayed on a Japanese tapestry. All three items sent to us from Japan. Emily competed as a Clover Kid in nutritious snacks. She made a peanut butter and honey tortilla roll up. As a Clover Kid Emily automatically won for participation. Brandon also won for his age group in his food category. He will be going to district to compete in February.