State!

We have made it a tradition that one weekend in October we go to Penn State on a Friday after Adam gets home from school and spend Friday evening and all day Saturday with Alyssa. This year we did it last weekend. The weather managed to give us a fit....again....two weekends in a row....we batted a thousand!! Fortunately, it didn't turn out to be a total washout...the rains ended about 10 am on Saturday and the sun began sneaking out behind the clouds by noon!

We saved Adam's birthday dinner for this weekend when Alyssa could join us. He chose Texas Roadhouse and kept insisting that I had told them it was his birthday (which I hadn't)! I wouldn't have done this to him again:

We tried to get some nice family shots. Seemed like one or the other was not cooperative:

Then it was Adam's turn:

There was actually one nice one of the kids, but y'all have to wait until Christmas to see that one!! Fortunately, us oldies don't goof around:

Alyssa and I picked up these wooden letters over the summer. Didn't they do a great job painting them:

We had lunch with Matt and Karlyn on Saturday and got to spend some quality time with them and their kiddos, Tate, Lydia and Gabe. Here Gabe was having a blast on his Target beachball:

Lydia got to sit on her Daddy's motorcycle:

Then we tried to get a nice pic of them on the motorcycle. TAKE ONE:

TAKE TWO:

TAKE THREE......TA DA!!:

Lydia holding her baby pumpkin and fall leaf:

Tate with his cool orange leaf:

Cousin Matt let Adam take his cycle around the block. Doesn't he look so small on it?!?!

After we left Matt and Karlyn's we took a drive around the countryside to enjoy the fall foliage (one of my favorite things to do during the autumn season):

Beautiful waterfall in Bellefonte:

Bellefonte town hall:

Unfortunately it was kinda hazy, but I'm not complaining....at least it had stopped raining:

I had to do some work with this pic to even be able to see the structures in the distance. To the right is Beaver Stadium and to the left is the Bryce Jordan Center:

Such beautiful colors across the street from Matt and Karlyn's:

He really didn't want his picture taken:

Neither did she:

But, he should have NEVER fallen asleep:

Once we were done with our little drive, we took the boys back to Alyssa's apartment, where they watched the Penn State game:

And Alyssa and I went shopping and got her a new coat:

And new boots:

We then came back to her apartment, finished watching the game and ordered Chinese take-out from Alyssa and Sarah's favorite restaurant, which is right across the street from their apartment. In fact, they tease that they chose their apartment based on the fact that it is right across the street from Uncle Chen's!!

We headed home about 7:30 after a great time with Alyssa!!

NHS

Adam was inducted into the National Honor Society this evening. What a proud moment for both Kurt and me!! There were 5 seniors, and a slew of juniors (one of them being Erika) inducted!

The five seniors:
(Alyssa, the woman with white jacket is one of then new asst. principals)

Just a pic:

Adam receiving his certificate:

Signing the book. This book has everyone's signature who has ever been inducted at Northampton High School:

Picking out a rose, which he brought over to me :)

Erika signing the book:

Mrs. Wilkin, one of the Chemistry teachers at the high school. She was one of the advisors when Alyssa was inducted in 2006. She was asked by the kids to be the special guest speaker. They all love her!

Adam enjoying Mrs. Wilkin. He is one of her lab aides (last year and now this year, too), even though he does not have her for any of his classes. She told me tonight that Adam's a smart kid even though he gets on her nerves sometimes....LOL!! I told her I knew what she was talking about...ha ha!!

Dr. Firestone, school superintendent....she announced her retirement at this week's school board meeting. She will finish the year out, then she and her husband will be relocating to the southwest. I introduced myself to her tonight, as she and her husband attend Martha and Ferdinand's former church.

New smarties :):)

He got shorter:

Proud parents!

Recognize anyone's name below?!?!?

Find Adam and Erika's names:

Certificate:

Gorgeous!

I have a couple of posts to do, but I'm not in a position to do them all tonight, but figured this one would be fairly easy. You know my obsession with skies....be it beautiful clouds or gorgeous sunsets. I'm not sure how I made it home from work last night, as I was snapping away taking pics of one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen!