Happy Thanksgiving

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins--done

Triple Chocolate Cake--done

bags packed--almost

kitchen cleaned from above baking--no where near

Happy Thanksgiving!!

A Sunday Evening Walk

The weather has been so nice here.  Not exactly warm temperatures, but so sunny that it still feels nice to be outside.  So Sunday evening we took advantage of it and went to a nearby park for a walk and a little play.

This just cracked me up!  I don't know if there had been a branch that broke off or what, but it appears that this "face" was not made by man.

Not pictured are the three deer that we saw.  One ran in front of us, across the creek up onto a "cliff".  The other two ran the opposite way, but not sure where they went since that direction includes a busy road and the play section of the park. We ended the evening with homemade pizza and Italian music that Callie found on Pandora.  Oh, and Klondike bars.  Yummy!

When I Love Being a Hoosier

Technically, I should call myself a Southerner.  I was born in FL, my parents in TN, my grandparents and on back all from the south.  Cherokee Indian in fact.  I've lived in TN two different times and went to college there, but I have lived the majority of my life in Indiana.

This morning when I woke up I could hear rain hitting the windows.  I didn't think a whole lot of it, but a few minutes later when I looked out the kitchen window.....SNOW!!!  Big, huge flakes. Yippee!  It's like I'm six years old again.

During other seasons, around February and March, I hate Indiana.  I want to live near a beach.  Any beach.  Pacific, Atlantic, I don't really care.  It's not so much warmth that I crave as it is a different view other than gray skies and barren fields.


It gets better.  When I walked Cameron to the door to tell him good bye I saw something standing out in the corn field.  There was a deer.  We quietly yelled at the girls to come quick and then another deer came out from behind the big pile of limbs in our yard.  A buck.  I said a silent thank you that Cameron is not a hunter!

This morning I love Indiana. 

We watched from the windows for a long time.  I prayed that they would not run out into the road.  We have lived here six years and have never seen deer out there.  After a while a car stopped in the middle of the road and I hoped they were just taking pictures.  A few minutes later though, a big truck pulled up behind the car and stopped.  Well maybe I was just paranoid, but there was no way I was going to let these deer be shot right in front in my children's eyes.  So I ran to the door and made a loud noise.  The people in the road may have been cursing me, but I don't care.  We watched the deer run towards the back of the field and they stopped there for a while and then ran on further.

 

The pictures make it look like a blizzard or something.  None of them turned out very clear but I have to include one.

I realize they may become some one's dinner, but not in my backyard! :)

There isn't suppose to be any accumulation and it's already slowed down and the flakes are smaller. I love it though.  It makes me want to break out the Christmas music.  I'll refrain.  Maybe.

Lazy Gratitude

Random photos that have nothing to do with this post. :)

I haven't done an "official" gratitude post in ages.  I got lazy keeping track of the numbers and doing the link  with the other blog, but I still want to make note of things that I am thankful for.

This week was a very full week with the usual ballet classes, a field trip at the State House for Callie, babysitting, etc.

Today we got a couple of things done that needed doing before the really cold weather comes.  I'm assuming it's coming.  I had on flip flops today.  I'm hoping for at least one big snow!

Taken by Callie on one of our hikes when camping

I was all set to work hard here at home when I got a "mom emergency meeting" call.  You know, "I'm going to explode.  Can you meet for lunch?".

Have I ever told you how awesome my husband is?  He said "No problem" and so I met a dear friend for lunch.  The thing is, she had no idea how badly I needed to meet too.  It was good for both of us to share some frustrations and promise to pray for one another and encourage each other. 

So, I'm very thankful for......

God's gift of friendship

A gracious husband

My sweet daughters

Forgiveness

Time to do interesting things with Callie


A day mostly at home getting things done

A day of rest tomorrow

 Callie goofing off

Thanking God When the Furnace Quits

Why am I thanking God when the furnace quits?

Because we have three space heaters to keep us mostly warm.

Because it was only 40 something with lots of sunshine and no wind.

Because it was not 10 degrees and windy.

Because I babysit for a heating and cooling guy and he was already coming here first thing this morning.

Because his wife suggested just trading for babysitting instead of us writing them a check.

Because we have plenty of warm blankets.

Because we have milk, cocoa and sugar.

Because we have warm clothes.

And, because God said, "Give thanks in all circumstances".  I don't always, but I'm trying.  I'll admit, if it had happened in January my attitude would probably have been different.

Needle and thREAD

There had been a "marilyn monroe" moment.  Thankfully, she had shorts on underneath!

The number of  times I have heard "thank you Mommy" totally made up for the turning up of the nose of the previous project.

I've actually been working on this off and on for Forever!  It's certainly not hard, there were just long stretches of time where I didn't work on it.  I knew I wanted it to be a fall skirt, so there was no rush.

The pattern is from the sewing book,  Stitch by Stitch and Kate picked out the fabric pack from Fat Quarter Shop.

This skirt takes some time stitching it all together and tons of thread, but it's not hard.  I had not ordered enough of the fabric squares so I used a pair of her jeans that were too short but still fit in the waist.  This made her even happier I think, because Callie has a skirt made from an old pair of jeans too.  This is the best twirly skirt ever!  It goes out and up just like every little girl loves.

Callie has informed me that she wants one too, so I guess there is another one in my future.  I will be cutting/buying bigger squares for hers or it might take Forever too. I did tell her that this was the end of the non-Christmas sewing, so she may have to wait awhile anyway. 

As for reading, I'm still reading Charlotte Mason on the Kindle and Callie and I are still reading Grammar Land.  We just read one chapter a week to go along with her other grammar work.  We both like it a lot.  It's very cute and clever.  That's it other than I bought my first Christmas magazine Tuesday.  Is it too early to get out the Christmas music?