Cookies Anyone??

Last Friday evening I made Christmas cookies with some very special ladies.

yes, you guessed it. After work I picked up Brie and went to Cindy's house to meet up with Alexandra and Isabel. I had planned on having them spend the night and make cookies with me, when I heard Cindy was interested in doing it with us I decided it would be easier to bake at her house (she has a much nicer kitchen) so we took everything there. We had a fun time together... and the finished product was YUMMY!!After the cookies were done we all watched Frosty the Snowman. I remembered watching it as a child myself. What fun it was to see it again with my great-nieces. Some traditions (like watching Christmas shows with loved ones) should never stop.Thanks girls for sharing a festive evening with me. We'll do it again soon.

Peri Meno-Whoda-Whatee??

Okay, something very strange is going on here. Could anyone PA-LEAZE tell me what is happening to me??? And yes, I'm talking about what's happening other than my normal bizarre self! I can't sleep right, I want to sleep all the time; I can't think right, I forget where I'm going; my boobs hurt, my skin itches; I'm eMotional, I'm irritated; I'm having trouble pooping; I can't stop peeing; I'm dizzy, I'm HOT.... WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?? Let me introduce you to my new friends.....Oh yeah... this is me for sure. They even look like me, don't they??? To add to my troubles, I have to deal with this...What gives? I just can't catch a break! I guess for the next.. who knows how long.. I'll have to go through the finer "period" of being a woman. HOW NICE. Aren't I lucky?! I'll put up with theAnd continue wasting money at the store onWhile my body does its thing... regardless of my thoughts on the subject.

The Last of Autumn

Before we get into the Christmas season with all its spirit and beauty, I thought I'd take one last look back at Autumn. Here goes.Sunflowers before harvest on a foggy morning.Crop harvesting equipment.An old tree by the barn.Corn stalks before harvest.Stone wall and the old door of an amazing barn.Hay bales ready to be stored.Last leaves hanging on in the forest.

And my personal favorite....I just loved seeing this scene as I was driving this fall. For some reason it was just amazing to me. I could truly see God's goodness in this spot each day. Can you see the 5 point star in this picture? Does this picture invoke special feelings in you as it does in me?

Good-bye Autumn... thank you for the beauty you shared with me this year.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 

We had another wonderful Thanksgiving this year (although we missed Dave and Josi and their family) with Andy, Jamie, Jim, Mechele, and the Coy boys. We also had a neighbor (Duke) who was going to be alone for the day come over. Believe it or not, I had a fun time cooking... having paced myself quite well, there wasn't too much to do today at all. I made (with Brie's help) 2 pumpkin pies, a caramel apple pecan pie, and a blueberry crumb pie last night. I also peeled all the potatoes and had them cut and in water overnight. Our 23 lb. bird (Marvin) was in the oven by 9.

After our tummy's were full, we all stayed at the table and passed a basket filled with slips of paper stating what we were thankful for around the table to read and share with one another. It is a little tradition we started doing a few years ago.. it's always a nice way to remember what we are blessed with. Following that we cleaned up a little bit, the "younger one's" had a pillow fight in the living room, and then we watched Elf. A nice relaxing end to a special day.

Happy Thanksgiving to all....

Ummm, Excuse Me???

Now that Em has her driver's permit, guess what I discovered the other day?Oh, yeah. What's up with this? Em says it was Brie's idea for me to sit in the back. Say what????Brie's like... "oh no I didn't... it was Em's idea."Regardless of who's idea it was, guess who ended up in the front passenger seat? You guessed it, ME!!

And they all lived happily ever after. The End.

Did Someone Say PUMPKINS??

 

Today we had a pumpkin feast! What is a pumpkin feast you might ask. It's a meal with every item having either pumpkin or some other squash (or similar vine vegetable). It was fun planning the dinner and everyone seemed to enjoy the food. I made pumpkin stew, Sarah made pumpkin dinner rolls, Angie made an autumn salad, and Jamie made a pumpkin cheese cake. We served fresh apple cider or apple juice as the beverage. Yummy! It was fun experimenting with new flavors. Following the meal we had fun visiting and sharing laughs. Isn't it great when family and friends get together for fun times like this. Now, what to do for our next meal. Any suggestions??

Stay Off The Sidewalks

It's official. Em's got her driver's permit! Take cover. Stay off the sidewalks. Wear a helmet when riding your bike near the road. ☺ Just kidding. She did great on her test. Didn't miss a single question. In addition to her studying the manual, we've been practicing driving at the fairgrounds for several months now.Terrified as I was, I allowed Em to drive to Brown's Orchard as soon as she had her permit. She did very well. I was pleased. Now I just have to get her to remember to look behind her when she's backing up, and teach her how to parallel park. She's going to do just great though.

CONGRATULATIONS EMILE!!!