Monday, October 29, 2012

BOO!!! This Year's Carving Results....

Under a nearly full moon......they gathered last night.

They shivered in the cool night air.  They cut and scooped and cleaned......carved and perfected their ghoulish creations.......


Then they stood back and admired their spooky handiwork.......


Last night was our annual pumpkin carving session.  Although Ben couldn't make it, Sam, Savanna and Bonnie joined us for big bowls of chili, topped with Fritos, crackers and cheese.  Then they got down to business and created this year's display of pumpkins.  

And I think they did a mighty fine job! 

Happy Halloween!!!


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Thinking Ahead......

Hate to admit it.......

But, I've already been thinking about Christmas!!!

I picked up a couple of my favorite magazines a couple of weeks ago for inspiration.......



And I am truly inspired!

We are enjoying the Autumn decor, sprinkled with plenty of Halloween touches right now.....



 but my thoughts just keep turning towards evergreens and sparkly ornaments and shades of red and green. 

Sigh.....

I guess it's not too crazy to be contemplating holiday decor.  It's been at Hobby Lobby and Michael's for weeks now.  And I suppose it's not too early to at least give a little thought to my decorating direction for this year.  

What about you?  Have you toyed with the idea of getting started on your Christmas decorating?  Even just a little bit??? 

Mulling over the options.......




Tuesday, October 23, 2012

A Halloween Slumber Party

Well over a month ago, I promised Trayden and Ansleigh that when the weather cooled off a bit and we got closer to Halloween, they could come over to spend the night in our travel trailer, which is parked out in the backyard.  For some reason, this sounded like a grand adventure to them and they've been looking forward to it ever since.....

This past weekend, it was time to make good on that promise!

I hit Dollar Tree and picked up some fun, cheap decorations.  A little bit of tape, a few AAA batteries, and we were good to go!  Creepy spider cutouts climbed all over the walls, even in the sleeping berth above the bed.  I found little flashlights with interchangeable lenses to create spooky effects on the ceiling.  A tumbler full of eyeball and brains ring pops waited on the table.  I loved the vintage feel of some of the honeycomb tissues decorations. 




Bonnie dropped them off around 5:00 and Ed arrived home from work very shortly thereafter.  He built a fire in the pit and we started carting everything we needed for hotdogs out to the trailer for some fine dining.  The day had been very warm, but we had the fan running and all the windows cranked open, so it was just tolerable. Everybody was starving and we put away an entire package of Ball Park wienies and seasoned fries between the four of us!

After cleaning up, Ed set up our little flat screen tv and DVD player and, before you know it, it was dark and time for a movie.  We plugged in the pumpkin lights, turned off the rest of the interior lights and watched Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas". 


Reclining against piles of pillows, we ate popcorn and drank Capri Sun juice pouches.  By 9:00 pm, everyone was waning and Ansleigh announced that it was definitely time to drag out the sleeping bags and go to sleep!  Trayden resisted and we put in "The Polar Express", but we didn't even make it to the North Pole before dozing off......

Since the kiddos wanted to sleep near each other, we threw their sleeping bags up on the big bed and I slept on the fold-out sofa.  They slept like rocks, by golly, neither one waking until after 8:00 am the next morning. 

Of course, by the next morning, my back felt like I had slept on a bed of rocks, but it was so worth it.  We came inside the house for breakfast at EdHop - pancakes, bacon, eggs and orange juice.   When Bonnie arrived to pick them up at lunch time, they each left with their own pumpkin and carving kit to make jack-o-lanterns here in a few days. 

All in all, it was a really fun slumber party, right in our own backyard!  Very simple, not a lot of fuss....just making some fun memories together!  And, isn't that what it's all about???

Now, my 21-year old Sam texted me today to ask when we are getting together to carve pumpkins.....so, looks like we'll be doing a little more Halloween entertaining this next weekend.  But, I'm looking forward to it, just as I do every year!

Hugs....





Friday, October 12, 2012

Planning for a Fall Weekend....

I don't know about you......but, I am so thankful today was Friday!!!

Of course, I am "on call" for the office all weekend.  This means I have to keep my phone close and schedule all appointments for showings for the next two days.  But, that doesn't dampen my enthusiasm for the weekend one bit.

Eddie Dale is actually off this weekend.  So, I've been sitting here, working on a list of things we need to get done this weekend....

Oh, who am I kidding?!?!? 

I've been sitting here, puttering around on Facebook and Pinterest.  But, I do have in mind some things that need to be accomplished this weekend.

Before I get us all planned out, though, I need to allow some "down time".  Perhaps we can load the pups in the truck and head over to Sonic for a cold drink and some tater tots.  Then wind through some of our favorite neighborhoods and enjoy the pumpkins and mums on porches....maybe even catch a hint of changing color in a tree here or there.....



What do you have on tap for this weekend?  Hopefully, you will enjoy a brief respite from weekend business and enjoy some time just taking it all in......

Autumn Blessings.....



Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Finding Peace at the End of the Day.....

Do you ever have one of those days when it feels like you're hopscotching from one rug to the next, only to feel each one pulled from beneath your feet the moment you land?

It's been one of those days.....one of those days when the climb is feeling rather steep and my legs are feeling pretty tired.

I write this post not to complain and whine about the things that, at the moment, seem insurmountable. 

No, I write this in order to put words to my need to trust....and reinforce my belief in the everlasting promise that "all things are possible with Christ, who strengthens me".

Sometimes, we just get to clicking along on autopilot, feeling like we're accomplishing much - mostly due to our own efforts.  (Well, at least I do that....)  When I embarked on a career in real estate a couple of years ago, I know that there would be many things beyond my control along the way.  The nature of the beast is that not all of the cogs in the machinery always work together and there would be disappointments (not only for me, but also for my clients) along the way. As frustrating as it is, I can't always "fix" everything.

Days like this serve to remind me that any success I have is not necessarily attributable to my efforts.  In fact, it's mostly despite my efforts!  Days like this are a reminder that, in myself, I am weak.....and someone up above thinks I need a "little period of readjustment" to put things back in to perspective.  Tough, tough, tough for me - being the control freak that I am! 

And, so I surrender it up tonight.  With the pups sleeping around my feet (having sat here consuming way too much coffee and fretting for the last couple of hours), I give it up and TRUST GOD to give me the wisdom and patience to deal with situations that seem borderline disastrous in the dark of the night. 

How appropriate that this is the "verse for the day" that came up on my Bible app today......

"Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary 
and carry heavy burdens, 
and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28

Don't you just love when God sends a little tangible reminder like that just when you need it most?























Monday, October 8, 2012

Pedernales Falls State Park

A few days ago, the hubby and I snuck away for an extended weekend down at Pedernales Falls State Park in our RV.  The morning of our departure dawned cool and rainy, but we were able to slog through the wet grass and mud to get the fifth loaded up and out of its parking place out back.  Just the two of us (and three dogs) were ready for some "down time".

It rained much of the weekend, but it did not dampen our spirits.  It was wonderful to be lazy and for the most part, we just napped, read and watched movies on DVD with the pups curled up around us.  We cooked evening meals out on the grill and snacked on popcorn.  We were able to open the windows and enjoy nice breezes and smell the damp earth and cedar around our campsite.

It was, in a word, heavenly.

The highlight of the trip was the day it actually quit raining and the sun came out for a couple of hours around midday.  We loaded Jake up and headed across the park to see the actual falls.  After parking, we followed a path down towards the Pedernales River, twisting and turning, the sound of the water crashing over rocks growing louder with each step.
 



When we arrived at the landing above the falls, it was crowded with other sightseers and Jake had to stop to say "well, hello there" to each person as we made our way carefully down the stone steps to the river.  There was a large sandy area on the "beach", where it appeared they were doing a professional photo shoot of some people working out with large rubber balls and yoga mats.  But, beyond that, you could walk out to the middle of the river on large, smooth rocks.....
 



Clouds were building in the north even as we started our way back up the steps, but the rain held off for a bit.  And the showers that day were brief.  I wish we could have taken Pepper and Scout with us, but their little legs are just so short that we were concerned they wouldn't be able to keep up on the hike.


By early evening, the sun was back and the air was crisp.  We built a fire in our little grill and sat under the awning outside the trailer, watching the sun set and the moon rise.....


It was a great time together and we enjoyed our snug little trailer (even though it did begin to really smell of damp doggies!). 

On the way back home, we made a stop in Fredericksburg and I was able to stop in at The Christmas Store and pick up another set of Shiny Bright ornaments for our tree this year.  It has become a tradition to stop and select something new there each time we make our way through the Hill Country.  I have the old-fashioned box of ornaments sitting here in my home office where I can gaze at them and anticipate how they will look on the tree.....I can't believe I'm already getting the itch to decorate for Christmas!!!

We are hoping to get out for one more trip with the trailer before the weather gets too cold.  Exploring all the state parks in our great state is something that will take us time, but we are definitely having a hoot doing it!

For more information on Pedernales Falls State Park, simply click HERE.  

Wishing you many Autumn blessings.....





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