Wishing you All...

I hope EVERYONE has a WONDERFUL day!!!

A Little Baking and a Little Sewing...

Nothing says "Fall" to me more than GINGER SNAPS... I got the recipe for these YEARS ago from the VALENTINE MUSEUM in RICHMOND, VA... they have become quite popular among the neighbors...

They will be packaged up and delivered to our neighbors along with a mini-loaf of this YUMMY PUMPKIN BREAD that Kristin was nice enough to blog about (and share the recipe!)... I added the pecan topping... between the ginger snaps and pumpkin bread the house smelled FABULOUS!

A friend of Lilley-Kate's is turning 7 on Thanksgiving Day... so I made her a comfy little LOUNGE SET...

One of my favorite "chores" to do is IRON... yes... honestly... I LOVE to iron... it's relaxing... and really a "no brainer" kinda activity... well... my ironing board cover had seen better days...

So thanks to JONA'S FABULOUS EASY PEASY IRONING BOARD COVER TUTORIAL I made a NEW ONE... and will be making an ironing board cover "wardrobe" so I can change it whenver the mood strikes me! How FUN it is to have a "customized" cover... I got the fabric from FABRICTOPIA (Jona's Fabric Shop)... go check it out as she is having a GREAT SALE right now!

Hope everyone has a great Holiday!

Sometimes...

I really WISH people would realize I am NOT really the person they THINK I am... that I won't necessarily react the way they THINK I will (I mean... give me some credit... I have LEARNED as I have gotten older)... that maybe the "unapproachability" (inflexability, "coldness") that people seem to THINK I posess, is actually a shield... and that the things that they THINK won't hurt... hurt the most...

Cheery Cherries and FRIGID Wind...

I got these wooden CHERRIE cutouts at HOBBY LOBBY back in the Spring... KNOWING full well that they would be going on Lilley-Kate's CHERRY themed Christmas tree this Christmas... I'll be digging out some of my ME items for the tree too... I painted them and they are now ready for hanging...

We continue to be under a WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY in our area... the WIND is FRIGID... our high temp today has hit 28*... the snow continues to fall about every 30 minutes as our lake effect squalls move through... thankfully we are seeing peeks of the sun in between the snowfalling...

Snow forcasted through Saturday evening... so we'll be staying warm and cozy INSIDE this weekend...

Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL weekend!

It CAN be PRETTY...

After a night of steady snowfall we woke up this morning to right around 4" of the white stuff...

Although I am NOT a fan of SNOW... it does have it's appeal (from INSIDE a warm cozy house!)... I love how the snow looks clinging to all the tree limbs... and some unexpected morning sunshine made everything sparkle like glitter...

The streets have cleared... no school delays or cancellations... we'll have 5 minutes of intense sunshine... and in the next 5 minutes it is snowing like crazy... gotta love that "lake effect"...

Lilley-Kate was VERY EXCITED today... as she got to wear her BOOTS to school!


I'm just hoping (against hope) that Lilley-Kate doesn't want to go out and play in this... it's COLD... and I am SO NOT a "lets go out and play in the snow kinda Mommy" (I know... not something you would typically admit... but hey... I'm HONEST)...



Plus... I haven't gotten my BOOTS yet!

Happy TUESDAY everyone!!!

And So IT Begins...

This will be our FOURTH "Northern Winter"...

I don't think I'll ever REALLY get use to it... at least I HOPE I don't...

I've learned something living in our area... IF you want to know the weather forecast... just look out the window... we are forecasted for the WHITE STUFF for the next THREE DAYS!!!

HOLY COW... or QUILT... What a Give-Away!!!!...

Head on over to THE OLD RED BARN for one of the most FABULOUS... and FABULOUSLY GENEROUS Give-Aways EVER!!! Who wouldn't LOVE one of these BEAUTIFUL quilts???

Happy Birthday Times 2... and Building a Bear

This weekend we are heading "home"... my Neice and Nephew will be turning ONE on Saturday... so we couldn't miss the celebration... I decided to do gift "baskets" for them... of course noticing AFTER I had everything tied up tight my little "oversight" (you see it right?)...

Tuesday Lilley-Kate had a half-day of school (REPORT CARD DAY!!!)... well... I decided that we better get over to Build A Bear BEFORE the "HELLIDAY" rush started... I had received their Helliday catalog in the mail and figured a WEEKEDAY would be the safest (less crowded) time to visit the store... THANKFULLY I was right... we were only 2 of 5 people in the store (we've been there before when it has been SO CROWDED you couldn't even get in the front door)... DANG... I'll never figure out how to load the pics so they show up in the right order!!!

Lilley-Kate named her "Sparklie Skater Emiley"...

Of course the Sparklie Blue Bear HAD to have the Sparklie Blue Skating Costume... complete with SKATES!!!

This chick was one of the BEST "STUFFERS" I have ever seen... she really made a great production of it... Had Lilley-Kate sing a song and recited a poem... she was GOOOOOOD (of course... one of the perks of them not being busy I am thinking... )

We had a fun afternoon... (and yes... Lilley-Kate got a good report in her Report Card too)

Hope everyone has a nice weekend!!!

A Change of Scenery...

Nothing "extravagant"... just a quick "change of scenery" trip out of town... it'll be nice to be in different yet familiar surroundings and visit with friends... do a little shopping... and HOPEFULLY see some pretty Fall foliage... Hope EVERYONE has a nice and relaxing weekend!

He LOVES Me!!!!

Not only did Michael come home early today to rake up the leaves and mow the lawn... he brought me one of my FAVORITE THINGS IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!

It's ALWAYS NICE....

To spend some time catching up with a DEAR FRIEND... (re)connecting... sharing... laughing... hearing about the latest "goings on"... although we don't get to chat as often as we would like... it's always a treat to answer the phone and hear your voice! Thanks for ringing me up today!!!

Today of ALL DAYS...

GOD BLESS AMERICA...

Shutterbug GiveAway...

One of the things I'm always paranoid about is dropping my camera... wouldn't THIS be a FABULOUS thing to have??? Maybe for yourself... or for a WELL DESERVING shutterbug on your Christmas List???? Just go visit SHEY'S ETSY SHOP... choose your FAV... and then go leave a comment on ERIN'S BLOG to be entered to win!!!

Did Everyone Remember????

To FALL BACK last night???

Fun in the Classroom...

Friday was Lilley-Kate's classroom Halloween Party... They had snacks and treats...


Played Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin...

And made a Halloween Craft...

All the kids had a great time!