Activities… Alexander being chased by Coco while swinging on the “Tarzan swing”…

and creations… chocolate covered coconut eggs!

I planted grass in the “Lake Morey” area of our front yard and the lake proceeded to form.  But the grass has taken root anyway!

I have been working on my Simple and Green site at Etsy.com.  I am working on getting consistent with my creating.  I have tons of ideas–just have to execute them.  Stay tuned for that!

We had a family outing to the aquarium.  (thanks Grandy and Pop) We got to see some great things we didn’t see last time.  Especially the octopus but no photography was allowed. 

Despite the kids and dogs in the yard, we have had some spring blooms.  I am so cheered by that!  Various daffodils, yellow tulips, grape hyacinth, bleeding heart, and camellia blooms. YAY!

We did have an emergency.  Kate’s buddy Heather had to get 9 stitched because of this rock that Alexander and his friend Kenny dug up!

Spent the spring break week dog sitting Lily.  She’s part of our pack

Now it’s on to the end of the school year frenzy!

Soccer games, dance recitals, and school events. 

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This year we didn’t have the usual Thanksgiving time with either side of our family.  Instead, we were generously included in the Blietz family gathering.  For dinner we were outnumbered 10 kids to 9 adults.  As is tradition, the food was bountiful and delicious.

The table was surrounded by stories, jokes, and general mayhem punctuated with loads of laughter.   We each had a turn to share thankfulness; everything from friends and family, good food, shelter,and God and Earth.  But the seriousness was replaced quickly with desert and whipped cream!

Thanks Blietz/Keller family for a Thanksgiving to remember!

…the parents will play!

After a slow morning with coffee and pups in bed, we went to lunch @ Gordon Beirch.  Yumm O!

Then to a winery in VA this afternoon.  Casanel.   It was so relaxing.  The breeze on the patio.  The guitar duet.  The Cabernet.

We played a few hands of Rummy–Rich claimed “how do you play?” and then totally creamed me!

We enjoyed the early evening there before driving home for a walk with the dogs and grilled portebello mushrooms!

My tummy is happy!

And This:

You do this:

Bake sweet potatoes

and cranberry bread

and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving!

The end result is a much more energy efficient house this winter AND a tax credit!

I am Thankful for new windows.

For some reason this year, I was all about Halloween.  I usually put up the spider web and that’s about it.  This year, I reinvented / recycled a bunch of stuff.  I made a mini grave yard from cardboard and paint I already had around the house.   A few ghosts from an old sheet, some stuffing, and a sharpie. The kids’ costumes are all from the thrift store for no more than $5 ea.  I made James’ mustache (felt) and Kate’s parasol (from an old lampshade).

I also decided to spend some serious time carving a pumpkin. (I got the stencil from WWF.)  The kids each carved a pumpkin too.

For dinner we had a fabulous soup I made up using a bunch of the produce from our farmer Ray.  Potatoes, sweet potatoes, leeks, mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, and a bacon seasoning mix.  Yummy!

The neighbors and friends gathered around 6:30 and they were off.  The rain held off to a slight drizzle so that didn’t stop the excitement.  I sat on my front step with a glass of wine, my knitting, and wearing a “Black Eyed Pea” costume (thanks mom).  The treats were flowing!

I think we have enough candy to last for months– and that’s AFTER I ate more than my share!

I grew up hearing the phrase:

“If I’d have known you were coming, I’d have baked you a cake!”

I guess it’s one more Southern phrase that sticks in my head…  But it came to mind as I enjoyed my kids baking me one!

There were whispers, mutterings, and cabinet sounds.  Followed by: “Mommy, you can’t come in the kitchen!  OK?”

Daddy enters to pick up the questions…

The familiar sounds of measuring and mixing and the oven timer float to my hears.  I “ignore” it all.

“You don’t know what we’re doing…do you?!”  they question.

I state that it’s obviously covert operations and that it sure does smell good!

As the night wore on, the cake was baked and iced before cooling in an attempt to eat it before bed.

We did.

It was fabulous!

Thanks guys.  That was so nice!

wash...

I spent hours today with wet hands.  I cut and peeled countless apples.  I even have a “gizmo”, but the misshapen apples proved too much.  I had to cut out the yucky parts on every single apple before tossing it in the pot.  My hands found a rhythm; wash, peel, cut, toss… I even listened to more of the audio book while I worked.  I took a few breaks to rest my hands.  My goal was to peel and cut all of the huge haul before I had to leave to take Kate to dance class at 5…    I did see a single layer of apples in the sink, and then a stainless steel patch!  I didn’t make it.  I gave up and put the rest in a bowl for another time.

The end result is fantastic!  Seventeen pint jars of apple sauce!  WHOOO HOOOO!

Today I drove out to my brother’s house.  It’s about 45 min. from me.  He and his family aren’t there now, they are on vacation.

I had hoped to take a few friends to a farm for fall apple picking, and maybe still can, but for now, an unkempt, but fruitful apple tree for free!

I took a lesurely morning…walking Shadow (with a coulple of doggie friends) and then puttering around the house.  I packed my lunch, camera, and an audio book and hit the road.

The fall colors are slight and sporadic and today was so humid, I think it should qualify as a summer day!  But I am a fall advocate so I was not hindered!

I was a bit discouraged when, upon arrival I did NOT find the apple picker by the fence as promised.  Careful digging revealed it under the grass and weeds!

I picked.  I took pictures.  I drank a lot of water.  I hauled a couple of boxes of apples to the car.  As I’d decided to leave, the front garden caught my attention with tomato plants still laden with fruit.  I grabbed another box from the car and picked a few tomatoes–enough for more spaghetti sauce!

So thanks Bubba for the free produce!  I promise to share the results!