Yikes!

I can't believe that it's been so long since I last posted....Busy, busy! We had a nice quiet Thanksgiving here at home. Clay hunted while I cooked & Maw came down & joined us for supper. We had the usual menu....Turkey, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, grean beans, mac & cheese, rolls & for dessert.....pumpkin pie, apple pie & ginger cookies.

Since then, Danielle & I have enjoyed our annual 'Mommy's Christmas Shopping Day'. We went a tad early this year since Greg was off & could keep the kids....thanks Greg & Clay!! We had a really fun & productive day. Lunch at Cracker Barrel, then we hit Target, Michaels & the mall. Danielle put a good dent in her shopping & I was tickled with what I got done especially since I really didn't go with a list....just happened across some good deals. Came home & had our usual Mommy Shopping night supper.....Vitos pizza. Gotta love those traditions!

We got our tree last Monday from the Greenview nursery in Lynchburg (where we've gotten our tree for the past several years.) Finally got it decorated night before last. Another tradition....we had Chinese food for supper & then everyone helped to decorate the tree! Still need some new garland for my bannister rail & then I can hang our stockings. ;-)

Off to work on some more hand-made gifts today. Then tomorrow the teens have drama practice after church....another busy day!

Monday, Monday...

Just trying to get used to all this NEW blogger stuff... :-P Anyway, here's what I worked on yesterday afternoon...trying to finish up anything Halloween-related. These aren't the best photos in the world, but they help to make a memory! They were taken at our Fall Family Night at church. BTW, Jon had just put a piece of REALLY S-O-U-R gum in his mouth when I happened to snap that bottom photo!

Getting ready for Thanksgiving this week. Lots of little extras to remember & put on my list. Clay is working this evening & I decided to take the kids out for a 'Treat'....we're going to see Pirates 2 once more on the Big Screen. It's at the Dollar Theater now & on Monday a family group of at least 3 can go for .50! So I can take all of us for just $3......WooHoo...my kind of deal!!

After supper....

More Halloween pics done this afternoon. Danielle took these....one of me painting Anna's face & the other of Cori's face design.

6:20pm--just finished supper (lasagna, salad & fat bread) sitting here being content & enjoying the quiet sounds of a Happy Home. Some are watching TV in the living room, Chris is on the computer & Michael & Alli are playing in a HUGE tent here in the dining room. Love listening to their happy chatter.

Did our book work this morning. Even though I balk against it sometimes, it DOES feel good to check the pages off in my 'plan book' & see the complete pages filling up their school folders--something tangible I guess that really 'shows' what we are doing each day. Although I did point out to Alli & Michael this morning that what they were doing WAS indeed learning--when they were writing out their Christmas lists for the UMPTEENTH time & asking me how to spell this or that or check this mom--did I spell everything right?!

Finally Friday.....

My latest creation from yesterday.....Just a few snapshots from our Homeschool Halloween party at Maw's house. Nothing spectacular....but memories non-the-less....Dillon's red spray-painted hair, Sarah's pumpkin pie & the girls playing Barbies in Maw's bedroom.

I posted the other day & something happened to wipe out that post, so anyway.....won't try to catch up, will just go from here.

Clay & Chris did go to NC on Monday....to Rodney's & they all went (Rod, Josh, Clay & Chris) to the Panther's game that night. They had an awesome time & got some great pics!! Clay even saved me the program & their ticket stubs too! What a great scrapping hubby! ;-) Will have to post one of the pics later.....Rodney took it of Clay & Chris & it's REALLY good!! Off to fix another cup of coffee & grab a bagel.

Just another Manic Monday.....

This is ONE of the LOs I worked on over the weekend. My pics turned out a little dark, but I went ahead & used them....after all, it's the story you want to tell anyway, right? Took these pics last week when Clay & the boys were working on the scooter. They were adding a board/seat to the back & a gun rack on the side to hold their guns. Was upstairs in the bathroom drying my hair as I was watching them (that little square pic is my 'Bird's Eye View' from up there) & thinking that THIS is what Homeschooling/Unschooling is all about! After the book work, being outside on a beautiful Fall morning working with you dad getting things ready for the upcoming hunting season. ;-) Sure can't experience THAT in a classroom!

Clay & Chris left this morning going to NC to a Panther's game. They are going with our good friends...Rodney & his son, Josh. After the game, they will crash at their house for the night & then head back home in the morning. Another one of those Dad/Son times that I'm so thankful for. And since they were gone doing something special....I let the others have kind of a FUN afternoon/evening. Alli & Michael built a HUGE tent in the dining room & spent the afternoon in there drawing & what-not. We also watched 'Nanny McPhee' this afternoon.....such a cute movie!! Had breakfast for supper tonight & then more fun.....Jon & Michael played video games together while Ashley played Barbies with Alli.....love it when she comes down on Alli's level & really PLAYS with her!! They were in there dressing all the Barbies in silly outfits....giggling & laughing & running back & forth to show me their designs. I LOVE sitting back & listening to them 'get along'.

Saturday

Well, I finally got my groove back.....scrapping-wise, that is. I have been so burnt out after that month-long crop in October, but I finally did one LO the other night & managed to get TWO done yesterday!! One is my Design Team assignment so can't post that one just yet....our newsletter at ASF goes out on Wed. so I'll post it here then. The photos here in these LOs are a couple years old....Bunny-cat was just a little squirt then.

I had posted the other day about my crocheting...well, I finished up one Barbie blanket yesterday....need to make two more now. Plus I really want to try out a couple of these new patterns I picked up. Might do that this afternoon. It's going to be another nice day....unseasonably warm....about 75, I think. Will probably go sit out & enjoy the sunshine after lunch & either crochet or read. It's supposed to rain tonight & tomorrow, so I want to enjoy the sunshine while I can!! I had the windows open yesterday & when I went upstairs last night to put the sheets back on all the beds it smelled so nice up there.....really fresh, ya know. I LOVE having the windows open!

Fun Day....

Ella, Greg & the kids came for a visit today. Clay, Greg & Chris went hunting for the evening while the kids played & we visited. We all had such a good time!! None of the guys got a deer, but Chris saw two....they were small so he just let them walk. Jesse had a blast with all our critters.....loving on all the kitties & feeding the hamsters. Cori & Alli of course played Barbies all afternoon & then rode bikes for a while. Jon, Michael & Dillon went out with the BB guns & were so excited that Dillon shot his first ever bird! They were all so tickled for him....of course we took pictures. They were so cute (don't tell these MANLY BOYS I said they were cute, but they were!!) walking down the drive with their guns on their shoulders...just like their daddies had taught them. Just one of THOSE moments! ;-) Later we grilled some burgers & dogs, fixed home-made ronis, baked beans & Ella had brought brownies for dessert. Everyone was sad when it was time for them to leave...already planning for the next visit!! Good friends......what a blessing!

Crochet

Stopped by the library yesteray afternoon on my way home from grocery shopping & picked up a couple books on crocheting. Lots of cool patterns I'd like to try. Was also looking at a crochet magazine while I was at Walmart....it's really giving me the 'itch' to crochet more! Right now, I'm crocheting Barbie blankets for Anna & Cori for Christmas.....they had seen Alli's when they were all playing together at Maw's & I asked them if they'd like for me to make them some Barbie stuff too & of course they both said YES & obliged me by telling me their favorite colors......pink/purple. I was on a search for a hat pattern & also a mitten pattern for the kids....I've crocheted them scarves before, but kind of wanted to do the hat/mittens too. Never tried those before, so we will see how that goes. I really need to do a scrapbook page about this.....my 'link' to the past......I know Memaw & Aunt Mamie BOTH loved to crochet. When Aunt Kitty died there were several afghans over there that no one wanted & Aunt Faye told me to take them if I wanted them......since I'm pretty sure that Memaw crocheted them, I snatched them up! Love these things.....they are all soooooo pretty!! I have several of my couches/chairs draped with Memaw's hand-made afghans.....what a 'Treasure'!

Snippets....

Just a few snippets from yesterday's journal.....Gorgeous day....beautiful Fall blue sky with little wisps of white clouds, just a little over 60 degrees. Second load of laundry out on the line & I just HAD to come sit out in the sun for awhile. Just kind of waiting on the guys to leave to go hunting then I will vacuum & mop the floors. Don't want to do that til they leave.

We did some 'Book-work' this morning & then I snuck some photos of Clay & the boys working on the scooter...again, some of those special 'Unschooling' moments that are so easy to over-look, but that I really want to remember. For the past few days they have been adding a board/seat on the back of the scooter & building a gun rack to carry all their guns. They were putting the finishing touches on this morning & I was watching from the bathroom window upstairs as I dried my hair. Took one pic from up there....'My View' & the others I actually went outside & took. How can you compare sitting in a class-room to being outside on a gorgeous fall morning helping your dad work on the scooter; getting ready for hunting?!

Christmas Cards

Well, I sat down to work on my Christmas cards this afternoon & stumbled across this cool foam stamp that I had picked up at Michael's last year & never used. So.....in a matter of about 30 minutes I had my cards done. From the cutting/ folding to stamping. I added the ribbon a little later after supper, but it didn't take long at all & I'm all done....well, I still need to stamp 'Merry Christmas' on the inside & adress the envies, but hey, I feel MUCH better now! Throw in a fresh Apple Cake (Aunt Mamie's recipe), a pot of baked potato soup & some corn muffins & I had a quite productive afternoon! ;-) Off to bed now before Clay starts snoring!! He'll be up & out early in the AM to go hunting.

Grrrrrrrrrr

Was sitting here reading on my scrapping board this morning & Clay comes walking in through the back door! The truck broke down on him & he had to walk home......about 4 miles in the C-O-L-D! At least he hadn't gotten too far. He thinks it's the head gasket. Anyway, I had to take him back up to the corner market where he had left it & he was able to get it home at least...he didn't want to leave it up there!! Then of course, he had to take the van & go on to work. I hate that we have to miss church again.....the kiddos were sick last week....but such is life, I guess. Ya just take it one day at a time. ;-)

Lazy Day

I have been totally LAZY today!! So tired from running & doing all week. Sometimes it's nice just to have a day to do NOTHING....which is NOT entirely true....I have done two loads of laundry & the usual cooking/cleaning up stuff. Watched a movie this afternoon....'Kate & Leopold'....really cute! Gotta love Meg Ryan. I missed the beginning of it so will have to go back some other time & watch what all I missed.
Also pulled out some Christmas cds today...after all it IS November now. ;-) I LOVE my Christmas music....especially Manheim Steamroller! They are sooo awesome...would LOVE to go hear them in person! Right now I'm downloading the Trans Siberian Orchestra....a friend of mine told me about them....said if I liked Manheim, I'd like them & I'm totally hooked now. They're awesome too!!
Opening Day of Muzzle Load, but no deer for us. Clay & Jon did see one but couldn't get a shot off. They were surrounded by turkeys.....19 of them, I think they counted! Too bad it's not turkey season.
Tried to get inspired to work on my Christmas cards today, but just couldn't get in the mood. Don't know what is with me this year. In years past, I have had them done by Halloween or at least by Thanksgiving. I'd better shake a leg if I hope to get them done in time!!

Bird on the porch.....

I'm so pooped right now....I told Clay this afternoon that tomorrow I'm not doing ANYTHING or going ANYWHERE!! Gonna plan on scrapping or how 'bout this novel idea.....work on my Christmas cards! Got back from running my errands this afternoon & saw as I was getting out of the van that there was a BIRD on my back porch! It was sitting on the window sill right behind the washer. This is my life.......too funny! Anyway, Bunny (the cat) came in with me & was TRYING to be a good kitty-hunter & chase the bird down, but he finally got bored when he couldn't get it out from behind the washer. Jon & Chris were able to get to it & shoo it outside & it flew off to safety! All this was going on AS I was talking to Clay on the phone....then he has the nerve to ask me (in my spare time) if I would run back over to Uncle Skippy's this afternoon & pick a garbage bag full of greens. He took last night's left-overs to work & seems one of his buddies wants some too. ;-) That's why I'm tired & sore now.....from bending over picking greens two afternoons in a row. So....greens are all picked, groceries put away, supper cooked (we had grilled hotdogs & home-made mac & cheese). All that's left now is to wash up the supper dishes & I am DONE for the night!! Need some warm flannel jammies, my sweatshirt & a nice hot cup of coffee.

Feels Like Coming Home....

This was another of my challenges for the month of October...you had to use three different types of lettering for your title. I just happened to run across these 3 pics of me down here at Memaw's & for some reason that song from Lonestar just popped into my head & I thought it was a perfect title......pics of me down here when I was little & then to think that NOW I'm LIVING here with my kiddos....kinda like 'coming home'. BTW, that's Uncle Johnny Bowl & Flash with me in that middle pic. And that top one.....that lilac bush is still right out here in my side yard by the garden & is soooo beautiful every spring!!
Mom told me yesterday morning that she thought she & Sarah & the children were going to ride down to Uncle Skippy's for the afternoon & pick some greens before they were ruined by the frost....it was such a pretty day yesterday! So, I had to fly around like a crazy woman trying to do some cleaning....it looked like the Hunting Gremlins had attacked my house.....what with Clay & the boys getting ready for hunting season...Opening Day for Muzzle Load is tomorrow. Well, I 'CLEANED', but when they got here there was still hunting stuff laying out EVERYWHERE.....they were cleaning guns & sighting them in....laying out all the camo cover-alls & boots, etc. Oh well.....such is life in the country, I suppose. I got to thinking about it & realized what a part of our life all this really is.....the same process every fall.....so I grabbed my camera & took a few pictures. The guns & boots all lined up in the corner ready to go.....the hunting clothes (which have been washed in UNSCENTED laundry detergent) hanging out on the line to dry. These are the moments I want to capture & save in my scrapbooks!!

Yesterday's party.....

We had THE best time!! The weather was just wonderful & the kids were able to play outside while us grown-ups sat around Maw's dining room table & visited. How many get-togethers have we shared around that dining room table? Such good memories! And yesterday was no exception.....Maw's friend Edwina was BRAVE & came by for a while to join us. She was such a God-send....a wonderful lady who has 4 sons that she has Homeschooled & she had so much wisdom to share with all of us! I think we all went away with a much-needed booster shot; encouraging us in our jobs as Homeschool moms. I know I 'floated' all the way home...just high on all her encouraging words. Ella & I talked again today & she was saying how good she made her feel right now at a time when she's struggling trying to juggle a brand new baby, a two-year old PLUS two school-aged kids. I just pray that I can share & pass on some of that encouragement that she shared with us yesterday!! What a special lady.

Today was just the usual....our weekly Girl's lunch....today we met at Chick-fil-a. Just Danielle & I today....Maw said she needed to get leaves up today before the rain comes. After lunch we ran by Michael's real quick & then we headed on back to Wally World to get our groceries. Came home & the guys had gotten another load of firewood & had all their hunting stuff pulled out....cleaning guns, getting clothes ready & what-not. Muzzle load starts on Saturday & they're getting all their goods in order. Clay said that Jon has grown so much that his cover-alls are high waters now....so I guess they will get passed down to Michael & Jon will have to get some new ones. I really should pull the camera out & snap a few of this mess all in my dining room & kitchen.....hard to explain, but it's kind of cool.....just part of FALL & hunting season....our life & who we are.

Happy Halloween!

This is yesterday's challenge....a product challenge...to use both Cosmo Cricket & Technique Tuesday on the same LO. I just eeeeked by on this one....had to SCROUNGE to find these tiny scraps of Cosmo paper & I still had these little flowers/swirl that Anya had stamped for me with her TT stamps. Today is the last challenge....can't wait to see what it is....hopefully something easy that I can whip out this evening when I get home! I got my prize in the mail yesterday for a challenge I won a few weeks back at Lifetime Moments.....something I did for their Birthday celebration. A cute little 6x6 sized album with page protectors, lavender binding & chipboard cover that can be decorated/altered however I want!
Gorgeous weather here yesterday & today....just right around 73 degrees! We will be headed off to Maw's house a little later for our Homeschool Halloween party. I'm looking forward to it as much as the kids are! We've baked some white chocolate chip cookies, I have candy treat bags for the kids & I'm also taking my tray of paints so we can do face painting. Also have some lovely Halloween colored nail polish to paint the girls' nails.....green, orange & purple. They did that along with the face painting last year at church & it was a big hit. Off to grab a cup of coffee & read emails.....will update later with all our fun adventures!!

Sat. 10/28

I'm so tired right now...ready to curl up with my book. Today has been ONE busy day!! Picked Chris up from his all-nighter about 9:30am this morning & have been going ever since. He had a really good time & managed to take about a 3 hour nap this afternoon....said it's really hard to sleep when it daylight though. While he slept I vacuumed downstairs, baked my cake for the Family Night at church tonight all the while trying to keep the other 4 kiddos playing QUIETLY downstairs. We headed out to our Fall Family Fun Night about 4:30pm. Danielle & her kids met us there. They had a really great time.....hay rides, face painting, games, food, etc. Then the teens did their drama presentation & Pastor Steve gave his testimony. Maw, Sarah, David & their kids got there in time to catch the tail end of the teens' drama & then Anna & Daniel got to join the other kiddos for a flashlight candy hunt outside. They all left with bags full of candy!! Really nice evening of fellowship!

I really wanted to get all caught up & be current on the last few days of chllenges on my scrapping board....BUT, I managed to get ONE layout done this morning.....will have to upload that tomorrow. I think I am just totally burned out right now.....feel like all the creative juices have left my body. I've been trying to do the challenge a day on LM...'Scraptoberfest' PLUS keeping up with our 'Midway Madness' cyber crop over at ASF. I've done REALLY good up til now.....I REALLY, REALLY want to finish the challenge a day thing at LM & get my name in the drawing for that prize.....I mean, I've come this far, I'm sure I can PUSH on through & get 3 more LOs done!!

Amigos

OK...so I'm working basically a day behind....this LO was for yesterday's challenge to use some sort of foreign language in your title. When I sat down to scrap this afternoon I pulled out this pic that Danielle had given me of her kids & I immediately thought of the new Cheetah Girls song.....thus my title/journaling.....'Amigos...our friends for life'. It was an awesome photo to begin with & I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

Just got back from taking Chris to meet up with the Youth Group from church. Lewis & Lindsay Widener were taking our group of teens to a 'Lock-In' over in Waynesboro for the night. They will get back about 10:15am tomorrow morning. Not exactly my idea of fun....staying up all night long....but he was looking forward to it & I know he will have fun. Me....I'm just going to curl up by the fire & sip a nice hot cup of coffee. ;-)

A little more of our 'Unschooling' news....the kids(the older ones) have really been into wanting to watch 'scarey' movies these past few weeks. Anyway, since they are soooo into this we're using it as a learning experience....HOW, you may ask....Well, the movies they've been allowed to watch, Chris & Ashley have written movie reviews for me.....ya know, things like movie title, star(s), main character, what it's rated, a brief summary of the plot, their favorite part, etc & then how THEY would rate the movie. Along with this, Chris has also been learning to edit our movies for us.....he has learned to do the video editing, but is still working with the audio editing. Of course he is practicing on movies that DON'T actually need the editing.....just practicing his skills.....now the trick is for him to teach CLAY how to do this so we can make some more family-friendly movies. The other research that Chris & Ahsley are going to do is making a list of all the scarey movies they can think of & then they are going to research where they were filmed, what year they were made, etc. They are really into all the behind the scenes type stuff that comes with the dvds nowdays...it really IS interesting! Seeing the difference in the really OLD mummy & werewolf movies....where everything was filmed onstage with painted backgrounds & so forth. We also went off on the 'Sleepy Hollow' rabbit-trail....looking up info on Sleepy Hollow & Tarrytown, NY (geography) & Washington Irving & the lengendary tale of Sleepy Hollow (literature). I must say that I've been having fun with all this too! Oh & let's not leave out Music Appreciation.....they've been downloading theme songs & music from the different movies....gotta love that Phantom of the Opera music!

Thurs. 10/26

I'm playing catch-up today as far as the 'Scraptoberfest' Challenges go. The one of Memaw & Aunt Dolly in the kitchen was done for a 'Hidden Journaling' challenge....my journaling was tucked inside this book pocket. Then yesterday's challenge was to use cirlces on your layout....lots of them....at least 3...so here ya have it as seen in 'Tiny Baby'. These are pics of my best friend & her new little baby girl, Taylor. I still need to do Today's challenge....use a foreign language in your title. Not sure what I'll come up with for that one!

Wednesday 10/25

Here's a few goodies from yesterday....just a couple of Halloween cards & another challenge of the day....this challenge was to use any 'Technique Tuesday' product....which I have NONE of.....thankfully a friend on LM offered to stamp me a title or something & send it to me so I could complete the challenge!! So sweet of her.....so, thanks to Anya for my 'Meow' title!
Beautiful fall day today....met Danielle & kids & Maw for lunch at O'Charley's. So nice to get together on Weds. & have lunch & visit!! After that, we basically just headed on back to Walmart to do our grocery shopping. Got candy treats for our Homeschool Halloween party that will be at Maw's on Tues. Also got my baking goodies to bake my apple cake & white chocolate chips for the Fall Family Fun Night at church this Saturday night. I volunteered to do some baked items for the 'Cake Walk'. The kids are all excited because Maw, Sarah & the kids are coming & most likely Danielle will bring her kids too!! Always so much fun.


*5 Things that I am grateful for today*
~Gorgeous fall day-blue sky, pretty colors, falling leaves swirling all over.
~Wednesday lunch dates
~Clay's eye is better--he got trash blown in it yesterday while stacking firewood.
~Frozen Burritos for a quick, easy supper ;-)
~Peppermint Mocha creamer for my coffee-YUM!

Taco Sauce Math

Just had to share our 'Unschooling' math moment from the other day......Clay had gone to Taco Bell the night before on his way home from work & he grabbed a handful of those little sauce packets to bring home because the kids love it on their tacos! Anyway, Michael found them in the frige the next morning & was tickled to death. He dumped them all out on the table & began to sort them into piles...mild, hot, fire....(sorting/classifying going on here). Then he counted each pile...27 mild, 27 hot & 20 fire (comparison). I heard this & decided to seize the moment & run with it....I asked him if he could figure how many we had altogether....after all, that is what we've been working on...adding 3 numbers together. His first response was that he'd dump them all out again & count them ALL. I told him NO, that we could just write down 27+27+20 & figure out the total. Well, he looked at me & said we have 74..... I asked him HOW he figured that up so fast (I'm still over here counting on my fingers)....he says 3 20s is 60 & 2 7s is 14 & that makes 74! Not exactly how 'I' was figuring it (27+27+20) but anyway.... ;-) One of those cool math lessons that he didn't even realize he had just had. I love it!!

More...

And a few more!! I'm on a roll this afternoon, huh?!

More Reunion pictures

OK, as promised...some more reunion pictures!

Jackolantern

This was yesterday's challenge...a product challenge...we had to use the Cosmo Cricket line of papers (the dots & stripes.) Anyway, I ran across this 'Way Back' picture of Chris & Ashley....from 1996. Aren't they cute?
Been having fits trying to get my pics/LOs to upload here, so praying that this goes through!! If I can get the hang of this I will post some more of my reunion pictures that I've scrapped. Need to go get busy now.......later.

A Little Piece of Paradise

My most recent 'creation'.....done for a challenge on Lifetime Moments....Scraptoberfest....where there's a new challenge posted each day for the month of October. Today's was a sketch challenge & this is what I came up with. I went with Clay down to the pond one evening after supper just a few weeks ago. He goes down there to feed the goldfish & the catfish. I made sure to take my camera with me this time....just wish I had grabbed the zoom lens...tried to capture that old catfish as he rolled the water trying to gobble up all the food (the top three pics). Anyway...it was such a pretty evening & I enjoyed snapping away.

Reunion pics.....

Testing 1,2,3.....testing..... OK...looks like I did it! Yay! Now, I can use this space to share my pictures, layouts/scrapping creations & any other of 'Life's Little Treasures' with my family & friends. Hopefully this will be easier than sending around seperate emails & links & what-not.