It's that time of year......

 

Yep, it's that time of year again. Clay & Michael have been going to get fire wood most everyday that Clay is off.

Their goal is to get as much as they can out of the woods & then they can deal with the splitting & stacking as they have spare time. Opening day of bow season is next Saturday & they've got Buck Fever now.

This past weekend, Clay & Michael went to yet another Sportsman's Show in South Hampton, VA so Michael could show is big buck from last fall. He won several different awards. Two big plaques, two smaller ones & several certificates that we will get framed.

He won first place in the Eastern division  for Muzzle loader & he got second in the whole state for Muzzle loader. We are SO proud of him!!

While Clay & Michael were gone this weekend & Chris was at work, Alli & I enjoyed some quiet girly time. I spread my quilt out & enjoyed me some Hooky time in the warm sunshine. I started working on Anna's owl hat that I'm making her for Christmas.

After doing some cleaning today, I went back outside......just can not get enough of this awesome fall weather......& spent some more time working on the owl hat.

While I was sitting on the swing crocheting, I happened to glance up & I thought how pretty & 'happy' my clothesline looked with all the colorful hookiness hanging to dry.

And here we go.....ALMOST a 'Ta-dah' post....I still have to add tassles & few other little details & my 'Olivia Owl' hat will be finished.

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Counting My Blessings---
* The smell of clean clothes fresh off the line * Our firewood pile is growing * Jon took his OT exam this morning & feels like he did really well * Ashley took her math exam & passed----they are both so ready for Fall Break! * Slow-paced weekend * catching up on laundry * watching Monk * Michael's awards for his big buck!! We are so very proud * Mocking bird singing out on the grapevine post * dusting done * kitchen floor mopped *

Crochet Goodness

I got a wild hair the other day to organize all my printed/freebie crochet patterns so they'd all be in one place & easier to find. I had NO idea just how many patterns I had accumulated.

So, here they are....all nicely organized in a binder with divider tabs to help categorize things. I have patterns for hats, cowls/scarves, dishcloths, blankets/afghans, etc.

Here, I'm working on Christmas presents. This is the beginning of a Star Wars hat...Boba Fett, to be more specific. Mr. Daniel is really into Star Wars right now & I showed him several patterns to see which he liked best & this is the one he chose.

Hot pad

disch cloth & hot pad set

I came across this star pattern back in the summer...done in red/white/blue for the 4th of July & thought how nifty it would be to save & do in reds/greens/golds,etc & give for Christmas gifts. So, here is the first of my Christmas Star disch cloths.....along with Frederick's tail in the picture.

And here is the finished Boba Fett hat. I'm pretty pleased with how it turend out. I did have to do a little tinkering with the pattern as I didn't think it was very clearly written. Who knows....maybe my brain just wasn't getting it, but anyway.

Close up of the antenna.

And a few more little details on the other side. Sure hope he likes this!!

Woodshop

Our unschooling has involved alot of wood working these past few days. We've been having trouble with something getting into our chicken pen/house & getting our chickens. We thought it was a weasel, but come to find out, after a little night surveillance, we have an awful lot of possums around here at night.

So, while Clay & Michael worked on repairing the chicken building, we'd let the ladies be free-range during the day & we'd put them up in the smaller pen at night.

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The last couple of days, I've worked on a few dishcloths, pot holders to build up my stash.....so I'll be ready for Christmas gift-giving.

Here's the dishcloth I made......

...and the matching pot holder.

Makes a nifty little set, doesn't it?!

I really do enjoy having the chickens out & about in the yard. Here you see Teensy & Weensy (remember that 'I Love Lucy' episode?)  along with Gibbs the cat. Funny how they all get along together. It's so funny to call 'Here kitty, kitty' or 'Here chick, chick, chick' & to see them ALL come running. ;-)

Taylor Swift RED concert

God certainly did bless our entire evening SO above & beyond! We had safe travels there & back (although on the way home we did see about 10 deer, 1 dead bear, a skunk & a racoon!) We had a quick & easy supper at McDonald's there at Barracks Road, super close parking (literally just across the street from the side door we went in)because we had a pre-paid parking pass....SO worth it! Hardly any line to wait in & the security check was a breeze. But THE BEST part of the evening came a little bit later.

 

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 The girls had their two seats together & we got them situated & then went to find our seats directly across the arena from them. We could see them & we each had cell phones & plans to meet up after the concert, so all was well. And then we got a call from Alli.....it was really loud & Ella was having a hard time hearing her, but she could tell she was crying......I mean REALLY sobbing & we kind of freaked for a minute. But Ella thought she heard her say something about the Front Row. So, she slipped out to try & check on the girls & find out what was going on. Come to find out, Taylor Swift's mom had come up to them....tapped Alli on the shoulder & asked if they were having a good time & did they think they'd have a better time if they came with her & sat down on the FRONT ROW!!

 

When Ella found them, she could see that Alli was just a sobbing mess, but Cori was smiling. 'Mama Swift' had chosen 14 girls from around this arena of 13,000 people to come with her & sit down on the floor....& our two girls were literally on the floor, front & center....not 2 feet away from the stage! And I love that the first response out of Alli's mouth was, 'Thank you, Jesus!' At one point, Taylor even leaned down & held Alli's hand! What a memory.

 

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Before the concert, as we were walking around.....looking at all the tour buses & the 10+ tractor trailers, Ella was telling me how for the past several nights when she'd say bedtime prayers with Tay that they prayed that the girls might get a chance to meet Taylor/go back stage/Club Red, etc......& I responded that when two of us agree together in prayer....& we both just kind of spoke a quick prayer out loud as we walked on to our seats......What an amazing lesson to our kids about prayer! It was a night I know that the girls will remember for the rest of their lives!

 

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Decorating the van

We had a couple of 'Swifty' fans honk at us along the way.

Just look at all those tractor trailers.....we counted at least 10 of them!

These were Alli & Cori's seats to start with.......

.....and this is where they ended up!

Could it get any better than this?

Alli's hand & Taylor saying, 'I love you guys!'

The end



Happy Birthday, Ashley-Girl!

We had an amazing night at Campus Church this past Wednesday night......where they had a record number of students baptized! You can read about it HERE.

So proud that my Jon-Boy was one of them! 'Buried with Him in baptism, raised to walk in newness of life.'

 

We were all there to celebrate with Jon.....even Maw, Sarah & family & Ella with Dillon & Cori. Clay stayed home with Alli since she wasn't feeling well....but they still were able to watch it live....streaming on Clay's phone.

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As noted in my title.....today is my Ashley-Girl's 20th birthday! So hard to believe......her teen years are behind her & now begins a new chapter in her young adult life. I'm getting all teared up just trying to type this morning. Words cannot begin to describe our love for her & how proud we are of the way she lives her life. She is one beautiful, godly woman.....inside & out! We celebrated together yesterday at Maw's house after church.

 

Church was awesome yesterday too.....as we got to hear from David Ring. 'I am Blessed!'  And I am truly blessed with the most wonderful family & friends a person could ask for!!

 

 

Alli & Cori

Brendan, Ashley & Emily

Miss Taylor

Daniel, Jesse & Chris

Dillon, Jon & Michael

'Happy Birthday to you, my sweet baby girl!'

And we sang Happy Birthday to Taylor too....her birthday is Wednesday & she'll be 7 years old.

Everyone was teasing about how much taller Brendan is than Ashley & next thing I know, he's down on his knees over in the corner. It was too funny!

Taylor is really into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles right now. That was the theme of her BD party on Saturday. So in honor of the turtles....I made her a Raphael hat. ;-)

Awesome job of wrapping, Emily!!

Emily painted Ashley this cool picuture of Edgar Allan Poe. The background was even stained with COFFEE....how appropriate is that?!

Opening her gift from Brendan.......

Just look at that face!

Poor Brendan....nothing like having an audience & everyone trying to take pictures too.

Love these next few pictures!

My very favoritest of the day, I think!!

The beautiful birthday girl!

Just chillin' in the living room after some of the commotion had setteld down.

 

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Alli drew this picture for Taylor for her birthday....since Ariel is her favorite princess.

And a close-up view of the finished Ninja Turtle hat.

 

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'I am Blessed!'

 

* Met all my appointments/deadlines on Friday * Michael did yard work for Clay's buddy at work who had hurt his knee * Getting to have lunch & hang out with just Michael on Friday afternoon * Quick visit with Ella & Melanie * Hearing David Ring at church yesterday morning * Having EVERYONE together at Maw's house yesterday to celebrate Ashley's BD.....I love my family!! *