Happy Thanksgiving!

Chats

1. If you are celebrating Thanksgiving, what are you looking most forward to on Thursday?
The chocolate pie, and spending time with family. We'll probably play cards after cleaning up from dinner but I think KU is playing so not sure how that will work out for the KU crazies in our family.
 2. My favorite Thanksgiving dish is___________.
I have more then one favorite dish--- I love the apple salad I make, it's one my mom use to make. I also love stuffing, I need to make a gluten free one but I haven't yet.
3. Do you ever go through periods of time when you're hooked on one specific food?
Not really
4.What's the best stuffing for a turkey?
I tried many different ones but I just use day old bread from Panera (or whatever I have on hand) pour chicken broth with seasonings and spices over my bread let it dry and then make my stuffing adding sauteed celery and onions and everything else.
5.When you were a child were you ever in a Thanksgiving play, pageant, mock pilgrim dinner or anything else to different to celebrate?
Never in a play or pageant but we always had a fun time making Thanksgiving crafts and learning about Thanksgiving.  I remember a Brady Bunch sow that did a Thanksgiving play and other movies where they also do something  for Thanksgiving.

These are all the chats I've missed from having computer problems.

1. Do you have any special plans for this week?
Enjoying Thanksgiving with family, making ornaments and working on other Christmas presents.
2.What is the most relaxing thing you do?
Read, sew (as long as I'm not ripping stitches)
3. Have you ever worn a wig? (play, dress-up or for real)
No
4.Do you have an office or a special place to use your computer?
We have a breakfast nook, that also has my sewing stuff, I need to figure out a way to make the room more workable.
5.What are your favorite kind of socks?
 Wool-- I love my wool socks!

1. Have you ever gotten a pet from a rescue?
No- we always have stray cats show up at our door
2.What pumpkin goodies have you had this fall?
Chocolate chip pumpkin oatmeal cookies
3.What are the best and worst rooms in your house?
Good question- no answer
4. If you could have a real"brick and mortar" type business, what would it be?
I would love to have a primitive store, with wonderful smells filled with all sorts of prim goodies and a work room for people to try their hand at making their own. I also think a coffee store would be fun with room for groups to meet and hangout.
5.What's your favorite tropical fruit?
None are my favorite--I'll eat fresh pineapple.


1.Would you rather sit in front of a  fireplace with a roaring fire, bubble bath or spend free time on the computer?
If I could combine them it would be a roaring fire on the computer or reading.
2.Milk chocolate or dark chocolate?
Dark chocolate and if there is none milk chocolate
3. Have you ever tried a recipe from a blog or Pinterest?
Yes all the time! I've found some I really like and also some duds.
4. Do you have a guest room? If not, do you have a spare room that use other than a bedroom( sewing room, office, craft room, etc)
No guest room or spare room
5. Is your hair curly, straight or somewhere in between?
straight

Pinned It, Made It! Monday

Photo courtesy of Do It Yourself.

Amy wanted a broom and I remembered seeing a couple of witches brooms on Pinterest. So I headed to the back yard and found some branches and grabbed a longer one for the handle and with some jute I had this one made in no time. My child wan't as impressed with it as other people were. She tied a Halloween contest at the library because of her broom.




Photo courtesy of Fishstick Designs

I've had trick or treat bags on my list of things to make for years. I thought I would really like this one. After reading and taking this bag apart three times I finally got it right. This one was a present for a friend of Amy's, for her birthday.  I never pay attention to the size and thought it was going to be bigger.
 Someday I'll learn. :-)
I've had computer problems so that's why I'm posting this Halloween Pinned It, Made It! now.

25th Anniversary--Catch up

Monday the 21st was our 25th Anniversary. This picture is when we first started dating, I'm 19 and Jim is 21, so it's been 30 years total for us..

Pinned it Made It! Monday/Tuesday

I was inspired by this post and pumpkin picture.

Photo from Primitive Life In An English Cottage

I also made these for a swap the same one the harvest sign from last week was included in. I still like the above ones better--I forgot to go back and compare them till now. The stitching might have been glued, I forgot to add a safety pin or anything around the stem.

I still want to make a few for myself.

I'm linking up with Tammy at Country Girl at Home!

Chats

I'm linking up with Patrice at Everyday Ruralty.


Questions

1. How many animals do you have?
Too many cats! :-)
2.Have you begun Christmas plans, travel, decorations, crafts, menus, etc?
I've been thinking about Christmas crafts and gifts
3.Do you celebrate harvest season or Halloween?
Both
4. How do you heat your house?
We have a gas furnace, but I'd love to get a wood burning stove and or solar panels.
5.Do you like dishes with white centers or centers with patterns?
I have solid color dishes, but never thought about which I like better.


     Pinned from Pinterest

Pinned It, Made It! Monday

Picture from  DIY Network
I've been wanting to try my hand at sign making, I love this big JOY sign I pinned, this post shows you how to make it, I definitely want to make this soon. I was working on a much smaller piece of wood, here is my smaller version for a swap I made.

I bought these little wooden pieces in a package from JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby a few years ago. I painted it black and then I used duct tape for the letters I cut and ripped, I of course didn't go for perfect or measured any of it . Once the tape was on I used red craft paint that needed to be thrown away, I wiped what I could off and painted over it with the orange.  Once it dried I peeled the tape off and wiped on brown. The red ended up showing through, I liked the finished sign. 

    

  

I'm linking up with Tammy at Country Girl at Home.

Chats

I'm linking up with Patrice at Everyday Ruralty.


Questions

1.Are you doing any crafts or DYI projects now?
I've pulled out four Halloween wall hangings I made years ago, I need to bind them.

2.If I could snap my fingers I would make_____for dinner?
Grilled steak, green beans, baked potatoes, sauteed mushrooms

3.What author would you like to have lunch with? (It doesn't have to be someone alive now. We could use a time machine or something.
Jane Austen

4.I wanted to tell all you folks at chats______________.
Hi, thanks for checking out my blog.

5.__________________has been on my mind a lot lately.
Christmas

Chats

I'm linking up with Patrice at Everyday Ruralty.

Questions

1. When you pass the salt, do you automatically send the pepper with it?
I don't because I never want the salt, just pass me the pepper. My daughter, Kaitlyn said that you are suppose to pass both if asked for one.

2. How many fingers do you usually type with?
all of them

3.Do you keep interesting coins when you run across them?
I do-- I use to run across them more often, when I worked at a bank.

4. Did you enjoy September, or did it fly by quickly?
Wow --where did September go??? I think I enjoyed a few days but it sure passed fast.

5.If I could__________, I'd get more done everyday?
Stay off the computer!

Harvest Gathering Swap

 Amy from Bumble Bee Lane hosted the Harvest Gathering Swap, she was also my swap partner. I received my swap goodies last week from her and finally uploaded the pictures.

She sent this sweet pumpkin man

     this apron, I need since I'm always making a mess.

                  These cute sunflowers

                  the spider and kitty are extra cute

Amy also included a pumpkin candle and tart, notepad and fall towel. Thank you so much Amy, it was a fun swap and I love all the goodies.

Lil' Leader

            2nd and 3rd grade Lil Leaders

Amy had a fun time cheering at the Friday night Bears game. It was a beautiful night and wonderful weather. I don't know how the big cheerleaders made it through the night in their hoodies.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Here are some flashback pictures of Kaitlyn and Jaime five years ago. Kaitlyn was a senior and wanted Jaime to do little leaders, she finally talked her in to it. Jaime wanted nothing to do with cheer leading but she agreed to one night with Kaitlyn.





Children grow up so fast.

Chats

I'm linking up with Patrice at Everyday Ruralty.

Questions

1. How well do you handle change?
It depends on what it is and what day it is!! :-)  Some things I let roll, others take a little while to adjust too.
2. What did you have for breakfast this morning?
2 Tablespoons PB, coconut oil and a squirt of honey
3. What's your favorite kind of nut?
Cashew, pecan, almond, walnut, peanut, macadamia--- in that order. I love nuts! Baking--pecan is my fave
4.Do you have a pumpkin in your house or yard?
Real? No real ones yet but I have fake ones that need to be brought out for fall decorating
5.Would you like it if I changed the format of these chats? What do you think would be good? Would you enjoy fill in the blanks, one big topic to discuss or something else? 
Fill in the blanks would be good once in awhile.

Pinned It, Made It! Monday

Is it cheating if you pinned it from your own blog?????  I think not. This wonderful recipe was shared on a local attachment parenting board I joined eight years ago. When I first read the recipe I was like --I don't think pumpkin and chocolate chips would tasted good together---but I was at a gathering and someone brought these wonderful wonderful cookies, did I say wonderful?? :-)  I couldn't stop eating them.


Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 
2 cups flour -- I add another 1/2 cup -- 
1 cup quick oats--- I add 1/2 cup more and make sure the batter is thick
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup raisins opt
1 cup nuts (any kind) opt

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Cream butter, gradually add sugars, beating untill light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mix well. Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin, mixing well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips, raisins, nuts. For each cookie, drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15 min.. 

I overmeasure all the dry stuff except for sugar. I left out the nuts and raisins and added extra chocolate. 

Wonderful cookies.
***********The last time I made these, they went flat so I made them again and added (I posted the extra with the recipe)  1/4 to 1/2 more  flour and 1/2 cup more oatmeal. I stirred and they looked thick so I was hoping for the best. I was also out of eggs and  used 3 Tb of applesauce and 1 tsp baking powder.   They came out perfect!!!!

I need to try again with a gluten-free baking mix, it failed once just need to try it again.   

I love Autumn!!

All pictures pinned from Pinterest

I love fall---this last picture I love so much--it's like you can feel the cool crisp air-- Autumn smells in the air.
Happy Fall everybody!!!

Birthday catch up--

Last week Jaime turned 13 on September 12


My little baby --- is getting big. Her dad took her to see Iron Maiden (glad it wasn't me).




and Kaitlyn turned 22 on the 13th.
 
She was born on Friday the 13th and celebrated her 22nd birthday on Friday the 13th. She's the one in the purple K-State top.

A saying I heard last week-- The days are long but the years fly by. That is so true... brings tears to my eyes.

Chats

I'm linking up with Patrice at Everyday Ruralty.

Questions

1. What is the one thing you feel is the biggest waste of your time during the average week?

The computer, hands down, but lately I feel I haven't been able to spend as much time as I use to and feel behind?? Crazy :-) 

2.When was the last time you baked a pie?

In February-- I made a wonderful chocolate pie, how do I remember?? I blogged about it. 

3. What do you want to spend more time doing that you aren't right now?

Making things I pinned, getting all my genealogy stuff in order and, and I'm sure there is more on that list. 

4.What do you do with old clothes?

It depends if I like the material and it's still good--I'll save it for a future project, otherwise it's headed to the thrift store or if it's kids clothes-- I'll pass it on to a friend.  

5. If you were having lunch on the porch today, what would you bring for the potluck styled lunch?

Today -- let me think---since it's starting to cool down--first up dessert would be chocolate chip pumpkin oatmeal cookies---layered Mexican dip with tortilla chips-----and hamburger soup.

Pin Keep Swap

Wendy over at Ravenwood Whimzies  hosted a pin keep and my partner was Francine of Primitive Stars.

Francine sent this cute prim crow on a sunflower pin keep.

                    She also sent this adorable pumpkin

along with this wonderful smelling candle and some patriotic material. Thanks so much Francine!!!

Chats

I'm linking up with Patrice at Everyday Ruralty.


Questions

1. Did you ever take piano lessons as a child or adult?
Piano is something I always wanted to learn, at my moms house we had an organ with a light up keyboard, I would play around with it and use the lesson books we had. I would someday love to have a piano and take lessons
2. How many times do you eat out a month? Not very often, If I do it's usually lunch with a friend, so I'll say 0-1 times a month. How many times would I like to go out a month?? :-)
3.If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about your appearance, what would that be? (Temporary or permanent)
I think it would be to see the fat in my gut melt away and if I had two snaps I think I would like to never have gray hairs. I wouldn't have to dye it.
4.Do you like looking at art or photography? Do you go to anyplace that displays them?
I like looking at both. Someday I will be able to stroll through museums at my own pace instead of a whirlwind tour chasing after my youngest. Have you ever thought about children drag their feet in places but when you are wanting to look around those feet are moving pretty fast?  Are library usually displays local peoples photography and art.
5.Do you have new things for your fall/winter wardrobe? I don't but if I had a budget for new fall clothes it would include  boots, jeans and fall colored sweaters and shirts. Below are some outfits I've pinned, maybe I'll challenge myself to find similar outfits at the thrift store. I hate the scarves in the top two pictures, I love the boots in all the pictures.


http://www.polyvore.com/perfect_for_casual_weekend/set?id=41598500




http://imgfave.com/view/2634100?r=pin

.pvor

Chats

I'm linking up with Patrice at Everyday Ruralty.

Questions

1. Do you remember your first day of school?
Somewhat-- I remember getting on the wrong bus to come home. I remember the milk cartons in Kindergarten, picking out library books and napping on the mat. 

2. Do you decorate for the different seasons? If so have you decorated for fall yet?
I decorate for most of the seasons. I still have my patriotic stuff up and need to start bringing out my fall stuff.

3.What food do you associate with fall?
Apples, pumpkins, soups,  

4.Do you order books online, buy books in a bookstore, download to a device or frequent the library ? If not interested in books, how do you get your music?
I use the library and read a lot of books and if I decide I can't live without a book, I'll usually go with Amazon. I have a Nook but have not bought a book to read on it, call me old fashion but my favorite way to read a book is to hold a real book.

5. When was the last time you realized you were talking to someone really special?
I consider my family really special, so I'll say everyday.

Pinned It! Haven't made it!

Usually I'm showing you what I made but this week I have nothing, so I thought I'd share a few things I want to make.

I've had these cinnamon pumpkins pinned for awhile.These are so cute and make me think of all things fall and you know they have to smell wonderful!

Photo courtesy of My Country Heart

This brownie looks amazing!

Photo courtesy of Fro the Love of Dessert



Photo courtesy of Craft Quickies

Caramel apples are on my list of must make for fall, I think I also have one with chocolate pinned.

I have a huge list of sewing crafts to make too and that I'll show you another day!

Schlitterbahn Fun

It was Girl Scout Day at Schlitterbahn today, I have never been to a waterpark before, yes I know one has been in KC forever---Oceans of Fun, but my first choice would have been Worlds of Fun.  We had so much fun most of the time, one child went missing but was found going around the Torrent (lazy) River. Don't tell my kids but I want to go back without them. :-)