Purty Punkins...

As if I needed another reason to buy more pumpkins and purty them up, here's what I found at Melissa's blog, "The R Family Diaries":Aren't they just the cutest? And so easy! All you need is a pumpkin, ribbon, and our dear old friend, Hot Glue Gun. Check it out the directions here.

Twenty Things I Love About Fall...

No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace

As I have seen in one Autumnal face.

--John Donne

The other day, Melissa over at The Inspired Room posted her favorite things about Fall. It got me thinking. Fall has always been my favorite season. Hot, sticky weather and I have never gotten along very well, so I love the cool, crisp weather that autumn brings. Not to mention the beautiful fall decor and, of course, Halloween candy!

Melissa has invited all of us to share our favorite things about the season and to share it with everyone over at her blog. Here's my list:

Twenty things I love about Fall

crisp leaves under my foot
red, gold, and orange
cool evenings around the fire pit
apple picking
jack o’lantern carving
Yankee Candle Harvest candle (oh yeah)
sweater weather
trick or treaters
candy corn
scarecrows and foddershocks
Derek’ chili
the end of allergy season!
picking pumpkins at the pumpkin patch
my birthday!
apple pie, apple turnovers, apple cider…
Mom’s homemade soup
caramel apples
sweet potato casserole
funnel cakes at the Daniel Boone Festival
hayrides

Be sure to visit Melissa and share your own list!

Remembering a Ragamuffin...

I'm taking a well-deserved day off today. I have been having some trouble with my back the past few days, so I decided to stay home and let it rest rather than chasing children around all day. Since I had some extra time on my hands, I dug out my MP3 player and settled down with the laptop. I was listening to my favorite Christian artist, Rich Mullins, thoroughly enjoying some music I haven't listened to in ages, when I googled him and found my way to a website run by Rich's brother and sister-in-law. As I read, I realized that today was the 11th anniversary of Rich Mullins' death. How strange that after so long, the day that I pull out my Rich Mullins' music is the date of his passing.

In memory in a man who had a truly God-given gift of words and music...

And this one just for fun...

Copycat...

So while I was perusing Blanca's blog I found a picture of those beautiful blue canning jars that she has on her kitchen table and that are full of silverware. And even though I don't have any of the blue jars, I was lucky enough to have a box of canning jars up on the top shelf of the garage (I knew they'd come in handy for something!). I got them down and got busy. See, I'd been looking for something to replace the plain white crock that held all of our cooking utensils. It didn't really look bad, but it wasn't all that fabulous either. And when I saw Blanca's jars, a light bulb went on in my head. Here's what I came up with:

I separated the utensils by plastic, wood, and metal and gave each group its own jar. I tied some gingham ribbon around the mouth (I think I need some wider ribbon, though) and added an "S" for our last name on the front jar. I didn't have a basket to put them in (I love Blanca's wire one!), so I'll be on the lookout for one the next time I go thrifting. Thanks for the idea Blanca!

A Sea of Blue...

Last Saturday, I got to experience my very first University of Kentucky football game (go Cats!). Derek and I got tickets from his boss and rode up with another man Derek works with and his wife. Now, I'd been to a UK basketball game years ago, but quickly found that this was a totally different experience.

I knew that many people tailgate before the games, but I sure didn't expect what I saw in the fields surrounding Commonwealth Stadium. When we rounded the corner on Alumni Drive, I saw what first appeared to be an enormous gypsy camp, except they were all wearing blue and were flying UK flags over their campers and RVs. I've never seen anything like it! Unfortunately, thanks to the horrible traffic, we were too late to partake in the tailgating festivities.

On the good side, we lucked out and had excellent seats. They were in a higher section than we initially thought they'd be, but we could see everything. The weather was perfect and the Cats ended up winning, 38-3. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday evening!

We will never forget...

Guilty as charged...

Ever have one of those moments when you're just minding your own business, thinking that you're looking pretty good, then notice that your skirt is tucked up into your pantyhose? After you've already left the house and been seen by about a hundred people? That's sort of how it was for me when I read this post about fake flowers by the Nester. I realized that all the fake greenery that I thought was making my house pretty was actually the modern equivalent of velvet wallpaper. The good news is that I've realized the error of my ways and have committed to change. I even threw out the three bunches of ivy that I had up on my kitchen cabinets (I'm still trying to get used to it being so empty!). Change takes time, though. If you look really closely around my home, you'll still see some pockets of resistance.

Exhibit A: the piano. I actually still like the greenery in the pot on the right, but the one on the left is admittedly horrible. I wanted to put out my urn but didn't have anything to put in it and still haven't been anywhere to get something. So we'll have to live with it for a few more days.

Exhibit B: the TV table. Okay, I know we were supposed to get rid of all this ivy, but this one really does serve a purpose. When we had our plasma installed and wired for satellite, the satellite guy (under Derek's direction) fed the cables through the wall and back out so they could be hooked up to the receiver and surround sound. However, we overestimated the height of the unassembled table we'd gotten to go under the TV and were left with a visable hole with protruding wires. To hide it, I got out this basket and stuffed it with ivy. Voila! Problem solved!

Until I find something that looks good and hides the wires, this puppy's staying.

Do you have any fakes that you need to set free? Put on your dancing shoes and waltz on over to the Nester's P.O.O.P.I.E. Party (People Opposing Objectionable Pretend plants In the Environment). Be sure to check out everyone's links to their far-from-fabulous fakes and if you're so inclined, share some of your own!

5 Things...

Christy at Between Here and Home shared this Meme with her readers and I thought I’d give it a try…

5 things under $5 I couldn't live without...
1.) Strawberry slushes from Sonic
2.) Chicken McNuggets with sweet and sour sauce.
3.) Olay face wash
4.) toenail polish
5.) Diet Mountain Dew

5 favorite movies...
1.) Father of the Bride (the Spencer Tracy/Elizabeth Taylor version)
2.) Christmas in Connecticut
3.) Pillow Talk
4.) The Sound of Music
5.) Pride and Prejudice

5 baby names I love...
1.) Elizabeth
2.) Andrew
3.) Emma
4.) Chloe
5.) Matthew

5 songs I love...
1) Fingerprints of God (Steven Curtis Chapman)
2) Shout to the Lord (Darlene Zschech)
3) Jesus Loves Me
4) Greatest Story Ever Told (Avalon)
5) The Glory (Avalon)

5 life changing moments...
1) The day I accepted Jesus Christ.
2) Getting married to Derek.
3) Becoming a mother.
4) Getting my first teaching job.
5) The day I decided which college to go to and which NOT to go to

5 current obsessions...
1) blogging
2) decorating my house
3) bargain shopping and thrifting
4) savoring time with my family
5) replacing our old, worn out carpet

5 places I want to go...
1) Great Britain
2) Mackinac Island, MI
3) The Holy Land
4) Paris
5) New England

5 appliances or kitchen tools I could not live without...
1) My KitchenAid mixer
2) dishwasher
3) rubber “spoon-ula”
4) cake decorating kit
5) our Cooks’s Essentials hard anodized chicken fryer

Dressed for Fall...

"Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower." -Albert Camus



Even though the temperature hovered around 90 degrees here today and will be in the 80's at least for the next week, I am getting a serious case of Autumn fever. However, I seem to have broken out at a good time. It's Fall Nesting Week over at The Inspired Room! Melissa even has Mr. Linky going so we can all share how we are getting ready for fall.


Now, even though I am completely ready for 65 degree temperatures, cardigan sweaters, bonfires, and changing leaves, my house isn't quite ready yet. This is what I have so far:

I know. Overwhelming, isn't it? But its a start. I think this year I'll get an autumn wreath for the front door, and of course, a scarecrow for the front porch (Big Lots has some really cute ones for only $6). I'd also love to make one of those pumpkin topiaries. Something like this:

Not my house, by the way. Although I wish my entryway were this pretty! And I'm still wishing I could paint my door!

Be sure to stop by The Inspired Room and check out all the fall inspiration (and maybe even leave some of your own!)

Calgon, take me away...

Ever have one of those days when you just want to crawl under the covers and hide? Yesterday was one of those days. NOT a good day at school. So bad that if someone offered me a job at just about anywhere else yesterday, I would have seriously considered it. And to top it off, Derek and I didn't seem to jive too well either. Let's just say there was a serious disturbance in the force. One even Obi Wan Kenobi would run from. So what's a girl to do? Go shopping, of course! And I did find a few nice things. Not a big haul, but just enough retail therapy that I am feeling much better (I think I can even face my students Tuesday!).

I knew before I left home that I wanted to look for something for the flowers in the master bathroom. They had been in a crystal bowl that we've had for, well, since we married 10 years ago (it held a bouquet on the guest book table at our wedding). Its pretty, but being crystal, doesn't hide the fake flower stems very well. I found this urn at Goodwill for $2.50:

Later I went over to the Dollar Tree. I was searching for those little Ballard-like pumpkins that Susie over at Bienvenue... found at her DT. I'd looked at the Dollar Tree in my town last week with no luck, but today I found them at the store in the next town over. They'll look great when I get my autumn decorations out.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a thing at Vendor's Mall. I was looking for a small table for the corner of the dining room (found one that would be perfect, but apparently it wasn't for sale-it was their display table) and for a dining room-type chair for next to the piano. I found a few chairs, but they cost way more than I want to spend. I'll keep looking though. I know the right chair and the right table is out there somewhere!

A thrifting we will go...

I had a pretty good day thrifting this afternoon. While Derek kept the kids at home, I got out for some "mommy time" on my own. My first stop (which is also my new favorite place) was Vendor's Mall. You never know what you'll find at VM! This time, I found this footed milkglass bowl for only $3. It now sits on my bathroom vanity and holds our contact lens cases.

My next stop was the Dollar Tree. I went in search of these pumpkins that Susie over at Bienvenue found at the DT in her neighborhood. The only ones I found at my store were styrofoam. Oh, before you start to feel sorry for me, look what else I found to console myself..
this easel for one of my favorite pictures of the kids:

and this candleholder and candle that sits next to my newest rooster plate.

I got the rooster plate last month at the Bread of Life Cafe in Liberty, Kentucky. We went again yesterday and I picked up this one:

Liberty, Kentucky is situated in some of the most beautiful country about an hour away from us. There is a rather sizeable Amish and Mennonite community there, and we love to shop at a few of their shoppes. This time, we went to Sunny Valley general store, Zimmerman's cheese shop, and an Amish roadside produce stand. We're planning on going back in a couple of weeks, and hopefully we'll bring back some of their beautiful mums, ready for Fall planting.

Blessings...

" These are the children God has given me. God has been good."

Genesis 33:5

Party Time...

Have you heard? There’s a party going on over at the Nester’s place! We’re all joining in to share how we’ve mistreated our windows. A “mistreatment”, in case you don’t know, is an cheap and easy way to dress a window without sewing, measuring, or spending a fortune. As I thought back to my single days, I realized that I’ve been mistreating for years. You can’t imagine how many pairs of curtains and drapes I’ve made out of bed sheets! Even though most of the curtains in my home are actual store-bought curtains, I do have one sort-of mistreatment in Gaven’s room.

These curtains were bought several years ago for the French doors in our dining room. They served us well, but I eventually got tired of them and put them away in the linen closet. When we took Gaven’s crib down, down came the valance that matched his bedding. I went shopping at home and found these:They fit the window perfectly, but the tiebacks were a problem. A couple of the rings were broken and I couldn’t find any cuphooks. So here’s my solution (sorry for not so clear pictures):
The back may not be pretty, but it works!

Breakfast of champions...

For some odd reason, unbeknownst to me, I've been cooking a lot more than usual. Now, normally, I don't enjoy cooking that much. I do like to bake, but everyday cooking is more Derek's thing than mine (he's a great cook!). But this week, I've found myself in the kitchen making things like fried chicken and lasagna. My husband has been especially pleased by this sudden turn of events, although it isn't sure to last, since Monday marks the beginning of school and the end of my summer vacation.

This morning I awoke to discover that we were not only out of all three cereals, but we also had no cinnamon rolls in the fridge either. What is a girl to do? Then the idea hit me...I could make biscuits and gravy. Now, I know some of you out there are are healthy, organic, no fried/processed/laden-with-fat eaters. In that case you're sure to be disappointed with my breakfast choice this morning. However, for me, it isn't just that I really love biscuits and gravy, its that it brings up fond childhood memories.

My grandmother used to make biscuits and gravy for us when we'd come to Kentucky for a visit every summer (we lived in Michigan at the time). I remember tearing each biscuit into little bite sized pieces and smothering it in her sausage gravy. Mmmmm. Imagine my delight when local restaurants started serving b & g, the local Dairy Queen being my favorite. Whenever Derek says he's going to get us breakfast on Saturday mornings, I always hope for DQ.

A few years ago, my mom found something in the store that would change my breakfast-making life forever:
There it is. The mix that DQ uses for their heavenly gravy. And now it can be mine. Whenever I want, even if I sleep past 10:30 (like that ever happens).

So this morning, when a bit of domesticity overtook me, I found myself in the kitchen, pulling out the baking mix and heating up the oven. I actually made biscuits from semi-scratch. Well, at least they didn't come out of a can or were frozen. Here's proof:


Look how pretty they turned out...
Now this is a matter of some excitement for me, since my biscuits usually turn out like rocks.
And here's the finished product...come to mama...

Totally not low-fat, totally not low-carb, and not even close to organic. But totally yummy!