To the hunt

Looking.....

Looking....

YES!

Momma don't allow

We had Elizabeth and Adelaide here Tuesday and Wednesday night so momma could get ready for Thanksgiving. Immediately when they walked in the door they climbed up on the dining room table and started to decorate this tree I keep on the table. My most fragile ornaments are on this tree but anybody could see there was no stopping them. Little did I know the top of the table was going to be their play place for the whole time they were here. I kept thinking what their momma would say if she knew.

Grandpa and Elizabeth are negotiating how many candy canes a person can eat in one day before their left ear falls off. As you can see, Adelaide didn't care what they decided on. She was enjoying hers and the view out the window.

They hardly left the top of that table. At one point I said, "You know, I don't think Mommy would believe you were walking around on top of my dining room table." Elizabeth said, "Well, Grandma, there ARE a lot of footprints up here."

For everything there is a season

Where does the time go? Wasn't it just last week I was taking pictures of my mom's magnolia tree in bloom? Now, Thursday is Thanksgiving Day and I'm just not mentally ready. Time is spending itself faster and faster.
One of the fourth grades had their Thanksgiving feast for lunch today - parents bring a cooked turkey and all of the trimmings. During recess we staff graze on the leftovers. How can I be eating a turkey sandwich and buttermilk pie right now? How can we be this far into "the season" so soon?
When things happens this fast it's hard to get into the groove and not just feel like the holiday to-do list isn't simply a bunch of chores to be ticked off a list.
People wonder how other people can possibly be "thinking" of Christmas so soon. I hear it all the time, people think shopping early, baking and freezing weeks ahead is spoiling the season. Well, hey, if I didn't start early nothing would happen because before I know it, the holiday would be done and I'd be wondering when it's supposed to start.

Hatching

It's been a really hard two weeks and the only thing that kept me sane was grabbing a few minutes on an occasional evening and sitting on some eggs. Now, they've hatched:

My blanket stitch needs work, but these little birdies charged my batteries this week. I felt like I needed to have my charger plugged into the wall for a few days but was only given a few hours here or there. It was a fun peaceful project and I'm going to sort buttons right now so I can attach a ribbon for hanging.

WWI Flying Ace

Our Charlie is very into airplanes.I read the story of Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin a few weeks ago and he saw Snoopy on the top of his doghouse decked out in the WWI flying ace helmet and goggles he grabbed my arm and said, "GRANDMA!!" I said, "WHAT?" He pointed to Snoopy and said, "I have to have that!!" meaning the helmet and goggles.
Well, what's a grandma to do?

So, for his 6th birthday we got the helmet, a genuine, soft leather helmet, lined with fleece for winter wear and the goggles. He loved it, wore it all day. Isn't he the cutest little guy?

This is our dollycake, Cecilia - we call her Ceci. I have a heck of a time getting good pictures of her because she's such a busy little girl. But she discovered the baby in the camera after I took a couple of shots and for this one, she stood still. She is the image of her daddy. Take it from me.

We have a couple of ancient pear trees next to the mailbox and in the morning we often see the neighborhood deer having breakfast. This isn't too far from the front door. It's almost hunting season and they're on the run so driving can be difficult. Lots of car/deer accidents in Michigan. I think we top the list. But we do love watching them as they come into the yard to eat the pears and apples from the trees. I don't love that they discovered the hostas, though.

Halloween fun

Halloween fun! Elizabeth was Rapunzel. You can barely see behind her purple socked feet that she has a very long yellow yarn ponytail she had to carry like a bridal veil. Adelaide was an "itch" (read: witch) minus the hat, the part that scared her. Actually, she did quite well, she loved the part where you went to someone's front door and came away with M & Ms but she didn't like the scary masked trick or treaters and had to have Daddy's protection some of the time.
Daddy commented at one point that trick or treating with girls was very different than with guys. Girls have to stop at every house and chat while the boys are out for sheer speed and volume.

This is what M & Ms do to your smile.

Elizabeth and daddy counting and surveying the loot. Lots of candy for little girls. Elizabeth was jabbering away up in bed long after Mommy, Daddy and Grandma turned out the lights and went to bed.

I finished the secret project but can't talk about it yet. I'm excited, it turned out very nice and I'm onto new ideas because of it. But for the next couple of weeks I'll be busy with my job so won't get much sewing done. Sometimes I just have to pick up a good book and let the sewing go.