Thankful

I decided I did not have time to post a daily, "Thankful For" list.  Let's be honest, I can hardly find the time to come and post every couple of weeks.   I do however want to officially post the things that I've been blessed with this year.  I think it's important to recognize your gifts, big and small, and to acknowledge them.

Since there are thirty days in November, I'll put my top thirty blessings here, in particular order...
1. My Children
2. BLT's Love
3. My Parents Still Being Alive
4. Living in A Small Town
5. My Vintage Style Schwinn
6. Generous Landlords
7. Good Teachers
8. An Excellent Lawyer
9. Good Health
10. A Dependable Vehicle
11. Rainy Days
12. My Kindle
13. Ethel
14. Long, Slow Kisses
15. Lazy Sunday's
16. Snow Tires
17. Banana Bread
18. Handmade Gifts
19. A Kitchen with Three Ovens (yep... I'm so lucky!)
20. Being Able to Pay My Bills (even if it's just barely)
21. Faith That Everything Happens For a Reason
22. Good Friends
23. A Diligent G.A.L
24. Smart Children Who Excel in School
25. My Perfect Bed
26. Netflix
27. Wedding Plans Coming Together
28. An Excellent Job
29. Medical Insurance
30. Daisies and Tulips

FALLing in Love!

Oh it's my favorite time of the year!  I love everything about Autumn. 

My birthday is this season, as are three of my four kids!

I love cold misty mornings, and clear afternoons.  I love the colors - my favorite color is red, followed closely by yellow and chocolate brown so Ohh Laa Laa I adore Autumn themed decor.  I have a vast collection of warm fuzzy sweaters I can't wait to dig out.

I love... love... and I repeat love snuggling on the couch on a rainy weekend day with my kids reading books and drinking hot apple cider.  I have a vast number of fuzzy, warm, comfy, and hand made blankets - so there are plenty to go around!

I love the schedule that being back in school provides.  I like hearing how excited they are at the end of the school day to sit around the dinner table and play the "1 thing that I learned today" game. 

My all time favorite holiday is Halloween!  Yes, I am the adult who wears a costume, and I decorate my whole house up! I love everything about handing out treats and taking pictures of the kids in costume. I love the spooky movies on t.v. - but more the cute, cheesy, or just slightly spooky ones. I hate slasher films... yuck!

I love planting mums by my front door, and taking walks in the rain around my little town.

I wait all year long for the Fair to come to town.  We have one of the countries top ten largest (I think we're number 3) state fairs.  It's all about the food, the rides, the shows, the people watching.  The crafts and the animal exhibits.  I like the games you can never win, and the face painting.  I love the vendors and the live music!  I like to go twice - once with the kids to focus on the rides and all the fun stuff they like to do, and then once - as a date night to soak in the unique food, the vendors, and see the fairgrounds bathed in the neon glow of twinkling lights. 

Then there is the baking and Thanksgiving...  two more fantastic reasons to love Autumn.  Really I can't think of a single bad thing.  Sure there is rain - but I live in the Pacific Northwest.... there's always rain!  Sure it gets dark outside sooner, that's just one more reason to stay inside with the kids and play card games!  Sure it's starting to get cold outside,  but that just means more cute sweaters and boots!

So what's your favorite season?  Or your favorite part of Autumn?  Anyone else out there just dying to rake leaves, or am I the only crazy one?

I have faith.

Today I took a long walk.  I mean LONG here people... nearly two hours!! I was talking to Ethel and lost track of time... that happens a lot. We spend quite a bit of time chatting about relationships, men, kids, and life in general. Sometimes we're bitching, some times we're commiserating.  Sometimes we're just being idiots. 

While I was walking I saw a little old couple ahead of me.  They are moving in that slow, leisurely way of people who aren't in any rush to get anywhere in particular.  They are talking, heads bent towards each other, walking in step - a rhythm that they probably aren't even aware of.  He stops and picks a blue bell from out of the rocks, beside the road and he hands it to her.  She actually blushes a little... or maybe it's the cool wind, but I prefer to think that he's responsible for the pink in her cheeks.  She takes the flower in one hand, and his weathered hand in her other.  They continue their walk and she leans her head on his shoulder for a moment. 

It was so sweet.  So pure and lovely.   It gives me faith in love.

Earlier in my walk I came to the end of a long dirt road.  The road ends in a field.  There in the grass is a Momma deer and the tiniest baby deer I've ever seen.  It couldn't yet stand very well... all wobbly legs and knobby knees.  I was too far away to get a decent picture, and I could tell my presence was making Momma Deer very uncomfortable. She was trying to use her body to shield the baby and her ears were flat back against her head.

I decided, rather than linger for my own enjoyment, to leave as quietly as possible back down the road I had taken in.

Once again, so sweet and natural and just lovely.  It gives me faith in renewal and growth.

It's been quite a lovely day all around. 

My favorite Tee

I found this top in a sale bin at the thrift store... On the back is a little devil's tail....  *giggle*  Maybe I should have put on a bra before I took the picture!? Hey I never claimed to be a classy girl!