yummmm o

Thank you, God, for Navel Orange season!

And thank you, too, for helping me be patient in waiting for it to get here.

do you hear that?

Is it just me or do I hear that circus music again?

I'd go and check to see where it is coming from, only I'd drop something.

Why can't this time of year be for long walks in crunch leaves, hot apple cider, and snuggling up with the ones you love? Instead it is about congested roadways, guilt from recent food binges (aka Thanksgiving weekend), big projects that the kids have been preparing for since the beginning of school, regional competitions, and trying to be generous=yet-thrifty consumers in a world where Christmas Excess is King.

silly girlz

Two silly teenage girls getting ready to be apart for a week:

"Parting is such sweet sorrow."

"Yes. Abscess makes the heart grow fonder.... wait. Abscess? .....Ab... Absence! Absence makes the heart grow fonder!"

making your life easier, one sentence at a time

Forgive as if it were you asking forgiveness from God.

*Matthew 7:2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

up on the soapbox

Dear LWH*,

Twice today I unknowingly followed behind one of you and was offended to be the one to clean up your mess. I was not amused. I mean, what if I had not been paying attention and had to find out the hard way that you were in there before me? Or worse yet, what if it was one of my children... my teeny tiny baby girl.
You people really ought to be ashamed. Please be more considerate of others.

Signed,
me



*Ladies Who Hover

amazing giveaway

Cute little Jo at "a cup of Jo" has a recent blog entry in which she tells about an awesome giveaway for 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly for bloggers. Click here or the link below.

King and I are very familiar with Shutterfly. We have used them for our cards for a few years now. We have really been happy with their quality and their website could not get any easier to use.
Every year we take a picture of the kids and send it with our Christmas greeting cards. When we first started sending cards, it seemed like every other year there was a new baby in the picture! It is always interesting to see the silly face our fourth child will have once we sit down and look at the pictures. He is such a ham!!!
Last year's card was one of my favorites. Because I love black and white photography for the fact that it is not only simple, but it hides so many flaws in the skin, we chose a basic card that would compliment the photo well. The design, as luck would have it, is called Classic Black. Historically our picture has been taken outside around the house somewhere, usually on the front porch swing. With five rapidly growing kids, though, we are finding it harder and harder to fit them all on the swing, so we are having to resort to other, roomier places.

*******

Now, the Christmas photos were amazing, but I really want to brag about the gift we got for my mom from Shutterfly. Then we decided to do a photo book for her Christmas gift. It was filled with our favorite pictures from the year along with text that I wrote to go along with the pictures. I definitely plan on doing the same thing this year (but, shhh don't spoil the surprise).

Ennyhoo, I highly recommend you go to Shutterfly right now and order your Christmas greeting cards or Christmas photos. Then I think you should make someone you love a photo book for Christmas. Don't forget to come back and tell me how wonderful I am for making your gift-giving so much easier.

feelin' beachy

We went to the coast this weekend with friends.... how did they know November would be the perfect time to be there? It's my new favorite time to go. Course, I imagine December isn't too shabby either. Or January... February... or even March. Hrm... I'm noticing a pattern.

I will say, however, that our Yukon was covered with tons of sand. Unbelievable. The "way back" seat must have had - no exaggeration - 2 cups of sand where #2 was sitting. I just want to know where it was before it got on the seat? Or... maybe I don't. Some things are best left as mysteries.

Our family was honored to have been invited along for this weekend. It was such a peaceful place to be. I enjoyed hearing about the history of the house.

It was built in the 1800's by a sea captain. The original structure basically had three rooms. The family, who bought it from the sea captain just before the turn of the century, has added to it over the years. Hurricane Hugo damaged a great deal of the home, but the original structure withstood the storm. Of course, I was enchanted by the incredible charm of the house, most especially the original portions.

Just can't get any prettier than this double door, painted Charleston Black...er I mean Green (thanks Maureen).

It is such a lovely home, filled with many memories throughout the years that their family has owned it. I hope it will continue to be a well-loved vacation spot for their kin for many generations to come.

tee hee hee

Tonight a friend of mine told me that I rocked.

"Honey," I said, "with the size of this arse, I don't rock, I "boulder!"

(above, left: me bending over doing a svelt yoga move)

pink!

I have been in an odd mood all day today. It is rooted both in frustration and the need to create. Part of the frustration comes from not wanting to spend too much money to do a little fall decoration, but going to Michael's Arts and Crafts store and not being satisfied with my "reduced-for-quick-sale-rack" purchase. Another part of the frustration comes from my hands not being able to replicate the picture in my mind.

A second trip to Michael's was in order - to throw good money after bad as it were.

However, in a totally random turn of events, this happened:

The lighting in the pictures is terrible, but you get the picture. Front door or back, I love it.

It reminds me of a nest that one of these Christmas tree bird ornaments should live in.

decisions, decisions

Tuesday we will be moving some shutters upstairs that were downstairs in the living room. They were eliminated when we added our new room.... did I tell you about it already? It's very cool. Three hundred sq ft. Two thirds of it is space for the kids to play and one third is for grown-ups to relax. Sadly, the kiddos continue to want to bring their toys into the LR, DR, hall, and kitchen. Sigh. Oh well, this too shall pass, eh?

Anyhoo.... back to the upstairs. The shutters will be going into the girls' room. Our two oldest daughters sleep in that room, but honestly, for the love of Pete, I can't seem to talk myself out of moving my youngest in there with them and then having (are you ready for this?) a sewing room all to myself! I could even put an elliptical machine up there to hang clothes on so I can exercise! Hey, I think my sister even has one she'd let me have. Unless she needs the extra hanging space, that is.

So, if all three girls are going to be in the same room, we are trying to decide if they will need matching beds. And if they need matching beds, do we try to save up for these. Ye oldest, who I suspect, based on some stuff she has murmured lately, is growing weary of little ones; which leads us to contemplate moving her to her own room.... spoiled little brat, there goes my expensive coat rack. She has also mentioned wanting to change the decor of their room. She'd like a black and white theme.

Speaking of black and white, I am finally getting around to finishing the curtains for my dining room. They are looking quite loverly. Remind me to take some pictures when I get them done, k?