HaPpY hAlLoWeEn! Happy Birthday Aunt Sondra!

Hope everyone has a great trick or treat night. It is so fun to dress up and get free candy!!

We ventured out for an awesome birthday celebration yesterday. Aunt Sondra had her birthday at The Magic Time Machine. Always a fun place!! A definate escape from the real world. I posted a photo of Baylee and her cousin Morgan with our waiter, Willy Wonka. He was great at his job and earned an awesomely large tip! It is super to have a person wait on you that totally loves what he is doing. Anyway, great escape from the day to day monotony! Food was good too. Seleta bought an awesome cake. YUMMY!

Happy Halloween to all!!

Baylee's Beautiful Freshly Painted Room

I finally finished painting Baylee's Room. I have to say she did a great job picking the colors. At first I was thinking , "oh my, kinda bright" but now I think it is stunning. The colors fit Baylee perfect, so bright and shiny. It is always nice to have freshly painted walls (even though I absolutely abhor the task of doing it). Plus everything gets a good cleaning and some stuff gets thrown out. This is my get better soon gift to her. She has been thru a rough breakup and she says she is over it but I still wanted to do something special for her. She has been keeping busy with her girlfriends and that is good. Maybe tomorrow we will have time to carve our pumpkin.

Something to Ponder

My friend, Lisa, sent me this and it is definitely something to ponder....

Charles Schultz Philosophy

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners .

Here's another quiz....

See how you do on this one
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with .

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care .

Friends and Memories

Friday I went to La Madelines with Caren. It has been awhile since we got to meet up and be together. I so enjoyed it. We got to get together more often. I love my friends. Caren is so good to me. I wished we could of laughed more but I was so weighed down with the weeks soap opera drama that I probably needed a few more hours with her to really loosen up. The cappucino was okay and the creme brule was too sweet, so we shared her crossiant. Our time was over so soon because she had to go get Meredith from school. Next time I am hoping we can have a picnic at the Botanic Gardens. Peaceful and outdoors. She gave me some delicious halloween candy. Baylee and Lilann dipped into it too.

Last night I did my purses with Mom at Northeast Mall when the girls were looking around. It was nice to finish up that work for the month. Then I took Baylee, Laura, and Cassye to the last quarter of Boswell's football game. It was quite nippy out, great football weather, but I think the team was worn out. They were undefeated before last nights loss. Hopefully they will come back stronger next week. It is always nice to see the home team boys do good. I listened in the car while the girls were inside the game. It was interesting at how many memories popped in my head of when I was at Bos 22+ years ago. We had so much fun at the games. All of us hollering until we had no voices. Dancing around being goofy.

Memories.

I am just hanging out today. Mom stopped by to go to a garage sale on the street. And then Marcia stopped in and ended up locking her keys in the car. But that turned out nice because then Richard had to come over and bring the keys. So we got to see him too. Richard and Roby had a nice visit. Longtime friends and neighbors, we raised our kids next door to each other for their childhoods. So lucky to have great neighbors all those years!! Anyway, so I guess I should take a shower and make myself useful.

Beautiful Fall Mums

Here is the bargain buy from last year. Redenta's Garden was having their winter clearance. I saw this tiny mum in a 4" pot. No idea on the color. I came home put it in the ground and waa lah this is my surprise. Isn't it lovely and I only paid .25 for it. So be sure to look for those winter bargains in the garden shops. You may be able to save a plant and have a surprise next year.

Funny Potato Pun

Well, Girl Potato and Boy Potato had eyes for each other, and finally they got married, and had a little sweet potato, which they called 'Yam.' Of course, they wanted the best for Yam. When it was time, they told her about the facts of life. They warned her about going out and getting half-baked, so she wouldn't get accidentally mashed, and get a bad name for herself like 'Hot Potato,' and end up with a bunch of Tater Tots. Yam said not to worry, no Spud would get her into the sack and make a rotten potato out of her! But on the other hand she wouldn't stay home and become a Couch Potato either. She would get plenty of exercise so as not to be skinny like her Shoestring cousins. When she went off to Europe, Mr. and Mrs. Potato told Yam to watch out for the hard-boiled guys from Ireland. And the greasy guys from France called the French Fries. And when she went out west, to watch out for the Indians so she wouldn't get scalloped. Yam said she would stay on the straight and narrow and wouldn't associate with those high class Yukon Golds, or the ones from the other side of the tracks who advertise their trade on all the trucks that say, 'Frito Lay.' Mr. and Mrs. Potato sent Yam to Idaho P.U. (that's Potato University) so that when she graduated she'd really be in the Chips. But in spite of all they did for her, one-day Yam came home and announced she was going to marry Tom Brokaw. Tom Brokaw! Mr. and Mrs. Potato were very upset. They told Yam she couldn't possibly marry Tom Brokaw because he's just....... Are you ready for this? Are you sure? OK! Here it is!



A COMMON TATER

Passion vine

Something Beautiful!!!

Pansies

Well I chose a hot day in autumn to work in the yard. Mom bought me 2 flats of pansies. Thanks Mom!! Today is very humid and no breeze, but the weatherman said this afternoon it will all change, rain and coolness is on the way around 4pm. Texas weather, keeps us guessing. So that sent me to the garden. I dug out all the zinnias (boohoo, they were still pretty) and tossed them over the wall. Then I worked thru all the ants and roly pollies to work the dirt (found some nice juicy worms). The pansies started getting wilted as I worked. I pulled out a few other things that didn't perform well this summer and tossed them over too. So anyway, I worked up a sweat out there for over an hour and it is done. I will wait and see.

Life is as messy as gardening sometimes and this has been a week of mess for me. Everywhere I look there is some kind of problem. I think it must be the change of the seasons that makes people weird. Anyway, as I was working I was thinking of how when I don't like something in the garden it can be taken care of so easily, just ditch it and start over. Life is not like that, we have to work thru our problems. However, it does help to surround ourselves with beauty whether it is a sweet smelling rose or a sunny day or a good friend we have been missing. I am going to try and look at all the beauty around me and drown out the ugliness of this selfish world. I need some rose colored glasses. Anybody have some?

Forever Friends

Melissa is visiting this weekend. She is a hoot! The house is booming with laughter. Baylee and Melissa have been best of friends since Melissa arrived from Germany in the 2nd grade. They immediately were drawn to each other and it is fun to watch them grow up having each other to lean on.

Baylee + Melissa = Forever Friends!!








Here is my forever friend. She is always there for me. She comforts me when I am down, relaxes me when I am stressed, protects me when I am scared, walks me when I am lazy, and greets me when I come home. Lilann = adorable

Amazing Grace

I received a spray fragrance for my birthday called Amazing Grace. It is in a beautiful pink box and distributed by philosophy. This is what it states:
"how you climb up the mountain is just as important as how you get down the mountain. and, so it is with life, which for many of us becomes one big gigantic test followed by one big gigantic lesson. in the end, it all comes down to one word. grace. it's how you accept winning and losing, good luck and bad luck, the darkness and the light."

I am inspired by this thought. What a wonderful company. I can't wait to search out their other products. Oh yeah, the perfume smells great too.

Dad's Birthday

We celebrated my dad's 62nd birthday over the weekend. Baylee and I dressed in our grays for the spirit of the occasion. My neice, Kylee, and my nephew, Luke, loved the candles and balloons. I love parties especially when littles ones are there. Luke just loves balloons and he had 2 in each hand, then he went to lay down on his spiderman couch.

Love the Rain! Plant the Stock...

It is a wonderful rainy day and I just love it. Even better is that on Thursday we are expecting our 1st real cold front of the season. Yikes! It is supposed to dip down into the 40's.

Home Depot got in their stock. The yummy sweet smelling flowers of fall and spring. I planted 9 Sunday and gave 9 to mom. They are blooming and the front porch is smelling so sweet. With the ground being so moist I will be out working Friday in the yard. My zinnias are still holding up nicely and the cosmos have started blooming. I am hoping for fall color after the cold front hits.

Ben is coming for a visit this weekend. Yay! And Baylee's friend, Melissa, will be here too. It should be a full house. Love it.

Halloween Decorating

I was inspired by the newspaper photos yesterday to decorate for Halloween. So I gathered some things that I had from Halloweens past and made a small "scary" scene. Ha Ha He He !! It was fun. I needed to expend some of the creative side of me. Who knows I might find something else to add before Halloween actually arrives in 3 weeks.

The air is cool and brisk this morning. My feet actually got cold on the trip down the driveway to get the newspaper. Yippee! This is going to be a fabulous week for fall. I am really looking forward to it. I hope the colors start changing soon.

Autumn in New England

With all the heat that has come back to our fall days, I am longing for my 2004 trip to New England. So I have been looking thru some photos and thought I would share some. If you haven't experienced Autumn in New England you should find a way to get there soon. It is absolutely breathtaking. The photos are mostly from Vermont and New Hampshire and the actual colors were much brighter than the photos.

What are your memories of fall? Mine are the pumpkin patch field trip from my kids Elementary years, running thru the leaves in Botanic Gardens and throwing them all over each other and then my sister in law lost her wedding ring and we did not know it until we left. We developed the photos and saw where she last had the ring on and then went searching. Guess what? We found it. Amazing. Botanic Gardens in the fall is a beautiful place for a Saturday afternoon walk. I also think of the cool crisp air, the apple cider, caramel apples, pecan hunting on the Air Force Base Golf Course, hay that makes me sneeze, carnivals, carving pumpkins, roasting pumpkin seeds, leaves blowing the wind, acorns, squirrels gathering acorns, getting to wear sweaters again, halloween costumes, candy, camping, and pumpkin pie. Have a happy fall, when it comes back to visit before winter arrives.

Homecoming

Baylee went to her second Homecoming this past weekend. I have to say she is beautiful.

Moonflowers again

My moonflowers are going absolutely crazy now. Blooms all over. Here is a close up photograph of 2 blooms this evening. Be sure to get some seeds next spring and plant them, better yet I will see if there are any seeds on the vine to share and you can get them from me.