A little stroll...

Yesterday was such a nice day.  

Way too nice to stay locked up in the house.

So everyone grabbed coats and we went down to the trail next to the river.

And let's not forget the ever important leaf bags for colorful treasures.

 All the trees are looking spectacular now.

The river still sounds peaceful.

 Snow is starting to appear on the mountains above us.

Which is way earlier than usual for around here.

 The girls were keeping their eyes open for their favorite little find while out on Fall walks.

These orange and black striped guys never disappointment and make a great show for the girls.

Each fuzzy little guy gets moved off the trail though so that they don't get stepped on by someone who isn't paying attention.  Don't want that happening.

Eyes were watching for bright bursts of color down the trail.

There were the ever popular gorgeous red leaves to be seen here and there.

Samples were taken.

Then down to a spot next to the river to see what was going on.

Yes, rocks were thrown.

 Some ducks were spotted enjoying the last little bits of 'duck salad' before it all freezes up soon.

There were lots of chickadees flying around but none wanted their pictures taken this day.

Then back home it was after a few hours of enjoyment for wonderful, yummy, warm chili and cornbread.

The best after a Fall stroll amongst all the leaves.

Let's not forget some ever important and enjoyable reading and yarn time after everyone got into warm jammies and snuggled under blankets for the evening.

Hope everyone else is enjoying the wonderful bits of Fall where ever you are.

xxxx

Finished!!!

Finished the sweater right after dinner tonight.

I was scarfing down the spaghetti just so I could get away from the table to weave in the ends and go snap a picture before the rain started again.

I had to enlist the help of a model so I could get decent pics.

Plus everything is so sopping wet that I couldn't place it on the fence or anything like that to get a pic.

 The going rate for a modeling job around here is steep right now.  I had to pay two pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to get the job done.  Highway robbery I tell you.

Apparently I was paying for the 'hamming it up' session also.

I'm so glad this is finished.  It's very warm and comfy.  It's going to be great for the chilly days ahead.

Now I'm off to go start a hat that someone requested.  More on that later.

I'm going to go get comfy, cozy, wrap up in a blanket before I start another project.

Fall is finally here!

It's been very busy around here again lately.  When isn't it really. 

 I decided that I needed to go through each room of the house this past week and get rid of things that just were not needed anymore.  And the Fall cleaning was tackled during all of this.  I was starting to think I was going to be living with hoarders if I didn't step in and take action.  Too many clothes in the closet, too many toys, and believe it or not some little person thought she needed to keep every pretty leaf she got her hands on and place them in her nightstand.  Never mind that the leaves had dried and broke up into itty bitty pieces and made the biggest mess all over the bottom of the drawer.  She was keeping them to remind her of our hikes.  So going through every nook and cranny was accomplished this week and things are starting to look better.  Now all that is left is the garage and the boxes that are out there.  Gives me a headache.  The people I live with keep way too many things.  Things they haven't touched in years.  But "who knows when you might need it" they say.  It makes me have a fit.  Go ahead and laugh.  It's a serious illness to have to deal with.  My brain was fried after dealing with all the 'stuff' this past week.

I know you are still laughing.

Luckily today, things have slowed way down from what it was during the week.

Fall is finally showing up around here.  Things are changing fast.  A little too fast for me to really enjoy it all.  I wake up one morning to see the tree out back and the next morning I see drastic changes.

I woke up this morning to notice through all the drizzle that there was more color on our street this today than yesterday.  I am so enjoying all the damp, coolness happening today.  I was so happy about it all that I even broke down and put the flannel sheets on every one's bed.  You would have thought that a major event just happened from due to the loud cheers from some little people.

The gorgeous Zinnia's are starting to fizzle now also.  Sniff.

 Decorations had not been a big priority this year for some odd reason.  Glenn was starting to wonder if something was wrong with me.  So yesterday that was accomplished being I was finished with hunting down all the "junk" in the house (at least for now).

The cemetery is looking quite 'cemeteryish'.

 The eyeball wreath is in place to gross everyone out that comes up to the door.  I think it's just the thought that the eyeballs have all been skewered by the twigs on the wreath.  

Kind of yucky but I like it.

The front 'porch' area is just waiting for the carved pumpkins to be placed in just the right places on Halloween.  The girls insisted that I leave the dead plant pots out for more of a effect.  I was lazy and went for it.  The girls were lucky that I even climbed around on the ladder to put the lights and webs up. I just haven't been feeling very 'Fallish' so far this season.  But with all the happenings being just a week away I had to get my tail moving.

Since it was all rainy out and just a bit brisk out I thought that a few cookies would be just perfect on a day like this.  So out came the recipe for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies.  They are oh so yummy!  I don't use as much sugar as the recipe calls for.  Just 1 1/2 cups and I change it to brown sugar instead of white sugar.  I just think it tastes better.  One thing to tell you is that the dough is thick and sticky, so don't be alarmed by that if you make them.

 I use a size 30 'ice cream' scoop that can be found at kitchen/bake shops.  That way all the cookies are the same size.  I use that with most all cookies I make.  Plus it keeps your hands clean.  :)  Even better.

After they are finished baking, let them cool and then scarf them down with a big glass of milk.

The best!

 The girls occupied themselves with a bit of card making today since it's been too wet and windy to go out.  The cards turned out way too cute!

Now the rest of the day is all mine to veg out and do some serious knitting.  There was not one stitch accomplished all week with everything going on.  By the end of each day, I was too tired to even look at the poor sweater just sitting there waiting for me to give it some attention.  It's too sad to talk about.  But I'm hoping that things will be different this evening and tomorrow.

I can't wait for it to rain all day tomorrow so I can be curled up with a cozy blanket while stitching the day away.  I can be hopeful you know.

xxxx

Life taking control...

I was informed by my Mom yesterday that it's been too long between posts.  She's my own personal 'blog police' if you will.  She keeps me in check when it comes to sharing what we have been doing around here.  So this is what we've been doing since last week...

Glenn is still 'vacationing' of sorts.  Even though we didn't go on some planned out trip, we've been having some excellent family time around here.  Movie nights (another one tonight), board games, baking, crafting, Dad helping with lessons, etc.  It's been really grand if I must say so myself.  It seems that on most 'normal' days (if you can can them normal) we are always trying to cram in as much "Dad" time as we can when Glenn gets home at the end of the day.  The last two weeks have been great having him experience everything as it comes along, just as we do every day.  You know, baking, cooking, learning, yard work, projects around the house, etc.  I'm a bit sad that come this Monday he will be going back to work and we will have to be filling him in again at the end of the day while we all smother him with hugs and kissies.  So these last few days of 'freedom' for him will be savored.

We have taken a few strolls down by the river so the girls can see the progress of the colors in our part of the world.  The colors are definitely slow this year.  I'm trying to be patient but it's hard.  The girls want it to happen now also.

There was some exploring parts of the river that are normally submerged in the water all summer long.

 And of course you know just the right rock has to be found to throw in the water.

 No big surprise by now, right?

There were lots of bugs to be examined while on the trail.

So many grasshoppers and spiders.

I wasn't impressed like the girls were.

 Then of course in the evenings I've been trying to work on the sweater as much as possible to get it finished.  I have now finished one sleeve and started the second one last night.  Hopefully this weekend will be the 'ta-da' for it.  I can't wait to wear it.  I'm tired of being teased with the 'trying it on to check the length of things' bit.

 A trip to the library the other day was quite wonderful.  Everyone came home with some wonderful choices to enjoy.  Glenn found another photography book and surprisingly took home a book on artisan breads.  I'm not sure on that one.  I'm not asking.  The girls found some more Calvin and Hobbs books to keep them busy along with some more I Spy, some chapter books and easy readers.  I'm glad to see that Brenna is liking this whole reading thing that happens around here.  I even sat down and read one of Em's books for the book club, in one evening.

I spied this little lovely and had to bring it home to investigate it some more.  Let's just say that I'm going to have to ask for this one for Christmas!  Absolutely too cute!!!

 I'm so loving this little sweater.  The cables are gorgeous!!

And this little one is so sweet and adorable!

You know my list of creations just got longer.  It's so sad.  I do need the days to be twice as long so that I can attempt to get my list whittled down.  Notice the word attempt.

So off I go to enjoy the last couple of days off with Glenn.  I hear some talking about bowling, hiking, a river exploration, etc. going on this weekend.  Who knows what will end up happening with this crew.  I'm just going with the flow.

xxxx

Taking it easy...

Things have been busy and a bit off the norm around here while Glenn has been off work.  But no complaining from us girls because it's been really nice spending some quality time with him.  It just feels like I need a 'vacation after a vacation'.

The girls doubled up on their lessons Monday so that we could take a family trip on Tuesday to do some exploring.  We slept in a bit this particular morning, waking up at a late 6am.  Still making sure we started early enough though to get through town before rush hour traffic.  Then there was a stop at the grocery store in Mtn. Home to get food/snacks, etc. for our day trip.  I was rushing everyone, which they did not like one bit.  But we made it out of the store in 10 minutes so we could get back on the road for some exploring.  Thank goodness I made a list in the truck while Glenn was driving.  Lord knows how long it would have taken us without it.

Anyhoo,  out of Mtn. Home and trucking along Hwy 20, past Anderson Ranch Reservoir

 until we got to our turn off for Pine & Featherville.  We hadn't been back down this road for a very long time.  Since Em was a toddler.  We used to travel this road alot when Brendon was a baby, always taking him to the hot springs out in this area.  The girls got to see some cows being herded up by real cowboys when we turned onto Rd. 61.  The girls and Glenn were yelling out the windows telling the cows to turn around and run away because Wendy's was not their friend.  I swear they are so messed up.

  Then after my crews attempt at saving some cute little cows, we got a most wonderful surprise while going down the road.  Mountain Bluebirds!  They were every where.  At least female ones.  Not a male in sight.  But just as pretty none the less.  I have only seen one before (a male) a couple of years ago.  They are skiddish little birds and won't sit still for long.   I was lucky to get this pic on my camera.  Glenn got some better ones later with his zoom lens.  I wish they were around my house.  I would be in heaven having them around.  Much nicer than the yard rats I must deal with.

 After a bit of bird watching, we finally made it to the far east side of the reservoir and the girls had to stop and have a look.  They thought it was WAY cool.  I am sorry to say that I wasn't not as easily impressed because of all the trips made here before, years ago and letting Brendon always get out to have a look at things.  But it was nice to see their excitement.

 What I thought was cool was the hot springs that we had ventured to see many times before.  Don't know why.  I just love hot springs.  Glenn and I used to take Brendon to these very same hot springs when he was a baby/toddler.  He loved it.  It was so gorgeous coming down the road and seeing all the steam stirring in the cool morning air.  It brought back alot of memories of my little guy when he was little.  Sniff.  Now it was the girls turn to see this gorgeous piece of nature that we are lucky to have near us.  This was awesome!

 Brenna was a little nervous at first because of her burn she got on her ankle from Vulcan Hot Springs a couple of years ago.  The name alone can make you nervous.  But a little coaxing and help from Dad, she was going all over checking things out and looking for the perfect... 

(come on you know what she was looking for)

the perfect ROCK!!! 

 The girls even saw some eensy weensy fish in the pools of water along the river.  There are plans to come back, in bathing suits, so that the pools along the river can be tried out.

 Back in the truck, we found our way past Featherville heading toward another spot we frequented years back.  The colors are just starting to turn.  Not as much as I thought, but still there was Fall color to see.

 I wish I had some of this in my yard.  Simply gorgeous!

 Finally we made it to our final stop...

 Baumgartner Campground.

Where we found more hot springs.  I wish I could find some land with my very own hot springs stream on it.  Talk about heaven!  

 I couldn't help but snap a pic of this old fallen tree with all these boulders all tangled up in the tree roots.

That was way cool!

 We found our way back to a spot on the river visited many years ago.  Gorgeous little spot in the river.  It was the same spot that my little brother decided he needed to jump into the river to cool off one summer.  We kept trying to explain to him that even though it was mid July and hot at the time that he did not want to jump in because the river was still freezing from the snow melt.  (not like the river ever warms up ever.)  He didn't listen.  He jumped.  He came out yelling that he was freezing to death and his heart nearly stopped because the water was colder than anything he had ever been in.  And his teeth were chattering for about an hour afterwards.  

 A stop at the hot springs pool was made.  Someone was there before us and decided that the pool needed draining because of all the leaves, etc.  We made it back just as the pool was filling back up.  Just the right height to walk around in the warm water and soak the feet.  It felt good.

Wouldn't it be cool to have a natural fed hot springs pool in your backyard?  You know it would!  I would be in it all winter long!

 I was sticking to the side where the water was warmest.  Everyone was laughing at me when I was freaking over a wasp that kept coming by me.  Not cool.  Especially when I found out they snapped a pic of me swatting at the thing.

 Then there was more exploring to be done.  Some lunch to be had.  And the girls trying to figure out how to open a bear proof dumpster.  I was laughing.  Free entertainment.  You never know when it may happen.  I guess that was what the wasp incident was for them also.  :)  It was such a great day up in the mountains.  No one wanted to go home.  Apparently Glenn and I have to figure out how to get a house up in this area also.  I think we are up to 5 different ones now around the state.  :)  Winning lottery numbers please.

Yesterday found us at the corn maze to meet up with some friends.  

It was alot of fun.  The girls and I have been through a couple of them ourselves.  But this was Glenn's first time ever.  He had a blast.  I didn't think it was funny though when he started talking about the movie 'Children of the Corn'.  Not cool. 

After checking out a few things that needed to be seen,

 the maps were given to the girls and they lead the parents around the maze.

There were two different sections and each took us about 45mins.  Not too bad really.  It's really good practice for teaching kids to read maps and such.  I held on to my map just in case.  :)

 Afterwards there was some trying out the Jumping Pillow.  And yes you guessed it, we were told we need to get one of these put in the back yard.  Yeah, I'll "jump" right on that.

 We (the parents) noticed a warning along the side of the pillow that said "caution when wet".  What!!!  I think that this thing would be a blast when wet.  Could you imagine trying to stay on that and just sliding off the edge.  AWESOME!!!!

To say that the girls slept good last night is an understatement.  They had a blast!

I'm hoping for some quiet time tomorrow.  Things have been just 'hopping' around here the past week and I need a break so I can just veg out on the couch or something, with some yarn and needles.  I think I'm sleeping in tomorrow.

xxxx

Productive weekend...

Thanks for all the get better wishes.  You all are great.  :)

Friday we just hung around the house with Glenn.  He has taken a week off after a very long summer at work and a much needed sitting at home was a great welcome to us all.  I did manage to get to the quilt preview Friday evening.  Well worth it I must say.  All the ideas flying around in my head won't be good for the checkbook.  They are just ideas, for now.  :)  I didn't get any holiday fabrics at all even though they were all gorgeous.  But I found myself loving this set and could not help myself.

They are from the Moda "Fresh Cottons" line.  I can't wait to finish all my other things on my list so I can get started on my next quilt.  The 'girls' at the quilt shop said to make sure I told Glenn that no one twisted my arm to get this.  The quilt shop is on his mail route and they always tell him when they get new stuff in for my to look at.  He always tells them that he will kindly 'forget' because that means money will be spent.  At least I'm good with supplies now for a while.  :)

Saturday found us at a couple of old book stores in a near by town.  I don't know why I thought it would be a quick trip.  That is one of Glenn's favorite places to go 'hunting' around.  We ended up spending the majority of the afternoon searching for treasures.  It was fun and I know we will be back again, soon.

The pumpkin hats were finished yesterday and they are too cute!  The little ones of the family will look great in them.

Sorry to run but there are lots of things planned for today.

Mostly a quick cleaning around here after lessons.

Then there will be some enjoying the cooler weather today.  A most wonderful high of 65F today!

I'm just too happy about it!  Even with the gray clouds in the sky.

I think I'm seeing a pot of Chicken and White Bean Chili with cornbread on the menu tonight.

Thank you Fall for finally showing up.

I was waiting so patiently for you.

Thanks for not making me wait anymore.  It was hard.

:)

xxxx