Home

Sitting at my desk in the office, occasionally glancing out the windows the rain fell steadily as the temperatures dropped. Christmas music played softly in my earbuds and I longed for pjs and home.

As my work day came to end I hurriedly packed up and headed out. I picked up Elijah from school, stopped at the grocery store to grab a few things for dinner and home we went. There is nothing better on a cold, rainy day then coming home. Home to bright red leaves blanketing the lawn, an excited dog greeting you at the door and the promise of an evening cuddled by the fire.

Everyday Magic

Be a seeker of everyday magic! 

Rushing to get to work this morning, I ran out the door, backpack slung over my shoulder, purse and keys in hand on a mission! I closed and locked the front door and as I turned to continue my rush to start the day I noticed the moon, along with what I believe is Venus and Jupiter. The sight stopped me in my rushing tracks. I set the bags down, got out my phone and snapped a few pictures, savoring this quiet morning on the porch before the sun rose and the neighbors stirred. It felt kind of magical in those few moments on this chilly morning.

And that my friends is what I mean by being a seeker of everyday magic.

Loved!

There’s nothing like a birthday to feel all special and loved! Thank you to everyone who took time out of their day to wish me a happy birthday. All the texts, Facebook and Instagram messages and phone calls were cherished.

I planned on baking myself a cake yesterday, but that didn’t happen. I’ll save it for this weekend. I did however get taken out to dinner by hubby and son. I also got a new sewing machine I can’t wait to play with and ended the day with a little knitting in bed. I was happy, content and oh so thankful for this life I live. Here’s to my 48^th trip around the sun!

Birthday!

Today starts my 48th trip around the sun. Life is so fleeting and I want to celebrate getting a year older, twirl around in a hot pink tulle skirt and enjoy every 525,600 minutes of this 48th year.

The older I get, the more I realize I just need the simple things in life: a comfy home, good food on the table and surrounded by the people that I love. 

Frosty Morning

Woke up this morning with temps in the low 20's. I wanted nothing more than to burrow deeper into the covers, but unfortunately that was not in the cards. I slowly made my way downstairs with Titus dancing around me to be let out.

As I stepped out on the porch, I shivered in the cold, but then noticed the beauty of the pasture covered in frost. The pasture behind our house changes daily and I often find myself gazing out the window at it. I let Titus back in, started my coffee brewing and couldn't resist the pull of the pasture. I grabbed my camera, coat and headed back out in pajamas to snap a few pictures. After being out in the cold for a bit, the warmth of the kitchen and morning cup of coffee was all the more sweeter.

Lately

It's already January 10th and I still feel like I haven't gotten back into the groove of things since Christmas break. We still have a suitcase sitting in my craft room waiting to be emptied. I really need to get it together and our house in order. Maybe then I'll feel like I'm back into the swing of things and my mind won't feel so cluttered. 

2019

Happy New Year! 

2018 just flew by didn't it! Don't blink, because 2019 might be gone too. Time is funny like that. Days sometimes drag on and on, but then a year is gone and you're left wondering where the heck it went. I'm feeling that right now. 

With the new year, everyone is setting New Year resolutions. Not I, I never keep them. But there are a few things on my heart and mind that I'd like to do. So here goes. 

During the Christmas break, we went to Texas to visit Manuel, my older son and my Grandbabies. They are growing so fast and I hate being so far away. While visiting Samuel at the cemetery, Jonah, my grandson took my hand and guided me to a headstone. He started to read the headstones out loud to me. In that moment, with his little hand in mine, listening to him read I said to myself I would start writing letters to him and all my Grandbabies. Nothing extravagant or long, just little notes to let them know I'm thinking about them and love them. I wrote some letters last year, but not nearly enough. More letters this year!

In knitting, I want to learn intarsia to knit this sweater for Christmas. There will be a lot of learning in this sweater with intarsia, charts and short rows, all techniques I need to learn. I have almost a whole year to figure it all out. Besides this sweater, there will be plenty of other knitting going on as usual. 

In sewing, I'm still such a beginner and have so much to learn. The reason I wanted to learn to sew was to make vintage dresses and cute novelty skirts. I have plenty of patterns for dresses, so now I just need to decide which one will be my first and sew it up. Before this year is up, I will have made a vintage inspired dress. I have plenty other patterns I want to sew, but the retro dress is the only one I'll list as a must do. No more being afraid, like Nike, I'll just do it! I'll never learn if I don't tackle it. That's why this weekend I plan on organizing my craft room. I'm sure hubby will be happy about that! 

More memories will be made and captured, more words will be written, more loving and living for 2019. And hopefully time will slow down just a bit to savor it all. 

Moon Thoughts

Letting Titus out last night, I noticed the moon, hovering low in the sky over the rooftops. It wasn't late, a little after 8pm, but the neighborhood was quiet. There was a slight wind, and you could feel Autumn in the air. I stood out there for a bit, just gazing at the moon, thoughts of Samuel swirling around me. His birthday is coming up next month, and I always get a little nostalgic around this time. I stare at the moon, and think of him sitting there, looking down at me. I picture him smiling, I smile back, I feel him....if just for a moment.

Lately

How is it August already! This summer has flown by. This is what's been up lately.

My current knit is a chunky blanket. I'm LOVING it so far. This was my test knit for a Christmas present, but it's taking me longer than I thought. Didn't help that I broke the cable on my interchangeable needle and had to wait for another to come in the mail. Boo! I was hoping to get this one done for myself and knit up two more for Christmas gifts. Ummm....not sure that is going to happen now. While I waited for my needles, I started on a bright yellow hat from yarn I got at our local farmers market. I was so excited to see a local dyer at the market. I was at the market for Girl Scouts Day at the market. We were having a fund raiser for one of our local shelters. We had headbands and bows made by the girls. We raised over half our specified amount, with plans for more fund raising. The other leaders and myself had a meeting to plan out our Girl Scout year. I'm so excited with all we have planned this year! Girls Scouts ROCK!

My pumpkin plants are steadily growing! How long does it take for little pumpkins to show up? I need to look that up. I check everyday hoping to see a little green pumpkin....do they start off green and turn orange? I have no clue. Oh well...it's a waiting game. I'll just continue to wait.

We've been doing a lot of grilling. That's what you do during the summer right. We've also been eating lots of fresh fruit. This galette is one of my favorite things right now. I've made two so far, with more peaches and strawberries ready for a third. Will probably make it tomorrow.

Oh...that tasty looking sandwich up there. I got it at one of our local food trucks, American Meltdown. They make gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. This was the Fig and Pig. It has black mission figs (I've never had figs before), speck ( I had not clue what this was. I had to ask. It's like prosciutto), local goat cheese and drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar on sourdough bread. Goodness...was it yummy!

I've also started a new hobby! Sewing! I love vintage dresses, so this has been my motivation in learning to sew. I've had my sewing machine for about 2 years, so it's about time I learn to use it. I'll post more about my sewing adventures in my next post.

So that's it, in a nutshell. Until next time!

Seasons

I love that we live in a place with all four seasons. Just about the time you get tired of one season, the next one rolls in. As each season changes, I find myself heading out to capture the uniqueness that is each season. When I took these pictures, the leaves were just emerging. Now, two weeks later all is lush and green again.

I've been thinking a lot about seasons...specifically seasons in a life. A couple weekends ago the boys asked to watch our old home videos. We have video of both the boys being born, a few Christmas's and other random videos. To see them as babies again, my heart ached. I said several times I wished I could go back. Do it all again. I feel I rushed their childhoods and missed so much. At times, I didn't even recognize the person I was in the videos. I feel I've changed a lot since then. I've grown, and feel more confident in who I am. I know I struggled a lot back then with self esteem. I never felt enough. I felt I was always lacking. And maybe that's why in several of the videos I wasn't smiling. Oh....to go back as the person I am today. I truly believe I would cherish it, hold all the moments a little tighter. Cuddle and love on those babies longer and know that I was enough for them. My love was enough for them. But I cannot. That season has passed, and all I have are my memories and videos of a younger, unsmiling me. The me now, would go back to the me than and shake her!!

"Smile dang it!! These are some of your best times! You have a a good life, people who love you and beautiful babies. One day you are going to look back and wish you could have this again!" 

The season I'm in now...it's a good season too. I find myself holding on tighter, wishing time would slow down....knowing that it won't. Each season has it's time, and whether I like it or not...this season will soon pass too.

Arctic Chill

The past few days it has been COLD!

A fire is always going in the fireplace, layers are worn and plenty of quilts and blankets are tossed about waiting to be cuddled under.

We have the prediction of snow this weekend. I think last year on my birthday we had a little snow. My birthday is Friday, so maybe I will get snow again. I say if it's going to be this cold, it might as well snow!

Let is snow!