Halloween 2015

I hope y'all had a great Halloween weekend!

 We sure did!  Friday night we went to eat at Roma's, our favorite Italian restaurant.  The staff had told us earlier in the week, yes we eat there more than once a week, that they were going to dress up on Friday night.  So, we went to check them out.

They were so cute!  Cruella DeVille  was pretty evil looking but those puppies were adorable and so was the angel.  We had a lot of fun with them!  They really got into all the picture taking with us and other customers.

Saturday night, our church hosted a Trunk or Treat.  This was our second year to do this and it was very successful!
We had quite a few that came to decorate their cars/trucks and to hand out candy.

We had some really creative ones with a lot of work involved.

I had several ideas that I really wanted us to do but since I have great procrastination skills, they didn't get done, so we settled on a camping/hunting theme and I really liked it!  By the end of the night, we were wishing our fake fire wasn't so fake!

Before the Trick or Treat time actually started, church friends grilled burgers and hot dogs for all of us that were busy getting our cars all fixed.  We enjoyed this time together and it was great to have our supper fixed for us!

Overall, the night was a huge success!  Someone had a rough count of 600 kids that came by!  I think this is a great way we can serve our community in providing a safe place for kids to come and have a good time and gather up all the candy they can stand!  And, boy did they ever!

Have a great week!

Wednesday Hodgepodge #241

Hello Friends! I'm trying to get back in the swing of things since the loss of my Dad about a month ago. Things are still just hard to wrap my head around but I'm trying to get back to some kind of normalcy in my life. So, here goes with this week's Hodgepodge.  Thanks to Joyce for great questions this week!

1. Are you comfortable with silence? If you're home alone, do you like silence or do you need regular background noise? Do you seek out times and places to be silent? What's your favorite place to find silence/be silent?

I do like a little peace and quiet but it's rarely ever totally quiet in our home.  I usually have the tv on just for the noise even if I'm not sitting there watching anything.  Also, in the car, music is always playing.  What I do find uncomfortable about silence is when I'm with someone.  I just find it awkward to be quiet! haha  So, I'm the one always trying to find something to talk about in those situations.  

2. October 28th is National Chocolate Day. Can't let that go by without a mention now, can we? Will you celebrate? How? Let's say you can have one of the following right this very minute... a cup of hot chocolate, a strawberry dipped in chocolate, a bowl of plain chocolate ice cream, or a slice of chocolate pie...what's your pleasure?

National Chocolate Day may be my new favorite holiday!!  I tend to have some kind of chocolate something every day.  If I had to choose one treat from the list you gave, it would have to be a big ole slice of chocolate pie...maybe chocolate pecan pie!  

3. How do you feel about blue jeans? Favorite thing in the world to wear or nope, don't own a single pair? How often do you wear blue jeans in a typical week? Do you own a blue jean jacket?

I LOVE jeans!  I wear them every day and the more 'worn' they are, the more comfortable they are.  I have shopped for a jean jacket a number of times, but I've never found one that seems to work for me.  I guess I'll keep looking!

4. Are you superstitious? If so, in what way?

No, I'm really not superstitious.  I like to joke about superstitions sometimes, but I really don't place any stock in them. 

5. If you had to come up with a costume using only things you have on hand right now, what could you come up with? 

I could come up with a ton of ideas!  My easiest and quickest one would have to   be scarecrow.  That's my go-to costume in a pinch!  I could also be a Texas Ranger baseball player or a Pageant Mom! 

6. What scares you a little? What do you do when you feel scared? 

I'm scared of spiders and snakes and most flying insects!  So, I try to avoid those things and when I do meet up with one, I scream, holler and dance around like a maniac!  On a more serious note, I am scared of losing the people closest to me.  After recently losing my dad, I know firsthand what it's like to lose someone you dearly love.   In times like this, what helps the most is support from family and friends and having a strong faith that God will see you through the hard times.  

7. Perhaps today will be the day I clean off the kitchen table! Nah...probably not!  

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I'm afraid the rain is going to ruin our weekend plans this Saturday!  We desperately NEED the rain but we have a Trunk or Treat event planned with our church family during Halloween activities in our town that I am so looking forward to.  Last year was the first time we participated with a Trunk or Treat and it was such a success!  So, maybe the rain will hold off a bit!  

Wednesday Hodgepodge-#232

 

Welcome to Wednesday Hodgepodge!  I'm joining in with Joyce and the other ladies for the weekly hodgepodge.

1.The first question today was submitted to Joyce by Marla from Marla's Musings.  She asks, "At what age did you feel like a grown-up?  What keeps you young now?
I don't remember a magic moment exactly, but looking back in my life, it was probably when we drove off from the hospital with our firstborn.  I had always babysat from the time I was a young teen and also had a home daycare before we had our own kids, so I was really comfortable and not nervous as most young parents are, BUT I did realize that we were TOTALLY responsible for this little life we were taking home.  I also realized that someone else wasn't going to show up at 5:00 to relieve us.

2.  When did you last buy a vehicle?  Was this by design or because you had no other option?  Was the car/truck purchase for your own personal use or was it bought for someone else to drive?  On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being delightful and 1 being "pass the Excedrin") how would you rate the experience?
We bought a new to us pick-up just about a month ago and it was a necessity!  My hubby's old truck was having some major problems and it was just better to buy instead of repair.  I hated to see the old truck go though because it was our son's first vehicle!

3.  Corn bread, corn chips, corn pudding, corn on the cob, cornflakes, corn chowder-your favorite of the corn-y foods listed?  What needs to be served alongside your selection?
I have learned to really like corn bread in the last few years.  Of course, it has to be served with a big ol bowl of pinto beans!  My favorite corn dish though is a shoe-peg corn casserole that I got from my mother-in-law years ago.  It's best with meatloaf or any meat dish.

4.  What's something in your life that regularly requires you to 'put your thinking cap on'?
This quarter in my Bible Class, I haven't liked the lessons in the curriculum for the most part.  Not so much I don't like them, but I just don't feel like they're age appropriate for my kids.  So, I try to come up with ways to help the kids grasp the meaning of the lesson.  Some weeks are harder than others and I stay up late Saturday nights to try to come up with something!

5.  Share a favorite movie set in a school or classroom, or whose theme relates to school days in some way.
There are so many to choose from!  I love Grease though!  John Travolta and Olivia Newton John are just great together.

6.  Reading, writing, and 'rithmetic' are commonly referred to as the three R's.  What are the three R's in your life right now?
Rain-we have an 80% chance of it today and I'm hoping it happens or else my water bill is going to be outrageous.
Road Rage-Driving in Dallas last week was horrible and we have another trip there in a few weeks.  I could never live there...never.  I probably caused more road rage for others than I actually experienced myself! haha
Reminders-I have notes stuck everywhere and alerts on my phone to try to help me with everything I need to be doing.

7.  What's something you've learned or tried recently you can say was 'easy as ABC'?
I found a great new recipe for oven-fried chicken and vegetables that is so easy and so good!  It's a one pan meal so it's a very easy clean up too!

8. Random Thought- These guys have arrived!  Not long ago, the weatherman showed a 'cloud' on the radar that was actually a herd (don't grasshoppers travel in herds?) of grasshoppers that were headed our way and now they're here.  It's dangerous to walk through the yard with your mouth open because you may get a mouthful of something you don't really want!

Have a great rest of the week!

Wednesday Hodgepodge-#231

It's ONLY been since October that I've joined in with Joyce and the girls for a Wednesday Hodgepodge, so I'm trying to get myself motivated to blog again by posting this week! 

1. When was the last time you relocated? Did you move yourself or leave it to the professionals? Are you happy staying put or is there a move in your future? Best thing about moving to a new city or town? Least favorite and/or hardest thing about moving house?  We have been in our current home for 30 years!  We are building a log home and hope to be moving in soon.  It's going to be hard though to leave our  current home since there are so many memories of young married life and raising kids.

2. When were you last 'moved to tears'? Explain.

I seem to cry a lot lately...hormones probably.  What can REALLY turn on the water works for me is videos of soldiers coming home and surprising their families. Oh.  My. Goodness.  Gets me every time.

3. Do you have rules about eating in the car...any forbidden foods? What's the last thing you consumed in your car? Your go-to car snack when traveling long distance?

We eat in the car all the time now.  When our kids were little, there was not a lot of eating and drinking in the car.

When traveling, I like to snack on food that I can eat one at a time to help me stay awake.  Like m&m's! 

4. Share a favorite song relating to cars and/or driving.

I had trouble thinking one and then all of a sudden Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take The Wheel" came to mind.  I love this song.  It has such a good message I believe.  It seems that so many times, it takes a big jolt to get us to realize or bring back to mind that we really do need Jesus as the driving force in our lives. 

5. What's your most frequently visited drive-thru...Starbucks? the bank? the pharmacy? some other window?

It would have to be Sonic, even though it's not exactly a drive-thru.  I love my Sonic Dr. Peppers!

6. "He who hesitates is lost"...would you agree? When it comes to making decisions do you generally act quickly or do you more often than not fall into the 'lost' category?

I am somewhere in-between I think.  If it's an important or serious decision, I'm going to think things through first and not act too hastily.  It just depends on the situation I guess.

7. When was the last time you got lost? Was it stressful or an unexpected happy adventure?

Several weeks ago, we went to Dallas to take my dad to an appointment.  Downtown Dallas.  We didn't exactly get lost, but we were lost in the sense that we didn't know where we were going and were relying on the gps to get us there.  It was SO STRESSFUL!  I hate Dallas traffic and there is always always always construction going on that just fouls up any plan you might have.  And...we're doing it all over again later this week.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

It is SO hot here in Oklahoma!  We seriously need a break from it all...especially here in SE Oklahoma! 

Wednesday Hodgepodge-volume 195

I'm linking up with Joyce and the ladies this week for Wednesday Hodgepodge!  

1. Elizabeth Lawrence is quoted as saying, 'Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn." So have you done just that? And what did you leave undone in order to do so?  I can't think of a thing!  I'm a procrastinator so I leave lots of things undone until the last minute! 

2. Since we're talking turning...what's one thing you feel you're doing 'every time you turn around'?  Cleaning the litter box!  With three cats in the house, one of them is always in the bathroom.

3. How hard is it for you to 'turn the other cheek?'  It's not hard at all!  I'm not a confrontational person at all so I tend to just take whatever is dished out.  I may not always 'like' turning the other cheek, but I rarely will confront someone in a negative way.

4. When did you last turn a drawer, your car, a room, or your entire house upside down looking for something? Did you find it? I'm always on the hunt for something it seems!  A few nights ago, I ransacked a drawer where I keep a key to the neighbors house.  Their house alarm had gone off and I wasn't sure if they were home or not, so I was getting the key ready for when the cops/firemen came!  I found the key and luckily everything was fine at their house.

5. 'One good turn deserves another'...were you most recently on the giving or receiving end of that sentiment?   I was on the receiving end!  One of our church friends has been making a lot of wood projects.  Sunday he brought me a coffin!  It's really cute but it did sound kind of funny when I said, "Thank you for my coffin."   And, he filled it with candy!

6. Red, yellow, and orange are the colors of fall. Also the colors of fruit. If you were permitted only one color of fruit in your diet, which would you choose? This question isn't as easy as it sounds, at least not for me.  Out of those three colors, I would choose yellow.  Bananas and pineapples are delish!

7. The Hunt for Red October, October Sky, Halloween...which 'October' film is your favorite?  I LOVED all scary movies back in high school.  Friends and I would go to 'the show' as we called it, in Paris.  We would get so scared and just KNEW something was going to get us as we crossed the river to come back home.  Now,  I can't stand the suspense, but especially the gore, that's in the newer scary movies.  Out of those mentioned, October Sky was great!

8. Insert your own random thought here.  I was SO happy to have my girl home this weekend!  We went to a "Frozen" birthday party for a darling little girl.  Then, she helped me in my Bible Class on Sunday and the kids always like having her there.  She taught them the cutest little song!

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

Movie Night

A few weeks ago, our Bible Class got together to have a movie night.  When the movie "God Is Not Dead" came out, we were going to try to go see it as a group, but it never worked out for us to go.  So, Lee Ann bought the movie and planned a fun night for us at their house.  

We had an assortment of finger foods-ribs, tortilla roll-ups, chips and spinach dip along with fruit and dip and THIS-

As we were sort of planning what we were going to bring, one of the girls, Tonee, said, "You can bring that peanut butter cup cheesecake!"  So, I did.  It was great, and so was everything else we had.

We ate and then got the movie started.  We all liked it even though we didn't agree with a lot of the religious ideas portrayed in it.  What we did take from it, was that we, as Christians, should be bold in our stand on things and be prepared to give an answer about what we believe.  All in all, it was a great night!

These are special friends that I'm so fortunate to have in my life!  And then there are the guys...

Trying to get them to all cooperate at the same time for a picture, is like herding cats!  It's almost impossible!  But, I love them anyway!

Summer Recap 3-August Birthdays!

Happy Birthday to us!  Allan & I have birthdays a day apart and we always celebrate our special days together. 

 Our church has a really good group that go out to a restaurant of the birthday girl/boy's choice.  Allan & I have not ever announced our days and done this but we go to other's parties all the time.  This year, we decided to do it for ourselves.  We had so much fun!

We had 24 friends show up to party with us.  I made my Paula Deen brownies and fancied them up with extra chocolate drizzle and whip cream on top. 

Susie is our preacher's wife and it was her birthday weekend too, so we celebrated with her at the same time.

I just love these girls from our Bible class!  They're very special friends.

I love these folks!

For Allan's birthday, I made this most decadent cheesecake that I've ever made-Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake!  Oh. My. Goodness!  It was not only beautiful but it was delicious.  

There are really no words to describe how good it is.  I was going to take this to the party with the church folks, but I didn't think it was big enough to feed that large of a crowd.  And, anyways...we really didn't want to share it at all!  

Also, on our birthday weekend, we had a surprise visit from Allan's brother, sister-in-law, and one of their kids.  They had been camping in the area and came through here on their way home.  We met them out at the new house and visited there a bit before going out for Mexican food.

Toward the end of the month, we had another church birthday party to go to at the Fish Fry.  Dear, sweet Ellen turned 89!  She is one of the most amazing people I know.  I love her so much! I'm always telling her that I want to be HER when I grow up!   I made cupcakes to take for her party and I have to say they were not only yummy but pretty also! (I would love to have a little cupcake shop some day!)

So, August was a pretty fun month...except for the adding a year to my age part!