It's That Time of the Year....

YES!!! I'm still alive!!!!!!!!!!! I've been ALL over the world and never home long enough to catch up posting!

This was one of the pumpkins that the twins and I carved out. I got this FABULOUS carving kit that came with the blinking eyes at Christmas Tree Shop!!! The kids LOVED it. I also found a battery operated "strobe light" for them to use inside the pumpkins instead of a candle. I spent the night with them recently and was amazed to listen to them talk. They wanted to go to McDonald's and get Happy Meals.....so off we went. Noah got some robotic toy and
Miss Isabelle got a little Mermaid "watch" with a mirror and lip gloss. On the way back home she told me she that her mermaid watch was full of "special powers" that she was going to use it on her "boy" friend when he wasn't being nice. I asked her what it was all about and she started giving me examples of how she doesn't always like the way he plays with her...sometimes "he's mean". She wanted me to give her advice on something she wanted to say to him the next time she didn't like the way he played. She shot off one idea and that was to (as she folded her arms over each other) tell him that he was mean and she was going to tell this to her brother and let him know. I started to respond when Noah interrupted and said, "Isabelle, if you don't like the way he plays, then just tell him you'd rather not and go play on your own....you don't have to be mean and dramatic". I laughed at the irony of this 5 year old's perfect solution. It was so "male" and "logical" compared to Miss Isabelle's...full of "drama" and "all about her". :-) It occured to me that women and men/girls and boys just don't see the world in the same way. Even at that age, there is drama. Where does it all start? I giggled just thinking about how Noah's advice was so similar to that of all men in my life. No drama, direct and to-the-point! :-) I had a FABULOUS time with them. We played "monster", hide-and-seek, told impromptu "scary" stories. We rented movies...a "boy" and a "girl" movie...to be "even". :-) Ohhhh, it's so nice to be reminded of what it's like being a kid again.

ALMOST THERE....

Here's the house on the lake with the windows in and most of the sophet trim in too! My father and Gerry were pouring up concrete posts to wrap the deck around to the right of the house. It's amazing how it's coming along. We guess at least a month before John will be able to move in. It won't be completely done but if he has sold the house, the upstairs should be done.

My father has been very generous to come down every weekend, spend the night and work the next day to help get this house built. Gerry spent a lot of time helping my father build my grandmother's house so it's a favor being returned. Although I told my mother that I thought it was the cooked meals that he came down for....we don't serve up rotisserie chicken, compliments of Hannaford Brothers....he, he, he!! I have to tease a little!

Warm & Toasty

Well, last night I decided it was cold and rainy and how nice it would be to get the fire place going. It makes the living room all warm and toasty. Of course, Bailey loves soaking his 84 year old bones right in front of it....along with my father! After dinner last night, I pulled the rocking chair in front of the fire place for my father to sit in. Bailey decided he would keep my father's feet warm by laying on them. He's a crazy dog!

This is a sad time of the year for me....as summer winds down and the cold air creeps in, along with the shorter days. I RESIST it all the way. I love the long days, the warm air, the way the sun feels on my skin. This time of the year, I try to set my focus on the leaves turning! I love the fall too but not as much as I enjoy the summer.

Gerry's down at the lake working on his father's house and I'm at home starting another fire and loading it up with wood for the day! It's cold and gray outside! I just got back from the gym and enjoying breakfast with Forrest & Justine!!!! I think I'll do some reading and catch up on some email! I hope someone is doing something fun today! I'm going to take it easy!

Soup & Sandwich

All I can say is, "YUMMMMMMMYYYYY". When cooler weather strikes, I LOVE to bake! I'm not one that cooks by heating things in the microwave, slapping it on the plate and saying, "Come and eat". Not that there is anything wrong with that way of cooking, it's just not a preference of mine. I like to do it the "old fashioned" way. I like something that takes "cultivating" and baking for the day. It seems "heartier" and healthier. :-)

Yesterday I was in a little bit of a "funk". I decided that cooking would get me out of it. I made Creamy tomato/pesto soup which is to DIE for! I then tried a new recipe for baked ham and cheese sandwiches. Again, quite a process. You make a sauce (like that for mac and cheese) and set it aside to cool. When you're ready to make the sandwiches, you spread that sauce on each slice of bread, layering it with ham and cheese. The final top piece of bread, you put cheese on too and bake in the oven! YUMMMMMMMYYYYY! Not healthy for sure but a nice treat with tomato soup! The sandwiches tasted like baked mac and cheese with ham. They were out of this world.

Today, I am making my famous Italian spaghetti sauce! My father LOVES it---I'm pretty sure because it reminds him of his mother's sauce (straight from Italy). So, I will serve him up some sauce and meatballs when he and Gerry get done working on John's house. Another cold day in August and another great day to cook!!!! :-)

Peace & love my friends!

NO KETTLE CORN???!!!!

Here's Justine.....7 months along!!!! Little Sam would have LOVED to have seen all the lights at the fair last night! I got my yearly dough boy and a bite of a sausage dog. Justine shared her mini donuts and I was BESIDE myself when I found there was no Kettle Corn stand! Every year, I look forward to going to this fair all for the dough boy and the Kettle Corn! NONE!!! NADA MUCHO!!

We walked around a couple of times, saw a couple people we knew and I had enough. Even the craft "tent" was pretty crappy this year. It could have all appeared crappy because I was so bummed out about the lack of Kettle Corn. So, if anyone that reads my blog is going to a fair, make sure to look for Kettle Corn! I'll take TWO bags! :-)