Bye Bye Fall

Poor Casey had to work late tonight and didn’t get home until 8.  So, no birthday steak dinner this evening.  It will actually probably have to wait until Friday because tomorrow there’s a Mason game and Thursday he has class.

Before he got home, I put away all of our fall décor and pulled out the boxes full of Christmas.  The cats were as excited as I am… though probably more about having boxes to sit on than about what’s inside them!

I put out a few things, but I’ll really get things decorated on Thursday night while Casey is in class.  A few days to look at the boxes, but soon enough it will be super festive around here!

Phew!

Thank goodness this week is over.  Like I mentioned on Wednesday, it was leaning towards hectic.  Yesterday seemed even more ridiculous and today just flew on by.  There was something in the air, and it was wild.

It must be the hustle and bustle of the holidays already beginning to infiltrate.  On the radio on the way home tonight, they played a Christmas song.  I had to change it.

I admit when we went to the mall recently to pick up clothes for Casey, I  got a cozy and joyful feeling seeing everything decorated and stocked for Christmas.  But I’m not ready for the music yet; not until Thanksgiving, after dinner, as is tradition in our family.

Of course, Thanksgiving is less than a week away.  I am so glad it’s the weekend, then there’s just two days of work, and then we’re headed north for the big feast.

I’ve got plenty of projects to work on this weekend, including starting to think about and plan Christmas cards and gift ideas.  Then when we get back from our Thanksgiving travels, I’ll be ready to crank the Christmas tunes, deck the halls, and start making cards and presents.

Gosh, I love this time of year… even if it does get a bit frenzied!

What a Day

It was one of those days where hectic courses through the air, almost causing the day to be a disaster, but lets off just in time to keep things sane… or at least as sane as things can be… almost.  Really, it’s kind of been one of those weeks.

I got up at 4:45 this morning to get ready and take Casey to the airport.  He’s on his first business trip.  It’s only training, it’s only today and tomorrow, and it’s in Atlanta, but I’m still proud of him.

After dropping him off at the airport, I went to work… early.  Which means I was there at 0630 instead of 0700… which is fancy talk for 6:30am instead of 7am.  When I got there, the power was out, with only the things plugged into the battery surge protector available for use… aka just my computer, which worked for me.  Apparently there were some strong winds in the area last night that I didn’t know about because I was sound asleep, preparing for my early morning.

The work day went by pretty fast.  Well, it seemed like it had once it was over.  Then I got in the car and drove for an hour to get home.  This time of year really stinks in terms of commuting around here… especially because both my morning drive and my evening drive are pretty much in the dark.

I warmed up leftover soup for dinner when I finally got home and watched “Parenthood” while I dined.  Then I read (and edited/improved) a paper Casey needs to turn in tomorrow for a class and now I’m writing this post.

After this, I’m thinking bed and a book sounds pretty grand.

Lyrical Inspiration

I love the song “Love Like Crazy” by Lee Brice.

I like the lyrics so much that I decided to make some art with them and hang it in our home, kind of as a mission statement/reminder of good values to keep in mind each day.

I wasn’t sure where the idea would take me, but I ended up with the lyrics in black and white, surrounded by some swirly doodling.  I thought maybe I’d add color, but when I matted it with white and put it in a pretty wood frame, I decided to keep it simple.

It now hangs in our living space as a reminder to “Be a best friend, tell the truth, overuse I love you, go to work, do your best, don’t outsmart your common sense, never let your prayin’ knees get lazy, and love like crazy.”

Pillows!

As I mentioned on Friday, I made new decorative pillows for our bed.  Awhile back, my Mom bought me a sea foam colored sham using a gift card she had.  Ain’t she nice?

The sham was the same design as others I already had on my bed, but the others are cream colored.  While in the store, I developed an idea in my head to turn the sea foam sham into a decorative pillow, and last week I finally made it happen.

Below is before pretty pillows and then with pretty pillows:

These pictures don’t do justice to how much more cozy and lovely it looks.  I am extremely pleased with how the sea foam pillows came out- not to pat myself on the back too much, but they look wonderfully clean and well-made… must be the nice fabric!

The little pillow at the front is not quite so nicely made – it’s very lumpy, because I stuffed it instead of using a store bought pillow – but I still like it and I can always restuff if it bothers me too much.  The light blue fabric is from a t-shirt and the patterned fabric is from a tank top.  Repurposing is great!

So, the sea foam pillows went from this (except in sea foam, not cream!):

To this:

It took me some time to figure out how to make one sham into two pillows, because I didn’t have quite enough fabric.  Fortunately, Mom had given me some leftovers from pretty totes she made for my bridesmaids that went perfectly with it.  I used that at the back after cutting the square pattern out for the front.

I used this pattern once I figured out how to have enough fabric.  It’s the same pattern I used for the pillow covers that are now on the guest bed.  The measurements are easy to figure out and the pattern is simple to execute, so I highly recommend it if you’d like some pretty pillows of your own!

Favorites (3)

An English muffin with peanut butter and mini-marshmallows – childishly delicious, especially when served with chocolate milk…

Sleepy hubby and cuddly kitty…

Even though the song is somber, I think these lyrics from “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry are beautiful: “Lord make me a rainbow, I’ll shine down on my mother, She’ll know I’m safe with you, When she stands under my colors.”

“If I Die Young”

Homemade pumpkin bread…

New (decorative) pillows on our bed… with pillow covers made by moi! (Pictures to come!)

A four day weekend… which is sadly half over, but there’s still plenty of time for goodness!  Looking forward to time with Casey tomorrow, maybe going to the Mason game, and a quiet, relaxing day on Sunday.

Veterans Day

“I am 76 years old, a veteran of the European Theatre of Operations and went in to Omaha Breach on the 14th of July, 1944 when the Germans were just six miles inland.

This past week ago Monday my wife and I attended the Memorial Day services at a small town in Wisconsin.  As was my custom, I wore my Eisenhower jacket (which I can get on but can’t button) with my T5 rating on the sleeve along with 4 gold stripes for two years overseas and the few ribbons I picked up along the way and my overseas cap.  I stood at the right times and saluted at the right times.  As we got up to leave an army officer from the Vietnam conflict who had been on the band shell as one of the speakers came up to me and said: “I saw you in your uniform and I just wanted to say thank you.”

~ An excerpt from The Greatest Generation Speaks (p. 167) ~

Without veterans, this country and every life of every person living here would not be what it is – blessed by extreme freedom and opportunity.  On this Veterans Day, take into consideration the life you live and especially those things you can be thankful for.  Then go and thank a veteran, because they’ve helped make those things possible.

Good Eats (3)

I love dinner at the table and I’m glad we fit it in this week.  Tomorrow we are going to a happy hour with Casey’s friends from the job he’s leaving and Thursday he has class.  Friday night is pizza night in front of the TV.  Tonight was really our only option, so yay to us for making it happen!

We had Taco Stuffed Shells.  They were alright, but I liked the Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Shells I made a few weeks ago better.

The Big Flea

A couple friends and I went to the DC Big Flea today at the Dulles Expo Center.  It was a building of around 600 booths with plenty to look at it.  As I’m aware of the things I like, I just kept my eyes peeled for those things.  If I had more money, things definitely could have gotten dangerous.

I hope that Mum and I can arrange to go to one of the Big Flea events next year.  This November show was only 1 building, but sometimes they have two buildings with up to 1100 booths!

The table below made my heart pitter patter, but unfortunately my budget isn’t quite up to par with collecting more jadeite yet.  Someday though, someday.

After browsing the whole show, I went back to a table of linens.  There was a vintage tablecloth with a pattern I’ve been desiring for a long time.  It was more than I like to spend on tablecloths, not to mention my entire budget for the day, and I told the lady so, at which time she dropped the price $5.  It was still a bit much, but I don’t see the pattern very often, so I went for it!

It’s a Wilendur tablecloth and I’m in love.  The colors are vibrant and it’s in great condition - totally worth the money I spent.

It is a grand prize and the Big Flea is awesome and I look forward to going again with Mum next year!

Favorites (2)

I didn’t keep track of too many favorite bits this past week, but here’s a bit of goodness before I go into the loveliness of the weekend:

A new cookie recipe: Coconut Oatmeal Chewies, some of which I added chocolate chips to… think Mounds bar, yum!

The awesome bits about “The Great Merge” in this post from Enjoying the Small Things: HERE.  Gosh I love her blog.

Sunshine today after a few days of cold, rainy dreariness.

Heading to The Big Flea tomorrow with a friend from work.  Mom and I have wanted to go for awhile, so I’ll be taking plenty of pictures, as allowed, to scope out for the trip we’ll hopefully make there together next year!

The rest of the weekend will be spent huddled under cozy blankets, feet scrunched into warm socks, a good book in hand, with hot chocolate or tea nearby for sipping.  Plus maybe some writing, doodling, or other such creating.  And also some sewing.  Generally just keeping busy with joyful things.

It looks to be rather grand.

Rainy Fall Day

“The wet of the rain saturated the bark of the trees, turning them almost black, causing the vibrant fall leaves to glow against the gray of the stormy sky.”

Not a Bad Start

The first Mason men’s basketball game was tonight.  It was just an exhibition game, but still not a bad start.

Yep, we won by almost 40.  Casey is quite ecstatic that the new season has begun and that everyone looks pretty strong.  I said I couldn’t believe it was already time for it and he said he couldn’t believe it took so long to get here.  Although I don’t share his childlike enthusiasm, I enjoy going to the games and I am glad for the excuse to have nights out with him.

Learn Something New 2010

Now that it’s been a month since the project prompts ended, I’ve finished my Learn Something New journal. I actually finished it like a week ago. I had shared the first half of my “learning” awhile back, but here is the full list and a little description of my journal design.

I pulled out some favorite papers, the kind you buy and then stash forever because they’re so pretty, and created 4.25x5.5 journal pages with the paper on one side and orange paint on the other. For the dates, I printed off some caption boxes from Just Something I Made and used stencils to blot black paint for the numbers. For the text, I just free-wrote my “learnings.”

Full list of what I "learned":

1. Today I was reminded that it only takes one to change everything. One smile. One kind comment. One helping hand. One day.
2. Today I decided I need to live my life as who I am already instead of wasting moments waiting to become who I want to be. They may be the same person.
3. To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.
4. Food doesn't taste as good late at night.
5. If the sun is shining, it does you a world of good to get out in it.
6. I seem to become more homesick when my parents leave my house than when I leave theirs.
7. You must face the direction you want to go.
8. Greater expectations rarely bring greater results.
9. Laughing (at yourself) reduces the get angry and yell reflex.
10. Fall might be my favorite.
11. On Saturday, it is far more satisfying to get up and get to it than to sleep in.
12. God can make all things new... including you... and yes, more than once.
13. Cleaning the kitchen before bed makes for a much better morning, even if it means staying up a few minutes late.
14. Attitude is so important.
15. This year, there's more meaning... it's deeper... I'm thinking about and "learning" less trivial things.
16. I am learning to write down things I see or hear that inspire me so that they wont be forgotten.
17. Sometimes the kids are the grown ups.
18. Spending time with my family, especially in celebration, revitalizes my soul like not much else can.
19. Packing only what you need makes unpacking as soon as you get home way easier… and much more likely to happen.
20. Coming back from Vermont reminds me that Virginia is lonely for me.
21. There is a lot on my mind... and I can let go of it.
22. I admire people who garden to live.
23. Going to the grocery store four times in a week is too much.
24. It feels good to know I'm appreciated at work.
25. Casey will never get sick of me.
26. It's okay to take a longer nap, as long as you get up and go afterwards.
27. It is much easier to be peaceful when the house is clean.
28. Everything is ordinary and extraordinary at the same time.
29. "In the middle of the world, make one positive step." ~ Natalie Goldberg
30. Keep things filling, not just full. A busy life does not mean a fulfilling life.

Too Quiet

As I mentioned on Friday, Casey and I had a quiet weekend planned. After having a fun night out with work friends on Friday, I came home way later than expected and ended up sleeping in until around noon on Saturday. That is way unlike me.

What’s worse is I was completely useless for the rest of Saturday and it made me feel crummy. I don’t like being so lazy! Casey and I pretty much got out of bed only to move to chair and couch, respectively, where we spent the rest of the day. Well, actually, I took a nap in bed in the late afternoon and then in the evening we pulled out the couch bed and watched a “scary” movie. After the movie, it was back to bed.

Fortunately, Sunday was a lot more productive. I got up and went to church, made dinner in the slow cooker, baked some cookies, did a couple loads of laundry, and worked a bit sorting stuff and creating in the guest room. There was not nearly as much sleeping and bad TV watching, though it was still pretty laid back.

On Saturday, I was feeling pretty crappy about the whole thing, but Casey assured me it was okay to take a day off and today I don’t feel as bad about it as I did then. I just don’t like wasting time being a couch potato when there are other, more meaningful things I love to do; on the other hand, it was nice to just hang out with Casey. We may not have interacted much, but it was still time spent together and that’s important.