Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Besides Thanksgiving, something you're looking forward to on your November calendar?

I am looking forward to delivering food on Thanksgiving Day.  This is something we have been doing for 15 years and I am the one who gets a blessing.

2.  If I gave you a thank you card right now who would you send it to and why?

Two special ladies in my church has started the program/devotion God Fit.  I have really enjoyed working out and having devotions every Wednesday night; I hate it is ending tomorrow night. 


3. Of the breads listed, which one's your favorite...bagel, cinnamon, sourdough, garlic, banana, biscuit, pita, Naan, or plain old fashioned white bread?

Sourdough is my favorite.  My precious mother-in-law would make sourdough bread and oh how I could eat the entire loaf.  She would always make a few loaves for me to take and share at school.  Miss this precious lady.

4. What's something you have in abundance? Is that a good thing?

I think I have a lot of 'stuff.'  My husband would agree.  I have a lot of candles, dishes (never used), and books.  The list could go on and on...

5. November 5th is National Love Your Red Hair Day. Are there any redheads in your family? Who's your favorite redhead?

No redheads in my family.  My favorite redhead-Lucille Ball, of course.

6.  The travel website Busbud recently calculated the most Instagrammed spot in every state. Go here to see what made the list where you live. Are you happy with your state's #1? If not what do you think should be the most photographed spot in your state? Have you snapped a photo there? If you live outside the USA answer as it relates to your state, city or province.

I would not have chosen Virginia Beach, but I can see why the beach was the most Instagrammed spot.  I think the most photographed spot should have been Mount Vernon or Monticello both homes to presidents.



7. I'm going to try to have something related to gratitude in this spot each week during the month of November. Here's this week's question-

What's something you've learned about yourself this year that you're grateful for?

I have learned to let housework go, well not really all the way but I have learned that my house does not always have to be spotless.  I have been a person whose house had to be spotless even when entertaining and I was a nervous wreck when someone dropped by unexpectedly and I had not dusted the furniture!!  I have learned that my friends don't care if my house is dusty; they just want to sit awhile and talk.  This has been huge for me and I am so grateful for taking baby steps and learning to enjoy life and quite being so nervous about having a clean house.

8. Insert your own random thought he

I am enjoying this warm weather.  The temps have been in the 70's more like spring than fall.  Hub and I are still taking our nightly walks around the block.  

Wednesday Hodgepodge

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 am comfortable with silence.  At times, I need silence just to collect my wits end.  Usually when I am home alone, there is some music playing in the background-usually Contemporary Christian music or the 70's or 80's blaring.  
I do seek out times to be silent.  In the morning before the day begins, I say a prayer and read my devotions. I am not a morning person but if I wait  until later that evening, I find myself not having any time to read my devotions.  My morning routines help me get in a good frame of mind for the day.

My favorite place to find silence--Bathroom! 

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?

A strawberry dipped in chocolate.  I am not a huge fan of plain chocolate.

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?

Jeans aren't necessarily my favorite but I do enjoy wearing jeans.  I am able to wear jeans every Friday to school. I have found that you can really dress up a pair of jeans to look so neat/tidy  -pairing jeans with accessories (jewelry/scarfs) can make a pair of jeans come to life!  In a typical week, I wear jeans probably 2-3 times.  I do own a blue jean jacket donated to me by daughter.

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

Yes and I shouldn't be.  I know that going in one door and out another door does not cause me any harm, but I won't do it.  

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? 

A tacky tourist--straw hat, big wide sunglasses, an outfit that is completely outdated and lots of fake jewelry!

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

I do not like to be caught in the middle of a dispute.  I do not like confrontations at all.  Usually walk/run from the situation.

7. Perhaps today will be the day I ______________________________. am able to cook and eat with hub!  For the past few days, I have had something going on and hub has had the same schedule.  So we both have just grabbed something to eat later that evening-unhealthy of course-chips, cookies, crackers-too tired and too late to fix dinner.  Today may be the day---I shall see!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Rainy here for the past couple of days.  I  am in the mood for fall and some cooler temps.  Have a safe Halloween and enjoy all the Trick or Treaters!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. October 21, 2015 is Back to the Future Day. Did you see the movie? The sequels? In the second film, Doc takes Marty into the future to prevent Marty's future son from making a mistake. They leave 1985 and land on a 'skyway' on October 21st, 2015. So tell us, what were you doing in the fall of 1985?


I was teaching 4th and 6th grade in 1985.  Hub and I were renting an apartment and not a care in the world!



2.  If time travel were possible, would you want to go to the future? The past?

 May I go to both, please?
 I would like to go to the future to see how my children are doing-if they are succeeding in all they set out to do.  I would like to see if grandchildren have accomplished their goals/dreams.  I wonder if heaven will allow me to see this....
I would like to go to the past--just a little bit of the simplified life style-but then again, I need my microwave, cell phone, and computer.  Going back to the past would allow me to talk to my ancestors which would be great.



3. We're not flying cars, but some of the technology imagined in the 80's film has indeed come to pass in real life 2015-flat screen TVs on the wall, tablets, fingerprint recognition, video conferencing, online banking, 3-D movies, motion controlled video games, drone cameras, and smart glasses (Google glass).  Do you worry technology is growing at a rate so fast we'll soon be unable to keep up with it's demands? Do you think the Internet does more harm than good?



Yes, I worry that technology is growing faster than one can keep up.  The Internet is very useful for studying and looking up things I do not know.  There is so much information at our fingertips.
I feel the Internet can be harmful in one just sitting and playing games or just sometimes plain ole dangerous. 
The Internet useful or not depends on the person using it.






4. Your favorite dish prepared in a slow-cooker? Your favorite fast food?

This would have to be some type of soup.  My favorite fast food-Subway-I tell myself I am eating healthy at Subway-haha


5. No time like the present, down time, face time, pressed for time, in the nick of time, make time, mark time, or just in time...which timely saying most relates to your life right now? 


Right now it is down time.  It seems like after the wedding planning and wedding there isn't much happening.


6. Tell us about a place you went as a child or younger person that's no longer there or is now something else. How does that make you feel?

My neighborhood/home!  I lived my teenage years in a little town, Saltville, Virginia.  Saltville was known for-Salt-what else in the early, early years.  Later, Olin came and built the town up by hiring many, many people.  When growing up, I was unaware of all the pollution Olin had caused.  Mercury was in the water.  Olin closed down and years later went in and either bought all the houses in my neighborhood to tear down.  It is sad driving through and not seeing any homes and I do get a little teary eyed.  A couple of years ago we held a Muck Dam Kids reunion.  We had a huge picnic in the yards of our use to be homes.  Such a fun time!



7. Describe your comfort zone.

My comfort zone is in my house and school. 


8. Insert your own random thought here.

Retirement is getting closer-December 2015 to be exact.  My comfort zone needs to be changed.  I need to find something to take up my time, but I do not want to volunteer for everything under the sun.  People have already asked me to be on this committee or join this club, I want to maybe, but I also just want to take a deep breath and enjoy.  No more routines for me-I am a routine kinda gal and must have a schedule.  I am a little nervous about this whole retirement thing-security with income, how to not be on a schedule and know from one day to the next what I am doing.  But I came across a quote... "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." (Neale Donald Walsh)   I shall see!

Weekend Rewind...

Weekend Rewind...



The weekend started off dreary and rainy but ended on a high note-bright sunshine.

 The school I currently teach at was celebrating homecoming activities.  I kinda like some of the dress-up days we had--Squad Day, Character/Super Hero, Jock/Nerd/ Throwback Thursday-it was neat seeing the kiddos dress and of course the faculty dressed up as well.  It was a beautiful week-sunshine and warm temps one would have thought we were in the month of May, not October.  Friday, the rain/storms blew in--ugh!  Our football game was cancelled and will be played tomorrow night-Yep on a school night-need I say more.

Before the storms came, the sun was shining.  It had been raining so the football field was muddy and since it was Homecoming I am glad no one (especially the girls) had to trudge across that muddy field.  I had grandson (he wanted to spend the night even though the football was cancelled and his dad would be home) and we headed out to a nearby town to pick up a few items.  The sky was cloudy, but it was still warm outside.  We got our few items and I stopped to get Grandson something to eat-Drive-thru.  As we were leaving the drive-thru it was like the clouds opened up.  The rain was coming down hard, the wind was blowing, and lightening was dancing across the sky.  I had great difficulty driving so I pulled into a store parking lot.  The rain was pelting the windshield so hard I thought the glass was going to break. I called hub to let him know Grandson and I were parked waiting on the rain to let up.  The rain did let up after awhile and Grandson and I make it safely home.  I was a little shaky but thankfully we had made it home safe and sound.

Saturday was rainy and dreary.  I was able to do some inside cleaning and some laundry.  Hub called and said daughter and her hub were coming down.  I made a big pot of homemade chili-good for a rainy day.  I love smelling chili cook but the aroma hangs around more than I like so I fired up some pumpkin candles.  Grandson was happy his aunt and Kenneth were coming.  He celebrated a birthday earlier in the week and he was of course wanting his presents. When daughter and Kenneth arrived they were both grinning from ear to ear.  I couldn't figure out why but when they took off their rain coats, I saw something brown underneath.  They had gotten a new puppy!  Daughter said she had been working with babies for the past few weeks in PT and she was thinking about having one but Kenneth decided to get her a puppy instead.  Good thinking, Kenneth!  The new puppy, Champ, is a boxer and he is so adorable.  :)

Sunday was a gorgeous day.  We headed out to the pumpkin patch.

The leaves are beginning to change.

Pretty soon this mountain side will be beautiful.  I do live in a pretty part of the U.S.

Hub and #1 daughter did enjoy the hayride.

Kiddos did enjoy the hay slide.
and I did get a pumpkin.  Such a beautiful day.
A perfect way to end a weekend.

Hub has a doctor appointment tomorrow with his oncologist, so whisper a prayer for continue health.

Have a great week and Enjoy Life!

Weekend Rewind....

Weekend Rewind...



It was a rainy, windy weekend.  So thankful we did not get all the rain that was earlier predicted.  Prayers for safety for all caught up in the rain.

Finally, got around to putting my spring and summer pictures on a DVD.  I have not been too lucky with photo albums.  Either my pictures fall out or I forget to put them in an album so a few years ago I began putting all my pictures on a DVD and labeling them season/year.   For some reason, I was a little behind ( I blamed it on the wedding planning) but got all pictures finished this week. Instead of going to the football game Friday evening, Grandson and I watched DVD's and sat and watched/ reminiscing about all the fun adventures we had earlier in the year.

I woke up early Saturday morning and cleaned the house.  Shew! it about took me all day.  The wind was howling outside and Grandson was telling me to stop cleaning and watch the trees.  The trees were really bending to the ground.  Our lights did flicker a few times, but our electricity did not go off.  Another praise.

Later that evening, hub and I attended the Fall Festival held annually at the elementary school.  I like going to the silent auctions which is held in the library.  All classrooms donate a basket-the baskets have a theme such as movie basket which is filled with popcorn, movies, movie tickets, or a dinner out basket filled with gift cards to restaurants, pet basket filled with pet items,fire pit basket-a fire pit filled with items to make s'mores  and many more baskets.  It is a great fund-raiser buying/bidding on something one wants.  I spent a few hours in here just making my game plan on the baskets I wanted to bid on then I headed to play Bingo.  Grandson and hub were playing games and winning prizes and jumping in the Bouncy Houses.  The auction ends at 15 minutes before the ending of the fall festival.  I headed back to the library to place my bids.  There were three baskets I wanted. I kept watching the bids and slowly walking around to write my bid down.  I was able to get 2 our of 3.  I desperately wanted the third basket but just couldn't 'pull the trigger' to bid much higher than I had already.
The Harvest Basket--filled with all sorts of goodies for fall and

 The Pet Basket-for daughter...

Sunday the rain had stopped but boy was it windy.  Both grandsons came home with us after church. We played, read, and wrestled the Sunday evening away.

Ignore hub's shoe...both boys wanted to wear 'Buddy's' shoes!

The weather had me in the mood to do a little fall decorating.  

I managed  to put a few things out while still enjoying grandsons around.

Hoping the weather will be cooperative this week.  We have Special Games Day on Wednesday along with Homecoming festivities all week.  Looking forward to a great week of work/school.

Have a blessed week and Enjoy Life.

Wednesday hodgepodge

1. Something on your October calendar that makes you smile?

The changing of the leaves always make me smile.  I love looking at God's paintbrush at work.
Visiting a pumpkin patch and taking a hayride also makes me smile.  I am planning our little pumpkin patch trip in a couple of weeks.

2. Food for the soul or music for the soul...which camp are you in? Tell us why?

I am a little both right now.

Food for the soul-it really made me feel all warm inside listening to the NFL player on Monday night  (Kansas Chief) talking about his learning disability in school and how he participated in the Special Olympics.  Since I teach special education this made me feel so good inside!

Music for the soul-I listen to different types of music depending on the time of day it is but most importantly depending on my mood.  I think the type of music one listens to depends on that person's mood.  Music does generate emotions.  Music does soothe our soul.

3. What are two or three things you've learned recently as the result of an online search?

Haven't been doing any online searches recently.

4. Share your favorite game day recipe. You can describe it, post the how-to, or add a link to the actual recipe. 

Order Out!  or I fix a pot of homemade chili

5. What are your five essential steps for creating the perfect morning routine?

1.  Lay clothes out the night before along with accessories.
2.  Lunch is packed and on top shelf in the refrigerator.
3.  Do not hit snooze button--I make myself have to get up out of the bed to turn the alarm clock off!
4.  Spend time reading my devotions for that day-so I get up a few minutes earlier than normal.
 5. Listening to contemporary Christian music as I get ready always puts me in a better mood for the day.

6. What small thing have you taken note of today?

People smiling...Also I cleaned out our coffee pot in the teachers' workroom!  It was a dreary, raining day yesterday, and a few of us need a little perky up.

7. Sum up your September in seven words or less.

Why did you go by so quickly?  There for awhile, my calendar was empty, and I thought September was going to  be a lazy, nothing much to do month. Wrong! but I enjoyed every minute of it.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Grandson spent the night with the happy Newlyweds last Friday.  This was a planned overnight stay.  Daughter calls around 7 that evening saying she has married a 6year old.  Ha! boys will be boys.  Then that Saturday she tells me she put Nate (grandson) in the guest room (which he had said that is where he was going to sleep-a regular full bed).  The guest room was too dark for him so he went to get in their bed.  After a few minutes, he told Kenneth (son-in-law) that he might be more comfortable in the guest room-not that he had to get out of bed but that he might be more comfortable in the guest room.  Now Kenneth is well over 6ft tall and I am sure he hung over the bed!  Loved this story.

Weekend Rewind....

Weekend Rewind....

Apple Festival Weekend in Chilhowie!!

Prior to the Apple Festival, which I learned today is one of the longest-running festivals in Virginia, many people begin tidying up and decorating for fall.  I must admit the weather has been more like summer temps in the 80s and nights warm-- so getting in the fall spirit was difficult.  But I managed...

Glad mums looked okay...

Like I mentioned earlier, the weather has been so much like summer leading up to the Apple Festival which is fine with the folks around here.

Hub and I walked last Thursday evening-around 10 that evening to take a peek at the many vendors/crafts that were being set up.  It was most definitely like a summer evening.

Friday morning-the clouds opened up and the rain came...I know we needed the rain but gosh not this weekend. The football game was not cancelled which was a shocker to us all.  But somehow the rain did stop long enough to play the football game.  Hub and I did not attend the game; we chose to spend the evening cooking and listening to the game on the radio.  Hub grilled out country ham (about 100+ pieces) while I made salads and apple dumplings. I think it was around 11 that evening that we finally took a break and ate something. Again, the air was warm with just a fine drizzle.  

Saturday was the day of the parade.  Daughter had decided to put a float in the parade.  Well it wasn't exactly a float-I called it a wagon.  We put a huge pill bottle on the wagon and had apples inside the pill bottle...plus about 12 bushels of apples on the wagon...grandson and his friend were to ride on the wagon. Daughter was going to ride on the wagon while her pharmacy techs and I hand out apples along the parade route.  Daughter #2 and her husband were going to drive the truck, which was pulling the wagon.

.

Saturday morning all entries in the parade had to be lined up by 8am. The sky was cloudy..

and a fine mist in the air. And I saw a tree beginning to change...

  Daughter graciously opened up her home to all who wanted to stop by for a country ham biscuit (her dad and I had prepared).
Hub was the first one in line...chopping at the bit-I might say.

Some of the kids played....

While grown-ups explained muscle aches to #2 daughter.

After eating, we all (those with daughter's wagon) took their places in line.
This was son-n-law's expression during the morning....

This was his first Apple Festival and I do not think he knew what to make of it all.

Here are some pictures of daughter's wagon...

I really liked the banner she had made to place on the back..

The top two pics are her pharmacy tech's child and grandchild; bottom two pics are her step brother's children. Slogan--"We're more than a pharmacy; we're a family."  Great idea..

There were 26 bands in the parade; a band competition is also held after the parade.

  I was hoping to be behind a band...I like music! Plus marching and walking were in my mind about the same thing..handing out apples was going to be a piece of cake.  Wrong....I thought I was in a marathon!!  I got both daughters to help... no more sitting on the wagon or inside the truck!!  Hub was recruited along with grandson and his friend!! A two mile parade route was a two mile marathon...running back and forth to grab bags loaded with apples...I loved every minute of it especially seeing the smiles on people's faces.  I heard so many comments--"Aw apples never before given out" or "Yeah, apples and not candy."  I gave daughter a pat on the back and told her she did good!!

There were other floats...

Oscar Mayer

Characters...

Difficult trying to take pictures..while participating in the parade....ugh!

It took us a minute to catch our breath after the parade before walking to the arts/crafts.  Many vendors---apple butter, homemade ice cream, kettle corn, fried Oreo, curly fries....and crafts from homemade jewelry to homemade soap.  I bought a few candles and I could not pass up the kettle corn or the fried Oreo-I told myself I would go back to eating healthy on Monday.ha

The bands performing could be heard on our deck.  Hub and I did walk over to watch a few bands perform before the judges took a break and then we decided to just listen to them from our deck.  The band competition lasted till around 9pm.  The fireworks started shortly afterwards....

Sunday we headed back to the arts/crafts after church. Churches participate in gospel music while people walk around the crafts.  Except this year, the gospel music was held inside the school's auditorium due to threatening weather.

While walking home from the crafts, I expressed to hub how I enjoyed the festival this year.  I can't really explain it...but it felt so good getting the wagon ready, handing out apples, and all..I really didn't want it to end. Strange...I know...but all good things must come to and end, right?

Hoping my week will be just as full-filling as my weekend was.

Have a Blessed Week and Enjoy Life!