Merry Christmas!

Charming doodle by Meg.

It has been a busy couple of weeks around here! It seems I didn't sit still for the 2 weeks since my last post. If I was sitting, I was working on those socks, but most of the time I was shopping, wrapping, cleaning, cooking, or running some type of errand!

Best gift ever: to have them all at Mass with us!

I have some health issues that have been taking up any extra brain-space I have, so that accounts for some of the blog-silence. God willing, and with your prayers, those will be resolved Monday morning with a little procedure that takes care of the problems for good. 

I hope you are enjoying a blessed Christmas with your loved ones! My children can't be here all the time (Brendan had to leave Christmas day!), but I am grateful for every moment of their presence. I'm also grateful for a little respite, however brief, from the daily schedules and pressures. Mostly, I'm grateful for a God who humbled himself and came down from heaven to be one with us.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas! 

Christmas Knitting Yarn Along

Playing every knitter's favorite: a game of chicken between a sock and a ball of yarn. It's a toe-up sock so I can stop when I need to; plus I have a coordinating yarn that I can use as a cuff if I don't think it's long enough, but this ball of yarn is way smaller than I would like.  I'd like to finish this sock today so I can knit the mate and another pair before Christmas! Socks for men with large feet are a major undertaking.

I finally finished GWTW this morning---I got a lot of reading done because I awoke ridiculously early a couple of days in a row. I'm anxious to start Scarlett tonight when I've accomplished enough of my sock for the day.

Gone with the Wind is so good! I still love it after....36 years. Scarlett, the character, not the book, is a pitiful creature, though! I'm amazed at how self-centered she is. She's clueless about how anyone else feels, and especially what it takes to be a Great Lady. Rhett, scoundrel that he is, is so much wiser. Have you read it? I've been wondering, but not enough to look it up, if it has ever been banned like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn for it's use of the 'n' word throughout."

Back to the sock....y'all drop in on the other knitters at Small Things! xo

A Monday in Advent

Today a little, gingerbread tree sits in the center of our Advent wreath---which sits in the middle of the school table!

The tree kit mysteriously appeared in the latest decorating box. A happy surprise since I had forgotten that I bought it at 90% off after Christmas.

I'm thrilled that Meg decided to decorate it on her own and did the whole thing herself---even the cleanup!

Children DO grow up---which is both good and bad.  Isn't it?

7 Quick Takes

Thanks to Kelly for taking over QuickTakes hosting duties for Superwoman Jen...

1. Tomorrow is St. Nicholas day! It's always one of our favorite days of the year when St. Nicholas fills our Christmas stockings with way too much candy and little goodies!

For breakfast we will have coffee, candy, and a Kringle which I found at Trader Joe's and saved for this occasion! That's appropriate, don't you think?

2. Did you know that you have one more day to use the coupon code holiday20 at my Etsy shop at Etsy.com/shop/NestEggKnits ? You can get one of a kind book blankeys for the favorite little child in your life!

3. Did you know you have one more day to use the coupon code holiday20 at my Etsy shop at Etsy.com/shop/RosyKnits ? If you look at the sidebar on the right you can see that there are some yummy Cowls and ear warmers and scarves in the shop!

4. Our school set up this amazing little room for Advent. They put lights up and then covered all the walls and ceiling with wrinkled craft paper and set the holy family in a little niche. It has chairs and Gregorian chant playing, and you can go in and sit and have a few quiet moments in prayer. The students have had the opportunity to go in during the school day and listen to a little meditation. It's really beautiful! I took the opportunity to sit and pray the St. Andrew novena yesterday morning----that particular prayer in that particular setting was just a perfect way to start my day!

5. Getting a pair of hand knit socks from me for Christmas means that I love you. Not that I don't love the people that I don't make socks for, but you know what I mean!

This year there are two people that I want to make socks for, and I'm getting a very. late. start. so say a prayer for me!

6. Meg has been watching far too many DIY decorating gurus on YouTube lately. But it has had the beneficial effect of getting her to clean her room! She has decluttered most of the room and gotten rid of a lot of junk, and now she wants to do some DIY decorating.

She found some pictures online that she really liked, so we bought a couple of frames to supplement the ones we already had, did some spray painting and now she has this awesome little collage of pictures to put on her wall! I think it is super cute!

She also did a little washi tape design on her dresser to jazz it up:

 How cool is that?!

7.  Gratuitous arty jellybean photo. Just because. #MeggieSnaps

Yarn Along

Gone with the Wind continues to be my "yarn" of choice. I had thought I would read it faster, but I find myself slowing down to savor the story. I'm getting reacquainted with characters that were left out of the move, like Scarlett's little son Wade who suffers the terrors of war and Yankees and his mother!

I have two projects to show you this week. This chunky, mulberry cowl which I may keep for myself or put it in the shop. I just love this color!

The Cat in the Hat book-blankey is for the Nest Egg Knits shop. I've been working on this one after dinner while we do our Advent readings and talk. It's so chunky and cozy! I can't think of anything sweeter than cuddling up with a little person, this blanket, and a book. Yum.

I'm joining Ginny and friends at Small Things. Go see what everyone else is knitting and reading!

Advent Preparedness

We went to Virginia for a lovely Thanksgiving and came home on Saturday evening----and now it's Advent! It seems that we are rarely home for Thanksgiving, and consequently don't have Friday and Saturday to "deck the halls" for Christmas Advent. I realized around noon Sunday that it was the First Sunday of Advent...really, I knew, but it took until then to really sink in and hit home... and the house was essentially a disaster from the trip, so after Mass I set out to get a few essentials done---like get out the Advent wreath for the dinner table and set up the Jesse Tree.  I've been planning to move our Little Oratory for a while, and putting out Christmas decorations and nativities seemed like a good time to do it.

Going through the "Christmas Closet" in the basement is a drag even though it is pretty well organized, but I had plenty of time to think while embarking on my solo decorating adventure. No one wanted to help, and while that made me a little sad, (I think all they care about is decorating the actual Christmas tree!),  I figure they'll all be gone soon and it will be all up to me anyway, just as it was when they were little.

Whether you have a houseful of little helpers or you're doing the whole job by yourself, I thought of some tips that might help keep it all under control and feel less overwhelming---my routine needed a little streamlining and simplifying, too. If you really want to drag out all the boxes the day after Thanksgiving and get it all done in one fell swoop----have at it! Just skip to the next blog. :-) But if you're more interested in not being overwhelmed and trying to keep an attitude of preparation, instead of frustration, keep reading.

First Sunday in Advent - The essentials for this day are:

• Advent Wreath (on the table and maybe the front door)
• Jesse Tree and ornaments
• Jesse Tree book - whatever you use to do readings
• Advent calendar(s)
• a Nativity or two - it's nice to have one the kids can play with, along with a manger for putting "good deed" straws in.

All those items, along with all the Advent wreath candles that you got on sale last year, should be packed in a box together. Maybe label it "First Sunday."

St. Nicholas Day:

The next big event in Advent is St. Nicholas Day which is probably before the 2nd Sunday. Depending on how you celebrate, you might want to make this a box all it's own. I have quite a collection of Santas St. Nicholas figures which I like to have out in time for his Big Day. I've always hung the stockings (which he fills for his feast on Dec. 6) at the beginning of Advent, but if we're trying to make the task manageable, these can be hung on the 5th and put out with the figurines. This is a good day to decorate the mantelpiece, so put all those decorations in the St. Nick box!

Second Sunday in Advent:

For the sake of simplicity and continuing with the preparation theme, this is a good week to do some more decorating around the house. You might put up the outdoor decorations or make your dining room festive.

Maybe this is a good time to acknowledge that the house can get a bit...cluttered...with all these new decorations out, so I will often put some of the everyday decor into the Advent boxes to reduce that problem.  That way I don't have to hunt for it when Christmas is over; it's already in the box waiting to go back on the table when I put the Christmas stuff away!

Third Sunday in Advent:

This is Gaudete Sunday where the theme is "Rejoice" because Christmas is near! This is when I like to finish the decorating by putting up (and decorating) the Christmas tree and finally getting the decorations done outdoors if they're not done already.  This is probably the week to make sure you have your OAntiphon house ready to go. Make sure that's in the storage box! True confessions: Mine is not in the box. I don't have one. I've always wanted to make one, but never got around to it!

Fourth Sunday in Advent:

If you've been following along, adding some new decorations each week, it's probably all done by now and you can enjoy it through Epiphany on January 6! The 4th week is often very short, but if you had sickness in the house or something came up, you have this weekend to finish your decorating. If you're a purist who waits to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve, that's fine, too.

Taking it all down :-(

Are you already worried about putting it all away and getting your house clean in one day? Not me. I hate erasing all traces of Christmas overnight; I like the joy of the holiday to linger! I also rarely have the time or energy to do it all at once. ;-)

I generally take everything down in reverse order, but as long as you put everything back in their appropriately labeled boxes, it doesn't really matter.

These days we have two Epiphanies: January 6 and the USCCB-declared Epiphany Sunday. Since Tom's birthday is the 6th, we just go ahead and celebrate Epiphany on the appropriate Sunday with the USCCB. Our neighborhood has declared that outdoor decorations must be removed by the 6th, so that's the only hard-and-fast rule we follow regarding un-decorating.

If my tree is Live and on it's last legs, it's probably one of the first things to go after the 6th; if not, I leave it up and lit every night. Other than that, I just do a little each weekend...putting things back in their corresponding boxes for the next year! I don't feel compelled to have the house clear of decorations until February 2, Candlemas, which some say is the official End of Christmas.

~~~~~

There now. I've neglected all my chores for the day in order to bring you this post. ;-) Such a sacrifice, right? Let me know what you think and what might improve this plan! Does it sound like it would work for you?

I love Advent. I love preparing for the coming of the Christ-child, and the candles, and the lights on the houses. I love immersing myself in all the spiritual side of Advent and Christmas and trying not to be overwhelmed or disheartened by the more materialistic side. Enjoy!

Yarn Along?

Is anyone still checking the links from last Wednesday's Yarn Along? Because I am linking up to today! Just a few days late and a whole lot of dollars short!

I had a custom request from a friend so I had to go to the yarn shop to buy more yarn. Naturally, I bought more than strictly necessary.

I had been intrigued for several weeks by the Red Heart reflective yarn that is available in bright colors. So I bought a skein, and yesterday I worked up a cabled ear warmer.

It's very fun! But you know what amazes me about it? The fact that while Red Heart is notorious for its scratchy acrylic, this yarn is actually very soft. I want to know why they don't make all their yarn this nicely!

The first ear warmer is finished, and in the shop.

I am still reading Gone With the Wind but my book for this week is Forgiven by Maureen S. Taylor. It was supposed to be finished for book club yesterday, but no one was finished with it. I am enjoying this self-published novel by a local, Catholic writer. I haven't read enough, yet, to let you know if I will love it all the way through, but it shows great promise. Katie, the heroine, is struggling with panic attacks and seeing a new psychiatrist. Forgiveness is the theme of the book, and I expect she will need to forgive God for taking the lives of her parents when she was a young girl.

I'll let you know how it turns out!

Weekly Rambles

::Weekly Rambles::

What’s really on my mind and heart?

I am still on a high from my adventure with Meg Saturday. We went with our American Heritage Girls on a "high adventure" activity which involved a high ropes course. This is the first time Meg was old enough for these activities, so I stayed and participated, too. "High" seems to be the operative word in that paragraph!

That's about 55' up---we climbed the cargo net and crossed to the other side; there were four sections of varying difficulty. The hardest being a tightrope (high wire?) with obstacles. It was fun and not nearly as scary being up there as I expected! I found stepping off the ledge to rappel down the most challenging.

Standing directly under it while Meg rappels down gives you a better idea of how high it is! 

Then we climbed a higher cargo net to a 75' aerie so we could ride the quarter-mile zip line. Standing on the ledge while they got everyone situated was a little nerve-wracking for some, but, again, I found stepping off the platform to be the hardest!

The point of these activities, and the whole day, is to build thinking skills, to grow as a team, and challenge yourself. We all had partners on the TEC course that we were responsible for keeping safe, and we crossed some of the sections as a pair or a team. It was a great experience!

What am I thankful for?

Today I'm especially thankful for my new, fleece-lined rain boots. It's cold and rainy with "bitter cold" moving in behind the rain. Fun.

What’s going on in school?

The usual. Last week for the home schoolers who get a full week off for Thanksgving! 

What’s on the needles?

This shawl. It's actually OFF the needles. It's soft and warm, but not as large as I would like.

There's a "Goodnight Moon" book blanket in the works, as well as a "Lorax," and another "Cat in the Hat, but they're all on hold for a pair of socks and some earwarmers! It's kind of crazy!

What’s special about this week?

"Mockingjay" opens in theaters on Thursday. Meg can hardly wait!

What am I reading?

Gone with the Wind and Kristin Lavransdatter: The Cross. Nothing new there. I'm supposed to be reading Forgiven for book club this week. I should order that!

What am I praying about?

Healing for lots of people, especially my uncle who is recovering from surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his colon, and my sister-in-law who has a lot of struggles and cannot put weight on her ankle for a couple of months. Greg Willits of The Catholics Next Door podcast who is in the process of finding a diagnosis for new health concerns. Sounds alarmingly like ALS or Parkinson's to me. :-(

A few prayers would be nice for my own physical exams this week. Shouldn't be any big deal, but you never know. Thanks!

What projects are happening at home?

Cleaning up the yarn detritus is a never ending battle! Now, the big push is on to get ready for Thanskgiving and prepare Christmas presents for anyone we might see over the holiday. That will save shipping costs and be a huge weight off the shoulders during Advent.

~~~~

What did you think about A Week in My Life? It was hard to keep up with for me! I'm not sure I enjoyed reading all the minutiae of everyone's life. What do you

like to read about here? I'm all about knowing what you want to know! :-)

A Wednesday in the Life

Another 6:15 a.m. wake-up. I used to try to get up around 5 or 5:30; I think I'm stuck on Daylight Savings Time. I'm not going to bed promptly at 10:00 p.m, anymore. It's more like 11:00.  This morning I visit with dh and strip the sheets, gather the laundry, and settle down at the computer to drink chicken broth and check the blogosphere for news. My lower back aches, the kids don't have school, and I feel like relaxing. 

I wake Meg by 8:00 so she can get to work, start the laundry, and do a little Yoga with Adrienne to limber up the muscles. Y'all, I am totally sold on this yoga thing! Looking at my cousin's pics on Instagram of her amazing poses, I decided to try it, and I am amazed at how good it makes my back feel. I'm told I even look thinner despite not losing any weight. I know my balance is much better than it was when I started, and I feel much better, spinally speaking.

Sooooo, two blog posts on Wednesday wiped me out, evidently, so you're getting Wednesday and Thursday on Friday. Because that's how I roll around here! It's not as if Wednesday was stressful....

After schooling all morning, Meg and I went to adoration for an hour, ran a couple of quick errands and came home. I knitted and read all afternoon while ignoring the laundry that needed to be folded. I cooked an awesome dinner at the last minute, and then more knitting and reading until bedtime. 

That's my kind of day!

Thursday was a bit more labor-intensive...dropping the kids at school at 7:45 and hanging out to visit while waiting for traffic to ease up. I came home for a few minutes (blogged, I think) and then went to the Mobile Farmer's market for milk, meat, veggies, etc., and then Trader Joe's---which involved discovering these awesome Kringles! Our boys used to do a fundraiser selling these and I love them so much! The Kringles...and the boys. I was thrilled to find them at TJ's. Have you ever had one?

Unpacked the groceries and took the dog for a long walk, enjoying some of the last of the warm weather.  Lunch and reading. Started a new book blankey which I'm excited about! Right now, I'm kind of Cavalier about it ;-), but that has nothing to do with the theme of this one.  Any guesses?

Picked up the kids after school and spent the afternoon decluttering the main floor, dusting, and generally making it look a lot less neglected! I had a lot of things to do yesterday (none of which involved knitting or reading), so I stayed pretty busy until Meg and I left for American Heritage Girls, where I also stayed busy with Treasurer duties for 2 hours.

Family prayers and bed. The down comforter is feeling awesome, now!

Yarn Along

Two posts in one day! That's kind of miraculous, but we aren't going anywhere else today, so blogging it is!

I took this today for Instagram, but it's perfect for this post! I started a pair of socks for Christmas, and I'm trying to wade through Gone With the Wind. It's a seriously large book; I had forgotten how big! I don't know if I can get through this AND Scarlett before they're due back at the library.

I'm also working on three separate book blankies! Knitting never ends here, but with multiple projects I don't get bored.

Stop by Ginny's to see the other yarns and knits. xo

Tuesday in the Life

Up at 6:15-ish to visit with the hubby while he shaves, then downstairs by 6:30 to make sure Meg is up, Pip is still sick, and check the mail. You know, I really hate writing down for the world that, other than my morning offering immediately on waking, I'm not starting my day curled up in prayer and spiritual reading. See what changed on FB and email before a quick shower and taking Meg to school.

At school, I go in to drink my coffee and chat with other moms until traffic dies down. It's dangerous and stressful to try to make a left turn out of the school in the morning, so a little coffee-klatch is awesome. Get home around 9:00 to check on Pip who is alive and talking! Yay! He's feeling well enough to be downstairs and watch all three two episodes of The Lord of the Rings today. lol.

I make myself a decent breakfast and some toast for him, then settle in at the computer to write yesterday's blog post (and start today's), catch up on email, read a few blogs, and do some necessary Sacrament of Confirmation paperwork for Pip.

Hot chocolate/mocha, and sit down to knit for a few minutes before I feel compelled to clean up the house!

Hmmm, not sure I ever really felt compelled to clean up the house yesterday! I knitted (watched a video on YouTube and learned how to double-knit so both sides look like knit) and watched LOTR for about an hour until it was time to pick up Meg from school.

I've been listening to Year of Wonders on CD in the car. I've been enjoying it, and I'm near the end, so I sat in the car for a few minutes after I got home, to see if I could finish it. But no. Would you believe the only CD player in the house these days is in Meg's room?

On the schedule after school was more LOTR, ;-), and tagging and boxing my first Etsy sale. That involved rubber stamps, inks, trial and error, etc. Then a little more knitting before starting dinner which was spatchcocked chicken, roasted butternut squash, and salad. That was about an hour of prep!

More playing with yarn....I've decided I need to keep a notebook where I write down the yarns used and the design for the things I make and sell, like the book blankies (because I might want to repeat it sometime). 

Dinner was late because DH was late, and then I helped with the kitchen, started the crockpot going for chicken broth, and sat down with hot chocolate to knit and read GWTW until prayers.

I'm really, really going to try to take pictures for you today! :-)

A Day in the Life

Do you want to know what a week in my life is like these days? It's not filled with quite as much mayhem as in the past, but it's still pretty busy. I rarely sit and do nothing, although I do spend a little too much time engaged with my phone when I do sit. I'm trying to curb that habit. I'd really rather read or knit, or both, and the iphone is a black hole!

Monday is a home day for our 2 hybrid home-schoolers. Katie was home Sunday, stayed over- night and had to leave at 10 a.m., so after checking email, FB, and blogs, I woke Meg and Pip around 7 or 7:30. Pip's response was, "I have a sore throat." He rolled over and stayed in bed. Meg got up. I gathered their laundry, sorted it, and started a load before I went down to the basement to alter Katie's chorus dress and re-hem and repair a thrift store skirt she got. I listened to "The Catholics Next Door" podcast and talked to a couple of people who called me early in the morning while I sewed.

Meg was up doing school when I came back up; Pip was on the sofa with a fever. I changed out the laundry and started another load; Katie left, and I sent Pip to bed so he could get better rest and we would get less exposure to the plague. My frantic fingers were itchy, so I brought up a bin of yarn to see what I could make with it (as if I didn't already have at least 4 projects going!). I sat at the table and knitted up this cowl while Meg worked.

I checked mail and FB while walking the dog, and I declared it a gorgeous day when I got back! Look at the vivid blue sky behind her! Meg modeled the cowl for me for Rosy Knits.

Afterwards, Meg decided we needed burgers for dinner and that required buns from the store. So, I checked on Pip and gave him whatever he needed, and Meg and I walked the mile to the store and back again. (She hates exercise, but she likes little adventures!) Not one to let grass grow under my feet, I added the cowl to the Etsy shop while we walked! After that, I promise I put the phone away and we enjoyed our walk!

More laundry after the walk, and a little rest. Pip was still sleeping. I can't even remember what I was wrapped up in after the walk---probably trying to figure out what to knit next---and doing some work on the computer, like editing the school newsletter. Meg was a sweetheart and folded the 3 loads of laundry. I think I knitted the rest of the afternoon until it was time to cook dinner because I was feeling kind of blah myself.

After dinner there were some newsletter fires to put out, and emails to return, FB to check, knitting to do, until bedtime. I should have taken pictures, but I hadn't planned on doing this. The family room and kitchen looked a disaster with yarn, laundry, and books everywhere!

Stay tuned for tomorrow, a school day! Aren't you excited? :-)

Yarn Along Rambles and Book Blankeys

::Weekly Rambles::

I'm combining my Rambles with the Yarn Along this week since I have so much to share, and yarns of all sorts are always favorite topics!

What’s really on my mind and heart?

So many things! Sometimes I feel like a hobbit who feels things deeply and is afraid to speak of them for fear of saying too little or the wrong thing. 

What am I thankful for?

Mid-term elections.

What’s going on in school?

Meg is sleeping and Pip is hard at work. No big projects this week, but we are skipping today's farm field trip to make up for a big, school-interrupting Costco shopping trip and a movie at the new, spectacular Avalon, where they've been showing $2 movies for a week.  Meg wants to live there, and I can't say I blame her!

What’s cooking?

Something with the chicken breasts that are thawing in the fridge. Got any suggestions???

What’s on the needles?

I did NOT have to rip out my shawl on Sunday. Since I totally dreaded untangling the 3 different colors, I ignored it in favor of something else, and it turns out that I only made one small mistake---instead of the big one that would have ruined it---and I was able to fudge that one and move on. I'm going to finish that one in a day or two and then start on some socks for my son.

And that's just the "personal" knitting. I've also been working on #bookblankeys a lot. I finished the Very Hungry Caterpillar and the Rainbow Fish, and I'm working hard on a Lorax blankey. They will be in the shop (see below!) very soon.

Fishy has a face, now. I love the texture in his body!

He looks happy! His body is a very touchable alpaca blend. Yum!

What’s special about this week?

Nest Egg Knits Etsy shop is now online! This is the brainchild of my good friend, Kathleen, who came up with the #bookblankey concept: a cozy blankey to go with your favorite (or your child's favorite) storybook. In the next couple of days we'll get a bunch more blankets in the shop. These are so much fun to knit and crochet. We have both fallen in love with the Tunisian crochet, and I think it makes a great fabric for these blankets. You can see that in this Cat in the Hat blanket in the shop:

Won't you stop in for a visit and favorite our shop so you can see what we post next? Like Kath's totally adorable Chicka-Chicka Boom Boom blanket! Which book would you like to see turned into a blanket?

You can also follow @NestEggKnits on Twitter and Instagram!

What am I reading?

Upstairs on the nightstand (are a lot of books, especially in my Kindle!), I'm actually reading the third Kristin Lavransdatter book---The Cross. I'm having trouble putting it down, but I try to force myself when dh turns out the light! I'm also insane and checked out Gone with the Wind and Scarlett yesterday from from the library. I haven't read GWTW in many years, and after watching the movie a couple of weeks ago, I really want to revisit it AND read Scarlett to get her and Rhett back together again!! (Spoiler there, sorry.)

What am I praying about?

I am praying with and for everyone who is struggling to find a diagnosis for their illness/ailments. I'm praying for peace, trust in God, and the doctors who treat them. There are several, specific people on my heart, and I hope you'll pray with me. God knows who needs the prayers!

What projects are happening at home?

I'm not really doing any projects, other than knitting and crocheting, but I am trying to figure out how to keep this large house clean with a large percentage of my workforce missing! Yes, I know they're not here to make messes, but the bugs and spiders and dust still accumulate!

Starting to think about Christmas gifts---what to make, what to buy. Don't tell me you're on top of it or already done!

Frogging

Guys, there's nothing like having a nagging feeling in the back of your head whenever you pick up your knitting, that you've done something wrong. But you can't figure out what it is, so you just keep knitting. It's also not very pleasant to wake up in the middle of the night and suddenly realize what the problem is. Then, you can spend way too much time lying there thinking about how to fix it without ripping out the whole thing.

Unfortunately, I don't think there's a fix for this, (my short-rows are too short!) and the whole thing...well, one third of it...will have to come out. And that is such a pain when you're knitting with multiple colors, and all the color changes involve twisting the yarn around each other. So it will all have to be untangled as Iunravel it. Oh happy day!

What fun are YOU going to have on this beautiful fall Sunday?

{PHFR}

{Pretty}

Bringing Fall into the house, finally! I usually do that when Fall begins, but I've been pretty preoccupied this year!

{happy}

Sleeping in this adirondack, completely open to spiders and fresh air, was surprisingly pleasant. I'm happy that we stayed dry in the downpours and that we did NOT have a wet tent to take down on Sunday morning!

{funny}

$1 nerd glasses (or hipster) that she had to have. They look awesome on her and she wore them to school today.

{real}

Stupid caterpillar. I stooped down to take a picture (because I'd heard about these poisonous dudes proliferating this year and I wanted to find out if this was the one) and the stupid dog tangled his head in my earphone cord and yanked my phone out if my had. I wish I could take a photo of my broken screen.:'-) I had every intention of buying a new phone case on my way to get the kids from school (because I had dropped it the day before!), but alas, the dog beat me to it! My poor, pretty phone! I hate that! Now it's encased in a nice, protective, pink OtterBox with the cracked screen and I hardly recognize it as mine. 

Dontcha hate broken phones?

Oh, the silly caterpillar is going to become an American Dagger Moth.

~~~~~

I'm linking up with the lovely mother and daughters at Like Mother, Like Daughter. Visit the linkup to see what others are posting!