I'd Do It All Over Again

Ten years ago, a young girl married a young guy.  They got all dolled up in their lovely wedding dress and handsome tux, made deep heart promises, ate delicious cake, and ran to the get-away car through a shower of brightly colored fall leaves tossed at them by loved ones from near and far.  They sat back and giggled as they envisioned their happily ever after.

 And, y'all, it came true. 

It Is Well With My Soul

The title makes it sound like you're in for a confessional of a blog post.

You're not.  It's just a bunch of pictures depicting our October thus far.  But October is a happy month.  The air is cleaner and cooler and the days have that perfect golden tinge to them and even though the government is still on shut down and the president is still less that I would have hoped for and the mosquitoes still circle me like miniature vultures, there is a rightness about this blessed month that makes me heave huge lung-bursting sighs of contentment.

Anna's new hair cut, the latest mosquito attack on poor Daniel, and what happens to Daniel when the bag of sugar is left within his reach: crunchy oatmeal!

We field tripped to see the Nina and the Pinta replicas and learned much.  The kids also enjoyed rolling down the huge hill on the beautiful day. 

Pony rides make my Thomas look HUGE, sunshine smiles from Elizabeth and Joshua, and Daniel being all big and brave at the pony corral. 

Sarah Grace has begun taking over much of the meal making in the kitchen.  She and Thomas are also wrapping up a successful season of baked goods at the local farmer's market. 

Visits with Mimi make for lots of smiles!

The crazy swirls and my nerves get raw, but this life is a beautiful blessing.  It is well with my soul.

Hope you're enjoying your fall as much as we are ours!!!

Puttering And A Plea For Assistance!!

Despite the fact that the calendars tout the arrival of fall to be September 21st, a true Southerner knows that fall is October 1st.

That's today, y'all.

I'm doing some fall nesting around here.  Which really means, I'm offering kids quarters to do random things that I see and don't want to do I know will instill a sense of accomplishment and promote taking pride in a job well done.

So I got the box of 'fall decorations' pulled out and then shut my eyes as my girls danced around my house putting fake pumpkins in various places, along with loose potpourri and pine cones that will have to be moved before Daniel wakes up.  Otherwise, I can see my face turning purple as I desperately try not to screech out something awful when I step on one of those sharp pine cones that will inevitably land in my path. 

I'm turning a blind eye to everything else and concentrating on my mantle, which I have long since informed my sweet girls is my territory when it comes to decorating.

I'm sure this will cause them to need therapy at some point in their lives, but I'll think about that another day.

Here's the mantle so far.  It needs help.  I left the old one up for over a year and now I need to re-learn the art of seasonal mantles.  So, whatcha think?  What does it need?  What needs to go?  What needs to be moved?  I'm stumped and tired of trying to think.  Y'all put in some words of wisdom, would ya??