It's a Boy

Our daughter just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy - their first child. He was born exactly at midnight -- too bad it wasn't a New Year's Day baby!!!! She had a delightfully short labor of three hours and did great.

He is a beautiful little guy with lots of dark hair and a great set of lungs. Everyone is doing well and thrilled that he is now out in the big world. Congratulations to Mom and Dad. Happy birthday baby J.

More pictures to follow, of course, but it is now 2 a.m. and I am off to bed.

Fall Into Fall Giveaway

All of the names were placed in a bowl and one name was drawn.......and the winner is......Midlife Mom. Congratulations! When I entered this Giveaway I had no idea how popular it would be. I have met some wonderful people by checking out the blogs of my commentors. There are some incredibly talented people that I will definitely be following. Thank you all for entering.

As promised, I am going to post a photo of what I am going to be offering in the Fall Into Fall Giveaway . I told you to think about candy corn and this is my "corny" pillow. I have always been an addicted to candy corn and this is my tribute to that wonderful fall candy.

The pillow is 20 inches square, machine quilted and will be given to a lucky winner on October 15th as per the contest rules. If you do not have a blog, please leave an e-mail address. In order to qualify, you must tell me what is your favorite food to prepare as the weather gets colder.

Just click on the scarecrow in my sidebar to see the list of over forty crafty people who will be participating in the giveaway. It's still not too late to join. Good luck and be sure to check back on October 15th

A Little Rain

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for their care and concern over my dermatology report. I feel very comforted by all the kind words. I am certain that this will amount to very little as I am persistent about frequent checks due to my fair skin. I am so glad to see the care that is taken now with little ones regarding the sun. Our parents had no idea that the sun could be as dangerous as it has turned out to be. Of course as teenagers the almighty tan was so important. I can remember slathering cocoa butter all over us and literally frying our skin. I was fortunate enough to avoid that practice because the sun and I have never agreed upon what color I should be. For me it has always been white or red. As a friend once said, "we are now paying for the sins of our youth."






Today has been a day to sit back and enjoy a little rain. We have not seen any rain since the early spring so this was a cleansing event. The trees all got a washing and are now sparkling. Everything looks so much greener. I love the way it looks and the fresh smell outside. It was also cool - a chilly 60*. That is quite the contrast to the 90s that we experienced earlier this week.





It seems like when the weather cools down I get a craving for pumpkin pie. I made one this afternoon and the smell of it is lingering throughout the house. We will have it for dessert tonight with some freshly whipped cream. My mouth is watering.





It was the perfect day for doing a little sewing as well. There is a Fall Into Fall Giveaway going on in many blogs right now. I thought that I would spend a little time working on something to become a member of it. Be sure to check it out as there are about forty people participating and there are some really great items being given away. Just click on the scarecrow in my sidebar to see what they have. I will post a picture of what I am going to be making, but I have to finish it first.





One of the blogs is having a candy giveaway. The gift would be wonderful to win, but I am more thrilled to see what is now back on the market. A bonus prize from I Want Candy is a box of Mallomars. This is my all time favorite cookie. We have not been able to get them here for years and I so hope that they will have them in our stores. That vanilla cookie and milk chocolate coating is so yummy. There is no comparison to the Pin*wheels with the chocolate cookie and dark chocolate coating.






I have been doing a little Halloween decorating around the house. The grandchildren helped me get a lot of items put out last weekend which got me motivated to get the rest out and put around the house.





I have always loved frogs and I am amazed at all the different "frog" decorations for the seasons. My Halloween frogs include a .....

candy bowl

cookie jar,

and a table sitter.

This is my ghost that I made many years ago with paper towels and Styrofoam cups.

I also made a witch using the same items.

While I was out running errands this week, I went past the farm fields where folks go to select their pumpkins. There was a sea of orange and tractors pulling wagons loaded with children on their way out to find the perfect pumpkin for their homes. What a thrill it must be for all the little ones. Many of the local schools take field trips with the younger students to this pumpkin farm.





I hope that everyone is enjoying their weekend. Be sure to take a few minutes and check out all of the Fall Into Fall Giveaways and check back in another day or so to see what I will be adding to the list. Until the.....think candy corn!!!

So This is My Wednesday

This was NOT the way that my anticipated Wednesday was suppose to be like.




My intentions were to get up, go to my dermatology appointment and then come home to enjoy the day. What was I thinking?




It all started last evening while our daughter and SIL were here for dinner. I had made a delicious apple crisp for dessert and went to add the ice cream to the bowl. The ice cream was not as hard as it usually is but I had just purchased it yesterday. Not a problem!




This morning as I was quickly trying to get out of the house for an 8:00 a.m. dermatology appointment, I thought I should double check that ice cream to make sure the freezer was still cold enough. NOPE!! Since most things were still frozen, I quickly moved what needed to be moved to the freezer in the garage and figured that I would deal with it when I got home.




Two weeks ago I had a small spot removed from my arm and the doctor wanted to remove two more spots - one on my leg and one on my back. I had both of them removed and a few stitches put into both areas. However, the one on my arm has turned out to be a skin cancer that I will now need to go in and have surgery performed on it. I was not expecting that news as I have had so many "areas" removed over the years. This fair skin is no delight. Perhaps my saving grace is that I grew up in the Midwest were we were not exposed to sun year round as we are here.




Leaving the office it was now back to deal with "the problem" at home. I managed to drop a box of blueberries that went wildly rolling in every direction (I thought about you, Dawn) and under every cabinet. Of course the situation was not improved with the instructions that I had just been given at the doctor's office to not stretch. Try collecting all those things without bending your back. Mind you, this refrigerator problem happened in March as well - March 18th, to be exact. The repairman will be here sometime today so all of my plans for running errands have now vanished. Let's hope that it is the same problem and that the new parts will be under warranty. Have I ever mentioned how I dislike G*E appliances? All I can say is that it is one lousy way to get the fridge and freezer cleaned out.



We enjoyed the grandchildren over the weekend and they were well behaved -- busy, but very good. It is always fun to have them for several days when their parents go away. You get a good chance to visit with them and to hear all that is going on in their lives.

Here we have an older sister with a willing dress up partner.

The sale of my FIL's house went through and was finalized yesterday. It was a busy week with clearing everything out and getting ready for the sale, but it feels great to have it done with the way the market is these days.

Yesterday was our DIL's birthday and we met up with them at the volleyball game for their eldest daughter. I love watching volleyball. Our boys played it in high school and college and we have a sand volleyball court in our backyard. It has always been on of my favorite spectator sports.

Happy birthday, L. Who would guess this beautiful woman is the mother of ten?

Ms. M serving.

Ms. M during matches.

Our daughter had her doctor appointment on Monday and was told to anticipate delivery sometime next week. She had her last day of work yesterday and the escrow on their home is suppose to close any day now. She is frustrated that she has not been able to set up the nursery and do the typical "nesting" that comes at this point of the pregnancy.

We have surprised them with the baby cradle that she and her four brothers used when they were newborns. I had it refinished and have made a new bumper pad and mattress that will match her sage green and white nursery. We showed it to them last night and they loved it. I can't wait to see a little baby snuggled up in again.

Our weather has turned quite warm which is typical for the fall here. It has been in the 90s for the last few days, but is forecast to be cooler with even a chance of some rain this weekend. It would be a welcome sight as we have not seen any rain since last spring. The cooler summer has driven our tortoises into an early hibernation. Our three females have gone to sleep and the males are definitely slowing down.

It's hard to imagine that it is the first of October already. It won't be long before we are deep into holiday plans and wonderful family times. My only question is, "Where did the past year go?"

Have a wonderful week.

Autumn in the Air

It is definitely starting to show signs that autumn is in the air. Normally this is the time of year when we are very hot and dry with the Santa Ana winds blowing. It is not so this month. The winds are a big nightmare for us as they are what tends to bring out all of the firebugs who enjoy starting the wildfires for which our area is well known. To that point, it is a great relief. I, however, do enjoy the warm temperatures that the winds bring us.



Please do not get me wrong as I love the season of autumn. I enjoy seeing the leaves changing and the wonderful cooking magazines with the hearty tummy warming recipes throughout. I do know that the cooler temps and shorter days mean that the winter months are quickly approaching. It was actually 43* the other morning and I am thinking that it is time to put the electric blanket back on the bed.



I do not think that I could live without my electric blanket (EB). It is wonderful that they have improved them over the years so that there are dual controls. It would be terrible to have to cook my husband who is the absolute opposite of me. Sigh. Who would ever believe that I grew up in snow country?



We've had a busy week around the house. We replaced the older windows throughout the house. Other than having workmen in and out for three days, the worst part was removing all the blinds and window treatments. It is nice to have the new windows as they are much more efficient and they all work so easily.



As well, we had our youngest grandson for the weekend while his parents got away for a few days. He is at a great age and is just starting to get into things. He has learned to crawl and goes like crazy for anything he wants. But.... he also learned how to pull himself up onto things. Unfortunately he does not know how to get back down other than to fall. Thankfully it is a soft landing on the carpeted floors.

He LOVES to eat! He hasn't quite mastered the art of picking the food up and putting it in his mouth but has found shoveling it in works quite well.

He and Grandpa enjoyed the golf on television.

I did manage to get a little sewing in as well. I make a quilt for each grandbaby that arrives. Since we have one coming in a few weeks, I have been working on that one. I saw this fabric and fell in love with it. Then a pattern caught my eye in one of my recent magazines and I knew that this was the project I needed to do. My daughter LOVES this book. The fabric is every bit as cute as the book. I have the top done and need to back it and quilt it for the new little darling.







Another big event is that my FIL's home sold and the new folks want to move in next week. Hello!! It has been an extremely busy week trying to sort out all the furnishings and get packed up. We had only gone through all of the personal stuff prior to listing it and figured it would be on the market for months. It was a cash offer and they want it by the end of the month. The weekend will be busy around here.

It was already scheduled to be a busy weekend as we are watching our second son and his wife's four little ones from Thursday through Sunday. I hope they enjoy packing boxes! Yes, our lives are busy but we are so incredibly blessed with all that is going on here. We count our blessings daily.

I have enjoyed seeing all of the autumn decorating that people are doing. I need to get mine out and up so I can really get into the mood of the fall. Keep posting so I can become truly motivated. Have a great weekend.

Good Friends, Tea and Gardens

Although the past week has been busy it has been a fun filled week. As I wrote in my last post we were in San Diego for a business convention. It is always fun to reconnect with the many friends that we have met over the years and this time was no different.



San Diego was an especially fun trip because I have a dear friend who lives there. Although the area is just a few hours south from us, we seldom get a chance to get together due to conflicting schedules. We go back many years to the time when we were both military wives stationed at the same places while our husbands were in flight training. She actually watched our now thirty eight year old son when I went to the hospital to deliver our second son. This trip allowed us some wonderful time to visit.



Barb had made reservations for the two of us for tea at a positively charming tea room. Not only was the food fabulous, but the ambiance was delightful as well. There are small tables set up throughout the shop and each one is as charming as the next. All are done with lace and china - a very elegant setting. One does not receive a menu for the food as it arrives on a tiered server. One does, however, receive a menu for which tea one wishes to be served - two pages of teas!! Each person has their own tea pot and heated stand to keep it warm.









Here is our tiered service. The bottom plate had two of everything as did each tier after that. It included cheese muffins, egg salad sandwiches, savories, cucumber sandwiches, many fruits, chocolate mousse, bread puddings and almond cookies. And as if we weren't stuffed enough after that we were brought two freshly baked orange scones. Everything was delicious.









After practically rolling our bodies out the door we went to visit a quilt shop. This is a quilt shop unlike any that I have ever seen. One cannot even begin to imagine the number of fabrics that this shop had inside of it. The "rooms" were broken down into colors. I mean this shop was HUGE! There was also a room for quilting supplies, a room for books, a room where they had classes going on and a room of batting. Next door to that shop was the Gam*mil longarm education center and dealer. Oh dear......what a shop. We got to "play" with the various machines and my heart was immediately captured. I could have spent a lifetime there. I so wished that these shops were closer.



The following day we ventured out to my other weakness - a nursery. Again, this was a fabulous place to visit. They not only sell plants, but they also have many darling small gardens which they call fairy gardens. They have these tiny gardens tucked in old wheelbarrows, garden carts, bird baths and anywhere else one put one. I really want to build one in my yard somewhere. Everything is in miniature with trellis plants, birdbaths and garden furniture.








There is a calming coffee shop in the middle of the nursery. It was so peaceful to lounge in big rattan chairs and sip tea amidst the plants and running waterfalls.



They have one maze that is replanted several times a year in different plants. It is currently in morning glories but I understand that the spring sweet peas are also beautiful. As you can imagine, it was a day enjoyed by all of us, including my friend from England.








Speaking of gardens, I have to show you a sculpture of a woman in an art garden that we recently visited. Is this great or what?









The hotel where we stayed in San Diego was right on the waterfront. We looked out onto the water and the Hotel D*el Corona*do. As you can see, we were high up - on the twenty fifth floor. I definitely got weak knees looking down from our balcony.









We returned home to the tragic news of the deadly train crash in our area. It has shaken our entire community as so many of the victims lived locally. Our hearts an prayers go out to all of the families as they try to understand and cope with the deaths of their loved ones.



It will hopefully be a couple of quiet weeks ahead while we await the arrival of our 20th grandchild which is due towards the middle of October. This will be our daughter and SIL's first and everyone is making guesses on what it will be - blue or pink. It is so much fun to not know.



I hope everyone has a great week ahead.

Rushing About

As I am maniacally rushing about I will attempt to post a quick update on the last few weeks. It has been extremely busy and loads of fun.

We have been entertaining dear friends who have been visiting from England. This is a couple we met while we lived in England in 1972. Since the "guys" are in the same industry we have had the opportunity to get together at various conferences throughout the years.

The past week has been filled with golf, house hunting, shopping, quilting, beach visits, dining experiences and many, many laughs. I mention the house hunting as it is their dream to sell their home north of London, buy a smaller place and then purchase an additional small place close to us. They love our area and we are thrilled at the thought that they might be neighbors.

They departed Sunday and that evening the kids and all the grandchildren came over to celebrate Grandpa's birthday.

It is always the grandchildren's favorite thing to take tractor rides around the yard after dark. Grandpa tried to turn the headlamps on and there was no light. After many "brilliant" heads got together a severed cable was located.

Repair was swift and the kids were merrily on their way. Of course there is always and uncle or two waiting to pop out of the darkened areas of the yard to enhance the thrill.

Monday was a day of cleanup after no housework for a week and a big party on Sunday night. Today was spent preparing for a business convention that we will leave for in the morning. It will be in San Diego so we will be driving. Yeah! No airport security to deal with. We will be back on Sunday and I will then catch up on all the blogs that I am so dearly missing.

A quick thank you to Alice Grace for a delightful new award. Since I enjoy so many blogs I really appreciate that someone enjoys reading my ramblings as well. There are so many deserving bloggers out there. I will have to put on my thinking cap and get back to you on the next winners.

Meanwhile, until next week sometime, I wish all of you a wonderful week. I will return as soon as possible so please do not give up on me yet.