I'm joining From this Side of the Pond for the weekly Hodge Podge Questions.

1. What's one thing you learned in September?

How to relax. For the past 13 years, I have worked in an industry where I had to take my laptop and cell phone so customers could reach me wherever and whenever. Every vacation for the pat 13 years has included accepting customer calls, checking emails and doing a small amount of work on my vacation. But this year, I work for a gentleman who believes vacations are meant to be enjoyed. So hubby and I spend 7 glorious days at Myrtle Beach. I read. I crafted. I antique shopped. I spend the majority of my time though just setting on the beach with my nose buried in a book or laying back in my chair for a little nap. I actually read three entire books in one week. It was pure and total relaxation. It has been so long since I have done that. I really needed it. 

2. Acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, yellow squash, zucchini squash, or blech! hold the squash... what's your favorite squash? What's your favorite way to prepare your favorite squash?

Not just BLECH! but YUCK as well. To me squash is something you play with a ball and a racket in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball.

3. The older I get the_______________________________.

The more accepting I get. I don't let people get to me like I used to. I accept others for what they are and try not to judge. I also find that I don't sweat the small stuff. The older you get, the more you realize what does and doesn't matter. I try to enjoy every day to the fullest. A speaker friend of mine told this and it has stuck with me "It's always a good day when you can wake up on this side of the dirt." Kinda puts it in perspective doesn't it?

4. What's your favorite television theme song ever?

Oh my it has to be Hawaii Five-0. The music just makes me want to dance. As a matter of fact, I usually do when it comes on. It is just the coolest theme song ever....even though there are no words. 

5. What do you wish you'd spent more time doing five years ago?

I can't really think of anything for this. Five years ago I started my own business and was really focused on building it. God has really blessed me so I don't try to second guess the should've could've would'ves. 

6. What item do you most need (or want) to add to your wardrobe this fall?

It's a want and it is a new pair of jeans that fit good that are "real" jeans and not Mom jeans. I also want a nice pair of brown loafers to wear with them. If it is not the style now, I don't really care. It's what I really want. Would love advice and opinions on a good brand of jeans. 

7. On October 2, 1950 the Peanuts cartoon was introduced to the world. What was your favorite cartoon when you were a kid?

Bugs Bunny. I still love it today. If I hear Looney Tunes come on I have to stop and watch it for a minute. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I am officially "behind" on putting my Halloween decorations up. With September zipping by so fast, I haven't really enjoyed the fall decor yet. I leave it up through Thanksgiving, but usually around October 1st I start adding some of the Halloween in with it. I am going to do it this weekend. 

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

Today I'm chatting with Ms. Patrice at Everyday Ruralty.

When you pass the salt, do you automatically send the pepper with it?

No, it never enters my mind because I don't use pepper unless it is already cooked in the food. 

How many fingers do you usually type with?

Since I took Typing I on an old manual typewriter as well as Typing II and transcription in high school, I type what I call "the right way" so I use 8 fingers and my right thumb for the space bar. That's not to say I type fast...only about 66 words a minute...but I do love to type. For fun, take this typing test when you get a chance. http://www.typingtest.com/index1.html

Do you keep interesting coins when you run across them?

Yes, sometimes. But I always keep wheat back pennies. It was an interest me and my daddy shared. Every time I see one, it reminds me of him. 

Did you enjoy September, or did it fly by too quickly?

September? Where did it go? I really enjoyed it because we got to spend 7 glorious days at the beach. But the whole month just went by way too fast. 

If I could ___________ , I'd get more done each day.

Stay more focused. I usually have so much going on at any given time that I have a hard time staying focused on the job at hand. I'm always thinking ahead to the exciting things I like to do. 

I went to a Garden Party....

My post title sounds like a Ricky Nelson song, but it is actually what I did last night. Our church is doing bible studies in different homes with different teachers. The one I elected to attend is "party" themed. This week we had a garden party. The bible study was on the Garden of Eden through Gethsemane. We had an awesome meal with lots of fruit and veggie based foods. We even had little apples at our place for us to write our names on the tag. 

After the bible study, we did a craft an made flower ink pens. It was super simple and fun. I think I may have my pre-K Sunday School class make these with poinsettias for Christmas. 

Then we placed a couple of games that were fruit and veggie themed. I won one of the games and got this cute little parsley grow kit. Hubby was very excited about it since he uses a lot of parsley in his cooking. 

We decided that we would put a little hook at the kitchen window and plant it in a little hanging pot. 

As we were leaving, we each received our very own African violet in a cute little pot. I chose one in the watering can style pot. I just love it. Now I need to read up on how to care for African violets. Any tips?

 Next week, our theme is a country party. The remaining ones will be a tea party, an antique party, and a pot luck/recipe exchange party. This is going to be a great bible study. I can't wait to see what other bible versus they tie in for the bible study on each of those themes. 

A blessing from above

Sometimes in life God drops a little blessing into your life. That happened to us three years ago today when our fifth grandchild was born. 

He is such a bundle of joy. He is so full of energy and life. There is almost always a ball or some sports paraphernalia in his hands. 

He always has a smile on his face. 

I look back on some of the photos from the past three years and can't believe how much he is growing up. 

Happy birthday, Colby. Mamaw and Papaw love you. 

Weekend Wrap Up

I've started back on my plastic canvas projects. I did this little coaster one evening last week. They are so simple and just take about an hour. The good part is you can custom design your patterns so you don't have to follow a printed paper. 

When we were on vacation, we went to several antique stores and thrift shops and the only thing I found was this little cup at an antique store. It's Pyrex and was only .99 cents so I bought it for hot chocolate. 

I went in a costume jewelry store at the Coastal Grand Mall and they had tons of necklaces. This one was on clearance for $2.99 so I bought it since I love anything nautical. 

When I got back home, there is a lady who has been having a garage sale and I stopped to see what she had left. I'm glad I did. I got this Pyrex coffee mug for just .25 cents. 

Not sure who made this but it is vintage 1970's. I liked it and since it was just .25 cents I went ahead and got it as well. For somebody who doesn't drink coffee, I sure buy a lot of coffee cups. 

I have a card table I use at holidays and have been looking for tablecloths for it. I found this one for just $1.00. It looks like it was never used. 

Bought this cute little throw for just .50 cents. I'm going to put it in the kids room for when the girls stay all night. 

My bargain of the day were these almost brand new drapes. They are the heavy lined quality drapes and were only $2.00 for both pairs. They were exactly what I've been looking for to go on the window in my home office to help keep some of the sun out in the afternoons. 

I went to Hobby Lobby and several other places Saturday and got home about 3:30. Our Sunday School classes are changing next week so yesterday was the last day we had our 5 year olds. They graduated from Pre-K Sunday School to Kindergarten Sunday School class. So I made these little graduation caps for them to use for their graduation. 

Since we were sending them off with a party, I decide to make some graduation caps for dessert out of brownie bites, fudge grahams and M & M's. They turned out pretty cute and were a hit with the kiddos. 

I put some of the pictures of the past two years on a paper and made them little diplomas. 

We were going to have popcorn so I made some popcorn cones to put the popcorn in for them at the party. They were easy to make.

After all that, I finally fixed me some homemade pizza breads and ate supper. I was ready to crash. I couldn't believe how much I had crammed into one day.

But it was all worth it when I got to church Sunday morning and the kids enjoyed their graduation so much. 

The Perfect Shell

On my trip to Myrtle Beach last week, I had a lot of down time walking the beaches, sitting near the ocean and pondering God's Glory. I love collecting shells when I walk along the beach. I am always looking for that perfect beautiful shell. I pick them up thinking they are "the one" only to get them home and find their flaws. It got me thinking about how much our Christian walk is like that of the seashell. 

On the outside, we look shining and pretty at times. But no one knows the inner sufferings or turmoil that each of us must face on a day to day basis. We look at others and think their life is perfect and blessed. Then upon closer inspection we see the pitfalls they face every day. Like the shell that has been battered and beaten until its life is full of holes and scars. 

Sometimes we feel like the shell that has been in the ocean so long that the wear and tear of daily life has just taken such a toll on us that we feel like we are deeply gouged and sometimes wonder how we can take much more. 

God makes us all like the seashell. We are tough and solid, but we must face the waves and battle the storms that toss us around on the ocean of life. 

At times, we may have smooth sailing and things may be feeling better than other times, but we still know that our life is on shifting sand and can change with the tides.  

   

But unlike the shell who withers in the storm tossed sea and ends up gracing the bathroom shelf in a jar in someone's home, we can withstand the test of time with God's love, His grace and His mercy. We can take the washing of the waves of life and the battering of the stormy sees. We know we serve a God who is strong, powerful, loving and forgiving. Even though He lets us get washed ashore sometimes, it is in those moments that He is restoring us to serve Him and receive His blessings. 

So did I find the perfect shell? Not in cosmetic looks, no I didn't. But I did find that each shell was beautiful in its own way because it showed me that God is forever and always and though we may be battered against the storms of life, He will always be there to gently lift us up and place us safely on the shore. 

I see October on the Horizon

Where in the world did September go? It seems like I just put my fall stuff out and now it is nearing the time to add some Halloween decor among the fall stuff.

I'm heading out to Hobby Lobby today and think I may need to look for a few Halloween craft ideas. I took my little pinwheels to work so I need to make me some more. I just love working with Halloween scrap book paper for fall designs. 

I have been searching for ideas to use it for. I have found a couple of things that would be neat to do. One is popcorn cones. We have an old fashion popcorn paper and this would be perfect to serve the kids popcorn on any occasion. 

And if you are going to have a party, you could always do this to your water bottles. 

I love this just to set around for a decoration during the Halloween season. this looks very easy to do.

And this would be very simple and inexpensive as well. They just covered the wooden letters with scrapbook paper. 

And who doesn't love a craft involving those empty canning jars that keep hanging around the house. 

Now I'm excited about going to Hobby Lobby today.