Been walking down memory lane...

And I'm surprised to find that I don't have photos from Every.Single. Halloween. that we have celebrated [and I'm more than sure that each and every one was celebrated at this house!]
But here's a few to share with you - I've actually scanned and printed each of these [and more] individually and put them in a little mini-album made using the entire kit from The Girls' Loft - but I just haven't taken the time to scan the album... maybe eventually -[as always - click on the photo to see it larger]
1. Matt in his bee costume; 2.All of us & Ryan at Cornucopia in the Botanical Gardens; 3. Drew wearing Trey's clown costume; 4. Drew as Peter Pan for 'storybook' day - no celebrating Halloween at our schools - but we still had dress-up fun on the day nearest to Halloween - ha!; 5. Both our guys at Opryland's Halloween Spooktacular; 6. Matt as Frankenstein for storybook day - we had to search HIGH and LOW to find that little book for him to take along!; 7. One of them, maybe Drew, as Bugs Bunny [Mom made this costume for Joey]; 8. Drew and Ryan; 9. Matt and Drew as Ninja Turtles [Mom made these costumes for the boys - she didn't have a pattern for Matt's - too cute!]; 10. Our Halloween cake; 11. Matt in the big Ninja Turtle costume [we still have these btw]; and 12. One of them scaring the trick-or-treaters [I'm thinking this is Matt.]

When we moved to the 'old' street a few years ago --
Halloween lost its glory for us.
There are no lights on in our neighborhood, and no trick-or-treaters want to navigate 1/2 acre up a hill to ring a door bell anyway...
But back in the day - we had some really fun times!
Happy Halloween!
Be Safe! Have Fun!

Encyclopedia of Your Ordinary Life - D

A few years ago I had the opportunity to complete this extraordinary scrapbook album designed by CathyZ and based on the book, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Rosenthal. While I still haven't read the book, I love the concept of this album - a random sampling of those ordinary facts about your life [my life.] The homework involves keeping a list, A to Z, of random memories for several weeks and then gathering photos [or not] to support these memories. Love it. The album is really very simple [a la Cathy Z] and easy to put together with only two square photos per page and two to four 'definitions.' Have I said I love this album? And I want to share some of my life with you so I've committed to do just that in 2009 [keep in mind this was completed during the summer of 2007.] I'm going backwards and today I present:D

DREW
Our first-born precious son who is quiet and focused so much of the time. Love the painting he did [shown this page] when he was in third grade. There was a vase with the flower and lots of other things sitting all around it. They were told to paint what they saw and it’s easy to see that Drew zeroed in on the flower. It’s a good trait to have. [See the contrasting drawing on the EOYOL - M post] Drew is such a great young man who loves the Lord and seeks His will as he makes his way through life.

DISNEY
The happiest place on earth! Where we can escape from the ‘real world’ – on most visits anyway- and enjoy a little magic, if only for a moment. We’ve made trips to Disney since 1996, usually every two years or so. We stay in the campground with two – three other families that travel with us, and always have a blast! Our favorite things change from year to year, but we always love Epcot and Tomorrow Land in the Magic Kingdom. Craig and I enjoyed a special fireworks show a couple of years ago [during a quick trip to Disney alone] when we took the ferry from the Polynesian Resort to the Magic Kingdom and it stopped in the lagoon so we could watch. Really spectacular!

DISHWASHER
This is one of my favorite appliances that makes our crazy busy life soooo much easier. I often ask myself, “Why do I dislike unloading it so much?!” So I try to stop and say a little ‘Thanks” that I even have one!

Faith Based Pages Classes

We've been working on a little devotional tag book over at the Faith Based Pages Classes Yahoo Group these past few weeks. It's designed to be a little daily reminder to us as we rush through the Christmas season that Jesus [really] is the Reason for the Season. And how blessed we are that we can set aside time and celebrate His goodness - even in the midst of our struggles and hurt.[as always - you can click on the photo to see it larger -]

Today - I wanted to share the instructions and some photos of the projects. The gals in the class are talking about all kinds of ways to interpret this project [spiral note cards, flip album on their kitchen counter, etc.] and I can't wait to see their 'take' on it.

Let me know if you make one too - I'd love to see it!

Where have we been?

Here's the hint: candy kitchens, pancake houses and old tyme photo booths...

First person to guess correctly wins a little scrapbook goodness....

A beautiful wedding...

It's Chocolate Pie Day!

[Photo taken in a hurry, on our way to a big event, a little blurry.]

In Memory of my dad - today is his birthday
- and oh how he loved a good chocolate pie!I sent a little care package to the boys
so they could remember [and enjoy] too!

Just a little altered art

to go into our newly re-painted laundry room-
my first attempt at something like this ---
and I think I like it.
[The wall color is 'something -pine' and actually came off a green paint card]

Last Harvest?

Possibly - I'm waivering between tearing it all down and putting it all in the compost pile or waiting a while longer... we still have some green tomatoes on the vine, and obviously the banana peppers are still a peppering away... and I'd love to see just how long we can sustain it. Those little cantaloupe were planted in July so I never expected them to make - I just dug a little hole in the ground outside the garden [think: no improved dirt for them] and they went a little crazy - so I'm already thinking that next year we'll definitely have cantaloupe and maybe I'll try pumpkins too.
Don't you think this weather is delicious? We had one son home from AU and enjoyed having him here while he enjoyed seeing friends most of the weekend. But our weekend goal was to complete the laundry room re-hab. And, yay! It's done! We still need to get another load of trash out [our bin is full] and a carload of stuff to goodwill, but once we had add a few more shelves for storage it will be complete. And I'm happy to know it's all cleaned out, because, quite honestly, I haven't spent a lot of time in there since the great rabbit massacre of 2008... now there's a story for another time...

Happy Fall!

Enjoy the cooler weather! We're in the middle of laundry room re-hab and hoping to get it all spiffed up before the weekend ends. Until then - enjoy the color -

Encyclopedia of Your Ordinary Life -E

A few years ago I had the opportunity to complete this extraordinary scrapbook album designed by CathyZ and based on the book, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Rosenthal. While I still haven't read the book, I love the concept of this album - a random sampling of those ordinary facts about your life [my life.] The homework involves keeping a list, A to Z, of random memories for several weeks and then gathering photos [or not] to support these memories. Love it. The album is really very simple [a la Cathy Z] and easy to put together with only two square photos per page and two to four 'definitions.' Have I said I love this album? And I want to share some of my life with you so I've committed to do just that in 2009 [keep in mind this was completed during the summer of 2007.] I'm going backwards and today I present: E

EDDIE BAUER

This is my absolute favorite clothing line. I love the style, the comfort, and the fit. I can’t remember when I first bought “Eddie’s” clothes, but I know I’ve worn only this brand of jeans for the last 15 years. I have dresses, t- shirts, pants, and sweaters, even a bathing suit from “Eddie” and love them all!

EQUALITY

Something I believe in strongly. As a [white] child growing up in the sixties I don’t remember prejudice in my house. Instead I remember Joe allowing his friends of color to do work for pay [digging our basement, etc.] He would go pick them up and drive them home and say to us that he wanted give them a job because other people wouldn’t hire them. I also remember his anger at Wallace when he blocked education. When schools were desegregated I was told we were merging school zones and that there would be a lot of new faces in our classrooms, nothing racial. My memories…so different from the world’s…

EASTER

This is one of my favorite times of the year. A time to celebrate Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection! Our Christian faith – completely. Easter Egg Hunts, and dying eggs have always been a part of the celebration [and Mom and Dad surprising the boys with a basket full of goodies,] but the real joy is celebrating our Lord with songs of praise – and thanksgiving for what He did [so willingly] to allow us to have eternal life.

Once a Month [old stuff] Giveaway!

Winner! For September!

Gloria L. said...

Hi Judy! I liked your take on your CKU projects, and commend you for finishing them!

September 29, 2009 9:18 PM

Gloria! Send me an email [Judy@faithabsedpages.com]

and I'll get your [old stuff] goodies int he mail to you!

Anita [winner for August] -

still need your address or meet-up time as well!

A fun week

topped off with our kiddos here for the weekend...

October Cookie of the Month

Made a quick little cookie recipe while we're here at the beach -
Edited: After much taste-testing it was decided that these would be more delicious if the pecans were doubled and the butterscotch left out - they'd be like sweet pecan sandies...


Butterscotch Pecan Cookies

1 (18.25 ounce) package butter cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant butterscotch pudding mix
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix, instant pudding and flour. Add oil and egg, mix until well blended. Stir in the pecans and butterscotch chips. Batter will be somewhat crumbly.
Scoop cookies with a small ice cream scoop or compress 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. [I flattened them with the back of a spoon a few minutes after putting them to bake.]

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are just starting to brown. Allow cookies to cool for 2 minutes before removing from baking sheet to cool on wire racks.

These are VERY sweet, so we're hoping the kids will eat them all up before they leave...

Did my two miles

so now I can be a slug...and yes, that's me, and it WAS this foggy at nine a.m. ----

Ahh Fall

There's a particular evergreen [I have NO IDEA which one] that when I smell it --
always takes me back to the fall of 1977 when I was walking into my college dorm
for the first time ever -
were they growing right outside the steps?
My college years -- What a wonderful opportunity to grow,
and stretch my wings, and feel God's hand on my life.
He provides. And guides. And prepares. Just a couple of photos from my Once Upon a Time album -
showing great friends from college of all faiths.
Again, it was a little sad to see my the area where our dorms were wiped clean -
but on the other hand it was wonderful to see The Y still growing and
changing with the times and
yet still hold true to the values they hold dear.

Encyclopedia of Your Ordinary Life - F

A few years ago I had the opportunity to complete this extraordinary scrapbook album designed by CathyZ and based on the book, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Rosenthal. While I still haven't read the book, I love the concept of this album - a random sampling of those ordinary facts about your life [my life.] The homework involves keeping a list, A to Z, of random memories for several weeks and then gathering photos [or not] to support these memories. Love it. The album is really very simple [a la Cathy Z] and easy to put together with only two square photos per page and two to four 'definitions.' Have I said I love this album? And I want to share some of my life with you so I've committed to do just that in 2009 [keep in mind this was completed during the summer of 2007.] I'm going backwards and today I present:F

FOUR LEAF CLOVERS
Good luck? Assurance? Genetic? Mutant? Joe was always able to find them easily and I begin having this ‘gift’ in my teens – the ability to just randomly glance down and pluck a four-leaf clover up without a search. Matt has done it since his pre-teens [the photo shows Matt with some he found at a rest stop in North Carolina.] Mutant clovers have grown in the yards of several of the houses where I’ve lived [Joe and I would let them grow extra big before cutting them] – Lewis Street, Circle Drive, Clovis Road, and now Louis Drive. My most recent find – without searching – was May ’07 when I was dealing with some medical issues – I was out near my garden, where I’ve been many times before and glanced down and there it was. I took it as God’s assurance that He is always with me – just as four leaf clovers seem to be a constant in my life as well.

FIREFLIES
Lightening Bugs. Little lights of summer. [Couldn’t resist this cute photo that shows my love of other bugs as well!] When I was younger I would catch them in canning jars with my cousins. We would take them to bed with us in the ‘back bedroom’ [there were only two…] Imagine 5 -10 kids, all with glass jars of fireflies, giggling and “trying” to go to sleep? Good times.

FAITH
Our faith is such an important part of our lives. Our basic belief is that God sent His Son, Jesus, to live on earth and die for the sins of the world [the final sacrifice] but there’s so much more than that – we believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – a triune God who created man to commune with and glorify Him. When we accept the gift of salvation we have eternal life, and so much joy! A God who will never leave us or forsake us – and peace that surpasses all human understanding.

Choice

Make choices like an adult, not like a child. This gives you more freedom, not less. [Choosing like an adult means always taking into account the effect of our choices on other people. ]