Halloween (not) fun

For my boys, Halloween was great fun...for me, not so much.

Too much candy=way too much sugar high, which causes me to wish I could just run my nails down a chalkboard.

Top that with a two year old that has a horrid fear of masks of any sort, and big brothers that waited 364 days for the costumes that were on their "must have of this season" list....

Well, anyhoo. The proof is in the pictures. Baby hiding from "sarie masts" in the house.

Every house should have a Beagle inspector.

And, yes, I was trying to get some semi-cute kids with pumpkins photos, believe it or not, these are the best of them. Lucky day. The dog would not leave! The baby would not look, and on it goes.

gratitude

Starting the week, remembering life's gifts.



16) Light through Autumn leaves



17) Cool, crisp mornings

18) Warm furry friends on the milk stand---a nice place for my hands!

19) Baby toes.




20) Children coming off their trick-or-treat sugar high, tucked snug-as-a-bug in beds, 20 minutes early!

Simple. Beautiful. Sunday

Seek out the simple beauty of today

Amharican

As it goes with most two year olds, learning to speak and having those you're speaking to understand, takes a bit of trial and error. We're learning here. All of us. And we still hear words that we don't quite make out. We like to think it's a combination of Amharic, Ethiopia's primary language, and English...or maybe not and we just flat out can't figure out what she's asking for.

Well, why don't you give it a shot....

The little girl is saying:

Fute sats.

Didn't understand??

She will tell you again, louder, maybe with a bit of whine!

FUTE SATS!!!!

Ahhh, there you have it. See her happy smile? And what's that she's holding!??!?

Fruit snacks!

fruit thief

Sometimes it's most of the raspberries.

Sometimes it's the bowl of grapes.

Most of the time, the fruit belonged to her from the beginning.

But not this time.

This time, it was mine.

And it was the LAST one.

And it was just the right stage, juicy and yummy and, did I mention, the last one?!?!?

And she stole it from me! Ok, I kind of let her have it, but still.

~I'm not seeing guilt here...it was the last one after all~

A whining post

It's hot. And muggy, which is really just humid and it's that too. And the mosquitos are huge. Think hummingbird size. And there's millions (could be billions, but I lost count at millions) of them. Everywhere.

And my kids are hot. And that makes them whiny.

And my dogs are hot. And although they try to hide it, they too are whiny----

SEE!

And yes, there is always a bright side. A glass half full side. A "but it is summer you know" side, but at this minute, I just don't want to see that side as I already mentioned in the title of this post that it's all about the whine! So there.

gratitude

Monday morning~~~~~

everyday, looking for the gifts. that which fills the heart. which brings to mind all that one is grateful for.

11) working computers and the accompanying chargers.

12) the eyes that see the flowers blooming

13) the ears that hear the children laughing

14) raspberry jam from berries grown in one's own backyard

15) front porch chairs and ice in glasses after a long day of work.