Morning.. Whew! What a week that was last week. Let me tell ya......ha Halloween was sooo fun. It was 70 degrees here and I was almost too warm in my hoodie. The kids didn't have to wear coats so you could see everyone's cute costumes. We walked for 2 hours and let them collect their candy, then we stopped at our friends house that we go to last every year. She makes chili and has all kinds of food and a bunch of us go by. My DH sprained his ankle a few weeks ago, but one of the kids kinda tripped him up and he re-sprained it. He was wanting to go home early and ice it up, but the kids talked him into stopping at another friends house who does hot chocolate every year around his firepit. We visited with them for a little while, but then our DJ friend who is about 4 houses down from them set up his equipment and lights and had a big dance party in his front yard so of course we had to go check things out there and ended up staying and boogying for another 2 hours. We didn't get home until 11pm. ha The kids were having so much fun. I could not move Saturday morning!! DH had to get the heating pads out and give me a massage to get me going. Sunday morning....I could not move! No time for the heating pads so I only went to the first part of church and came home and rested the rest of the day. Still a little stiff this morning, but it's tolerable. ha I'm just thankful it's all over for another year. ha I de-Halloween'd the house this morning.

My kids went as: DD(14)was a Goth, DS(10)skeleton, DS(8)Harry Potter, DD(4)witch.

Now need to get everything scrubbed down again and get ready for Thanksgiving. We may be spending it alone this year. My SIL invited our family over to their house, but we found out that she also invited her whole family and we don't really like them. ha So we'll be doing our own here at home which is fine with me. Some of my family may decide to come here. I know Thanksgiving is a time for being with family....but not for being with HER family. ha

Today I'm off to shop for shirts for school pictures. They are having them Thursday and I had bought some, but when they tried them on I didn't like them. I like them all to sortof match since I put them up on my wall. I just turned over my calendar to November and it's so blessedly clean! ha I wish it could stay that way, but I know it won't. ha Gonna fill up quickly.

Anyway, I'd better get a move on. I may stop in Michaels today or possibly run by the TS across town by Target since I'm going there today. I'm really gonna try hard to get some painting in this week. Wish me luck. ha
~Anj

Luv & Anj,

Thank you both for asking me to join in you chat. Reading your posts, you sound like you have know each other for years and years. How much fun it sound like you both had this Halloween. I fondly remember doing all of the costumes for my two children and the parties. Don't think I could gather up that much energy anymore. As we live in a very rural area we don't get Trick or Treaters...they migrate to the nearest town. But, I still put up mega decorations as I love the fall colors. Over the years I have made and painted about 25 Tombstones that we put in a wooded corps (hehe) of our yard, facing the road. DH put out some small spot light and it looks really eeeie. People stop and I have seen some flash's, so they must be taking pictures. Darn my hide....I never have! This year we put up a sign saying "please take me I'm free" There are 4 left, if they don't go soon I will use them in the front yard next year. Sure hope everyone enjoy's them. Our home sits in the middle of 3 acres but we only decorate the front yard and the corner area, where our private road and the county road come together.

Some of my house decorations then move into the Thanksgiving theme which really took a hit this last year. I am still gathering decorations for T'day. There sure isn't much out there or they are so "tacky" and I won't use them, although I have been know to re-do them to my liking. Micheal's did have some fantastic maple leaves and I picked up a sting, now I wish I had gotten more and they are sold out. They have really great color and are soft textured.

Sunday was "game day" at our house, something we do atleast once a month during the winter months. We pull out the game boards and choose up teams. My son's spouse has 2 teenagers and a son 23 (doing home college) and my DD & SIN gave me my only Grandchild, a son who is almost 17. It makes quite a group. We start out with something like Spaghetti, salad and of course garlic bread, do games and then deserts which both families bring, then back to games. Not everyone plays - but we all seem to have fun and if you don't it's your fault! One rule: Leave it at the front door! This means if you are upset with another family member.....leave it outside.

How I envy you your TS! I rummage through our two stores and rarely come up with anything useful. They have mostly clothing. And, do you had trouble finding painting supplies? Our Michael's paint area is getting smaller all the time. My only other source is Wal Mart - and not much there. But I really like to parooze the websites for ideas and new artists.

I'm off now to do some laundy before heading to town for appts and shopping...hope to find a turkey pattern book...wanta make bets on my finding any? Sure hope so!

Belle

ps..sure hope I'm getting all of the DD and DH and TS's right!

Hey Belle....I'm glad you feel comfortable joining us. It's great! Luvs and I have known each other for a few years now. ha Nobody had posted to this forum for a long time and she did a little shout out and I think I was the only one who answered it. ha I'd been dropping in every now and then hoping someone would post for a long time. We've gotten to be good friends. We were the only ones here forever. ha She's a sweetheart. We dug out our old pics and took pics of our old projects just to fill in the gaps. We both have a few of the same addictions.....although (whisper)she loves dishes a lot more than I do. ha If you get over to the Holiday forum you will see lots of her lovely table settings.

I'm sorry your TS's aren't very good. We have lots of very good ones that are really cheap! And best of all for me they have one long isle of wood cutouts and things. There are always lots of the Provocraft and Michaels craft kits still in the shrink wrap....if you can figure out what they are supposed to be. ha Today I found a tall thick 3 section pumpkin with a wooden big leaf and acorn with it. It was $2. The original price was $15! I'm also addicted to books so it's nice to be able to buy them for cheap.

We still have Michaels, Roberts Crafts, and Hobby Lobby's here to get paint from thankfully. I hope they don't start closing down that section cause Walmarts sucks. ha I don't like the brand they carry.

Well, I sat down here to see what's next on my list of things to do. Just remembered I have library books due so gotta run pick up DD and then hit the library and get back home before my boys get home from school. Ahhhh. ha And I still haven't started on the cleaning.

Hi you two, just checked back in here to see if anyone had been by. So happy to see messages from both of you.

I did get two loads of laundry done, but had forgotten that I had to run down to my friends house to do her statement and write out her checks for bills today. We had a realtor come over too, so I didn't get back home until around 3:30! Made a quick trip to Walmart looking for some fancy ornament hooks someone on Holidays had shown, but our store didn't have any--the gals said more stuff is coming in daily so I should check back in a few days.

Belle, how wonderful to have three acres of land. I'm in So. Ca. and have a very small yard. I do have a front patio that I decorate all up for the holidays though.

Bet people were thrilled to get your tombstones, how kind of you to give them away. Now make sure you get a couple of pics to share with us before the rest of them disappear, okay?

Your game days remind me of when I was growing up, every family get together there were always games of cards, monopoly or whatever was popular at the time. My SIL's family have been on a Domino playing binge for the last year, they have lots of fun playing it.

I haven't started a new painting project yet, but a friend did "hint" about something she would like, so I might try to do that next. Was thinking I need something cute for Thanksgiving, but we'll see.

Anj, I'm so glad your Halloween was fun--but sorry you overdid it and couldn't move! Oh my! Hope you're all better by now.

Belle, I have to tell you I'm envious of all the great things Anj finds at her TS to paint on. And she is so good at figuring out her on pattern if she doesn't find a pattern to go with the piece of wood she likes. And now I find out she even has a Hobby Lobby--I am so jealous, I thought they were only in the Midwest! I want one too! I totally agree about the selection at Walmart and Michaels. I wonder if the online sales have decreased the demand at the stores? I don't really like to order online and pay shipping charges, so I sure hope they keep carrying the painting supplies I use.

Gotta go, need to post a pic on Holidays and then go get the clean sheets on the bed. I'll come back by tomorrow.

Luvs

Morning all....
Belle~ forgot to say that if you lived near me your tombstones would have disappeared real quick and have mysteriously showed up in my yard. ha I keep saying I'm gonna make some every year and every year I wait too late. ha

We like to play cards and games too. We just played pictionary jr with the kids the other day. That was funny. ha The 4 year old just wanted to draw whatever...didn't want what was on the card and then if we started guessing before she was done, she'd turn around with her hands on her hips and say NO, it's a _____. ha My favorite games are word games like Boggle and Scrabble. The card games we like are Phase10, Hands and Feet and Sequence which is a board game played with cards. What are ya'lls favorites?

Luvs~ Your friend is turning into a full time job. ha You are very good to her. I made a jab at the cleaning last night to get a head start on it today. I sat down and made a to-do list and I have 19 things I need to do around the house this morning, not including this afternoon taking DD to get a dress that she needs for Wednesday, taking them all for haircuts, one to Scouts, and standing in line to vote (in the rain and snow)! I'm really gonna try hard to get everything done that I can so I can paint a little after lunch. Not holding my breath though. ha

I'm off to take the oldest to school. Ya'll have a good one. ~Anj

Good morning, just a quick hello before I get off here and try to get something done around here!

I had to go back to my friend's yesterday to help her with some paperwork. She's listing her mobile home and filling out an application for an assisted living place close to her youngest daughter. It will be so good for her to finally be with her family after all these years, and to not have to deal with all the expenses and maintenance of living on her own. I took her out to eat and to the pharmacy to pick up her medications too, so was gone from home most of the day again.

Today, I've got to vacuum and dust and pack the Halloween decorations back in the storage shed. I'm feeling so behind right now, so really need to get it all caught up again.

I've got two projects I want to try to get started on this week too--both are Halloween things a friend wants, so will try to do them so she will have them for next year. I don't usually do this, but she is a special friend.

Hope you got caught up a bit yesterday, Anj. That was sure a long list of to do's.

Belle, did you get all your Halloween things stashed away yet? I've got to stop adding things each year--I think my shed walls are starting to buldge! LOL

Luvs

Morning....or is it almost afternoon. Whew. Just stopped in for a short water break. I'm still scrubbing my house. Guess the fall cleaning bug really hit me and I'm cleaning out cabinets and closets and scrubbing down walls. I just cleaned out my chest freezer. Things in there from 2004!! ha Waaaaay down in the bottom. Made some room for my zucchini stuff. Made zucchini cookies today and I like them too. ha I've still got zucchini left. UGH! I'm gonna use up a few more today and the rest are going to the compost pile. ha

Oh, it's SNOWING!!!!! A LOT!! I've got my heater turned up and my blinds pulled down and all my lights on so it feels like a warm sunny day instead of a yucky bleary one. I'm getting a bunch done. I just have to finish up the kids rooms and clean a few leftover Halloween things that I missed off the dining room table and I'm gonna paint! Everything else will have to wait til tomorrow. ha Oh, have to clean the accumulated mail off my painting table, but that will be quick recycling. Better quite with the break and get back to work so I'll be done by 12:30.

Luvs~ Welcome to my world!! ha I always feel soooo behind. Never can catch up with all these kids around. I'm glad for your friend that she'll be closer to her family and I hope they'll visit her and take care of her as well as you have. =) Now what will your DH find to tease you about? ha

OK, I forgot to send this so let me try it now. I'm setting up to paint!! ~Anj

Hello again. Wow! How can it be Thursday already? I've been reading over on the Holiday forum--those posts always make me want to go shop! LOL

I'm glad to hear your day went well, Anj. Feels good when you can cross lots of things off your "too much to do" list, doesn't it? I agree, there is no "getting done", it always gets messed up or dirty all over again! At least I feel more calm when I sort of keep up with it.

Did floors and dusting yesterday. Need to do bathrooms and redo the family room floor--it's an everyday thing with the dogs. I also ran to pick up DH's shirts at the dry cleaners and stopped by the library. Checked out some holiday books for inspiration and motivation. Haven't even gotten all the Halloween stashed back in the shed--sort of dread pulling out all those Christmas boxes--but hey, I've got a few more weeks before I have to do that! Got DH's birthday next week, and little GD is coming to spend a couple of nights. Then will be Thanksgiving, I need to do a little planning for that soon. Food is usually the same each year, but I'll want to figure out how to decorate the table a bit.

Forgot to comment about your Thanksgiving--nice that you are able to decline the invitation without hurt feelings--maybe she will be relieved to not have so many at one time, huh?

Snow, huh? More than the first time? We've cooled off allot, DH even turned the heater on awhile before his shower yesterday morning. We do have sunshine, and it is really nice during the middle of the day. We got a few nice showers over the weekend too, and I'm always thankful for those. I always imagine the trees saying "Aaahhh!" when it washes the dirt and smog off of them! LOL

I am determined to use my fireplace this year--we spend most of our time in the family room and the fireplace is in the living room. I think it's only been lit twice in all the time we've lived here! I do use my little portable firepit outside quite a bit. Like to sit by it in the evenings and just enjoy the flickering flames. (It's also a good way to use up my wood scraps that are left after I do my wood cutouts.)

Hope you got to do a little painting yesterday. It is fun to see how great a piece looks after you get it done. There are so many things I still want to work on--but I keep getting distracted with other things. Bright199 showed us some dangly ornaments made from beads, so I had to gather my supplies and give those a try! LOL I made six out of a bag of beads I'd picked up at the church rummage sale for a quarter. Still have enough to make more. It was sort of fun, and I did it while sitting in front of the television.

Gotta get going, I'll check in tonight.

Luvs

Good afternoon....
Well, I got a little painting in yesterday, but kept getting interrupted so I got my John Sliney Halloween thing based and the pattern based. And I worked on my snowman picket some more, but it's cedar and it's soaking up the paint like crazy. ha Sure smells good while I'm painting though. Hope to get to work on them a little more after while. I'm gonna throw a lasagne together here in a minute to stick in the oven later.

I had a rough night of sleep last night. My sciatica was acting up bad and I couldn't get comfortable, plus, DH got up at 4am to go fishing or hunting (he didn't tell me and I didn't ask!) ha I got up at 6ish for picture day. Got the kids dressed nice and dropped at school, followed DM to auto shop again to drop her jeep off, took her to breakfast. As we are sitting there eating I remembered that I forgot to send the kids picture money with them. Called the school and I had 30 minutes to get the money there before it was the 8 yr olds turn. We were way across town so crammed our food down and got the forms and money there just in time. Came home and got the little one ready and hairs curled for her pic. Her hair is so long now it pulled most of the curl out, but she still looked cute. She got bit by something last night and had a bobo on one cheek so they tried to turn her where it didn't show.
Ran to Walmart after that and when I got home my furnace wasn't working again and it was 63 degrees in my house. Brrr. Been working on that ever since, and I think I finally got it going again. Had to reset the thermastat. It's finally warming up and I'm thawing out. I was sitting here under my blanket looking thru painting books. ha Of course I re-found some things I want to get painted. My too much to-do list is a perfect saying for my life. ha Anyway, now that I'm warmed up a bit I'd better get the rest of the groceries put away and fix a snack for the kids.

Oh for Thanksgiving...my SIL has been such a witch this year that I don't care if I hurt her feelings or not. ha Isn't that so mean? So not like me to be that way, but I'm really tired of her. She is very rude and certainly doesn't care who's feelings she hurts. I'll be happy not to have to spend a holiday with her. We see them every other weekend so it's not like we only see them for the holidays. ha

Cya later. ~Anj

Morning!

Here it is the 9th....where has the time gone?

Luv - how great you are to care for your elderly friend, and it must be a joy and a sad thing for her to be moving into an assisted living residence. Joy to be near her family and sad to be moving farther from you.

My indoor halloween decorations now fit into one bin so wasn't hard to put things away and kind of sad to say, tombstones are all gone. They were fun each year, but also a trial to put up each year.

Isn't house cleaning just the most fun thing you have ever done? When we rebuilt out home we put in all wood floors...didn't realize how much the carpets hid. We have two large dog and two (hairy) cats. The dogs come in muddy and wet and out comes the mop, it's never ending!

Anj, how I envy you your snow. We just had a "pineapple express" move through and had to drain water from the pond when it was over. The express is very warm winds and lots of rain. What I hate most is the lack of sunlight. Thank Goodness they wired in lots of overhead lighting with the remake. My painting area has a large window so that helps, and I have overhead track lighting. We put up a bird feed right outside the window and I can watch the birds while I paint...I do love my birds.

We are getting ready to go help very close friends with the building of their home. I have the 5th wheeler almost packed (I remove all the linen when winter begins) and we leave in the morning. It is only a little over 100 miles so won't take long. Several other's will be there as well, kind of like the old fashioned barn raising. Dave has been very ill and is still recouping. This couple took 5 months out of their lives to help us rebuilt our home this last year and that is something we can never repay them for, but maybe this will help. And what is truly amazing is that we are all still good friends after seeing each other 7 days a week for 5 months...has to be a record! And most of the time is was cold and miserable!

I just finished painting a fall piece but DH sold it before I could take pictures. He play's poker every Friday nght at a lodge in town and mentioned that he had been cutting out lots of wood for me to paint, one comment lead to another and so Friday he took in my just finished piece and didn't come home with it and the gal gave his twice what I would have sold it for. So now I get to make another one for me and I really don't like to paint something more than once...takes all the challenge out of it!

I am also taking paint project on our trip, I am not much help in the building department so I will do the cooking and paint on the side. And I have a lot of silly looking "frog" ornaments to add ribbons and the hanging cord. The gal I do the yearly orny's for wanted a frog this year - a frog? So she is getting a frog. I will post pictures when they are done.

The "holidays" are always a trial here. My dtr's hubby and my son's wife do not like each other (Pea's of a pod!)so....when my DD want to have dinner at her home my son's wife won't go and you can figure out the rest. We have even tried a yealy event schedule...Ya Right! I enjoy having the family here, but also know that each family want their time...I'm beginning to hate the season's! And this year all three of us want to have Christmas in our "new" homes. Christmas may be a three day event.

Better run for now, lots still to do, I am making chicken enchalladas (sp) to freeze for dinner later in the week and the chicken is cool so no excuse not finishing them up.

Will chat again about this time next week - so have a good one and take care!

Belle