Happy Halloween and Joy List Monday

Happy Halloween

Thank you for the prayers last week.

Our friend who lost her dad had good news. Her son is in the Navy and the Red Cross helped him get home for his grandpa's funeral.

Today I am sharing all the carving fun we have enjoyed for the Halloween season.

 

We are Milwaukee Brewer fans in this house, but for the World Series most of us are cheering for the Cubs. We have one Indian's fan, my son Atticus.

Sam's fun jack o lantern.

Atticus' jack o lantern.

My husband carved this big ♥  for me.

Joy List Monday

a weekly ritual

a reminder to stop and pay attention

 to the little beauties and graces 

 that make life magical and to set aside time for gratitude each day

 

♥ family time ... taking time to unplug and be with family

 ♥ baseball ~ I do love the game of baseball and have enjoyed watching the World Series

 ♥ the fun of Halloween ... our neighbor has decorated so fun this year, he hung colorful pumpkins in his maple tree

 ♥ It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown ... I love this movie ... it never gets old

 ♥ the excitement our son Sam is having with his first job ... he had a great first few days

Thank you again for all the prayers and love sent this way last week!

Trick or Treat

.... it all began Friday ....

It all began Friday!

I was planning to write an On The Road Friday post.

My mom called to say " your dad will be having oral surgery on Tuesday" 

My boys and I took some extra time to make something fun to mail to grandpa during his recovery.

The weather was lovely and a hike was calling to me.

Saturday I worked on expanding my flower gardens, planting spring bulbs, lilies and peony.

The next thing I know, Monday is here.

Our son Samuel will be starting his first part time job in the Sporting Goods of Farm and Fleet.

He is so excited. 

My husband and  I are too. It is fun to watch our children grow and get excited about new adventures.

With that came paper work and scheduling.

And a call from my husband that a friend of ours father died.

The next thing I know, it is Wednesday!

I am going to take the rest of the week off from blogging.

Have a blessed week my friends.

 

♥

Carla

My flowers are still blooming. I made a bouquet for our friend using marigold and dill.

Hey, Clean Your Room ~ It is the Hodgepodge

A sweet little cottage I would love to take a peek in. 

When we go for a ride out to the Sportsmen's Club that my boys shoot trap at, my husband always takes me by my favorite little dream cottage.

It is Wednesday and you know what that means. It is time for the Hodgepodge!

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

 1. What would you say is your strongest sense? 

Smell 

 2. Do you believe in the idea of a 'sixth sense'? Why or why not?

 Yes, I do. I think it is also called a gut feeling. Or a nudge from a prayer you have been seeking an answer.

3. When do you most feel like a slave to time? Explain.

Oh, that awful Day Light Savings time!

Set ahead or set back ... it does not matter ... all I know is you mess up my time!

 4. Have you ever worked in a restaurant? How would you rate the experience? If you could own a restaurant what kind would it be? 

Yes, I have worked in a restaurant. In fact that is how I met my husband. I was a waitress/dishwasher. He was a bartender. 

I enjoyed the time doing both jobs, but that might be because I was also busy flirting with the bartender.

If I owned a restaurant I would keep the menu simple.

 

5. Ever traced your family tree? Share something interesting you learned there.

This is something I plan to do. I have notes given to me from both sides of my family. 

 6. What did your childhood bedroom look like?

Neat and Tidy .... I made my bed every morning. I loved to rearrange my bedroom. My bedroom was painted pink!

 I would decorate my room for the seasons. My dad always found me a little fresh Christmas tree for my room. He would place it in a coffee can so I could keep it watered.

 7. Anyone who knows me knows I love_______________________?

Flowers

 8. Insert your own random thought here. 

Joy List Monday

Joy List Monday

♥ a weekly ritual ♥

a reminder to stop and pay attention to the little beauties and graces that make life magical and to set aside time for gratitude each day 

♥ Beautiful Wisconsin Autumn weather for exploring

♥Enjoying a beautiful hike with family and friends

 ♥ Swans on a Wisconsin lake swimming on the reflection of beautiful colored trees

 ♥Autumn colors in the trees, on the ground, on the water and the rocks

 ♥Making Beef Vegetable Soup with my husband, dicing carrots, potatoes, celery together all the while dancing along to our favorite songs

Fresh Cut Flowers ... delivered to your door ... I was so excited to be able to fill an order for a friend. Her mother in law fell and broke her arm. I was able to create a fun Autumn bouquet with a burlap bow. I also made a Get Well Card. I grew carnations for the first time in my garden. They are still blooming. The small vase is full of pink carnations. I included them in the delivery. It was so fun to spread Get Well Wishes.

 

On The Road Friday ~ Evening Ceremony at Mount Rushmore ~ South Dakota

Happy Friday

It is On The Road Friday and we are taking a trip to the evening ceremony at Mount Rushmore.

 All is dark on top of Mount Rushmore.

 The Big Dipper was just above the Presidents heads.

 At 8:00 pm the ceremony began. We enjoyed a patriotic movie about America. 

One of the park rangers gave us a quick history lesson about the importance of the four men carved into Mount Rushmore.

The lights come on! The faces of Mount Rushmore are a glow until 11:00pm.

It is beautiful.

After that the park ranger asks all military past and present to come forward to help take the American flag down for the evening.

Each and every military member states their name and branch.

It was so patriotic and I felt so happy for the military up on stage. I felt thankful as well for the sacrifice of their service.

It was a beautiful night.

 

Thank you for coming along with me for On The Road Friday!

 

I Like To Move It ~ It is the Hodgepodge

Peek a Boo ~ We are on the move.

It is Wednesday and it is time for the Hodgepodge!

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun! 

1. What would you say is the best and worst thing about moving house?
  I think the best thing about moving house is that we go through our items. We might toss some stuff or donate or sell.

The worst thing about moving house is the packing up.

 2. What's moved you recently?

Our recent road trip to South Dakota. We hiked a day in the Badlands National Park. Amazing! The land, soil, climate is so different. The name Badlands means nothing grows. I was moved when I found this brave little flower blooming in this land.

 

 3. Do you feel your life is moving forward, backward, or is on hold? How so?

I am moving forward.

This summer I started selling my fresh cut flowers at the Bruce Farmers Market. A friend of mine inspired me to look into another avenue to sell my flowers.

  4. On the move, move mountains, get a move on, it's your move, or bust a move...which phrase best applies to some aspect of your life right now? Explain.

On the move ... Tuesday was my first official brain storm meeting to start up my new idea of selling fresh cut flowers. Getting down on paper, trying to not let fear let me back down from trying and keeping that brave attitude to move on.

5. What song makes you want to get up and move?  

 6. Your favorite snack to grab when you're 'on the move'?

Mixed Nuts

7. What one accessory makes your house feel like home?

Candles

 8. Insert your own random thought here. 

 
  

Joy List Monday

Lego Church at Brickmania, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Joy List Monday

♥ a weekly ritual ♥

 a reminder to stop and pay attention to the beauties and graces that make life magical and to set aside time for gratitude each day

♥ creativity ~ this weekend we visited Brickmania located in Minneapolis, Minnesota

The amazing talent of the Lego builds ... the beauty of creativity 

♥ sunshine ... a lovely week of sunshine

 ♥ harvesting peppers .... October and Wisconsin still has not received a kill frost

♥ friends ... spending the weekend with special friends

♥ chicken dumpling soup ... the first of the Autumn season ... so tummy warming

 

Our boys love Lego .... visiting Brickmania was a dream come true

On The Road Friday ~ Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Last week we took an amazing road trip. It was an extra special week for this mom. As my boys grow up this family time is extra special to me.

I will be doing several On The Road Friday posts to highlight our #RoadTrip2016.

Here we go, let us head to South Dakota, U.S.A

 Mount Rushmore

A Shrine in the Black Hills

 

 Gutzon Borglum

The Master Sculptor

 Avenue of Flags

 The flags of the States of the United States.

Can you find your State flag?

 Each State is recognized and has the date it was admitted to the Union.

 Wisconsin

Oh my, that beautiful blue sky.

We were blessed with lovely weather for our road trip.

Blue sky and a high of 75 degrees.

 George Washington

Commander of the Revolutionary Army

First U.S. President

 Thomas Jefferson

Author of the Declaration of Independence

3rd President

Mastermind of the Louisiana Purchase

and  gardener too! That makes him one of my favorites!

 Theodore Roosevelt

The 26th President 

Promoted the construction of the Panama Canal

Ignited progressive causes like conservation and economic reform.

 Abraham Lincoln

16th President

His leadership restored the Union and ended slavery on U.S. soil.

Thank you for joining me for On The Road Friday!

Wishing you all a great weekend!

Copy Cat

Hello Friends,

Joyce the author of the Hodgepodge is taking the week off from the Hodgepodge. She will be back to the regular programming of the Hodgepodge next week.

My blog buddy Jess at Barefoot by the Sea 

she had a fun idea and took the Hodgepodge questions from Joyce's 100th Hodgepodge.

I am going to do a copy cat! What a fun idea Jess!

  

 1. What creeps you out?

On our way home from our road trip we were rolling in late. We were driving thru a small rural community and a car was sitting at a bank. As we drove past they slowly pulled out behind us. RIGHT BEHIND US!! They followed close behind us, tailgating at a very late hour. After awhile I got really creeped out. I told my husband if they did not turn off at the next stop, I wanted him to go a different way. Thankfully they turned off.

 2. What's your least favorite candy?

 I do not like licorice. I do not really like any sort of fruit candy.

 3. Are you a fan of scary movies?  What's the scariest movie you've ever seen?

No, I do not like scary movies. I think I was scared for life when a pal of mine in High School had me watch Children of the Corn. No more scary movies for this girl. 

4. What part of life confuses you the most?  

Black Lives Matter ... this whole thing is gotten so out of hand. My boys are friends with whites, blacks, Hispanics and many more colors. My son Sam summed it up best, "Mom, I do not even see the color, I never have, we are just buddies."

 5. Pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, poppy...what's your favorite seed? 

I love poppy seed bread, muffins and pastries. 

I also love my husbands roasted pumpkin seeds. I was cheated last October, the pumpkins we carved, they did not have many seeds. How do I find a pumpkin with lots of seeds?

6. Imagine your life ten years from today...what's changed?

 My oldest son will be 26 and my youngest will be 24. 

I just might have a daughter in law. 

 7.  What do you a) love the most and b) like the least about the Hodgepodge?

a) What I like most about the Hodgepodge .... it makes me think!

b) What I least like about the Hodgepodge ... when I have to think too much!

  8.  Insert your own random thought here.

 

Joy List Monday

Joy List Monday

♥ a weekly ritual ♥

 a reminder to stop and pay attention to the little beauties and graces that make life magical and to set aside time for gratitude each day

 

♥ this past week our family went on a road trip to South Dakota, it was full of fun, laughs, adventure and memories that I will hold close to my heart forever ♥

 ♥ laughs .... our youngest son can make us laugh ... when traveling for over 12 hours in a car ... a class clown is what you need

  ♥ amazing weather ... we had a week of hiking planned in South Dakota ... not a rain drop ... high in the 70's and lows at night in the 40's

 ♥ wonder ... this land of ours is full of beauty all around us ... visiting the Badlands of South Dakota was one of my favorites, a strange place for a gardener like me, because nothing really can grow in the Badlands ... that is why they are called the Badlands ... yet so different I fell in love

 ♥ working together ... watching our boys help pack and unpack as we traveled ... looking for exits on the highways and offering a helping hand when asked