Happy Birthday Aidan!!

Giving thanks

Another *first* for me today.  

Even though a spring form pan could be found in my cupboard for years

today is the first time it has seen any action.

Thanksgiving will be spent with my mother and sister.

Green bean casserole - french cut is my preference - and a

pumpkin cheesecake 

will make the drive with me.

Today's soundtrack featured a young Jacob questioning the 

wisdom of trying a recipe for the first time on company.

In general he had/has a point but

honestly

how many pumpkin cheesecakes can 

the average among us try before the big day?

Tomorrow's plan includes a sleepover to allow for

scrabble

and tackling outdoor Christmas decorations on Friday.

No shopping.

Tim will be joining his family at his mother's.

Naphtali has plans that will keep her close to home.

Not sure what Jacob has going...

Aidan is spending the weekend with his dad.

Even though the list reads like a fractured fairytale

there is much for which to be thankful.

We all still speak to each other.

Confessions

I will admit that the processes of Christmas 

are beginning to have their way with me.

Understandable if there are projects requiring preparation,

like this one for Aidan,

 which has to be ready to go at Thanksgiving.

Or a quilt waiting for my attention.

I will admit to trolling through the aisles at Hobby Lobby 

humming snippets of Christmas carols, 

making plans,

 trying to remember what I already have in storage.

I haven't done any real shopping yet - other than the few things I need for Aidan's 

countdown packages.  

Oh and, I have ordered a couple things for him from Amazon.

 Well, now that I'm thinking about it there is a package of ornaments in the closet

and I did pick up another small tree.

And something for my mother - 

but I'll probably give that to her before Christmas so it doesn't really count...

But - just look what called my name at World Market the other day:

 for the spare bedroom.  

They'll be adorable on the wall

above the bed and it's going to require

all my self control not to decorate that room tomorrow.

BLT

made with tomatoes from our garden
mmmmm

google images

Recycling

Naphtali used this burlap pouch  as a wrapping for a gift to me several years ago.

It has always been my intention to get some burlap and make a few to have on hand, 

and maybe I will.  Soon.

For now, though, I am recycling.

The pouch (containing her Mother's Day gift) will make the trip 

North with us to visit her and Aidan this weekend.

With any luck, this pouch will make its way back to me someday.  

Responsible recycling ....

Can you believe it!?

We've all become accustomed to watching gas prices rise as a holiday weekend approaches. 

 Starting around $3.17 - gas prices fell all week. 

Gas was $2.99 on Friday night 

making the trip

 over the river and through the woods a bit easier this year.
I went up to Fort Dodge to spend Thanksgiving with my mother and sister, as Tim was working.
The day was mild.
The food was great and we found plenty to laugh about during the visit.

And another...

I've recently been enamored by the process of waxing - coating leaves etc with varying layers of paraffin.

There is a narrow window of time as the wax cools to a certain viscosity
for optimum coverage.  It's rather fun.   

This would traditionally have been the time for starting my gingerbread house, but this year I'll miss 

out on the display held at my library in Nebraska. 

Lucky for me, my new, local library is offering folks a chance to decorate wreaths, which will then be available at a silent auction as a fund raiser for the new building project.

So I brought home a wreath, and using waxed components for a subdued wintry-look, decorated it.

 Some subtle glittery paint adds to the frosty sparkle.  At least I think it does.

Tomorrow it will return to the library for display until time for the community auction 

on December 4.

Now that I've conquered my fear of bow making maybe this will become a new tradition.