Jack - O - Lanterns 2011

Last evening we carved our pumpkins. They have been patiently waiting on the garage floor from when we pulled them out of the garden in September. We actually got 5 pumpkins from our pumpkin vine but had to buy a sixth one since there are six people in our family now. *smile*

The sixth person wasn't really into carving pumpkins though. With ear infections in both ears and three teeth (so far) coming in this weekend she hasn't been her normal self. She seems much better this morning though! YAY!

six pumpkins all a'glow

Have a great week everyone!
Alison

Simplify

For the last few weeks, I've been in the declutter, throw away, get rid of, organize, simplify mode. I have found so many helpful blogs and I've loved gaining new ideas to keep things looking neater and keep life running smoother. So, I've made a couple trips to the Goodwill and I've listed several items on Craig's List and some of them are going out the door this weekend. The kids have been helping me by going through their things and giving up stuff they don't really use/need anymore. I'm in the process of putting some make-ahead meals in the freezer and I've been working on several other projects that I will share in the future.

My friend Joellen over at Montana Prairie Tales has been doing a Friday organization assignment and one of those assignments was to... Organize Your Fridge. I love the idea of putting all the sandwich stuff together on a tray or in a container, to easily slip it out when you need it and then put it all back away when done (picture above). I pack my kids lunches every morning and already I am seeing the benefits the this easy, quick organizing tip. Thanks Joellen!

I took it one step further and made up a snack container that will help me in packing lunches too. After school, the kids can pull it out, have a snack and easily put it back away...
With all this "organizing" going on you would think that my house would look much better than it really does. But Randy's been gone all week and Melita has been sick and the kids have been having fun! So, I aspire to be a little more organized than I was last week and that makes me happy!

Have a HAPPY and safe weekend everyone!
Alison.org

War & Peace

Lane, Morgan, Logan and their parents were here for one night on their way home from Grandpa Clarence's funeral. What a fun time we all had!

I get such a kick out this sequence of pictures every time I look at them. We recently replaced our basement windows and the kids have been having fun making the old window-well casings into boats, forts, and in these pictures... safety shields in a good old game of shooting each other with foam bullets. What a great idea!

In a good game of war, every warrior eventually runs out of bullets. Looks like Kyla was the one who had to go out under fierce enemy fire to replenish her bullet supply...
Not to much later, I looked out the window and saw that the kids had joined forces and all headed to the trampoline. Some weren't sure they wanted to lay down their weapons just yet...But for the sake of joining in the fun, the war game was forgotten...
And they jumped in (almost) perfect peace and harmony. I just love watching kids. I just love learning from kids...

Peace must start in our hearts and in our homes. Or, in our yards in this case.

Love,
Alison

Fall Fun

This was a really fun place to spend the first part of our school break. It served as a great motivator to get some "pick-up" and "get rid of" chores done around the house. That's a good, good thing! It's always fun when friends come along too.

Another reason to love these Autumn days,
Alison

Memory Lane Monday: Nineteen-Eighty-Something

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life
- to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories. ~George Eliot

Happy Anniversery Dad & Mom!

See you around the next corner on memory lane,
Alison

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Pictures From Our Weekend...

It's times like this that I'm fully aware that I only have 2 hands. And when those 2 hands are already taken up with more important things, the camera has to be left behind. And then there are the times when my hands are idle but I decide to leave the camera in the case and just enjoy the moment. Because of these reasons, I didn't record some of the special time spent with family this weekend, but hopefully we will always be able to remember it. I'm sorry to our family who weren't able to make it. I hoped to take more pictures than I did to share with you. Maybe someone else got some good ones of Friday night and the luncheon on Saturday.

Thanks Tom and JoEllen and Girls, Roger and Linda, Darrell and Ruth, Brian and Roxie, Dick and Lois, Bob and Marilyn, Don and Joanne and all of your families for EVERYTHING. And Thank you to everyone else who I missed. It was all so special!

Memory Lane Monday: Grandpa Clarence

Grandpa Clarence 4.3.1919 - 10.10.2011

"Clarence served in the Air Force at Moffett Field in San Jose, California
where he met his wife, Florence, and they were married June 12, 1942.
He served in the Philippine Islands toward the end of World War 2."
~taken from his obituary

Grandpa Clarence's Military trunk. He wrote inside with white paint...

Moffett Field
Chico Field

This special trunk came into our possession after an online auction to disperse Grandpa Clarence and Grandma Florence's things to the family. Although it would never replace having him here again, it does feel like we have a tiny little piece of him with us still.

I try to imagine Grandpa Clarence when he was there, serving his country in California. His life had been ranching and farming and I believe his desire was to return to his native country and ranch and farm again, as soon as he could. But like every experience of life, either good or bad, this experience would prove to be one of life's better ones for him. We don't read in his obituary all that happened to him in California and in the Philippine Islands but we do read that he met and married the love of his life. And that was only the beginning of something wonderful...

My first memories of Grandpa were when I went to a family reunion with Randy before we were married. He accepted me as if I were one of his own grandchildren. Every greeting after that included an arm around the back and a squeeze. I never thought of him as anything other than my Grandpa to. I am thankful for every time through the years we were able to see him and for the once a year cards he sent. They are saved so we will enjoy them for years to come.

At the graveyard on Saturday, as we stood around his casket and paid our last respects, I felt so touched by his life and I felt thankful for him, and so many others that I have known through the years, who have loved and served. The three rifle volleys fired, the sweet sound of the trumpet playing taps, the soldier's heartfelt message as he presented the flag...

"On behalf of the President of the United States and the people of a grateful nation,
may I present this flag as a token of appreciation for the honorable
and faithful service your loved one rendered this nation."

I feel like, again, I have been blessed to know, to see, to feel, to be. I want to love and serve. That is all.

See you around the next corner on memory lane,
Alison

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40 & 7

Yes, the kids made sure we had 40 candles on that cake! And seven candles on a cupcake is quite a lot too!
Happy Birthday Randy and Maya!

Randy's 40th Birthday was last Friday and Maya's 7th Birthday was last Saturday. Of course, Randy already got his birthday present a few weeks ago. You can read about it here. Maya got her birthday present on Saturday (new bike) but we waited until Sunday to have the party for both of them because of a packed-full weekend. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for the party at your house. It made it extra special!

So our families cycle of birthday's is done for the year now. This next year will be different for us. Instead of Colter starting out the birthday cycle in July, it will be Lita's birthday that gets us rolling in February. Can you believe my kids are already looking forward to Valentine's Day 2012? Me?...not so much... (sniff, sniff)

Goodnight for now,
Alison

Soap Winner and My Thoughts on "Love"

And the lucky winners of the soap tonight are...

#5 Heather!

&

#44 Linda!

These random numbers were generated using Random.org

Heather, I already have your address so I will be sending your soap soon. Linda, I will be seeing you this weekend so I will give you your soap then!

Thanks everyone for your comments! I love the comments!

So here are my thoughts on "LOVE"...

Sometimes "love" seems like such a strong word to use when I'm describing things I really like. I often wonder if it is appropriate to "love" material things such as redone chairs, goat milk soap and blog post comments. Know what I mean?

But then I start to try and come up with another word that fits. Just "like" doesn't really cut it. I keep thinking what a monochramatic and dull world it would be if I only just "liked" everything. Things I like, adore, cherish, almost love, favor, care for... nothing, and I mean nothing, sounds right! So, I will continue to use "love" until I can find the perfect word to describe the huge range of things that fit somewhere between like and love in my colorful, exciting life! It is what we make it right?! ;)

With these thoughts in mind I loved all your comments. Some of my favorite...

...I love how excited my kids are every night their daddy comes home from work! -Anna (ahhh, me to!)

...I love that my kids are feeling better after a loong week of fevers and sleepless nights. -Heather (So true!)

...I love when I actually have energy to get my list of "to-do's" done on a quiet day. -Jesse (now that's a GOOD day!)

...I LOVE seeing how a memory of admired generosity and wholesome happiness trickles into the following generations. :)-Sarah (hugs!)

...Oh there is so much I love, my heart swells with love. -Cindy (beautiful!)

...I love my family so so much -MaryAnn (love!)

...Sitting down with my phone, a cup of coffee, and a good blog list makes my day!-JoEllen (smile)

...I love: happy kids...-Tammia (nothing so sweet!)

... Fun to watch my nieces/nephews grow up and learn new things!!-Emily (you are so lucky!)

...1 thing I love is my new country and really hope to be your tour guide one day :) xxoo-Lori (I wanna go to Ireland! Until then keep posting pictures! Hugs!)

...I love you-Kyla (thank you my sweet daughter! I love you to!)

Many, many of you mentioned autumn and the colors, smells, feelings of the season. (oh happy day!)

I loved all your comments! (have I mentioned that before?)

Thanks for sharing your "love",
Alison

Memory Lane Monday: "Long Ways Back"

Remember my Auntie Karen and Uncle Joe that we recently visited up in Alaska? Before we left on our trip, I packed a bar of Heathers Soap for Karen to enjoy. In a comment the other day she wrote about the soap...

"I love the fragrance - takes me back to my youth (long ways back)."

When I saw this picture today, I knew I had to post it! Guess who is right smack-dab in the middle of the picture! Auntie Karen in her youth ("long ways back")...isn't she sweet! And that's my adorable Mother to the right in the picture and their other sister (my aunt) Joanne. Also pictured are my Great Grandparents and my Great Aunt. I just wonder... where did their paths take them after they got up from the breakfast table that day?

What I also love about this picture... the patterned wall-paper and table cloth, the Wheaties and orange wedges on the table, the pitcher and dishes, my Mother's little outfit, Great-Grandma's apron and Great-Grandpa's suspenders. Talk about true vintage! I really could just look and look at this picture-the sweet faces and my grandmothers, Alice's bright and inviting breakfast table. Old pictures...just another thing I love!

BTW, don't forget to enter my giveaway for a bar of Heather's Goat Milk Soap! It ends Tuesday evening. Just leave a comment here about something you love and you're automatically entered!

See you around the next corner on memory lane,
Alison

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A Light in the Night

We saw it through the scope tonight,
The moon so big and round and bright;
We saw it there like never before,
At close range there was so much more!

The texture, no more smooth, but rough.
Mountains and valleys, craters and such;
We looked in awe and pure delight,
At such an awesome, close-up sight.

We really wanted to share it with you,
But just how could we? We hadn't a clue;
Would the camera work? We had to try,
So now, here it is, it isn't a lie!

We saw it through the scope tonight,
The moon so big and round and bright;
It's a witness of a greater light,
And may you and I, with all of our might...

Be a witness true to the Light we know,
And of our Creator, may our lives show;
We have so much to live for tonight,
Of all that's good and true and right.

photo by Randy, poem by Alison (10/8/11)


a peek at the night sky

Alison

some things I love **GIVEAWAY**!

I really love this little bench and basket set-up (above) that I have upstairs in the living room. All of the kids toys are downstairs in the playroom but I needed a little place to store a few things upstairs for Lita so that I wouldn't have to run up and down for things to keep her happy.

This birthday gift from my husband is also something I really like! It is... a cookbook that holds millions of recipes, a bible, a calender, an alarm clock, an organizer and note-taker, a dictionary, a thesaurus, a research device, an instant messenger and voice communicator, a photo album that stores millions of photos, a camera, and an instant blog checker. Am I forgetting anything? And it's all contained within this pretty notebook cover. The Apple iPad is really something.
I picked up these sweet bibs at target for just a few bucks. They are Velcro, easy to clean and so colorful. I'm all about 'colorful' as we move into our drab, dreary time of year...

As much as I like color I like contrast too. This chair is my very first re-upholstering job ever. Pretty impressive huh? heehee! We bought this directors chair in an online auction for Randy's grandparents belongings when they were trying to disperse them to extended family. I think we paid around 5$ for it and it had a faded, well-used orange canvas seat and back on it. I ended up picking out this black and white mazey-looking decorator fabric to redo it and I love the finished look!
Last but not least, I love this new soap we have been enjoying. My cousin, Heather, makes it from her goat's milk and it is very moisturizing. After I wash my hands with it I don't have that dried-out feeling but instead my hands remain soft. No lotion needed! And it smells absolutely wonderful!

I really want to share some with you. I have 2 Goat Milk Soap bars to give away to 2 lucky people. An Almond & Oatmeal one and a Huckleberry one.

Please leave me a comment in my comment section at the bottom of this post telling me one thing that you love (share the love). This is for anyone and everyone to enter!

If you visit Heather's soap site The Goat Lady Soap, where you can read about the ingredients and the benefits of using the soap, feel free to enter another comment.

Also, if you are a regular visitor to my blog feel free to enter another comment.

And lastly, if you mention this give away on your blog or other site, you may enter another comment too. Thanks!

Some people have mentioned that they can't leave comments on my blog for some strange reason. If this is the case for you please feel free to email me at hugsfromus(at)yahoo(dot)com and I will enter your comments into the drawing.

If you live in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada or anywhere, please feel free to enter!

I will use random.org to draw the winners on Tuesday evening, October 11. I will announce the winners and give them my email address. They can send me their addresses and I will send out their soap!

Sharing the love,
Alison

Popcorn Mom

Dad taking the kids to their first job.

My life, these days, seems to consist of two different lives meshed together into one.

One life is the "first time mama with a new baby" life. I know I'm not a first time mama but... when I go to the grocery store or any other public place with my littlest one, I'm bound to have an "experienced mother" come up to me and say something like "oh, they grow up SO fast... enjoy her now because before you know it, she'll be going to school and you'll be busier than ever!" I smile at her and nod my head and say something like "oh yes... that is SO true". Sometimes I even feel like a first time Mom again... experiencing all the new and exciting things that go along with having a new little one. Yes, it's a wonderful half of my life!

The other half of my life it my "popcorn mom" life. I started to call myself a popcorn mom because I felt like I was always running here and there, back and forth, and hither and yon. Last year with 2 kids in all day school, one kid in half day school, helping in all three classes at different times, and Kyla and Colter's piano lessons, etc, this description really fit me. Having a nursing baby this year has slowed my popping down but I find there is still plenty to keep me going. Back and forth, back and forth. I know as they grow older this will only increase so I will continue to seek to find a balance that we can all live with. So, this is the second wonderful half of my life and what this post is all about...

The picture above shows Randy taking the kids over to the neighbor ladies house to start their very first job. She has hired them for 2 or 3 times a week to pick up the doggy poopoo in her yard. Randy and I thought this would be a great opportunity for the kids to learn a little responsibility and earn a little extra money. This dear woman in paying them well over a dollar an hour. So... now this mom has the added responsibility of getting these kids to remember their job and of trying to teach them how to save, or at least wisely spend their money. Oh Boy!

The kids started 4H this last year. Kyla is a member and Colter and Maya are Clover Buds. We decided that for now, this would be a great "family oriented" activity for all the kids to do. So far 4H hasn't been an intense, demanding thing for us to be involved in... no Sunday or Wednesday evening activities. Only once a month meetings, and scattered other activities that are never mandatory but always enjoyable to go to. It's a group of really great kids too! Here are the kids with a small group from their 4H club at the Veterans home delivering fleece blankets that they made at their last 4H meeting...
Last week we enjoyed having company! I was so disappointing that I didn't get a picture of Loren and Dustin with the kids when they were here but maybe next time they come! Then we had Dale and Kari and their 3 sweet girls, Rowena, Mari, and Katlynn, for the weekend.

Look Tyler, Boyd and Monte! Look who came to play with us!

Recently, the kids have become stargazers. Some of our friends gave us this awesome telescope! Last week we had many clear evenings so while they were getting ready for bed, Randy would set up the telescope on the back deck so they could have a before bed stargazing session. Now the cloudy October weather has moved in but hopefully, we'll get to have lots more telescope time in the months and years to come...
This is one of my favorite pictures. It's funny that the kids aren't even looking in the telescope. I think they were figuring out where they were looking. :)

Yesterday piano lessons started. We have 2 birthdays coming up this weekend. There's appointments written on the calender...

Every day I'm tremendously thankful that I'm not an "old maid". How quiet and uneventful my life would be sitting on the bottom of the popcorn bowl.

Better go get popping again.

Hope everyone is having a great week!
Alison

Dad Turns 60!

Surprise!

We LOVE you lots!

Alison