Category: Holidays

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Quick Trip for Garden Decor

On my way home from work today I stopped off at one of my favorite discount stores. They have a great section filled with all sorts of outdoor items. I found some upside down hanging planters for only $0.99. I was really excited because they are normally between $15 and $20. I got three and plan to use them for peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries. We already had one with strawberries at home, but the strawberries seem to disappear the second they are ripe so I figured an extra one couldn’t hurt.

In addition to the planters, I got some soil, plant food, and some seeds. I kept walking through the various aisles in search for some cute, kid friendly, garden decorations. I found a pretty wind chime with butterflies that I know he girls will love. I also found some pink and purple bunnies on little wooden posts that will be great for Easter time.

Speaking of holidays, I also found a couple giant four leaf clover window clings that I can hang up on the sliding glass door for St. Patrick’s Day. I think they will look great accompanied by homemade rainbow light catcher ornaments I plan make with the girls.

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Single and Not Minding That

Yes, I’m single and I’m OK with it on Valentine’s Day. In some ways, it is better to be single and dating several guys – you get more gifts! I resent a Facebook friend’s comment that I should be eating ice cream and crying tonight.

The guy is a family friend is serving in the Navy and he recently got engaged. Of course, I am happy for him and his fiance, but I do wonder if this is going to be a long term, successful relationship. Almost all of their communication has been long distance phone calls, which have to be short because of the expense, and emails. I do not think that you really get to know someone well after less than a year’s emails and short phone calls. I hope they don’t get married right away – in my opinion they should wait until he is out of the Navy and they have more time together in person.

One of the fun things about being single is getting to know other people. I have found that it takes time to get past the fake bravado and extra efforts that people make for their first impressions. I want to know what the guy is like when real life happens, not just dates. How does he handle an emergency? How does he act when he doesn’t get his way? What does he do when he is not with you? How does he interact with children and senior citizens? All of these things have to do with character and values. If his values are far different from yours, you need to know that before going deeper into a relationship.

Anyway, I’m dating three different guys right now. I am not looking for a husband as much as someone to spend time with doing fun things. I am very happy being single and I loved getting roses, candy and a beautiful necklace from the guys in my life. I can assure my FB friend in the Navy that were no tears and ice cream for me tonight.

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Christmas Cookies

Shopping for Christmas cookies is always lots of fun for me. My cart is filled with endless pounds of butter, sugar, and flour, not to mention the sprinkles and candies that we use to decorate the cookies. This year we plan to make sugar cookies, date nut pinwheels, snicker doodles, peanut butter with chocolate chunks, spritz, Lindsor tarts, whoopie pies, snow balls, and a few other that I can’t remember. We decided to go nuts this year if you can’t tell. I think we’re making about ten different types of cookies.

We’re hosting a cookie exchange and giving away a lot of cookies as gifts this year so that’s one of the major reasons we are baking all of the cookies. Our cookie exchange is this weekend so I’ll be baking up a storm every day after work this week and probably right up until we have the party on Sunday afternoon. I’ll use Saturday to finish up anything I don’t get done during the week. I’m excited to see all of the yummy cookies that everyone else brings.

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Here’s wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving

This is going to be one of the best Thanksgivings we have ever celebrated here. With Celeste and Little Joe now new members of our family, we have a great deal to be thankful for. They have brought so much joy into our lives the we are truly blessed.

Blessings come in all shapes and sizes. I find a new blessing every single day and more than one in most. We have a full house but we also adopt a few local families for Thanksgiving Dinner too. We’re having turkey of course, deer roast, and all the extras that everyone has. Desert is of course pumpkin pie, coconut cake, carrot cake, and banana pudding.

I hope and pray that each of you has a wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving too.

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Throwing a Halloween bash

My friends and I are having a Halloween bash!! The place is all decorated in spooky stuff, have a hay ride through a spook trail, bobbing for apples, and a best costume contest to boot. It all starts at dark and the whole community is invited. Well most of it anyway.

I’m Scarlet O’Hara of course, Grace is a clown, Celeste is Snow White and Little Joe is one of the seven dwarfs, Happy!! He’s always smiling so Happy fits him perfect. All the adults have to bring a big bag of candy to help with the candy we give out to the kids that come by Trick-or-Treating and other than that, the party is free.

Hey, if you’re in the mountains of North Carolina, stop by and see us. I promise you’ll have a blast. Don’t forget to come in a costume!!!

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Halloween Parties for Grown Ups

This Friday night is when all the adults get to have their Halloween parties. The clubs and condo party rooms will be full of people in costumes, eating spooky snacks and having lots of fun. Downtown will be especially interesting this weekend, with just about everyone local going out in costume and only the out of towners still in street clothes.

Halloween is actually Saturday night, I am glad that I can go out and have some fun with my friends this Friday and then stay home to pass out candy to the kids on Saturday night.

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Popular Attraction in NYC You Don’t Want to Miss

Among all the cities across the globe, New York City is among the most famous, and for good reason. If you plan on taking a trip to this eclectic city, be sure to catch these attractions!

Times Square

There is absolutely no way you can go to New York City and skip over Times Square. This iconic area in the city features constant excitement around the clock. From the dazzling lights, to the eclectic shops and eateries, to the dynamic array of people constantly making their way around, Times Square is definitely not a spot in NYC to be missed. There’s really never a dull moment there!

Empire State Building

Another iconic landmark in New York City, the Empire State Building is open to tourists 18 hours a day. You can take a guided audio tour if you want in order to learn more about the things you’ll be seeing from the top of the city. You can even take a bus tour of popular attractions in NYC!

Central Park

This lush area of greenery is spectacular all year round. It offers the ideal getaway from the concrete jungle of the city, and features 50 fountains, 21 playgrounds, bike paths and rentals, and 36 bridges.

Statue of Liberty

There’s simply nothing that symbolizes NYC more than the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island. There are a number of city boat tours that go around the island that you can take, in addition to tours offered on the premises that you can reserve in advance.

New York City is definitely a one of a kind place to visit, offering a host of things to see, hear, and do!

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Pumpkin Patch Hunting

Today I went to the local Pumpkin Patch and hunting the most perfectly round big pumpkin I could find. I had a large one last year that was taller than it was round and it carved really nice. But I wanted something different this year.

The pumpkin patch had the pumpkins grouped by size. The really big ones were $40! Wow! I couldn’t believe that people are willing to spend $40 on a pumpkin that they don’t even eat – they just carve it and set it outside to decorate their porch.

The one I decided to buy was beautiful and I only paid $25. I think I could have found one cheaper, but this is a charity sale for the church youth group. I figured that since Halloween is supposed to be a holiday for the kids anyway, that supporting a youth group with my money was the right thing to do.

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Happy Labor Day weekend

Well it looks like it’s going to be a great Labor Day weekend The weather is supposed to be warm and sunny, and we have been invited to my brother’s house to hang around his pool and enjoy some grilled burgers and chicken. We plan to bring a nice grape salad to chip in with the food.

I hope that each and every one of you has a safe and happy Labor Day. Unfortunately it’s also the sign of Autumn beginning but that’s okay. All things must change!!

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Happy Independence Day!!!

Family watching fireworks (free clip art)
Family watching fireworks (free clip art)

I love the 4th of July!!  We really go all out to decorate, well we do that for every holiday but there’s just something about Independence Day that I love!!  We always have a huge community picnic type party with grilled hot dogs and hamburgers with all the fixin’s and of course potato salad, baked beans and we can’t forget the banana pudding and homemade ice cream.

Then there’s the fireworks display.  I love all of the laughter, ooohhh’s and aaahhh’s from the children when the fireworks start.  It’s just a wonderful time for all!!!   I hope each and every one of you have a wonderful 4th of July and remember what the celebration is all about, our independence!!!