I took these photos this morning
before my parents left to go back home.

********

They have been married for 32 years and now have
an empty nest. . . .they both love
the Lord, their children, and each
other very much.

They both work full time, so when they
aren’t working, they spend all the time
they can, being together.

My mom makes my Dad homemade chocolate pudding.
When it’s ready, she pours it into 1-cup canning
jars and screws on the lid.  She makes about 6 at a time.
He loves it.  You should hear the racket
he makes, trying to get every last drop.

He calls her “Lovebird” or “Lovie”.  He adores her.

They like to be outside on the weekends.  They garden together,
work on house projects together, go for jogs together, and also target practice.

When Dad has his camera, Mom points out pictures for him to take.

They would rather be together than with anyone else in the world.
They don’t act the same if the other one isn’t near.
When I go home for a visit, I find their little love notes around the house.

They drink coffee together in the living room or on the porch. 
They like making nice pasta dishes for lunch or dinner.

They raised 5 children:  two girls and three boys.
They have 8 grandchildren, and my sister is expecting the ninth in February.

They delight in going on adventures together–traveling, walking, making memories.
My mom said, “Sometimes I miss those days with you kids at home.  But, I love
it now.  I love being home with your Dad, we enjoy
spending time with each other.”

Sometimes they get each other laughing so hard.  That’s the time I love the most.
There is a happy, blissful feeling inside me when I see my parents laugh together.
It makes the little girl in me feel warm and secure.

Quick and Easy Cornbread

1 small box cornbread mix
1 yellow cake mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix boxes together according to directions on back of each box.
Pour batter into a greased 9 by 13 inch pan.
Bake about 25-35 minutes, or until done.

I make muffins. Recipe yields 3 dozen.

Please visit my blog at http://www.xanga.com/purpleamethyst76

Because it’s a Saturday in October.

Because my parents went to visit my sister for the day.

Because Rich fell asleep on the couch.

Because I was looking for something to do.

Because the brothers were watching a movie.

Because I needed some fresh air.

Because it rained last night.

Because she’ll only be 7 for 15 more days.

Because I like spending time with her.

Because life is good.

Because she makes me smile.

As much as I converse with sages and heroes,

they have very little of my love and admiration. 

I long for rural and domestic scene,

for the warbling of birds

and the prattling of my children. 

~John Adams

(I love this quote!  I found it this morning.)

I’m impatient and a lil’ ornery at the moment.  I confess, I have this problem of going crazy cleaning my house whenever Important Company is coming over.  At this moment, my Parents are on their way to our humble abode and I know for a fact that they could care less if it is clean.  So, in an attempt to slooooooow myself down, I am going to sit at my desk for a few moments, write, and try to catch my breath.

I believe that our fall colors are at peak season.  It’s raining this morning, so the reds, oranges, and yellows are popping in an amazing way.  It’s so easy to find lists of reasons to thank God when you stop and really look and delight in His handiwork.  As I sit here and look out my windows, I can feel my spirit calming down.

Jacob is doing his writing assignment.

Ethan and Grace are doing math.

Caleb has been waking up around 6 (shortly before or shortly after) every morning and so it didn’t surprise me to find him sound asleep in his high chair at 10:30.  He’s in his crib now, under his favorite “Thomas the Tank Engine” blanket.

David is in the basement, sitting on the floor with a box of screws and hammering on them to “make them hot”.

The top picture is one that I found the other day.  It was taken during baby Jacob’s first autumn.  I put it in a frame yesterday to add to our fall decorations around the house.  I first fell in love with photography when I became a Mother.  I should get out his baby album and look through it again. . .seems like such a different life compared to now.  It was 10 years ago!

I am making stuffed shells for dinner tonight, and a nice salad.

I can’t wait to see my Parents, it’s been almost 2 months now, and they haven’t been here since Christmas time.  They are staying the weekend.

The house is quiet right now, all I can hear is Jacob softly humming a song.

He has a wonderful new teacher, Mr. Clayton B, who always keeps him over his 1/2 hour lesson because they are having so much fun.  (They have become friends.)

After mastering the latest song, “Pop goes the Weasel”, his teacher asked Jacob which song he wanted to learn.

He chose “Ashokan Farewell”.  The song that plays on my blog.

He is so excited about learning it that he has been playing his violin 3 or 4 times a day. 

At this moment, Rich is doing something very romantic for me.  We’re out of coffee for the 3rd day in a row, so he is on his way to Dunkin’ Donuts to get me a nice fresh cup.  It will be nice not to drink instant again.  The sun is just beginning to come up, and because little Davy-do was on the couch when he left, he took him along for an early dark morning ride with Daddy (and, maybe he will get a donut!)  Buying me a cup of coffee will add an extra 20 minutes to his already 45 minute commute, so I take this as the precious gift that it is.

But this post isn’t just about this morning.  It’s about yesterday;  it was late afternoon, the kids were outside and it was time for me to start making dinner.  I had chicken in the fridge so I pulled out my current favorite cookbook, “Flavors of Fall” and opened it up to look for chicken recipes.  Low and behold, on the same page as “Chicken Vermicelli” I read this quote:

The beauty that shimmers in the yellow afternoons of October. . . .who could ever clutch it?  Ralph Waldo Emerson

After sitting and gazing out the window for a moment, I put my cookbook down, found my camera, and ran outside.  It was the exact shimmery sort of afternoon that Emerson was describing.  I would try to clutch some.  Dinner could wait.

Click here to order Grace’s Dress (from Gymboree, they have sizes 3-12 and it’s on sale for 12.99!)

Dinner was half an hour late.  We had tuna noodle casserole. 

My coffee is here so I must go.  Enjoy your day, lovely ones!  Blessings to you and yours.

So, the other day I was busy with something (as usual) and the littles were watching a video when I heard David say, “Mom, take a picture of us!”

Okay then!  You don’t have to ask me twice!! 

This poem is so cute!  It makes me think of David and Caleb together.

“Us Two”

Wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,
There’s always Pooh and me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
“Where are you going today?” says Pooh:
“Well, that’s very odd ‘cos I was too.
“Let’s go together,” says Pooh, says he.
“Let’s go together,” says Pooh.

“Let’s look for dragons,” I said to Pooh.
“Yes, let’s,” said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few–
“Yes, those are dragons all right,” said Pooh.
As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That’s what they are,” said Pooh, said he.
“That’s what they are,” said Pooh.

“Let’s frighten the dragons,” I said to Pooh,
“That’s right,” said Pooh to Me.
“I’m not afraid,” I said to Pooh,
And I held his paw and I shouted “Shoo!
Silly old dragons!”–and off they flew.
“I wasn’t afraid,” said Pooh, said he,
“I’m never afraid with you.”

So wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,
There’s always Pooh and Me.
“What would I do?” I said to Pooh,
“If it wasn’t for you,” and Pooh said: “True,
It isn’t much fun for One, but Two
Can stick together,” says Pooh, says he.
“That’s how it is,” says Pooh.

A. A. Milne

These two have physicals this morning at 9:15.  They’re always together.  That’s how it is.

And Mama gets to watch!

Wonderful Saturday, how I love thee!  My day off. . my day to enjoy without reservation the things in life I love most. . . .my family, my home, my friends.   I’m still in my pj’s, I’ve been busy in the house–made breakfast for my family, with Grace’s help, and I’ve puttering around cleaning and putting things away.  For now, I thought I would sit and try to write and share some photos.

Outside the sun is shining. I have all the shades up here in my room so I can see the bright colors.  I can see Jacob marching around with (a toy) gun.  It’s cool outside, in fact, we had our first frost last night.  I woke up this morning and decided that it was time to get out the down comforter.  Even though it’s chilly, I have my window open a crack so I can here the birds and the wind.

The boys, and Rich, all have jeans and sweatshirts on today.  Grace has a pair of jeans on under her dress.

David and Caleb are having fun playing in their room.  Every night we clean the room and every morning they get right up and mess it up again.  Today they have David’s mattress pulled off the bed and Caleb’s crib filled with toys.

For breakfast this morning we had fried eggs, hashbrowns, homemade buttermilk biscuits, sausage, and bacon.

Biscuits  (Jacob had 4 this morning!  We all loved them)

1 cup flour
1 cup cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in. cubes
3/4 cup buttermilk (you can add a splash of vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for a substitute)

Rack in center oven 400 degrees.
Whisk dry ingredients together.  Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly with a few pea-sized pieces of butter.  Stir in enough buttermilk to make a soft, sticky dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Quickly knead the dough just until it comes together-do not over-knead.  Pat or roll out until 1/2 in. thick.  Using a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits and place 1 in. apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake about 18 minutes.  Yield:  14 biscuits

Victoria Magazine is back!  I received my first issue yesterday in the mail.  I lit a nice-smelling candle and looked through it on my porch when the kids were napping.  Even with two blankets, I was still shivering out there in the fall breeze. 

  Here are some photos of this beautiful, inspiring magazine:

I am a big fan of Tasha Tudor and was delighted to see this article about her antique clothing collection:

What a lovely quote:  

One of my pleasures is to sit down at my kitchen table with my stationary, to write letters.  I found this article about writing to be very inspirational:

This morning, after breakfast, I took these photos.  We’ve been feeling so cozy all morning.  Rich (who was reading at the table with his coffee) said to me as I made breakfast, “I love these times.  You know?  Watching you in the kitchen, cooking, with music playing and having the children around us.”   Yes, I know.  I love them, too.

Country Home, Country Living, Mymeanderings (in the photo album), Beatrix Potter, and Tasha Tudor, all in the same basket!

I found this malted milk jar (from England) this summer, at an antique store in NYS.   I added the metal cookie cutters a few days ago.

Someday I will have a collection of miniature things to put in these cubbies.  For now, they are empty.  Every once in a while, the children add something.  Like dogfood nuggets and acorns, for instance.  There is a mini cobalt fiesta disc pitcher on top, and a “Tis a Gift to be Simple” piece of framed art on the wall from Joanna.

This is a quilted wall hanging that Rich’s Grandma made for us as a wedding gift.  I use it to drape over the printer in our room.

The bookcase in our room.  Books are my friends, *smile here*.  The scrapbook with the flower on top is another gift from Joanna.

I love this figurine Colleen gave to me.  It’s sitting on a jewelry box that used to be my Grandma’s.  And, that is sitting on a pink painted box that Joanna made me.  Inside is decoupaged with some of my baby photos that she printed out from an email that I sent her (not knowing she would use them for that purpose!)  Rich keeps his spare change in the lidded bowl.  Every time the children find one of his golf balls outside, they are allowed to take 25 cents.

I am standing in front of the front door/and the door of the master bedroom as I took these:

Living room

Kitchen

Upstairs landing.  Sister’s room is on the left, bathroom is straight ahead, and the 2 boys bedrooms on the right.  There is enough room on the landing for an area rug, 2 bookcases, and a big comfy chair.

There is nothing like staying at home

for real comfort.  ~Jane Austen

I love this quote and totally agree with it.  However, I am hoping that Rich will take me for a fall drive later today.  Maybe we’ll stop and get apple cider someplace or go to an antique store.  What are you doing today?  Whatever it is, I hope you have a wonderful day!