November thankfulness.

So much is going on in our little world with the 2020 Election still not closed and votes are being recounted.  Coronavirus is still happening and we are back to hearing the numbers of cases on the radio.  I really don't know what that's suppose to tell us but I try to pray for the sick and those who are being impacted.  Masks are required more and more.  I don't like it.  I try to be kind and not complain but I try to shop at the places where there's no mask required.  The holidays are coming up and I just hope nothing crazy is going to take place with all the social distancing that's required!  Families are ready to gather and hug and love each other!!!!  Loneliness is a real feeling and so many of the elderly around us are feeling it!  Slowly, the homes around us are putting up Christmas lights and decorations!  Normally, I'm preaching to myself to not put up any Christmas decor until Thanksgiving is over because there is something so important about the thanksgiving season that I want my family to remember and not rush!!!!  However, Christmas brings such a fun vibe and excitement and more than ever, I'm ready to see the world around me celebrate!!!!!  Celebrate Jesus!!!!!  Being thankful isn't something we do just one day out of the year but every day!  Christmas time is such a precious time and I'm already jamming on the fun Christmas songs as well as the soft Christmas songs that bring peace to my soul!!!!

Are you ready for the holidays?  I received my new Magnolia Journal the other day!  I couldn't wait to sit and read it!  I also am so thankful for my bible and journal!  I write so much of my feelings and happenings in these two books!  The chill came and the air outside is now only going to get colder, so it's good reads like these that are wonderful to have on hand!!!!

November is the month that I have to go to Rachels Crepe's at least once for their Thanksgiving Dinner Crepe!!!!  It's just so good with the whole thanksgiving meal in one big bite!  Filling, turkey chunks, cranberry relish and gravy are all wrapped together and I was so excited to go with Sherry to get one of these the other day!  I did grab a pumpkin cheesecake crepe to to go and it was so yummy as well!

We got here just in time because the next day, Rachels closed for indoor seating and are only doing take outs because of the coronavirus numbers rising.  Crazy.

Little Miss got some new clothes the other day when I dropped by Carters to grab some leggings for her.  All their holiday clothes are so cute and festive and I just grabbed some other items that Ashlyn needed while I was there!  Let's bring on the holidays! 

Mike and I were doing so good getting our date nights in but boy the last while it's just been other things or just deciding to be at home!  Mike loves to eat at nice restaurants and he also really needs some new clothes in his wardrobe!  We make a quick stop at the new Agape Grill and Cafe before heading to the mall!  The food was great!  The mall had some of what Mike was looking for but they closed too early and we had to leave.  I love nights out with my man!!!!!

 

Looking out my house windows, the trees are now mostly barren.  The wind took the rest of the leaves off and we are now looking more like winter outside.  I do wish to mow the lawn at least one more time because our warmer tempts last week has the grass needing to be cut again.  The garden is still waiting for some mushroom mulch because I forgot to do this fall chore.  Last year, I declared it helped my soil so much!!!!!  Maybe this will get accomplished on Saturday!?!

Thanksgiving is coming and I made a list the other day by going through photos of our 2020 year so far!  I wrote down things like "our family Florida vacation back before we knew anything of COVID 19", toilet paper, memories at home every night, no more after school sports, HEALTH, family to live with, ZOOM, school at home and now back again in session at school, church at home and now again back in the sanctuary!!!!  SO MANY THINGS have happened through 2020 that it's crazy, absolutely crazy to comprehend at times.  I am so very thankful that God is still God and my prayer life got better and my bible reading got more personal and worship took on a new level!!!!  The times when I still have so many questions, I try to not worry and turn them into prayer requests to my Jesus that loves me!!!!!

This 2020 holiday season I really want to take some extra time to bless others around me!!!!  To send a greeting to a friend that's lonely!  To sing carols to the elderly!  To really feel grateful for all my blessings!!!!!  Even in our crazy little world, we can spread cheer to others around us!!!!!

Happy holidays!!!!

Another cabin. Another gorgeous weekend!

We spent weekend number two in a row at another cabin.  This time with Dave and Suz and friends.  They men hunted while Mike golfed.  It's the new norm!  :))). The weather was perfect and warm and in the 70s!!!!  The kids had a blast in the huge leaf pile and football was Austin's main game!

I just don't want this warm, fall weather to leave us!!!!

The view at this cabin is breath taking!  The leaves are gorgeous and the land is lush!

We spent the warm afternoons relaxing on the warm porch!

Austin's goal was to kick the football over the railing.  One time he nailed it in the railing and it stayed sticking there.

He did kick it over eventually!  

XOXO!!!

Cabin foods are such good foods!  The Zook know how to cook meat and they made killer steaks!  Yum, yum!

The older kids stayed back home and Ginger was at Sadies.  Thank you Dave and Suz for always the best hosts and for inviting us to join the weekend of Acquire, good food, coffee and pumpkin pies and puppy chow!

Election of 2020.

Election Day.  Just add this to our year of 2020 and you have a mixture of emotions and trust and possible fraud and still no outcome!  I have voted and am thankful for a voice even though I'm not a politician or know a whole lot about politics.  I do know my beliefs and values and I'm sad to have this 2020 Election be such a drawn out affair because of having to do such recounting.  Honesty here friends!!!!  Let's get some results!

I'm not one to watch much news because usually it's not very uplifting in our day in age.  It's hard to know what to believe or who to trust.  I know that it's much better to talk to God about this election than be glued to tube!!!!

This was me the other day when I was looking up the news to see any results.  God be with this dear nation!!!!

I feel so blessed to be a citizen of a free country and one that's been founded on Godly principles.  Our faith today seems to be on the line and I think it's time for the church of God to rise up!  We need to proclaim God's goodness!  God's grace!  His salvation!  

Our nation needs more of God!  We need His Spirit to flood us with wisdom!  COVID-19 is on the rise again and that too is all over the news.  Masks are required most everywhere you go these days.  I cringe to think of how the holiday season will be for those who are still full of fear and are hurting from loneliness!  

Election Day came and went.  So many people stood in long lines to cast their one vote and now we wait for results.  God be with us!!!!

Football is in season!

I think I can say that I am slowly, very slowly, understanding the game called football!  As a teen, I went to all the youth Super Bowel parties but not because I cared a bit about the game, nope, I was there for the fun and I still love them!  But, going to an actual football stadium and making a football weekend for the past few years, has helped too!  I am really into watching the Chiefs games with Mike and I look forward to the next upcoming games!

Austin is also loving the football season.  One reason that I have struggled to know how to game of football is played is because Mike never played in a league and Matthew isn't either with this sport.  Maybe I'll know all the rules and whistles by the time Austin joins a team???  :)

We grabbed this gear at Fashion Cents and he's played with it so much already!

Mike's uncle John gave him the Cowboy beanie!!!!  Love it!

Plans of a 2020 football weekend/stadium is not in the plans yet.  Maybe it will be the year to skip???  So many stadiums are not having fans be in the stands and with the masks and so much going on, we didn't make any reservations.  This is usually such a fun weekend for Mike and I!  We love to be with John and Kathy and to tour another city and watch football is such a fun time!  Maybe next year???

For now, we watch the games on TV and stay cozy in our own homes!

Go Chiefs!!!!!

Gorgeous November!!!!

 We've been having the prettiest weather this fall and November has brought us many warmer than normal tempts!!!!  We are loving every minute of the warmth and nearly hold our breath for the cold that's about to hit us one of these weeks!  But for today, I am energized by the sun, the suns warm rays and the gorgeous leaves that are now colored in reds, browns and golds!!!  The yellow and gold trees are catching my eye the most this autumn season!!!!  They are just gorgeous!

Here's some of what's been happening this fall in our household!

Mike picked up the grape juice I had ordered and helped me can it!  It's an easy task with such a good helper helping me!  15 gallons got canned much quicker than normal!  Thanks Babe!

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My friend Ruthie is having her dream come true with opening up a restaurant in Lancaster County and of course us BUDDIES had to go try the food, see the beauty of "Agape" and enjoy some time together once again!

I loved the Haystack and what a great place to eat!!!!  Go check it out for yourself!!!!

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Ashlyns bottle buddy of Queen Elizabeth 2, turned out cute!  I am so glad to have them back in school this fall!!!!

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Wedding plans are moving along!  So far we have a venue, photographer, caters and a guest list in progress!  So much time and energy goes into weddings and I sure hope we are on top of things because so many things are already reserved for next summer!

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We spent the weekend at the cabin with my whole family and look what what shot!!!!  The guys went hunting and brother John shot a bear with his bow!!!  Everyone was excited to see it and watch him bring it in from the woods!

The moon was so pretty and Austin was over the top excited for this action!!!!

We've got a row of boys that are future hunters!  They were begging to go hunting with their daddy's!  They are just a blast together!

Bear meat nuggets anyone???

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Cabin weekends are such fun times!  We play games, the men hunt, my man goes golfing and we eat the best foods!!!  

Today, the weather is just lovely outside and I mowed the lawn in short sleeves!!!!  So many leaves are falling and the grass is still so green and lush!  It's time to finish up the outside work before the cold comes and freezes everything outside!

Happy, beautiful day everyone!!!!!