The Very Happiest of Halloween's to YOU ~ My Dear Blogging Friends

Something in the way he moves..........

I went to see "Across the Universe" for the second time this past Fri. (see my review a few entry's back) So what if I am 48 and the character Jude in the movie is about 20 something ~ I'm in love! Oh just kidding ~ well not really :) I came across the CD in Barnes and Noble the other day and when I went to pay ~ the girl at the check out & myself went crazy exclaiming our love for this flick. All the people lined up behind me weren't very happy. Oops. This might be a chick flick however as my husband and daughter's boyfriend didn't like it at all. http://www.acrosstheuniverse.com/

A Happy Miscellany Craft Swap

Easy YUMMY Swedish Apple Pie

1. peel and slice enough apples to fill a buttered glass pie plate to the top
2. cover with 2 Tablespoons each of cinnamon and brown sugar
3. melt a stick of butter and mix with 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 egg
4. cover apples with the flour mixture and bake at 350* for about 45 minutes or until browned.

I LOVED yesterday!

Yesterday was just one of those wonderful day's. I had a nice roast with veggies from the farmers market cooking in the crock pot all day while I did laundry and puttered around the house. My husband was redoing a retaining wall in our yard. Late in the afternoon ~ Ashley decided to go get pumpkins for us all to carve. While i made some mashed potatoes and an apple pie (see post for my apple pie recipe)~ she and my son Franky got pumpkins. After dinner ~ Ryan ~ Ashley's boyfriend joined us and we carved while my husband made pumpkin seeds. Look how wonderful the pumpkins turned out! I used Martha's idea of cutting the hole in the bottom instead of the top ~ it worked GREAT! (mine is the cat to the right) Notice how HUGE my son Franky's pumpkin is! Day's like this are the kind I dream of. I love my home and taking care of it. I love my family and taking care of them.Life isn't always this simple and good. Yesterday was!

TAGGED

I was Tagged
by Pat http://gatherings100.blogspot.com/ and Kim http://skybellarts.blogspot.com/

Here are the rules which you must abide by if you are tagged.

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).

4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs

1. I never knew my father and was the only person I knew as a child who didn't have one. As a very young child ~ I remember my Sunday school teacher told our class that God was our Father and I had a child version of that light bulb moment when everything came together. I spoke to the Lord and I felt Him speak back. I sang to Him when I would swing on my swings and I felt His love all around me. I remember my grandfather and grandmothers flower garden ~ I would go in there and talk to Him there among the gladiolus. When I was older ~ the wonderful pre-teen and teen years ~ no matter how "bad " I was ~ I never ran from Him in shame ~ ALWAYS towards Him. Sometimes His voice is silent. I remember moments of crying out to Him in desperation ~ SILENCE. These are the times I ultimate learn the most. He taught me to be mature enough not to always need to"feel" His presence to know He's there. FAITH. I love Him so much. He has never failed me. For so many different reasons ~ I should have been a very messed up girl. Instead He poured His love and life into my soul and has given me compassion and mountains of HOPE in even the darkest of storms.

2. I love a great glass of wine, NEW YORK CITY, big belly laughs and just having FUN!

3.I have had 4 major health scares in the last 12 years. Hyper-thyroid 12 yrs ago, a large tumor removed from my neck wrapped around my jugular vein ~ 11 yrs ago , a 2 yr battle with major depression 7 yrs ago, a 6'' tumor removed from my breast one year ago. When I had the tumor in the neck they were very concerned it was cancer. My youngest daughter was just 8 and didn't know what was going on. One night when I was tucking her in ~ she said she wanted to paint her name in stars on her ceiling. I said "Let's do it now" and we did! I wanted to leave "footprints" of myself around her in case she lost me. When we were cleaning up our mess ~ she got some of the "glow in the dark paint" on the tile bathroom counter. Long after my cancer scare was over ~ I would walk into the bathroom at night and see the paint still glowing on the counter. It always made me giggle and thank God for the good outcome. That counter top "glowed" until last year when we redid the bathroom. I wish I had thought to save those special pieces of tile! (if you are suffering from any of these ailments ~ I'd be happy to share the path I took to getting well ~ just ask. It was mostly organic eating, vitamins,prayer with some massage therapy and acupuncture mixed in)

4. I have always liked an adventure! I once gave up my apartment of furniture, my car and most everything else to move to Aspen ,Colo. with friends when I was 20 yrs old. I silk screened t-shirts at a shop in Aspen and Snowmass and loved every second of it! Now my adventures consist mostly of taking off for a day in NYC or taking the ferry to Port Jeff,L.I. for the day ~ often by myself. Now that my kid's are mostly grown ~ I plan on those adventures growing Bigger and Better!

5. I like to be alone. In fact ~ as outgoing and social as I can be ~ I require more time alone to recharge, read , think or spend time in my garden in a "mindless" state.

6. No matter what wonderful thing's lie ahead ~ nothing will be as wonderful as raising my children. I have twin girls Jaci and Cheri age 24, my son Franky age 22, my youngest Ashley age 18. I always knew when I was raising them ~ that I was RIGHT were I was meant to be. The joy and contentment I experienced then will always be the template I will use to measure my future success.(by the way ~ I never referred to Jaci and Cher as "the twins" ....... I always thought of them as 2 completely different amazing blessing that happen to arrive at the same time.

7.I DO jump on the bed when I am in a hotel and encouraged my kids to do it whenever we stayed at a hotel.I LOVE random acts of kindness and do them often ~ the goofier the better! The one thing I HATE ~ the act of judging others.I feel very sad when I do it. We all have places of weakness ~ the world could be won by compassion ~ not judgement.
I tag the following wonderful blogs ~

http://thecottagenest.blogspot.com/

http://deardaisycottage.typepad.com/daisy_cottage/

http://thefeatherednest.typepad.com/the_feathered_nest/

http://nieszvintagefabric.blogspot.com/

http://corinaj.wordpress.com/

http://lavenderhillstudio.blogspot.com/

http://purple-fan.blogspot.com/

A Beautiful Surprise

Isn't this so very beautiful! Frank and I were driving winding country road near Canan, Ct. looking for a winery last week-end and came upon this beautiful sight! It is limestone I believe.The setting sun was hitting it a certain way and it was just breathtaking. There was no indication such beauty lied here just a few yards away ~ nothing but heavy brush and rolling hills. God is SO creative! I hope someday I can capture just a speck of My Fathers creative spark!

movie review ~ "Across The Universe"

Oh WOW! I LOVED this movie! It is a very contemporary view of the 60's era. Don't expect your typical movie by any means. Every shot is tight and close up. The actor's are amazing. (and OH soooo cute!) It was so refreshing to hear so many wonderful Beatles Songs preformed with fresh voices. Dare I admit ~ I liked it better than the originals. (yikes ~ that hurts alittle to say) This is not for little ones but if you want a movie you can just melt right into ~ look no further!

My Front Door

Isn't this cool? I bought it in Intercourse, Pa. a few weeks ago. It is a metal base with a sharp rod sticking up. The pumpkin slides easily on. I need to get a little more creative with the ribbon but wanted to show you right away.

Oh YES! Oh YES! It has arrived!!!!!

VICTORIA MAGAZINE!!! It JUST came! I can't really dive into until tonight but had to show this wonderful article on Woolworth's! I am 48 so remember the last glory day's of that wonderful store. It was a perfect combination of tacky and comfort! My mom would bring me there for lunch and if it was a good week ~ I would get an Ice Cream Sundae. You picked one of the colorful balloons hanging and paid the price for the sundae that was on the little piece of paper inside. Once I got a 1cent sundae ~ it was just heaven! Even as a kid ~ I remember being able to feed that "shopping bug" I would get with my $1.00 allowance.Oh well........Victoria Welcome back to my home! I have missed you terribly and will never mind the magazine clutter you will create on my bedside table!I will make a special place on my magazine rack for you and evently put you to rest next to your past issues from so many years ago. ( currently under my bed :)

Jaci & Teddi

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion."

Henry David Thoreau

A Summer of Blessing

This May ~ I unexpectedly went back to work for the first time since I was 6 months pregnant with my twin girls ~ almost 25 yrs ago! It was the most wonderful opportunity but also came at a time I was incredibly burnt out! I sent a simple prayer up to the Lord to give me strength and let me find chances to regain my strength. My ~ how He answered my prayer this summer! I had so many "on the fly" mini get aways ~ a day here and a day there. A wonderful cruise around New York Harbor ( a freebie), sailing with a dear friend, Amish country, Annapolis , Maryland at a luxurious hotel for $39.00 a night (thanks my dear Jaci for the hook-up!), A chance meeting with childhood friends, A visit to "The View" set, several trips to New York City, VIP seats to see my mentor Paula White at The Hammerstein Theater in N.Y.C., Bob Dylan in concert ~ a treat from more dear friends, and just last Thursday Frank and I went to see "The Drowsy Chaperon" on Broadway ~ free tickets from "The View." God has proven to me what I have always known ~ that He really cares about the little things. His protection and tender loving care runs far and wide. I felt he took my hand tenderly in His as I started this new phase in my life this May ~ and walked with me ~ leading me to wonderful places of rest along the way.