Annual Pumpkin Carving

Eight happy pumpkins, all in a row.

 

Six silly faces, blazing and aglow

 

Eyeore 

Tigger

Owl

And Elmo

 Sully

And Wall-E

afraid they might explode.

 

Candles with a wick

No longer do the trick.

To achieve this bright intensity,

Lighter fluid increases luminocity.

Truthfully,

Joanne

"If you carelessly let a fire spread from your property to someone else’s, you must pay the owner for any crops or fields destroyed by the fire." (Ex. 22:6)

Weekends

Weekends are for:

 walking,

 

 

biking,

 

 dipping toes.

 

Holding hands,

digging in sand

Football.

Cuddling,

playing,

getting dirty.

Kicking,

chasing ducks,

watching football.

Cool Breeze

Autumn Leaves

 Sunshine

 

Flying

 

Fearless

Fun

Truthfully,

Joanne

"You have filled me with joy, and happiness has risen in my heart, great delight and unrivaled joy, even more than when bread abounds and wine flows freely" (Ps. 4:7)

Flashback Friday

Ivydee, Natalie, Zachary, & Josiah propped up for a picture.

Come on Ivydee, smile for the camera.

Oops!

Zac: Why is Ivydee not happy?

Hey cousin, smile like this!

Uh oh, Natalie is getting bored. Josiah keeps tipping.

Ivydee: What's going on over there? Natalie: I'm out of here! Zac: Look, Josiah's sitting. 

Josiah: Look at me!

Call in the moms.

Success!

Truthfully,

Joanne

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In Search Of Fall

 Being the last day of Summer, I needed to be outdoors.

I spent the day searching for signs of Fall.

Let's be honest, Autumn is my least favorite season of all.

 This isn't a secret. I've expressed my thoughts many times.

 I've spent countless hours analyzing what the real reason is that I hate Fall and have come up with an astounding number of theories-none of which I will attempt to explain in this post.

Why is Fall/Autumn the only season that is known by two names? Fall feels frightfully fickle.

One day it is splendidly sunny, the next day bitter winds blow the beautiful leaves to the ground.

One day flowers blossoms are blooming beautifully, the next they are frozen from frost.  Tomatoes ripening on the vine, shrivel and shrink.

Okay, these tomatoes were pulled from the vine and "sun-dried" before Fickle Fall could sneak up and steal them from me. They turned out lovely and had the same colors as the Autumn leaves.

Maybe just maybe, I enjoy just a hint of this season.  Someone asked what I looked forward to most about Fall. Was it the colors, pumpkin flavored everything, the crisp, cool weather, or maybe enjoying a nice warm fire. I believe my answer to what I look forward to most in Autumn is Winter!

Truthfully,

Joanne 

"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near" (Mark:13:28)

We Danced

"Oh, her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they're not shinin'
Her hair, her hair falls perfectly without her tryin'
She's so beautiful
And I tell her everyday"

Music was playing in the kitchen. We'd been sitting outside, reflecting on our weekend.

"Yeah, I know, I know when I compliment her, she won't believe me
And it's so, it's so sad to think that she don't see what I see
But every time she asks me do I look okay?
I say"

Standing there in the kitchen, he hugged me tight and whispered in my ear, "we have to dance."

"When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are"

 Tears rolled down my cheeks, as we swayed to the music.

"And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are"

Happy tears, sad tears.

"Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she'd let me
Her laugh her laugh, she hates but I think it's so sexy
She's so beautiful
And I tell her everyday"

I caught a glimpse of the two of us in the large mirrored wall. Who were these two people, dancing, laughing, crying?

"Oh, you know, you know, you know I'd never ask you to change
If perfect's what you're searching for, then just stay the same
So don't even bother asking if you look okay
You know I'll say"

Out the kitchen window, I wonder if the neighbors can see us dancing. This man, this wonderful husband of mine, he doesn't dance.  But he keeps the beat of the music and we dance.

"When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are"

My heart aches for Ethan, who spent Saturday night in the Emergency Room. I had picked him up from school on Thursday and cared for him until Saturday. Fever, labored breathing, this boy struggled against illness. We watched a movie together Friday night.  He chose "Heaven Is For Real" the true story of a boy who experienced heaven during emergency surgery and nearly died. This worried me a bit.

"And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are"

Saturday morning, after the Blue Shoe Run (for prostate cancer, in which my son-in-law took first place) and after the ALS walk in honor of Brian's father, we had a crowd of over 30 people here. It was revealed that Brian and Elisabeth are having a baby boy.

"The way you are
The way you are
Girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are"

We had a short video chat with Christopher, Lauren, and Ivydee. I miss them so much.

"When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are"

Except for the music, the house was quiet. Christina, having had very little sleep, had packed up both boys and driven an hour home.  Hilary drove back to Fort Collins. Nobody else was here. Michael and I were home alone.

"And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are, yeah"

 

And we danced.

Truthfully,

Joanne

(music lyrics: Bruno Mars Just The Way You Are)

 "You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
    You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy" (Ps. 30:11)