Giveaway # 3 for the Nothing Will Happen Club

The holidays are upon us!

We're trading out our pumpkins and bringing in the pine, peppermint and panic.

Let's stop right there...

Panic?

We have all felt it.  The tightening in our chest, the ticking of the clock, the rushing crowds.  

The mentality that we must be more, more, more.

Do more, give more, bake more, shop more.

This year, I pledge to be more giving to myself.

I love winter.  I love cold weather.  I love rainy days for enjoying a good book that I read all day long- with a pot of soup on the stove and a big pan of cornbread in the oven.

I can't remember the last time I actually did that. 

I am way too accustomed to meeting everyone else's needs.

And neglecting or ignoring my own.

Oh, the soup gets made and the cornbread, too.

But, I'm going, going, going.  On autopilot lots of days.

I don't want to be on autopilot any longer.

I want to be conscious of each breath I take.

Each sigh.  Each smell, every experience, each day.

I will be happy and content with each YES and happy and content with every NO.

This is the gift I'll give myself this year.

I know I'll fall off that pony a few times before I get it right.

But, it's okay.

Nothing will happen!

I'm living and learning that each and every day.

The giveaway this month will be a linen Christmas apron with matching potholders.

And, of course...extra surprise goodies.

To enter:

1.) Follow me on Google Friend Connect
or be a subscriber~
and
2.)  Leave a comment telling me which apron you fancy...red or blue?

That's it!

I'll pick a winner on December 5.

Good luck!

Linen apron with red stripes "Happy Christmas".
Script is chocolate brown.  Ornament is embroidered in cream, green and taupe.

Linen apron with blue stripes "Buon Natale".
Italian for Merry Christmas - Script is in navy blue.  Red/white ribbon, green/brown pine sprig.
The set of potholders is linen with red stripes.

Thanks for hanging in there while I was away...
I so appreciate each and every one of you.
Your comments, prayers, emails and friendship make me laugh and touch my heart.

Giving Thanks

I'm so thankful for this day of rest.

I know that seems odd when we've been cooking non-stop for days.

But today was a day to rest and reflect and eat.

And, ahem...watch football.

I cooked all day yesterday and Magoo put the turkey on the rotisserie out back this morning.

Easy. Peaceful. Comforting.

Sophie helped.

Doesn't she have nice manners?

We are stuffed and sleepy.

Today, we took comfort in one another.

We took comfort in our home.

We ate and laughed and loved.

But, we missed him.

We missed his loudness.  We missed his stupid jokes.  We missed his hugs.

We missed his ridiculously large feet on the couch. We missed how he always eats and eats and eats.

And then he eats some more.

We missed his enthusiasm for the game.

We pray.  We breathe.  We are grateful for our blessings.

We live.

Hook 'em, Horns, Critter

You may not have had your favorite meal at home, you big turkey eating boy~

But the Longhorns brought it home tonight.

And we know just how much you loved it.

We love you.

P.S.  Sophie wants to know if she can have your drumstick?

Checking in

Hi friends-

Family matters have kept me incredibly busy the last week and I'll be engaged with these matters for at least another week.  

Hoping all of you are enjoying this beautiful autumn weather and I'm looking forward to seeing all the wonderful projects you're working on when life returns to "normal". 

 Anyone know when that might be?  ; )

Have a great weekend and I'll be back when I can~

Book Love

It's no secret that I love animals.  So it was a good day today when the UPS man brought me a new book.

I love this book so much.  If you're an animal lover and you don't own one of Sharon Montrose's books, you should!

Menagerie is mostly photos and it's very artsy and fun.  My only frownie face would be that some of the photos were published in such a way that I felt the moment was ruined.  Split down the middle is not how I want to view  a beautiful photo.
With that said, the book is wonderful and certainly worth ten bucks (Amazon).
 A perfect little coffee table book or a gift for an animal lover.

Sharon's a wonderful, gifted photographer.  Amazing, really.  

You've seen her work everywhere.  You know that cute little Westie on the Cesar dog food commercial?  Yep, her photos.

You can visit her webpage and even buy prints at www.sharonmontrose.com

 Lots of cuteness there...make sure you watch the video of Squeak called I Love My Dog.  It's under the MOTION link.

Could her job be any better?

Thanks for the happy moment today, Sharon.  And for all of them to come.  :  )

I don't know her, but I love her.

WTF/WTFF Wednesday

Welcome to What The Fudge Wednesday!  


You knew I'd use a chocolate related word, didn't you?


What The Milk Dud didn't sound so good, but I'm hungry so I'm thinking I could go for 
What The French Fry.


WTFF!  Even better.


So here's my WTFF moment of the day....and I think the double F is definitely in order here.  


 
Yeah.  It's a rock.


A $3500 rock.


Made in the USA.  (Seriously, it says that.)

1900's Rock with wrought iron hoop to be used as a horse hitch.

WTFF?

Measurements

height- 10 in. /depth: 17 in./width/length: 15 in.

Specifications

Materials/Techniques: Rock & wrought iron      Creator: Unknown   (Again...WTFF?)


It's for sale today online.  I saw it with me very own peepers.

Geez, if Charlie Brown had only known!   "I got a rock" takes on a whole new meaning now.


So polish those babies up, girls!  There's a goldmine out in the yard.


Time to rock.  ;  )