Wednesday Medley

Thanks to Katsumi for taking over the Wednesday Medley since our friend, Terri retired from doing it.  

1. The first week of October is National Mystery Series Week. Do you sleuth alongside Nancy Drew or Miss Marple? Fan of Nero Wolfe? 



Well, I must confess that I have never even heard of any of these except Nancy Drew and I've never read any of her books.  

2. The first week of October is also National Chili Week. Do you plan on celebrating with a bowl of red? Have a top secret recipe to share?


Oh, we are big chili fans here and I'e already made a big pot in spite of the hot weather.  And, I always make enough to freeze.



And, my "secret" recipe is this box of Ballow's Chili seasoning.  Oh, my goodness, my sweet neighbor told me about this a couple of years ago and I've been a "believer" ever since.  Even my Hubby said it was the best chili he's ever eaten.  So, go get yourself a box!  Cooler weather is eventually going to get here. ~smile~


3. October 2nd is National Name Your Car Day. Does your car or did a family car have a name? 
Neither of our cars have a name but when I was growing up our family car always had a name and it was Bessie.  I can still hear my Daddy talking to her.  Perhaps it's time for us to name our cars.  That might be fun!

4. Today is also National Walk To School Day. Did you walk to school with your friends? Take a school bus? Ever have someone carry your books home from school? 
Indeed, I walked to school and later rode a school bus.  I never had anyone carry my book though.  My Mom sent me out the front door to walk about a block to school in the first grade and, amazingly, the thought of anything happening to me on the way to or from never entered her mind.  ~sadly times have changed~

5. And it is National Pumpkin Seed Day. Do you like pumpkin seeds? Do you carve the pumpkin and roast the seeds? Do you buy packaged, prepared pumpkin seeds? Or more of a pumpkin spice person?


Well, I've never heard of such a day and while I love pumpkin and all things pumpkin, I've never, ever tasted a pumpkin seed.  And, they don't sound appealing to me at all.  Pumpkin Spice, yes, very appealing!

6. Please tell us something interesting about your week. 

Today is this little guy's 11th birthday.  How can it be?  He was the one that made us Grandparents for the very first time.  He is one the sweetest and most responsible kids I know and is the best BIG brother.  We love our Clancy!

Happy mid-week!

Prime Purchases

Well, what a way to start October!  The first Tuesday happens to fall on the very first day of the month and that means it's all about Prime Purchases.  You know I love this link up and love sharing with you my "finds" this past month.


Shine Infusion Spray 
Do you ever wish that your hair had more shine?  Well, my dears, if you do, then you need this Shine Infusion spray by Chi.  It adds the loveliest shine that is not sticky or yucky.  

AMAZON

Candlesticks
Amazon has some of the nicest pieces of home decor that I'm slowly but surely discovering.  I ordered two of these Royal Victorian Candlesticks for our foyer table and they are just gorgeous and look like they belong there.  I am using electric candles and they have the nicest glow through the globes. They are 23 1/2 inches tall. I was worried that they would arrive broken but they were packed wonderfully and without any damage.





AMAZON


Walnut Orbs
I needed some decorative filler for one of my fall containers and these  "fit the bill."  They are Walnut Orbs.  They, too, were perfect and look so nice.






AMAZON

                                                            Decorative Filler                                                           

And, more decor........these orange and ivory pumpkins made the perfect filler for another container I had.  They are well constructed and look even better in person.  I was most pleased. 




AMAZON



Disposable Gloves
I use disposable gloves a LOT!!!  And, it is so hard, or has been for me, to find them in sizes.  All I've found in our area are one size.  Well, one size isn't worth a flip in anything as far as I'm concerned.  No joke!  I want these to fit my hands tightly so that they stay on good.  I found these some time ago and they are great and I had to reorder .  As I said, I use these a lot for various things.  I always order 2 boxes at a time.




AMAZON


Sheets
If you are in the market for new sheets then you may want to check these out.  My friend, Katie, over at Preppy Empty Nester, recommended them the other day.  Katie likes good quality so when she recommended them I immediately went to check them out and ordered some.  They have extra deep pockets and are made of a soft, soft micro fabric. A set of king size is only $45 and they come in several great colors. If you are a lover of 100% cotton sheets then these will be an adjustment for you. ~smile~



AMAZON

Disposable Napkins
I found these Simulinen napkins a couple of years ago and I've never seen them anywhere except on Amazon.  They are the closest disposable napkin to a linen napkin that I've ever seen.  They are 16x16 and come in just about any color you could want and are very, very durable.  They work very well in napkin rings too.  They are a bit pricey, about 50 cents a piece but, I do not use them that often, so their worth it to me.  I just got these bronze colored ones to use for my Pokeno group this Thursday evening.  They are such a great color for fall.  And, the only upkeep they require is walking to the trash can to drop them in after they have been used.  A winner!

AMAZON

And, there you have it, September's prime purchases.

Welcome Fall.......

Today is the "official" first day of fall, BUT.......It feels like anything but fall here in NE Louisiana. It appears that this week is going to be in the low 90's and that is a nice drop from the 100+ degrees we've endured the past 2-3 weeks.  So, if those temps will keep right on falling then perhaps we'll be "officially" into fall before too much longer.

In spite of the high temps I put out my fall touches a couple of weeks ago.  I was more than ready for "all things fall."  I found these jeweled place mats at Homegoods when we were in Atlanta a few weeks ago and they work so well as the surface for some of my touches.  And, I got my jeweled pumpkin table runner at Pier 1 about 3 years ago and just love it.

I had a good time getting my tiered tray decked out with all things fall.  Between Amazon, Hobby Lobby and Etsy, I thought it turned out really cute.

Over the past few years I have picked up these touches at Homegoods, Tuesday Morning and this year I ordered the beautiful bronze leaf bowl (lower left hand picture) for the sideboard from Wayfair and the decorative pumpkins from Amazon.  Their all very simple but make a nice fall statement.

This little antique children's bench always looks nice with a decorative pillow(s) for the various seasons or holidays. Homegoods has the most wonderful selection of decorative pillows.

I am so proud of this new arrangement for our dining table.  Since moving in our new house 4 years ago I've  used the same arrangement pretty much all year long.  But, I decided that I wanted to change and use something that would be appropriate from now until spring.  The other arrangement will be perfect for spring until fall.  I do remove them if we use the dining table and I generally use something different at Christmas.  These arrangement are so big and tall that storage for them can be very challenging.  Thus, the reason I only want two of them. 

And, that is my "fall touches" that await falls arrival. 

And, I leave you with this sweet picture of Bridget and her boys.  This was one of the many pictures taken during Case' newborn photo session. When I saw this it made my heart smile really BIG!!!

Happy Fall Y'all!!!!!

Inquiring Minds Want to Know!

I have been "missing in action" lately and I do apologize but I just have not been in a "blogging" state of mind.  And, as I've stated before, blogging is purely fun for me and  if I feel that I "have" to, it ceases to be enjoyable.  So, hang in there, I'll at least try to make my posts enjoyable for you when I do blog.

Today's entry was another "FaceBook find" and I thought it would make a great blog entry. And, I always enjoy reading this type entries from others as it's a way to get to know them better.  

▪️First job - Well, as a teenager I babysat, cleaned houses and did a couple of neighbor's ironing.  My first job at an established business at the age of 16 was for Kroger's as a checker.  And, my first job as a young married was a teacher's aide.  I've done a little bit of everything over the years.

▪️Current job -Domestic Engineer, keeping the "home fires" burning and CFO of my husband's insurance business.  That means I pay the bills for him and make sure payroll info gets to proper authorities. 

 ▪️Dream Job - I have always thought I'd love to be a nurse and in all my years of care giving I have often thought that I had earned that degree. ~smile~  But, I'm pretty content with my life just as it is.

▪️Favorite food - Bacon and anything with bacon in it.  Love me some bacon!

▪️Favorite dog - Hands down, a Golden Doodle.  I'm not really a "pet" person but if I were, I would have a miniature doodle.  I'm pretty sure they think they are human.

▪️Favorite footwear-I'm a big fan of Michael Kors shoes, they are very stylish and comfortable.

▪️Favorite Candy - The ooey, gooey Turtle candy. I never, ever eat them but they have just the right amount of everything I like, chocolate, pecans, and caramel. And, they have just come out with "Turtle bites" and I did buy a bag of those the other day but have only eaten one.  Shucks, even the bites have 55 calories in them and they are just that, a bite.  But, ever so often, just a bite will do. 

▪️Favorite Ice Cream- Blue Bell Vanilla and slivered almonds make it all the better.

▪️Your Vehicle color - Pearl white and I'm pretty sure it is the most popular color of vehicles on planet earth.  There's sure nothing unique about it.

▪️Night owl or early bird - Early bird, I've always loved the early morning and am most productive in the early hours of the day. 

▪️Favorite day of the week- Even though I do not work outside the home, I still seem to really enjoy Saturdays. But, it really depends on the week.

▪️Tattoos - Well, not unless you count permanent makeup.  I've had my eyeliner, eyebrows, and lips all tattooed and, might I add, the eyebrows and eyeliner were bearable but the lips, Oh, my goodness, NOT worth the pain I endured. ~just sayin'~

▪️Like to cook -Well, I don't mind cooking and am definitely not a gourmet cook, just plain and ordinary.  I LOVE to bake and feel I'm a much better baker than cook.

▪️Can you drive a stick shift- Indeed I can, it's what I learned to drive on and it was in the hills of Virginia.  Oh, my, it was an experience to say the least.

▪️Favorite color - A blue gray but my closet screams black and white. ~chuckle~

▪️Do you like vegetables -There's few if any vegetables that I do not like.  I could live off veggies for sure!

▪️Do you wear glasses- Only readers and sunglasses.  I can't make it without either of them.

▪️Favorite season- It's a tie between Fall and Spring.  I'm always excited for both of them to arrive.

I'm betting you found out something about me that you didn't know.  And, I can't close without sharing a picture of our little Case.

Indeed, he is one very LOVED little boy.  He'll be a month old Thursday.

August Prime Purchases

And, it's the first Tuesday of September.  My goodness, we won't turn around twice and it will be Christmas.  Speaking of Christmas, perhaps you will see something here today that would make a good gift for someone on your list.  This is always a favorite post for me as I do love shopping Amazon.  It doesn't get any easier, that's for sure!


I have a lot of  4 X 6 frames as that is the size that I prefer to have sitting around.  Most of them are several years old the easels on many of them are just about worn out.  I decided to replace the oldest ones and I found the greatest selection on Amazon.  I love the vintage look and I've had a good time filling them with pictures.  I never lack for pictures with 5 Grans. ~chuckle~


AMAZON


AMAZON

If you are in the market for a comfortable, yet stylish pair of shoes then these may be for you.  They are by Softt.  It seems that all of the "comfort" shoe manufactures have really gotten on board with very stylish looks along with their comfort.  I got these in this platinum color and also black and they come in 5 other colors as well.  They can be dressed up or be worn with jeans.  Suit yourself but I promise you that they are comfortable and I feel very secure walking in them.  








AMAZON

I've shared with you before pillows that I have gotten off Amazon.  This is a zippered heavy cotton and linen 18 x 18 pillow cover.  I ordered the pillow inserts as well and I am using them on the benches on our front porch for fall.  They are so colorful and perfect to welcome fall.  Amazon has pillows, pillows and more pillows for any and all decorative purpose you may need/want them for.

AMAZON

And, my last item are these fabulous bags!  They are a silver heavy duty plastic bag that can be used as a tote, gifts, shopping or you name it.  They are around 15" x 14".  You can ask my daughter or DIL and they will tell you that I.love.BAGS!  Bags of all shapes, designs and size.  If they need a bag they know who to call.  I seem to use them all the time for one thing or the other.  So, thought I might not be the only person that loves pretty bags.  And, these are ONLY $19.99 for a package of 50.  Can't beat that! 

AMAZON

That's it for this month's Prime shopping post.  Hope you found something you can't live without.  ~chuckle~  Always a fun post for me.  

Wishing all of you a wonderful week and thinking of and praying for all our dear friends in the path of hurricane Dorian.

Whee!!!!!

Well, if you know me well or have been reading my blog for a while, then you know that I am a very scheduled and structured gal.  I thrive on it but, as we all know, life can't always be scheduled or structured.  And, such was the case August 19th at 6:30PM.  My cell phone rang and it was our daughter telling us that her water had broken and she was being admitted to the hospital to likely have their 3rd little boy.  Now, you must know, that just 30 minutes earlier she had called me after she left the Dr. for her regular visit and all was well.  He told her he would see her the following week.  So, that helps you to understand the extreme shock when she called back in 30 minutes to say she was in the hospital.

And, the doctors had told her over a month ago that, given her history and high risk, that they would plan to put her in on Sept. 10th (her due date was Sept. 28th) and induce her labor.  So, our plans were to go to Oklahoma on the 8th.  Well, those plans just went flying right out the window.

Hubby and I were kicked back in our recliners to enjoy the evening and we jumped up and collected our thoughts and began preparing to leave early the following morning.  We just do not drive overnight anymore so we knew that we would not make it for the birth, but we did manage to get there just a few hours afterwards.

And, this my friends was our "first view" of little Case Harrison.

Just a very minutes after his birth he had to be moved to the NICU due to breathing issues.

  Since he was about 6 weeks early this wasn't too big of a surprise.  But, it doesn't make it any easier to see your precious baby with all those tubes attached to him.  

Bridget stayed with little Case every day and we would take the big brothers by to see him after we picked them up from school.  We all even managed to hold him with the tubes attached.  We had to be very careful but at least we could hold him.

Every day he improved and soon was able to nurse a little and had a feeding tube to supplement.

These two guys kept us on our toes and we were so glad that we could be there to help out.  We picked them up from school, made sure they had dinner, kept the laundry caught up (and they have lots of it).  I did some cooking and put it in the freezer for "one of those days."  Poppa managed to mow and weed eat the yard and when we left they were in good shape.  Of course, baby brother had not come home at that time.

But, yesterday morning around 10:00 AM this little guy was allowed to go home after being in the hospital for 9 days.  He looks like a little peanut in that big car seat.

Shortly after arriving home he got to try out his new swing.  Bless him, he's swaddled so tightly he couldn't move if he wanted to.  Things have sure changed from when his Momma was a baby.  All we mothers did at that time was put a blanket over them and somehow they all survived .  Guess someone figured out that swaddling was the "new way."  ~laugh~

And, when big brothers got home from school, they could not love on him enough.  They were so excited to all be home together and began this new journey with baby Case.

Meanwhile, back at home, our little Andi Kate was starting school for the very first time in Pre-K4.  She was beside herself with excitement!

And, her big sister was starting 4th grade.  Seems it was just yesterday that she was 4 years old.

And, this is what they look like each morning as big sister walks little sister into school.  So, so sweet!

Yes, it's been "whee" but thankfully the Lord always gives us what we need, when we need it and He definitely came through for us.  He granted us safety in travel and then supplied the energy we needed to go and be of help in this time of need for our daughter and her family. And, as the old saying goes, "man's best made plans mean nothing."  And, that's definitely true when it comes to a baby's birth.  But, we survived!

Have a great weekend!