Fluffin' the Nest for Fall and a BIG Birthday . . .

I'm praying that I don't forget this guy is on the porch if I come home late one night.  I can guarantee my screams will wake up the entire neighborhood!!  : )

Say "CHEESE!!" 

The spiders are doing an excellent job of helping me decorate the outside.  I didn't have the heart to take down all of their hard work.  They really are quite elaborate webs!!

Sorry for the blur.  This is the only shot I took of the wreath on the front door.

My favorite decoration of all!!  : )

I'm finally getting into the mood to decorate.  It's been so darn warm here but the long term forecast is showing that cooler air is in store starting this weekend.  Oh happy day!!!  I've decided to go straight to Halloween decor this year since it's taken me so long to want to decorate.  This is my favorite time of the year and I'm not normally procrastinating with the decorating.  I think it's the combination of the heat and all of the devastation with these hurricanes this last month that has me feeling like it's just superficial and not that important.  But it is important.  It's important to celebrate life and it's important to keep things happy for the kids.       

 Speaking of celebrating life . . .

My handsome honey turned 50 on Monday!!  We celebrated with friends over for dinner and lots of cake.  He and I had our own celebration over the weekend with dinner for two at one of our favorite little restaurants in town.  I am no longer his cougar until January!!  : )

Happy Thursday!! ~ Wendy  xo

Inside . . .

I had more to share but for some reason my computer suddenly won't download my latest photos off of my camera.  I've mixed some old decorations with some new ones.  The ceramic pumpkins above were made by my mother in law who was my first husband's mother.  She unfortunately passed away a couple of years after John.  I know she would've made one for Megan if she was still alive.  She passed a few months before Megan was born but lived long enough for us to tell her we were having a girl.  She always wanted a granddaughter and, even though Megan wouldn't have been her blood granddaughter, I know she would've embraced her the same way my father in law has ever since the day she was born.  Amazing grace.  : )


~ Wendy

{These Moments} of Outside Decorating . . .

It's been a strange week to me.  I've felt very low key and low energy these last couple of mornings.  I've even napped on the couch before noon a couple of times.  Not like me.  Thankfully I'm a little more energized in the afternoon.  Yesterday I added some decorations to the outside of our house.  I'm the type of decorator that usually takes a couple of weeks before I'm done.  I change things around.  I add things that I find along the way.  When the holiday is here, I'm usually finished.  Then it's time to take it all down and start decorating for the next holiday.

This is the front porch so far . . . 

  

The squash is from our garden.  The blue pumpkin is a tradition that I started with myself years ago.  I have to have a blue pumpkin every year.  I think they're absolutely beautiful!!

I found this giant plastic pumpkin in Target last week.  It was only $6.00!!!

This little guy was chattering away while I was taking these photos.  I actually think he was cursing me out for interrupting his nut gathering.  : )

Mr. Bigglesworth looking out the front door and waiting for me to let him out.

Another Target find.  I have it sitting on a wicker chair on the front porch.

This year I've used mostly things that I already had and just filled in with other little purchases.  I like to keep things simple.  Next I'll show you the inside of the house.  I have to say, it's so much fun having a mantle to decorate now!!


I also have to mention something that's been bringing me down a bit.  The death toll in Haiti is now up over 800 and expected to climb higher.  Many of those people are still living in make-shift homes from when they were devastated by the earthquake several years ago.  I do not know how much one country can endure.  My heart is broken for them.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Haiti and the people here in the U.S. that are being pummeled by Hurricane Matthew as I type this.  It's another day in paradise here for us in New York.  I thank God every day for my blessings.  I know first hand how things can change on a dime.  It's nice to be able to decorate and make things look pretty for your home but it's your family, friends and health that matter the most. 


Have a happy and healthy weekend everybody ~ Wendy

Trunk or Treating and Trick or Treating . . .

We tried our hand at "trunk or treating" for the first time last week.  If you're not familiar with this (we weren't until recently), it was created as a safer environment for kids to trick or treat in.  People open up the trunk or back of their cars and decorate them.  Compared to other trunks, ours was pretty lame.  Lol!!  Had we known they were giving out prizes for the best trunks and that people were so competitive we would've pulled out all the stops for sure. We're hoping Megan's new elementary school participates in "trunk or treating" so we can redeem ourselves next year and,  let me tell you,  we are not above hooking up a fog machine!!  : )

We also did our more traditional trick or treating on Halloween.  Megan was kind of a bust to walk around with.  She was raring to go in the beginning.  She and her little friend Michaela walked down our street and Megan crapped out before we even got to the cul-de-sac at the end of the block.  I felt so bad for Michaela but she was a trooper and took it all in stride.  I think Megan was hungry and tired and figured she had enough candy to last her for a while and that was good enough for her.  We said our goodbyes and Megan went inside and ate a big bowl of hot soup and watched Bubble Guppies and all was right with her world once again.  : )

So now it's on to a new month and the busy season of giving.  Now it's on to a new house and a new neighborhood.  We're hoping the stress will be kept to a minimum and it will be an easy transition.  I'm ready for it.  There's a possibility that we'll be moving this weekend.  Fingers crossed.  : )


Many blessings for a beautiful Monday ~ Wendy