Three:)

Our McFarland clan has a new addition as of last Saturday.
K.& S. brought home a puppy, a West Highland White Terrier, a gift to one another for their first anniversary:) Well, if she isn't the cutiest baby I've seen in a month of Sundays! She barks rarely, actually makes few sounds, but leaps and jumps, and "kisses" every human face within reach! A ball of "happy"!
And her name?
Three!?
But she's really number 1 in our books:)

Is this November?

Bah, humbug!
I'm going to complain a little about this weather; too warm, too humid, too close, to be one day away from December. When you put out Christmas decorations it's not natural to wear flip flops and sweat:( I'm counting on December being a little more seasonal so I can wear a jacket and socks! Is summer trying to sneak in and take over every month?

Thanksgiving 2006

Ahhh, Thanksgiving dinner has been cooked and baked (& I didn't burn anything!), eaten and savored, SI. & KA. came early and lingered till mid-afternoon, C. stayed till 6:30 this evening, SC. flew S.'s airplane & played C.'s guitar game over and over, then RK. washed all the dishes, so I couldn't ask for more (except maybe a caterer):) Tasty leftovers are in the frig, the kitchen is clean & I have a quiet evening to rest. Tomorrow I work all day in the first day of Christmas madness; we'll be off & running to the countdown to Dec. 25th....but tonight it's calm and peaceful. Thank you Lord for your good gifts:)

Rain

How do I love rain? Let me count the ways:)
I love it when I'm able to sit inside and listen to the patter of the drops on the roof, especially a tin roof---calming.
I love rain when the temperature's mild and, umbrella in hand, I go for a walk--soothing.
I love rain when it's wintertime and it lasts for days, while I'm warm & cozy inside with a book or sleeping or computing---relaxing:)
I love rain when it falls gently---peaceful:)
I love it when it's pouring, washing over everything, cleaning the air and everything in it's path---cleansing.
Is it my Scottish blood?
I seem to be in the minority on this:)
Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain:)

Christmas shopping/giving

I love to buy and give presents, so Christmas is an exciting time for me in many ways, especially the giving part. Except my adult children and my husband are so hard to buy for.

My husband K. doesn't care what he gets and usually has no suggestions! And the kids aren't as easily satisfied as they were in they were younger. Finding the right thing for them is difficult and it makes shopping pretty tough.
My friends are EASY, my sister and sister in laws are EASY, my mama's EASY, and I am thankful!

At least Amazon.com is specific and and most of the kids use it for their lists, but you have to be on the ball and order things early!

K. never looks at my wish list that I'm aware of, or, he looks at it the week before Christmas. Isn't that interesting. This year I bought his gift to me, or the big one, so he won't have to shop much---wasn't that nice of me? I know I'm excited:)

Am I confused? Or what?

On Halloween night I went in to work at Hallmark, excited that I might see some cute ghosts and goblins dropping by throughout the evening:) Instead I spent the entire time decorating a Christmas tree. Evidently all the kids were elsewhere ringing doorbells. (Were they afraid to come in because of the Christmas lights?)

Now, if you know me, you know I enjoy seeing tiny happy 'trick or treaters' who are excited about costumes and candy. And, I love, love, love Christmas!!
So it was a STRANGE night for me:(
I felt like Halloween slipped by me.

Hallmark warps your mind as to which holiday is going on this time of year:( We begin displaying Halloween stuff in August, Thanksgiving and Christmas items show up in September...and gradually Christmas takes over before Halloween!
I have plenty of friends who hate October 31st, but I'm not one of them. Then again, I was being PAID to do one of my favorite things, decorating a Christmas tree. But on Halloween night?
93.9 has been playing Christmas music since November 1st! I LOVE Christmas music, but--- what happened to Thanksgiving??

Glorious Color!

Remember back in an August blog, I mentioned how 'fallish' my Lake Pine walking trail was then. The weather had been dry, the leaves were turning reddish brown and crispy, falling and swirling around.
But this week, today, it is REALLY FALL, and BEAUTIFUL here in Apex:) Wow, I feel the glory of God in the brilliant colors of the trees. My early morning walk was a taste of heaven:) The leaves painted in bright golds, deep reds, bright reds, peach-colors, orange-colors, burgandy-colors, burnt sennia-colors, and yellows, everywhere!!!
WHOA:)
Makes me joyful, grateful, thankful!!
God's artwork has no comparison!