Thursday, November 29, 2012

getting in the spirit

Thanksgiving was awesome, we have so so much to be thankful for. We're back home now and the Fall decorations are put away. Thanks to the music man and J bug my Christmas decorations are down from the attic and beginning to roll their way into the house.  Ohhhhh i love this time of year! I have decided again this year to scale back my decorations as my life's plate is still overflowing and i haven't been feeling all that good. I need to keep it simple and remember what this time of year is about for me so I've picked out a few of my fav's. The tree is up and the stockings are out.
With gingerbread scent in the air and my morning cup of Joe I've been working on my gift list. 
Hobo's not impressed with my list
Jacks isn't either
But i think Honey might be and i definitely am.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Our Thankgiving adventure

J Bug helped me make a video with my photos from our mini vacation to the coast. Technology ain't got nothin on me, at least when there's a young adult around hehe. Please note video does have music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P44QQbn5960&feature=youtu.be

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Hair cut day!

Yesterday Chancie got his winter hair cut. I'm guessing this is the first time he has every had anything like this done. He did wonderfully well too. The idea of shaving off his furry winter coat is to help him dry faster and keep clean while the days are cooler and shorter. He has a roof over him and nice warm blanket to snuggle in and stay warm at night.
Ready. Set. Go... This is Michelle and she's just got started, first pass with the clipper. Chancie is doing so good thanks to Sue for giving him a little Ace to take the edge off.
Look at all that hair! He is still standing very well, i think he likes the clippers sort of like a message. At one point he was so relaxed that his halter was holding his head up.
I super love this little heart on his butt. Isn't is awesome! So cute! A horse tattoo except made with hair instead of ink.
Cute
Cuteness
Cutie Patootie
Cuteoliscious (perhaps a new word?)
Okay i know, I'll move on.
All done. Rinsed, drying and getting some more love from the music man while waiting for me to get his blanket on.
What a couple of handsome guys!
 
Today we are off to spend the afternoon at my parents to celebrate Thanksgiving and enjoy our meal with family.  This year, we get to enjoy two Turkey days. We have so much to be thankful for. Today with family and for us, later this week we'll be heading out with the trailer to the beach. The plan is to smoke a turkey, eat lot of lasagna, then work some of it off by paddle boarding and bike riding so we can make room for more of course. There will be lots of time to relax and walk around with my camera too.  
 
I've gotta get going but before i do, i wanted to wish you a happy thanksgiving and thank you for visiting my space,  i really do love that you swing by.
 
hugs,
Jen
 

Thursday, November 15, 2012

What to do

What do you do when the transmission in a Monkey's Rodeo is slipping and the thing wont pass smog...  Call a salvage yard and wait to send it off to the junk yard for a long rest. In the meantime the music man found a super great "new to her" car that they picked up last night.  An 06' Kia Sorento that gets 30 miles to the gallon. That should help save her a few bucks on gas while driving to school and work so thas's good. I believe it will be a much more reliable car for too which makes me super happy, nothing worse than worrying about her out on the roads.

What do you do when the kids are gone, the music man is busy and you have some time... Play in the dirt of course.  My freshly weeded garden just received a couple yards of beautiful composted clean soil ready for transplants and winter seeds. The weather is drizzly, cold and i love it! Perfect planting weather and i was able to get everything on my list in the ground.

lettuce, both arugula, bibb and romaine

rainbow chard ~  i just pulled out last years plants at the end of summer. This was by far the most single plant harvest i have ever had. This thing kept producing for almost a year, even made it through the HOT summer!

cabbage
brussels sprouts
sweet peas
carrots
onion, both red and sweet walla walla
brocolini
spinach ~ tons of spinach yum!

I am excited and hoping for better results this year now that I'm working on top of the stripped decomposed granite that is common in our hood.  Fingers crossed that the feeding and composting I've done for a year now and adding the new soil will do the trick.

What else to do when the weather is cool, knit knit and knit. I have been making up for lost time with my needles and am feeling so thankful for the much needed quieting of my mind that it brings.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

a few thankful thoughts of the week

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. Elmer Davis

Last Sunday was Orphan Sunday at church were we sponsor several orphanages in Africa.  The week before,  hurricane Sandy and Benghazi a few weeks before that has has me thinking about where i live.

I am thankful for God's grace and good fortune of being born here in this country. Finding some peace in knowing that no matter who is president it's all part of a bigger picture. This country, the land of the free and of endless opportunities. The land with amazing people who give money and their able hands to help neighbors in need.

Fall is my favorite season of the year, the weather, colorful leaves, sweaters, boots of course... winter veggies but mostly because it's the time of year when giving thanks to the blessing in life are first on most peoples mind.

Today, I'm most thankful to the men and women in the armed forces.  I am so thankful for all of those who fought to give us freedom in the past and for all those who continue the fight to keep us free in a growing world of mayhem.
 
We're enjoying a nice weekend, the music man and i. The kids are gone and the house is quiet. I was able to spend some much needed time in the garden yesterday.  I hope to finish planting my onions today after a short  ride with Chance. I'll be dropping off the wedding photo's before plopping my butt on the couch for some football later this afternoon with knitting needles in hand. Perhaps with a warm bowl of Pasta Fagoli too.  It's cold here, as i type this morning it's 30 out.  I'll be doing all this with thankful thoughts and much appreciation for our soldiers who protect us in the awesome land we live in.

Happy Veterans day
Jen

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Got Mojo.... back

Life over here is busy and full of goodness. The evenings are down right cool and the days have cooled enough that i have once again found my mojo and am ready to bust a move. This week I've weeded my garden.The girls have been enjoying their days hanging out in there before i begin planting our winter seeds and transplants next week. 

I've been back to my pre summertime lunches with Chance. He is super furry and looks like a stuffed animal with his winters coat already. He'll be getting a shave a in the next couple weeks when it gets a bit cooler and needs his blanket.
 Monkey and i went line dancing (photo by monkey) and i finished the wedding edits. I am so happy with how they turned out and proud of myself.  Today i went to an International Equestrian Cross Country Event that included some Olympian riders and had a great time. I was totally blown away by the talent of the horses and their riders.

Aren't they beautiful! I love the expressions of the riders. We also have a new addition to our family.....
Meet Miss Honey... Monkey adopted this cute little girl from friends of ours who were fostering her.  I'll be back with pics from her lil photo shoot soon haha. 

I'm feeling so thankful to be living here in our hood and all for the people we've met over the last year.  Life is SO good, thank you God.