...after!

Okay, so this wasn't an earth-shatteringly important project, but I enjoyed it. I did forget to take the "before", but it was just unfinished wood. Some chalk paint mixed with water, for the gray I mixed black and oatmeal colored chalk paint, the words "Joy" and "Peace" came in a package with "Believe", from the dollar store, for a dollar. It was just fun to do.

I also whitewashed a whole package of wooden hearts, and glued little hangers of string on them, for old fashioned looking tree ornaments. In the middle of all this, my glue gun died. I think it might have been clogged up, but in any case, the hot glue was gushing down the sides instead out of the proper place. It was very old, Paul got it for me before we lived in this house, back when we were in our mobile home, maybe 30 years ago! Suzanne was mentioning she needed more yarn, so we made a 2 o'clock in the afternoon, spur of the moment, trip to the craft store. Jonathan came along because he wanted the propane tank refilled for the grill, as he has lots of venison (he shot a small buck with a bow, now it's shotgun season, and he got a doe). So Jon walked around that store with me, saying how ever single item in there is rather useless. I suppose it't true. But I LOVE that place!!!

A new glue gun, some yarn, a few more packages of ribbon, and we were on our way home again.

I do need to go get some groceries again. The van has to go into the shop this afternoon, hopefully it's an easy fix this time.

So the seasons have clashed. The beautiful autumn leaves have all fallen, and we have had snow, so the fall decorations look sad now, even though Thanksgiving hasn't yet arrived. We do still have a few things around, notably the pumpkin spice coffee...the clash of the seasons:


But I do love Christmas decorations!


I'm trying to be more organized (the story of my LIFE!), and meal plan, for at least a week at a time...who am I kidding, it's like five days, and I feel accomplished. Yesterday when we were out and about, we were wondering what was for dinner, because my last week's meal plan had ended and the new one hasn't been made yet, a work in progress I am. Suzanne remembered we had a ten pound bag of chicken wings in the freezer, so she texted Sonja K., who was home from school by then, and asked her pretty please to put the wings in the oven.

We tossed some in parmesan garlic sauce, some in barbecue, and some in Frank's Red Hot sauce with melted butter. mmmm.

So this fine day, I need to make another meal plan, and go to the store.

Also, I need to get some of the Christmas shopping out of the way.

The girls do a Yankee swap gift exchange for their youth girls' party, we need three gifts for that. Jon will prob do the same with the boys, but he has his own money. Then the kids buy gifts for the children, then we do a family Secret Santa, etc., I think I wrote about this yesterday...plus we have THREE December birthdays, Aaron, Abigail, and Margaret. I am trying to write everything down, it's nice to have notes on my laptop that is synced to my phone, no more keeping track of a spiral notebook:). If I were smart, I'd wrap everything I already have...

Anne will be here soon, and I think Lydia will come today and spend the night. It is precious to have little ones in the house, and it's the best cure there is, for laziness.