Fairy Gardens

It is Fall Break for us this week. For the first part we stayed home but since my mother's birthday is today we went to Signal Mountain for a visit. I love coming home for so many reasons, and family is the most obvious. But today I realized as I was driving onto Signal Mountain that it is also because I miss the mountain with it's abundance of trees, wildlife and it's beauty. I caught myself staring through the trees and watching the sun's rays as they lit up the many shades of greens, browns and the beginnings of fall colors. It's something we don't get to enjoy at home where we have no woods near our house to enjoy.

And with fall coming the Signal Mountain Nursery, which my parents own with my sister and her husband helping out, is also ablaze with color. The mums are is full bloom as well as the pansies with their multitude of colors. Seeing all the mums and pansies lined up waiting for someone to take them home to decorate their front porch, deck or home is exciting to me. I always struggle to pick out my own favorites to take home and enjoy. But the other thing that caught my eye on this trip are the fairy gardens that my sister has created. As you may know fairy gardens are big right now. They are an abundance of people, furniture, houses, and other accessories to place in your fairy garden. My sister has also done several workshops at the nursery for everyone who wants to make their own fairy garden. The girls and I made one this summer but I can't wait to do another one this time with a Halloween theme. When I was at Market in Atlanta this summer helping my mother and sister pick things out for the nursery we came across not only the Halloween fairy gardens but Christmas and beach gardens as well. With so many options to choose from I might have to change them out several times a year!!

How creative is this and an awesome job of recycling too!?!  Using an old wheel barrow to contain your fairy garden.   The next two pictures are some close ups of the wheel barrow garden.

This one is my dream fairy garden.  This is a container made out of 2X4's and ply wood to make a large rectangle.  My dream is to make one of these with legs to use as a coffee table for my deck.  Add a few large "stepping stones" to hold drinks and you've got one awesome and unique fairy garden coffee table.

These are a couple of awesome examples of the Halloween or Fall fairy gardens.  I love the tiny headstones and skeleton in the graveyard.  The little pumpkin house is neat too.  And don't you think that your fairy will enjoy having their homes decorated for the holidays just like you?

Just look at all those fall mums and all that color.  I love mums!

 And if you know me you know how much I love owls.  And with that in mind I couldn't pass up this little guy who looks so cute in this little 4" mum.  

I can't wait to get back home with all my goodies to decorate the house with for Halloween and fall as well.  

 

Gabe's Birthday Interview Age 7

Kids change so quickly that there are times you just can't keep up. I wanted to remember what my kids were thinking about, enjoying and doing. I thought an interview of each child on or around his/her birthday would be fun and something we could look back on together. Here are Gabe's answers to his questions. I am sure I will come up with more and better ones later.

What is your favorite book? Stars Wars Epic Battles
What do you like the most about it? The light saber fights and the stories

If you could go anywhere where would you go? To Tennessee to see a Tennessee football games. Because Tennessee rocks!!

What is your favorite thing to do? Play my DS. At least when my mom isn't playing with it.

Who are/is your favorite sports teams? Tennessee Volunteers and the Colts and the Jets and the Giants and Green Bay Packers

What is your favorite color? Orange, Blue and Green
How does that color make you feel? Good.

What do you like best about your family? That we sit on the couch sometimes together and spend time together.

Do you like your name? Yes.
What do you like being called the most? Gabe and Gabriel
Do you know what you name means? No, I think it means God, angels.

What was your favorite thing about school this year? Playing with my friends and learning things.

What are you looking forward to doing this summer? Swimming in my pool, playing in the sprinklers and getting all wet.

What are you looking forward to doing in school next year? Learning. And doing Math facts.

What is your favorite thing to do with Dad? Helping Dad around the house. Mom? Give her hugs. Abby? Play with her. Elizabeth? Chase her around saying "I'm going to get ya." And listening to her scream.

Christmas Trivia

I've had this sitting in my email for several weeks now. Jane Anne posted this on her blog so I decided to join in the fun and post it myself. I hope you enjoy getting to know more about what I like about Christmas.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? For kids gifts I usually wrap everything it's more fun to open. If it's for an adult it depends on how big a gift we are talking about. I like wrapping paper because I think it's prettier too.
2. Real tree or Artificial? I love the smell of a real tree and miss it. We are using an artificial one but hope to change back to a real tree eventually.
3. When do you put up the tree? As close to after Thanksgiving as possible. Though I have been know to put it up before Thanksgiving as well.
4. When do you take the tree down? Within a week after New Year's Day.
5. Do you like eggnog? Sometimes.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? The one I remember the most is a Cabbage Patch Kid Pony that I named Snowball.
7. Hardest person to buy for? This year it was Elizabeth. Mainly because she has all the hand-me-downs from the other two kids. And because her birthday is 6 days before Christmas.
8. Easiest person to buy for? Gabriel and Abby
9. Do you have a nativity scene? I have several. I love them. This year I put one in my room and have out two more that the kids are allowed to play with.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I have always mailed Christmas cards. I think it's too much fun see all those cards in the mail box.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of one.
12. Favorite Christmas Movies? I love It's a Wonderful Life and The Original Cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
13. When do you start shopping? Before Thanksgiving I have been know to have finished all my shopping before Thanksgiving.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas Cookies
16. Lights on the tree? Lots of light, both colored and white.
17. Favorite Christmas song? That's a hard one. I love Christmas music. Three popped into my mind Lo How a Rose Ere Blooming, Silent Night, and Mary Did You Know.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I would prefer to stay at home for Christmas so we can establish our own traditions. But we are traveling for Christmas this year. Which will still be fun though a little more work.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Roudolph.
20. Angel on the tree top or star? We have an angel on the tree. though I grew up with a star.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Sometimes on on Christmas Eve, usually a pair of Pjs, then everything else Christmas Day.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Bad moods, crowds, and traffic.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I have a little of everything. Though I am partial to snowmen.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Yorkshire Pudding and Roast
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? To visit the Smokies while we are in Knoxville.

Tuesday Trivia

1. What time is it? 10:25 PM (Eastern)
2. What is one thing you want to do before you die? Swim with the dolphins. Which my husband said he won't let me do so I won't die.
3. Nickname? Chuckles, Sunshine
4. Piercing? Just one in each of my ears.
5. What is the most recent movie you've seen in the theater? Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium with the two older kids. They enjoyed it.
6. Eye Color? Brown with glod flecks.
7. Place of birth? Georgia
8. Favorite foods? Mexican, Sesame Chicken, Pasta
9. Ever been to Africa? No
10. What are you most comfortable wearing? I love wearing my favorite jeans when going out but at home I am usually in a jogging suit or pjs.
11. Love someone so much it made you cry? Yes. Especially after each of my kids was born.
12. Been in a car accident? Yes, several. Only one was my fault though.
13. Croutons or bacon bits? Croutons
14. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
15. Favorite Flower? Stargazer Lily
16. Favorite sport to watch? Football
17. Favorite drink? Hot tea and coffee
18. Favorite ice cream? Coffee
19. Disney or Warner Brothers? Disney
20. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-a
21. What color is your bedroom carpet? Beige
22. How many times did you fail your driver's test? none, though I did fail the written part when we moved to IN. I missed it by one.
23. Which store would you choose to Max out your credit card? Lowe's for a new kitchen and bathroom.
24. What do you do most often when you are bored? play games on the computer or sew
25. What time do you go to bed? Whenever I make it there.
26. Favorite TV shows? NCIS, CSI (all of them), Eureka, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate, Numbers
27. Last person you went to dinner with? My husband and kids
28. What are you listening to right now? Matt talking to the people he's playing games with on the computer, the laundry and myself typing.
29. What is your favorite color? Pink and Green
30. How many tattoos do you have? None, My dear husband talked me out of one.
31. How many pets do you have? 3 cats

One Word Answers

YOU CAN ONLY TYPE ONE WORD! Not as easy as you might think. Now copy or forward, change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers. Be sure to send back to the person you received it from.

1. Where is your cell phone? Purse
2. Your significant other? work
3. Your hair? highlighted
4. Your mother? loving
5. Your father? caring
6. Your favorite thing? kids
7. Your dream last night? disturbing
8. Your favorite drink? Sangria
9. Your dream/goal? happiness
10. The room you're in? kitchen
11. Your hobby? sewing
12. Your fear? failure
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Tennessee
14. Where were you last night? home
15. What you're not? inshape
16. Muffins? Puffin
17. One of your wish list items? table
18. Where you grew up? Tennessee
19. The last thing you did? Lunch
20. What are you wearing? clothes
1. Your TV? off
22. Your pets? cats
23. Your computer? annoying
24. Your life? good
25. Your mood? down
26. Missing someone? parents
27. Your car? garage
28. Something you're not wearing? socks
29. Favorite store? Target
30. Your summer? pool
31. Like someone? yes
32. Your favorite color? pink
33. When is the last time you laughed? lunch
34. Last time you cried? yesterday
35. Who will resend this? Carrie

Now take the time to answer and put it on your blog or just leave it in the comments. Have a Great Day.

Monday Morning Mirth

Homemaker just never really makes your job sound as important as it really is. I know there are moms out there that work a regular job or even two and are moms too. I am lucky, I know, to be able to stay a home with my kids. I think I like the sound of this job title better than homemaker though. What do you think?


I'm Just a Mother?


A few months ago, when I was picking up the children at school, another mother I knew well rushed up to me. Emily was fuming with indignation. "Do you know what you and I are?" she demanded.
Before I could answer - and I didn't really have one handy she blurted out the reason for her question. It seemed she had just returned from renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office. Asked by the woman recorder to state her "occupation," Emily had hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
"What I mean is," explained the recorder, "Do you have a job, or are you just a ......?"
"Of course I have a job," snapped Emily. "I'm a mother."
"We don't list 'mother' as an occupation...'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically.
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high-sounding title, like "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."
"And what is your occupation?" she probed.
What made me say it, I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm....a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pompous pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"
Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole darned family) and already have four credits (all daughters).
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money."
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.
As I drove into our driveway buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants---age 13, 7, and 3. And upstairs, I could hear our new experimental model (six months) in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt triumphant. I had scored a beat on bureaucracy. And I had gone down on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another......"
Home...what a glorious career. Especially when there's a title on the door.



This Baby Blues comic go along with this story.

Monday Morning Mirth

Watch What You Eat

For those of you who watch what you eat... here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
3. The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans
4. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Getting to Know You (I mean Me)

I hope this might give you so additional insight as to who I am. I got this from Jane Anne over at Gravity of Motion. If you have a blog and post this on yours I would love to read your just leave me a comment and let me know where you are.


Have You Ever:-Gone on a blind date: Yes, and it wasn't much fun.
Skipped school: Yes, once in high school and lots in college, mainly b/c of Matt.
Watched someone die: No.
Been to Canada: No.
Been to Mexico: No.
Been to Florida: Yes. Almost every summer when we were younger. Going this year with my parents, sister's family and possibly my brothers, depends on wether they make it back from Japan in time.
Been on a plane: Yes, but only on three different trips. Once to Tampa, Orlando and then Japan.
Been lost: Yes.
Been on the opposite side of the country From where you live: Yes, if you count a layover in Texas on my way to Japan.
Been to the capital of your country: Yes. But only once. Matt's brother lives there and we plan on visiting them soon.
Swam in the ocean or waded: Yes. I love the ocean. Just don't read any shark books if you are going to swim in the ocean.
Cried yourself to sleep: Yes.
Played cops and robbers: Yes. As a child and I am sure as a mom.
Recently colored with crayons: Yes. I'm a mom we color a lot.
Sang Karaoke: No.
Paid for a meal with coins only? Yes.
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? Yes. Mainly things my parents or other parents I know did and I said I would never do that and then found myself doing it as a parent myself.
Made prank phone calls: No.
Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose: Yes. Just ask Matt. He has ways of making me laugh.
Caught a snowflake on your tongue: Yes! I love snow! I think I did this the last time it snowed.
Danced in the rain: Yes. I even have several different pictures of the kids doing this over the years. This is one of my kids favorite things to do. Everytime it rains they want to dance in the rain.
Written a letter to Santa Claus: Yes.
Been kissed under the mistletoe: Yes.
Watched the sunrise with someone you care about: Yes. My mom and I often do this when we are at the beach together. Matt is not a morning person so I doubt I'll ever do this with him unless it's because we stayed up all night together.
Blown bubbles: Yes! I was blowing bubbles with Elizabeth just yesterday. Though I don't think the kids enjoy it as much as I do.
Gone ice-skating: Yes! In Gatlinburg with my church youth group as a teen.
Been skinny dipping outdoors: Yes. And got caught. But not ever with Matt.
Been out of North America: Yes. But only to Japan.
Been in detention: No.
Regretted something you blogged: No. I am who I am.

Our Little Vacation Into the Smokies

During our visit to Tennessee we decided to take a impromptu vacation to the Smokies. We drove up one morning got a hotel and then drove to Chattanooga late the next morning. We both commented that we needed to visit the Smokies more often. We had a great time on the walking trails, visit the Sugarlands visitor center, and driving up to Newfound Gap and the picnic area below the Chimneys.

This was our view coming into the park. We took the road that by-passed Gatlinburg. We were going to be staying in Gatlinburg and didn't see the need to drive through it.

Gabriel and Abby posing as airplanes. They had a wonderful time just running and playing on this easy, paved hike. It was a perfect path for us to enjoy. We were able to use the stroller when needed.

Gabriel and Abby love to have their pictures taken. They are often very silly during their pictures. I loved the posing in these pictures. They have so much fun together too. I am glad we have these pictures so they can remember that.

Elizabeth stopping for a pose. Not to be left out Elizabeth insisted on getting out of the stroller so that she could explore too. She enjoyed crawling over rocks. All three kids wanted to play in the water. We will really have to try anothertrip during the summer just so they can do that.

You can't tell from the picture but there is a drop-off behind and to the left of us. Matt thought I was crazy getting the kids to sit on this tree with me. I thought the tree was cool and the kids needed some adventure.

Matt and the kids posing on a lookout just inside the park. The kids really enjoyed looking a Gatlinburg below them. They kept asking where our hotel was down there. The clouds were so thick once we got up to Newfound Gap that we couldn't see anything. We should have realized it especailly with this picture.

This picture of Matt and the kids is one of my favorites from the whole set. This was taken by the creek just off the path we were walking. I hope the kids enjoyed this trip as much as Matt and I did.

Uh, No You won't find Me doing that

I Stumbled across this today and thought I would share. You would never find me doing this since I am scared of heights and I would never pay the exhorbrant amount of money it costs to do this. Really I think this is almost the stupidest thing I have ever heard of.

Matt's New Buddy Holly Look

Notice the Poll

I just want to know what moron in his right mind would want to stay at home for a family vacation. That would be my husband. He has voted 4 times to stay at home for our family vacation. I guess with the pool and everything it wouldn't be too bad but instead we are heading to the beach in July.

I love you, Honey!

And Honey, from now on just vote once.

Polls

Don't forget to check out the polls on the right side of my blog. It's all just for fun. I hope everyone is having a great day.

Jane Anne turned me on to this. I thought it was pretty cool. I'm not quite sure what Carmom is so large since I can't remember using it very often except in the title of my blog. If you haven't guessed each word gets progressively smaller with the more common words being larger and then getting progressively smaller. Anywho, here's the link if anyone else wants to try it out.