Katie and Carrie ran and played in the woods all afternoon.

It was the most blustery afternoon. My favorite kind of blustery....60 degrees and blustery.

Hair whipping and wheat wildly flinging itself around...something about it stirs my soul.

I am just a wild spirit at heart. That's it.

You can stop laughing now.





The Packers play the Vikings tomorrow. I was all set to go to the game with Patrick when Matthew decided he would make the trek from Omaha and go with his dad. I am happy to give up my spot to Matthew for this game. I know it is the game of the century, but to be honest I don't think I could have taken seeing Brett Favre in that stupid purple jersey. I couldn't take the boos and the cheers and the Viking fans. I'm still too upset that he is playing for the Vikings. I am too upset that they are playing so well. I just don't want to watch it, in person.

Matthew still loves and respects Brett. He should go to the game. He just better not cheer for the Vikings. That would not go over well with his dad.

So here is the fun part, Katie is going home with Carrie this afternoon and getting trick or treat and sleep over at her house.
She has not had anyone to trick or treat with since Carrie moved away. I hear Appleton is the land of milk and honey and candy...

Patrick and Matthew will pick Katie up on the way home after the game.

I sure hope they are in a really, really good mood.

It's a long ride home when the Packers lose.




We don't have a lot of glitz in Green Bay.
Just this dorky cheer.

Go Pack Go!



Have a wonderful, blustery, winning weekend!!!

Can't wait to see our Matthew!

Encourage one another,
Donna

"Will you tell me about my grandparents?" she asked with a tear in her eye.

"I have told you many things about my parents," I said.

"Like what?" she urged.

"Well....Let's see. My dad was very funny. He was a big tease.
Remember what I told you about the toll booth?"

"No"

"My dad said that the toll booth was a popcorn machine. When you threw you money in,
you would get popcorn. But he never waited for the popcorn.
This would make us all scream."

"He also said when we passed by cows, "Look at all of the alligators."
"He loved dancing and music and sports. And he loved his family.
We taught him to do a front flip into the pool."

"Did he learn it?" she wondered.

"Not very well. I think he landed on his back. But he tried very hard. He was not very old."

"And my mom. She was funny, too. Like Aunt Cindy is funny."

"Oh!!!" exclaimed Katie with a smile.



"She drove us to school every day. She loved us very much. She would have loved you very much. You remind me of her, I was just thinking that today when I was looking at your pictures. You are a little Esther in my eyes."

She started to tear up.

"I am sorry you don't have grandparents," I told her.

"They would have just loved you. Maybe you will see the someday in heaven."

Then we hugged and I kissed her sweet head and she went to ask her daddy about his parents.



I forgot to tell her how much my mother liked to dress up for Halloween and how she liked to tap dance at parties.

Now that I think about it, perhaps the fact that Katie wore Kitty cat ears all day is what made me think of my mother.


When we came up to bed and went to kiss her goodnight last night,
she was still wearing the cat ears.


Have I mentioned lately how much I love that child?












Encourage one another,
Donna

Alright.

Go get your sunglasses.


You are about to see the brightest shade of red you have ever seen.











Got em?


















Pippi setting off to her school's Halloween dance.

Super fun!



Seriously, my light sensor did not know what to do with that red.


This morning I fiddled with the ISO and put it on 1250.


Look how nice.




It is so dim in the house right now, but being able to raise the ISO works wonders.
I am so loving my D700.








Check out Katie's twin. Angelina.




Edited with MCP Newsprint action



And Sesame Ellis BW action.


Katie is off for the weekend and I have her sweet face here all day.
I love when she is home.

Maybe we will go out to lunch.

That sounds wonderful.

She will want to go to Chins.

Chins




"Yeah" "Alright" "Double Yeah."

I just read this post to Katie :o)

I think she likes the idea.



Encourage one another,
Donna

I found the best towels in the world....at Kohl's.

I stopped going to Kohl's when they sold me a carpet cleaner that didn't work past the first cleaning.
Twice!!!

But last month we were looking for something, oh yes, it was a Packer jersey for Katie, so we tried Kohl's one more time.

I wandered past the towels and had a look.
Everything was on sale, and that is always a great thing.

I wanted some light pink towels to go in our newly painted grey bathroom.

And there they were. The loveliest shade of pink.

Laura Ashley Lifestyle Microcotton towels.





A generous, soft, bath towel. Only 7.99.
That's a bargain.

So I came home and washed them and we have been using them and I think they are just perfection!
Soft, absorbent, very pretty and inexpensive.

Score one for Kohl's and their wonderful Laura Ashley towels.



(p.s. We received a 15% coupon and went back and got more towels. woo.)


*****

I am not the best when it comes to decorating for holidays.
In fact, Katie usually decorates the house.

She goes upstairs to the closet where the decorations reside and she brings them downstairs and puts the around.


Here is what I have for Halloween.



Cross Stitch stitched by me. A long time ago.
And a cute little cat made for me by my friend Roxanne. I miss her.



Muffy, of course.




A colorful tin and a basket.


That's it folks.....

Except these.

I am the best mother in the world because I buy Katie stick ons from the grocery store.



At least that's what I think :o)



Katie is dressing up as Pippi Longstocking this year.

What are your children dressing up as for trick or treat?



Encourage one another,
Donna

Before the Packer on Sunday game we took a little drive around our neighborhood.

Southern Wisconsin.

We stopped at my favorite barns. I set up my camera and Katie took the picture.

Here is what I mean by I set up my camera.

I put the camera on (A) for aperture priority and then I set the aperture to 1.8.
I told Katie where to stand and told her to hold still and shoot.

And really. I couldn't have done any better.

(I love my spontaneous, adorable husband.)




We don't have to drive far to see this sight.




The corn is super tall this year.



It is at least 8 feet tall.

When we got home I made The Pioneer Woman's Potato Skins.
I have never done this before but the step by step instructions led the way.



Patrick really loved them just like this.



I like mine like this.

They were done just in time for half time.
Packer's won!


Very, very good!!!



A goodbye to October poem. One of my very favorites.
Thanks for reminding me of this one, Melika :o)


October's Party
George Cooper

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came-
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

The Chestnuts came in yellow,
The Oaks in crimson dressed;
The lovely Misses Maple
In scarlet looked their best;
All balanced to their partners,
And gaily fluttered by;
The sight was like a rainbow
New fallen from the sky.

Then, in the rustic hollow,
At hide-and-seek they played,
The party closed at sundown,
And everybody stayed.
Professor Wind played louder;
They flew along the ground;
And then the party ended
In jolly "hands around."




I was delighted to see the colors in the background mimicking Katie's hat.

I think I need to make more of those hats.

The yarn. Kureyon by Noro.

Encourage one another,
Donna

First off.

Weathermen.

You are all fired.



Fired I tell ya!

But honestly, I'm glad you were wrong this time!
We had the most sunny beautiful days over the weekend!!



Welcome to Wisconsin

Hey Amy. Can you guess where we are?


***



Emma! The girls got into your stuff!!!



You can not go wrong with Playmobile.

Emma played for hours with her tiny figures and every time Leonie comes over she and Katie play with them too.



Quiet Life endorses Playmobile and Brio.


I miss our Brio train set. It was the only thing lost in our move to Madison.

I am sad about that.

But I am happy Katie has a big sister with prom dresses.




Oh my goodness.




Totally happy :o)



****

I am feeling a little better this morning.

I am trying to drink more liquids and am doubling up on my iron pills.
Thank you for the good advice in the comments.

Love ya!


Encourage one another,
Donna

I am sleepy.

This is odd for me. I usually have lots of energy.

So this light-headed feeling is making me worry.

And I have diagnosed my problem.
(The nurses don't seem to have any concern over it.)
So, yes, I diagnosed myself.

My body is trying to recover. And I am anemic.

I think that must be it.

"Do you have Iron Poor Blood?"

Why? Yes. I do.

Get me so Geritol. Quick.

I remember this feeling after my other surgeries.

I guess I was just feeling so fantastic on Wednesday, this drop in energy has taken me by surprise.

So I have started taking my iron and going to bed early and trying to be patient with myself.

And today I will remember to count my blessings.
I have so many.

Feeling unwell takes me to depression rather quickly....so I will instead catch myself before I fall and
count my blessings.


I have family that has taken such good and loving care of me.
Friends who bring wonderful, nutritious meals.
Yarn to knit and books to read.
A warm home and Tivo.

I feel loved and light-headed.

Not really so bad :o)


Here are some fun out takes from this week and last....





Oscar loved the wheels on my car.




These curls make me happy.




Cute candid.







Watch out!






I think I will make the out takes a weekly feature. They are some of my favorites :o)

Happy weekend to one and all.

Stay warm, stay well!

You are loved!


Encourage one another,
Donna

This is Cindy's son. I love this picture of him. I have seen him laugh like this many times.
He is a sweetheart!




It is hard to be yourself in front of the camera.

I know.

One must think of funny things to say and suggest to make people take a leap of faith and forget themselves....




I don't think I would have gotten this....




without this :o)




or this....


And that's what make it so much fun for me to come home and look at what I have captured!!

And then if everything is in focus and exposed properly.

Hooray!


Friday Five.....

1. How often do you get sick with a cold? The flu?

2. Are you the sort of person who goes to work or school no matter how sick you are or are you willing to stay at home when it gets bad?

3. Will you get a flu shot?

4. What do you do to keep from getting sick in the winter?

5. What is your favorite thing to do when you stay home from work or school?



****


It was so dark this morning I thought the world was coming to an end.
It was as if the sun had gone on a holiday.

Not even the sun wants to spend Fall in Wisconsin this year.


Will it help when Standard Time returns?

But you should see the roads on the way to school.
Magnificent even in the dark.

The ground is covered with a layer of wet yellow leaves and it is spectacular.

I'll try to get a shot when I pick up Katie this afternoon and I will put a picture right here!






So do the Friday Five and come back to see the yellow.



Encourage one another
Donna

Knee Socks!!!





So stinkin' cute!




Yeah, I'm lying in my stomach in the neighbors yard.
Something wrong with that?




A boy rode by on his bicycle when I took this picture. She was embarrassed to be in the middle of a 'photoshoot' in public...but was curious about the boy.

Hum?





Gathering Leaves

by Robert Frost

Spades take up leaves
No better than spoons,
And bags full of leaves
Are light as balloons.
I make a great noise
Of rustling all day
Like rabbit and deer
Running away.
But the mountains I raise
Elude my embrace,
Flowing over my arms
And into my face.
I may load and unload
Again and again
Till I fill the whole shed,
And what have I then?
Next to nothing for weight,
And since they grew duller
From contact with earth,
Next to nothing for color.
Next to nothing for use.
But a crop is a crop,
And who's to say where
The harvest shall stop?




Leaves

by Elsie Brady

How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,
Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow.



Happy Thursday!

Encourage one another,
Donna