Project 365 - Week 44

 

Sunday, October 28th

I am doing this a little differently today.  For some strange reason....my computer is being stubborn and not letting me follow my normal plan.  Grrrr....so I hope you can keep up with the layout.Today I got two loaves of crunchy bread started.  One was craisin with orange zest and the other was plain.  They will have to sit and rise for 12-18 hours.  I started them about 10 pm so I can put them on when I get home from school and before Bobby's guitar lesson.  Hope my plan works. 

 

 

Monday, October 29th

This is the finished result of the bread dough.  Looks good doesn't it.  I succeeded in getting the loaves cooked and cooling before Bobby came AND put on a loaf of peanut butter - chocolate chip bread to take down to Mrs. Jane's house after guitar.  The day worked out just perfect and I accomplished everything I set out to.  I love it when a plan comes together.  I promise this will be my last bread picture for a while.  I will still be baking it....but you won't have to see it.  LOL!

Tuesday, October 30th

Tomorrow is the big Roanoke Fall Festival and on my way home I decided to get this TEC scarecrow guy....he may not be there after tomorrow.  I have been trying to get him for a week but there never was anywhere to park.  I lucked out today.

 

Wednesday, October 31st

Rock Mills United Methodist was well represented at the Roanoke Fall Festival.....we handed out well over 3000 pieces of Candy, prizes, Hugs(drinks and real ones), bookmarks about the church.  We were in the heart of the city from 4 - 6:30.  It was an amazing night.  The only thing that kind of got under my skin was all the adults and very large boys dressed up.....or not who stopped by and stuck a Walmart plastic bag in my face saying, "Give  me some candy!"  There should be an age limit to this.  Halloween is not my favorite holiday as it is....and this just seals the deal. 

Thursday, November 1st

I won a prize on one of my blogging buddy sites.  Rita from Meemaw Moments  was giving away some yummy granola toffee and I won.  I also was blessed with a book written by her DIL and cannot wait to read it.  Thank you Rita for picking me. 

Friday, November 2nd

Here is the last of the characters from Roanoke....this is Mr. H & R block...or Tax Man.  I thought he was just precious.  So with him I have captured all the ones I liked in town.  There were other scenes....but most of them were the traditional hay, pumpkins, mums, and a scarecrow or two. 

Saturday, November 3rd

I had a wonderful day today with my dear friend Deborah, her precious daughter, Jill, and my precious daughter, Kat.  We went to Birmingham to the annual Christmas Village.  It is one of the largest craft shows in the Southeast with over 700 vendors.   There were a lot of Pinterest projects there....and yes I did see some craft things I want to attempt.  The top picture is of the girls and I sampling Barber's Egg Nog.  Deborah took the picture because she hates Egg Nog.  The second shot is of the girls telling Santa what all they want.  The bottom shot is my friend, Debo....and some woodcrafts I want to attempt.  It was a marvelous day....simply Mah velous!  

 

 

 

I love doing Project 365.  I makes me focused and I am so grateful to Sara for hosting it.  I look forward to my weekly photo journaling....and reading what every one else has done.  If you want to see more great shots then hop over to Sarah's blog by clicking here. 

 

Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups Blu Ray Giveaway! **CLOSED

**CLOSED--winner posted here**


So with Halloween over, it's time to get into the holiday spirit. I mean, most stores are already playing Christmas music (I think it's still a little early...)

One of my favorite things about the holidays are the holiday movies.

If you like holiday movies then you're in luck! I have two copies of Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups, out November 20th.

About the movie:


An all-new Disney holiday classic is born - Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups. Starring a brand-new litter of the cutest talking pups ever - Hope, Jingle, Charity, and Noble - it's perfect for the whole family. When Mrs. Claus travels to Pineville, the playful Santa Pups stow away on her sled. Taking mischief to a whole new level, they begin granting joyful wishes to Pineville's boys and girls, but something goes terribly wrong - the Christmas spirit begins to disappear. Now the Santa Pups and Mrs. Claus must race to save Christmas around the world. From the creators of Disney Buddies, this magical, heartwarming tale is brimming with hope, cheer, and Christmas spirit.


Sounds like a fantastic movie! My daughter would love it as she loves all animals.


Giveaway Rules

--Must be 18 or older

--Must live in the US

--No PO Boxes


Mandatory Entry:

LIKE the Santa Paws 2 Facebook page


Extra Entries:

--Tell me what your favorite holiday movie is

--Follow my blog



TWO lucky readers will win a Blu-Ray+DVD combo of this movie. I will run the contest until November 11th. Good luck!

His Love Endures Forever

About The Book:  An unplanned pregnancy. An absent father.  Can love really endure all things?  Danielle Kent is anything but Amish. But as destiny would have it, she has fallen in love with an Amish man.  Now she’s 18, pregnant, and hopeful that the child’s Amish father—Matthew Lapp—will do the right thing and marry her. She knows Matthew plans to leave his Colorado settlement for a life in the Englisch world. But that plan never included a baby.  When Matthew walks away from her and their unborn child, she has nowhere to turn. Her unlikely friendship with Levi offers some comfort—yet they have so little in common. This wasn’t the plan she had for her life, and she has never felt so alone. She doesn’t want to be pregnant. Doesn’t want to be Amish. Doesn’t want to trust God.  And yet.   God has plans beyond what her mind can imagine . . . loving plans to show a lost young woman that His love never fails but endures forever.

About The Author:  Beth Wiseman is hailed as a top voice in Amish fiction.  She is a Carol Award winner and author of numerous bestsellers including the Daughters of the Promise series and the Land of Canaan series.  She and her family live in Texas.

My Thoughts About The Book:  Beth Wiseman has an amazing talent for weaving stories together.  This story tells about an Amish family and English family who’s lives are shattered by decisions made by many….yet….within the story there is the truth that God's love does endure forever.  I have read many of Wisemans books and believe this is one of my favorites.  I  would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Amish fiction  It is definitely a good story and so much  more.   The story line is not your typical Amish fiction. This story is not so much about the Ordnung but instead it is about the people and God's love.   I read this book without reading the first two and had no trouble getting up to speed on the story and the characters.  However,  I would highly recommend that anyone interested in this book should read the whole series, you won't be sorry.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Sneeze Blogging Program. I was not required to write a positive review. All they asked for was an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

 

Roots

It is Friday and that means it is time for Lisa-Jo Baker's meme, "5 MInute Friday."  I love doing this.  Several months ago I felt as barren and dry as the Mojave and then found Lisa-Jo and words have been in abundance ever since.  Want to know about 5 Minute Friday?  Check out Lisa-Jo's blog by clicking here.  The basic directions are below.  It is so simple and I hope you will join in with the group.    So....how to get started. 

 

Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..
Oh and Ahem, if you would take pity and turn off comment verification, it would make leaving some love on your post that much easier for folks!
OK, are you ready? Please give us your best five minutes on:::

The Topic Today Is:   ROOTS

 

Go:

 

My familial roots run deep.  I come from a family where people are treated with respect, love is given freely and unconditionally, God is worshipped and followed, values and a man's word are very important.  In my life time I have experienced great delight digging my hands down into the soil, smelling it, and planting the roots of a plant deep so it will bring forth abundant life....and that is what my family has done....they planted each of us deeply....so we would bring forth abundant life.  We were planted in rich furtile soil with plenty of sun and nutrients to grow strong and healthy.  Whether the roots are plant or person.....they are important because they are the foundation of a man....or a plant.  I have put down roots in many places in my life....and have loved my growing season there. Sometimes I feel as if my roots are those of a gypsy....or gitano.....or migrant worker....tended for but a brief growing season and then moving on.  My roots in writing came from poetry.  I have volumes of journals with words....my heart....my roots.  Roots are so much more complex than that underground tangled part of a plant;   I find that my beginnings....those are my roots....the part that shaped and nurtured, and continues too,  the future me.  When my world feels at if it is shaken to the core and the thing that connects me, the roots, are being ripped out of the ground...I remember my core....my roots....the elders who nurtured my roots when I was younger.....and I know I will survive....and I will grow.    My roots are held firm and secure by hands joined in prayer connected to  God.  A plant root draws water from the soil,
I,draw stength from my family.....my roots.  My roots are aging....they are not gone....yet....they are still sending out new growth.....going forth and multiplying. 

STOP:

Have a great weekend. 

A Merida and a Boba Fett

So how much candy have you been eating?

Me?

Well, okay, I haven’t eaten ALL of that. But Natalie did let me pick out what I wanted. She’s nice that way. Considering I gave her life, it’s fantastic that she allowed me to have all the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

The kids were all ready to Trick or Treat:

Even though Tommy kept going, “I feel like a dork in this.” Dude, it’s Boba Fett. I could have made him be a prince to Natalie’s Merida but I did not. He would have been mortified at that one.

I did get him to pose for me:

“My breath reeks and it bounces back into my face when I wear this helmet,” Tommy grumbled.

Then he made Natalie cry when he kept shooting her with his play gun.

“You’re being very RUDE!” Natalie snapped.

Remember how the Merida wig wasn’t working?

Well, I ordered this from Etsy:

Much better. It would have looked even better if Natalie had let me pull her hair back but she wanted her hair mixed with the “red hairs.” Fine.

Oh and Natalie had to share that she had matching shoes on:

I totally had Fun Sized candy bars for breakfast by the way.

Things That Annoy Me Thursday: No Candy

Okay, I’ll admit it.

I get annoyed when people take their kids out trick or treating and don’t bother to give candy out.

Now, wait, before you get defensive, I know there are some reasons as to why people don’t give candy. Some people leave way out in the country and drive their kids to neighborhoods so they can get candy. I get why they don’t pass any out. Some people are struggling with money and such—times are tough.

But some people just aren’t being fair.

I live on base. This means that a lot of the time, the person in the military is deployed or has to work. (My husband has to work security on Halloween a lot.) This means that the remaining parent has to take the kids out so they might not be there to pass out candy.

This is what I do: I leave a bowl of candy out with a sign that says PLEASE TAKE ONE. So far, I haven’t had a punk kid take it all. I know this can happen. But even if it does happen, I feel like I’m still offering something to the neighborhood.

The amount of houses that weren’t passing out candy was astounding. Yes, some people might not celebrate Halloween. Some people might take their kids to the mall, zoo, etc..I get that too. But really, if you take your kids out to the neighborhood, you should offer up SOMETHING.

This is what we did on Halloween: my husband actually didn’t have to work so he passed out candy while I took the kids around.

Last year he did have to work so I left a bowl out for the first hour. Then when we came back I started passing out candy.

This base has a crazy amount of kids. Last year we ran out so I made sure to get like 10 bags of candy. Why? Because I feel if I can take my kids around to various houses, that I should have plenty to offer others.

Again. There are reasons why some people don’t. I get that.

But for the people who are quite capable of setting out some candy for the neighborhood since they are taking their kids around to get candy—should. (And no, I’m not saying get 10 bags like I did. But at least 3 or so. I feel like one reason why we get so many kids is because so many houses don’t offer any. So kids are searching around, hoping to find houses that actually HAVE something..)

Now, if you’ll excuse me…I’m off to snack on some Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.


Oh and PS. Someone put this sign on their door. It's blurry, sorry. I quickly took it lest the cranky inhabitants inside came out yelling. They seemed cranky. I mean, they could have just wrote NO CANDY and people would have understood. But they took it further. DO NOT RING DOORBELL. I believe the next line was "No one will come." Followed again by NO CANDY. Sheesh. Okay. Got it.

Family Reunions

(Prophitt Reunion at the Tree House)

By definition a family reunion is an occasion when many members of an extended family congregate. Sometimes reunions are held regularly, for example on the same date of every year.
A typical family reunion will assemble grandparents, great-grandparents and up for a meal, some recreation, sharing of stories, sharing pictures,  and discussion(mine usually centers around geneology information). The older attendees are generally grandparents, parents, siblings or first cousins while the youngest could be second, third or fourth cousins. It is also not uncommon for regular family reunions to be sponsored by family organizations or some kind of family association centered around a more distant common ancestor (often referred to as "ancestral family organizations") or a commonly shared surname ("single surname family organizations"). 

(Mom's 80th Birthday - July reunion)

 

 (Prophitt family reunion at 55 Iris Avenue in Alex City.)

 

(Prophitt Christmas reunion)

I have to admit....for the most part...I love them.  As a writer they offer a plethera of information to draw on.  As an apprentice in the geneology world....why waste your time on something someone else has already discovered.  That would kind of like rediscovering America....come on...Columbus already did it.  The Prophitt family(my mom's side) always holds their reunion on the Saturday of Father's Day weekend.  They do this because it was near or on the weekend of my grandfather's birthday.  This reunion involves geneology sharing, music (many of us play and sing), photo sharing, and stories.....oh there are many stories.  This is one of my most favorite gatherings of the year.  I have a great aunt who was 108 in May.....and the youngest one there was not quite a year....talk about multi-generational!  The Wilson family(my dad's side) always holds there reunion on the second Sunday in August.  Since we have moved to Rock Mills we don't attend.  They eat at 12:30 and our church service is not over until 12.  We live 2 hours from where it is held....so it is not happening.  I love this side of the family but it has begun to dwindle more and more every year.  This family is very scattered....and to be honest....there is no music... and very little .photo sharing....or geneology.  It is just a catch up with each other kind of reunion.  The Sasser/Matthews family (my dad's side too) is held towards the end of July.  It is a full weekend event and loads of fun.  They love music....and do performaces/karaoke one night, they love dominoes, they love outdoors, they love geneology and photo sharing.  The stories here are wonderful.  They usually rent a camp....and everyone comes...brings food....and they party for two days.  It is an amazing time with a lot of characters. 

(L.T. and Emma's 50th Anniversary reunion)

 

(Wilson Reunion at the Sportsplex - before it moved to Equality, AL)

 

Now...for the really odd part.  I don't just love MY reunions....I love reunions period.  This past weekend I attended the Burgess family reunion at Cheaha.  Several of our church members are from the Burgess family and we were invited to attend.  I love Cheaha...and these church family members...so I did not think twice before agreeing to go.  There is a strange part of this connection.....one of Marcie and Sherry's cousins attended school from the 6th grade til graduation in West Palm Beach, Florida with me.  I did not know this until this past year....when Gina and I were making plans to attend our 40 year class reunion....and friended each other on Facebook.  Gina's dad was one of the managers of the Publix near my childhood home.  I have not seen her folks in 40 years and they were all going to be at the Burgess reunion.  I was so excited.  Not only would I get to spend time with Marcie and her family at Cheaha....but also with Gina and hers.  I could hardly contain myself as we headed up there.  You know what I discovered????  Their family is no different than mine....they told wonderful stories about the past....they shared photos (some where on the cake we ate)....fondant photos.....and they enjoyed each others company.  Even though it was cold as rip....it was a wonderful day to fellowship with each other....new friends and old ones.  I hope we get to go back next year.  By the way, they moved their date to the first Saturday in August....the kids will be able to swim....and it will be warm.  Thank you Marcie and Sherry for inviting me....well us....I had a blast.  Porch People definitely know how to reune!  I posted some pictures of this reunion on Sunday with my Project 365.  Want to see them...click here....

(Cool photo cake from the Burgess reunion - the photos were edible!)

(Cecil's family - Sasser reunion - Hawkinsville, GA)

 

(L.T, sister, Uncle Gary, and sister) - Prophitt reunion - Opelika 1969)

I don't know about you all out there...do you have reunions?  Is it mostly a Southern thing?  Do you host them?  Do you go to them?  I wish you would leave me a comment and tell me about your family's gatherings.  I know one of my bloggy buddies family writes letters to each other at Christmas....I think this is the neatest idea ever.  So, let me hear from you.