Zombie Swap . . .

Time to make some zombies!  I joined this swap last year for the first time and have been looking forward to joining in again this year.  I can't wait to get started!  

. . . and thank you Val (Yarnigras) for hosting this fun swap!

8th Annual Halloween Swap

I just have to post something . . . .

"Walking is man's best medicine."
~ Hippocrates

It has been a busy week with this being the first week of school.  I keep thinking I will post something, but just haven't gotten to it.  So today I just have to post something . . . mostly pictures from when I am walking, but I couldn't leave out this great new skeleton hand I found at Michael's. 

I had a fantastic week . . . it is great having all the kids back.   I love this time of year! 

I will truly appreciate my weekend though!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

in a John Steinbeck kind of mood . . .

"Many people, myself among them,

feel better at the mere sight of a book."

~ Jane Smiley, Thirteen Way of Looking at a Novel

After spending a few days in Monterey,  I decided to reread Cannery Row . . . which I am enjoying so much that I decided to go on a John Steinbeck binge.  I stopped in the used bookstore yesterday and picked these up for $3 - $4 each.  Most of them I read years ago, but there are a couple that I am looking forward to reading for the first time.  This beats a Netflix binge any day!

". . . perhaps that might be the way to write this book - 

to open the page and to let the stories crawl by themselves."

~ John Steinbeck, Cannery Row

Happy Friday!

new paper . . . folding paper cranes

New origami paper . . . means fold paper cranes.  I am still working on completing my 1000 paper crane project . . . 326 more to go.

  It is taking me much longer that I anticipated, but I am getting closer.  

Peace ~ Love ~ Cranes

enjoyed the weekend . . .

This weekend brought back over 100 degree temperatures.  Getting in the car and seeing the temperature read 122 degrees sort of made me want to just go back in the house, but since I really don't mind the heat . . . we did some fun shopping on Saturday (Halloween stuff is starting to show up in the stores), went to lunch, and enjoyed some reggae music.  

The weekend also included some work, some silly Charlotte, and some much needed rest.

"Always take some of the play, fun,

freedom and wonder of the weekend

into your week and your work."

~ Rasheed Ogunlaru

sometimes princesses are orange . . .

 Jennifer and Lily were camping this weekend . . . a good way to escape the heat!

Lily was excited to show me this picture of her peace pancakes!

PEACE ~ LOVE ~ LILY!

. . . and then there is this clown.  She makes me smile and laugh

whenever I am with her.  

 Charlotte's orange princess . . . because "Sometimes princesses are orange grandma."

. . . and sometime they eat peace pancakes.

. . . and sometimes they dress up like clowns.

Happy Wednesday!

good things today . . .

GOOD THINGS TODAY . . . 

1. A great day at work!

2. Dinner with this guy!  

3. Thinking it was about 1:00 . . . and it was time to go home 

4. Watching the Olympics

5. Old friends

6. Making fun plans

7. Painting . . . even if only a little bit

8. Coffee!

9. St. Louis Cardinals 9th inning comeback (yesterday) . . . I love baseball!

"It ain't over 'til it's over."  ~ Yogi Berra

10. Going to bed early . . . 

think happy. be happy.

ghosts stories and flowers . . .

 Yes, I actually bought this book to read on the way home from the coast. 

 Maybe I bought it for the same reason I like Halloween and cemeteries . . . whatever reason that is. 

 I love Monterey's history.  As California's first capital and one of it's oldest settlements, there can't help but be a few ghost stories - (more than a few actually).  I can't say I believe in ghosts, but ghost stories are always fun . . . and the Monterey area definitely is a perfect setting for such stories.  I may have been a little more aware visiting the Point Pinos Lighthouse had I known it was said to be the home of a ghost.   

I survived my first day back to work . . . getting up at 5:00 and a day full of meetings.  

As much as I enjoy a break during the summer . . . I am excited about getting back to work.  I may not feel the same way by the end of the week, but I should be so busy the week will be over before I know it.  Besides . . . only 99 days until Thanksgiving Break!

not Halloween yet . . . just having fun

Charlotte loves watching the Disney character make-up tutorials on YouTube.  

She especially likes watching the ones for the Inside Out Characters and Mavis from Transylvania.

We have been talking about doing "Mavis make-up" . . . so yesterday we finally got around to doing it.  She wanted me to follow the tutorial exactly . . . not necessarily easy with a three year old.  She was really happy with how it turned out . . . and so excited that she got to use eyeliner.  She wanted a black wig . . . but I convinced her that a little purple hair chalk was OK for now.  Once we were finished she had to put on her "bat" dress . . . only for a few minutes and a few pictures because it was, "oh so itchy!" 

 It was a fun afternoon . . . I see more of this happening at our house!

Mission San Juan Bautista

One more stop on our way home.

Mission San Juan Bautista

I have only visited a handful of the California missions.  One day I would like to see them all.  

We hadn't planned on stopping and only decided to at the last minute.  I am so glad we did. 

 I am wishing now that I had taken time to snap a few more pictures.

road trips are fun . . . .