Weekends

For the past 2 weekends, Granddaddy and I have taken the little red car on a ride through our beautiful mountains.

 

The first weekend, we drove across the mountain, found a cute little park just next door, and toured around Carter's Dam.

The "little" dam in case you've never seen it on 411.

The back of the big dam ~ it's very high!

This is on the left side of the above picture ~ just to show ya'll what they had to dig and cut up to build the dam.  Granddaddy and I, the Rich's, the Babb's, and a few more couples used to ride motorcycles all in here when the dam was being build.  Seems like forever ago now.

Mimi seems to have an obsession with old barns ~ didn't even show you all the pictures I took.

Beautiful wild flowers were around every turn and look what other beauty we found

as we first started our journey when we stopped for gas.  The newest baby in the family!

Isn't she a doll!!

But the prettiest view all day was probably our maple in the front yard.  Mimi took this while I was waiting on Granddaddy to get the car ready.  But now all the leaves are on the ground ~ it's the first to turn and the first to loose its leaves.

Last weekend, the neighbors joined us for a 200+ mile trip through 3 states.

We had to start out with the top up this weekend because it was rather chilly in the mountains.

Every little town along the way was having a fall festival and were dressed for the party.

Not sure what this tower was but Mimi loved the flag waving from the top.  This picture was really zoomed ~ it was high in the sky!!

Lunch time in Tellico Plains ~ fried green tomatoes and homemade potato soup!

Tellico Plains also boasts of one of the best trout rivers around.

Mr. Wendell led the way in his old '49 truck all the way through the mountains of north Georgia, Tennessee and even into North Carolina.  Wow!!  Mimi's bottom was a little sore the next day but it was a wonderful trip enjoying beautiful fall weather and God's colorful masterpiece He Has painted for us.

Many times during the trip, Mimi wished my monkeys could have been along to see the trees, decorations, and even the ground hog that ran out in front of Granddaddy and I.  Hopefully, you're taking time to look around you at the beauty that is Fall and stand still long enough to smell the fallen leaves and other scents that could only be Fall ~ Mimi's most favorite season!!

Love you all to the moon and back!!!

Something New on the Acre?

As a matter of fact, now that you ask . . .

"I am," said the shiny front door . . .

I hear ya'll saying, "Mimi that's your same ole door you've always had."

And, of course, ya'll are right as always . . . "but I did get a NEW coat of Love today because I had been looking very tired and shabby lately ~ very faded in places . . . kind of like your Mimi's hair gets in between coloring . . . (but shhhh . . . don't tell her I said that!)"

So the tired ole door first got a good rubbing of this Mighty Wonderful Stuff!

then

after a 30 minute wait, Mimi used another wonderful product by Mr. Howard. 

After 20 more minutes this tired ole door was suddenly brought back to life!

"Not quite sure who Mr. Howard is, but I am certainly L.O.V.I.N.G. his products," says the new shiny door with it's tired ole Halloween wreath.  "You could see me better if my owner hadn't been jumping up and down and made the picture blurry.  But since she was so happy with how I looked, I guess I'll forgive her."

"Even the silly pumpkins on the front steps had wider grins and that little one with the ribbon even started glowing from excitement."

"Now, do you think she could do anything with this old wrinkled ribbon?"

"Hey, Mr. Howard, do you have anything that works on ribbon?"



A First for Mimi

Good Morning, Monkeys!

Can you guess what Mimi did last night?

 

I'll give you a little hint . . . smell the candle burning beside these little jars filled with yummy . . .

Did you guess it?

Okay, it's Miss Janice's Pumpkin Butter.

Since it's fall, Mimi has been dreaming about this delicious pumpkin goodness for a while and finally decided last night to pull out the recipe (found here) and go for it.  Remember I made this a few years ago and, of course, ya'll didn't like it but that's okay . . . I think you have to be a certain age to really love the taste of pumpkin . . .  and it just gave Mimi more to share with her friends.  Later today I'll be adding cute little tags with brown and white gingham ribbon and "booing" a few friends.

But that's not the "First" that's in the title . . . N.O.,

Mimi finally consented to Granddaddy and . . .

via

got my first-ever FLU shot!

Now, I wasn't quite as bad as the little lady above . . . in fact, it didn't hurt at all!!

Actually, it was a drive-by affair . . . Granddaddy came home from his "mayoring" duties yesterday and announced that we could just drive by the Rec center early (8:30--yes, that's early for us now), stick out our arm and get a shot!

Wow!!

Since it seemed so easy, Mimi gave in and guess what!! We were the first customers of the day and we really did just drive up and stick out our arms!  So today was a FIRST ~ here's hoping to a winter without flu!!

Then . . .

as Granddaddy left for the golf course, Mimi enjoyed some of her freshly made

pumpkin butter on a warm, buttery biscuit



and the last of the roses I trimmed back yesterday.

Hope ya'll are having a Terrific Tuesday!!!

Love you muches!!!

Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere

Fall is officially here because Mimi has finally gotten one of these . . .

source:  flickr

(updated 10/14:  actually it was 2 weeks ago now since I forgot to post this)

As I sipped my Pumpkin Spice Latte and ate the delicious banana walnut bread, I wished I already had my pumpkins from in the attic.  Then I decided to pretend I was Samantha from Bewitched and wiggle my nose all the way home in hopes all the decorations would be done when I arrived.

Well, I wiggled and I wiggled and guess what!!

Pumpkins met me at every entrance

One even had an old crow saying "Welcome."

Leading up the back steps . . . wonder what I would find inside?

Boy, my wiggling must have really worked!!

Now, who let that old crow inside?

Look in the living room . . .

Miss Bo is again in her place along with the picture of the sweet Halloween witch she was named after

and look at all Mimi's precious pumpkins!

and in the kitchen . . .

Now, girls, you know Mimi's nose wiggling didn't really get these pumpkins put in their rightful places but it would be nice wouldn't it?  Just think . . . wiggle your nose and your bed is made, your homework would be done . . . how fun would that be?

But then again . . .

 All Hallow's Eve is just right around the corner and all kinds of mystical, magical, spooky things happen then . . .

Do you think . . . could it really have been my wiggly nose . . .?

No, guess not or Mimi's back wouldn't be hurting from dragging all those boxes from the attic.

Oh well, at least Mimi's nose got a good work out that day!

Have you girls decided on costumes yet?

Playing Catch Up

September went by in a blur . . . so many trips

(great stop, goalie!)

to

watch

the C girls

play soccer!

Yes, we have 2 soccer players now!!

~ and ~

see Little C loose both her TWO front teeth on the day of her FIRST soccer match.

and hear her sing "All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth" the rest of the weekend.

~ we also traveled to Fall Festivals ~

to

watch AG perform with the SOF company 2 different weekends

and AC hand out SOF balloons while Mommy worked  the booth.

AC is trying out a new activity this year --gymnastics-- since watching the Olympics and is really quite good at it! But Mimi's very glad you're still taking ballet, too!

AG, Mimi is so excited about the Big Sister/Little Sister Program that SOF started this fall!  Looks like you have a wonderful Big Sis!!

~ then ~

we traveled deep under the sea to celebrate our favorite little Mermaid turning 4!

Mimi finally got all the mermaid tail towels finished just in time.

Didn't Mommy do a great job on the table!!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby A ~ Mimi's Sweet Doughnut!!

~

Mimi also did a little sewing in between all those trips . . .

3 sets of these

except 2 sets had trick and treat in orange with black or

and 3 of these

(took this pic before the stuffing was complete and bottoms sewn up because I couldn't wait to show the girls)

Hummmm, and since we're already moving right along in October, looks like it's going to be a whirlwind, too!!  But Mimi is loving every minute of this busyness!