Glorious

Good Morning Friends, I hope that you are all well and enjoying this week~hard to believe December is knocking at the door! Over the weekend, hubby took these with his phone, of the sunset one evening. They are grand!

I'm off to the gym and then to Pannera to get treats for a road trip I'm taking tomorrow.  Four friends and I will be leaving at 8:00 to head out to a Canyon to visit with a gal from my friend's church.  When I get home in the afternoon I'm taking three granddaughters out; one has her 10th birthday coming up, which means that Nana takes her out for a new outfit.  Two cousins are coming too-it's always more fun that way.
We are also heading to some friend's house for dinner; all this is to say I'm sure I won't get to post.  I may get some photos of the canyon and the gal's collection of antique clothing, furniture and quilts.
I hope you have a blessed day today!
Noreen

Happy Tuesday to you! It's hard to believe that so many days have passed since Thanksgiving. We were so blessed to have 19 at Carrie's home; what joy to share in the meal and more importantly the blessings of being with family. Due to the large number of us, Carrie sets up a small table for the younger grands complete with coloring pages, while our 4 oldest sit at the adult table.

Carrie always does such a wonderful job of setting everything up~however, I know her girls get in and help a lot.  In fact, all of our oldest grands are now cooking part of the meal.  Love it!

Love our family!

Will you just look at that food-it was so good.   As if that wasn't enough, we also had at least 4 desserts.  After we ate, we played some games and then later on had desserts.  It was a beautiful day outside so many of the kiddos enjoyed the sunshine.

We missed having my brother and sister of my heart with us and everyone thought of Carrie's mil, who was celebrating in heaven this year.
Now, our house it completely decorated and most of the presents have been purchased.  We are able to just enjoy the rest of the days leading to the Celebration of Christ's birth.  May you count your blessings along the way.
Joyfully,
Noreen

The Sound of Rain by Sarah Loudin Thomas

"Judd Markley is a hardworking coal miner who rarely thinks much past tomorrow until he loses his brother--and nearly his own life--in a mine cave-in. Vowing never to enter the darkness of a mine again, he leaves all he knows in West Virginia to escape to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It's 1954, the seaside community is thriving, and Judd soon hires on with a timber company". 

This the first book I've read by author Sarah Loudin Thomas and I have to say I loved it and was thoroughly impressed by her writing.  Having been to Kentucky, West Virginia and Myrtle Beach I was immersed with the story from the start.  When Judd is trapped in a cave-in at the mine and loses his brother to the disaster, I was caught up in the story.  I have loved West Virginia as well as Kentucky.  The characters were real, authentic, charming and warm.  When Judd moves to Myrtle Beach, he is so out of his comfort level and the area.  He quickly gets a job at a Timber Company and is recognized for his  hard work ethics and promoted.  He also strikes up a friendship with the bosses daughter, Larkin, which could be a mistake.  A hurricane hits the coast and he is thrown into a new type of disaster, along with the budding relationship.  When the bosses daughter shares her heart's desire to minister to the Appalachian people, he wonders if they'll ever find their way together.  There were so many twists and turns in the story and it kept me reading, wanting to see how the couples differences would play out.  I would rate this story a 10 star book.
Now that I've read one of the author's books, I'm anxious to read more of her writing.  
Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this book from  Bethany House, a division Baker Publishing Group.
No review, positive or otherwise, was required; all opinions are my own.  

From Our Home To Yours Happy Thanksgiving!

We will be gathering with our whole crew today, including in-laws, so there will be 19 of us.  We will enjoy Smoked Turkey, Roasted Turkey, Baked Ham, Potatoes, Yam Casserole, Vegetables, Salads, Rolls, Sparkling Cider and many desserts.  There will be games played afterwards and 7 or 8 grands will be coming home with us for a sleepover.  Black Friday is when I typically decorated for Christmas, but thanks to the helping hands of our two oldest granddaughters-ages 12, the house is done.  I don't like the crowds on Black Friday, so will probably hit the gym instead.  May you give thanks for all the blessings in your lives today.

With a grateful heart,

Noreen 

Happy Tuesday to you!  It's cold, dreary and rainy here today-the perfect day to stay inside.  Yesterday was so busy and I found some new jeans and a couple of tops for my hubby to give me for Christmas-yay!  Today started out early(I'm a bit tired) with joining my hubby as he went to Physical Therapy and then stopping by Home D*pot.  We have Stainless Steel appliances and the product I've been using to polish them just hasn't cut it.  I still get water drops etc., my neighbor mentioned she uses Steel Meister and it works perfectly; I thought since we were going right by there, we'd stop and get some. I haven't been able to find it anywhere else.  Got it home, was ready to try it out and their is no nozzle on the can-so back to the store I will go to get a new can.  I will probably go to the gym this afternoon, while hubby is playing golf-in the rain.  I am also starting to take down my Harvest Decorations and think about Christmas.  Two of our oldest granddaughters are coming over to help me decorate this week; I love having help with the tree and it goes so much faster.  We've always waited until Black Friday to decorate, but with grands willing to help, that's even better.
I've taken our turkey out to thaw and have all the ingredients of what we are taking on Thursday, so don't need to stress about that.
I hope you have a fabulous day!  Sending hugs your way.
Noreen

The Mountains Were Calling

Happy Monday to you!   I hope you had a great weekend.  We had a full day Saturday that started when I took three neighbors to a craft fair in her home-a beautiful 100 year old farmhouse that they renovated from the floor up.  I loved seeing her antiques and she had about 8 other gals-sisters and friends who had hand made items to sell.  Susie, the owner and previous owner of our house, is a quilter and so you can imagine there were lots of goodies for me to look at.  Her sewing room was so perfect, big and bright! One gal was selling pottery, another cards, some wood art(I almost bought a sign that said "The Mountains are calling and I must go"which is one of my sayings) and even some decorative Reindeer and a Snow Man made out of horseshoes.  It was so fun!  When I got home, hubby and I made a drive up to Estes Park to look for some Christmas presents and walk Main Street.  WE didn't see any Elk, which is unusual for this time of year and the tourist numbers weren't too bad either.  WE thought it would be jam packed but it wasn't.  Although we didn't find the gifts we were wanting, I got a few items.  Don't the Rockies look incredible.  It was a picture perfect day!
Yesterday was pretty low key~going to both daughters home's to say hi and talk about the holidays.
Today, I'm going to a gal's who is in my mini-group, so we can plan in detail the games we will play for our Christmas luncheon.  After that, I hope to hit the gym and then run by Macy's to look for some new jeans.  I live in jeans and with working out(aka trimming down), I need a smaller size.  I hit Kohl's and Old Navy yesterday, but didn't find any that would work.  O.k. so at Old Navy they only have 4 dressing rooms and there was a line; I just wasn't in the mood to wait.
It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is here already; I'll start taking down my Harvest Decor and putting up Christmas things-though I won't officially start until later this week.  On Thursday night, after our big dinner, we will have about 4-5 grands for a sleepover so the parents can go shopping.
I hope you have a fantastic day!
Joy to you.
Noreen

Butterflies Part 2

Happy Thursday to you! I am so thankful for the beautiful creation and world in which we live, including Butterflies. Here are the last of the ones hubby and the family saw last week.

I will be off walking this morning and then grands will be coming over for a short time.  I am so thankful that we live in close proximity to them!  I simply can't imagine how hard it would be if we were states apart.  Not that it couldn't happen and may eventually happen, but for now I'm so content.
I hope you have a great day and find many things that you are thankful for.
With gratitude for you!
Noreen

The Beauty of Butterflies

We are off to the gym and then running errands. I think everyone loves Butterflies and these are gorgeous. Hope you enjoy.

Have a great day!
Hugs,
Noreen

A Little Buggy

Happy Tuesday to you! Last Friday hubby joined our daughters and their kiddos and went down to the Butterfly Pavilion in Denver. They had such a great time and hubby was nice enough to take lots of photos for my blog-isn't he the best! First off, they went to the insect/bug area and most of the kiddos held "Rosie" the Tarantula; they call all of the spiders Rosie. Looking at the photos, you can really tell those that aren't afraid of spiders.

I know there are some budding photographers in our family who could have spent the entire day there, but there were several bus loads of school kids so they took advantage of lunchtime to see everything.
Yesterday I hit the gym, hard, first thing and then got three large Priority Mail boxes off to the quilt guild in Santa Rosa.  You would not believe how much the gals in my mini group donated-over 163 Fat Quarters, 52 12.5" squares, 8 bundles of 1-3 yards, 12 bundles of 1/2-1 yard fabric.  I know that it will help the guild make lots of Fire Survivor Quilts.  I'm so glad to have been able to do this little bit for my old home town.
Today I'm having coffee with my neighbor gals/walking partners/dear friends and not sure what this afternoon will hold.  Our weather is wonderful-sunny but a bit brisk.  It is hard to believe that in little over a week we will have Thanksgiving.  Then onto Christmas.
Enjoy each day, they fly by to quickly!
Hugs,
Noreen

Land of the Free because of the Brave

Officially Veteran's Day was Saturday but the legal holiday is Monday.  So very grateful for all those, past and present, who have served in the Armed Forces protecting our country and have sacrificed so much giving us the freedoms we enjoy.
Hug a Veteran today!
Noreen

Friday Fun

I love Friday's and today was no different.  While hubby joined our daughters and their kiddos going to the Butterfly Pavilion in Denver, I was busy at my mini group Nextdoor Quilters.  It was our monthly meeting; it's hard to believe that we have been gathering now for two years.  Last year I took a fancy dessert to celebrate(though I couldn't eat any due to gluten)and this  year I took a flower arrangement for the gal who started our group.  She is a love~who encourages, mentors, challenges, teaches and keeps us organized as well as always taking the notes of our meetings.  A friend asked if we just sit and stitch-nope, we all bring projects we finished the last month or so and the hostess feeds us as well as teaches us something new.  Love this group of gals; we've grown to 14 strong.  Different  personalities, styles and techniques-but we all love quilting.  Some of us have lots of our plates-such as blogging, reviewing books & dog treats, exercising and aren't as prolific as those who don't do anything other than quilt.  That's o.k. and it's what makes us all enjoy each other.
Last month I asked each gal to bring two or three fat quarters so I could send them to Santa Rosa for the Guild making Fire Survivors Quilts.  Prepare to be wowed-our gals brought in 163 Fat Quarters, 52 12.5" squares, 8 large pieces of fabric 1-3 yards, 15 1/2-1 yard piece of fabric.  Hubby and I tightly packed three priority mail boxes to be shipped tomorrow.  Due to the weight of the boxes, this was the best way to ship.
Tomorrow hubby and I will start out the day at the gym and then head to the mail store.  Not sure what else will happen afterwards, except I might start getting the games ready for our groups Christmas lunch.  I'm sharing the job with a dear friend and we will get together in another week and organize everything.  It should be a great luncheon, with games and a gift exchange.
Hard to believe Thanksgiving is just two weeks away and then Christmas.
Hope you have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Noreen

Dr. Tim's Natural Turkey Chips

As a #ChewyInfluencer, we get to choose a product each month for Hunter~it is a win-win situation. This month, in lieu of Thanksgiving, we choose Dr. Tim's Natural Turkey freeze dried treats. The service from Chewy is always immediate-we usually get the box within two days. Way to go Chewy! Hunter knows when the Fed-Ex guy comes to the door, the delivery is for him.

Here is the description of the treats: "100% real, USDA-inspected turkey hearts that are simply freeze-dried and nothing else, straight from Wisconsin. In addition to being rich in protein, turkey is also rich in other nutrients, including all B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12), folate, biotin, and choline. 

Key Benefits

• 100% all real, USDA inspected turkey hearts
• Rich in protein and all B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12), folate, biotin, and choline
• Great for treating, training reward or addition to the main meal
• All the nutrition and flavor of raw meat without the mess!
• Made in Wisconsin, USA        

As you can see, each treat is a very good size, larger than a quarter.

Hunter dancing nicely for a taste.

He loves them, we give these treats 4 paws and 10 stars.  I break them up to put on his kibble in the morning.    WE love Miss Natalie and the entire staff at Chewy.
You can go visit them here:  Chewy.com

Hunter would like more than one a day, but that is it.  You can feed them as they are or soak them in water and soften them.
CHEWY-In case you had any doubts, we are crazy about you.
Noreen and Hunter

Almost Done

Happy Wednesday to you. I spent yesterday inside, all day sewing~or at least a good portion of the day, but also did some cleaning. As I put this pic on the post, I realized that my picture taking abilities with the IPhone need to be improved, or at the least not rushed. I took the photo to send to my dear friend/quilting mentor/traveling companion Barbara, without any thought of posting it here. The top is not quite finished, I still have to put a 1" border on before I layer it and quilt it. I had thought to machine quilt it, but it is bigger than I anticipated-so it will be hand quilted. So much easier, faster and more enjoyable for me.  This was a kit I got in New England, to remember our trip by.  I love the pattern and fabrics; I did add some fabric from stash.

I had hoped to have it finished in time to enjoy before Black Friday rolls around, but now that is looking doubtful. I did finish hand quilting my four placemats and hope to get the binding on today; at least those will be able to stay out for a week or so.
This morning hubby and I will head to the gym; I can honestly say that while I don't get that rush from working out like many get from running, I do look forward to going(unless it is snowing outside).  I know that it will help my bones get stronger and benefit me in many different ways, especially during winter when the lack of activity shows in my weight.
I hope you have a great day today!
Joy to you.
Noreen

Welcome Winter

Good morning to you! This is what we woke up to this morning; I'm so glad I did my workout yesterday and that I can stay inside and spend a good part of the day sewing. I shoveled the back stairs, a walkway and a patch of grass for our Hunter-it was a good cardio workout. So I am hoping to get my wall hanging together today and possibly start machine quilting it tomorrow. I have my mini group on Friday and would love to have it together, especially since it is a harvest theme and I want to enjoy it before the season turns to Christmas decor. Whatever you have going today, I pray your day will be blessed.
Warm Hugs,
Noreen

Hancock Shaker Village, Part II

Happy Monday to you all. As I've stated before, historic homes and villages are my cup of tea. While I enjoy museums, I can only last so long~but give me living history, so to speak, and I'm all in.

The last photo of hubby and I, on this wonderful trip with our friends.  Unfortunately, as I've shared previously, the last three days were very stressful do to the wildfires in their city/our old hometown.  Thankfully, their home escaped damage, but we were all on pins and needles throughout the fires.

I only wish this photo was closer so we could use it for our Christmas card-oh well.  Love the colors.
I'm going to be working downstairs this morning and also heading to the gym.  I hope you have a fantastic Autumn day!
Hugs,
Noreen

Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield MA

Greetings on this first Thursday in November! It's cold and foggy here and we've already been to the gym. Hubby and I have our routing down~45-50 minutes on weights and then if we are feeling energetic we may add in a mile on the treadmill. I am hoping to hit the treadmill and possibly eliptical tomorrow-but we'll see. I skipped yesterday and will probably make it up on Saturday. We are winding down the photos from our trip, though today's photos are only half of what we have from the Shaker Village. I have to say, for me, this was a highlight on the trip.  I was surprised to find out that unlike the Amish, the Shakers did use power and modern equipment.  Hancock was founded in 1783. I  hope you enjoy.

A round barn-very interesting.

This was a quilt they were raffling off and I loved the quilting.

Such a incredible garden; they have volunteers that still work the farm.

What a laundry set up.

It was a wonderful Village.
Off to run errands, see you tomorrow.
Noreen