Lest I Forget

I knew the minute I saw the pictures on Jamie's blog that my kids would love the idea. In less than a minute, they raced up the stairs for their books and Polly Pocket dolls. At the moment, they are designing a 6 level hotel on the fireplace hearth. The phrase "this is so awesome" has been uttered by Jack no less than 10 times in the last 10 minutes. I think it is awesome too. A big thank-you to Jamie and her kids! Complete with a helicopter landing pad on the roof. Jack's creativity is not limited to dollhouse building. Look at his fire boat. The funny thing is that this morning I was having an actual panic attack about the clutter in the house. Mere hours later, here I am, encouraging all kinds of clutter and mess. They are happy, though we really do need to do some schoolwork. I needed a little perspective and Jamie provided it. For that I am truly thankful.

Outside my window... a brilliantly blue sky and crisp cool temperatures. The trees are nearly bare, with the last lonely leaves hanging on, the wind trying its best to shake them from their branches. The day looks just like the lovely ones from this weekend, when we spent our Thanksgiving with Tony's family. All his siblings excepting his oldest sister were able to gather at his mother's house. The cousins all took advantage of the mild breezy days and ventured up to the park. Having not seen each other for quite some time, they quickly bonded and had a wonderful time. Therese formed quite an attachment to her 12 year old cousin Luke, whom she affectionately called "Alley-Oop". He tolerated it quite well.   I am thinking...  about outward appearances and the truths that are often hidden. Not that I want anyone to suffer, yet it is somehow comforting to know that you are not the only one.  I am thankful for....  ...my family. ...for answered prayers. I g

We went back to Williamsburg today. Today was another extraordinary day, with temperatures in the 70's. Tomorrow's forecast is rainy and the temperature won't reach much more than 50 degrees. I figure that we should enjoy a last hurrah before the cooler weather settles in. Never mind that the washing machine decided to stop working this morning. Tomorrow seems like the perfect day to call a repairman. I promise there are not nearly so many photos. Waiting for dad to finish talking with the gunsmith. Still waiting, in black and white. How many kids can you fit in one stroller? I love fall.

After Mass with our new priest from East Africa (I think I am really gonna like him!), and a quick stop at a quick-food joint (my kids could not believe we stopped there), we drove the short distance to Colonial Williamsburg to spend the day honoring all Veterans. What do they see? Why is Anna pulling Jack's shirt protectively? It is a bull with some of the most impressive horns I have ever seen. Of course I had to show you the chickens. I love chickens! The man they are listening to was one of my favorites of the day. He got you thinking and guessing about how the farm operated. He has found his hands and loves to chew on his fist. He was a perfect angel yesterday. The tobacco leaves smelled so good! The man was showing us how they dried it and the smell was earthy and delicious. All that wood you see are shingles they use on the buildings there. Anna took this one. I need to show her how to focus and zoom in on your subject.

I just discovered that is nearly impossible to take a picture of yourself modeling a hat. My slouchy hat did not come out the way I wanted. My old hat fit perfectly. This new one, not so much. I even tried blocking it over a pyrex bowl with no better results. Here is Anna modeling it for me. I have nothing new to knit and I feel lost. Just wandering aimlessly through the ravelry patterns, hoping to stumble upon just the right thing. I did pick up a book again that I started a long time ago. It is "One Heart Full of Love" by Mother Teresa. Glad I found it under a stack of books gathering dust on my nightstand. Did I mention before that Anna and Therese have started taking gymnastics? Anna is loving every minute of it. Therese's class requires me to participate. I was not sure how that would pan out since I have to have Peter in tow. The owner of the gym is an angel sent straight from Heaven. She took Peter that first week and every week since and plays with