exams, a blot, & tacky sweaters

The past week has been pretty busy for me, as I'm sure it has been for you as well. I spent most of last week studying for my final exams which were on Friday. It paid off, with a 100% score on my computer exam! It feels quite rewarding doing well in school.
On Saturday, we went to the annual blot. We've been attending the blot for the past 5 or 6 years. Our friends, Jaimie & Johnathan introduced it to us & doing a quick research, the "blot" (also called a Sumbel) is a pagan ritual. It's a pretty cool thing: Usually outside with a bonfire, everyone stands in a circle with a drink of choice. The first round is a boast, something you've accomplished that year. (Usually there are two rounds of a boast). The next one is a toast, where you toast to someone.. it can be anyone, anywhere. (sometimes there are two rounds of a toast) The final round is the oath, to something you want to work on or accomplish the next year. This year, we tagged it the Snow-Blot since it was snowing, which made the entire experience even more beautiful & unforgettable.

Sunday was Erica & Doug's tacky sweater party. I couldn't gather everyone up for the group photo, but here's most of us.

My sweater didn't seem tacky enough for me so I pulled out the hot glue gun & raided my Mom's decorations boxes. Terry was rockin' the Cliff Huxtable sweater cardigan we found at a thrift store.

Not everyone was sportin' a sweater though.


There was lots of incredible food & desserts, some singing & jam sessions, hula-hooping, & of course the award for Tackiest Sweater. There were no doubts who it should be. Meet Bradley. ;)

more december festivities

Saturday was the county's holiday parade. Terry & I met up with friends & some of my favorite little ladies (notice all the pink) at Southwind to watch it from the porch. The day had a dampness to it, but we had hot chocolate & coffee to help us keep warm. The parade began a little early after it started drizzling.

Hannah was so happy with her candy!

Sunday was the annual wreath-making gathering. This year it was held at Lynn's (who works at Southwind & makes jewelry) workshop. There were 13 of us, the most ever! We all brought different kinds of greenery, decorations, food, & wine/beer. Time flew by & we had a great time.


I didn't take a picture of my wreath.. it looks the same every year actually. But here are 2 of them that were made that day.

our uninvited guests

The past few months, we've had a raccoon couple that have taken a liking to our yard. They've made themselves right at home, climbing up the oak tree & having picnics on our dock (sitting in the adirondack chairs even). Slowly, we've noticed that they're growing more & more comfortable with us. They hear us on the porch & don't scurry away, they just keep on feeding off the acorns. Well, one night recently we could hear one of them right outside our door. And sure enough.. there he was. We took about 20 pictures, getting quite close to him at times. At one point Terry hit him (accidentally) with the screened door, but he never ran away!

He's a cute little guy though, isn't he? ;)

weekend wrap-up

We spent Saturday evening with a fire, Mexican food, & some unexpected snow at our friends Robie & Shane's. I try not to get my hopes up when "snow" is mentioned in the forecast. But sure enough, we saw a few flurries. It was lovely! Oh how I DO hope there's more in store for us the rest of winter.

Sunday was the Grand Illumination in Williamsburg. This was the 4th year we've made it & is definetly my favorite way to bring in the Christmas season. Met up with friends, drank much-needed hot cidar, admired the wreaths, & finished the night with the best fireworks ever. What a cheery time of year!

hollydazzle

Last night we went to Hollydazzle, which is a free holiday event with entertainment & activities. It all leads up to a spectacular fireworks display over the fountain plaza.

When we first arrived (after lucking out by getting a prime parking spot), I was feeling a bit overwhelmed being surrounded by the estimated 30,000 people. We waited in line for 30 minutes for a gyro, but were lucky enough that "Polar Express" was being shown on an outside screen near the line.

There were bands & carolers, playing & singing Christmas music. A firejuggler, train rides, & free crafts for children to make & take home.

After finding an open area on the grass, we felt more comfortable. Lilli was pretty tired all night, but once the BOOM of the fireworks started she was up & jumping around.

And they were definetly worth the wait & the congestion. I felt like a little kid watching them. Bring on more December festivities!

full of thanks

Today has been a busy, fun day. Now I must admit that when it comes to the food on Thanksgiving, it's not really my specialty. My job is always the same.. setting the table, doing any jobs that my mom throws at me, & then the final clean up. This was the first year in my parents' new home & there were 19 of us, including my grandma (dad's mom). We have plenty to be thankful for this year. Her doctors are holding her cancer "at bay", she's got her appetite back & spirits are high. It was wonderful to see!

My other grandmomma was ecstatic to be surrounded by her great grand-children. Having Layla & Landon here was nice since we don't get to see them too often. I loved watching the younger ones play "Tag" & practice cartwheels. The house was packed with family, loud with catch-up conversations, & filled with delicious smells. My cup runneth over.

oyster floats

We finally got a couple of used oyster floats from a friend (Mr. Renner, who also happened to be my 8th grade teacher) of Terry's mom. We've been talking for years about how we should get at least one float since we live on the water & it would save us quite a bit of money during these "R" months. ;)

They'll need a little work before being set. There are holes that will be patched with crab netting to keep out the Chespeake Bay blue crab, which is the main predator of oysters. In the spring, we'll buy spat (oyster seed), "plant" them in the floats & set them in Winter Harbor. It's about a 70% survival rate, so hopefully a year or two later, we'll have ourselves some decent sized oysters. I'll keep ya posted.

girls day

Yesterday, I spent the day with Erica & Lilli. Our first stop was to the Yorktown Market Days. Located on the York River, the market had a variety of local artists & the usual produce, meats, cheeses, & handmade soaps for a farmer's market. Since it was such a gorgeous day, the place was packed!


Walking around, I suddenly heard a familiar bluegrass sound & found that friends of ours, Runaway String Band, were set up playing music. Lilli was happy to sit on the hill & listen to them play.

After the market, we drove on the Colonial Parkway to Williamsburg, which was chock full of autumn colors.


Our next stop was to Holly Days, a holiday bazaar & craft show.

After grabbing some lunch, hitting a thrift store & Trader Joes, we headed home. It didn't take long for the busy day to take its toll on Lilli. What a fabulous way to spend a Saturday!

meet sam

* One heck of a dancer (even dances when my cell goes off)
* Gives great face expressions (as shown)
* Likes animals
* Loves music
* Will eat anything put in front of him, including hummus & tomatoes
* Wants to be outside more than anything
* Hugs other children by laying on top of them
* Is a great listener
* Uses his pointer finger quite often

Only two short months with this little man & already he's captured my heart.
I love my "job"!

"fall"ing in love

"Nature always wears the colors of the spirit" ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Every year as autumn is in full swing, I'll make the comment that this is my favorite time of the year. However, this time around feels even more special. My soul has been feeling a rejuvenation as one might feel in spring.

Maybe it's because of the wicked hot summer we had, when we only felt like being outside if we were sitting in some body of cool water. The past few weeks have been a welcome to just be able to throw on a light sweater to take a walk or simply sit out on our porch.

Maybe it's the delicious foods that autumn brings with her.. the pumpkin, kale, & squashes. Sweet potatoes could be on my dinner plate every night & I would never tire of them. All they need is a little butter & pepper. Mmm!

Maybe it's the beauty of the changing leaves. The glow from the sun hitting the reds, oranges, & golds off the trees with the deep blue sky background keeps a smile on my face & a warmth inside.

I'm wrapping my arms around these wonderful, fall days to keep them with me for the cold winter months ahead. How have you been enjoying this time of year?

a sunday afternoon drive..in autumn

a grown up halloween

As Halloween approached this year, the feeling of excitement wasn't there like the past few years. And I think it was because I slacked on my costume. Oh, ideas came & went.. and thrift shopping days came & went. So we ended up borrowing a Little Red Riding Hood & wolf costume from my friend Gwen last minute. They were actually her parents from the 80s & boy! with that color of red, you could tell. Ha! We always get together with friends to dress up before we head out. This year Erica decided to be Jerry Garcia, taking home 1st place Saturday night at the Southwind costume contest.

Sunday, we went to a Scorpio party (in our circle of friends, there are plenty of Scorpio-s). After eating some venison chili, quiche, pumpkin dip, & other delicious foods we all headed out down the road to take the children trick-or-treating. What fun that was! And Sail Cove is quite the happening spot for it, too. We ended Halloween night with a walk through a small haunted trail. The "Jason" guy freaked me out even more than 3 yr. old Lilli.
Gotta add a picture of Carys, my little witch.

a thursday sunset

dreamin' of homesteading

The first time I saw a Mother Earth News magazine, the cover drew me in. The contents inside were inspiring and enlightening and kept me wanting more. So since then in 1997, almost every subscription has graced my mailbox.

Homesteading has been in my constant interest for years.
One of my dreams is to live off the land as much as possible.

Reading through this Farmama's blog amazes me more & more with each new post. She spends her days working hard to live "closer to being self-sufficient".

Having never acutally worked on a farm before, I do feel as if I'm cut out for it. Dirt & sweat don't bother me. (However I do have an issue with some insects). My 19th summer, I worked at a local paper mill where my dad was employed. Instead of signing up for the cushy desk job where most of the girls went, I opted for the hard hat & steel toe boots. There was lots of safety yellow painting & being put in some smelly, dark places.

We have a garden now (& also compost), that I don't tend to since Terry & his family keep up with it. I just get to reap the benefits. But adding chickens, a goat, & a bigger garden would be a great start.
I imagine taking my veggies, fruits, & herbs to our local farmer's market. Selling eggs, knitting projects, & maybe even honey (sure.. let's get some bees, too).

We all have dreams. Or I think we all should anyway. And I know this dream of mine will slowly come true.

a fall, (almost) full moon, friday fire

Since last night was a clear night with an almost full moon, we decided to have some friends over for a fire. We gathered up our cardboard (i know..burning it isn't very environmentally friendly, we probably should shred it for our compost pile) and a truck load of wood.

The moon was bright, the breeze chilly, but the fire kept us warm. No flashlight was needed for the walk on the dock. Across the creek, there were signs of another group of folks enjoying the autumn night. I am loving this time of year!

an outer banks wedding

Our friends, Candace & Tony, got married this past weekend in Kill Devil Hills. I went to high school with Candace, but we never spent any time together. Since she started dating Tony, we've become closer & I'm grateful for it. She is a fun, care-free, positive woman who also happens to be a great mama to 2 well behaved boys.

Candace had asked me to take pictures at the wedding. And even after I told her that I had no camera, she borrowed one from a friend for me.
The day of the wedding, the weather was perfect. Blue sky, slight breeze.. upper 60's. The bride & groom never seemed to stop smiling.

Dancing, delicious food, wine & beer, toasts, cake, & even a couple of boys "falling" into the pool.. Yes, it was a great time!
I have to throw one in of me & Terry, mostly to document his tie attire. ;)

For the weekend, we stayed with a few friends at a time share on the ocean. Not a bad place at all, to enjoy my morning coffee.