Just thought I would share some of my favorite halloween vintage photos I love to look at. Isn't it great! This is the one night of the year we encourage our children to take candy from strangers...lol..!...

Well, my blogger buddie Shona has tagged a few of us to choose 10 things that we could impart upon our children. So, I have thought about a lot of things all day today. I read hers, and then read my sisters, who also was tagged.I think I have narrowed them down to 10. My words may not be as colorful or full of scripture , but they are filled with love, and the hope that I have raised my children well. I was a young mom at 18, and along with their father to whom I've been married to for 15 years we have tried our best to raise our children in a society that is filled with a lot of disrespect. Not to sound like I am an old lady, but kids nowadays are not the way attitude used to be. Out of these 10 things, the first 5 are for my children, the last 5 are what I pray they will be towards others. So here goes.
1) Love yourself.
2) Respect yourself.
3)Follow your dreams.
4)Don't let others take away your joy.
5) Always say thank you.
6a)Give to others.
7b)Love to others like you love yourself.
8c)Say kind words to others.
9d)Help others, and do it with a glad heart.
10e) Listen to what they say.

If you love and respect your mind, body, and soul, others will love, and respect you for who you are. Follow your dreams, sometimes you feel like you have nothing, but a dream is something to look forward to. Make it happen, do what you can to achieve that goal. Be anything you want to be. Cherish life, don't let other people rain on your parade and take away your joy and self respect.They are just bitter and jealous you have a dream, no matter how silly, it's yours, not theirs. Always say thank you, it shows you have love and respect and are kind towards others. Give to others like you would give to yourself. Something you have that may seem useless and not needed, is someone elses treasure. You may think those old clothes were once the ocean, could mean the world to someone else .Say kind words and try to not hurt people's feelings. It happens, your only human, but at least own up to it.Help those who need help. Sometimes just listening to someone who needs an ear, means more to them than you realize.By listening, you have helped them more than you know. Just be a good person, challenges will arise in life where you are put on the spot to do the right, or wrong thing. We all make mistakes. Forgive yourself,make an effort. Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort in your life makes all the difference.

Well, there you have it. Just a few simple things I pray I have imparted on my children. May not be much to some, but it was what I grew up on. I thought my parents were silly and irrational at times..." What the heck do they know? They are just parents."
Well, they are my parents and they are right. Now I find myself doing and saying the same things...lol...oh,mama (tears...) I think I just grew up. Love you!

As you can

see I am impressed with the last picture below in my blog with the trees in bloom and the....you know what on the ground....

I am watching my kids show there love to one another in a friendly little game of.....well, I'm not sure what little game it is,but I think the girl is winning!...lol...They are just goofing

around because I wanted a nice picture of us. When I said " Smile"....( sigh) another day I guess.

Well, for us up here winter is just around the corner. For my new blogger buddies, my husband Neil, is an electrition. These pictures he took with his camera phone while doing a job out at Ness lake. These people have a large house with a gorgeous view. So he took advantage of the moment and snapped a few shots. The lake was very calm that day.




The picture with the lake slide is actually the Bible camp that's out there. I did make the picture smaller, but there are children running around out in front of the building.

Just an absolutely peaceful day.
Then the wind came and blew all our leaves off the trees. Now everything looks.....blah. Empty and bare.We know the snow is coming, it usually does at least once before halloween. It's just wet snow that turns to rain and disappears after 2 days. But ol' mother nature is knocking on the door letting us know that winter is coming. And then this morning we woke up to .....THIS!!!!!!







AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! What a change in just 2 weeks. Oh well, it will be gone by morning it's trying to turn to rain now.
Well, I think I should go pull out my christmas tree.....kidding. I do however have to find my fat cat so we can do the traditional 'throw the cat in the snow'. Then it's official. This is just a peek at this white stuff that insist's on coming this time of year. Take care all...

Let me take you by the hand and teach you how to fly,
I'll hold you safe within my arms when you need to cry.

The love I have for you is more than I can bere,
Now don't you think it's a heavy load,
I am quite willing to share.



My love for you grows from deep within,
With every step you take,
My heart is never tired of watching, for I am proud of what we made.

I see you as a gift from God from your head down to your toes,
This is a treasure, a kind of love that only a mother knows.

Well, I came across a few other photo's while setting up the blog about my daughter. I thought maby I should do one about what a little 'mother' my son can be....no pun intended.
He is very carful around little ones and does everything he can to be aware for them. This is Brad guiding his cousin Jack under the net. Jack is so small he could just walk under it.
Here, Brad is passing on wisdom from a 9 year old's perspective......don't think Jack believes him..lol...
Warming up for 2010 olympic's! What a team, here they come!!! Gonna take the nation by storm!!! Well, puddle at least..lol !...
Here the team are again, 1 year earlier. Uncle Ryan , Bradley, and baby Jack....aawww that is so sweet.

Yes, Brad loves to love. Helps out whenever he can, tries his best at everything, and is a very good boy. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful children. I love them.

.....because I have to. lol!!!

Well, mom did a thing on her blog about her grandaughter Ashley. I was so touched when I read it, it brought a tear to 'me eye. It was all about how Ash is a little mother. She cooks , she cleans, and helps take care of her little brother, Bradley. I read it and cried, because I thought to myself, " Oh, Ma....you are so misled!".
Does she cook? Yup....a pot!!!lol..They are all burnt and tossed! I have none left!
Does she clean?...only when she has to. Putting one cup away does not constitute as 'cleaning'. Then she naps for 2 hours because 'it' was hard work.Does she take care of her brother?...
.....need I say more..?..

That is nothing but sheer trauma ladies and gentlemen!!!!!!!

All kidding aside, those two have been glued together since the day Bradley arrived.

The top picture is Ashley and her cousin Jack.The second is Ashley and Brad. The third is Ashley on the couch by the window and her friend Nichole on the other couch. The rest are Bradley, and the last is the two of them at 6 years old and 3 months old. I love my Babies!!!

....

Well, I said I would venture out and take some pictures of my house. This is the corner with all the scarecrows and the pumpkins out front. The sun is in the way right now so you can't really see anything except my daughter slapping one of the scarecrows!!! lol...she was getting him ready for his picture. I will wait and go when the sun is round yonder and get one of the whole house and yard. These photos were taken with my camera phone because I don't have a digital camera. I seem to have loaded the pictures funny, the one above my daughter was taken while driving...!...I know I know. The trees looked so pretty all in Autumn bloom, the left of the road has all the red trees. I missed those ones. The top picture I took also while driving, a large coyote was coming down that dirt trail to the left. Then he stopped and looked at me and ran back behind a bush off to the side so you can't see him that well. At first I thought it was a young wolf wandering around, but a closer look I knew it was a full grown coyote. Wolves are in the area but you have to venture out of town about 20 minutes to peek at them.

God made us all unique,Born in a world of talents, Giving us one each,Helping us all to balance.

But sometimes these are used wrong, Sometimes we forget to thank God, When in his arms we should belong, Singing and chanting," I love you God".

So let those who haven't found theirs yet, Tackle their way through life, Give them the joy of knowing they can't regret, In using for wrong and right.

Even when they are feeling low,And think there's no way out, We think we have no way to go, not knowing what you're about.

Finally we pull through, Because you're our only hope, We know it's you we'll never lose, You give us the strength to cope.

So as you made us all unique, Giving us different talents, Helping us to find one each, So we can truly balance.

By Brokenupside

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
Tonight is the final backyard fire of the season. I can't beleive it is that time of year. Family and friends are all coming out tonight. As long as the bears stay away, it will be a good night. The leaves have changed color, and the air is crisp, but the sun is shining. This is the perfect night for a fire. Have a blessed Thanksgiving to all!!

May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.

Psalm 25:21

To Autumn

O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stain'd
With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit
Beneath my shady roof, there thou may'st rest
And tune my jolly voice to my fresh pipe,
And all the daughters of the year shall dance!
Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.

"The narrow bud opens her beauties to
The sun, and love runs through her thrilling veins;
Blossoms hang round the brow of Morning, and
Flourish down the bright cheek of modest Eve,
Till clust'ring Summer breaks forth into singing,
And feathered clouds strew flowers round her head.

The spirits of the air live in the smells
Of fruit, and joy, with pinions light rove round
The gardens, or sits singing in the trees."
Thus sang the jolly Autumn as he sat,
Then rose, girded himself,and oe'r the bleak
Hills fled from our sight; and left the golden load.


William Blake, Artist and poet

" My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. That some people,unable to go to school,were more educated and more intelligent than college professors. "

Maya Angelou