And Puppy Makes Five!

A new little puppy joins the family. While I do think Mom and Dad are crazy for wanting to have three dogs, she does look awfully cute and cuddly. I wish that we could meet her before Christmas--I hope she doesn't grow too much before then!

Having always had dogs around while growing up, it has been a lonely adjustment not having one these past few years since moving to the DC area. Someday we'll have a yard, and I won't have to be away at work 12 hours a day. The first thing I plan to do to celebrate is go adopt a puppy!

"The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too."- Samuel Butler

Friends' Blessing

Never underestimate the power of friends. Yesterday was a hard day: no seat on the metro, overload of stress at work, froze in the wind and cold waiting for Bill to pick me up, I forgot to thaw chicken for dinner, and I had to cook and clean for our Bible study coming over. Practically in tears, I had only fifty minutes to get everything done. I did, but I had to cheat with the food by making Pilsbury Doughboy cookies instead of from scratch.

Anyway, we had a great Bible study meeting! The six of us got into a deep discussion about heaven and hell (based on our reading of chapter six of The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel). I really love the way that we can wrestle with issues and not have a pat answer for everything. It challenges us to dig deeper into the Bible for answers and not to just take everything we read as the final word.

In addition to good study, we enjoyed good fellowship. I am so blessed to be a part of a group that can laugh and joke together as well as open up and share our thoughts. God took care of my needs through my friends, and at the end of the evening, I was refreshed and re-motivated.

Thanks to all in the Centreville Young Couples Bible Study (hey, we need to name ourselves something) for being great friends!

Just Around the Corner

Things have already been getting busy for the holiday season. I am going to start my cookie baking this weekend and I just finished all our Christmas party invitations. When I was counting the weekends until Christmas, I figured out how little time that I have to do Christmas shopping! I am really excited though, I love the holidays. Sometimes I am sure that I irritate people with how much "Christmas Spirit" I have; maybe I am the anti-Scrooge or Christmastime Pollyanna.

Fall is coming to a close: it is dropping from the 70s during the day today to the 30s tonight. Fifty mile-per-hour wind gusts are finishing off any leaves that are still on the trees. Time to do my final fall pruning in my garden, and prepare the plants for the cold.

One more week until Thanksgiving, which we are spending in Pennsylvania this year. Time to plan what to bring to the huge dinner Bill's mom hosts every year. Apple pie for sure, it was a big hit last time. I am excited to see all the nieces and nephews; Erika's one year birthday party is that weekend so we will be able to attend.

Finally!

We have our new dining room table. After almost 4 years of Bill and then Bill and I using our old table, we bought a new one. It is from World Market, and is called the Hatton Table in espresso finish. We didn't like the chairs that came with the Hatton table, so we substituted these instead. They are kind of Mission style I think. I put all the chairs and the table together all by myself because Bill was busy working on school. It was a lot of assembling and bolting; finishing it all gave me a nice sense of accomplishment. My new Crate and Barrell oak leaf and acorn place mats look excellent on the table. Slowly but surely our house is coming together! Next we need some more artwork for our bare walls.

Mid-Week Laughs

These pseudo-motivational posters are from this website. There are a lot more on it, check it out for some laughs.

Love at First Sight

Mom, are you knitting presents for people this Christmas? because I love this scarf! Here is the description from the website (jcrew.com of course!): "Extremely soft and luxurious mercerized wool yarn. Handknit in a traditional Aran cable pattern. Decorative fringe detail at ends. Import. Dry clean. 67"L x 7"W." I know you were saying yarn was really expensive, would it cost more to make it than the $50 they are charging for it online?

P.S. There are really cute matching gloves too.

Walking in an autumn wonderland

We have had the most perfect fall weather this past week and weekend. The air is fresh, breathe deeply and you smell fall. The leaves are finally at peak now--mottled red, yellow, orange, and rust mixed with the green. They are set against a most brilliant blue sky. The forest floor is carpeted with a fresh layer of leaves. They are still bright, not yet faded or trampled into the ground. I went for a long walk with Hayley yesterday in Eleanor Lawrence park, we walked and talked for about two hours. The trails were covered in leaves, the breeze lifted them in a dance, and the sun shone through the trees making them glow. Fall, the most fleeting of seasons, also visits us as the most breathtaking.

Late Fall Cooking

November already....

The days are shorter, nights are colder, and the air is crisper. We are having really beautiful weather that makes me wish I could spend more time outside, especially since it is dark when I get home from work now.

One of my very favorite things about the cooler weather is the food. I have been on a fall baking binge. Chicken pot pie, chili and cornbread, apple crisp, ginger bread--to name a few of my old favorites.

Two new recipies I discovered this season: Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting and Spiced Pumpkin Waffles. The waffles were really simple to make, and very tasty with lots of maple syrup drizzled on them. They also made the whole house smell very good because of all the spices in them. The cupcakes were more complicated, but well worth the effort!