Homeschool Conference!!!


Look at all those beautiful little feet two people can create!

Look at all those beautiful little feet two people can create!

Saturday, November 30, 2013

#NaPhoPoMo Day 28...100% IN LOVE

What a marvelous and perfect morning I shared with my darling little girls...
they worked, very happily, 
right alongside me 
cooking, baking, decorating 
and setting places for 24 for dinner...
We danced and sang to 
Christmas music ringing through our home!

This was truly a day of 
Thanksgiving
and a day I won't soon forget!

I am 100% 
IN LOVE
with being the MOM!!!

#NaPhoPoMo Day 27...Love you forever

I went into my sons room early this morning to wish him Happy Birthday...

I sat on the edge of his bed just looking at him,
his soft baby face
has grown into a handsome,
well-defined, 
stubbly, whiskered face.
I quickly pictured one of my favorite books,
I Love you Forever...
my mind went to the pages of the momma holding her son who had grown and grown and grown...

I secretly wished to pick that darling son of mine up and rock him again 
just as I had so many countless nights of his life.

Knowing that I never passed up a moment to rock that sweet boy
or to hold him each and every time he wanted brings me so much happiness.

Seventeen years goes by so quickly...
I still remember holding that little, tiny 6 pound baby in my arms.
I remember checking every finger and toe,
I will never forget the doubt I had of myself that I could be a momma to a boy,
what would I do with a boy???
Little did I know two more boys would follow so quickly...

He was just so perfect, so wonderful, so cuddly, so heart warming...
I could have never imagined that this baby boy 
would have grown into the amazing young man he has become.

And true to that wonderful story that I love so much,
I think it would be easier for him to pick me up 
and rock me at this point in life 
than for me to pick him up...

Life is wonderful and abundantly full!
And I am richly blessed because of all these amazing children...
AND
I found that I've done pretty okay 
at being a Momma to boys and to girls.

Life may have been a little dull without all the heart attacks my boys have given me!

Time for the 

Day 27 PHOTO

We took our family to Buffalo Wild Wings to celebrate...


I saw this crazy chicken on the wall 

and just knew that was 
THE SPOT
to capture the Happy Birthday photograph!


So glad he's a good sport!
I tried to get him to move this way and that so I could make the picture just a little more perfect,
but thought I might be pressing my luck and took what I could get,
with a smile and all!

Happy Birthday Myles...I LOVE YOU!!!





#NaPhoPoMo Day 26...Just another day

You can laugh
or
You can cry...

I choose to laugh!

Woke up to
THIS...


I just stood in the hallway,
my mind trying to figure out WHY
all the coats and jackets were laying on the floor instead of hanging on the wall where they belong...

Not sure why I couldn't grasp what had happened,
I just stared...
I kind of wanted to cry
(but only for a moment)
and then I was okay.

I just kept repeating to myself,
"They REALLY were TRYING TO HELP..."

Gotta love those kiddos of mine
that hang
and hang
and hang
and hang
and hang
until the coat hooks can no longer hang.
;)

Good lesson for all of us that one little rack cannot hold 50 heavy coats and jackets.
Glad for a hubby that got right on it...
good as new again!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

The Challege ~ GF Dinner Rolls for Thanksgiving Dinner!

I'm always up for a challenge!

I have finally perfected a bread recipe 
that I have pretty much fallen in love with,
(Because of that,
I don't cook it all that often...
I really don't need to eat a whole loaf in one setting, 
and believe me, 
it's that yummy, I just might be tempted!)

Well...bread is great, but it's not PERFECT
when it comes to a Thanksgiving FEAST,
so...

I did a little playing around and came up with 
a Super Yummy GF Dinner Roll Recipe topped off with Cinnamon Honey Butter!
Is your mouth watering yet???  It should be...so, so good!!!

Here we go...

2 C GF Mix *
1 C Featherlight Mix *
1/3 C Sugar
2 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp salt
3 tsp yeast
1/4 C Veggie Oil or Olive Oil **
(I prefer the veggie oil as it does not have a powerful flavor)
1 1/4 C Hot Water
2 tsp rice vinegar
3 eggs

*  Recipes for flour mixes found here
** Side note:  IF I were to be making these for an event other than Thanksgiving, and I wished for a little more flavor in my dinner rolls, I would definitely use Olive Oil and then I'd toss in a tsp or two of my favorite Italian seasonings...yummmm!

In the bottom of your mixing bowl 
( love my kitchen aid )















combine your flours, sugar, xanthan gum and salt.
Then pour the yeast right on top BUT DON'T MIX IT IN!

Just let it sit there for a few while you
grab another bowl,
(I love to use my big Pyrex measuring bowl for this step)

Combine your hot water, oil and vinegar
(yes, it can be hot, because it cools with the oil and vinegar)

Pour this over the top of your yeast 
and set the timer for 3 minutes.
Don't mix, just let it staring working its magic.
After 3 minutes you can start to mix on low speed, then add eggs.  
Mix until well combined.
Set your timer, again for 3 minutes, and beat on high speed.

While the dough is doing it's thing, 
get out 2 cupcake/muffin pans
and grease generously.

About the time you are done with that,
your timer should be beeping away...
...stop the mixing,
scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl,
and this is what you should have.
It will be a bit gooey.  
(Not at all like regular Bread Dough)





















Fill the muffin cups to about 1/2 full...
like so ~ 



















This recipe will fill 2 pans,
yielding 24 dinner rolls.
















Allow to rise for 45 minutes...
they will reach the top of the cup and maybe even just a bit more.

While they are rising,
set your oven to 350
making sure to have your oven rack in the middle.

If it's too low, they just don't cook quite so nicely,
yes, I found out the hard way.  Darn it!

Once they have risen nicely, 
pop 'em in the oven for 18-20 minutes...
mine come out pretty perfect at 19 minutes.
The tops will be golden, in fact, they are pretty golden all around.

Tip them out on your cooling rack and 
















serve with cinnamon honey butter!
Cinnamon Honey Butter is a cinch to make ~
and it's perfect for Thanksgiving!

1/2 C Butter
1/4 C Honey
1 tsp Cinnamon

Combine and whip until light and fluffy!

BONUS:
IF you are looking for a flaky, delish PIE CRUST...search no further,
I've got one for you here!

Wishing you each a beautiful day 
filled with all that foods 
that make your 
taste buds do a happy dance!!!

Monday, November 25, 2013

#NaPhoPoMo Day 25...Amazing Co-Op Kiddos!

* * *   Day 25   * * *
is the perfect day to say just how much
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE AND ADORE
all the kids that join us
for co-op classes in our house each week.

Our homeschool world
is AMAZING
BECAUSE
we are surrounded by such wonderful people!

I love the concentration of the kids faces as they try their hand at
"Target Practice" in the classroom!

























Humanities Class
is filled with all sorts of surprises!
It was time for a little study of WEAPONS...
Bows and Arrows were high on the list!

Bows fashioned from rubber bands proved to be pretty fantastic!
Bobby pins make for some mighty fine arrows...
hard marshmallows were quite a blast
and dry beans could fly and hit harder than all the rest!

LOVE these KIDS
and LOVE our Co-Op!!!

#NaPhoPoMo Day 24...Twinkling of Lights

IF I were in charge of the world...

Guess what I'd start with???

It's pretty simple,
and I'm guessing most people would agree 
and love it just as much as I would...

I would ask that ALL trees be lit
ALL
YEAR
LONG...

There is just something magical 
about walking along under 
the twinkling of lights above you...

Don't you just want to be right smack in the middle of all this wonderfulness??? 

Beautiful lights,
 sweet man at my side,
and a hot cocoa in my hand
what could possibly be any better than this???

Perfect choice for Day 24!

#NaPhoPoMo Day 23...My Happy Man

I love this photo so much...
there were several that I snapped
of this man of my dreams...
BUT THIS ONE




















just speaks volumes about who he really is deep inside...
he is just fun
and he makes me laugh!
He is always quick to laugh...
He knows when to take life seriously and when to enjoy it.
Life with him is pretty magical!

Here he is blowing his horn during a recent birthday party...
how many men do you know that can laugh and giggle with their wife doing silly non-sensical things like that???





















Well, he does
and I am so grateful that he's willing to be a total goofball right alongside me!

So Day 23 is for this sweet man of mine
who keeps me smiling
with that smile of his
that I absolutely adore!

And then I drove into a ditch...

True story. 
News from our Missionary daughter...
I didn't drive into the ditch  :)  
She did!


I was driving home from Walmart right after emailing y'all last week, and along came an ambulance. 

Being the good citizen I am, 
I pulled off to the side of the road. 
Well there was a semi truck on my left and the ambulance wasn't going to fit! 
So I pulled up a little bit and decided to pull off just a *little* bit into the field next to me. 

That was no field next to me. 

It was a sneakily hidden ditch!!! 
Who mows their ditch the same length as their grass?! 

Anyways, only my one tire fell off the road, 
and I didn't want to scratch the frame, 
so I called the vehicle coordinator, 
and he had me try a few things, 
but we decided that to save the car from scratches, 
we'd just call the elders and wait for a few minutes so they could pull us out. 

Well, then the help came. 
And came. 
And came. 
12 people came to help, 
and a billion yelled out the windows driving by to ask if they could help. 
(turns out that if you want help, 
wear the pinkest, 
polka dottiest outfit 
you can find 
and stand on the side of the road 
without a coat. 
Everyone pulls over when you look that helpless) 

And boy did those 12 people help! 
They helped me right into the ditch!!!! 
Now we were really stuck, 
and the two cops who had pulled over, 
they were mad at me. 
And it wasn't even my bad! 

Well then the Spanish Elders came to save the day. 
There was a Spanish 13 year old baptized last Saturday, and his parents own a tow truck! 
So they called them, and they came and pulled us out... FOR FREE! 
Being a missionary is the best! 
The good news is that there was no damage to the car...
until after I left the area. 
Theeeennnn..... 
I left 
and Sister Stradling 
had to replace the tire the day I left. 

Oops. hehe :) 




















So transfers were this week! 
(Picture above is with her companions the day of transfers...
Sister Stradling,in the middle, is the one who had to replace the tire after Danielle's transfer...good thing they love each other so much!)
I am now in Eldersburg with Sister Anderson, and we have SO MUCH FUN! 















(Sister Anderson is on the left)















(And in this photo, she's on the right...Danielle thinks she is just darling!)

This area is so diverse, so many cultures! 
I learned this week that African food is MAJOR SPICY! 
But yummy! 
I'm excited for it! 
Half my area is in Carroll County, and it's fun and normal, and the other half is in Baltimore County, and is so different and feels big to me. But it's fun! I'm learning a ton, 
(and no worries, we are totally safe!) 

Also, I walked into a baptism for a wonderful lady named Isata Munu. It was so wonderful to see her make that big step and feel so good inside. 
I can't even wait for all the work that Sister Anderson and I have to do here! 
It's gonna be super duper fun!! 

Do me a favor, 
say an all gratitude prayer each morning. 
Don't ask for ANYTHING
just be grateful

Then report back to me and tell me how stinking awesome it was. I'll do it too! 

Love you all!! 

Happy Thanksgiving, stuff yourself silly! 
Sister Lytle

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Commenting...

I am soooo sorry!!!

I am hearing from MANY of you that you cannot comment on my blog...
I will be doing my best to figure out WHY???

Until then, thank you for reading
and THANK YOU
for your patience with me!

If anyone has any great advice for me, I'd love it!
email is LytleMomma@gmail.com

#NaPhoPoMo Day 22...My Daddy!

Day 22 
of this photo posting journey
definitely deserves to be all about 
MY DAD!

His 66th birthday was on the 21st.
We celebrated his life with him a day later 
when all the family could gather together.


I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY love this man!
I love how time has softened his heart.
I love the beautiful memories I have of him
and with him.
I love that he lives close and that I am blessed to be able to see him.

I grew up with a man who provided 
an amazing example of hard work and dedication,
he did what it took, at all times.  
He was and is a perfectionist...
only the best was good enough for him.  
He was always especially hard on himself,
always wishing to be better or do better.
If it wasn't perfect,
it wasn't done.
And he would work like a crazy man until he was finally satisfied with the outcome.  
His example taught me a lot of things 
and I know I am who I am, in part, because of him.  :)

I grew up with a man who, 
despite his difficult childhood,
did his very best to be the very best Daddy he could be.

There are so many magical memories 
that he is such a big part of for me:
camping, 
fishing, 
bike rides and picnics,
baseball in the backyard, 
motorcycle riding 
and snowmobile riding...

YES, he tried to turn me into a boy!

It didn't work out too great for him.
But I gave it my best shot!
I was always willing to be his side-kick, 
I made for a pretty fine tomboy!
(Which has come in pretty handy 
having all these boys of mine!)

I still have a very special note 
he wrote to me 
on one of the most difficult days of my life,
it simply read, "I love you" 
He had placed it on my pillow...

I knew the tenderness that was in his heart; 
he didn't often allow that part of him to show, 
but he knew deep down when it was most needed 
and he came through with flying colors!!!

I love you Dad...
AND I REALLY LOVE
the man you have become!!!

Now blow out all those candles...
we've got a party to get to!

Friday, November 22, 2013

#NaPhoPoMo Day 21...Where is my cape???

Those who know me well 
know that I am not much of a t-shirt wearer.
But this morning, it just sounded like a comfy option for clothing.

I went to my closet and pulled out a t-shirt that is filled with so many wonderful memories and quickly slid it over my head, not giving much thought to the words sprawled across the front.

I laughed to myself
and at myself
as I saw my reflection in the bedroom mirror.
I stopped and had many thoughts cross my mind.
Unfortunately, I doubted the words that I wore across my chest.

This is the shirt I chose this morning...

SUPER 
HEROES
Faithful & Fearless

There are very few days
 that I would say 
I feel even the slightest resemblance to 
a SUPER HERO.
And that whole "faithful and fearless" part,
well, I'm quite lacking there.
Working on it, but have a ways to go.

Lost in my own thoughts,
I left my room and walked into our classroom.
Much to my delight,
I found PROOF 
that I really AM 
a SUPER HERO!  
Yes, it's true...
where is my cape???



What I do in this life may seem small in the eyes of some,
But in the eyes of those who mean the very most,
I pretty much ROCK!
They don't seem to see my faults;
that, or they are very kind in excusing them.
If I were to ask them,
I am certain
they would believe me to be 
Faithful
and Fearless!
I can see it in their eyes!!!

I AM A SUPER HERO 
to the little ones I brought into this world!

AND
I am totally 
and completely 
LOVED!

Okay,
I will take the title!!!
AND I will wear it proudly!

I am Super
and 
I am a Hero
BECAUSE
I am a MOM!!!

Now, what about that fancy cape?!  
I am pretty sure I could totally rock 
the Super Hero Look!!!
;)


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Train Your Mind...

Yeah, do that!
 I promise,
you will be so happy you did!

This is something I work REALLY, REALLY HARD at...
and when I begin to fall short,
little things come along 
to remind me 
that I am missing the most important part of life.

Here's to seeing the good in everything...
 Beauty and Good will be there
looking right-back-atcha!

#NaPhoPoMo Day 20...Beauty is all around!

It's so true that all we need do is open our eyes
and take a look around...
there is an abundance of beauty to be found!

The morning started out quite rainy.
As the day progressed, it slowly began to clear.
I was driving about,
taking kids here and there and everywhere
when I finally looked toward the mountains...
I had to find a quick place to pull over
to snap a shot of what I was seeing...
My kids think I'm a little crazy sometimes,
but they are beginning to embrace my love for finding the beauty and the good in all that surrounds us...

Absolutely Breathtaking, if you ask me ~
I was so disappointed that I didn't have my nice camera in the car,
just my phone,
but it works in a pinch!
This was a sight much to worthy to go without capturing...

I love how the clouds have all gathered together so low to the ground,
rising up the mountain side.
And what a magnificent thing to see ~ snow resting along the peaks of the mountains
with that turbulent sky above.

And smack dab in the middle
is this plane rising ~
oh, to have been in that airplane this morning!
I have to wonder,
did the passengers look out their windows to notice the beauty
or were they too busy in their own thoughts too really see?

National Photo Posting Month has helped me to step out of myself a little more,
out of my own little world,
and into a much, much bigger world
where I am surrounded by awe inspiring sights each and every day!

Thank you so much to Chookooloonks for the inspiration!!!
I am LOVING it!  :)




Tuesday, November 19, 2013

#NaPhoPoMo Day 19...Word Count = Cupcakes

Our  AMAZING CO-Op kids have been working on their
NaNoWriMo stories for the
Young Writers Program...
these two kiddos have reached
and exceeded the half way point in their stories.

THE REWARD ~ Chocolate Cupcakes!
WORD COUNT = Treats!
Happy, Happy Day for these two crazy kids!















You'd have thought it was an entire CHOCOLATE CAKE...
the other kids in class were feeling a little cheated
and a little inspired to finish...

Truly cracks me up that kids will write
 thousands and thousands of words
for a simple chocolate cupcake ~ LOVE IT!

And I cannot wait to read the work they've produced.
Now, I need to get busy before they all pass me by!!!

Monday, November 18, 2013

#NaPhoPoMo Day 18...Slug Bug Row!!!

So, I pulled into a parking lot and what did I see???

Two slug bugs
parked right beside one another!
And guess what I did???

Yep, I parked right next to 'em!
Just couldn't help myself!
That empty spot was calling my name,
totally meant for my sweet little car!

And then guess what I did?
Yes, I jumped out,
phone in hand,
took a quick look around
and snapped a photo!

How often do you get lucky enough to see three slug bugs parked right next to each other?

My kids would have been havin' a hay day with this one...
slugs all around!!!

Day 18 ~ 
Lucky, lucky me... 
the adorable yellow one is mine!



















OOPS ~ I almost forgot!
Slug Bug Green, Slug Bug Blue, Slug Bug Yellow...
GOTCHA!!!  ;)

I'm gonna have a "Grand-Trainee" (News from Danielle)

That's right! 
My sweet companion is going to be training this week!! 
Which is SO EXCITING/SO HEARTBREAKING! 
I don't want to move away from her, 
and I'm going to miss her sooooo much 
(I guess that's what happens when you spend 12 weeks within sight and sound of a person haha- 
you're either going to be crazy wanting to get away or heartbroken that it's ending!) 

(Danielle is being transferred this week...)
Before we move on with her letter, I just have to share a few photos I received last night from one of the families she has been with for the last few months.  



The bottom photo is my favorite of these...I LOVE that she is doing what she desires most to do...
She looks truly happy and that makes my heart happy!!!
Back to Danielle now ~ 

Eldersburg is about to be renamed 
"Sisterlytlesburg". 
(feel free to refer to it like that.) 
(Yes, we've raised CRAZY kids...she might just be the craziest one of the bunch!)
I leave Wednesday morning, and will be there that evening. 
I'll be living in Sykesville, but my area is called Eldersburg. 
Look at this darling little place she will be living in...
I love that she is seeing all this amazing history...
can't wait for the day we get to go back with her for a visit!  
This is the Main Street through town ~ Lucky, Lucky Girl!


















It's nearish to Baltimore. 
But I cover the good area of it and the Elders get the sketchy half of it :) yay for elders! 

It's going to be craaazy!! 
I'm so excited! 

Oh! My other Companion is getting sent to Mt. Airy, so all three of us are getting split! 
But it will be fun. 
We'll have so many more stories to tell each other later :) 

Well, this is CRAZY short! But I will have lots of good stories to tell next week. I love you all!! 

Quote of the week:
*knock knock knock*

"Hi, are you Kristen?"

"No... I'm not really anything. I don't go to a church."

"Umm...okay, 
well, I'm Sister Lytle/Stradling/Hendrix"

"Hi, I'm Karen."

"Oh... you thought I asked if you were Christian. I promise I don't have a lisp..."

Love you! 
Sister Lytle

Sunday, November 17, 2013

#NaPhoPoMo Day 17...Books

Day 17 
is dedicated to all of my friends
who LOVE books
and the places they take us!!!

YOU are all so inspiring to me...
thank you!!!

Saturday, November 16, 2013

#NaPhoPoMo Day 16...Family Drives

For Day 16, I chose a photo that I shot while we took our family out for the day.

We have always LOVED packing the kids in the car and just heading out...
no destination in mind, it really is all about what we can see along the way.

I am famous for yelling out,
"STOP, I NEED a photo of that!!!"  

My darling hubby (and now my darling boys) oblige me every time...
they quickly bring the car to a stop
and even back up for me if we've passed by "the thing" I just had to see.

This was just one of those things that I had to have in my memory bank.

Not sure why I love the Rolled Hay like I do...
I'm sure my hubby could come up with some smarty remark, but we'll just not go there.  ;)

Anyway, my photo for Day 16...
























Don't you just LOVE the peaceful serenity this depicts???
The sun was just setting over the mountains in the distance,
there was a touch of mist in the air
and as I took the photo, there was hardly a sound to be heard...
aahhh!

I think I could have sat there for hours,
leaning against the hay looking out over the pastures...
maybe, just maybe,
I am due for a quiet day or two.  :)

Friday, November 15, 2013

#NaPhoPoMo Day 15...Bittersweet Moments

My kids ( the four youngest )
were begging me to take them back to see our old house.
We were just down the road this afternoon...they've asked so many times and I've always made an excuse why we couldn't go...today there really wasn't a valid excuse.

It is sitting empty.
It looks so abandoned, so unloved.

It was once the dream
my husband and I had for our children,
for our future...

I had pictured us sitting on the front porch in our rockers when all the kids were grown and we had grown old together.

We were going to be there forever...
forever doesn't always last as long
as we sometimes think it might.

I gave in to the kids,
knowing it would be difficult.
But also knowing it might be our last chance for them to really see it again.
It will likely be home to another family at some point.

We went over,
driving down the roads that were all too familiar,
turned into "our driveway"
made our way down the lane and to the back of the property...

We passed the willow trees that had once been home to an amazing tree fort built by my boys,
looked out over the pasture where our horses had once grazed,
drove around the circle drive that sits in front of the house and the shop
and stopped...

I took in a deep breath
and just looked around...
the kids all jumped out
and as they ran to the back yard and to the creek
tears ran down my face...
it was like we had never left.

The girls quickly found their way to "their tree"
and were up and giggling together just like they always had...


























I had to snap a photo to capture the joy that this home still holds for us
and the sadness that it also holds...we miss our little paradise.

I finally called all the kids back to the car after taking in all that my heart could take.
They came and one by one, begged me once again.
This time begging for us to move back home...
to find a way to buy our house again.

I smiled so they wouldn't see me cry
and simply said, "It was a wonderful home, I loved it, too."

"Now, let's go home..."


#NaPhoPoMo Day 14...Math turned Limbo!

Little kids are truly the greatest!!!

They just know how to have FUN...

We were doing measurements all over the house during the Math co-op class I teach for the younger kiddos...
measuring everything from the span of their arms
to the height of a desk
to the width of a door
and the thickness of a book...

We made our way into the front room to do measurements of the height and width of the door,
which NATURALLY turned into a fascinating game of Limbo...
These kids can ROCK Limbo and Measuring!!!

Who says a measuring tape is only for measuring???
Leave it to a group of creative kiddos to come up with this!

What a fun day!

Day 14


















As you can tell from my the facial expression of my friend, Marissa, we were mighty impressed at their flexibility...
if only I could still do such things!  :)

Since I can't, I'll stand behind the camera and cheer 'em all on!!!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

#NaPhoPoMo Day 13...Sparking the Creative Juices!

For DAY 13
I had to snap a photo of all the
creativity November has held for me so far.

Well, a sampling of it anyway.  ;)

There are so many options available to help us spark those creative juices within...
I've taken on a couple and I am LOVING it!

I have TOTALLY embraced this whole 
#NaPhoPoMo thing...
for those not having the foggiest...
it is National Photo Posting Month.  
And you can learn more about it in this post.

AND 
I am deeply immersed in writing a novel, 
that I must say is coming along quite nicely.
This is for #NaNoWriMo...
again I'll fill you in...
National Novel Writing Month.  

Check out the details here.  

They totally had me at "The world needs your novel."
Really?
Well okay, twist my arm!

BUT...
There is one of these little November things that I just cannot seem to wrap my head around...
NO SHAVE NOVEMBER...  
WHY?
(no link for you on this one, although there may be one.)   ;)
Ya know, 
I made it for a little over a week 
and then my legs started to get too itchy...
had to do it, 
I had to break out my hubbies razor and get busy...
yes, I was meant to have smooth, soft legs...
soooooo much happier now!!!

I told my son, 
who hasn't shaved since the beginning of November 
that he wins
he can go ahead and shave now...
he just smiled at me.  

Still hasn't shaved ~ 
why does my 16 year old have this much facial hair???

The book in the photo, 
well, I put it there because 
I've just been loving it today, 
so it absolutely deserved to be photographed!

Oh and the M&M's...well they just belong in my life...
they make everything I do 
just a little bit easier 
and a whole lot more enjoyable!

My only thoughts on all of this are 
WHY did we choose NOVEMBER 
for all this busy-ness???
Couldn't we have gone with a month 
like February or March 
when it's cold and dreary 
and not too much is happening in our worlds???  

Just sayin'...
but I'm still going for it...
NOVEMBER, I will make the best of you, yet!!!

Bonus:
All my creative juices will be freely flowin'
just in time to be creative for Christmas...
oh, how I love this time of year!