HapPy HaLLoWeEEEennn!!!

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hope you are all enjoying the fun with the little trick or treaters..they will be here any minute..got my candy ready..have fun..;)

BefoRes & AfTeRs..

Good Evening everyone..thought I would get in a quicky while my clam chowder is simmering on the stove..today was a glorious fall day ..and just right for winterizing our home and working in the yard..The house above is the neighbors across the street..they have the "halloween" house going on..the gal that lives there congratulated us on the special garden..and said she couldn't compete with my halloween house..but I happen to love what they have done..so hopefully we will start getting more little nose goblins that come trick or treating..

Margy fargaleeny..(that is her nickname)..the the "g" in her name is like you say my name..she was basking in the sun on the front porch today...she is my exercise buddy when I am on the treadmill..she comes up and wants to be petted the whole time I am on that thing..she is our "italian" kitteh..

okay we set out at about 11:30 this morning to get the house power washed..and what I did was nothing..cause it didn't look like I did anything..hubby sprayed on house cleaner stuff and then went to town..( we thought the paint job on the house was ruined with all this moss etc)..but it just needed a good power washing and now it looks spiffy again..you can see how bad it looks above..

and now look how it looks...like hubby just painted it..oh my gosh..it looks sooo good now..I am thrilled..

here is the before on the front of the house..you can see its looking a bit drab..okay it looks alot drab..and look at the red part too..disgusting.;( and there was lots of moss on the part where he is standing..

as you can see here..took care of that and cleaned the rain gutters too..oh I'm in heaven...

one more before picture..

almost done..you can see where he stopped..

and here is the after..it looks like frost on the roof...nawwww...its just laundry detergent to help get rid of the moss..

ah nothing like a nice bath for the house..it looks so pretty and fresh now...was in dyer need of this..hasn't been done in 8 years..it was time..hopefully we won't wait this long again..

well the hopps are all spent..time to cut them back...and the roses too..

after..doesn't it look so good now..almost naked..I do so love the hopps in spring and summer....did a lot of raking in the yard again today..blew out some more leaves..trimmed my lavender bushes...and a fern in front..also trimmed up one of my rhodies..the front looks so much better..it was a lot of work this summer..but putting it to bed for winter so far has been a snap..so totally worth all the work..and I enjoyed being in it..and like Tonya said..its cheap exercise and helps me to get in shape..so I don't mind it at all..

ahhh yummy clam chowder and a nice fire..and some good tv..we are set to relax and enjoy the evening..

I got a nice little surprise from my little sister yesterday..she sent me this beautiful table cloth..and a humming bird feeder..a squirrel/bird sunflower feeder and a sprayer for my hose..will get them out some spring..well I have lost another pound today..so I am down the next set of numbers now..yippee skippy..I haven't been this weight since like 2000...so its been a while..so 19 more to go..got some more recipes from wathing Dr. Oz..I like his program..its on my dvr of things to watch now..does anyone else watch him? well I think my soup is done..going down stairs now to enjoy..I hope you all have a wonderful evening and a beautiful sunday.:)looks like we are getting rain late and a bit tomorrow..so glad we had today to work and get our home in order..its going to be 49 degrees on monday..but hopefully a great day for tricks and treats..;)

Take care and talk to you again soon.;)

T.G.I.F..

Good Morning or Good afternoon...depending on where you are!!! I hope your friday finds you happy and content..I have a little Stewie on my lap making bread and purring..I would say he is one content little kitteh!!! he has a cute little habit that he has started..he gets on my lap and pulls down my shirt like he is looking for a place to nurse..he will bury that sweet little head between my boobs and nurse..or he will put his head under my armpit and needle and nurse..he loves his mama and loves being on my lap..I hope he never outgrows this..he is just so precious..well the photo above is this morning..Hubby built us a nice fire to take off the chill this morning and again more content kids by the fire..oh how they love a good fire..

here it is with the flash..you can see Sunny bunny by the back window..look at those "glowing" eyes...she looks spooky..Gracie is in the cat tree at the top..Tucky by the fire..the rest were elsewhere..

when I came back up stairs this morning to get on my computer..I noticed a little lump under this quilt..hhhmmm I wonder who it could be..

why its baby stewie or Stewbert..his latest nickname ..he was nice and content to be under the quilt..he loves getting under things..rugs are his number 1 choice of things..has them turned over all day long..if you think having pets is not like having kids..I beg to differ..they have me chasing and picking up after them all day long..ahhh stewie is finally asleep on my lap..he came up just meowing..its his way of saying I need you now Mommy..I need to nurse and needle..and then fall asleep..he is my little blogging buddy..sound asleep..)

well yesterday turned out to be a nice day..the sun came out at around 1-2 pm..so I got off my duff and decided to power wash the deck..the hubby brought home the industrial power washer from work..and I will tell you this thing rocks!! only took me about 40 minutes to do it.our little one would have taken me 2-3 hours to do..

then I did the south side of the house..you can see where I couldn't reach..(hubby will have to finish)..not getting on a ladder..but will help him keep the ladder steady..it was looking a bit green and looked like we needed to paint this side something fierce..hoping hubby will finish it tomorrow..the front needs it too..will look so fresh again..

and I did the picket fence front and back..and let me tell you it needed it..the gate looks almost black..

and after that was done..I did a 40 minute workout on the treadmill and as I was walking on it..I thought I might as well get the blower out and blow out the leaves in front..you can see the neighbors tree is almost done..

but when you look across the street..these have yet to give up their leaves..been out 5 times so far..I am sure I have another 10 or so to go...

this is the back yard trees..again..still alot left to get rid of..so after blowing..I raked and mowed what was left..so it was a pretty good day out in the yard..I always feel so much better when it looks tidy..call me OCD..I like a clean tidy yard...

Yesterday I got a package from Margie of hungry hookers..I ordered some of her wool..don't have these colors..I love that blue..might have to be a blue back ground with white snowflakes on top..

Here is my latest project..just a sneak peek..I have 13 more pennies to do and then the edging and all done..I am doing a swap with a gal named Roxanne..(trying to get her to do a blog)..she made Jen of country mouse a really neat wax turkey..and I loved it..so we are doing a swap for this for some of her wonderful goodies..you would love her stuff...(hint: Roxanne start a blog) everyone would love it..;)

and this will be my next project..another sneak peek..I am so loving the way this will be looking when I am done..have 3 more with different sayings that I need to get done..hoping to make more for my show..well that is it for me..I am off to get a late brunch..

I am down 62 pounds now..with 20 more to go...I am loving this new found energy since I have lost this weight..I wouldn't have been able to do all that I have done in my yard this year if I hadn't lost the weight..I truly feel wonderful..and it keeps me motivated when I see the scales and I have lost a bit more..since I have started this high/low carb diet on the 14th..I have lost 6 pounds on it..along with exercise and you can do this..if the weather holds out today..I am taking tucky for a walk..I am changing it up with the treadmill and walking Tucker..I get a better workout on the treadmill..but it gets boring after a while..but will be nice to have on the days when it rains and I can't go out..I am watching Dr. Oz now..as he has some really great tips on helping you to lose..

Did anyone watch the great pumpkin charlie brown last night? I did..I love watching all the shows that we watched as kids..takes me back to being a kid again..and we could all use some of that right?

well I hope your weekend is FABuLOuS!!!! (say in a high pitched voice)..lol..take care and thanks for your friendship and generousity..;) we bloggers rock..and I love you all.;)

MiSc. TuEsDay">)

Good Tuesday morning everyone!!! the house is tidyed up, I have a nice toasty fire going to take the chill off the house..our nights (last) and this week are supposed to be in the upper 30's and 40's..so the chillians are laying by the fire..with the exception of baby Stewie..he is laying on my lap as I type this..he has become my little blogging buddy..he loves his mama..and you know I love him..yesterday I got a wonderful little surprise all the way from Canada from my good blogging buddy Kimberely of my brown bag Studio..she spied a candle mat that she just had to have..so we did a swap..and this is what she sent me..she made and painted this wonderful penny mat..the top is muslin..Kim you do beautiful work..it will look nice on my table with a candle in the center at christmas..;0)

and she also sent me the halloween bunting..I love it!!! my very first one..

looks great with all my other fall/halloween goodies.;)

I finished the penny rug stockings..and inspector Stewie at your service making sure the quality is there folks..lol..

yep..everything seems to be in order...

I sewed on NOEL buttons to one of them..

rusty bells to another one..

and wooden stars to the last one...if anyone is interested in one or all 3 just let me know..will be posting them on my etsy site sometime soon..

I looked out my kitchen window this morning to discover that my dahlia had opened up..love this beautiful orange color..just in time for fall..:)pretty huh?

and it has 2 more buds on it..not sure if they will bloom..but I am happy to have the one that is..;)

I got a wonderful thank you card from another good blogging buddy Carmen of the primcats..I sent her a little surprise in the mail and she sent me a wonderful cat thank you card..Carmen you are most welcome..isn't blogging the greatest..we are our own little wonderful group of guys and gals and such generosity and friendship..there is nothing like it..I can't believe it will be 4 years in February that I started on this journey..and I have met soooo many wonderful and giving and talented people out there..truly an inspiration and just the best.)

okay this made me and hubby laugh..this is how we found our "goose" on sunday..she was out..

here is a close up of our little girl..do you think she is comfortable?...she is just one laid back kitty I tell you..

and this was taken last night on my lap..Stewie was comfortable as well..Hubby was able to run upstairs to get the camera and back down and snapped like 4 shots..he is getting so big..and still loves to snuggle and nurse..we are both smitten parents of these babies..(all of them really)..they bring us so much joy..

well that is it for me today folks..Yesterday I took Tucky for our 2 mile walk..was done in 37 minutes with 2 pooh breaks..we hoofed it..and then I spent an hour or so raking the leaves up in the back portion of the yard..and today I will mow up whats on the lawn to keep up on it..if the weather holds out my friend and I are taking a walk today...looking forward to spending time with her..so I hope your day is full of warm and cozy moments.;)

thanks for stopping by and saying hi and for the birthday wishes for hubby..he did get his steak dinner and loved it..;)

HaPpY BirthDay to My HuBby and HapPy SunDay..:)

Good Morning my fellow bloggers..hope you are enjoying a nice sunday..the sun is trying to peek its way out and we are going to have breakfast and go for a nice walk before I head to church..

Today is my hubbys 51st birthday..I gave him a book and some soft comfy slippers..he is asking for Steak for dinner..so gotta go see if I have any...last night we celebrated his and my friends little boy's birthday and watched a boxing match..(not my cup of tea)..but the gals mostly sat and talked..oh and we had chocolate cake from Costco..they have the best cakes..and I saved room for some..didn't gain either..I made sure I exercised and saved for this..Hey I love my desserts way too much to give them up..so only on occasion will I splurge this big..and it was heaven!!!

have a wonderful day everyone..and welcome to my newest friends that chose to follow me..have a wonderful sunday..:)

(((((hhhuugggsss)..

A SpEcIaL GaRdEn..;)

Good Friday morning..I had no intentions of blogging again today..but I had a very special and exciting thing happen to me yesterday..I was sitting on the couch after my work out eating my lunch and enjoying some of my recording programing..when there was a knock on the door that about scared us all..well the cats went scattering every which way and Tucker started barking..so I looked out the window and there were 2 ladies standing on the porch..I opened the door and they said they were from the Indianola Garden club and they put the "special garden" sign in my front yard!!!!! I was sooo hoping they would show up after all the work I did this year..and my wish came true..)

so I invited Marilyn (aka Woolie) and Darley in to take a peek at my halloween decor..Marilyn told me that she brings her granddaughter that lives 30 minutes away to my house every year and that she drives past my house all the time as she just lives up the road from me about a block away and Darley too lives about a block away..they both loved my home and loved how it was decorated and said I should be in a magazine..I wouldn't go that far as I don't think its that great as I have seen far more beautiful homes then mine..but I so loved the compliment anyway..its always nice to hear that someone loves your home..come on admit it...it makes your day..well we chatted for a while and I sent them both home with a jar of my nectarine jam..and then I set out to take photos of my special garden sign..

and the lights all aglow..I did put out this big retro pumpkin up by the front gate to greet our visitors this halloween..

and to show you that I did indeed bark more in the front around by the wheelbarrow to the driveway..and down the walkway to the front door..

I pulled out all the plants that were starting to grow in the driveway..they get mushed down by the truck and I wanted it simple and clean..

there is a black metal kitty keeping guard in front of the lawn mower but it was getting to dark for it to show up..

and I took out all the shasta daisies under the camilla tree and rebarked there too..and you can see the neighbors tree is letting loose her leaves..and I don't have to clean it up..although I still want too..its that muscle memory thing..I have done it for 17 years..so its hard not too..

I have a dahlia just wanting to bloom and I hope it does so I can see its beauty..it is late in blooming..

and I have a little primrose in bloom..I love these little beauties they are the first things to bloom in spring in my yard.. and I am still picking strawberries and eating them from the back yard..and they are good..is anyone else getting strawberries.this is really late in the season..but I am not complaining..its a nice treat..oh and this is the 3rd time I have gotten the "special garden sign"..once about 4 years after we moved here to our home and then again about 5 years ago..and this is the first "halloween" time for me and the gals said probably the last for the year....so I am one happy camper to say the least..it will also go in our "breeze" newsletter so folks can walk by and take a peek at the special garden..so this sign will be here for about 3-4 weeks...

some cute cat funnies to leave you with for the weekend.:) have a great weekend and enjoy the fall beauty that surrounds you;) thanks for stopping by and sharing in my joy today.:)