Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Madison's First Riding Lesson...

Sidesaddle of course!
..even if her legs were too short to go over the heads!

Just A Note About My Hysterectomy..

I thought I would share with you the pro's and con's of my hysterectomy..since it has been a bit over 3 months post-surgery.

PRO'S
1. The obvious...no period.

2. No cramps

3. No mood swings...at least once I went on the Estrogen patch!

4. No swelling days..that includes hands, feet and boobs!

5. No huge weight swings..if my weight goes up, it is because I am gaining and if it goes down..I am losing! End of story!!!

6. I know what the general belief is...that we get fat after such a surgery..but I swear I am eating more and NOT gaining weight!

7. No more pain during intercourse (from the tumors)

8. I no longer look pregnant!

CONS

I would like to say that there are none..but I want to be totally honest.

1. I have a new scar. Yes it is really low...but a scar is a scar...and I can't stand for it to be touched.

2. I am dependant on a hormone patch for ?? (length of time)

3. I do feel a pulling sensation when I am doing physically challenging thing..like lifting something heavy...ie 50# feed bags.

If anyone has any questions..I am more than happy to try and answer them. I know that I was quite nervous about it prior to my surgery.

Thanksgiving Dinner Outside??

Once again we are going to try and have Thanksgiving dinner outside at the farm. This year we are expecting 12 and I have always wanted to host the dinner out doors. Sadly for the last 2 years though..we have had to move it indoors because of the weather..:0( It needs to be around 70 degrees or warmer and it must not be windy!We live on the top of a hill, so even if there is no wind forecast, we always have a breeze. That is something I welcome..but it also means that if wind is forecast...it will be more accelerated on the top of our big hill! Keep your fingers crossed for me this year!

Just For Laughs!

The Renovated Veggie Garden

Okay - so it is obviously NOT done yet..but I thought these pictures would give you an idea of the concept! I enlarged it from 16x14 to 24x24. Instead of using 1x12's, I opted for 2x12's. Hopefully they will last longer...and yes the details. I always get hooked on the details!

Happy Veteran's Day!

I Was Going To Show You My New Veggie Garden..

...but you get a cartoon instead since the first time I took my camera out - the battery was dead... and this morning when I tried to take another - I did not have the memory card in it!

Another TG Cartoon and Some Good News!

Woo Hoo..only 4 more injections and 5 weeks of oral meds for Don before he is done with the chemo!!!

Yeah!

We just found out that Emily, Daren, Madison and Trestin are coming all the way from AZ. for Thanksgiving week....and I have that week off for Vacation!!!

Thanksgiving History!

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. This harvest meal has become a symbol of cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native Americans. Although this feast is considered by many to the very first Thanksgiving celebration, it was actually in keeping with a long tradition of celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops. Native American groups throughout the Americas, including the Pueblo, Cherokee, Creek and many others organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America.

Historians have also recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America, including British colonists in Berkeley Plantation, Virginia. At this site near the Charles River in December of 1619, a group of British settlers led by Captain John Woodlief knelt in prayer and pledged "Thanksgiving" to God for their healthy arrival after a long voyage across the Atlantic. This event has been acknowledged by some scholars and writers as the official first Thanksgiving among European settlers on record. Whether at Plymouth, Berkeley Plantation, or throughout the Americas, celebrations of thanks have held great meaning and importance over time. The legacy of thanks, and particularly of the feast, have survived the centuries as people throughout the United States gather family, friends, and enormous amounts of food for their yearly Thanksgiving meal.

Another Halloween Picture

I had this great witch hat that I wore when we handed out candy.

Do You Picnik?

I want to share a great photography tool with you. It is called Picnik and the web address is www.picnik.com. It has many free features and then if you are really into photography - like I am, you can upgrade it for more features for $25.00 per year. Here is an example:

This is my friend Vicki. I took this picture of her on Halloween.

To make it more spooky - I tweaked it. First, I changed it to a black and white format. Then I softened the whole picture and hazed the edges. Next I photo shopped her eyes..to make them scary..and last but certainly not least...look closely because I added in 2 ghosts!

Halloween Fun!

Remember Don's cake? Well, I chose to make him a spider cake. He hates spiders..so it was the best choice for a Halloween/Birthday cake! With time at a minimum, I decided to buy a basicly undecorated cake..and this is what it looked like.

I made the spider out of styrofoam balls, pipe cleaners and cute little eyes I found at Michaels.

I drew the web in icing and used the litle spider rings for a more spooky look! I was very pleased and he was totally shocked..especially since I delivered it in my costume!
Meet Vicki and Wesley. Don't they look adorable! They invited us over to their house on Halloween. Don had to work, but when he got off, he was able to join us.

Wes had a great time scaring the trick or treaters. He stood as still as a statue by the cars and just when the kids thought that he was not real, he would jump out and yell, Happy Halloween or Come Back Soon. He made a lot of kids jump, a lot of parents laugh and one Mother almost ran all the way down the driveway ...without her child!
All the girls dressed up like witches. Here is Vicki as the Spider Witch. She even had glow in the dark spiders in her hair!


This is Ally..who was the junior witch in training..

..and me as Melethesent. Apple? Apple? Would anyone like one of my apples?

Vicki and Wesley have the BEST decorated house (inside and out) that I have ever seen! Here are just a taste of their collection.











She even had decorated food!





Here is the 'before' picture of our haunted candy house. We used cardboard instead of ginger bread.

..and after!

My Little Halloween Witch..Angel..no Witch..

..and Please...Don't let your under aged pumpkins drink!I have a lot going on this week in between Don's birthday and my friends party..so I will take lots of pictures and post them next week!

Happy Halloween!!