only an IKEA bag would be big enough

Thank goodness for that Ikea bag I had to buy in order to haul all my napkins and towels home a few months ago. It's the only bag big and strong enough to hold all the pears I picked this week! All of these are from just one of my trees......and all picked with my feet still on the ground!

Pears are my favorite and my best!

So just a little update:

I'm loving fall and.......

• the cool weather that lets me break out my favorite puffy vest
• the brown leaves crunching under our feet......and waking us up in the middle of the night when the possums and bucks venture under our bedroom window
• the smell of the homemade applesauce simmering in the crock pot
• the promise of a newly installed wood stove (the heating guy is coming out to give his expertise about the fire codes etc. in a few hours.) Hopefully Steve can start building the hearth this weekend!!!!!
• perusing old issues of Cottage Living for decorating inspiration for the upcoming holiday season:) I think today I might cut apple slivers for some future tree ornaments.

(SIGH)

Have mentioned I love fall?

the monday morning that wasn't

it is monday morning.
and i am loving it.
one of the things i love about home schooling
is the relaxed schedule of our day.
no waking kids up before the sun,
cramming breakfast down their throats
so they can run out and wait for the bus.
been there.
done that.

and no. i'm not one of those home school moms
who plans the day in 30 minute increments.
not. my. style.

no. i'm the home school mom
who sometimes writes an entire blog post in lowercase letters
and with inappropriate punctuation
just because she likes the way it looks
who occasionally sends the kids out to do their chores
and doesn't go looking for them until an hour or 2 later.

call it the charlotte mason method.

there are enough hours in most of our days

that if they get busy with some project
or fort building
i don't get my panties in a bunch.
their work will get done.

today has been one of those wonderful mornings.
the girls went out in daddy's camo to feed the animals
and check for eggs.
next thing i know they're all cuddling with the cats
and throwing dry leaves on last night's fire
in hopes of roasting some apples.
we hear the farmers
harvesting in the fields around our property.
the sun is shining.
there is a slight chill in the air.
the hens cluck happily
(now that Steve has taken care of all the unnecessary roosters)
and i am thinking that


i love my monday morning home school life.

5 dollars and 15 minutes

Remember this cabinet I got for a steal a couple years back?

$25 if I would also take the shelf full of those vintage brass pulls

that we ended up using on our new entertainment dresser?

Remember how mad Steve was that I bought not one

but two pieces of furniture that day?

It was ugly.

But I know something great when I see it

and am learning to stand up to the Scrooge that is Steve.

(love ya babe!)

Well, that wrapping paper I used to line the glass doors got ripped awhile back

and I was ready for a change.....

something a little punchier to brighten up our drab walls.

So today, with a new role of wrapping paper from Target

and a little double sided tape (gotta love it!)

I gave my favorite piece of furniture a little makeover.

And now I think I need a piece of bright yellow furniture
to bring out the little yellow leaves in the paper......