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and I am nearly caught up to the present!
October was a beautiful beginning: a visit from a longtime friend, pumpkin spice scones with coffee, and a gift of a piece of Beaumont pottery with a pineapple design. Be still my heart.
October was pumpkin waffles for a Saturday night supper.
October was another texted photo, this one of a sweet three-year-old on a special outing with her parents.
October was also a week off of work for Ron. We filled it with so many good things!
🍂 A day trip with antiquing, a new cafe with the best burgers, a coffee shop, and meandering the streets of a charming town, on foot and by car. In the antique shop, we finally found the perfect chair (style, size, shade) for the Sara Hicks desk.
🍂 A house project: blinds on the French doors of the sunroom.
🍂A Facebook Marketplace purchase: a poster bed for a future guest room . . . which ended up in our bedroom.
🍂 A going away brunch party for a sweet friend at our church.
🍂 An afternoon and evening at Cousins' Camp! Every year, Ryan and Sarah plan a camping weekend for the cousins. (This year, six-year-old Judah came for the first time and Aunt Bekah joined them for the whole weekend. Ron and I went for an afternoon/evening, but no sleeping bags or tents for us old folks!) They take walks, cook over the fire, and sleep in tents, as many campers do. But Cousins' Camp is also highlighted by a series of challenges! Two teams compete against one another in such things as egg tossing, hula hoop passing, panty hose bowling, and forced perspective photography. Keen competition, comradery, and laughter! This annual event strengths cousin bonds and creates wonderful memories!
Some glimpses of our month . . .
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It is so very important, Cheryl. Moments become memories, held forever. What a wonderful, busy month you have had.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, I have found that the older I get, I appreciate the moments even more!
DeleteWhat wonderful memories and moments! I am reading Celebrate Every Day by Shauna Niequist. It is along the same vein, having a new outlook on our everyday moments and really noticing the extraordinary in those moments and celebrating the ordinary!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda! Although I have not read it, I love the premise in the title of the book you are reading! I am doing my best to notice and appreciate the moments!
DeleteAmen to your lovely closing paragraph Cheryl. From the first photo to the last you have enjoyed beautiful memories of October. The camping trip looks like a wonderful time for the cousins to enjoy. I'm with you on not wanting to sleep on the ground! Cheryl, your four poster bed is beautiful and looks right at home in the Pineapple House as does the pineapple pottery! Happy November friend.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha Ellen! Do you, like me, find yourself noticing the moments more and more? It was indeed a month filled with wonderful memories! (And I did not want to waste those moments sleeping on the ground!) A happy November to you too! Can you believe how quickly it is going?
DeleteBeautiful images of your month, Cheryl. Life is a gift that we can treasure. So glad you had a fun week with Ron doing things together. Your transferware is so pretty. And now it's November! Days fly.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lorrie! I think that noticing and appreciating the beauty in life is a habit that can be learned. All of those things are gifts from the Giver!
DeleteYour monthly recap are so thoughtful and well illustrated with your photos. All the photos speak to Fall so well, too. Cracking up on the northern lights photo. :) That cousin camp idea is soooo good. I was just asking JJ if he wanted to camp with a tent. Our grands don't and won't have any 1st cousins. I try not to dwell on how sad that makes me. I'll pray for good spouses who have close and loving cousins! :) Blessings!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words, Ellen! The northern lights meme struck a chord with me! I am sure that it makes you sad to think of your sweet grands growing up with no cousins, but I see your family as close knit and loving and your grands are surrounded by people who love them deeply. God uses different life circumstances for each of us . . . for His glory and our good.
DeleteI love these Gathering posts! I grew up away from extended family so no cousins nearby. My kids have had visits with cousins but not grown up together either. Your grands are experiencing something special I think!
ReplyDeleteDeanna Rabe
Thanks, Deanna! I really do love having a record of our happenings from month to month. I can't tell you how many times I have referred back to my blog to remember the details of something or other! Yes, I agree that the cousins have something very special and I pray that they will always have a bond!
DeleteOh, what a wonderful gathering of the moments!!! Cousins will forever be each other's best friends! You surely did find the right chair for that precious desk AND the poster bed is a Wow!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Rosella! I love that the cousins are such good friends! It was a great month for house finds!
Deletei rarely comment - i should change that little bit, hm? but oh golly i just want you to know how i smile while reading your posts. this is a precious, welcoming space. beautiful family happenings .. but ohhhh the brown/white dishes. and your fb mkplace bed. almost exact to ours .. we purchased an ethan allen pine bed (and dressers) our first year married (36+ years now). an extravagant expenditure for sure - but we still have it and love it. your coverlet is the perfect topping for such a bed. :)
ReplyDeleteI am delighted that you stopped by today, Sherry, and it's always good to have a mini convo . . . but heavens, we do what we can and no worries at all about commenting. Absolutely optional.
DeleteYour words are so kind! I am heartened to know that a post of mine made you smile. And so fun that we have almost the same bed! It is a treasure!
For some reason I thought I'd seen this post but my quick scan through this morning, I realized I had not seen it. I'm glad I caught it - so enjoyed all your photos - the gathering of those precious moments. I love how you do it, Cheryl, and then you invite us to share them with you here on your blog.
ReplyDeleteWe're having a snow day here today with heavy skies of grey and white stuff that keeps falling. It's putting me in the Christmas mood. Surely it's a day for nestling indoors, reading and making something yummy in the kitchen.
Wishing you a beautiful weekend. xo
"The hurrier I go the behinder I get." I was going to say that this little quote describes me, except I am not a good "hurrier" so I am just slow and behind. :) Anyway, I found your comment this evening in my "to be moderated" space and here we are, post weekend to be sure. It was indeed a beautiful weekend with a performance by Bekah's college chorale, a bit of time for some pre-holiday house cleaning with Ron's help, a lovely church service, and the bittersweetness of a going away party for a couple from our church. I hope your weekend was also beautiful!
DeleteThank you for your kind words about my gathering of moments and for sharing those moments with me!
Cheryl, you have done a terrific job of gathering the moments of this year for this series of posts. Your pictures truly bring us along. I love those shades you've (Ron) added to your sunroom. Cousins' camp sounds and looks like a lot of fun. Great memories made. I love your Northern Lights, :D and your wise words at the end of this post.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all of your kind words, Becki! It is helpful for me to have a record of our moments and I thank you for coming along!
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