My Heart Belongs ...

I'm such a lucky girl ...


I have THE most amazing husband ...


And he's a wonderful father to THE most extraordinary little boy.

Yes, indeed ... I'm one lucky girl.

Beautiful Sky.

We were over near Charlottesville the other night when we saw this beautiful sky.


We were so amazed by this sight that Mike actually told me I needed to take a picture of it.

Looks like air traffic control was probably pretty busy.

Gone Fishin'.

The other day when we went to the Children's Museum Griffin enjoyed "fishing".

He's never been fishing before ... that's something we hope to change soon.

Growing up Mike and I were around water all the time. Mike had a boat up until we moved here to Virginia. I miss it. ALOT.


Casting his bait ...


Waiting for a bite ...

I love when he gets to enjoy new experiences ...

Look Who's Here!

Mike's mother (Grandma) arrived from Florida yesterday!

Friday is Grandparent's Day at Griffin's school ... so she decided to pay us a visit so she could attend.


It's great having her here!

We look forward to a lot of fun times spent with Grandma.

Bourbon Chicken ~ Like At The Mall.

I love bourbon chicken from the mall food court ... it's one of my favorite meals ever.

The other day I decided to Google "Bourbon Chicken" and I found a number of recipes. I decided to take these recipes and make my own version.

I have to tell you ... it was delicious ... easy ... and cheap to make!

I served it with chow mein noodles boiled and then stir fried with a brocolli, green bean, carrot mixture and egg rolls.

I forgot to take a picture of the finished product ... I assure you it was tantalizing and tasty!

Here's my version for Bourbon Chicken ~ Like At The Mall.

1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs (about 7)
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons bourbon (we had some in our pantry) you can sub syrup
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic (I used mince)

Preparation:

First I took the skin off the chicken thighs. I then put the chicken in a large ziplock bag.

Then take all of the other ingredients and mix together in a bowl. Once all mixed together pour into the ziplock bag with the chicken. I marinated in the refrigerator all day, turning the bag over occasionally so all that marinade goodness could get to all the chicken.

Once you are ready to cook ... pour everything into you baking dish. I used a 9 x 13 glass pan.

Cook on 350 degrees for about 30 minutes to an hour. It really depends on how thick your chicken thighs are. Baste occasionally to make sure they are entirely coated with the marinade. I also turned mine over a coule of times. It took mine about 35 minutes to cook thoroughly. Make sure your meat thermometer reads at least 170 degrees on the thickest part of the chicken and the juices run clear.

Try it ... it's SO easy ... and VERY delicious!

Fun Friday Scrappy Give-A-Way!

Hello Everyone ...

I'm having another Fun Friday Scrappy Give-A-Way over on my Missy Made It! Facebook Friends page.


This week I'm giving away this set of Christmas Snowflake Paper Flowers.

If interested in leaving a comment to win, please CLICK HERE to do so. You do have to be a member of my Missy Made It! Facebook Friends to comment.

Happy Weekend!

Christmas Paper Piecings!

I know ... I know ... Halloween just ended and Thanksgiving is looming around the corner and I'm already making Christmas paper piecings.

There is something about red and green that's been calling my name.

I've listed these in MY EBAY STORE if you are interested in more information.

This was fun to make ... it's a one-of-a-kind Tear Bear paper piecing using a Mary Engelbreit sticker.



I love making these "Trio Of Scallops". They are fun to make and so easy to change the theme. This is one is Christmas themed of course.



Paper Flowers ... love, love, LOVE making them! I found a new Martha Stewart snowflake punch to make the centers of these. LOVE them!



Please stop by my Ebay Store by clicking HERE for these and many more cute Tear Bears, Paper Flowers and Paper Piecings!

A Beautiful Day.

Looking out our back window this is what I see ...


It is a beautiful day, indeed.

Griffin is feeling better so he went to school today.

Mike is on his way home from a business trip. We've missed him alot.

After looking out my back window ... I'm inspired.

It's time for me to get to work.

Election Day.

Today is election day ...

Don't forget to exercise your right to vote!!

Trick Or Treating. Old School.

Griffin experienced his first real trick-or-treating adventure this Halloween.

We decided to stay in our neighborhood and go house to house ... knocking on doors ... saying trick-or-treat ... meeting new folks ... collecting yummy candy ... saying thank you ... and being on our merry way.


Buzz Lightyear ... I come in peace.

Isn't he just the cutest little Buzz you've ever seen? He's tried on his costume many times since we picked it up a few weeks back. I told him once Halloween was over he could wear it as often as he wanted to.


Another cute Buzz Lightyear pose ... this one?

Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!

We all got into the Polaris (the buggy) for our fun neighborhood adventure.

It had been raining all day long but let up just a few minutes before we started getting ready to go. Once we were loaded up in the buggy the clouds opened up and the rain came pouring down.

We still went ... we were not going to let a little (read LOT!) rain spoil our Halloween fun!


He had so much fun ... this is the candy loot he managed to collect.

All in all ... I have to say ... this is the absolute BEST Halloween we've ever had! It was fun taking Griffin trick-or-treating old school style.

Mike and Griffin ...

I ♥ you "to infinity and beyond"!

Pumpkin Carving.

It was pumpkin carving time ...


Griffin showing off the pumpkin he chose from his preschool's visit to the pumpkin patch (can't believe I haven't blogged about that yet).


Griffin digging out the goop ...


Daddy getting in on the goop action ...


Our Jack-O-Lantern ... it was so much fun creating it together!

We wish everyone a fun and safe Halloween!

Handmade Halloween Can ...

Griffin received a special surprise in the mail from Aunt Bonnie yesterday.


He was very excited to open the box to see what it was!

She sent him a Handmade Halloween Candy Can!


He LOVES it so much ... he can hardly wait to go trick-or-treating to collect candy in it!

Thank you Aunt Bonnie for sharing your wonderful talent with us!

What's For Dinner?

I love to cook.
Really I do.

But sometimes I just need someone to help me out with WHAT to cook.

I feel as if I make the same things over and over AND OVER again.

I'm sure most people feel that way.

I guess I'm just feeling the "blahs" when it comes to cooking dinner lately.

So ... I need your help!

I would LOVE it if you would share some of your family's favorite dinners ... recipes too!

Please, please help me!

Leave your ideas, suggestion and recipes in the comments section.

Collecting Firewood.

We had a tree down on our property that would be good for firewood this winter.

We loaded up the Polaris and set out to cut it up.


Mike cutting the tree up in smaller pieces


Griffin loves playing with the sawdust


Taking a little break ...


We came across a second tree we could use too!


We went back to the house and stacked it up.

Mike will have to use the log splitter on the bigger pieces.

I love being outside with my boys.

If we can accomplish something productive ... well ... that's even better!

Like Father. Like Son.

I caught this sweet moment of Mike and Griffin this past weekend ...


Mike had to get his computer out to do a little work. He decided to work at the kitchen island while I was cooking.

Griffin took this as an opportunity to get his "computer" out and do a little work too.

It was such a sweet moment ... both of my boys on their computers.

Look What's Up At Missy Made It!

Lately I've been hearing a little voice whisper in my ear it was time to reopen MY EBAY STORE.

I listened and I did it!

I'm really excited because I've added some paper piecings I haven't offered in awhile.

I've also created this *BRAND NEW* paper piecing too!

It would look adorable on your pumpkin patch scrapbooking page.


How about a little sneak peak of other items also available in MY EBAY STORE



I hope you'll stop by MY EBAY STORE by clicking HERE to see everything else that is available!

States I Have Visited ...

This was fun!!


visited 18 states (36%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

You should try it out.

Wordless Wednesday.

You write the caption ...

Happy Birthday Joy!

Today my sister Joy turns 50!


Happy Birthday Joy ...

We love you!

Got My Hair Cut ...

I've had long hair for a really long time.

Most days I would either put it up in a pony tail or a clip.


Only on a rare occasion would I fix it ...

Well, I decided I wanted a new look. I wanted shoulder length hair with lots of layers.


I went to the hair salon and this is what I got. Griffin took this picture of me the other day right after I woke up. I love the wash and go look. Sometimes I blow it dry ... but that's all I have to do.

Of course I do miss my long hair ... but if I want it to ... I can grow it back.

New Paper Piecings Listed!

Happy Saturday Ya'll!

I've just listed some cute *new* Tear Bears & Paper Piecings in MY EBAY STORE

This is a little sample of what I've listed ...


You can also see a sneak peak of some of the items on the itty bitty pictures under the header of my blog ... just look up and in the middle.

If interested in my brand new Panda Teddy Bear Embellishment Paper Piecing set or any of the others ... just CLICK HERE to see them!!

Happy Weekend ...

Scrappy Give-A-Way!

Every Friday I have a fun little give-a-way over on my Missy Made It! Facebook page.

This is the Halloween Embellishment Set I'm giving away today!


If you are interested in registering to win CLICK HERE to visit my Facebook Page. You have to become a "Fan/Friend" before you can leave a comment.

Hope you'll join me over there!

Giggle Tear Bear

Just listed this to my Ebay Store!

Is It Fall Or Winter?

I woke up this morning to 45 degree weather ... and rain!

It's going to be a stay-in-the house kind of day for us.

Maybe I will get a huge rush of creativity ... I'm hoping!

Apple Picking On Carter Mountain.

We went apple picking at Carter Mountain Orchard yesterday.

It was SO much fun! I've never been apple picking before and I was very excited to go.

Most of you all know I'm from Florida and we had plenty of orange trees and grapefruit trees in our yard there ... but honestly ... to see apple trees ... well, that just AMAZES me! I've seen a few here and there in our area, but this is the first time I've been up close to apple trees. I was in heaven!

I really, really, REALLY want to get one for our yard ... maybe I can make that happen soon.

Okay ... so on with the apple picking ...


There's the really wonderful place over in Charlottesville called Carter Mountain Orchard. It's only about 30 minutes from our house. I sometimes forget how close the mountains are to us. We usually head east when we go somewhere ... I have to remember there are some of the most amazing things to do out west of us.


Not only can you pick your own apples ... they have huge wooden bins of a dozen different apples you can purchase too. Griffin is all about green & yellow apples lately. His favorite is the golden delicious even though he's holding a granny smith here.


While we were waiting for our friends to arrive Griffin and I did a little exploring. He wanted to check out these mums.


I love pictures of kids running free ... here we see Griffin, Sam and Sarah running toward the apple orchard.


Who needs to pull from the tree when there is plenty on the ground to choose from.


Griffin and Sam taking a little break admiring their apple selections.


It was quite a hike over to the Fuji apple orchard ... this is a picture looking back over to the main Apple Barn.

Love. Love. Love this view!

See that little cloudy thing in the top right of my picture? It comes and goes ... especially when it's cool out. It does go away, but pops up in some of my pictures when I really wish it wouldn't.


Griffin doing the "Apple Scootin' Boogie" on top of the mountain!


Our friends ... the wonderful Hall family ... picking apples!


Look at "them there" apples at the top of "that there" tree ... lol ... is that country enough for you? Remember I *am* a southern gal!


Love this picture of the single red apple laying among the many golden apples.


Our sweet, most amazing ... little country boy!

We are most definitely going back to the apple orchard. I know Daddy, Grandma, Pop & Nana would ALL love to visit.

We look forward to many, many more visits to the top of Carter Mountain!

The Boys' First Airplane Ride Together.

Sunday Mike and Griffin took their first airplane ride together.

Griffin was Mike's first official passenger since earning his private pilot's license. It was also Griffin's first airplane ride in a small airplane.

The boys had such fun together ... it was the perfect fall day to do this!


Mike and Griffin doing the pre-flight inspection on the aircraft.


Griffin thinks everything looks like a "go".


All buckled up and ready to fly!


There they go ... my boys getting ready to taxi down the runway!


Woo Hoo ... look at 'em go!


And back safely on the ground.

I'm so glad they could do this together!

Stuff To Blog About.

The fact is ... I have many things I could blog about.

Such as the case of the missing car key ...

How about the fact I got my hair all cut off and I don't like it ...

Or what about Griffin's first airplane ride with Daddy ...

See ... a lot to blog about ... but I just don't feel like it.

Taking the day off from blogging and now I have a list of things I can blog about starting tomorrow.

Tear Bears & Paper Piecings

I've listed a few Tear Bears and Paper Piecings in MY EBAY STORE.

You can see the pictures of the items I've just listed at the top of my blog. See there? The little pictures? Those are the items I listed yesterday.

I love making paper flowers. I had a chance to make both a sunflower set and a white flower set. I love the white flowers. They remind me so much of my Dad. He loved gardenias and these handmade paper flowers remind me of gardenias in a big way. You'll notice those will come in sets of four instead of just threes. I thought adding another flower to the set might be a good idea.

I hope Griffin and I get better soon. We are both still sick. I believe mine is almost over ... Griffin is still coughing though and congested. I'm thinking his might be allergy related. If he's not better on Monday he's going to the doctor.

We have no big plans for the weekend ... just hanging out at home.

Fall Is Here.

It's no secret Fall is my favorite season.

I took a little walk around our yard yesterday and captured a few pictures of Mother Nature working her magic. She's beginning to paint her leaves with beautiful fall colors ...


Found this collection of leaves on the ground ... all colors of beautiful!


Discovered this lone yellow leaf among the rocks on Griffin's swing set.


This dogwood is blooming with bright, fall colored leaves. The sun was shining just right to capture the brilliant colors.


And of course I saw this cutie on Daddy's John Deere tractor ... he's all kinds of wonderful!

Loving the beautiful colors showing up in our yard right now ...

My Kind Of Day.

We have the windows open at our house today.

The wind is blowing. I can hear the wind chimes chiming. I love it.

The leaves are just beginning to turn around here. Pretty soon our yard will be alive with color. I can't wait.

Today, while Griffin was in school I went to Target and picked up his Halloween costume. When he got home from school he was very excited to see it! Anyone care to guess what/who he's going to dress up like?

It makes me happy when such a simple token can bring him such happiness.

I loved watching Dancing with the Stars on Monday night. I especially loved Tom DeLay and Cheryl Burke's dance. How appropriate they danced to "Why Can't We Be Friends". It's sad he had to step down from the competition because I really liked them together. Seems like most of the most popular pro dancers are already gone ... Edyta, Cheryl, Maks ... wonder what the rest of the season will be like. I'm still rooting for Donnie or Mark. Who doesn't love Donnie Osmond, right?

Mike is working on his computer, Griffin is watching Wall-E ... and now it's time for me to sign off my computer and get to work myself.

Happy Day ...

This & That

Our life has been filled with the ordinary lately.

Nothing "extraordinary" happening.

Ordinary feels pretty good to me right now.

Mike is home from a long week away to Seattle. It feels so "right" when he comes back home. Just the three of us ... our little family. That makes me happy.

Griffin has settled into school and he's making an effort to stay in "green" (for good behavior) every day. He's lucky to have such a wonderful and positive teacher in Ms. Lisa. It still amazes me how quickly he learns. I'm loving the songs he's learning at school. Today I heard him singing ... this land is your land, this land is my land ... from California to the New York Islands. It stopped me in my tracks and made me smile.

I'm trying to find some creative inspiration. I just can't seem to grasp it, just yet. I'm hoping it arrives SOON!

I'm loving that the new TV season is back. We are watching some of our favorite shows. Right now Dancing With The Stars, Project Runway and Eastwick are my top three. Has anyone watched Eastwick? For me, it's a little "Ghost Whisperer" meets "Ed". Love it!

I will be blogging more than I have in the past two weeks. Can't say I will always be sharing a picture ... but there will be words and thoughts.

Hope you have a great day!