October - and I'm thankful.

Alex
Originally uploaded by kwhitten

I caught Alex sitting on a round bale of hay Sunday at Cline's. She was watching to see what everyone else was doing and I snapped a few black and white shots. The sun was setting and the light was reflecting and all was well with the world!

I love days like this in the Fall. It was a crisp, sunny, October afternoon.

So much to be thankful for - lately I have felt even more thankful than normal. The beauty that surrounds us is pure evidence that God is good.

This was also two days before the big day her braces came off. I must post a photo of that as well!

Halloween fun

All weekend it was... hayride, fall fest, bonfire, crisp air, Halloween, hot dogs, smores, fun & friends. Just a few more reasons that I am thankful to the Lord each and every day for living where I live and having such good people around. Check out the wide array of little ghouls: Elvis, ladybug, pirate, Spiderman, etc. Too cute I tell you!

Look at cutie patootie Amy on the hayride. What on earth is Molly giving Amy the "look" for? I think Molly wishes she was having as much fun as Amy, that's what I think. And yes, Robert the moon is full, but be sure and point that out to Brandi. She was curious about the moon.

Amy doesn't care, she is just in her happy place.

Had to throw in an old school picture - this is so cute of Alex and Seth from a couple of years ago. They look so young and innocent.

{looks can be deceiving}

more fall love

completely breathtaking.

need I say more????

40 years! Holy Moly!

It is hard to imagine the dedication this lady has for kids/4H/horses/etc...but she does. We had our annual 4H banquet tonight and Nancy was honored with a plaque for her 40 years of involvement with 4H. Crazy.Wow. I feel honored to know her and have Alex as one of her 4H'ers. I think about all the lives she has touched with her dedication to kids and it makes me feel warm & fuzzy. Seriously.

I am so appreciative for what Nancy and Dan do for Alex...our family and so many others. They are "good people" and I am thankful the good Lord sent them into our lives.

Halloween is creeeeeeping up

Spiders and webs are icons of Halloween. This furry little guy was spinning away on our round pen behind the house. His web was gorgeous and I wish I could have captured a better picture of it. It is fascinating to me how artistic a spider is with their web canvas.

Halloween is only several days away. I know Halloween is not a Christian holiday, and there are some who make it dark and "devilish." I say make it what you want! I enjoy the fall feeling and festivities that go along with the occasion and therefore I enjoy Halloween. It's not like the celebration of Jesus' birth at Christmas or resurrection at Easter; it is a different kind of celebration. I celebration of the changing season and a time when everyone can dress up and be a kid!

Today is simply: AWESOME! The weather is perfect and I have felt so blessed and thankful the last few days with fall splendor coming on and the weather we have experienced. The Lord is Good!

Perfect day for the 4H activities happening in the park at Hardy. Flag Football, tricycle race, games and crafts. I will be snapping photos! Looking forward to it and hope we have a good turnout of kids. 2008 is the Centennial for 4H and Nancy got us (Alex & Me) this cool t-shirt which I will be sporting today!

I'm Back

Been mia again - sorry, blog.

It's been a crazy few days. I attended the AATYC conference in Hot Springs - always fun but exhausting. Going to this conference is reinvigorating. It makes me remember why I love working at a two year college. There are some great people in education.

Cool Lady

Nancy Claxton was that - a cool lady. She was the kind of person you could just "BE" around.
No games,
No pretend,
No being somebody you're not.
Just Be Real.
That is the way she was and that is the way she wanted those around her to be.

Talk about a knack for decorating. Her house was always so cute and always had some new touch. I loved her door-turned-coffee-table.

She loved her family and loved her friends.

She loved to shop. I'll never forget her yard sale - and her just trying to give me all her stuff so she wouldn't have to mess with it. "Oh Kim, you need this", "Oh, you really need this." "This would be so cute if you did so-and-so..." Get the point?

She was a HOOT!

Very generous and caring.

Always even keel, until you ticked her off. Not a place I wished to be.

Cool just describes her - always fashionable, but never over done.

Nancy, we will miss you in our neighborhood, but you will always be in our hearts.

new quick layout

Love, LUB this new widget! This was for a week one challenge on SIStv, although I'm a day late with it. I don't care, this challenge was to use some of the stacks of leftover paper strips which I had plenty of - gotta love a good challenge!!!

Dead Last we are...

but who cares! We had a ball anyway. Joan, Laura & Abby, me and Tamra.

A friend of mine from work -Tamra- organized a 5K run/walk today in beautiful Calico Rock on the White River. Two others and I from work went and participated and although we were dead last we had a fun time and enjoyed seeing Calico more up close. What a cool, old, quaint little town. Check it out if you in the Ozarks.

Meantime in my town of Ash Flat, there was a festival going on - the annual Eaglefest. Of course I was starving after walking 3.1 miles (DUH, that is a given), so I swung by the Eaglefest and had myself a homemade burrito and lemonade AND two - that is right I said two pieces of prize winning pies!!! i had two friends with first place pies. What's a girl to do???!!! Karla's brandy pecan won grand champion and Beth's Apple won 1st. YUM-O does not even begin to describe these flaky, fruity, liqueury, delicacies! I'm so proud of those girls on their prize winning pies. All-in-all a great day of fall festivities (even though it's burning up hot!).

Although I'm a Spring girl myself, I do love a little fall festival action!

blessing

This word is so how I feel about so many people in my life. From family to friends to many in between - I am blessed all the way around. This is a little random painting I did on some packing material given to me by one of those blessings - my friend, Laura. I am now giving it back to her.

I want to begin a sort of "daily something" like Ali had started awhile back and I was doing for awhile but quit - just like my workouts! :( Anyway, I saw a post on SIStv about doing the little daily cards. I love elise blaha's dailies. Only I want to modify it as a daily blessing or something I'm thankful for. I simply want to be more aware of the small things in life that I forget to thank God for.

LUB SIStv

This ---------> {click here to go to the ultra groovy site} is about the greatest website for inspiration and just all around cool chicks (and I think there are a few dudes on there too!) I've found.

If you have not checked out SIStv, go now! Do not pass go, do not collect $200, just go. You must also check this -------------------> {SIS Boutique} out. Just launched today! Talk about some eYe CanDy! Whoa.

On a sadder note, a member of our family has left us today...Amy's old horse - Jet passed away today and we are all very sad about it. We knew it was going to happen as he was old and not looking real great, but it is never easy to let a part of your family go whether person, dog, cat, bird or horse. He was a fantastic horse who taught a lot of kids and adults how to ride and rope. He will be missed and always have a place in our hearts and pasture! :)