Hello and Happy Wednesday! It's such a comfort to know that we're halfway to the weekend! I really do try hard to not live simply from one Friday to the next but it is quite a challenge for me! I've had a good week so far - I've enjoyed digging my sweaters out of the closet and throwing on my coat before I leave for work. There's something about cold weather that just makes me feel cozy inside! I attached a picture of a snowflake sweater that I made. The color on the photograph didn't turn out very well, but I guess it'll just have to do! This is one of my favorite things I've crocheted so far. There is also one little snowflake on the back shoulder of the sweater. Right now I'm working on a another sweater. It is white and I want to put something decorative on it when it's finished. I haven't decided whether to try pink flowers or green Christmas trees...

We had a great weekend at the state park! I enjoyed getting to see everyone and catch up with the kiddos. Although we drove through a lot of rain on Friday night, Saturday was a beautiful day and we were able to do a little bit of hiking. We also played frisbee golf - that was a new one for me! I can't say that I look forward to playing again anytime soon but it was pretty comical and enjoyable.

It has been requested that I make pork chops and mashed potatoes for supper and laundry calls so I guess I better sign off. I've just finished some WKU work and am ready to kiss the computer goodbye for a few hours!

I can't believe that October is already almost over... This month is flying by! This week has been a real wake-up call from reality - back to school after our two week fall break! I have this shameful desire to just be a freeloading bum for the rest of my life! No, I couldn't stand my conscience if I did that but I do long for those good old homeschool days of completing all my requirements by lunch time and having the rest of the day to waste away in blessed irresponsibility. So it is to grow up I suppose... I have been doing some more crochet and have made some darn cute little hats and sweaters! I am excited about this weekend - mom and I are leaving on Friday to meet the fam on our annual state park mini-vacation! It is always so much fun to see everyone and just have a nice, relaxing fall weekend. I have been on the computer this evening trying to make up for lost time on my WKU class. I am such a procrastinator... Not sure how or when that happened. I think now I'm going to go take a long bath and then GO TO BED!! Hallelujah!

Relaxing...

I can't believe that my break is now half way over! It has been great! I have been pretty busy but it doesn't seem like I've really accomplished much. One thing that I've been working on is a slide show of local military veterans to show at church in honor of Veteran's Day. Another lady at church had the idea and asked if I would scan in the photos and put some music to a slide show - I've enjoyed working on it and seeing all of the old photographs. This one is of my own sweet Papa. He served during World War II and I guess this picture was taken at the beginning of his service. I've also been getting caught up with my class work for WKU. Not a lot of fun but nice to know that I'm making some progress... Jill and I went shopping yesterday and had a fun day. 'We had a good day and I found some nice clothes, shoes, and some more yarn for a new crochet project. I'm working on another baby sweater right now (brown) but haven't done much on it in the last few days because I've been so caught up in Ashes in the Wind! It is such a great book!! I'm almost done with it and am anxious to start another Kathleen Woodiwiss book I got at the library - it's called The Reluctant Suitor - sounds enchanting, does it not? Another thing that I mangaged to do this week was CLEAN THE HOUSE! Heaven knows it needed it.... Lile has gone fishing with Ronnie today. They left bright and early this morning and seem to be making a real day of it! I hope they're enjoying themselves. Lile was so excited the other night because he had gotten a picture of a "monster buck" on his trail camera - I tried to feign excitement but failed miserably! Mom and Dad are on their way home and it sounds like they've had a great trip. I can't wait to hear all about it! In the mean time, I'm going to go sit on the porch and finish my book!

Whooopiiiieeee! Fall Break is finally here! After Lile and I got off work yesterday, we went to Spurlington lake and he fished a little bit - I read my book! (I have just started Ashes in the Wind - one of Mom and Shannon's favorites!) The leaves are really beginning to change colors and are starting to fall pretty quickly. It has been so dry lately that I'm afraid many of them might just turn brown instead of the beautiful red, orange, and yellow colors that are so nice to see this time of year. Mom, Dad, and Nathan are well into their Wyoming excursion now - I talked to Mom this morning and they're having a wonderful time! Lile is at work today and I've just been hanging around the house this morning doing some much needed cleaning and laundry. I also did a little crochet (after I got up at a wonderfully late hour!) and finished a baby sweater that I started a couple of days ago. I've found a fun website that has lots of cute and simple crochet patterns. I've enjoyed working on the baby things because they're pretty simple and can be completed quickly - I don't like projects that take too long as I get bored easily! Here's a picture of the sweater I made - the title of the pattern was "Baby, It's Cold Outside!". I think it turned out pretty good - I tried it on a doll just so that I could get a better idea of it's size.

Almost there...

Only two more days until my TWO WEEK FALL BREAK!!! I couldn't be any more ready for it! I've been trying to maintain my sanity this week by being a crafty little homemaker in the evenings - check out the little baby booties I made tonight!! We're having a baby shower for a girl at work so I plan to give these to her. (Know anybody that might need some of these - I'm open for hire!) I am just learning to crochet but have really enjoyed it. Jan gave me a how-to crochet book last Christmas - so far I've made a checkbook cover, small button clutch, baby blanket, these booties, and a hat. I need lots of improvement but I've had fun learning. Last night I went to 'craft night' at mom's. That's always fun - even if I usually end up grading papers more than actually crafting... Mom, Dad, and Nathan are leaving for their big Wyoming trip on Friday. I'm sure they'll have a great time! I can't wait to hear all about it and see their pictures. Jill and I are going to get together one day while they're gone and do a little shopping - we could be dangerous!! For the moment, I'm just trying to maintain an even strain at school until Friday afternoon at 2:30. At that point, I'll be home free! At least for a couple of weeks... I asked Lile this afternoon if he knew what this coming Friday was. His first guess was the beginning of my Fall Break - true, but not the answer I was looking for. Friday will be 7 years since our first date!! We had no idea what we were getting into :-) (I mean that in a good way!)

Say Hello to Hershal! I've been outside most of the afternoon (it's a beautiful day!) arranging pumpkins and corn shocks while playing with Boss. It's been a nice weekend - Apple festival on Friday night and Ham Days yesterday. I have to say that I was disappointed with the Apple Festival. It made Cow Days look good! Ham Days was enjoyable and it was nice to see Nana for a few minutes along with Josh, Kim, and some of the rest of the family. I am counting down the days now until my Fall Break - only five more to go! After Friday we have a two week break from school and I couldn't be more ready for it! I plan to spend my time enjoying the fall weather and catching up on my online class. This semester I'm taking GTE 536 - Nature and Needs of Gifted Children. After this class is over, I will need three more regular classes plus two practicums to finish my degree. Once completed, I will have a master's degree in Library Media Education as well as an endorsement in Gifted/Talented Education. I am ready to get the classes over with and start getting the pay raise that goes with the degree!! I choose these areas for my master's because they will hopefully give me some options outside of the regular classroom. I'm planning to have everything finished by Christmas '09 but I guess we'll just have to see how it goes... Enough of that - is anybody watching Dancing With the Stars?! I look forward to watching it every Monday - I think my favorite couple this season is going to be either Maks and Misty or Julianne and the young guy (can't remember his name...).

This has definitely been a "Calgon" kind of day! My 27 students seemed to have the weekend running through their veins - absolutely wild! Lile and I are getting ready to go to the Apple Festival in Liberty this afternoon. It should be a nice afternoon and who knows - maybe I'll even get a funnel cake out of the deal! We're also planning to go to Ham Days tomorrow so I hope to see some of the Lebanon crew. I'm looking forward to a nice Fall-ish weekend and now have a seasonal picture to add for a little festive spirit! I need to get Hershal (my scarecrow) put up this weekend also - he's been a tradition for the past 3 years and Halloween just couldn't come without him! Speaking of Halloween, can you believe that the stores are already bypassing Halloween and Thanksgiving in order to fill the shelves with Christmas stuff?! I know that's the way it is every year but it still always shocks me. I better go - Lile will be ready to leave and I'll still be sitting here in my work duds and sock feat.

Here goes...

Well, it looks like I'm starting a blog! I had to create a blog for one of my master's classes and kind of enjoyed it. Now, I think I'll start a blog about things I enjoy rather than just class stuff. I decided to call my blog My Own Little Corner after a song that Mom and I love - it is on the old Rogers and Hammerstein Cinderella movie. Sometimes after a long day - or just a fun day! - this will be a nice way to clear my mind. I'm not sure what I'm going to be writing about since there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary going on in my life right now. Things are pretty settled and normal. Who knows what may come though? I just may have all sorts of interesting things to gab about! I know that it is now officially fall but I don't have any pumpkin pictures yet so I'll just post this pretty yellow Zinnia - a final farewell to summer.