mums the word

Chrysanthemums....i'm not particularly fond of them.  Mostly the little mini mums.  Maybe it's because that's all i could find to work with last year and i was tired of them.  They are on the cheaper side and last a good while, which is a plus!  These mums though were really pretty (and big!).  They kinda made me get over my dislike for them.  At least for now.  When i saw the orange/gold ones i actually got excited!   The purple mums were also really pretty and i couldn't pass them up (i was actually looking for something purple since i hadn't really worked with much purple before).  As far as the garden roses go...who could resist (i never do!).  So orange, purple, and red....i wasn't sure how that was going to turn out.  When i got home i walked around the yard and clipped a few of the maple tree and other branches i could....our trees were already starting to lose it leaves.  

Once again i've probably posted too many flower pictures.  I'm sure two maybe three would be plenty, but i guess since i take so many i feel like i have to share.  I promise you aren't looking at the same picture over and over again.  I mean i guess it is the same just at different angles.  I go through them, write down the ones i like, weed out a few, and then usually add one more before it's all done.  Oh well, it's my blog and i can add as many flower pictures as i like!  ;)

Thanksgiving and trying to get a family photo

We didn't do much for Thanksgiving this year.  The night before i prepared a breakfast casserole and that was it.  We ate that Thanksgiving morning and just hung around the house.  I had decided that i wanted to take some pictures of us (and Ziva too) so i pulled out the tripod and tried to find a good spot.  It was pretty sunny and we couldn't really get a good picture in the backyard without squinty eyes or washed out faces.  Plus it was freezing.  We decided to wait till later in the day so the sun wouldn't be right on top of us.

This year we went to Cracker Barrel for Thanksgiving.  Yep.  And it was packed.  There was an hour wait and at first i didn't want to stay...but where else were we going to go.  We walked around the shop ( more like maneuvered our way around people and candy and toys)  We played checkers and even played with some of the toys.   I found a raggedy Ann doll and remembered that old Raggedy Ann and Andy movie.  Jeremy didn't know what i was talking about so i pulled up a clip on my phone.   The characters in that movie were kinda creepy.  Anyway, the hour went by pretty fast and we were seated.

We got the Thanksgiving dinner and it was pretty good....but not like mamas cookin' ;).  Our waitress was a bit crazy and the couple next to us seemed to argue most of the time.  I was surprised at how many families were there.  I mean i can understand a couple like us who don't have any family around or older couples whose kids might not be around, but i guess they didn't want to deal with all the hustle and bustle.

When we got home i wanted to try the pictures again.  We got all set up and took a few before, of course, my camera battery died.  I was hoping for at least one decent picture!  While i was uploading the pictures we were talking about going to go see a movie, but that never happened.  It was starting to get late and we had just missed one of the times.  So i got into my pj's and we watched some shows on Netflix.

Here are a few pictures we got...a couple take outs and a couple good ones...

....the next two are the good ones :)

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! (almost a week late).  

We've already got our Christmas tree up and most of the decorations.  I'm planning on making a wreath for the front door today.  That's as much decorating as we're doing outside this year.  Our neighbors across the street though have already got lights, nativity scenes, blow up santas and snowmen out!  It's been relatively warm (50's maybe 60's) over the weekend so i think everyone really took advantage of it.  I was driving home from dance last night and would look down the streets of neighborhoods and could see so many houses decorated already!  I liked it!  We may have to go Griswolding this year!  Which is what my family calls going out to look at Christmas lights.  Oh, and the Urban Dictionary... 

griswolding:

The act of touring through various neighborhoods searching for garish, tacky or otherwise 'over-the-top' holiday displays. 

I'll post our Christmas decorations later! 

Autumn leaves

Here are a bunch of random pictures from lately. 

 Mostly from our hikes around town, fall colors, and of Ziva (of course!)

we found this trail about 20 minutes from our house

fall wreath i made

Ziva not happy about getting a bath

a big tapestry i put behind our bed!  it's like sleeping in the woods

some leaves found around our yard

don't worry she didn't stay like that for long! 

halloween....this is what me and Ziva dressed up as...I just threw on a red blanket and was like boom!  Little red riding hood and the big bad wolf!

i made her a little leaf bed

i drive past about 4 cemeteries just about everyday.  so the other day after i passed a couple i was thinking that it looked pretty in there with all the yellows, oranges, and reds.  I came up on another one and pulled in. I mostly just drove around, but i did get out and walk a little bit.   

Almost all the leaves on the trees at our house have fallen off.  We have a beautiful red maple tree right outside our front door.  In the mornings when i have the window and door open the sun would shine through and cast this red glow in the living room.  It's mostly lost all it's red leaves now.  It's been a really pretty fall this year.  Maybe it's because we don't live downtown and i can see more trees here.  I am ready to decorate for Christmas though.  I was at World Market the other day and bought a few decorations and i'm tempted to go ahead and put them up. I'll probably wait till after Thanksgiving....or maybe if we aren't doing anything for Thanksgiving then i'll bring a few decorations out then.  

Autumn

Yesterday i went out looking for some flowers and came home with a few things that i wasn't too pleased with.  I told my mom that IF it turned out good then i would post some pictures...but i just wasn't too sure about it at the time.  I've been wanting to do a tablescape set up for awhile, but didn't (and still don't) have everything to do what i wanted.  There's no flatware, glassware, or dishes out here.  I didn't think silver forks would look too good with everything else being gold.  But this is all for play and practice and pretend.  When Jeremy came home from work i had it all set up on our kitchen table and he was like "whoa where's Thanksgiving dinner?!"

I only ended up using about half the flowers i bought...the rest i found in my front yard and i snagged a couple branches from a tree in a parking lot.    

Always has to be a Ziva picture!

I tried to keep the candles lit, but the wind was blowing so they didn't last too long.  

I love the color of these leaves! 

 I think they are what really makes this arrangement look so pretty.

Maybe I'll try and do another one with silver and go all out with silverware and glasses and all that.  

Maybe a Christmas one!

p.s. I think this is my new favorite...i know... i said that last time ;)

5 months later...

I'd say they're looking pretty good! ;)

this might be my new favorite

Yep, i believe this is my new favorite arrangement.  I know i've said that before, buuuuut come on, look at this beaut!  I'm looking forward to doing some more fall floral arrangements.  I made a bouquet last week with just a few foliage clippings.  I'll have to post some pictures later.  

When i saw those roses i just couldn't pass them up.  It's hard to tell the color in the pictures, but they aren't quite pink...kinda like an antique pink/tan color? I don't know.  

 I don't think the protea there in the front probably really goes with this fall looking arrangement...looks a little tropical.  I thought about taking it out or putting it more in the back, but oh well. I still like it.  The apples were an after thought...i had snagged them off the ground of a neighbors tree last week and used them in a bouquet.  The little red berries i discovered in my back yard the other week too. 

Ziva was trying to get my attention to play with her...she dropped her ball right down in front of me. 

That little photobomber.

Hope everyone has a fun weekend!  I have the weekend off of dance rehearsals, but Jeremy has to work Saturday.  Maybe we'll go for another hike at some point.  I know Ziva would love that!