Blue Between Black Friday Sale!

♥ Black Friday Weekend Sale: Don't fight the crowds, shop online instead! This weekend only, 20% off anything in my store. For sale price, please check out but *DON'T* pay! I'll send you a custom invoice! ♥

BlueBetween.etsy.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for Luke's adorable pine cone turkey centerpiece today.



Luke also came home yesterday with this amazing bag decorated in a hand print turkey, full of cards of handprinted and illustrated things he is thankful for. I'll share with you because they brought tears to my eyes. I hope you have such a great list too. Happy Thanksgiving with lots of love!



I am thankful for having a school. This one is just right.

I am thankful for having great grandparents. They give me money for college.

I am thankful for having a family. I love them.

I am thankful for friends. They look out for you and help you.

I am thankful for my dogs. I love playing with them.

I am thankful for having a house or else I would have to live in the streets.

Back Home

We had to make a quick trip to Florida to visit family. All is well, or as well as can be. It was cold there, but sunny. It's cold here too. And sunny. Go figure. Here's a quick picture of the mountains as we left. I'm sure they looked the same when we came back, except it was dark and cloudy and I didn't see them.



Anyway, I'm glad to be home, I have so much I want to do, and am so far behind between these two family trips and Luke's birthday and houseguests last month, so far behind. Anyway, I am starting a quilt (yes, imagine? My mother-in-law inspired me, she made us all lap quilts which we are loving now that the house is cold and drafty again), I have two glass birthday gifts to make (one late, one hopefully on time), beads I want to make and list for sale, some family jewelry to restring, and holiday gifts to make. Lots of stuff and of course it's half-days at school and Thanksgiving coming and ugh, I have to put it all on hold another week. Creations will happen, and soon, stay tuned.

Shiba Inu Pups

We've been watching these pups for a day now, they are so fun.

Shiba Inu Puppy Cam

Back to Basics

I made beads today. I can't remember the last time I got to do that. I've been wanting to make trees... so that's what I did. Plus some of my little flower wheels. In some strange black glass color that reduces to metalic. No idea what rod I grabbed.



Basics... my feel-good beads. Except I'm not feeling it. Why is that? I should be bouncing off the walls with Obamania. Except I'm feeling a bit bad for him, what a mess he inherited. Plus November rains are here and oh are they cold and dark and wet. Which is fine if it's only a day or two or four. But it's going to be months and months of this. And... well, just stuff. I'm pooped out. October does that to me every year.

So I read a good series of books last week - the whole series, yes. Twilight and New Moon and Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. They suck you in, trust me. Vampires and werewolves and love stories. Not the deepest reading in the world... but a good escape. Give them a try if you are feeling the need to run away too.

They're getting a puppy!

The Obama girls are getting a puppy! LOL, isn't that the cutest thing? Luke was babbling at that point, how were they going to keep track of a puppy in the White House? How were they going to house train it when the house was so big? Hoping they didn't lose it... he was very concerned. Very cute. And no big thing that an African American was elected president, so what, of course and why not. The next generation, isn't it wonderful?

I'm so relieved. Happy too, but it's hard to feel it for all the relief. There was a part of me that thought our voting system was so messed up that we would never see what the American People really wanted. Ever again. But this restores my faith and my hope in this democracy. And I'll get excited... once it finally sinks in that it's real. I keep checking the headlines making sure they aren't taking it away from me.

Check out this slide show, it's still giving me goosebumps!

Halloween 2008

I pulled it off. Luke had a great time, Zoe loved wearing her bones costume, the house looked fun enough. We have more than enough candy to last through Christmas. Now I can crash. Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Too Busy for Words

Life has been too crazy busy these past few weeks... serious to-do lists including flying across the country for a weekend to help get my grandmother moved in with my mother. Tomorrow is my favorite day of the year and I am not even close to being ready to enjoy it. I rushed the pumpkin carving, my window bats are not up to par, the yard is not decorated... and I never made something goulish to wear out of glass. Oh well, maybe next year. Tonight, it was dinner out with Luke's grandfather who is in town... and while it was just the second to the last thing on my list for the day, it was nice to get out to the water. Things slow down there. It was much needed.

The Mountain

That's what we call her around here "The Mountain". Of course, in my family, she is known as "My Mountain" if I'm talking about her, or, if Luke is, it's "Mom's Mountain". He gets Mt. Baker. Frank gets Mt. St. Helens. My Mountain is Mt. Rainier.



Here she is with "The Lake", Lake Washington.

Fall is Fun by Luke

Fall is fun
It tastes like pumpkin pie
It smells like wet dogs
It sounds like crunchy leaves
It looks like jack o lanterns
It feels wet

By Luke

Vote!

"Goodbye Summer!" By Luke

Goodbye Summer!
Goodbye T-shirt
Hello Vest
Goodbye Ice Cream
Hello Soup
Goodbye Lemonade
Hello Hot Chocolate
Goodbye Hot Weather
Hello Cold Weather
Goodbye Baseball
Hello T.V.
Hello Fall

Red

Any Abe-Hicks fans reading here?

Abraham on the current financial situation:

Pumkins and Politics

We went to the pumpkin patch today. Luke chose to wear his new Obama for President shirt.



On the way home we stopped for pizza at our favorite spot in Everett, Brooklyn Bros Pizza. We parked right in front of the county's Obama Headquarters and decided to run in and get a yard sign!

Today's Walk

I'm avoiding the news. Trying anyway. You know I can't stay out of politics, I go back and forth between enjoying it all and wishing it was over... but the news these days is dismal. Today I peeked at the headlines and just about choked. So Zoe and went for a walk instead of checking CNN on the Blackberry during Luke's soccer practice. I'm glad we did. I found our "Edmonds Marsh" - a nice little bird sanctuary near the beach with wooden boardwalk and interpretive signs with information about the birds who live there. Will have to go back with my zoom lens one of these days.



Then we went on to my lovely fishing pier. No seals or sea lions today, but that's ok. It was a nice walk, Zoe enjoyed herself too.



And now we are watching the news. Or not really, it's Michelle Obama on Larry King Live. She is one impressive person. I really like her. And that's not news so much. Just politics.

The Big Bold Necklace Collection

I listed my necklaces on Etsy today. Here's hoping not everyone is worried about the economy, huh?

Luke's School Fundraiser

My school's annual fundraiser with Innisbrook has begun. Innisbrook Wraps has beautifully designed gift wrap printed on quality recycled paper, coordinating gift wrap accessories, gourmet foods and fine Helen Grace Chocolates that make great gifts, Time Inc. magazine subscriptions, and more.

For every item that is purchased, Innisbrook donates up to 50% of the purchase price to my school. I also earn a prize credit for every item purchased except school supplies. The more prize credits I earn, the more prizes I win!

Please consider visiting the Innisbrook website and making a purchase on my behalf. A link is included below. Our sale will be over soon, so don't wait. Place your order today.

Thanks for your help!

Seller: LUKE Seller ID# R157167D
School: BRIGHTON SCHOOL
School Number: 105733

Click the link below to visit Innisbrook.com and they will recognize me and my school automatically.

http://www.innisbrook.com/index_students.cfm?id1=R157167D&id2=&id3=

If the above link does not work:
1. Click below
2. Enter the Seller ID# R157167D
www.innisbrook.com/id.cfm

So Long Starbucks

So long, Starbucks
It was nice while it lasted.
I will miss you so much.
(Actually, I already do.)

This winter,
When it's cold
And grey
And dreary...
It will be very hard
To find a better treat
Than your Sunshine in a Cup.

Hot tea doesn't do it.
Hot chocolate might,
But then I might as well just
Have a mocha.

My body will thank me.
At least it better.
Coffee Free.
Dairy Free.
Chocolate Free.
(No, never chocolate free!)

But if it doesn't,
And if the economy
Doesn't totally crash...
I'll be back.
For my Sunshine in a Cup.
That lovely chocolately
Java drink...
Grande No-whip Mocha,
You will always have a spot
In my heart.