Pumpkins have arrived..

The Pumpkins Have Arrived! 🎃

Well, y’all, the pumpkins have officially arrived at our local grocery store!

I walked through the doors.... they immediately caught my eye.... A huge stack of pumpkins—orange, white, green, striped, smooth, bumpy, big and little. I forgot for a minute what I had even gone to the store for. Of course, out came my phone. You know me…if it catches my eye, there’s probably going to be a picture. Or maybe 5-6.... 😂

Seeing all those pumpkins made me smile because it means fall is finally trying to make its way to us. I'm thinking that Texas has finally gotten the message that it's pumpkin season.

I especially love the unusual pumpkins. Give me the funny-shaped one with the crooked stem or the one covered in bumps. They aren’t perfect, but they sure stand out in the crowd.  The orange pumpkins really speak Fall, but the unusual ones bring a lot of character to the season. 

Maybe we could learn a little from those pumpkins. We spend way too much time worrying about our imperfections when those very things are often what make us interesting, memorable, and uniquely us. God never intended for us all to be exactly alike.

Life gives us a few bumps, too. A few crooked places. Seasons we wouldn’t have chosen. But then a new season comes along and reminds us that change isn’t always something to dread. Sometimes it brings exactly what our heart needed.

So yes, I went to the grocery store and came home thinking about pumpkins and life.  Can you believe that I didn't purchase one?  

Only me, y’all. 😂🎃

…I’m ready for fall. 

This recipe sounds pretty good.  These are next on my list to make!!  

Shug......    make it a great day y'all...

The Kitchen.. the heart of the Home

 The Kitchen Really Is the Heart of the Home ❤️

I’ve always loved the saying “The kitchen is the heart of the home.” And I think there’s a lot of truth in those few words.  

I even have a sign in my kitchen that says: "This kitchen is for dancing."  Over the years, there has been a lot of dancing...mostly my grandkids.

Trista and Tyler doing a little dance way back in the day!!

I honestly think there is something about having a space you love that makes cooking enjoyable. Where you bake fresh breads, cookies and cakes.....or where you enjoy building flavors into meals that your family loves.   

My idea of a dream kitchen isn’t necessarily the biggest or fanciest one.  Just plenty of counter space, good lighting, things within easy reach, and a big island where people can gather.  A kitchen where family and friends can pull up a stool and visit while I cook—or better yet, help!

Some of the best conversations happen standing around a kitchen island. Family gathers there. Friends wander in there. Grandchildren come looking for snacks there. Lots of memories are made in one simple space.   Old pans, dishes, even a tea picture... These are things that our kids and grandkids take with them throughout the years...  "Do you remember that old wooden spoon that Shug used to use?"  These are the memories I hope my grands take with them.

And maybe that’s exactly why the kitchen really is the heart of the home.

It isn’t because of the cabinets, the appliances, the countertops, or even the food.

It’s because it’s a place where we create, gather, feed, talk, laugh, and love.  I remember my grandmother's kitchen... Old? Yes! It was a huge open room with a table in the middle with plenty of chairs, cabinets all around the walls, and always, the smell of something cooking on the stove.

So now I want to know…

What is your favorite part of your kitchen...??

The design, the organization, or the love that pours in each time your family gathers?

Today....I'll be making a "German Chocolate Cake"

in my kitchen...  One of Sam's absolute favorite cakes!!  

Just for fun, I had AI design an open kitchen that would connect our living area to the kitchen....I enjoy watching the HGTV programs on remodeling homes and I saw a complete kitchen redo on a home yesterday....  Thought it would be fun to see what AI would come up with in our home.  

_________

I want to leave y'all this morning with this gorgeous photo that my Colorado kids just sent...

Pike's Peak has snow!!

Shug....

4,527 photos...

 Why Do I Have 4,527 Pictures on My Phone?

Four thousand, five hundred, and twenty seven.

Am I documenting my life for the Smithsonian? 

Apparently so.

Every once in a while, I decide to clean out my photos. I pour myself a cup of coffee and begin with great determination.

Delete. Delete. Delete.

Then I find a picture of one of the grandchildren from three years ago.

Well, obviously, I can’t delete that.

Then there’s a sunset.

I already have 327 pictures of sunsets, but this one is different. The clouds were prettier.

Keep.

Then come the flowers.

Why do I need 47 pictures of the same flower?

Because apparently, I was waiting for it to turn its head and smile.....Keep!

Duplicates...🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Family pictures are impossible to delete because you can’t simply just keep one.

Obviously, I keep them all...All as in I have 5 of the same picture. 

Why, Why, Why????

________

Then I discover screenshots.

Recipes I was going to make. Decorating ideas I was going to try. A blouse I was going to order.

A quote I was going to remember.

Then, I never go back to those pictures...thoughts...or whatever you want to call them...

______

Then there are the accidental pictures.

The floor. My shoe. The inside of my purse.

The dashboard.

And the horrifying accidental selfie taken from underneath my chin.

**Once I discover them, they are deleted immediately!!! 

____

Then there are pictures I took so I wouldn’t forget something:

Where I parked. A price tag. The name of a plant.

I honestly have no clue how I ever managed life without my phone camera. 

The truth is, mixed in with all the nonsense are little pieces of my life.

Birthdays.....Holidays.....Family gatherings.

Grandchildren growing taller.....Places I’ve been.

That’s the problem with cleaning out my phone.

Many of my photos are memories and these are terribly difficult to throw out.  I have them saved in a couple of other places, but for reasons unknown, I think they need to be on my phone as well. 

So after an hour of serious photo cleaning, I check my total.

I started with 4,527 pictures.

I now have….4,380 important pictures. 

Excellent progress?  LOL

Y'all have a good day....

Shug...

Kinda Fall-ish

 It is feeling kinda Fall-ish around here this morning.  

This morning has that little hint of fall in the air.  I'm pretending today that Texas has officially decided to cooperate with the season.  

SOOOOOO.......

I decided it was time to pull out the FALL cups.  Fall weather calls for a mug covered with autumn leaves and of course...a warm throw to wrap up in.  

To top things off...I made two batches of Banana Nut Bread yesterday...  Oh goodness, Hot coffee and a fresh slice of BNB is like a winter vacation!!  lol.

A cool morning, A favorite cup, A quiet kitchen... and a delicious slice of bread... This equals peace!!

I am fully aware that this great state of Texas may decide it's summer again..(by this afternoon), but for this morning.... 

I am in Love!!!!  ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I'm calling this Fall 🍁🍂.....and the Fall mugs have officially been released from the cabinet.  Woo Hoo!!

"Flow with the grace of change, and life will always be an adventure."

Savor the Season Y'all.

Love to all...

Shug...💛