Its almost Halloween, and I want summer back!!

Good morning everyone!!

Hmmm.... that sounds way more cheerful than I feel.  Actually I do feel fairly cheerful, just also chilled, but I am sitting by the window.  It's 31 degrees (F) outside and that's just too cold for me, I WANT SUMMER BACK!!  It's still fall, but there's very little warm about this weather.  Okay enough whining on cold temps, as I know there are many people who live in far colder places than me.  ;)  Right Jackie?

Maybe I'm feeling whiny because Dad loved this time of year, and well, he died on October 9th.  He fought a good fight, but in the end, that cancer got him.  3 years ago in November was when his Drs found the first cancerous lumps in his lungs, then it metastasized to his spine, then in late May or early June it was Everywhere.  He and Emalie had a good life for 8 years, she really made him happy and he was much more lively than I had seen him in a very long time, since before Mom died.  Speaking of Mom, the 10 anniversary of her death is next month, on November 27th.

It's October 30th, the in-between day for us.  In-between, because yesterday was my son Joseph's 12th birthday and tomorrow is Halloween.

We are going to have a good-sized birthday party for Joseph on Saturday November 1st with several of his friends and their families.  Anyone want to come along? Lasagna, green salad, bread sticks? and cake, lemon sponge cake to be precise!

I still need to get sewing on Taw's costume, he wants to be a Jedi Knight like Joseph -- as he says, he wants to be Joseph's helper.

Well time to go get girls into clothes really fast & get boys to school.

Ya'll have a good day!!  I will try to keep posting here, at least not let so many months go by without blogging again.

=) Gayle

Gifts for men [Christmas or anytime]

One thing that I struggle with year after year is finding or figuring out some nice handmade gifts for men -- whether they be my hubby, my brothers and Daddy, or my nephews.  This year I am back to the same old thing and I have turned to the internet for help as usual.  Now, I am not going to post exactly what ideas I like just so that those whom I give to this year  don't figure out things ahead of time, but I am going to post links to the pages whose ideas I like best.  Then after Christmas, I will post what I did for this year... lol, if for no other reason than to remind myself next year.

So.....   here, and here and here and here and here  and here and here and here  and here and these are ones kids can make here

I hope I didn't duplicate any but if I did its because I was just so excited to share the great links I found.

Happy Gift-making.  I found lots of ideas.

Oh and last year (my reminder to myself), I made aprons for my brother L & his wife, a duffle bag for their son (I think), and cute skirts for their girls. 

This year I give to sister S & her family.  I've pretty well figured out the females, but the males.... well that is the reason for this post!  Enjoy!