~Fun fall table scape, Brittany's concert, & Daddy and Moma come for a visit.~

~The 2nd Sunday that Phillip was gone, I invited Daryl and Laura and their family, and Jeffrey, and my Daddy and Moma over for Sunday dinner.
I had a lot of F.U.N. setting my table all Fall-ish!  Since we were going to be out late on Saturday night due to Brittany's concert, I set the table way early and snapped some pics before we walked out the door.~

~Part of my centerpiece.~

~The Saturday night before my niece Brittany, who plays in the Cincinnati Community orchestra, had their first concert.  So, my Parents, Daryl, Laura, and family, the Kennedy's, Miss Linda, and our family went to Brittany's concert.  It was beautiful and Brittany did a great job.  (Of course, our eyes only saw her.  =) ~

~Brittany is the 3rd violin player.  She's sitting in the middle of the picture.~

~I leaned and took this picture of Gram holding Mary.~

~L to R: Brittany, Kiana, Sarah, and Kimberly.~

~One Happy Daddy and his little girl.  =) ~

~My Mary looking at the program.
There were 2 guests players who played a beautiful duet.
One of them is sitting in the pew across the aisle from Mary with a gray sweater on.~

~Brittany and Gram.
I was SO GLAD that my sweet Daddy and Moma could come to Brittany's concert.  We all went out after the concert to Steak and Shake to CELEBRATE Brittany.  =) ~

~Aunt Nesi from church told me the other day that my Sarah reminds her so much of Brittany.  =) ~

~Happy Birthday, Britt.  We love you tons.  You are a beautiful person inside and out.  =) ~

~And then on Sunday we ate dinner at our house.
We had SO M.U.C.H. FUN being together....just were SAD that my man couldn't be here for the occasion.  =(  
BUT....The Lord willing, Phillip comes home to us TONIGHT!!!!  AND WE CAN'T WAIT!!!!!! =) ~

~Our JCPenny family pics!~

A few weeks ago, I scheduled for our family to go to JCPenny for pictures.  While on the mission field, we normally take pictures outside, so I wanted a studio picture this time.
I accidentally scheduled our appointment at a JCPenny that is not in a mall, so I had my fears that they might not have as much experience/photo shoots as a JCP in a mall.  I prayed that Jesus would help them to do a good job.
On the day of our appointment when we got there they weren't very friendly, and then I heard one whisper to another lady, "But there's 7 of them."  
I thought, "Oh, No!  Do they not know what to do with 7 people in a picture?"  
I kindly asked that lady, "Are we stressing you out?"  She replied that we weren't.
I thought to myself, "Good, I'm glad you are not stressed, because I surely did NOT want to waste our money or our groupon coupon if you didn't know what to do with 7 of us." =) (I found out later she was saying that there were 7 of us because she only gets 35 shots per photo session and she was trying to divide all the pics we wanted among that 35.)
Jesus helped them and JCPenny did a GREAT job.  I'm glad we chose the colors minty/aqua and choral.  I was afraid they would be too springy, but with the brown background they are fallish like I wanted.  I'm very HAPPY with our pictures.  Enjoy!

 ~Our Sweet Kimberly~

 ~Our dear Sarah.~

 ~Can't believe our Noah is getting so big.~

 ~Love that little grin.~

 ~Our little Mary in Mommy's childhood rocking chair.~

 ~Mary with Kimberly's antique baby stroller she got when she was a baby.
Love this little girl!~

 ~My sweetheart and I!!~

 ~Wow!  What a couple! =) ~

 ~Love that man!~

 ~All because WE fell in Love!!!~

 ~And we got a large canvas of the above picture and it is hanging on the old door in our living room.~

  ~Our family!  Love Mary's cute little grin in this pic.

My Elijah and Mary are still sick.  I'm praying that none of the rest of us get it, so we can be ready for Daddy to get back later on this week!!  THANK YOU for your prayers!
He and Bro. David could use special prayer as they travel tomorrow.

~A yummy Fall recipe and 2 new burlap table runners.~

 ~Looking for a new fall recipe to take to a gathering?  Recently we had a deputation service at Bro. Jonathan and LuRhe's E's church.  After church she served this dip.
I made it for a Ladies' night out last week and it was a hit! =)
It gives the caramel some UMPH and protein, and is yummy!

~Peanut Butter/Caramel Apple dip!~
1 container of store boughten caramel dip
About the same amount of peanut butter.
Put these 2 together in a microwavable bowl, and zap for about 30-45 seconds to make soft.
Stir together, put in a cute fallish bowl, wash and slice bunches of apples, and be prepared to share this recipe. =) ~

 

 So, my life has been VERY adventurous this week!
On Monday our 5 kids and I went up to my b-i-l and sis-in-law's house and I watched their 3 children while they went to the hospital to get their LATEST EDITION!  =)
For those 2 days I felt like the little old lady who lived in the shoe...she had so many kids, she didn't know what to do.  = )
Many Prayers later...and a full day of LABOR (Just ask Beth ;-), little Joshua Phillip arrived.
He's a cutie!
~And 5 becomes 6!  So Happy for y'all Michael and Beth!!!!  Congrats!

 ~(And their kids were good and Jesus helped me and I survived those 2 days just fine. =)~

 ~Our Elijah and Mary with their new cousin.~

  ~While I was watching my niece and nephews while they waited for their baby brother to be born, my poor niece got sick. =(
As you know...when you have 8 children together...it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE to keep the germies from spreading.
So, now I have a sick Mary and Elijah. =(
Dear Aunt Laura and her kiddies sent over goodies to help our sick little kids' hearts.  Thank you bunches! =)

 

 ~In the bag were these yummy homemade cookies tucked in a jar topped with burlap.  =)
THANK YOU, U. Daryl, A. Laura, and kids...for the goodies! (Even though sick, Mary can still find a smile!)~

  ~Poor little sick Elijah.~

  ~At home I've been ENJOYING doing some Fall baking.  I made a couple pumpkin pies...one for our family, and one to share with Daryl and Laura and family. ~

 ~Last Saturday morning I did a RARE thing, and made "homemade" fried canned biscuit donuts. =)~

~Then this week I got inspired and wanted to add some ruffles to my burlap table runner.~ 

 ~I placed that table runner on our entry way 3 drawer chest.~

 ~My friend Janet gave me LOTS of khaki material.
So, I made the little ruffles this way!
I cut some 3" strips, folded them in half, and then measured every 1" or so, made little pleats, then sewed them on the machine.
I did the same with burlap material.~

 ~Then I made very ruffled burlap table runner with khaki ruffles for our dinning room table.  
For the outer ruffle I cut the khaki 5" wide, and then folded and pleated it every 1" or so, sewed it on the machine, and it is a 2 1/2" wide ruffle. 
The little ruffle is cut 3", folded, and pleated, making it a 1 1/2" wide ruffle.
I laid the 2 ruffles together....
Then I sewed both ruffles onto the burlap.~

 ~It was a tad time consuming, but I'm very happy with how it turned out!  =) ~

 ~And I used "chalkboard stickers" and made different spoon (and fork) jars for our table.~

 ~It's hard to see, but I used the salvage of the material for the edge of the top ruffle, to give it a more "finished look."~

So, since Elijah and Mary are sick...it Looks like we'll be staying home from church tomorrow.  =(  Prayers appreciated!
And PLEASE keep praying...Bro. David Spivey and Phillip have services all day long tomorrow in Colombia.
They have been teaching/preaching for nearly 12 days, plus traveling to the churches (10 and 24 hours away from the main church in Bogota, so they are weary and needing God's help!  THANK YOU!