Is it too early?

I got my first Christmas card today.

What do you think of that?

I admit I have placed a few "mail" orders for Christmas items but I think it is a little early for cards.  I haven't opened it yet but it is from a neighbour - the same neighbour who was first with cards last year and she confirmed that is what it is.  She told me she has 180 cards to go.  If I do open it will I feel that I need to start baking and buying and wrapping right away?  Will I want to get my own cards out before Hallowe'en?  If ignore it for a few weeks am I being a scrooge?  I will confess that last year I updated our Christmas letter regularly through the year so it was ready to mail in December with minimal work but that was a first.  I am just not ready to think much about Christmas for another month.

What about the rest of you?

Que Sera Sera

When Connor was a toddler he loved diggers and dozers.  All his books were about construction equipment, his room was decorated with them and that was what he played with 90% of the time.  He would get mad if you called a piece of heavy machinery by the wrong name.  Even at 2, he would sit for hours and watch machinery work. This obsession lasted for 5 or 6 years and we were pretty sure he would work in construction.  

Then gradually he became more interested in cars.  He could tell you what an approaching vehicle was from a square inch of the front, or by the headlights.  He knew the specs on all the fast cars and could tell you what year that Mustang was.  He loves Gone in 60 Seconds and The Fast and The Furious.  This interested started with sports cars but expanded to trucks when I got one and is now pretty much anything with wheels.  We started thinking he would maybe be a mechanic.

In the last year or so he has shown great interest in buying and selling things.  He bought a guitar and sold it a year later for almost the same amount.  He bought a kayak with the money from the guitar and sold the kayak this year to upgrade it.  He sold it for very close to what he paid for it after using it for more than a year.   He spends a lot of time online looking for "deals".  Hmm, maybe he was destined to be a car salesman instead of a mechanic.  Still a logical progression.

In August he started work at a big chain restaurant.  He loves the money, the work environment and everything about this step to adulthood.  It is funny when we go out because he will tell us how many grams of this that recipe takes or that his restaurant puts more cheese, or a different blend of cheese in what we are having.  This week he started talking about owning his own restaurant.  Huh!  Wait a minute!  Big step away from things with wheels.  We went out for dinner last night to a nice restaurant and discussed what his restaurant would serve - appetizers, main dishes and desserts are mostly worked out.  I am looking forward to preparing his desserts to be showcased at the entrance.  

I know next year he might be wanting to become a professional snowboarder or teacher.  I'm just enjoying the ride.  Whatever will be, will be.

Thanksgiving Weekend - 3

After church on Sunday, Kevin and I and my parents drove up to Meaford.  The whole drive there was along the southern shore of Georgian Bay - desolate and windy at this time of year but still enjoyable.  We love visiting the Meaford Factory Outlet.  You never know what you will find there.  We make a trip every fall to get stocking stuffers and fill up the Samaritan's Purse shoeboxes.

Meaford is also home to the Scarecrow Invasion.  The whole town is decorated.  There are scarecrows in store windows, front lawns and climbing buildings and street posts.  These scarecrows were at a garage.

 These scarecrows were at country homes.

We took the scenic route home through the countryside.  It was a beautiful fall drive.  The colours were great.  We saw 2 deer and a flock of wild turkeys.  We stopped at Walter's Falls.  This picture is taken from the bridge over the falls looking down.

 

My parents and Alec went home today and we went to see Kevin's mom.  It was a great weekend. 

Thanksgiving Weekend - 2

After the corn maze, we went out to the pumpkin patch activities.  My parents and Jenna are having a duck race while Connor watches.  You use an old fashioned pump to race the rubber duckie down the chute.  Behind them is the catapault.  If you get your ball in a hole you win a free pumpkin.  My mom was the only one to get it in but she did it on her practice shot so it didn't count. The lady at the catapault had an interesting hat.  You can see it better if you click on the picture to enlarge it.Myself, Kevin and Connor racing while Amber cheers us on.  The mini-golf is behind us.

 

If you find a fake pumpkin hiding in the field you get a real one free.  Guess who was the only one to find one?  I was the only one last year as well - I found 2 last year.  They are very realistic replicas.  They are just a little shinier than a real pumpkin and have a seam on the bottom.  They come in all shapes and sizes. That is the fake I am holding.
Then we came back to our house where Alec had been tending the turkey all afternoon.  These pictures are proof that turkey contains tryptophan, which causes people to be very drowsy, even in a room full of people. 


Leanne had a headache (hence the sunglasses and ice wrap).

Thanksgiving Weekend - 1

Last year Connor and I had a great time at the local pumpkin patch so we invited my parents and my sister and her family up to join us.  There are 4 friendly farm animals hidden in the maze.  When you find them, you punch their picture with the shaped hole punch and turn in your sheet to win a prize.  I wonder how many children have nightmares about the cow.

The chicken was my favourite. 

Connor kept running ahead and hiding in the corn and jumping out to scare my mom.  She jumped every time.  Except this time.  You can see Connor's arm in the bottom left corner.  It isn't a great picture, but captures the fun.

 

My dad. 

Connor and the Green Monster

These pictures are a few weeks old but I haven't had time to download them until now.  When we were at the Coldwater Fall Fair  Connor met the Green Monster - not scary at all I promise.  Connor (and Victoria) love giant dill pickles and everybody loves chocolate so what could be better than combining the two and adding sprinkles to make it pretty?