Fall Trip 2011

One of our favorite fall events is visiting our son and daughter-in-love in Knoxville, TN.....Go Vols! Grant's birthday happens to be in the middle of the leaf-looking season, which is convenient for all the Floridians trying to escape the FL heat! We head north each fall to visit and enjoy the LORD's paintbrush.... This year George's brother, Bocky joined us in the adventure. The project this year was a fence in the backyard to provide more privacy.

He rode a 2009 Nostalgic Harley Davidson Motorcycle to TN....

Grant and Mandi took us to a small town, Dandridge to enjoy the local color...

It is a small, quaint town with a drug-store, and small shops full of local arts and crafts....right up my alley I say......

Thinking of mother....teaching 42 years.....I took a pic of the Dept. Of Education Bldg. decorated for fall.

We enjoyed lunch at this cafe....even though our plans were to eat at the drug-store.... it was closed for the weekend.....

Southern Comforts Cafe....for sure.....great grilled salmon, fried green tomatoes and other delicacies were enjoyed by all....

Now...

back to the project......the fence.....lets rake all the leaves, fallen walnuts and whatever those prickly, sticky things are that is worse than sandspurs.....(did you say they were chestnuts?)..so the dogs can run, jump and play in the back yard...thanks for the help...Bocky....

almost completed....

wow....what a difference....looks great from this view.....

Grant looks on to the next year....Graduation in the future....just enjoy the next 29 years as much as the first 29 years......

Mandi and I enjoy some retail therapy....

Roxy just wants to bask in the fall sun to warm up!

Grant and Mandi Harley ....gracious host and hostess....

Thanks for the treat to Red Lobster's Endless Shrimp Festival.....we enjoyed the leaves too!

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy this time off with your family and friends. Write down all the blessings you enjoy.............The LORD allows us to enjoy the simple things everyday!

Grant and Mandi Harley

George and Lynda Harley

Douglas and Lindsay Heruska

Happy Turkey Day!

Showers of blessings

In this journey it's nice to have friends and family that help you through the celebrations of life. I enjoy helping with bridal and baby showers. There is a fantastic support group for this, including my sisters, daughter who love to bake, and Sunday School family. A friend's daughter is to be married soon. For the shower she chose black, white and pink bling. The challenge was the removal of the traditional cake....to be replaced by cupcakes. How to display them? After several shopping trips...the most disappointing aspect was not being able to purchase what I had envisioned in my mind. I wanted the pottery barn silver tray, but it has to be ordered. So we opted for another informal galvanized version that we spruced up with paper baking cups after ironing them.

We had loads of baking help....The oreo balls were made by my sister, Michelle. The extra cupcake batter was made into mini bites and displayed on the side table.

The pink icing was carefully crafted by Lindsay....I talked her into placing a surprise cream cheese filling with mini chocolate chips inside!

The name banner took the longest time. I used a package of coordinating black and white paper to cut the triangles. A white doilly was used to help the pink letters stand out. I should have taken a close up shot, but you get the idea. The triangles are double-sided just in case they were flipped.....attention to detail? It was fun putting it all together.