Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Putting One Foot in Front of the Other

We've all seen those ads for the tennis shoes that tone. You know, the ones that look like tug boats? They are suppose to tone your legs while you walk. The other day a flyer came in the mail about a new style of toning shoe. This one looks more like a normal tennis shoe, except for two cross hairs ,if you will, in strategically placed locations on the bottom of the shoe. The ad states that these are in place to provide micro instability. I had to read it twice. Instability in a shoe is now a quality we look for? I don't want that. I don't care how micro it is. A shoe is for protection. Remember non skid soles? Are we now going to remove that in an attempt to provide entertainment on an otherwise boring day?

The Hobby Closet

I love to organize. I love to simplify and see how less of something we can get by with. I also have an unhealthy obsession with throwing stuff out. Don't ask me to explain, because I don't know,
I just love to get rid of stuff. But I have had such a love-hate relationship with an extra closet lately. This closet was organized and nothing on the floor. So it was easy to vacuum and housed stuff we used occasionally but not daily. But for some reason it just bugged me and I'd find myself rearranging it often trying to get it to feel right. Cooler weather has set in here where we live and we were getting out jackets and hunting gear, I was inwardly cringing thinking of how badly our clothes closet would look until spring time. These bulky clothes crammed in with our everyday clothes makes it look like its almost bursting at the seams. So I suggested to my husband that he go through his hunting attire and what he knew he wouldn't be using this year we could store in a labeled bin out in our storage shed. He agreed but there was still a lot that would be staying in the house. Then the extra closet came to mind. Why not make that a place not only for the hunting clothes but also the gear too. So we reevaluated the things already in there and some got delegated to the shed. In their place went all the guys stuff plus plastic on the floor to set hunting boots on. It still houses our board games and my sewing machine but we also added our dirt bike riding gear and our race bag and fishing bag. We call it the hobby closet now. It no longer has the floor space it did, and we had to remove a shelf for the clothes to hang right, but now it's being useful. I think that was the gripe I had with it earlier. I felt it was wasted space. Now I know it's keeping all that stuff out of my walk-in and that makes me happy! Until next time.....Kristi.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Aprons

My Mother's Apron

My mother's old checkered apron
Was a garment full and wide;
It filled its humble mission,
And a million more beside....

'Tws made of 6-cent gingham,
It was neither fine nor grand,
Just a plain and simple pattern,
Made by a busy hand;

It had a little cross-stitch
Along the bottom row
And two long strings that tied behind,
In a hasty half-hitch bow.

It had no lace or ruffles,
Nor pretty applique,
But its simple, homey usefulness
Was an epic of the day.

'Twas used to shoo the flies,
'Twas used to wipe away the tears,
From weeping infant's eyes,

'Twas used to carry in the eggs,
In leafy bowers,
And bring in half-drowned chicks
Caught in sudden showers.

'Twas used to fill the kindling box
With chips of cobs and twigs,
And tote the pesky pursley weed
From the garden to the pigs.

'Twas used to snatch the hot kettles
When a pot rag was not at hand,
To tighten on fruit jar lids
When winter stores were canned.

'Twas used to gather garden stuff
And peaches from the hill,
And many a mess of greens
Did Mother's apron fill.

Her hands were sheltered from the gale
Beneath the sheltered fold
And tiny feet nestled there
On mornings bleak and cold.

'Twas a queenly garment
And Mother was queen,
As memory brings back to me,
" Twas a noble thing, I ween,

And when I wander at Heaven's throng,
With robes so bright and fair,
I'll say the old checkered apron
Is what I want to wear.

-Author Unknown

Wheels

Just as he has had many hats in ten years, he's also had many rides. Motorized vehicles, four wheeler, four bicycles, dirt bikes and they keep getting bigger and bigger!

I'll try to be as little sentimental as possible. You'll have to excuse me, this is a sentimental month for me. My baby just turned ten, I'm still trying to find where all the years went and who's responsible for it!

A little side note here. This dirt bike is different from the one above. The first was a new 110 Kawasaki.and this one is a used 60cc two stroke Kawasaki. I think he is a collector. Until next time......Kristi.

Before and After Again

Zach's Room

The walls are painted a light gray and a medium gray. The trim was painted in the same light gray and chair rail was added. The night stand was painted a blue color that Zach picked out himself. Turned out very pretty. The posters have since been put up on the wall. He decided to go with framed Mario posters for his decor this time.

Ten!!

You've worn a lot of hats in ten years. But no matter what you choose to be when you grow up I couldn't be more proud of you than I am at this moment. Mom loves you Zach and hopes you have a great tenth birthday!!

Blogs

Last month I lost two of my favorite blogs. They were the first blogs I read. I enjoyed them so much and will miss them in my daily routine. One stopped due to family illness and I hope will return to blogging later on. The other stopped because she no longer enjoyed blogging. Having just posted my 100th post, this made me take a moment and ask myself if I still enjoyed Gray Days. I found I still love doing it, I just seem to have veered off what I had originally started it for. I more or less wanted to use it as an online journal on housekeeping, homeschooling, and frugality. And possibly a way for the family to keep up with how my mother is doing. What I seemed to have done is get on my soap box more often than not, which is not necessarily a bad thing, this is also an outlet for me. I tend to let people do things to upset me then just keep it inside. This blog allows me to get my frustration out in a more productive way, than say punching them in the nose. Anyway I will try to mix it up a bit here in the next 100 posts. Maybe a little less opinionated. Maybe. Cut me some slack here, old habits are hard to break.
So for the past few weeks I have been searching for new blogs to follow. I can't seem to find the kindred spirits I just lost but I have found some just as entertaining and interesting. One in particular has me contemplating a few things to try in the new year. I'm very excited about this and will be sharing this with you nearer to the close of the year. Have a great day! Until next time........Kristi.

A New Path

Halloween

We had a quiet Halloween here. Let Zach load up on all the candy he liked. Made popcorn balls and watched Harry Potter. Had a lot of fun, kicked back and relaxed. The power decided to go off on Sunday but eventually came back on and the video game playing was resumed!! Hope you all had a fun holiday as well. Until next time........Kristi.

Looks Who Turning One!

He was approximately six and a half weeks old when we brought him home. Cutest little puppy you ever did see and has grown into a great dog! Name fits him well because he is definitely our Buddy!

Happy Birthday Buddy!