Happy Halloween!

The Middle School kids decorated their homeroom doors for Halloween. This is Zack's homeroom. He said his classmates traced him for the mummy outline.

Enjoy the tour!




Have a safe and happy Halloween!




BOO TO YOU! AND BLESSINGS, TOO! TAMMY

Baseball and Bushes

Another season of baseball is about to begin.

Yesterday Zack had tryouts. Running ...

and batting...and fielding. Teams will be chosen and practices will start this coming week.

We were forced to leave our previous fields and have set up in a different location. No grass here, just sand for the moment.

Mid-afternoon we went to the plant souk.

Isn't this Indian jasmine so unusual?

This is the time of year for new plantings with the temperatures cooling down.

Of course, our high was 96 degrees yesterday. Not exactly cool!

But I spent a glorious two hours, repotting all that we bought, and then cleaning up the mess.

A productive happy day indeed! Hope all is well in your little corner of the world. Friendship blessings, Tammy

A Great Way to Start the Day!

A mean cup of coffee, banana muffins with cream cheese and a little pumpkin crochet.

Hope your day is off to a good start too! Friendship blessings, Tammy

A Simple Pleasure: Coffee and Quotations

I'm linking up with Dayle at A Collection of This and That for another installment of:


I have friends who will tell you that I make a mean cup of coffee. I only use Maxwell House and it comes out perfect every time. (And, of course, the can then gets upcycled and passed along.)

But sometimes we go out for coffee. Most recently, we had a friend visiting from Spain. And next to his hotel was a mall.

We went here ...

to sit and chat for a bit ... in a nice, cozy atmosphere.

Caribou Coffee's slogan is LIFE IS SHORT, STAY AWAKE FOR IT!

I loved that the cups had quotations or affirmations all over them.

DARE TO ADVENTURE plant lots of trees SING OUT LOUD spin the globe then pack your bags GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY lighten up DANCE IN THE RAIN be the ruler of your own life LEARN TO SAY THANK YOU IN TEN LANGUAGES be the first to apologize HAVE A FAVORITE CHARITY give your change to charity DONATE BLOOD YOU HAVE PLENTY step 1 Rake Leaves step 2 JUMP you'll only be your current age once ONLY LOOK BACK IF IT MAKES YOU SMILE be the first to enter and the last to leave the dance floor INDULGE IN CHOCOLATE THERAPY spend time with your kids, tomorrow they're a day older DON'T WAIT FOR NEW YEAR'S TO MAKE A RESOLUTION marshmallows have no nutritional value, and that's ok POUR YOURSELF A CUP OF KARMA savor every sip

HAVE YOU HAD YOUR COFFEE TODAY?

Happy Thursday everyone (for us it is a happy beginning to the weekend). Friendship blessings, Tammy

Zack Attack

Today is Zack's 12th birthday.

This is his first year of band at school and, as you can see, he is learning to play the saxophone. Maybe we'll have a jazz musician one day.

I requested a dedication to him on the radio this morning which he said was totally embarrassing. Ha! That's what mom's are for, right!

Hope everyone is having a terrific Tuesday. Friendship blessings, Tammy

Sunday Spotlight

Last Monday, Maureen from Daydream Living passed along to me a Super Comments Award. You can visit Maureen in Switzerland and read her Questions and Answers post where she answered 9 questions.

Many of the questions have to do with memories, like 5 best movies ever made. I know lots of people who can recall details of movies. I can't recall the details of what happened in my own life last week. And I don't waste time seeing movies here. Many scenes are cut due to censorship so not worth spending the money.

When it comes to my three best memories, I would have to say that being pregnant and giving birth were both pretty awesome experiences. Time spent with special friends and family always provides great memories and stories to tell.

Another question was the 4 best fiction books I've ever read. I laughed out loud at most of the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich. And absolutely loved Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street series.

But if you look at my bedside table now, that stack is all books that I've started and never completed. I usually read during the summer and if a book isn't finished by then, it might be the next summer before I pick it back up again.

Next up: a unique and interesting fact about myself. This may not be unique or interesting but I gave up eating meat a year and a half ago.

And to me, this is a complete meal. Brown rice, seasoned black-eyed peas, cornbread and peppers. Yummo! My family is not on the same page with me when it comes to eating.

And now here's something to make you laugh. On Friday I tried a crochet-along project that Gloria from Crochet Galore posted.

Her's is a 1918 doily, but mine turned out to be a bowl.

Or a hat, depending on which way you turn it.

Speaking of hats, my thinking cap isn't working very well lately. Thanks to Maureen for thinking of me. Please stop by and pay her a visit. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Sunday! Friendship blessings, Tammy

Saturday and Sadu colors

I hope everyone has had a great start to their weekend. Our's is winding down now. It's back to school and work tomorrow.

At our Yarn and Fiber Group the other evening, we were asked to think of things we could make using the traditional colors of Sadu weavings.

Between running around yesterday and staying home today, I made a couple of doilies, a little red embellishment, scarf, coin purse, and a bookmark.

The only real direction in all of this was the color scheme. It seems the Yarn and Fiber Group would actually like to sell some things in the gift shop and also make bags and small items for the bazaar to be held the end of November, so I need to start thinking along those lines. Handmade items that depict a bit of local culture and scenes are usually what sell best, so I have some ideas. The above items were quick and easy and just for fun.

Why oh why do weekends just go by way too fast? Friendship blessings, Tammy

A time for me on our anniversary!

Today we celebrated 16 years of marriage!

My husband spoiled me this month with jewelery and a new HP mini computer, but what do you get a man who has everything? I figure he has the gift of ME! What more could he ask for?

Tonite was the first meeting of the Yarn and Fiber Group that I really wanted to attend so hubby said it was a-o-k with him!

We learned how to make Dorset Buttons.

A craft which originated in Dorset England in the 18th century. A bit of history on the craft and a tutorial can be found here.

Here are samples of what we were to make.

We were given a small packet of simple supplies and everyone went to work.

Here's how mine turned out!

Oops! I forgot one step. "Slicking" is where you turn the blanket stitch to the inside so that the outer edge is completely smoooth. I will definitely be doing this again. I'm thinking Christmas ornaments. Now if I could just find my curtain rings. I have a ton of them somewhere.

Have you heard of or seen Dorset buttons before? Hope you are having a crafty day in your corner of the world. Friendship blessings, Tammy

Tired on Tuesday

Ever have one of those days where you felt like if you closed your eyes just a little too long, you might actually fall asleep.

That's what my day has been like. I did, however, manage to finish crocheting this little Halloween pillow. Just made it up as I went along.

I gotta tell you though, my eyes are not what they used to be. Working with black yarn was not easy, especially when it came to the cross-stitching of the pumpkin. Thank goodness for borders because this one is hiding a mess.

Maybe that's why I'm tired. All that concentration. Ha! It's nearing 10 pm now and once I tidy things up, I am going to hit the hay. I'm just plum tuckered out.

Hope you are having a terrific Tuesday! Friendship Blessings, Tammy

Sunday Spotlight

Hello friends! I hope everyone is having a great Sunday. Please stop by Tina's place at Lemondrops Simple Stuff to enter her Halloween giveaway. Tina is always making lots of fun things with papercrafts.

Tell her I sent you! Friendship blessings, Tammy

Simply Saturday

While Friday is family day and usually involves a lot of running around; Saturday is my day to do as I please.

There's always cleaning to do around here, but I also finally put crafting on my list.

I nabbed this napkin while at the Kuwait Textile Arts Association meeting the other nite.

And decided to use it to decorate one of my spraypainted coffee cans. (The hot pad on the right was made and given to me by my Aunt Elaine this summer.)

I also salvaged some of the wrapping paper Traude used to send my giveaway package, and have used it to start making some Fall tags.

Two dishcloths are finished and I've started crocheting something in black. I have a few ideas brewing so need to keep the momentum going.

Hope you are having a beautiful day wherever you are and whatever you are doing. Friendship blessings, Tammy

Lunch at Zahr El Laymoun

Friday begins the weekend around here and I feel like this day just went by so fast. That always happens when the day is filled with activities. I got my hair cut and colored this morning which is always a treat. And then we met friends for lunch.

This restaurant is found in a fairly new mall that not a lot of people go to so it is nice and quiet. Our youngest was there at a bowling party with friends so it made sense to have lunch there.

Lebanese food can be found anywhere. But I like the quaint and charming look of this restaurant.

Plus the food is not just your typical Lebanese fare. It is somewhat on the gourmet side with portions that are just right. I love the bucket turned light shade. Even little silver buckets are used to put your bill in.

I actually arrived late from my hair appointment so everyone had finished eating. But I ordered a Mediterranean salad and lemon with mint to drink which was delicious.

I hope you had a lovely day in your corner of the world. Friendship blessings, Tammy