We got our tree last weekend and LOVE how it fits into our cozy cozy house.

Cue the Fight Song

Let it be known that I will be rooting for the Ducks tonight for the civil war to beat all civil wars. I am representing said spirit even in my blog colors. WOO HOO! GO DUCKS!

Lucky

We had the finest Thanksgiving ever this year at the cabin. The only bummer was that my dad was not there, but of course he was there in spirit and in all the stories. We made a Happy Thanksgiving sign to add to the festivity.
The eating was good, and I overdid it on the sugar big time. It was all because of Meghann's tarts.
It was fun to bond with Meg. We did two girl power hikes, one on the only day it rained while the guys were golfing/mountain climbing, and one when it was dry.
This is my mom out in the canoe getting high on nature. She was especially excited to sit and commune with the resident bald eagle. It swooped in many times to excite us!

At one point on the trail there was a little area of water that looked like it was bubbling. It ended up being a little community of active tadpoles that we captured for the girls to play with and then returned to the exact spot. They were SO THRILLED with that.
In this shot they are looking at them as I held them up in a jar.



We had a family talent show on the last night. It was AWESOME. The highlight was Meg and Julia's dance/song. My husband played Blackbird on the guitar and I "sang" a bit, Andy danced and sang to Neil Diamond with Avery, my mom told a story, and Ry and his gal sang "The Gambler." It was awesome entertainment. We also bowled (as predicted) on the birthday boy's (above) birthday.



I am so thankful for my family, for the fact that we have that cabin set in the beautiful wilds of Washington to retreat to and bond in, and just that in this life, we have one another to be lucky about. Life is good.

All the leaves have turned to cornflakes.
It looks as if some giant's baby brother
had tipped the box
and scattered them upon our lawn-
millions and millions of cornflakes-
crunching, crunching under our feet.
When the wind blows,
they rattle against each other,
nervously chatting.
We rake them into piles-
Dad and I.
Piles and piles of cornflakes!
A breakfast for a whole family of giants!
We do not talk much as we rake-
a word here-a word there.
The leaves are never silent.
Inside the house my mother is packing
short sleeved shirts and faded bathing suits-
rubber clogs and flippers-
in a box marked SUMMER.
We are raking,
Dad and I.
Raking, raking.
The sky is blue, then orange then grey.
My arms are tired.
I am dreaming of the box marked Summer
-"October Sunday" by Bobbi Katz

For me, shopping at Goodwill is full of moments when you ask yourself, "Do I really needs this?" SO many things go into my cart and then come right back out. This alphabet tapestry was the kind of thing I picked up and later bought without hesitation. Look at all the work someone did embroidering all the animals on it! (The flip side has N-Z). Initially, my plan was to stretch it on a canvas and hang it in our playroom but the canvas sizes weren't quite right so instead I made it into a pillow. Voila!

RAP JUJA! HAP BIRD OO DOO!

This is my brother, Ryan, who turns 35 today. Ryan is really fun to go bowling with. When you go bowling with him, there's lots of laughing and everyone has an alias so when you look up and you make a strike, the screen says, "YOU GOT A STRIKE Striker Fosgate!" or whatever you punched your name in as. We're probably going bowling today on Ryan's birthday, because of how much fun he is at the bowling alley. I hope his year is full of nothing but strikes, something you want on the lanes.

Thankfulness

Happy Thanksgiving! For a little treat click here. Great song. Endearing cover of it. Maybe listen to it while you're cutting up pie or something.

Great Books About Dolls

There are so many great stories out there about dolls, many of which have been around a very very long time! I thought I'd share some of them here along with Amazon's synopsis for each.

The Racketty Packetty House.
When Tidy Castle arrives, brand-new and grand in every way, the Racketty-Packetty House has never looked shabbier, and it is shoved in the corner of Cynthia's nursery. But the Racketty family still dances, sings, and laughs louder than all the fancy dolls combined. When a real-life princess visits the nursery, the Rackettys learn that the humans are planning to destroy their house. Only a miracle -- or some very unusual magic -- can save them now! Since its publication in 1906, the story of how Queen Crosspatch and her band of fairies rescued the Racketty-Packetty House has inspired dreamers and readers of all ages in the tradition of The Secret Garden and A Little Princess. Now Wendy Anderson Halperin's illustrations, brimming with whimsy and wonder, unlock the magic of two dollhouses -- one posh and one proud -- to a whole new generation of readers


The Doll People.
Annabelle Doll is 8 years old--and has been for over 100 years. Nothing much has changed in the dollhouse during that time, except for the fact that 45 years ago, Annabelle's Auntie Sarah disappeared from the dollhouse without a trace. After all this time, restless Annabelle is becoming more and more curious about her aunt's fate. And when she discovers Auntie Sarah's old diary, she becomes positively driven. Her cautious family tries to discourage her, but Annabelle won't be stopped, even though she risks Permanent Doll State, in which she could turn into a regular, nonliving doll. And when the "Real Pink Plastic" Funcraft family moves in next door, the Doll family's world is turned upside down--in more ways than one! In this series is also The Runaway Dolls, and The Meanest Doll in the World.


Raggedy Ann Stories
Since Raggedy Ann first appeared in print in 1918, she has charmed millions of readers with her always warm and optimistic outlook and calm approach to difficulties. Now she returns to delight a new generation in this carefully produced reissue, which restores the book to its original appearance. All the original stories are here, as Raggedy Ann comes to Marcella's nursery and quickly becomes the leader of the dolls. After learning a lesson from a naughty raid on the pantry, Raggedy Ann's adventures show her striving to be good -- and succeeding. She and the other dolls rescue Fido, the family dog, from the dogcatcher. When, in one adventure, Raggedy Ann has to have her stuffing replaced, she gets her famous "I LOVE YOU" candy heart. Raggedy Ann also goes up in a kite, teaches two new dolls to be tolerant, and shares the excitement of a baby brother for Marcella, among several other tales.


The Best Loved Doll.
Betsy is invited to a party at which prizes will be given for the oldest doll, the best-dressed doll, and the doll who can do the most things. But Betsy chooses to bring Jennifer, a doll of a different sort--with her tangled hair and patched cheeks, she's Betsy's best-loved doll. This timeless story of the special relationship between a girl and her doll is told with directness and charm


Big Susan.
Mr. and Mrs. Doll and their six children, Nurse and the old Cook all lived in a house which had no front and belong to Susan. Susan was just an ordinary-sized little girl with taffy colored pigtails, but to the dolls she was a very Big, very Wonderful, very Important Person. There was one short night in every year when they needed no help from Susan - that Wonderful Night when all Dolls come alive and can speak. This is an exciting story full of ups and downs scaled to dollhouse proportions, full of sense and nonsense, fantasy and truth, with glimpses of the Christmas miracle that can happen anywhere - even in a dollhouse. It's a different sort of Christmas book, one that will be enjoyed at any time of the year and by the whole family.