I'm thinking I'm back...and with news

Hello friend,

I'm thinking that I may give blogging another try. It's been over a year and I'm starting to get the blogging bug...if there is such a beast.

A few things have been going on since I last posted, but I'll hit the highlights and bring you up to speed.

• We finished our dream garden...well almost. The fence is up and the beds are built. We had a pretty successful first season. I'll share pics and info in another post. 
• I've been studying for an upcoming test for work. Blah, blah, blah. I'll be so glad when that's over. 
• We moved my mom to a new apartment. She lived with us for almost 10 years. Talk about an adjustment!
• What else...hmmm, let me see......................we're adopting!! We are so excited! It took months of paperwork and lots of prayer but we are officially registered for an international adoption! Yikes! I'll fill you in on those details soon too! 

Simple Pleasures of Spring

I'll be the first to admit that I am a winter girl. Unpopular, I know. With that being said, I am sooo blessed to live in an area that has four full seasons. Four distinct changes. Spring is in full swing in my neck of the woods. The birds are chirping, the air feels fresh, the windows are open, lilacs are in full bloom. Everything is waking up after a long and cold winter. I'm loving it!!

I thought I'd share a few of my Simple Pleasures of Spring. I'd love it if you shared some too.

• The laundry line. It's budget friendly and the scented reward from a day of line drying is icing on the cake. Especially crisp, cool, white, smell-good sheets.

• Open windows and breezes. I love to lay in bed and feel the cool morning air wake me up.

• Playing in the dirt. Tidying everything up and getting rid of the last signs of winter (and in some cases autumn). Planting onions and other early crops. Ooh, and strawberries too.

• Capris. It feels so good to shed sweaters and pants and slip into comfy capris (that are a little loose compared to last year...yeah).

• Campfires. I love sitting around a fire with loved ones and making smores or mountain pies. It doesn't get any better than that.

• Spring Cleaning. No, I'm not crazy. I just look forward to cleaning windows until they shine and paying attention to every nook and cranny.

What are your simple pleasures of spring?

Summer 2011 Reading List

It's getting to be that time of year again. The time when I like to collect a bunch of books and make an official reading list for the summer. I read mostly non-fiction books like, decorating, cookbooks, gardening, devotionals, manuals, etc...but I like to read a little fiction too.

My favorite place to read is in my beloved hammock. A favorite drink, a comfy pillow, a cardinal flirting with me and a good book or magazine. Can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon.

I also love to read when I'm traveling. I'm one of the fortunate ones that don't get car sick from reading...or knitting...or from anything else I can think of. Since it's a little hard to read in the car when I'm driving (LOL), I usually stick to an audio book, but when I'm a passenger, I love to have a book or magazine in my lap (unless there's a little black pug there instead). Since I've recently started traveling by train, I've discovered that it's a pretty cozy place to curl up with a good book too.

I've collected a few books for my list already.

• The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews
• Set Free, What the Bible says about grace by Jack Cottrell
• Backwards in High Heels, The impossible art of being female by Tania Kinderslely & Sarah Vine
• Small changes for a better life, daily steps to living God's plan for you by Elizabeth George
• The Pioneer Woman, Black heels to tractor wheels by Ree Drummond

I still have a few to pick up.

201 Knitting Motifs, Blocks, Projects and Ideas by Nicki Trench

The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball

Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights by Sophie Dahl

In The Company of Others by Jan Karon (yes, I love me some Father Tim)

And lastly, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

That should be enough to keep me busy for awhile.

How about you? What are you planning on reading this summer?

Fall To Do List

My friend over at Colletta's Kitchen Sink recently wrote a post titled "Fall Goals" that inspired me to share my own list of goals, or as I like to call them, Fall To Do's. Some are for fun and some are more like chores but I'm hoping that putting my list out there will help keep me accountable. We'll see.

Kristie's Fall To Do List

1. Seal driveways



2. Keep after leaves and acorns (this is a huge task)



3. Make apple butter in our kettle over our fire pit and can for gift giving.



4. Organize our annual Harvest Party and scavenger hunt.



5. Spend too much time in the hammock reading books and daydreaming.



6. Bake pumpkin choc chip gobs at least once.



7. Take a road trip to Vermont when their fall foliage is at it's peak.



8. Finish all the repair work on my dollhouse.



9. Plan and organize The Rigo Christmas season.



10. Stock the freezer and pantry shelves for the long winter months. (This is a must since all my guys will be home and they consume huge amounts of food.) I will make three extra grocery shopping trips over the next three months to accomplish this huge task.



11. Finish all my required tax classes for the upcoming tax season.



12. Spend time in our home making it Comfy Cozy for the cooler weather.



13. Cut quilt squares and start on my first real quilt project.



14. Make a few Christmas gifts.



15. Start back up with my daily bible reading program. I've kind of fallen off the wagon.



16. Plan a weekend getaway with George.



17. Put all outdoor furniture away for winter or cover if too large.



18. Divide hostas.

19. Clean car and have all maintenance completed before winter.

20. Buy a snowblower