The Last Day's Of Autumn....

          
                I have spent the last week with the flu...or a bad cold. (SIGH) It got so bad I lost my voice.

                  Day's later my voice is still squeaky and the cough...oh that cough will not go away. I pulled off    my dear Mr. Darlings birthday while sick, then just crashed for the remainder of the weekend. I thought I  would share the last of the pictures from last weeks field trip of our roaming around the old ranch during the Civil War anniversary.

    

Today we say goodbye to Autumn...Hello Winter time. We got out all our Christmas boxes and put up the tree and added another tree this year...Our friends from church gave a big pre~lit tree....What a blessing....So now we have one in each room~ Our family room and living room. It was fun getting all our things out, though it seems like we just put it away. Time sure has flown this year. We have a little more to finish up...and hang the lights outside, then we will officially be ready for Christmas Time. 

Farewell Autumn...Until next year.

have a merry day.

Mr.Darlings's 40th Vintage Birthday Party...

 
Today was the big shindig for my dear Mr. Darling...Who celebrated his 40th birthday this last week. We had my parents come up and a bunch of our church families joined us and blessed us for his special day. We had a lot of fun. I decorated the party with a bit of a vintage theme in mind... We set the party outside in our backyard...My favorite though was the photo booth area I put together to capture the memories of the day.
    
We are just a bunch of goof balls...really. The above pictures are of my kids...
Mr. Darling and well, me too.

Here is my Mom and Dad..
 
Here are my kids with my Gramma.....Their Great Gramma....
She will be celebrating her 80th b-day next week...Wooh Hoo....
 
My kids are just a bunch of hams...

Here are our friends...The Young Taylors...as we call them...Since there are three Taylor families in our church....We call them young because they are still in the middle of having kiddos. They are fairly new to our church...We hit it off right away. They are soon expecting another member to their family....It's a girl...Yay...How sweet is that? I just adore them for their loving hearts and so very humble. They are keepers in my book that's for sure.

Here are The Smiths...What a sweet couple and very dear friends to us. I have posted my friend Marmie a few times here...I have taught her how to make and can jam and apple sauce this last season... She is always such a sweetheart to be around and whom I consider to be one of my closest friends. We were also very blessed to be able to have Thanksgiving with them this year.... I feel like we have known them for YEARS...though it has only been a couple years since we became friends. They are like a brother and sister to me. For that I am blessed.

The next family is also a Taylor family...We call them Sherriff Taylor..(long story). Another delightful family we have known for the last several years....Each one of their beautiful children were adopted...And what wonderful parents they have been given. They will also have a special place in my heart.

Introducing The Bennet's minus their daddy. This sweet family are also here on a journey through seminary. Her dear hubby had to stay behind to write his papers for mid terms. These folks are very special...Young, loving and soft spoken and that baby....oh my...He is such a happy boy...He didn't look too happy here...But that's only because we were trying to put the funny glasses on his face. I pray to always have their friendship...To share our journey in our future ministries...what a huge blessing.

Mr. Seaman...He came by all alone...His wife had to finish up on some things back at home with the kids. This guy is one of Mr. Darlings good friend from Seminary. They have grown to be quite special to us as well. They are just real down to earth genuine people...Which is really hard to find these days. He was such a good sport to take a photo without  his family by his side.

The Bekkering's... We haven't known them as long...Last year they left their home from a different state to start all over in Cali for work. They have been such a joy to get to know as a family. They are a bunch of fun lovin' people. Another family that is really down to earth...Sweet , sweet family and very fun.

The Hooks are simply wonderful...We sit right across from them in church and always give smiles to one another... We have said if one was missing on Sunday for any given reason that it just isn't the same without one another there..Just to look over and have such sweet smiling faces can really brighten the Lord's Day even more. With their tender, quiet dispositions...A smile goes a long way...It really is like a breath of fresh air...They make you always feel so loved.

And here is our Other Taylor friends. We simply just call them The Taylor's...for they were really the first ones we got to know. We have had many wonderful times with this family...They are truly near and dear to our hearts...They are one of the kindest, loving and giving people I know. Our family gets along so well with them for we have the same sort of humor and lives. Our son and their daughter are really good friends...and our daughter loves her like she was her very own sister. They will always be considered my forever friends, whom I love very much. They are such gems.
  
It was a wonderful night of fellowship with our friends and family...Mr. Darling enjoyed his day...That is the biggest blessing to see...He has been working so hard these last almost 4 years, always mentally challenging himself...It was just great to see him have a day that was just for him to enjoy and share with people he cares about and those who care for us. I couldn't ask for anything more. Hope you all have a spectacular Lord's day.Blessing to you all.

The Barn Dance

After last weekend's Civil War days we went to a good old fashioned barn dance. I was so giddy that my son stepped up as a sweet big brother to dance with his sister all night. It was so fun and yes even I participated in a couple of them. Mr. Darling couldn't come along since he has been writing papers for school. Poor dear....someday he will be able to enjoy things like that with us.
 
They had a table set with lemonade and old fashioned cookies. We felt like we were back in the olden days. I wish towns would have these dances more periodically. It was so much fun.
   
And.....Leave it to my son to find an instrument to play...He got up and started playing the bass with the group for a couple songs. It was awesome to listen to it. So this is how Laura Ingalls felt in her day. Well, tomorrow is the big day for my dear Mr. Darlings 40th birthday party.....See ya later.

Give Thanks....

 

Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday Mr. Darling.....

Today is My dear Mr. Darlings birthday. Today he turns 40.
 
I thank God for him everyday. Happy Birthday to my love.

Today I am thankful for:
96. My dear Mr. Darling being born.
97. Mr. Darlings dimples
98. His sweet XOXO's
99. Mr. Darlings loving heart
100. He is a man of God.

Back In Time....

  
This weekend we went back in time to the days of The Civil War. Where President Abraham Lincoln was President and we were at war between the North and the South. A time where ladies wore big gowns and hoop skirts with their hair up , where men wore button ups and trousers and children went to school in little one room school houses. We hopped on the stagecoach to be a part of a special 150th Civil War Anniversary Event at the HistoricVail Ranch.For the Re-enactment of the discovery and arrest of the Showalter Secessionist Party in November 1861.There were Displays, costumed soldiers, camps, and demonstrations...With a Barn dance that evening which I will blog about next time.   
We met soldiers dressed in their uniforms, holding their rifles and pistols as they shot off many rounds for the spectators. There were lovely ladies in full gowns and pretty hats making braided ribbons, selling their goodes at the merchantile and roaming around with parasols.
 

     
We also met a very talented artist who was working on his little peg soldiers...His drawings are brilliant and depicted the era with fine skill, and brought everything to life. You can see his love for American history in detail and passion. If you love or know someone who would appericiate Historical art from that era or bygone days be sure to click the links.
    

We learned much about the history of the Civil War to our very own history in our town during that period. It was quite fascinating really.

   
They also provided yummy homemade cookies and apple cider to keep us warm as it was a chilly afternoon. We enjoyed conversation with many of the people among us learning as we went along and trying to grasp the time at hand...We felt as if we were truly in the past for just that moment.
       
The firearms were shot off periodically which would make you jump when you least expected...Yet only gave the feeling of that day even more authenticity. It was really a delight to step back in time hearing the sounds and smelling the cool air while taking in the sights with our own eyes....It was almost magical since we are really into history. I love anything that brings history to life and this just cut the cake.
     
Another memory we will cherish of that day was a visit with this man...His name is Malcolm Barnett....He has lived in our town his whole life as he is a 4th generation member of his family who truly has roots and knows all the history of our little town. He sat with my kids and I for some time showing us pictures pointing out his great grandfathers and even pictures of  himself as a young boy from a book that was written with all the history of our city. It was so sweet. He was the sweetest soul .....
     
My visionary taste buds were on full tilt. It was a day that really in many ways blessed us. I am not sure how many spectators felt the way as I did this weekend...But I sure did appericiate the effort and time that was put into this weekend...As they work to preserve our history through these means.
  
If you ever have a chance to do something like this in your own town...I encourage you to go and feed your family some history come to life...it is a fun interactive, hands on way to enjoy the fruits of the past.
***
Today I am thankful for:
91. History
92. My town
93. Re enactors
94. To touch, to feel and to see wonders
95. Our freedom