Sunday, October 27, 2013

OBW....MANDALA....T TIME....ALL IN ONE

Hello, can you believe it's the last week of October already. It was a wonderful warm month for us and just his past week has started to get cold out. We are approaching one of my favorite holidays, Halloween, which is celebrated here in the states. Rich and I have had so much fun taking the kids trick or treating each year, no matter the weather we braved it together and love the memories we have. This Halloween has been weighing on my shoulders this week, it's about to change...
no more 3 kids to dress up and take out for candy...
 
the girls are too old now, so it's just Sam going solo this year and us girls staying behind or making new plans for them that night. How did it happen so fast, I keep thinking we have time and enjoying the moment and forget one day it won't be this way. For me it's opening my eyes to the near future when it's only Sam that will be at home and us doing things with just Sam.  Thankfully, I have told these stories and have many scrapbooks filled with our Halloweens and I will treasure them.
Here's one more to enjoy, sooo cute!
Thank you ladies at Our Beautiful World for another fun prompt this week!
 
I want to say a BIG BIG THANK YOU for the wonderful comments on my last posts, always makes me smile to read them. I knew you would enjoy those snow ones and guess what's in 2 weeks from today?? Sam's birthday so he is really hoping the SNOW comes big time for that day. Please keep my grandma and her family in your prayers, she hasn't had the best week and I know little by little it's going to get worse. I'm thankful for this picture of her below and the time I have with her. It's hard seeing your loved one going thru this and my heart is breaking so please keep her in your prayers.
 
I am squeezing more into this post, please keep reading!!
Here is my Mandala for Monday. I finally got to use one of our mini pumpkins and some acorns my mom gave me just for this reason. I also LOVE the green leaves I found in the ditch, so cool looking. Thank you Dawn for inspiring as you do each week with yours.
I'm also using this as my post for T time with Elizabeth on Tuesday. My week will be busy and I decided to squeeze all my blog link ups into one post. We made another trip back to the orchard, very cold this time and this warm cider and caramel oatmeal cookie was SO GOOD!!! The leaves had changed more but the cold weather made us hurry up this time. Here are a few pictures though..
I wanted to show you a picture with my other sister who came this time. She is the blonde one, she is also the twin to Annie the one sitting down. They are fraternal of course but funny how Annie and I look alike and are a lot more alike then her and Heather. Glad we could all be together on this day.
 
Thanks so much for reading thru my post if you did. I am getting my thankful leaves ready for November, few more to cut out and have ready. Hope some of you will be doing this too. I will be sharing everyday in November what I'm thankful for. I will also be sharing some art to go with those each day and hope you will visit me thru the month. It is a big commitment and I need all the motivation/support/love to keep me going strong till the end. Due to this project, I may be letting some of my regular theme posts like those above go for right now. This project will keep me busy along with some new class and holiday prep. Please don't let that stop you from visiting though.
Thanks so much for letting me share today and have a wonderful week. HUGS!

26 comments:

  1. Hi Dawn! What beautiful autumn pics! The leaves look beautiful! The kids look so cute in their various halloween costumes too! There is so much goodness in this post! How wonderful that you got to spend time with your sisters, and what a great photo you captured! Beautiful mandala too!

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  2. I know what you mean Dawn, I still remember my very first Halloween in my life, it was in NYC, me and my girls, they were so young and we were so new to the city, I brought them to upper west side because the girls want to have an experience, I was so scared and thought that the area was scary, but then coming from a place like Singapore, anywhere in the world is scary.
    Few years later, we moved from mid town Manhattan to upper west side, and we walked home late at night, well, we were new yorkers after few years of training. LOL!
    Anyway, it is a long story, I love that you share the photos when the kids were young, it brought back memories now that both my girls are all in collage.

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  3. How time flies, they were all sooo cute in the costumes. I'm sure the girls will look back and cherish all the fun time they had with Sam at Halloweens :). I'm not that lucky in the sense of having the recorded memories/scrapbook pages of my mom and me, growing up. And now that she's gone, all the memories are all safe in my heart.
    It gets so beautiful at the orchard, you know all the photos of Fall here makes me want to have some fluffy carrot cake and crazy thick cheese frosting!. In fact I'm reading this post with a cup of cinnamon tea in hand :). How neat that you find those fleur-de-lis looking leaves!. I love the simplicity of the mandala yet, screaming Fall!. Stay warm my friend. HUGS.

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  4. When it was time for my boys to stop trick or treating it was harder on my than it was for them I think! now we carve pumpkins together each year and watch halloween movies so that is something different but special too.
    Love the mandala and those acorn tops are huge! I have a tree in my yard that yields big acorns but the squirrels know about it and usually hit that one first. lol
    I adore the photo of you and your sisters!! the scenery is gorgeous behind you like a painted backdrop and you all look so natural and lovely and a little chilly, hahaha. It is just a great photo.
    Happy Mandala Monday and Happy T to you too!!
    Peace~
    Dawn

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  5. Hi Dawn ... just wanted to say thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers ... It's very much appreciated!

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  6. I so wished we did Halloween over here, its getting bigger here every year but not like in the states. I loved seeing all the pumpkins when I was in NYC... still missing that place heaps LOL.
    I am sending prayers and hugs to you all. Its not easy when a loved one is going through something tough, but know that I am praying hard for you all.
    Our kids do grow up fast. Sometimes I just wish I could grab time and make it stop, just for a little bit.
    Thanks for sharing and have a great week. Hoping to email you soon.
    Love me :-)

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  7. Oh my goodness!!! my dear Dawn, I missed 4 previous posts of yours!!!!!! How did that happen? I guess I need to spend more time visiting my friends' blogs. I'm so sorry that I missed them but now I was going through each one of them and loved the stories and the pictures you have posted. Love your grandma's photo where she is drawing the leaves from the stencils, the sky picture by Summer and your Mom's leaf picture are stunning. Renee looks very pretty in her dress. Love the children's outing photos and on this post Thank you for sharing all three sisters' picture.The kids Halloween costumes look wonderful My son will wear his on Thursday. I would love to do the Thankful project in November too will write to you later on that. My prayers for your Grandma. I hope things will go smooth for you all. My grandparents, esp my grandfather had a great influence on me and I still miss him.
    Hugs and sorry for not coming here last week.I don't want to miss your posts like this again.
    Susan

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  8. I'm glad you were able to create a post that caught me up on what was going on in your life. Yes, I'm still not well, but plan to stop by each day in November. Be sure to sign up at AEDM each day, too. Lots of people will drop by, regardless. It doesn't have to be art, and the leaves of gratitude each day will be perfect, and less stressful way to post each day. I should come up with something like that, too.

    Your mandala is so clever. I'm really impressed. Your mandalas are getting as great as Dawn's. I am glad you were able to play this week, because, as you noted, I could not.

    That's one awesome caramel oatmeal cookie. Even though I'm having trouble keeping food down, I might make an exception for that good looking cookie. You and your sisters look a bit chilly, but it was good to see all of you together. It's great that you have family to share things with. And of course, that includes not just your siblings, but your children.

    Thanks for joining me for T today. Bleubeard thanks you, too, of course.

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  9. Another great post ad lovely photos ... Thanks so much for sharing at Our Beautiful World!

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  10. Your trick or treaters ;) sure look cute in their costumes...Halloween kind of changed for me once our boys got older!
    What a perfectly lovely and sunshiny mandala you created ♥ every detail along with your other fall photos...so nice you could get together with family.
    Sending Love and Light to your grandmother and family...
    Happy T Day dear Dawn
    oxo

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  11. Enjoyed reading about all you are doing. Love those pics of the kids in costumes. I always had fun helping my girls figure out and make home made costumes but that was years and years ago.

    Darla

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  12. I enjoyed seeing your very creative mandala and all the costumes. The wonderful thing about children is that there are always new memories to be made as they grow up. Happy T Day & Happy Halloween!

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  13. What a wonderful post, I really enjoyed reading it. I know how fast children grow up as I am watching my grand kids grow at an even faster pace. Will definitely keep you and your family in prayer.
    What a gorgeous spot to take pictures, is it on your land?
    Happy T-day

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    1. It was brandts apple orchard we go to.. Dawn has a big backyard, just a garden there as old posts show. Me, other sister and mom not much in way of that pond and views.

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  14. Dawn love u sis. Wish I was closer for grandma , sigh I'm really sorry her week was bad and hugs to you going thru it. I miss the old golden days gone by ..... Kids always were cute in costumes. So grown up now . wish day was nicer at orchard and had more time there. Keep at it your life is full of wonderful projects and kids activities, enjoy them. And yes someday soon just Sam and then just u & rich. Glad mom got you some pretties for mandala, she's great about finding things for us and being there for us !!!!! Well take care and Ttyltr. Xoxox

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  15. my kids don't trick or treat but your post reminded me that I still need to figure out a silly hat for Thursday!! Thanks for the reminder!
    Happy Tuesday!

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  16. Great looking kids. Mmm cider n oatmeal cookie..yum. Love the mandala! FS is hoping for a ride on a real big Harley...we'll see.

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  17. A beautiful mandala...and what cute Halloween pics! Don't worry, I'll bet those teenagers will want to have some Halloween parties & dress up with their friends! Love all your photos...

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  18. Hi Dawn! I am so thankful for a blog friend like you! I can't thank you enough for your wonderful words left at my blog! And I absolutely love this post, so much! The photos are beautiful. I love the mandala and your adorable Halloween pictures! And the ones of you and your sisters with the beautiful scenery blew me away! You have twins in your family, too! Awesome! I will be checking out your blog in November, my friend!!!!!

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  19. Hi Dawn - thanks for popping round for T - lovely photos - hope you have a fabulous week - Mxx

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  20. What lovely memories - and so much going on... that muffin looks yummy! I guess I'd better used past tense there... anyhow, happy Halloween!

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  21. What a beautiful blog, thanks for sharing your thoughts, ideas and photos. What a beautiful family you have, God bless!

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  22. A totally awesome post. Such great memories!!! My son is in his senior year of high school so we missed him going around with us. We had a blast last night my Daughter dressed up as a banana and I was little red riding hood!!!

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  23. Beautiful photographs Dawn-Fantastic memories :)
    The costumes are fabulous!
    Hugs Nessa xxx

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  24. Oh this is a lovely post Dawn and I do sooooo love to visit! For some reason, I always learn something! What wonderful Halloween memories you have, and to have them already recorded, that's fabby! I really do wish we could have Halloween, and Thanksgiving here in OZ, they are such wonderful family traditions. Sigh...
    LOVE the mandala!!! Now I'm looking forward to your next one! The photos are all wonderful including you and your sisters... I have two sisters too and we live far apart but love being together when we can.

    OOOH and.... warm cider and caramel oatmeal cookies !!! Wish I could visit!!!

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  25. Oh love love to see the beautiful autumn colours!!! And the costumes are so fun and great, love them too! Thank you for sharing with us at OBW :) Hugs

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