Top Secret...for now...

I've got lots going on around here these days.  Trying to fit in dentist appt's with volleyball games, work with babysitters, social visits with evening commitments, piano lessons with grocery shopping, helping with homework when I should be doing housework, I'm sure you all know the drill.  Right now my basement is looking like Santa's workshop.  My work room is full of one project, and I've taken over most of the kids' playroom with another.  I'm having a fun time creating in my santa workshop.  I've got a few new projects on the go, and a few old ones.  I don't get huge blocks of time to accomplish lots, but having it all set out I can go down and do small blocks of time here and there.  In the evenings Rob can watch a movie while I work alongside.  It's a nice time of year to transition to indoor work.  I'm looking forward to switching the decor over from fall to Christmas this weekend, I've got a few gifts bought already and the forecast is calling for snow on the weekend! 
I wanted to share a sneak peek of a project I'm currently working on.  It's a big project, quite an undertaking for me, and I've been working on it for awhile now, but it's getting to the home stretch!  So here's the sneak peek, that's all you get.  For now.

Lest We Forget...

Remembering a beloved Grandpa who served in WW2.  Grandpa Harding was stationed in England as a clerk during the war.  I will always remember my Grandpa as a responsible, hard working man.  He enjoyed the good things in life, family, nature, music, and candy! I am so grateful for his example of a strong, family man, and I am even more grateful that he chose Jesus as his personal saviour.  He is in a better place.  Miss you Grandpa!

Not so scary scarecrow...

The kids had fun this week preparing their costumes for Halloween.  Halloween can be a tricky topic amongst friends.  Some love it, some hate it, and we choose embrace the creative and fun side of it.  We're careful which costumes we choose, careful which houses we go to.  Like any other 'issue' when parenting kids in today's world, we choose to ground our kids in why we celebrate the things we do, what we need to be careful of, and how we need to respect other peoples reasons for doing what they do. 
I have great memories of Halloween as a kid.  My mom had these adorable cardboard cut outs that we hung up every year, I can still picture one of them.  It was a pumpkin that had moveable legs and arms.   We always carved pumpkins.  Growing up, our neighborhood wasn't the prime area for trick or treating.  We had a lot of 'old order' mennonites (for lack of a better term) who defnitiely didn't participate in Halloween.  Every now and then they'd hand out a bag of chocolate chips or a piece of fruit if they forgot to turn out their lights!  But, Mom always has, and still does get a real joy out of seeing kids dressed up and having fun!  She still keeps track every year of how many kids come to her door.  Thanks Mom for creating such great memories!
We carved pumpkins, iced cookies, assembled costumes and had a pizza supper with Dad and Mom, and then met up with friends before canvassing their neighborhood for treats.  Isaac was a little leary at first, but he warmed up quick and got the hang of looking cute in exchange for candy!  He always knocked lightly on the doors and even said a few 'pics-a-peeps' (trick or treats).  He refused to have anyone put candy in his bag...HE had to take the candy from them and put it in his bag.  Uncle 'dude' was a great sport and carried him from house to house on his shoulders.  Olivia was dressed as a French artiste, Abby was a beautiful princess, and little Isaac was an adorable scarecrow.  I made the scarecrow costume for Olivia when she was little and it's served our family well.  I was thinking today how sad I will be to retire it....