Fall is Football

Max had his first JV football game yesterday afternoon. Fun! He had two really nice sacks. The Lyncs soundly beat Sehome. Fun. I love to go to Max's football games and particularly when they win. Hey, if it's not about winning why keep score?
Max is #83. He is on the far left of the photo. Go Max!
*Check in late this afternoon for another post.

Summers' End

I was hoping for a sunny Sunday and I got one. After church, Sam and Max boarded and hubby and I biked at Birch Bay. We met up for lunch at CJ's Beach House for some calamari and coconut prawns out on the deck. Nice.
And the C Shop. I had my favorite, a caramel sailboat, they are white chocolate diamond shaped "boats" filled with homemade caramel and two almonds for a sail. As good as I remembered. Buttery!

My sis Jodi, and BIL Bill and family came over in the evening for a BBQ. The whole day felt like a really nice way to end the summer.

This & That Again

*Love Fridays-especially when Hubby is actually off for the weekend. Yay!
*I have two cans of pumpkin in the cupboard just burning a whole in my pocket, or something like that. I feel like baking, baking something with pumpkin that makes me feel all Fall like, makes the house smell good and just gives that cozy feeling. Any ideas? Besides pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting?
*Hubby is going to help me with the Costco, Trader Joes trip this weekend. Yay!
*Hoping, hoping for a sunny Sunday. We need one last day at the beach with long boards and bikes. Church is at 9:30 so we'll have lots of time.
*I am starting to think about cleaning the garage, ooh, my guys just love that. Maybe Saturday afternoon, early evening, a family, bonding project. Are you feeling the love people?
*It is REALLY dark at 5:30 a.m. when I get up for boot camp. O'dark thirty. It's hard. It's cold. Anyone want to join?
*I ordered very cool, cute, neato inventory for the museum gift shop this week.
*Yesterday I ordered two cords of firewood. Hubby has worked too much to get it done. We've, well the guys, have always gone out and cut, split and stacked. I found an ad for firewood being sold by some young guys that want their Christian school to have a band and were fundraising. Win-win! I got the last two cords and they deliver! Yay!
*I need to declutter my house and brain this weekend. Wish me luck!

A Fall Meal

One Fall Saturday my BIL John was visiting and I had made Taco Soup for dinner, we went to a football game and decided to invite more guests. We got home and I quickly made this chowder, dumped it in a crockpot after it had simmered, to keep it warm. I'm flying around the kitchen and was ready to join my guests for a little happy hour, gave a quick stir and found the lids from the mushroom soup in the chowder. Could have been awkward if one of my guests had been served a tin can lid...So, take it slow.
This corn chowder is a good Fall meal that my guys enjoy with blueberry muffins. I posted that recipe earlier.
The celery adds some nice color.
Why fry bacon, when there is facon?
If I use baby reds, I just leave the peels.

Supper Corn Chowder
5 slices bacon
1 med. onion, chopped
2 c. cooked or canned corn
1 c. diced cooked potatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
parsley
Cook bacon/ facon until crisp. if you use real bacon save 3 T. dripping for frying the onion. I use the all ready cooked bacon from Costco and fry my onion in butter. Add remaining ingredients and dash of pepper. Heat to boiling; simmer a minute or two. Enjoy!
*Please note I usually double the recipe. My guys like leftovers. Sometimes I assemble and put in the crockpot on low before I go to work. When I cook the potatoes I add a sliced carrot or two, they are good for you and they add some nice color. Sometimes I add a stalk of celery to the onions. Again, nice color.
Like all of my recipes, they would never be recognized by the original cook.

Dinner is ready and I have a couple hours to go walking or do some gardening. Nice.

Fall, Ready or Not

I love the changing seasons and Fall is so gorgeous and so cozy to think about, but I'm not ready this time. I didn't get my fill of summer sun and fun, or barbeque for that matter. Not quite enough time on the patio. But Fall is rollling in fast this year and I may as well get going too.
The thing is, I can't seem to match my meals to the weather. Poor hubby ends up BBQing in the rain and cold or I bring out a hot casserole and the temp zips up. So, I am not going to try to match meals and weather for a bit...just roll with whatever comes my way. I hope my hubby is ready to roll with it too.
As for what to wear, layers, baby. And they are on and off again all day long. Could be my age. My closet looks like a psycho woman lives here. A big ole mess. If I put away my summer things it will get hot.
Transportation is tricky too. I biked today and was fine but there was a shower while I was at work. Timing is everything.
* Also, thanks for your nice thoughts and wishes regarding Little Bit. I am doing better today. Only two breakdowns. And I do know it is the right thing and the best thing for everyone.

Sorry, I've Been Away, Crying My Eyes Out

I had a horse while growing up and I always hoped I would have a horse kid. Max was my guy. He wanted a horse so badly when he was little. He wore cowboy boots year round and rode his stick horse until we had to put it down(the stick broke). When we moved to the Stone House Max bought Little Bit. Little Bit has been a great kid horse for Max. And a good horse for me too. I loved to look out my window and see Little Bit in his pasture, I like to ride and I love to just brush Little Bit and hang out together. I always called to him as I came home from work and told him that he is a good horse.
Max would come home from school , saddle up and ride. He even looked like a cowboy. Neighbor kids would come by to ride.

This Spring Max rode and I ran to get in shape for Hawaii. I could tell Max was getting too tall for Little Bit. We had a lot of fun this Spring, Little Bit never liked me to pass him. Hey, any horse with self respect wouldn't want me to pass him.
I like to go out and groom Little Bit.

Max wanted a sleigh and I found one and surprised him with it. These pictures are with a loaner harness but we bought Max a beautiful harness with red trim for Christmas one year. Little Bit looks so sharp with the red sleigh, out in the snow. Max trained him and when the snow was right we'd hitch up and have some fun.


This Summer Max started talking about selling Little Bit. He was too tall, he wanted to raise some heifers for his college fund, football and high school are keeping him busy. Max is right. I KNOW all of these reasons are right and that Max gave it a lot of thought but I have had a terrible time with his decision. I can not stop crying, really. I love Little Bit and I know it is the end of some special times that Max and I have shared.
One day I was in Target shopping and Max called me on my cell. He had called my cousin Rick to help him put a price on Little Bit. At that point I was crying any time the subject came up and so on the cleaning product aisle in Target I was tearing up. I told Max not to call me about this but to talk with me when I was at home next to a kleenex box. People can really stare at a bawling woman in the cleaning aisle at Target. Anyway, Rick was interested in Little Bit for his daughter Abby. Now, Abby is one of my favorite kids to run into. She sparkles! Really, her face lights up, her freckles are darling and she is just spunky and happy. Perfect new owner for Little Bit! She and her Dad came today, rode Little Bit and bought him. Little Bit will be loved, ridden by a little girl whose hair matches his mane. We can visit. It is all turning out great but I just can't stop crying...