Here's hoping your Halloween was

"BOOTIFUL"

{sorry, I just couldn't resist}

Now begins the really busy season!!

Here's a special deal I just couldn't wait to share with you, but hurry!!! The deal is only good for today, November 1st!!

http://www.bestdealmagazines.com/deal.asp

Deal of the DayOffer expires daily at midnight (EST)

Term:1 Yr 6 Issues
List Price: $20.00
Superstore's Gift: $16.20 *
Plus $4.69 processing fee
Special price: $8.49
You save: 57%

About Mary Engelbreits Home Companion:
Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion is a vibrant and inspiring bi-monthly magazine that cuts through the complexities of modern life to discover what is beautiful in the home. Each issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion showcases the charming art of Mary Engelbreit, shares clever ideas for decorating and spicing up home life and spreads the good news.

But, wait! There's more....... {shhhh}.... if you use this code: SPOOKY18, you will get another 18% off, making it one year for $6.96!!! (This code should work on any of their magazines between now and midnight EST Nov. 4th)

TTFN!

Good Morning..........

there's someone new here who wanted to say hello. I have dubbed him "Punkin", and he is a surprise for a sweet friend of mine........ I think he came out rather cute, and I have a feeling he will have several brothers, sisters and cousins in the future :-)

Wishing you a "punkin" kinda day!

*Make Me Smile Monday*

Babies & Animals.......

you just gotta smile!!

Wishing you a "sweet" day!!

See you soon!!

Sunday Thoughts

What if,
on this day,
someone said to you :

"here.....

"here is a gift for you"

"you can use it any way you like"
"you can do anything you want with it"

"It is your choice....
I won't tell you what to do with it,
or what not to do with it....
unless you ask me to".

"I give it to you freely,
with no strings attached,
and no debt for you to ever repay me"

"Not one single dime"

"Never"

"You can do with it as you will...
and I won't judge you,
or make fun of you...
or curse you....
or hate you for it"

What would you do?
Would you take it?

Would you snatch it

and run away with it

as fast as you could?

Or would you raise your hand politely,
and say,
"No thanks"?

Well, you have been given such a gift...

it's from God.....

and it's called

"your life".....

what will you do with it?

Have you ever noticed that sometimes life comes "full-circle"? When I was a young girl I loved to go "visiting"my neighbors. Now, this did not always sit well with my mother, mostly because of the fact that I often "forgot" to tell her I was going. It really didn't take her long to figure out where I was, I think the problem really was the fact that I usually didn't ask her permission to go. Thankfully, she never stayed mad at me for it for very long. So, visiting I went.

I do remember my favorite neighbor to visit. Mrs. "G". Oh how I loved her! She and her husband lived right next door, they were both retired. I don't remember a lot about Mr G, he wasn't around us much, he was very kind and sweet, a kind of round gentleman, who was usually off playing golf when I came around. But, Mrs. G..... oh, she was like someone out of a story book! She was a retired school teacher, and as I think back now, I am certain many of the fascinating things we talked about, were actually lessons. She was remarkable to me.... She would always have the most delightful treats, homemade sweets and punch or lemonade, and of course hot cocoa in the winter time. And, often she would show me her latest project... it might have been some sewing, or decorating, or holiday craft she was working on. Sometimes she would take me downstairs, past the den, to her office, where she had the most wonderful typewriter, which she could type on and produce letters in italic font! This simply fascinated me. One year she invited me over on the 4th of July to watch the fireworks on her balcony with her ~ I shall never forget that! And, each time I went, she always had a little gift for me when I was ready to go home, usually it was some small & sweet treasure she had put together just for me..... A little Easter basket.... a handcrafted little tissue ghost with a lollipop inside.... once it was a sweet little Coconut Snowman covered in White Chocolate, which was so inviting that I ate the whole thing in the garage of our house before I went inside to dinner, and of course made myself sick... I was never able to look at White Chocolate quite the same way again! Mrs. G and I had a wonderful, special friendship which continued for several years until my family moved away, but we did still write each other at Christmas time, and I remember she was so happy when I told her I had found the "love of my life"..... and several years later, though she was unable to come to my baby shower, she sent a beautiful gift. She has gone "home" now, but I know that one day we will have a very special tea party in Heaven, just Mrs. G and I.
I seem to have strayed from the original theme for this post, which was how much loved to go off visiting as a child, but, no matter, at least you got to meet Mrs. G, and I am glad you did ~ She was such a treasure to me...

I find myself still going off "visiting", the difference being that here in "blogland" I can go much further, and see places I might never be able to otherwise. And, so I thought I might begin sharing with you from time to time about different blogs I have visited, and some of the new friends I have found, so that you may go and visit them too. Because honestly, there are so many fascinating, talented, delightful people here, that, well, I just want everyone to know about them! But, since this post has become so long, I will share with you about one special lady I have "met" in my travels in another post, very soon.
Here's hoping your weekend is a wonderful one!

Please keep our sweet friend Amy in your prayers:

FourSistersInACottage: ~This post is about Amy... from Mary~#links

What a lovely day here! The clouds are gathering, and the rain is coming! Yayyyy! I simply adore the rain! So, since I am working in the garden today, trying to catch up a bit before the drops begin, I thought you might like to take a walk with me through my rose garden........ I saw a sign once....... I cannot remember where, perhaps in a magazine or book, but it was very, very pretty, and it said "Won't you come into my garden? My roses would love to meet you"

If you look closely at the bottom of the rose above, you will see a little Praying Mantis.... for some reason, I now have tons of them on my roses..... I even had one land on my shoulder last week while I was at the mailbox! I have heard they are good luck..... I certainly hope so!!

And, while I was out snapping pics, little Miss Daisy started jumping up and down and yelling "me too!" "me too!"......... so, of course I had to include her......

~Wishing you a "rosey" kinda day~

Ok.......... raising my hand....... waving and yelling "here I am, here I am"........ just in case you were wondering....... I'm still here...... just dealing with "life"...........

It seems I usually "return" on a "Make Me Smile Monday", so here you go........... I hope you smile today.......... in fact, I hope you smile everyday... and I hope I can help you find your smile today.......

Now, tell me, how would you feel if you drove up and saw this sign?

Well, if you're like me, you'd probably feel something like this:

Me? I might be so depressed that I would go home and eat myself silly, and I'd end up like this guy:

Oh, and I found a little joke for you:

Einstein climbs to the top of Mt. Sinai to get close enough to talk to God.

Looking up, he asks the Lord...

"God, what does a million years mean to you?"

The Lord replies,

"A minute."

"Einstein asks,

"And what does a million dollars mean to you?"

The Lord replies,

"A penny.

" Einstein asks,

"Can I have a penny?"

The Lord replies,

"In a minute."

So, there are your Monday smiles....... hope you liked them! Oh, and I guess I should confess...... the real reason I have been away..... I have just had a "complete-makeover"!! Would you like to see the results? Ok......... here I am........

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it cost me a penny........ and it only took a minute! ;-)