Fabulous Thanksgiving Linky Party

                 Welcome To The Party  

The almost no rules party.

Please only Fall and Thankful Thanksgiving posts.

 No Halloween

Link as many posts as you want.  

Anytime the party goes until noon Thanksgiving Day

                12:00 Noon the link will end and I Believe Christmas Party will be begin      Now let's Party! 

Wordless Wednesday

                             

                                                     Happy Trails
                                       

Linking with The Art of Homemaking, Share Your Cup, Create With Joy, Imagine-in-ing, 

WW@Talbert Zoo  Picture Perfect @ Amandas Books and More, WW@Moms Own Words,

WW w/ Claire Justine , WW @ Oh My Heartsie Girl , Creatively Unleashed,
WW @ Just Playing House, Saturday Sparks , Best Of The Weekend

5 Star Frou Frou Link Up, Simple Homestead Blog Hop , Vintage Charm Party

Basil Harvest and Party Plan's at GiGi's House

I'm still harvesting Basil.  It's about the only thing that made it in our gardening attempt.

Opp's I should have moved the empty pot!  
.
That's a little better!  See my super cool new basket I bought at Hobby Lobby!  Love it!

I bet I wasn't the only one.  But I'm the one that found marked down to $4.00.  I love a bargain!

I did harvest and brought some Basil in.  I love putting these blue candle sticks (from Pier One waaaay back in the day).  They make great vases too.  The fresh Basil makes my kitchen smell so good.
I trying to freeze some this time.  I saw this on Pinterest.  Everyone says it works we'll see. 

I am getting ready for a GiGi party tomorrow.   The table is set for dinner for 3 . . . 

Notice the Texas shaped pencil?  I'm planning a Blue Scavenger Hunt tomorrow.  My sidekick is gonna get a little photo class/lesson while taking pics of Blue things around the apartment. 

For the cooking class part we are going to . . .

Talk about harvesting the Basil.  And we're going to make 
Italian spice blend from our dried ingredients.  

So tomorrow we'll be making new memories and making our 
Thursday kinda like a 
                                      Holiday    
                                  Happy Trails                                                                                                                  
                                                                                     

      Linking with my regular favorite parties.  See my favorites at my new party page!
And a few new ones:   Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home, Simple and Sweet Friday,
Sweet Inspirations, Peace, Love Linky Party

Wordless Wednesday

Sharing with Wordless Wednesday.  I loved to see your caption
                                                                                                                              
                             ___________________________

                            Linking with Wordless Wednesday, I maging, Create With Joy
Wordless Wednesday @ Be There Today, Wordless Wednesday @ Talbert Zoo

                                            Happy Trails  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                       

         

Good Fences

Sharing a fun pic sent from my DIL today . . . 
                             
Linking with Good Fences and Wordless Wednesday

The Back Story . . .

Part of the story behind yesterday's post (posted here) . . . 
     
My 8 year old grand daughter proudly displaying a Welcome Home banner . . . 
                                                        
                     Speck and Thomas
After an 11 year separation my son's dreams came true.  He was reunited with the horse of his dreams.  

She was a horse of his dreams because as a young man of 18 he dreamed of breeding, raising and training a horse.  And he did.  He was able to show in Speck's Futurity (a show for 4 year old horses). 

Unfortunately 'life' closed in and Thomas had to sell his horse.  
My son is a Godly man and husband.  He faithfully became a husband and father and faithfully provided for his family.  

And wished that he could have his dreams back.  The first dream came true last fall when he got his 'dream' job at a local barn.

Which lead to getting Speck back.  After 11 years  they stumbled onto her in a you tube video.   And found out she was only a few miles away.  

He was able to track her down and offered to 'buy her back'.  This was 2 months ago.  Last Thursday he got the 'call' he had almost given up on.  

                           On Sunday Speck came home. 
                        

                            Can you see the smile on his face?

Our daughter summed it up this way . . . 
God made our hearts to beat with the sound of hoof beats. We're living a dream to have our own and work a job with them that we love.


                   Our Trails Are Happy
               
Linking with:
Camera Critters, Eileen's Critters, Create With Joy, Share Your Cup, Saturday Sparks,  
The Art of Homemaking

Cooking For A Pink Party

                                     Good morning.  
Welcome to my Saturday edition of Making Everyday a Holiday.  
                   
It's super easy to make our Thursdays feel like a Holiday.   Our grandson comes over in the afternoon every week and stays while our daughter is at work . . . 
                                 
Believe it or not she is the shorter one facing the camera.  She isn't much taller than these students!
While she's teaching we are making memories  like this . . . 

Last week we set the table. (that post is here) and made cookies . . . 


This week we made these . . . 

It simple to make any day feel like a holiday.  And teach your grandson something new.  

He learned how to read a recipe . . . 

And heard stories of his mom making deviled eggs.  I staged this shot but I see I need to retake it since it's blurry.  I intended this shot for part of her Christmas present.  She loves this cookbook. 


I think he enjoyed learning new things.  I enjoyed making memories.

To make even more special memories and to share these we 
have a plan for the festive watermelon plates . . . 

My grand daughter is 6 months younger.  Her birthday is in December.  This year I planned to send her a present in the summer because it's so hard to manage her birthday and Christmas.  
So we are sending them the makings of a fun holiday party along with her 1/2 Birthday package.   They'll get instructions to take photo's and send them to us and share their Pink Party. 

                  Let's make everyday a Holiday 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                             Happy Trails    
                   
Linking with Pink Saturday,  Saturday Sparks,Create With Joy, The Art of Homemaking,
Share Your Cup, Make It Pretty Monday, Plucky's Cooking and Creating
           

Does It Happen To You?

So I had this post planned to share with . . . 

Tex. 

                                       

And then it happened.  Blame it on Pinterest but I saw something I had to share Today!

                                         

You see I've had a long, frustrating couple of days.  Did you notice I didn't post yesterday.  Sorry!  Anyway I just need a little holiday cheer!  

                                  Do you?

 

So I saw this and had to share because I am so going to do this! 

I have never done it before!  Believe it or not!  Nope never! 

As holiday driven and crafty as I am I've never made one of these...

                                  

                                                                                Source

             What an adorable version of an Advent Calendar!

My first thought was I would make one here for me HeHe and my grandson.  

But I had a better idea.  We'll make one for his house.  (I'll make one too. Because I have to have one!)  So the idea just kept 

flowing and getting bigger and bigger until I realized what a cool 

interactive New family tradition. 

Here's the plan:

We'll collect all the items.  I love that they are simple Christmas decorations.  But we'll be collecting enough for three!

Yep I said three.  We're going to make a collection to send to my grand kids in Missouri.  

Since these items are randomly hung on the calendar then each family can choose the item they want to hang that day and then . . .

                   Yep you've already guessed it!   Instagram!  

           Do you have grands living far away?  

        Try this idea to bring the family together!

Let me know what you think! 

I'd love to hear your ideas   or

 Slegan@yahoo.com 

                         

                         Enjoy your day

                        Happy Trails

                     

                                                     

I usually link at these fun blogs . . . 

The Art Of Homemaking, Share Your Cup, Thursday Favorites, Create With Joy  and a few more a complete list is on my parties page

                                       

Happy Homemaker Monday

Welcome to my first Happy Homemaker Monday post here . . . 

I like to join Sandra from Family Corner to share my plans for the week.  Making a few plans keeps me organized and on target.  Something I need to make everyday a Holiday at The Cottage.
Here are the prompts Sandra provides . . .

The weather..... One word.  Hot.  It's the end of July in Texas.  That's all that needs to be said.

On My T.V.
HGTV

Right now I am.... enjoying a leisure time writing and making plans. 

Thinking.... That I wish it was September.  Cooler weather and I might have some veggies growing.  And it would be closer to Christmas.

On my reading pile....  Oh my goodness it is a pile!  I have a ton of reviews planned for the week and the next couple of weeks. 
.....

Favorite blog post last week (mine or other)....  over at Mackie and Molly's they shared how faced Mackie is growing.  He is a new puppy a couple of months old and growing big and strong.  


Something fun to share.... The Cowboy and I have decided to buy a motor home.  Wait let me expound on that.  A cheap motor home.  I'm so excited.  I hope we get one in the next few months.  We'll be traveling around Texas for sure.  I hope visit some friends! 

Blog hopping (newly discovered blog)....   My Crazy Life As A Farmers Wife first they are just adorable. Picture Chip and JoAnna Gaines and their family except on a farm.  She has an amazing garden.  The photographer is fabulous.  Go over for a visit!

On the menu for this week.... 
Monday...Actually not sure.  We are both off.  Maybe we'll go look at motorhomes.  I'm not planning anything.
Tuesday...Taco's Tuesday HeHe
Wednesday... Chicken n Dumplin's I've had a craving.  Do you have a good recipe?
Thursday... Homemade Pizza with the grandson.  Pepperoni for us plain cheese for him.
Friday...Kielbasa, Corn on the Cob and Salad

On my to do list....
Post of course... Finish my new gallery wall.  I hope I can show you soon! ...Clean the patio Most of my plants are dead. It's just too hot...

In the craft basket....
I am crocheting a blanket for my daughter for Christmas.  Started last year but it was too wonky so I've started over.

Looking forward to this week....
A little cooler weather and maybe some rain. 

Looking around the house....  
Gallery wall is looking great.  But the wall(s) that I took some of the prints done from look bare now.  Gotta figure this out.  

From the camera....

Very bad shot but I had to share this amazing picture I got at Hobby Lobby on Saturday.  This beauty will graze the wall above the mantle.  More about it later!

On my prayer list.....
Two Christmas projects.  My Cowboy is a Chaplain at a boys prison unit.  Since Christmas falls on Sunday this year we're doing a big event for the youth on Christmas Day.  We will begin fundraising August 1.

The other project is I am collecting books and other giveaway items for my daughters church's Christmas even for single moms.

Bible verse, Devotional....

A project for Christmas for my daughter.   

Thanks for joining me today and sharing a peek at my plans for the week.  For me it's much easier to make everyday a Holiday. 

          Do you make plans for your week?  
                           Happy Trails
                                                                         
                                       
Linking with Happy Homemaker Monday, The Art of Homemaking, Share Your Cup,
Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy 
     

Fences Full Of Memories

Hello.  Welcome to my new blog; that is all about family and making special memories.  Since my blog is brand new I am linking with Friendship Fridays.  I'll also be linking with my friend Tex at 
Good Fences because I'm sharing with you some archived photo's of a special fence . . . 

             
Sometimes just seeing some of these old pictures are just what I need to put a smile on my face.  
                                 
It's these kind of things that can brighten your day and help encourage you to make house a home.   Don't you think?
                                    
 For a few short years we made this sweet country farm house home.  It is the last house we were all in together.  Our son got married and our daughter left for college.  It was in this house
where we became  empty nesters'.  
               
Sort of!  We weren't completely empty nested.  We still had all the animals.  This was my favorite horse.   Her name was Dyna.  

                That old fence kept our little herd safe and happy                                                   
                    We built some special memories for sure!  
    Do you have archived photo's that put a smile on  your face?  
        Maybe today's a great time to check them out and share!
                                       Until next time 
                           Happy Trails
           
                                                 

Linking with Good Fences, Camera Critters, Eileen's Critters, Create With Joy  and Outdoor Wednesday
Today I'm sharing my post on Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram to share the love for Friendship Friday's Social Media Boost!