Thursday Thirteen ~ "N"

Thursday Thirteen this week recounts blessings I've enjoyed or enjoy daily that begin with the letter "N".

1. Nesi - my nickname. Aren't nicknames dear? They mean someone loves us enough to call us by a very special name meant just for us! My mother started calling me Nesi Gay as a little girl and when I became an aunt for the first time in July 1988, I received the very special title of "Aunt Nesi". Since then, lots of special people call me Aunt Nesi -people I love VERY much!

2.Neices and nephews - my neices by blood lines number eight. Nephews number six. Adopted ones! Innumerable!

3.Netherlands, Niagara Falls, New England, Nantucket - lovely places I've been blessed to visit. Here are some lovely nautical views I noticed in Nantucket. Would love to visit that lovely island for a week in the fall. Wouldn't that be a nice for the senses?

(Maybe stay in this darling Rose Covered Cottage- it really is this beautiful!)

4.Nutcrackers - ever noticed the variety of nutcrackers? My youngest son started collecting them the Christmas they told us would more-than-likely be his last. That was Five years ago! Alot of nutcrackers have been added to his collection since then. Since it seems he usually spends time in the hospital around the holidays, he often receives nutcrackers as get well cheer gifts. They bring him a lot of pleasure and joy.

5. Nasturtiums - a delightful flower that's so easy to grow. They say they are good on salads since they have a peppery taste - I don't know. I think they're too pretty to eat!

6. Neighborhood - we live in the second house built in our subdivision and are the longest residents as a result. I love our little neighborhood out in the country, though the city is quickly reaching us.

7.Nutricious nuts - mmm! We bought a two pound bag of pecans at Sam's yesterday. Turtles, pecan pie, pecan tassies, mmm!

8. Newspaper - an ammenity I really enjoy. It's nice to be able to skim through the headlines and find out what's happening in our world. God used the newspaper to help us get in with one of the best neurologists in the world. Dr. Espay has been a real god-send in my husbands encounter with Parkinson's Disease.

9.Needlework - sewing, crocheting, embroidery are some of my favorite hobbies in needlework. I've done a little quilting too.

10.Nature - so restful and refreshing. Normal life cycles, nests, noises. I do believe, "One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth!"

11.Nap - confession is good for the soul, they say. I live for my Sunday afternoon nap. My week goes so much better with one!

12.Noodles - homemade ones are one of my favorite dishes. In the fall/winter, we usually enjoy them at least twice a month.

13. November - the month I received my first bundle of joy! He'll be 18 this year. Hard to believe the little preemie that fought so hard for his life has grown up so fast! I'm so proud of him-he loves Jesus and one of my favorite sights every day is seeing him FAITHFULLY reading his Bible EVERY night- doesn't matter how tired he is! Love you, DJ! (He's also the one that set up and helps me with my blog;) )

Tuesday's Teatime

Fall cleaning often entails a little sprucing up of our homes. I've been a bit bored with my decor and wanted to add some new life to our little cottage by re-using things I already have.

That means it's time to start looking through a collection of magazines carefully saved through the years!

I have all but maybe a half dozen copies of Victoria magazine and I've been perusing precious issues from 1988- 1991 this week looking for fresh decorating ideas. I haven't been disappointed! I'll share some of the pages of the magazine with you and the results of their inspiration in my cottage over the next few weeks.

Today, though, I'd like to share this enchanting picture of a tea table belonging to a lady who shared tea time with her friends in a Tea Circle. Raised in a parsonage and blessed with a delightful collection of bone china tea cups collected by her grandmother on travels as a missionary's wife, she chose to bless the lives of her friends by inviting them to her Tea Circle. This is a picture of her tea table sparkling with antique lace, garden flowers, and a delightful array of tea sandwiches, vanilla cake, scones and chocolate madeleins.

Maybe I'll start my own Tea Circle once Fall Cleaning is complete as a special reward for a job accomplished!

Wouldn't that be fun?

Day at the Zoo

Yesterday we went to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens for Wildlife Discovery Days. Five of the home schooling families from our church and my sister, her daughters and my parents joined us. It was a picture perfect day and we all had a great time. DJ and Dusty - Best Buds!
Five homeschool families from our church and our Junior Church Directors, Dave and Margaret Jowers joined us for this fun day at the zoo.

My sister, Diana, brought her two daughters and three foster children along with the special treat of my parents for the day. We REALLY enjoyed this added bonus!
Anna Pilmore, Klayton Hutchinson, Benji, and Bryan Hausman hanging out in the barn at the Children's Zoo.
Where we spent the most time - at Gorilla World. They were so funny! The new baby was full of entertainment carrying on with his mom, dad and grandpa.

The giraffes are back! It was neat to see them in their really nice new pen.

Benji, Bryan, Darla, Zach, Emily and Margaret waiting in line to feed the giraffes. We timed our visit just right! They fed them carrots.

Lorna, Jamie and Emily - cousins hanging out at the zoo.

Zach Pilmore, Benji, Tyler Mills and Klayton Hutchinson visiting the bears.

Zach and Benji strangling a bird statue. Zach's a guy after his hunter-daddy's heart-
anything gory sounds great to Benji!

Brittany and Natasha Hausman, Lorna, Deanna Jowers and Emily Pilmore enjoying a lovely day at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

Thursday Thirten ~ "M"

Tomorrow marks one year of blogging for me! I had hoped to get in 100 posts by then but, alas . . .

Thirteen things beginning with the letter "M" that I'm thankful for in my life:

1. Mommy - My favorite lady in the whole wide world - and also my favorite title.

2. Martha's Vineyard, Manhattan, Mackinac Island - lovely places I've been blessed to visit.

3. Music - I love music whether it's classical, oldies, Big Band, jazz, Southern Gospel or hymns, music blesses my life.

4.Macaroni and Cheese - mmm, yummy! LOVE that stuff!

5. Mac Intosh Apples - the best for a delicious homemade apple pie.

6.Mail - regular daily delivery. Blessed to be an American enjoying this benefit.

7. Mercy - I will sing of the MERCIES of the LORD FOREVER!

8. Maps - Maps and Mapquest. Can you imagine living pre -maps?

9.Miracles - I'm a recipient of many miracles - the most precious of which is when He saved my soul from eternal damnation.

10. Magazines - I LOVE magazines - a trait I inherited from my Daddy ;) !

11. Missionary Kid - blessed to be among their ranks. They are THE MOST blessed kids in the WHOLE world!

12. Meredith - my mother's first name and my daughter's middle name. My mother was named for her mother's best friends, Marie and Edith - Meredith!

13. Milk - nothing like a glass of ice cold milk, milk chocolate, Milk Duds - mmm- anything made with milk!

Have a lovely evening and don't forget to stop by tomorrow for my One Year Blog-a-Versary party!