Sit down and feed

...and welcome to our table

-William Shakespeare

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That quote hangs in one of my favorite local bistros. The words bring a smile to my face and I am reminded that one week from today, I will be gathered around the dining table at my mom and dad's, surrounded by dear friends and family, and giving thanks. Can it really be that Thanksgiving is next week? I love this holiday. What is better than a day of remembering all that I have to be thankful for and eating and football?

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Traditional Home

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House Beautiful

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Traditional Home

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The dining room is so often that "formal in the front of the house that gets used a couple of times a year" but for its lack of use, so many memories are there. I hope that you all make many happy memories around your table this holiday season and that these pictures will inspire you, as they have inspired me.

This was the dining room at my old home. I loved this room! All the memories and the Pierre Deaux wallpaper!

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Decrorating

Country Home

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Home Companion

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Veranda

Cute kids' table idea! As long as they don't use the sofa as a napkin!

Country Home

Happy Thursday!

Krissy

photos via: Pinterest

Romantic Lodge

This is one of my all-time favorite spaces. I tore this out of Traditional Home way back in 2002! I love it as much today as I did then. This "romantic lodge" room has inspired the decor in my own home and when I found this picture while looking through my archives, it still made me pause and take note.

I love the pink and green (naturally!). The fabulous, English antiques and the wonderful way the rustic antlers and sisal mix with the romantic florals. I want to cozy-up in this room and read a book or watch the hounds frolicking in the yard. You know there has to be hounds frolicking outside or maybe a Corgi or two. Yes, this room room still has me at the pink linen-clad settee and white painted paneling.

xoxo,

Krissy

photo via: Traditional Home

Remembrance Day

You have to love the difference between America and Britain. The eleventh was also a day of remembrance for those citizens of the commonwealth who have died in the line of duty. The Brits call it "Poppy Day" and wear poppies as a sign of remembrance and of course, a hat. One cannot mourn and remember without the appropriate chapeau. I am really digging the poppy pins. Kind of cute for the holidays, yes?

On a serious note, I am so very thankful for those who have served this country and fought for my freedom. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Krissy

photos via: AOL

Rustic and Elegant Living

I love this living room from the Princess Margaret Showhome. The bare floors, leather, butterfly chairs and those mirrors. Wish I was closer to Canada, so that I could tour it!

xoxo,

Krissy

photos via: House and Home

Welcome Autumn

November is here and in full swing. The leaves are falling and forming a carpet on the ground. The air is crisp; I thought the weather would never change after the summer we had. Autumn is here and I love it! Time to cozy-up by the fire and enjoy sweater weather. How do you welcome autumn? Here in Texas it is a brief pause between summer and the gray, cold of winter, but it is a beautiful time of year. Hope you have a wonderful, Autumn Monday!

Krissy

photos via: House and Home

Flashback Friday - Pioneer Days

Pioneer Sport - notice the Pioneer coffee in the background

How cute is this? This was at the Blacksmith shop and those boys were itchin' to get in there and play in the fire

Yesterday, I went to Log Cabin Village with Sport and his second grade class. This is a right of passage for elementary school students here in our town. I got a little sad though when I realized that this is my last Log Cabin Village adventure, unless we go on our own. I have been with all three mini-pearls - check pioneer experience off the list!

Candle making

The children all wear their best "pioneer" clothing. Normally, that means calico skirts, aprons and bonnets for the girls; jeans, flannel shirts and boots for the boys. However, a cold front blew in the night before and everyone had to wear ski coats and sweaters with their "pioneer" get-ups. They made quite a motley crew!

The Motley Crew

The village includes a working blacksmith shop, a grist mill , a school house and various cabins, one of which belonged to Cynthia Ann Parker's uncle. Cynthia Ann lived in the cabin after the Texas Rangers abducted her from her home with the Comanche Indians. Cynthia Ann was the mother of Quanah Parker. If this means nothing to you, Google it. It is quite interesting. I also recommend the book Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson about Cynthia Ann's life. (I am a huge history buff)

The Parker's dog trot cabin

The children loved the tour as much as the adults. They got to dip candles and learn how they were made. They watched a blacksmithing demonstration. This led to lots of "oohs and aahs" from Sport and his buddies. They also left with seeds to plant their own Indian corn. Sport has big plans for this. He has visions of us having our own corn maze in the backyard. I hope he isn't too disappointed when I tell him it will take more than two or three seeds and our tiny plot of land. Oh well, I will let him dream for a while.

I am thankful that I don't have to make my own cloth to clothe my family and grind the corn that I picked into meal to make bread. I am really thankful that I don't have to share a fifteen by fifteen foot cabin with my husband and ten kids! (really? How did they have ten kids living like that? I'm just saying.) I am glad that my ancestors paved the way for me. I'm not sure that I would have what it takes survive.

Cabin that was home to a family of twelve

On that note, enjoy the creature comforts and have a wonderful weekend.

Krissy

Chalk It Up

I love chalkboards. I used to volunteer to clean erasers in school, just so that I could be near the boards and maybe sneak in an opportunity to write on the board. Kids today don't know what they are missing. Sure a Promethium board can hook-up to the internet and all, but they just aren't as fun as good old fashioned chalk boards.

I purchased an enormous chalkboard years ago for our family room. This was before boards were everywhere and chalkboard paint became popular. The board has served as a play place for my children, a message center for our family and a place to write greetings to our guests. I'd say we have gotten our money's worth out of it!

I think chalkboards can also serve as ever-changing art displays. Sweet Pea is constantly tweaking ours and it is a great conversation piece. I really love these pictures of chalkboards in kitchens. Nothing new, but oh so fun. What do you think? Fun or passe?

xoxo,

Krissy

photos via: House and Home, HouseBeautiful and Country Living

Let Them Eat Candy

Marie Antoinette - Sweet Pea designed her wig complete with a bird in a nest! She carefully chose the mask and I added the "royal" bling. Those are our family jewels - the real diamel necklace that I wore to my senior prom. Yes. I seriously wore that - proudly. Oh, the eighties!

Please ignore the fact that our backyard has turned into a dust bowl with the hot summer and severe draught we have here!

I hope everyone survived yesterday. We managed to make it through, although poor Fisherman was home with a sore throat and chills. I don't know if it was too many hours in the deer stand this weekend that did it, or if he really caught something. I snuggled in with him, while Mr. Pearl took the youngest two to our old neighborhood for a good old fashioned Halloween evening. I posted on this last year. It is so much fun!

Ninja Sport - this outfit is really all about the weapon. Those plastic swords are my eight year old boy's dream.

This is Fisherman as a sick teenager. It's very authentic, don't ya think?

Fisherman didn't feel too left out, as he made the announcement that he was officially too old to trick or treat anymore. Sweet Pea and Sport, on the other hand, had a marvelous time. Sweet Pea has been planning her Marie Antoinette costume for weeks and after much deliberating, Sport decided on a ninja costume.

Hope your candy hangover isn't too bad!

Krissy

For those that have asked: Fisherman did not kill a deer this weekend, but the boy is determined. I will keep you all posted and let you know when I have some venison to share!