The Teal Pumpkin Project - Trick or Treat!

What a great idea!  I just read about The Teal Pumpkin Project and what a great idea!

It's all about raising awareness during Halloween around food allergies and promoting safety, inclusiveness and empathy for those who have a food allergy. A non food treat option benefits children with food allergies, as well as those with diabetes and other conditions. 

It easy to join in.

• Display the sign or a teal pumpkin on your porch, door or easy to see spot letting trick or treaters know that a non-food treat is available at your home.  
• Purchase a non-food option (need ideas?  click here for suggestions) and be sure to keep your bowl of non-food treats separate from any candy, to ensure that the non-food items stay safe.  
• When the little ghosts and goblins come knocking simply ask which they would prefer. The non food items are very popular with everyone! 

What a great idea!  Happy Trick or Treat friends!

Home Movies

My mom and I are both big fans of popcorn and home movies, so when I spent the night at her house Tuesday night it wasn't hard to decide on the entertainment for the evening.  We decided to watch a video my aunt filmed of the week surrounding my grandfather's funeral 15 years ago.  What fun! (Well, not the funeral part, but lots of other parts.)  

Here are the top things that jumped out at me while we watched.

1. It was great to hear my dad's voice and see him alive and laughing.
2. My children were so young!  They would have been 16, 15 and 12 then. 
3. There is a strong resemblance among my cousins.
4. I had brown hair.....for REAL!
5. The sweaters my daughters had on are now in my dresser not theirs. 
6. The footage my aunt took of the outside of Antigo Bakery, the Hoffman House and the Armory looked exactly the same as it did when we drove by the next morning.  

Be it a happy occasion like a wedding or a sad occasion like a funeral, when you watch it for home movie night 15 years later, there is a joyful feeling re-living the experience seeing loved ones from a time gone by.   

This week's crazy find

You know how you see things all the time and don't think twice about them?  Then one day you see it in a new light and think, "woah!"  That was me with brussel sprouts at the Farmers Market on Saturday.  (Yes, I know I told you it was a rainy day, but we were able to go!)  We walked past this crazy looking plant and I did a double take.  Sure enough.  Brussel sprouts.  I'd knew them to come from a plastic bag in the freezer section or be these cute little balls in the produce department.  I've never considered what they look like in plant form.  I guess I thought they must be like little heads of lettuce growing in tiny little rows in the field, but NO! Just look at that monstrosity!

Next step - venture out and actually find them in a field.  Woah! Let the crazy continue! 

I'm Upset!

I'm upset.  Today I was shopping and as I passed through the various clothing departments I noticed in the section of the store with the larger sized clothing for women they had mini displays of chocolate bars, caramel corn and other sweets ready for the easy grab.  The more I think about it, the more it upsets me.

For those who don't know, 9 years ago I lost over 50 pounds.  In the past when I was heavier I'd go to buy new jeans or slacks, would grab "my" size from the rack, and head to the fitting room where they'd be too tight. What followed were feelings of frustration and disgust with myself for having gained weight. Sometimes I'd say, "forget the new pants" and whether I bought pants or not I would inevitably head toward the purchase of some type of comfort food. A candy bar, a big soft pretzel, or something with ooey, gooey goodness.  Naturally this only made the problem worse.

Walking through the mall today I recognized the trigger to want something sweet.  Just like I've conditioned myself for years, right? (Scary that after 9 years I still have that trigger!) I was already feeling this pull from the past trigger and then I saw the displays. I passed by.  I didn't purchase anything, so yay me!  However, someone needs to sit that store manager down and explain that what they are doing is cruel.  Simply cruel.  That's not marketing!  It's preying on someone's weakness and feels like a form of bullying.

I'm upset. In an otherwise joy-filled day, this upset me.    

Rainy Saturday

As I lay in bed slowing approaching the place of being awake, I began planning the day.  Saturday!  Harry's home!  Farmer's Market on a lovely, brisk fall day.  Simply divine.

Then I came downstairs and looked out the patio door.  RAIN! Unlike  my observations in Florida where there are rainy HOURS, Wisconsin tends to have rainy DAYS.  ALL day. Alas, today is a rainy day.  Boo!

I guess it will be a cozy in and perhaps bake something with apples or paint a room kind of day.  Maybe I'll get out my umbrella.

The best part is Harry is home and we can do it together.  

Sunrise. Sunset.

I just love watching the sun rise and set!  Don't you?  When my kids were growing up I'd point them out and exclaim how beautiful they are. (Typically sunsets...the kids weren't up real often at sunrise in their teens.) They humored me at first, but as time went on I believe they have come to appreciate the beauty they hold.  

I certainly hope so. We need to slow down and embrace moments as beautiful as this. 

Talent is God's Gift

Your talent is God's gift to you.  What you do with it is your gift back to God.  ~Leo Buscaglia

I like that.  It's a great reminder to ask ourselves if we are doing all we can with the gifts we have been blessed with.  I'll have to ponder that.  

When was the last time you asked yourself that question?