A Moving Hodgepodge

I'm all in with the Hodgepodge this week! And, just in time for Joyce to take a break next week because she's MOOOOOOVING! I swear it doesn't seem like 13 months since they moved from NJ, but I'm sure it does to her and the hubs!

1. Besides your very own house, describe a place where you feel most 'at home'? 

Church. Honestly. Growing up, mama was the organist, so we were there quite a bit. The building is different now, and it's taken me a while, but I finally feel very much at home there.

2. When did you last 'hit a home run' with something? Explain. 

Last week was our state organization's convention. At the last minute, I bought 2 raffle tickets for paid registration to a big summer conference that the national organization puts on every year. I've always wanted to go, but haven't due to money and distance. My 2nd raffle ticket was pulled, so I'm going to New Orleans this summer! 

3. Tell us about something you love in your house or kitchen that is 'homemade'. 

My dad made this furniture, as well as our kitchen table & chairs and the boys' captains beds, for us. We always joke & say if it weren't for him, we wouldn't have any furniture!

4. 'A man's home is his castle'...which of the world's ten most captivating castles (according to The Travel Channel) would you most like to visit and why-

Mont Saint-Michel (France), Edinburgh Castle (Scotland), Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany), Glamis Castle (Scotland), Windsor Castle (England), Chateau de Chambord (France), Hampton Court Palace (England), Prague Castle (Prague), St. Michael's Mount (England), Leeds Castle (England), and Swallow's Nest (Ukraine)

I'm not too picky as far as castles go! I've seen Neuschwanstein, so that can be taken off the list!

5. What's a recent or upcoming plan or project that's required you do a little homework before getting started? Did the homework cause you to abandon your plan or adjust it in some way?
OH, GAW! Don't remind me!!! I'm a team member for RCIA (the program that you go through when you want to know more about Catholicism), and my turn is coming up in a couple of weeks. I've got to get serious and get started on my presentation!

6. In your opinion, is homework an unnecessary evil or a valuable practice? Should schools be done with homework? Why or why not? 

As a Speech Language Pathologist in a school system, I give my students "homework" every week. It consists of a very short page to practice with their parents. I'm convinced that this helps carry over their skills they learn in the speech room over to the "outside world".

7. Share a favorite memory of your childhood hometown. 

I've shared so many memories of the Small Town that I don't want to bore you with the same stories! Just take a look through my posts and you'll see them!

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

I mentioned the state convention earlier. I, along with 3 other Speech Pathologists, had a vendor's booth. All 4 of us are bloggers and sellers on TpT, where we sell pdfs of materials that we have made to use in speech/language therapy. Only 1 of us knew everybody, but after just a few minutes, it was like we had known each other forever! I think we were the life of the party in the Exhibit Hall! We laughed, we talked, we had such a good time! We talked TpT, blogging, and speech/language stuff. These ladies are just fantastic!

{Friday Foto Friends} Sisters & Porches

I'm linking up with Deb at Breathing in Grace for Friday Foto Friends.

I spent last weekend with my sisters; I shared those pictures here. So, the pictures this week were few since I was on Fall Break and I didn't do much. I have to share 1 more picture of my sisters:

I keep saying this, but I love the mountains in the fall.  Well, I love them anytime, but specifically Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg in the fall with the decorations.

I haven't decorated much the past few years, but I had some inspiration and decided to do something with my front porch (after I cleared off the spider webs!):

Another Fall Break is in the books...1/4 of the way through the school year!

Thankful Thursday: It's Fall, Y'all!

Rebecca at Knit by God's Hand is a great encourager of finding gratitude in the little things every day.

This week I’m thankful for:

…Cool weather...FINALLY!

...Fall break. Even though it's going by way too fast.

...Sisters. Don't know what I'd do without them!

...Brothers. My oldest brother has been a rock through the past month. Daddy has had some issues, but we think he's on the mend. I don't know how I would have handled everything if I was an only child. 

#bigfamiliesrock 

...Being home. After living away for 20 years, 12 years ago I decided enough was enough and told CH I wanted to move home. My parents were getting older, and I wanted to be around to help if they needed me. I cherish the 10 years I had living up the street from my mom, and this past month helping out my dad reminded me of why I wanted to move back. 

What are the little things you're thankful for this week?

Sisters, Mountains, and a Hail Mary

This past weekend was just amazing! The only bad thing was that it ended too soon.  It was our annual Sisters' Weekend, the weekend where we let our hair down and just be ourselves. We eat, we drink, we laugh, we gossip.  Last year, we started our weekend on Thursday evening, so we decided to try it again this year. It worked. :)

After everybody was picked up, we ran by the grocery store, then it was on to the cabin in Pigeon Forge. We tried Vacation Rentals by Owner this time. The cabin was close to town, but far enough out. The view from the balcony wasn't the best that we've had, but it was pretty decent.

Friday morning, as we were eating breakfast, a female cardinal hung out just outside the door for a little bit.  Mom was definitely there in spirit! 

After we ate and had showers, we decided to go to The Island. 

We walked around, went into a couple of stores, and rode "The Wheel" (courtesy of my big brother!).

There were some beautiful views at the top:

My BIL paid for our lunch: 

(The man in the picture is NOT my BIL...just a restaurant employee!)
I love going to the mountains this time of year. Everything is so festive and "fallish".

My hero: She kicked breast cancer's butt!

The cabin was awesome.  3 floors with a bedroom and bathroom on the top & bottom floors, and 2 bedrooms and a bathroom in the basement.  

 A game room that we didn't think we'd use:

And a theater in the basement.

We watched a couple of movies:

And watched the UT game on Saturday afternoon:

We're "yellers" during ballgames. Especially when the commentators are idiots. I wish I had my phone turned on and videoed the end of the game when Dobbs threw the "Hail Mary" and Jennings caught it to win the game as time ran out. We were all screaming and yelling! Just amazing. 

Pre-game Dreamsicles:

And then the sad day: Sunday. One last "hurrah" at our traditional Sunday morning, end of the weekend breakfast spot. 

Checking out the light for a selfie.  Apparently it had us stumped.

 We brought a sister & SIL (who couldn't attend the weekend) along.

 We loved the cabin (except for some "critters"...we couldn't figure out where they were, though.) and may try to get that same one next year. We need to go back to The Island and do The Escape; that sounds like an awful lot of fun!
After I got home from Sisters' Weekend, I had an hour before I had to be at church for preparation for the "Sing of Mercy" concert.  (No pictures yet, though.) After that, we had a quick dinner consisting of Chinese take-out...I was in bed by 8:00. It was an exhausting weekend, but it was so good to spend it with my sisters!