You Know It's Halloween Night When.......

......when kids start knocking on your door even before you have had a chance to sit down to dinner.

.......when you start out trick-or-treating on a nice clear night, and by the time you are finished, it is pouring rain and you are soaked!
.......when the neighbor kids are so excited and act as if something has truly possessed them!
........when your puppy is so excited about all the kids around that she practically pulls you through the neighborhood!
........when you have more candy in your house on this one night than the whole entire year combined.
........when it is just a great night to be a kid.......and pretty fun as a parent watching your kids, too!
..........when you are so tired from all the festivities that all you can do is fall into the chair and exclaim "Thank You, Lord, it's over!!!!!!!"

Halloween, Past and Present.

Today, I am a bit nostalgic. I received an e-mail from my childhood best friend yesterday, and it really sent my mind back to our days of trick-or-treating. What are some of your fond memories of this fun holiday? Some of mine include:

Trick-or-treating in our neighborhood with friends....especially being sure to stop and Charlene and Deveer's house, because they always gave out the full-size candy bars and packs of gum!

School parties.....walking to school with our costumes on and the excitement at school as we paraded around.......we even walked down our mainstreet in town with our costumes on.

Special visits to our grandparents' house, who both lived outside of town....they always loved to see us in our costumes and had special treat bags for each of us.

This funny photo I remember of my sister and I dressed as matching bunny rabbits for Halloween....I think we won a prize for that, didn't we, Mom?

After trick-or-treating, my sister and I dumping our pumpkins out on the floor and spending over an hour sorting it into categories......candy bars, suckers, licorice, hard candy......the Almond Joys always went to mom, and Dad always tried to get our KitKats.....

Seeing all the neighbor kids come to the door.....we lived on a main corner in town so always got hundreds of trick-or-treaters. I remember years when we would run out of candy so my parents were scrounging around in the cupboards for sticks of gum, packages of raisins.........anything to satisfy the troops!

What fun times.......I understand to some extent why some Christians struggle with Halloween, but in our family, it has always been a time of fun and candy and dress-up......a purely innocent time.

It is fun to pass some traditions on to our own kids, isn't it? How fun it has been to take my own kids trick-or-treating and help them pick out and make a costume and see their excitement as they look through their treat bags.......it is about play and fun and imagination.....and that's what we keep it about. We are always very careful to stay away from violent or gorey costumes, and no witches or that kind of thing......I respect others opinions and what they choose for their families, and we choose to celebrate the holiday while protecting our kids from the more evil connotations associated with it.

Here are a few photos from the last few days......pumpkin carving and Grandpa and Grandma M's, trick-or-treating through the university dorms last night, the Halloween parties at school today.....more trick-or-treat photos from tonight will surely follow. Until then, this Mommy is tired and needs a rest before the big festivities!

Where in the World......

If you are a regular reader here, you know that I have recently made some changes of format. One of those changes was adding the world map to this site to allow everyone to see where people come from to gather around Table Scraps. How cool is it that there are readers here from many different states......and HOW EVEN MORE COOL is it that PearlMaple joins us from way over on the far west side of the continent of Australia! The internet--though having many potential dangers--is also such an amazing connection tool...

It is my goal over the next year to see if I can get visitors from every continent......well, OK, maybe Antarctica would be a stretch.....but hey, there are researchers and photographers who live and work there! So, if you have friends around the world who you think might enjoy this site, please spread the word...........today, I am very thankful for this technology that connects friends new and old. Enjoy your Monday.

Heart at Home.

LAst night and today, I attended a conference with some of my girlfriends. The conference was a Christian mother's conference focused on the amazing calling of motherhood. It was a time of relaxation, laughs, great blessings, and being challenged. The big truth that I walked away from was this reminder: The work that a woman does at home as a wife and/or a mother is more important than any other ministry to which she could give her time. So often, I can get caught up in leading this group and being involved in that ministry and helping my kids' teachers at school, that our home--creating a safe and nurturing haven for my family--gets only leftovers. That needs to change. Starting today, I am asking God to help me discern how I devote my time to outside causes. I am going to limit my time working in church ministry for the next year so that I can focus on my biggest ministry calling--my home. There are so many things that can pull us away from home--even things that are in themselves very positive and God-honoring--but I want to be more intentional about nurturing and creating and sustaining our home life.

Tonight, the kids are at Grandma's and I am just enjoying watching a couple of movies and just enjoying some down time.....tomorrow brings our annual pumpkin carving day with my in-laws, and it is always a very fun and festive time.....I'm sure lots of photos will follow. Pleasant dreams and for all you wives and mothers out there.....never discount how crucial your role at home is.......and how much your husband and/or kids need to be there fully present.

BINGO!

We just finished up a rousing family game of Bingo, enjoyed by all.......I now realize that there are lots of important lessons to be learned by playing Bingo. Two of these important lessons are:

**The kids can work on their number recognition skills**
**The husband can work on patience while the kids work on their number recognition skills**

Today was just an everyday Wednesday with lots of little blessings. Things like:

*Time volunteering in my daughter's first grade classroom*
*Sharing a Happy Meal with my son after picking him up from preschool*
*Browsing the aisles at Target....and getting out with spending only 20 dollars*
*Playing games with the neighborhood kids after school*
*Savoring the first couple of chapters of Ali Edwards' LIFE ARTIST. So inspiring and liberating*
*A crispy Diet Coke with just enough ice*
*Quiznos for dinner after karate lessons*
*Watching part of Alice in Wonderland with my kids*
*2 chapters of the original version of "The Adventures at Pooh's Corner"--written in original English and so charming*
*Listening to my kids speak to Jesus before falling asleep*

Happy {Hambly} Monday.....

Has anyone been there? I have drooled over the delicious art supplies on the Hambly site....I have filled my "e-cart" several times on this site, only to empty it....and refill it the next day......only to empty it......for all you scrapbookers, you know that one of the hottest new lines of supplies is Hambly. This stuff is so beautiful and adds such class and artistry to layouts. While I have admired Hambly, I have never actually owned a piece of paper or the rubons or the transparencies....until yesterday, that it. The mail lady, bless her soul, brought me this.

It was a very "Hambly" Monday. I love you, mail lady!

And the winner is......

Pearl Maple!!!!! You are the winner of my birthday scrap goodies.......please e-mail me at nmcdonald@cornerstone.edu with your address, and I will get this package of goodness off to you!!!!! Thanks again for all who entered.....please keep coming back to look for future giveaways.....I have lots of good stuff that needs a loving and creative home!

Weekend Highlights.

1) Having my parents and siblings/spouses visiting for the weekend
2) My daughter losing her first front tooth, with the other to soon follow
3) A visit to the pumpkin patch; OK, so the actual patch was pretty lame and not well-maintained, but the kids had fun which made the trip worthwhile.
4) Working together as a family to construct "Scary", our new scarecrow who will find a home in the rocking chair on our front porch.
5) Worshipping God through song this morning.....I love to sing harmony, and the songs this morning were full of delicious harmonies.
6) A long leisurely Sunday afternoon nap.
7) Making caramel apples with my kids.
8) Practicing spelling words with my daughter.....she is now working on 2nd and 3rd grade words, and she is doing so well! Maybe we'll see her on ESPN someday?
9) Just revelling in how richly blessed we are. Thanks be to God.

All I Want for Christmas is........

This was my daughter at 7:30 this morning, as we shared a muffin and juice at the Muffins with Mom morning at school. That tooth cracked me up every time I looked at her......have you seen Nanny McPhee? It totally reminded me of Nanny McPhee's snaggle tooth before her transformation.

Today was all about grocery shopping and cooking to get ready for my family's visit this weekend. I decided to make stromboli, and my mom brought broccoli cheese soup and white chicken chili. Hayden and my little sister, Haley, helped make the stromboli--we made ham and cheese, turkey, pizza and taco.....thanks, Haley, for the help.

We then headed out to my husband's last football game of the season. Rainy. Cold. Sleety. Windy. Did I say Rainy? We only last half of the game, though my Dad was a trooper and sat through the entire game in the rain. In the first quarter, as we were shivering and trying to say somewhat dry, my older sister, Kendra, reached into Kennedy's mouth, wiggled the tooth a bit, and VOILA.......my little girl has no front tooth! And to think I almost left my camera at home because of the rain. And the other tooth is very loose and will definitely be out before Christmas. Kennedy was so excited.....I, on the other hand, was frantically thinking whether I had gotten enough cash out of the bank today to cover the $10.00 Tooth Fairy bill......inflation, you know, and this IS a front tooth!


After the game, we enjoyed a great meal and fun conversation. I love it when we gather as a family for no real particular reason.....just to hang out and eat and enjoy each other. Today will bring some shopping with my sisters and hopefully some time at a pumpkin patch and apple orchard. I also have to start getting my kids' Halloween costumes together.....where, oh where, has October gone?

PS--For those of you waiting for the prize drawing, I'm just a little behind with all the festivities of the last day....I will draw tomorrow and announce the winner Monday morning. Thanks for your patience, and enjoy a great Saturday.

Field Trip+Meetings+Muffins+Karate

First, deep thanks for all the amazing responses to my one-year anniversary and to my table challenge. Wow, all of your memories and stories and recollections made me weepy! It's amazing how so many of our growing-up memories and family times center around the table. Now, I challenge you to go and create a scrap layout or mini-album about what happens on and around your table.....who knows, maybe there will be more goody giveaways to come!

This morning, despite rain and threats of major storms, my son and his preschool class headed out to the pumpkin patch. These kids have so much energy and enthusiasm and wonder....highlights included lots of animals (including two very large and very friendly turkeys), a pumpkin train ride, hayride, selection of a pumpkin, and a scrumptious pumpkin glazed donut....yum! The rain really didn't dampen the fun.....after all, for a 4-year-old boy, there is only one thing better than a trip to the pumpkin patch and that is a trip to the pumpkin patch were there are HUGE MUD PUDDLES! Afterward, Hayden accompanied me to several meetings and was a real trooper while I finished my week's work.





Today was also Teacher Appreciation day at our school, so I whipped up a couple batches of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. Let me tell you, people, these are easy and yummy and healthy! Here's the recipe.....seriously, it's that simple:



Pumpkin Choc. Chip Muffins

PreHeat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix 3 ingredients together: 1 choc. cake mix (just the boxed mix), 1/2 bag semi-sweet choc. chips, and 1 small can pumpkin (9 oz).
Mix together, spoon into muffin papers, and bake for 15-20 mins.


That's it....you can also make it in a cake pan and serve with whipped cream or frozen yogurt. My kids and husband LOVE them;....and they don't even realize they are eating their veggies!



Finally, off to karate. The kids both earned their first red stripe on their belts tonight, which basically means that they are eligible for promotion from the white to the yellow belt. Not bad for 2 months of work.

Happy 1st Blogging Birthday!

When I started my "Half-Baked and Firefly Free" blog one year ago today, I did so on a sort of whim, hoping that I would be able to be more discplined with my computer and keyboard than I was in keeping a written family journal. One year later, it is amazing to look back at hundreds of posts documenting and celebrating the ups, downs, and everyday moments of our lives. What a journey this has been, one that I have found incredible rewarding and worth every moment of time invested. The photos in the collage above are a mere glimpse of what this year has involved. Through this blogging adventure, I have been able to stay connected with family and friends, I have met new friends, and I have been able to share my art and thoughts with people across the globe. I find that utterly and amazingly humbling.

As I launch into my second year of blogging, I wanted to make a few changes. The most significant change is that I wanted to select a title that was simpler and more reflective of what this blog is all about. As I reflected on our lives, my mind kept coming back to the idea of the "table." In our family, as it is in many homes, it seems like most of our most fundamental activities center around our table. The table is where we share meals, where we discuss important issues, where we share the highs and lows of our day, where project get done, where the kids draw and paint and create.....it represents the heart of our home. It stands for connection. For nurturing. For heart. My scrap studio table is where my creative ideas take shape and come to life......where paper and paint and glitter and fabric and thread and ink and so many other things come together to document our lives. The table is where the fabric of life is made and shared.

And so, I have renamed this blog "Table Scraps" to communicate what this blog is all about. It is a place where I connect with family and friends (new and old). Where I share the highs and lows of our everday. Where I create and hopefully inspire creativity in others. Where I connect and discuss and share my thoughts on important and sometimes just fun topics. This blog is a metaphor for our lives, and I hope that you enjoy the changes that I have made. It is my hope that you will "pull up a chair" often to share with us in this amazing journey that God has called us to, and that somehow the contents of this blog may inspire or encourage you and help you to somehow see and experience God more fully.

To celebrate my first year and to launch "Table Scraps," I have put together a package of scrapping goodness.....lots of fun things to inspire all you scrappers out there! To be entered into the random drawing, just leave a comment below telling me some of the favorite things that happen around your table....the winner will be drawn in the morning, and the goodies will be on their way to you......just a glimpse...the package includes a brand-new full set of 3-inch acrylic Autumn Leaves alphabet stamps, so you won't want to miss this one! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the experience.

A New Year.....Table Scraps.

If you are a regular reader here, you were undoubtedly surprised when you arrived at this site today. The content is the same, but I have a whole new look and a whole new title.....Wednesday marks my one-year anniversary of blogging, and I have been wanting to make some changes to my blog work. So what better time than this to introduce TABLE SCRAPS. On Wednesday, I will post about the meaning behind this title and some changes I have in store for this second year of blogging.....some be sure to come back. Night-night.

We Love These Families

>



We have been privileged for the past 10 months or so to have five families who have been our support network. It is always challenging when you move away from immediate family, but it is awesome to live life together with other people to encourage, uplift, support, pray for, challenge, and just do life with others. At our get-together yesterday, we took a few moments to snap some family photos:













We have grown to love these families very much not just because we are "in a group" with them, but because they are the most incredible people.....each gifted in a very unique and amazing way......and each willing to make our group whole by their presence and contributions. We love you guys!

Happy Birthday, Daniel!

Today is my brother-in-law's birthday........when my sister brought him home to meet us, we knew almost instantly that he would fit in well with our sometimes-crazy family. Dan, I hope you have a great day celebrating you and another year! Thanks for treating my sister like the precious queen that she is.....you are the best, Brother! We will see you on Friday for a little family celebration...looking forward to seeing you guys this weekend.

Visual Delight.

One of the reasons that I love the fall season is that it is a time where colors and textures and temperatures and smells all seem so much more vivid that at other times of the year. These photos are just a few of the sights that I love......old wooden crates filled with bright orange pumpkins just waiting to be plucked and turned into pies or jack-o-lanterns or porch decor. The perfect swan-necked gourd just poised to be on somebody's harvest table. And tall and proud sunflowers, bowing under the weight of their seed-filled heads. It is a just a season of real treats for all the senses. At our house, we are looking forward to our annual trip to the pumpkin patch and apple orchard for fresh cider, homemade doughnuts and gooey-yet-crisp caramel apples. Today, we picked out some delicious fresh apples, and looking at them tucked into a round basket on my counter just makes me happy every time I walk by them.

We are enjoying this little fall break. Tomorrow brings with it a short trip to the mall for Hayden and myself, our second-t0-last football game, and an after-game party at some friends' house. It is supposed to be 35 degrees, so we are prepping our winter coats and hats and blankets and already anticipating that post-game cup of hot cocoa and bowl of hot chili. Who would have guessed that last week's game boasted near-90 degree temps and tank tops. Ahhh, lovely Michigan, how unpredictable you are.

Fall Break.

About 5 years ago, the administrators at the university where I teach came up with a stellar idea: Let's give students and faculty a break during the fall right around mid-term time. Hence.....Fall Break! Starting today, I have a week off from teaching, and I am so in need of this little breather. I plan to just relax and do some organizing around the house and enjoy the fall. Now where are those Halloween and harvest decorations.....?

You might notice a new look to my blog today. This is a just a little taste of the changes to come next week....stay tuned.

One of my friends and fellow scrapbookers posted some thoughts yesterday on the power of song lyrics. Every time fall comes around, it brings to mind the great song, like "How Great Thou Art." To have the power and majesty and creativity to create and change the seasons......if that doesn't bring you to your knees, I'm not sure what will.

I have always loved a song by Nichole Nordeman, entitled "Every Season." It speaks of the different seasons and how everything has a season and how God can be seen in each of the seasons, if only we pay notice. Every time I listen to this song, my soul gets warm and I get goosebumps. Enjoy, and if you don't know the song, I highly recommend that you take a quick hop over to I-Tunes and give it a listen....it's a great dose of joy for only 99 cents....or maybe you can find it on Ruckus or SpiralFrog for free.....Savor these words:

Every evening sky, an invitation.....to trace the pattern stars
and early in July, a celebration...... for freedom that is ours
and I notice you in children's games, in those who watch them from the shade
every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder
You are summer.

And even when the trees, have just surrendered to the harvest time
forfeiting their leaves in late September, and sending us inside,
still I notice you when change begins and I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks, for what has been and what's to come
You are autumn.

And everything in time, and under heaven finally falls asleep
wrapped in blankets white, all creation.....shivers underneath
and still I notice you, when branches crack and in my breath on frosted glass
even now in death, you open doors for life to enter,
You are winter.

And everything that's new, has bravely surfaced, teaching us to breathe
what was frozen through, is newly purposed, turning all things green,
So it is with you and how you make me new, with every season'ss change
and so it will be, as you are all.....create in me

Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Everyone {Even Little Boys} Need a Little PINK!

Dress-up is a favorite activity of choice in our house. In any given day, we can be pirates, teachers and students, Mary and Jesus, and princesses and kings. As a play therapist, I am so thrilled when I see kids pretending and dressing up and pushing their imagination--it is a major way that children explore the world and try on different possible roles. And, in spite of the educational and developmental value of dress-up play........IT IS JUST FUN! Growing up, I remember spending hour after hour in imaginative worlds......two of my favorites were Swiss Family Robinson, where myself, my sister, and the neighbor kids set up a tree house up in a tree and used twigs, mud, leaves, etc. as food and survival gear. So fun. And another favorite was Leaf House, which we played in the fall when our yard was covered with leaves. We would rake the leaves to make walls, hallways, etc. until we had a huge maze of rooms and hallways. We would then pretend that this was our house and we would play Leaf House Family. I am smiling in memory as I am typing.

Last night, my kids wanted me to play dress-up with them, so I donned my fancy hat and feather boa and started playing. My son started out as a prince, but soon decided that he needed to wear a pink dress, too. So this is what the little cutie looked like. And then he ran with his sister out in to the front yard to twirl and whirl and dance around in the grass. Even now, as I am showing this blog to him, he smiled widely and said, "That's me. I'm a princess boy!"

His Daddy is so proud.

Weekend Highlights.

Where has this week gone? Actually.....where, oh where, did September go? And now we are nearly mid-October......Sweet Fall, where art thou? This weekend, temps have been near 90 degrees here in Michigan and very, very, VERY humid. So, most of the weekend was spent wherever the air conditioning was....some weekend highlights included:

*Kennedy and Hayden were on a weekend camping outing with Grandma and Grandpa, so they had lots of fun swimming, hiking, and doing all the campfire fun stuff.
*I spent yesterday scrapping with my sister, Kendra. We had a great time and got some cute layouts accomplished to boot....and how about that yummy Mexican lunch?
*My husband and I just enjoyed some seriously needed down time.....taking a nap, watching a few movies, just being. We don't get much of that these days, and our souls and bodies are tired.
*We celebrated the one-year birthday of Compass Church, the church-plant we have been involved with since pretty much the beginning. It was fun to reflect back with the kids on how God has blessed.
Speaking of birthdays, I am nearing the one-year mark of Half-Baked and Firefly Free's inception.....and I am going to celebrate with some changes. So stick around next week to see what my vision for the next year is for this blog....gotta' go.....time to study spelling for tomorrow's test. Enjoy your Sunday evening.

What Does it Take?

No, this post's title does not refer to that wise old owl who pondered how many licks it would take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop......After all.......the world may never know.

This past weekend, we had the joy of celebrating my in-laws' 50 years of marriage. Wow. 50 years. This led me to wonder......in a world where marriage is viewed as throw-away and "try-it-on-for-size", what does it take to stay together for the long haul?

One word: God.

This world is one where everything is against the sanctity of marriage. Sexual allurement is around every corner. The financial world says "have it now, pay the price later." If our needs are not met, we look for greener grass. Oprah, in an episode that I caught this week, even proclaimed that the trend in 2007 and beyond is to redefine and individualize marriage.....have it your way. Wow, have we fallen far from what God intended marriage to be.

Gary Thomas, in his amazingly written book "Sacred Marriage," puts it this way: Marriage is about making you holy. Hmmmmm. Chew on that for a minute. You mean....marriage isn't about meeting my needs? About sexual fulfillment? About a joint bank account and joint accumulation of stuff? No....marriage is about making us more like Christ. It's about filing off the jagged edges. It's about working through the difficult times in order to purify our hearts and minds. That is powerful stuff.

I admire my in-laws for their commitment. I know that my father-in-law would say that after living with him for 50 years, my mother-in-law ought to be about as holy as they get! So the key to a successful and long marriage is Christ-centeredness, but out of that flows several other things that increase the likelihood of success:

• Work hard. Marriage is not automatic. It is hard work most of the time. But the benefits are well worth it.
• Not 50-50.....but 100. You are not opposing parties trying to ensure equity. You are a team, submitting to Christ so that everyone wins.
• Communicate. Men and women are so different in how they perceive human behavior and the world. Add in there the diversity of personal experience and personality, and you have a potentially explosive mix. Keep those lines open every day.
• Play together. Find something that you can do together that you both enjoy. Make it yours.
• Play apart. Keep your individual interests and hobbies alive. Make time to pursue your own interests. Becoming one with another person does not have to mean sacrificing your personal dreams, goals, and interests.
• Date each other. Prioritize time together. This gets harder when you have kids. But I strongly believe that the best gift you could ever give your kids is a healthy and loving marriage, as this gives them a sense of security and safety.
• Realize that there will be times of loneliness in marriage. Where you feel on completely different pages, if not entirely different worlds. Turn to God at these times, and in doing so, you will be turning toward your partner.
• Have a mission statement for your marriage and family. What, in a nutshell, is your marriage about.
• Just....stick....with......it. There is something grand to be said about just honoring your commitment. Do not allow the idea of or the word "divorce" to even enter your vocabulary. God has promised an outflow of blessing to the faithful.
• And in doing so, will come great joy. Will come the richness of blessings that God intended for marriage.

And one more, just for my father-in-law: ALWAYS KEEP A SENSE OF HUMOR! The best man from his wedding, at the open house on Sunday, gave my father-in-law one of those "EASY" buttons. My father-in-law proceeded to hold it against my mother-in-law's back as they danced, with her being unaware. Remember that this life is a journey, we are aliens here, and we need to be able to laugh and maintain God's joy in our circumstances. So is this an appropriate joke for my in-laws?

Nine children later, I'll let you be the judge.

40 years ago.....

..........this photo was taken. A four-year-old boy with his little St. Bernard puppy. What you can't see is that there is a proud Momma dog named Queenie with several more little puppies from the litter. And something else you don't see is that this is just two of the boys....there are four other boys not shown, all from the same parents.

This is a sweet photo of my husband in his boyhood. Before this past weekend, I had never seen this photo. I love its simplicity and warmth. My husband often tells our kids stories about Queenie and her puppies, and Kennedy and Hayden love, love LOVE these stories. So this photo is an extra special tie between generations of our family.

How fitting that I would get this photo on my husband's 44th birthday.

We celebrated my husband today......had a dinner out at the Outback.......cake with candles, that we all (of course) had to help make, decorate, and blow out the candles on. We gave Matt 4 new pillows (he is always complaining about the down pillows that we have...they tend to shed lots of little feathers all over), and a digital photo frame loaded with photos of the kids and us for his office. Happy 44th, Honey! We love you and are always on your side. Thanks for taking care of us and working hard for us and loving us.