A heartbreaking film about two people with Asperger's Syndrome. Josh Hartnett plays Donald a guy who is brilliant with numbers, but who can't keep a job driving a taxi. He starts a group for people who have similar handicaps where he meets and falls in love with Isabelle played by Radha Mitchell.
Very tender in parts, this movie is also very rough in places. It could have been edited better as well, it was not seamless. But, the acting was really amazing.
My sister, the English teacher, sent me this amazing article about a great American Poet. I enjoyed it very much. And since it's Veteran's Day today, or at least we are celebrating it today, I want to share a favorite poem about one of America's first Veterans in honor of all the great and good men and women who have kept and continue to keep us free. God Bless our fighting men and women stationed all over the globe today.
Imagine the photo on the left is of the cook. That's how frustrating I find cooking sometimes. I have all of 3 fool proof ideas for dinner and my family, although kind and patient always, is kind of sick of my ideas. Still, I love a nice dinner at home, not so much the food, (I love spicy and I don't know how to make it..) it's the company I love. In addition to the company, we now have a family dinner game, thanks to my new friend Barbara. Thank you Barbara! She gave me this beautiful jar and inside were all these really fun questions. The idea is to get a great conversation started that includes your children.
Our question of the night... "What other country would you choose to live in and why." I said that I would like to live in Sorrento, Italy. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. It seemed quieter there and so beautiful overlooking the ocean. Little c thought she'd like to live in Sweden because it's so beautiful and balmy there. When we explained about the climate, she was more attached to her decision because she loves snow too. C said he'd like to live in Santiago, Chile. Who knew. I may have never known that C liked Santiago so much and that little c wanted most of all to visit Sweden. Maybe we should visit those places together some day.
All the questions are really fun and we've had a ball with them night after night. We've been through them all and changed them a little. We've made up some of our own. Little c says as I put the plates on the table, "Will we play the question game tonight?"
Barbara gave me a paper written by Shirley R. Klein associate professor, School of Family life at Brigham Young University which reads in part, "Children who do not eat dinner with their families are 61 percent more likely to use alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs.... Teens who eat frequent family dinner are less likely than other teens to have sex at young ages, get into fights, or be suspended from school, and they are at lower risk for thoughts of suicide..."
My mother is homemaker extraordinaire. I ate every night on beautiful china plates. We always used napkins at the table and we always had a salad and usually two veggies. Don't get me wrong, we ate too many sweets and tons of ice-cream every year. We weren't perfect, but we had a beautiful meal every night together as a family. As an adult and a mother, I often think what an amazing gift that was. It's a gift that I'd like to give to my daughter as well. I'm not as fancy, but it's the being together and the veggies that really count.
So, what is your best 10 min. recipe for someone who doesn't love the kitchen part. I've already shared my healthy pizza recipe with you. Then, if you want to e-mail me at love.boxes@att.net and I will e-mail you back some of Babara's great questions. Then, cut them up and either fold them or roll them up and put them in a jar that can be set on the table at dinner time.
PS.. Ok. so, I didn't share my healthy pizza recipe, but here it is. French Bread halved. Pizza spread. Turkey pepperoni (it's truly delish folk and 80% less fat) low fat mozzerella cheese. 6 minutes at 400 degrees and 4-5 minutes under the broiler. Prep time is literally 4 minutes and served with salad.. it's a great dinner.
I never have a beautiful day for my birthday party... It's almost always sleeting, but look at this day... and I had garden roses on my table. My roses are doing amazing. A friend told me that my roses were a birthday gift from heaven. I certainly felt that way. I hope you had a beautiful day as well.
I know it's too early for some of you to be wrapping gifts, but in my situation, there isn't a too early. These are some of what I wrapped up yesterday. I hope it's all purchased and wrapped up by Dec. 1. That's always the goal anyway. 
The little c birthday is coming. And, the birthday gifts are getting all wrapped up.
There is a single snowflake box left in the
These are pictures of the birthday decorations, which seemed like so much more before I took the pictures... but anyway. I will have to think of a tutorial on the crepe paper flowers. I learned from Martha and if I can find her tutorial, which would be far superior and include patterns, I would rather point you all to that. Be prepared. It took me two hours to make the halo of flowers around the chandelier and I have a lot of practice. When I have taught people how to make them, they always say that they are now keeping the flowers forever because they take so long to make or some such thing. That is not far from my philosophy because I have an arrangement that I made about 4 years ago and it looks awful, but I can't throw it out. :) 
I feel that I may need to post a warning on this blog. November 1rst kicks off the Christmas Season for me. I know there are purists that like to wait until after Thanksgiving, but to myself I ask, "What am I most thankful for?" and the answer is Christmas. I am one of those annoying Christmas Freaks... yes the Christmas music has already been on and I've watched Elf and The Santa Clause. Yep, a Christmas freak who lives with Christmas freaks.
I don't want to alarm anyone over much, but as you can see.. Pirates have run completely amok in our neighborhood...
they are performing the most unflattering orange die/dye jobs on unsuspecting passers by. Unfortunate. Terrible. Troublesome. And, I'm afraid to say that you may be spotting some of these mangy fellows in your own neighborhoods.
Thanks heavens Sheriff little c is saddling up and hopes to have every rebel rouser seen to, shaped up, reformed or tied to a tree by the morning of...
All Saints Day! Hooray! Everyone have fun and be safe. 
I recently revisited some of the pages of this beautiful book. I love Barbara Milo Ohrbach's books. They are so lovely and I really enjoy some of the quote books she has like, A Bouquet of Flowers: Sweet Thoughts, Recipes, and Gifts from the Garden.
"If I had but two loaves of bread, I would sell one and buy hyacinths, for they would feed my soul." The Koran
This is another of the crafts we're doing for our activity. I was hoping that people would get the idea that they can make these to match their own home.
I picked up these pink and green fabrics at a really cute fabric shop in Hailey Id. I wish that I had a picture of the shop to show you. They had so many vintage inspired fabrics that were fun. I would love to have purchased just a piece or two more. However, as cute as I think these are, on Sunday, not a single person signed up to make one, so I may need to re-think this craft. 
This is little c's entry in the reflections contest for this year. It was due today and she finished it this morning. I wish it would show up how it really looks, but I have a difficult time working with my camera and certain reds (tips anyone?). I did make some alterations to the photograph for display here. Anyway, I had such a great time watching her paint this. The theme was something like.. how can I make a difference or something like that. 
You may have seen some of the Halloween bunting that I made for my shop. I've been making a lot of bunting lately. The reason being that I am organizing a craft day for my church women's group. I have never really participated in these before.. mostly because they always choose some neutral color and I don't like neutral colors. However, I don't want to do all bright things and make the neutral people unhappy.. 
HaNd PaInTed LOvE BoXeS 
