party and tornado warnings

We scheduled a get together with our SS class for yesterday. Everyone was to bring a pumpkin and carve it here while we had some good ole stews! 
I was so excited, it has been a very long time since we've thrown a party.... almost 2 years!!

So, everyone was supposed to show up at 5:30pm. The weather was looking gloomy, but our area hardly ever gets rain, so I thought it would just go around us....  Nope!  at 5:20pm, this alarm goes off somewhere in town. Loud alarm. We were under a tornado warning!  My first tornado warning alarm. I know one is supposed to look for shelter, but honestly, my first thought was "COOL!" Fred went out back to see if he could see a tornado coming.... yeah, we are new at this.
We watched the radar on TV and the storm flew over us in no time. Some of the folks braved the weather and showed up. 
It was a very nice time. We had 3 girls ages 9-11, 2 teens who are very sweet, along with their parents. The girls really got into the pumpkin carving, Fred manned the Ice Cream bar and made some milkshakes for those who wanted it, and great time of talking with the ladies!  
I hope we get to do more socials in the future, it was really fun!
Here are some pictures....

Eyeball cupcakes!

 (made way too many, so we took the leftovers to the youth at church on Sunday)

Rachel made caramel apples, so yummy!

I found a place that sells dry ice, so we got a cauldron full!

I read if you put a little of dish soap in the dry ice,

yu can get 'smoking' bubbles, so we tried it! 

the girls diligently working on their pumpkins! (while eating a caramel apple!)

Tom and Grace working on her 1st pumpkin

...

a kitty cat!

her 2nd one was a ghost, not bad!!

one of the other girls' creation...

the ladies hanging out in the kitchen....

 while the guys watch football in the living room

 Rachel and Grace

This may sound weird, but as much fun as it was, it was also a reminder that I miss my 'other' friends that we got together with for almost every occasion through the year.

But we are planting roots. There are some great folks in our SS class that have gone out of their way to make us feel at home. We are looking for ways to get involved in the community as much as possible. So, it's all good!!

more pictures of Baby!

 This kitten must think she is a dog. She LOVES to get her belly rubbed and she begs for 'people' food. Every time we go in the kitchen she follows and is non-stop MEOW....

 She makes herself comfortable...

 more belly rub please!!

 Kaya and Bella are.... I don't know, adjusting to one another?  It's weird, Kaya seems to search Baby out to hiss and growl at her. Almost like trying to intimidate her. Baby responds like she is afraid, but then I catch her trying to sneak up on Kaya's tail and pouncing.

So I feel I can't get on to Kaya for bullying when Baby antagonizes her....

I feel like I am dealing with 2 siblings! haha



Therapy

I don't know if it's the holidays around the corner or what, but I get into the mood of 'crafting' this time of year.  Dealing with 'blah' mood swings, doing these little projects has actually been therapeutic. I wish I was more creative and do more complicated things. But I am enjoying my little crafts.

Here is my attempt to duplicate the can on the right side (with flowers in it). I received this as a gift a long time ago (I feel bad I can't remember who) and I am going to make one for each family in our SS class.

These are pinecones I collected at a park last week. I spray painted them red because there are these smaller ones that looked like cherries. The color is very dark, not sure it's going to work. I might just paint them gold and put them in a bowl....

and I am finishing up my window, finally! I am painting the first coat red, applying a crackle varnish, then adding a green. So it SHOULD be a green window with red coming through the crackle. I hope it turns out!

Now some pictures of our 'fall' decorations..... I love this time of year!

It's been so nice to have a fireplace mantle to decorate!

  I got these cute metal pumpkin faces that stake into the ground through a catalog. So cute!

 I just love scarecrows! these little guys are just $1 at Walmart, cheap decorations!

 I may not care for pumpkins to eat in any form, but I sure love to decorate with them!

more little scarecrows by the mailbox 

 I got this cute little 'harvest village' from a catalog too. I love that the buildings are crooked! You can't tell here, but the buildings have lights in them. I have this on the kitchen buffet

And this is something I saw in a magazine.

 It's supposed to be a candy corn made of carnations,

but it's not quite the cylinder it's supposed to be, oh well!

And lastly, it's me!

This is in the town park....

Fred and I went to a fundraiser in DT Mt Pleasant. You could get a bowl of chili, drink and dessert for $6 and the procceeds go to the town's Christmas lights. I love this small town stuff!