The festivities have begun!

We had a very nice Thanksgiving weekend at my parent's home in central Oregon; lots of eating, playing games, a day of skiing in freshpowder, a little shopping at the local shops and lots of relaxing!My kind of holiday! Probably the best memory made was going to cut down our Christmastree in the forest!  Although we lived almost 9 yearsin Oregon we had never gotten a $5 tree cutting permit...

thanks....

Happy Thanksgiving from my Forever*Cottage to yours! We are heading 'over the river mountain and through the woodsto grandmother's house'.......... I'll be back to the blog by Monday. Wishing you many blessings and peace this holiday weekend...

In my kitchen today.....

I feel like I am in house 'fluffing' mode....preparing for the holiday decorations that willsoon come out {ugh!}..... Call me a grinch but I will admit that decorating forChristmas is not my favorite thing.....all the rearrangingthen knowing that in 30 short days it will have to allbe undone.... I added this bulletin board to my kitchen counter ..... I like having a place in my kitchen for...

The best home decor bargain out there.....

I needed wanted a new pillow for the ticking stripe settee thatI purchased from the Barn House boys - I originally had thesettee in our bedroom but recently moved it to the great room. I purchased this monogrammed 15x30 pillow, with insert from Ballard Designsfor $19.99!  I really think it's the best bargain in home decor! Have a fabulous weeke...

manic monday....

In my opinion, nature doesn't put on as dramatic a show in the Fallhere in the Pacific Northwest as it does in the midwest, or even on the east coast- too many evergreen trees, not enough oak trees and maples.......however,the season lasts well into November!  This is the viewfrom my front porch today.... Today was my second Monday as a working girl.....and it was better. Except I came home...

a perfect ending....{after a new beginning}....

First, thank you to all of you who commented and voiced yoursupport of my returning to part-time work.  I have really experienceda plethora of emotions.  'Cause while the opportunity is near-perfect, at just 20 hoursper week, in the industry I have significant experience and success, time off when my children are off {including summers!}, it was a week of mixed emotions. I returned...

Momma goes to work.....

Tomorrow is the day.....after 14 years as a SAHM, this mommareturns to part-time professional work..... I am excited....and ready! As women, we are blessed.   I got to go to college and major in business,meet my love, get married, enjoy a successful career along with a "double income, no kids" lifefor 7 years before our first baby came along.  Then for 14 years I got to be a full-time...

Mirror, mirror on the wall......

The entry in our new home is narrow, with a living room on one sideand hubby's office on the other.  I wanted to define the spaceand incorporate proper entry objects - {which included mycute, narrow, surprise find that I blogged about here}.... I have had this mirror for like......ever!  In our Minnesota cottageshe was in our master bathroom, loved for her large-ness and full-lengthlook...

Checking in with some news....

I apologize for being missing in action around here....I have been making some big decisions, exciting decisionsand scary decisions..... And because I strongly dislike it when bloggers 'tease' news andthen wait like days........ I will share...... After almost 14 {gulp!} years as a proud stay-at-homemommy, I am returning to professional, outside the homework!  An ideal situation, for a 20 hour...