Welcome to Friday’s Fave Five, hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story, in which we can share our favorite things from the last week. This has been a wonderful exercise in looking for and appreciating the good things God blesses us with. Click on the button to learn more, then go to Susanne’s to read others’ faves and link up your own.
Here are five of my favorites from the past week:
I mentioned fall last week, so I won’t include it as one of the five. But whereas it seemed fall was just starting to show last week, it’s in full force this week. I hope such a rapid change doesn’t mean the leaves are going to fall off too soon. But right now they’re gorgeous and I am starting to see a variety of colors. Having the temperatures a little cooler helps, too!
1. A nice Saturday outing. Jim needed some clothes and had a $50 rebate from a Father’s Day deal at Sears. Normally he would just go by himself, but Jason and Mittu were here for a few days and Jesse was away at a youth activity, so we made a double date of it and ventured out to the mall. I’d been there a few times but had just time to get my business done and hadn’t really explored. Jim found some good buys, then we walked around the mall a bit and then had lunch there at the food court (stuffed pizza at S’barros! Hadn’t had that since we left SC). Normally I am not much of a mall person, but that was just an overall good day.
2. Mountain moods. The Smoky Mountains run along the eastern US, which includes eastern TN, and I see a small offshoot of them almost every time I go anywhere here in our new town. One of my little pleasures is seeing what they look like every morning while taking Jesse to school. Well, of course, the mountains look the same, but the sky. clouds, etc., around them give them a different appearance from day to day. I’ve been meaning to take my camera with me to get a series of pictures of them, but kept forgetting til this week. Here are a couple:
I just missed the most glorious sunrise today — the clouds in the above picture were pink and the light from the sun was glowing from the left side. But I’d forgotten my camera again, and as I raced back to the house after dropping Jesse off at school, all the color was gone. Oh well — next time!
3. Easier housecleaning. In our old house, each room was compartmentalized, and we lived in a split-level, so we have to drag the vacuum cleaner up and down stairs and unplug it and replug it in almost every room. In our new house I discovered yesterday that I can vacuum almost the whole house by just changing where the vacuum is plugged in twice. A little thing, but it really made my day! And no stairs!
4. Picking up my cross stitch again after…I don’t know, some months of having laid it aside.
It was kind of prompted by the fact that I found the perfect place for a different stitchery project I haven’t even started, but I decided I wanted to finish this one first.
5. My daughter-in-law Mittu got a job offer — here in TN! About 30 minutes away from us! We don’t know yet what it will all mean, as far as moving, Jason’s needing a job as well and the situation with his headaches, etc., but that was a blessing, especially after having other interviews that seemed to go well, but resulted in not getting the job. We’ll see what happens!
Have a great weekend!
Stray Thoughts 
You’re talking to a girl who loves the Smokies! Spent many a family vacation there when I was a kid. You’re blessed to get a daily view of them.
I love counted cross-stitch, too! And the possibility of having the kids close? That’s wonderful!
Have a great Smoky week ahead!
The mountains look beautiful!
And HURRAY about Mittu getting a job offer. (I am still praying about the headaches, btw.) It’ll be fun to see what happens!
I’m not a mall person either, but for stuff pizza I might could suffer through. Ha. Love your vacuum cleaner story. I use an extension cord so I plug in once and reach the whole house. Bliss. Your cross-stitch project is beautiful. Congrats to Mittu on the job offer. Wonder what God has in store for them?
Sorry Jason is still having his headaches. My daughter started wearing glasses this Monday, and now her daily headaches have practically disappeared, praise God! So I would recommend a trip to the eye doctor for Jason. It may or may not be related to his problem, but it’s one of the easier things to try.
Sounds like some interesting things are in the works for you all. Time will tell. Your view on the morning drive is beautiful. I’m glad you had your camera along. It really does make a difference in cleaning when everything is on one level! I’m glad you are experiencing some great fall weather this week!
Barbara — I know this is going to sound weird, but you know that kids eating book I just reviewed? One of the things the doctors say about headaches, especially chronic headaches or migraines, is that very often the best cure for them is water. Jason may simply not be getting enough water in his diet. Fewer and fewer people are drinking plain water and the body just has to work too hard to convert juices and pops, etc. to water.
I like the ease of cleaning an open-room floor plan too.
I’m so happy that your DIL found a job close by. I hope it all works out.
Congratulations to Mittu on the job offer! Fall is my favorite season but unfortunately I never get to see it here in my country. Have a good time with your cross stitch!
Thanks for including the photos – so gorgeous. Some day I hope to visit the Smokey Mountains.
I used to do a lot of cross stitch. Looking at your’s made me yearn for it again. I need to look for my supplies to see if any UFP’s are in the container.
Hurray on the job for Mittu. My dd just got a job too (about 100 mikes away).
What ever makes housecleaning easier is a blessing indeed. So glad for you!
What lovely faves, Barbara. I love that you’re enjoying the view — I know the feeling about wanting to capture something with the camera and not having the camera available. Your fall changes sound lovely.
Lucky you are that the children might be able to get jobs near your new home…I love seeing mountains in the distance…hate living where all the land is flat….this time of year when I’m out driving, I always look at the mountains to see the overall effect of the trees in Fall glory…it has been so dry that that scene includes far too many browns…although I’ve see a few spectacular individual trees…
Did you live in the lowlands before?
I was pleased that you decided to finish the project you were working on before beginning another…I try to do that, too.
I have an extension cord attached and wound on my vacuum just to avoid plugging and unplugging so often.
Love reading your Faves each week..I really should do this myself.
Mama Bear
I am so late in getting around this week but I wanted to make sure I stopped by. Mitu had a job offer 30 minutes away? Well that is exciting. Look forward to hear more about that and what is decided in the future.
I would love to see the Smokey Mountains one day. Tehy look so gorgeous in pictures!
Saying a prayer that all will work out the way it is meant to on the job front (and for the head ache situation – my heart goes out to him!).
I’m thinking I need an easier house to clean… or a neater family.
The mountains are beautiful!