It is Magic When a Group of Players Become a Team

As any parent knows, there is nothing better than knowing that your kids are happy.

We have just experienced two amazing days of soccer. Both our high school teams (boys and girls) won their first two games in the State Championship Soccer Games. Teammates and families have draw even closer together than we have been all season.

It has been fun, and we all are going into the final Championship games today with high aspirations and hopeful feelings.

Sometimes I hate sports, because someone always has to lose. But, win or lose, nothing can take away the good that happens along the way.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend - and that our teams do too!

Wishing You a Beautiful Weekend!

My post of Fabulous Finds yesterday was quite long, so today I am simply sharing a few photos of the beautiful fall days we have been enjoying this week.

While taking a walk, I noticed these deer, each in their own little space underneath the decks of this house. I laughed when I saw them, because it was as though they had each claimed their own little piece of property! (I added orange arrows pointing to each deer, as a few are a bit hard to see.) 

Our weather has been truly spectacular. I would love another month of days like this!

Wishing you beautiful days and a very happy weekend!

See you here again next Tuesday.

What is your weekend forecast?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

Magnificent Moose in Montana

We just returned home after a couple of days in Kalispell, MT. The weather was picture perfect, we watched some really good high school soccer games, and enjoyed the beauty of Montana.

Yesterday I published a post about bears in Montana.  We didn't see any bears on our drive to Kalispell - but we did

Blogger Awards Are Like Presents ... or a Pat on The Back (Part 2)

Last month, I was delighted to be nominated for two blogging awards. 

Last Saturday, I wrote about the first award that I received, the "Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award" from Lana at Two Teens and their Mama.  

Today, I am revealing the other award.

On Wed Sept 23rd my friend Leanne, who blogs at Cresting the Hill ~ of Midlife nominated

Blogger Awards Are Like Presents ... or a Pat on The Back (Part 1)

Last month, I was nominated for not one - but TWO blogging awards. What a nice surprise!

I would have mentioned receiving these awards sooner, but between all the design changes you have seen here, hosting words for Wednesday, and just trying to stay up with my weekly series posts - writing about them just didn't fit into my publishing schedule.

Now, however, I finally can!  I'm going to tell you about the two awards in the order I received them - one today, and one next Saturday.  Please be sure to visit the websites of the bloggers who nominated me - as well as the ones to whom I am passing along the award.  I bet you will enjoy them as much as I do!

~~*~~

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

On September 17th, my friend Lana L. nominated me for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award.  I am honored, and receiving this award from Lana makes it feels extra-special.

Lana and I have uncovered so many coincidences between us we practically could be sisters! She started her blog Two Teens and Their Mama just a few weeks after my first post was published here; we have kids the same age; we were married the same year (1 week apart); we have many similar interests and hobbies; ... and so on!

Our friendship has grown with our blogs, and she was the first of a wonderful network of supportive blogging buddies with whom I have been lucky enough to connect. If you have read this blog for long, you know that I have mentioned her here from time to time. We even both wrote posts about the first time that we met in person.

The goal of this award I received from Lana is to learn a little more about our fellow bloggers. The nominator

It's the Weekend!

The weekend seems to have come up quickly, probably because my husband and I spent Monday/Tuesday celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary at Chico Hot Springs in Pray, Montana in the beautiful Paradise Valley. (Yes - those are real names!)

The gardens, main lodge and some of the buildings at Chico Hot Springs.

During our weekday get-away, we had lovely weather and enjoyed the fall colors. Driving back home through Yellowstone Park, we had expected to see some herds of elk. It was the wrong time of day though -

Happy Weekend!

My cat jumped on the counter, apparently with the intention of writing this blog post for me! 

I shooed him off - it's not a place he is allowed to be!  I also told him he should have picked a harder post to write!

Today, I just want to wish you a happy weekend!!

Happy When Hiking

When my dog is with us on a hike, she suddenly looks much younger than her 12 years. Too bad hiking doesn't seem to have that sort of permanent affect on me!

I hope you will visit this blog again next week. As always, there will be a variety of ideas for how to make the most - - of all you moments. Next week I will also be publishing more of “The Mindy Story” and hosting the Words for Wednesday writing challenge.

Have a safe, healthy, and happy weekend. I hope you get to explore a mountain trail, get lost in a good book, or do something that rejuvenates you. 

See you Tuesday!

What is your favorite weekend activity?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

Mountain Berries

On a mountain hike in Montana a few weeks ago, we came across a few patches of berries growing near to the ground, next to the trail. They seemed too large to be a huckleberry, and were not growing on a bush like a blueberry.  

Do you know what kind these are?

Have a wonderful weekend!

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

Have a Beautiful Weekend!

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think thistles are beautiful!

Do you have a favorite flower that is actually a weed?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

Photos that might make you smile - or at least say CHEESE

A trick for being sure someone smiles in a photo is to have them say the word cheese.

I recently came across this photo taken a few July 4th's ago. This snack was prepared by one of my kids. :)

Their creative arrangement of cheese and crackers made me smile - or maybe I did just say “cheese”!

Cheese platter - with a stack of crackers for the 4th of July!

The beauty of fireworks usually elicit ooohs and aahhhs as well as smiles.

I took a lot of photos of the fireworks going off around our house, both near and far last night. Some turned out surprisingly well, and I'm quite pleased with these! Enjoy!

Photos of Fireworks - taken looking out from our deck and behind our roof

Fireworks photos - I took these with our zoom lens

Fireworks with American Flag in foreground - I  stood below our deck and waited until just the right moment for this!

Happy Weekend!

How did you celebrate the 4th of July?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog.  Check them out!