The Stone Rabbit

Making A Wish

 

THE STONE RABBIT and I are pretty tired from all of the Thanksgiving fun we had!   There were so many wonderful moments with our family and friends .

The feast was also so great. . .lots of yummy food as usual.   The grandkiddos were going to take the wishbone home this year , but we found it was still here.    Actualy, that's pretty much all we have left to represent the feast. . .the wishbone and a final piece of pumpkin pie!

 

We hope you had a great Thanksgiving.

Please visit Beverly's blog HOW SWEET THE SOUND for a long list of other bloggers who are ready with their weekly Pink Saturday shares!

DANA

 

The Turkey Trails 5K.......2016

 

Yesterday there was a fun race held at the Bass Pro trail area: The Turkey Trails 5k/10k .

Brenda had made these awesome tutus for a turkey trot she and her daughters did a couple of years ago. . .and she let us borrow them for our run!!

Here we are before the start of the race!  Karen's dog, Gracie, also ran ....her very first official 5K!

L to R:  Carol, Karen, Brenda, me and, of course, the beautiful Gracie!

 

It was the third time I've done this run since 2012.  In fact, the very first time I ran it was where I met Karen!  

I recall we were about a mile away from the finish line and I spied her ahead of me.  I was (and still am) always on the look out for runners who might be close to my "olden age".... cuz there don't seem to be a lot of us!  haha

Anyway, I spotted her and chased after her, but run as hard as I could, I couldn't catch her!!  :)  

I don't remember the exact words I used when I came up to her after we had crossed the finish line, but it was something like :   "Uh.....do you live around here and would you like to be a part of a little group of older runners we're trying to get started?"  And before she could say "no"...... I had her posing with me in our first "group" picture together!

It was a pretty cool morning that day in Novemeber 2012 .  I wore long, floppy pants cuz that's what I had.  I didn't do much cold weather running in those days.   Boy has that changed!

 

 

The day of the Turkey Trails 5K in 2013 was REALLY COLD!!!  

That year Mary was able to do the race.

It looks like I wore my floppy pants again. . .I still had yet to be a winter runner. . . so I hadn't invested in a wardrobe for that time of year.

 

 

 

November 2014......we did the Gobbler Grind 5K!   That year it was (L to R) me, Karen, Mary and my daughter!

This race is held about 30 minutes away in a business district called Corporate Woods.   I usually do a Mother's Day race in the same location and really enjoy the course.

In 2014 the weather was a lot warmer than the year before that!

 

 

That was the second time I'd done the Gobbler Grind.  In Novemeber 2010, I ran it with my niece.  It was my 2nd ever 5K!

It was a warm day that year, too!

I look back at those photos my husband took that morning and just can't believe how running has enriched my life so much.   All of the wonderful people I've met and all of the fun experiences I've had. . .none of which would have happened without running!

Haha...and I look at those pants I was wearing.   It was too cold for shorts (I thought....these days I would definitely been in shorts) and the only other long pants I owned (besides those "floppy" ones :) were the leggings I decided to wear.  They were not made for exercise leggings, but regular pants that we used to wear with oversized long tops in the 90s!!  Yes, they were vintage. . .and they kept sliding down. :)

 

 

Last year I didn't do a turkey trot as Karen, Verna and I ran a 1/2 marathon in November instead.   

Looking at all of these fun photos from previous Thanksgiving themed races makes me determined to always do one from here on out!  They are just a fun and relaxed event.  Seriously!!  How often do you see people decked out in turkey suits or turkey hats or turkeyish tutus like we had on?

It paid for us to don those tutus because, when it was time for judging the costumes for a prize, the race director announced everyone had won.......we each received a free entry for one of their future races!!  Now that was FUN!  :)

 

 

It was pretty nippy when the race started.  Here we are huddled together just before we were off!!  

 

 

So, fast forward to the end of the race!  

Carol and I crossed the finish line together.  I didn't realize anyone was taking photos....so that was a smile of pure joy AND. . . .  

 

relief that it was over!!  haha

 

 

This photo is a riot!!  It shows Carol and I stopping our GPS watches and checking to see what our "race time" was!!  That's still important, even when it's a "fun run"! :)

 

 

We received really nice long sleeved t-shirts and a colorful finishers metal for doing the race. . . . I was lucky enough to earn an age division metal, too!  AND they were passing out yummy pumpkin pie at the finish line!!

I brought the pie home to share with THE STONE RABBIT.    As we nibbled away on it, I was telling him all about the fun we had at the race. What's so neat about events like this one is there are so many walkers in attendance, too.  It's a great addition to  holiday traditions.....a little turkey trot 5k (or 10K) with your family and/or friends on a crisp fall morning in November!

He agreed. . .and thinks he'll get a few of his concrete yard buddies to try a little turkey trot around the neighborhood in honor of Thanksgiving!

 

I hope you will visit Beverly's blog HOW SWEET THE SOUND, because you will enjoy the many bloggers who are ready with their weekly shares!

Happy Pink Saturday.....and Happy Thanksgiving!   

 

DANA

And Another Thanksgiving Day is in the Books!

 

The weather in our neck of the woods was realllllly wet yesterday, but that didn't keep us from having a great day gathering with our little family and cooking and eating and eating and snuggling and eating!  :)

The meal was hosted at the home of our son, DIL and three wonderful grand kiddos.  We brought the turkey and a few other dishes and they provided wonderful dishes, too!

 

On the table was a little message from our Grand Girl !!

 

Yes. . . I DID eat every bite that I piled on my plate!!  It was all so delish!

 

It rained all day yesterday on Thanksgiving, and now today....still raining!  PLUS the temps have dropped and are hovering in the low 30s.....so there's a bit of freezing going on!

THE STONE RABBIT loves to watch the world from inside on these cold days.  He's also looking forward to our lunch of Thanksgiving leftovers we will be having soon!!

 

I sure hope you had a great Thanksgiving, too!!

Please visit Beverly's blog HOW SWEET THE SOUND for a long list of other bloggers who are ready with their weekly shares!!

HAPPY PINK SATURDAY!!

 

DANA

 

Remembering Thanksgiving 2014 and Anticipating Thanksgiving 2015!

 

Last year, THE STONE RABBIT posed with some of the artwork the grand kiddos had created  for  our Thanksgiving. . .along with my lunch of "leftovers".    Looking back on the photos from our Thanksgiving Day 2014 really makes me excited about gathering with our little family again this year and giving thanks for our blessings.

 

 

 

Many thanks need to be given to Beverly, of HOW SWEET THE SOUND , for continuing to keep our weekly Pink Saturday up and running!!  Please visit her blog for a long list of others who are ready with their weekly shares!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING and HAPPY PINK SATURDAY!!

DANA

We Gave Thanks. . .

 

We gathered around our little table and dined on traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

Our grand girl had made the place-mats for a previous Thanksgiving and this year she brought us a turkey centerpiece she'd created.

It was a wonderful twenty four hours filled with family members, food, fun, lots of dirty dishes , a sleep over and ending this morning with the annual trip to the tree farm to cut the trees we tagged a month ago.

The days prior to hosting the feast are filled with many "to dos" on what seems like an endless list.   While it's a great deal of work to get ready for the gathering, it's also a huge honor to do so.  It's wonderful when everyone has their food on their plates and we are gathered around the table. . . just celebrating the moment and the family and the many blessings that have come our way.

Here are a couple of new turkey pictures that were made for us and of course the great turkey centerpiece.  Also, the plate represents my favorite leftovers. . . my MIL's cranberry sauce, my mom's cranberry-jello salad, my DIL's dressing, my sweet potatoes and awesome homemade rolls I bought at church last Sunday (cuz I'm a terrible maker of yeast rolls).   

THE STONE RABBIT wanted me to tell you that his favorite leftover is the pumpkin cake roll that I almost always make.  In fact, shortly after I took this picture he was already enjoying another slice of that fine concoction!

 

 

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, too!  I am sure if you visit Beverly's blog, HOW SWEET THE SOUND, you will find lots of others who also have Thanksgiving fun to share with you!

Happy PINK Saturday!!

DANA

 

 

Thanksgiving. . . how did it come and go so quickly?

 

 With all of the hurrying and scurrying in getting ready for Thanksgiving. . .it just seems that is comes and GOES to fast!!!  

This year, we were so lucky to have our son and family and our daughter here to spend that special day with us!!

  

 

The Grand Girl is such a creative princess!!!  She promptly set to work in designing a "Thanksgiving Party" sign for our dining room!!

 

 

 

 

My daughter-in-law has become very good at making the dressing for our feast!!!

 

 

The Grand Girl also made place-mats for all of us!!

Our dining room table is too small for our family now and I have to make getting a bigger one a priority.  

  

 

 MY plate of Thanksgiving goodness!

 

 

After dinner and our naps, our DIL made salt dough so she could get hand prints of the Grands! 

 

 

 

 

Here are the prints, drying in the oven.  Our Grand Girl even made a footprint!  :)  These will eventually be painted and used as Christmas ornaments!!

  

 

 

 

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!!!  I also hope you'll be able to visit Beverly's blog, HOW SWEET THE SOUND!   There will be  a lot of other bloggers who will have seasonal or PINK shares for you this week!!  

DANA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pink Saturday Thankfulness!

 

 

Another Thanksgiving is very near.   There are so many things for which I am thankful. . .my faith, my family, my friends, my blessings are , of course, the big ones at the top of my list.  However, I have to say that "finding" Beverly and her PINK SATURDAY weekly event is truly something for which I am also extremely thankful.

Since 2008, I've had the good fortune to be a part of her weekly Pink Saturday gatherings.   I've "met" so many wonderful other bloggers and readers through it over those years. . .many who have given me support when times were tough, or encouraged me when I was working towards a goal, or provided me with great inspiration with their skills in decorating, designing, creating, "junking". . .you name it!   Pink Saturday "Pinkies" . . .a truly a unique group of folks . . .a group I'm so thankful to have in my life!!

 

 

I'm participating in one of my last "runs" of 2013 this weekend. . .it's called The Turkey Trails 5K/10K Run/Walk!    

 

Here I am with some of my running buddies last year after we'd completed that same event.   I recall it started out  cold that day. . .and guess what!  It's gonna be REALLY cold this year, too!  I just heard on the news the "start" of the run will find us in the mid-twenties!  Brrrrrrrr!

(L to R)  Linda, Joan, Karen, Me (Dana)

 

 

 

I'm still trying to decide just what warm weather clothing I'm wearing  for the run.   Here THE STONE RABBIT is with my favorite running hat. . .AND some great PINK socks my running buddy Mary gave to me!

I have a feeling I'll be sporting a hat that covers my ears . . .or maybe wear that great PINK hat with some ear muffs.....warmth beats out "fashion statements" on cold runs!!

THE STONE RABBIT and I wish you and yours a happy and blessed Thanksgiving filled with family, friends and yummy food!!!

 

 

 

Be sure to visit Beverly's blog, HOW SWEET THE SOUND, for a long list of other bloggers who have great shares for you this weekend!!

 

DANA

 

 

We Give Pink Saturday Thanks!

 

What a splendid Thanksgiving Day we celebrated with our son and his family and our daughter!!

 

 Sooooo much great food!

 

 

Our creative Grand Girl had a little chocolate milk mishap. . .so to cover up the stains on her shirt, she cleverly made a little turkey scene to wear instead!

 

 

After our "post Thanksgiving Dinner Naps"  my hubby and I took the three Grands on a little "turkey trot" through the neighorhood!

 

One of the best parts of the day was when my son and I and the two oldest Grands snuggled and watched the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Special.

 

 This morning, the Grand Girl is showing THE STONE RABBIT the wishbone from Mr. Turkey!  She's anxious to break it with her 3 year old brother . . .and see if she gets the biggest end. . .and her wish!!!

 

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving Day!  

The fun continues as you head over to Beverly's at HOW SWEET THE SOUND!!

 

DANA

We Gather Together. . .

 

"We Gather Together" is the theme of Pink Saturday this weekend.  Of course the first thoughts that popped into my mind were about gathering for Thanksgiving next week.

 

We have had the blessing of being able to "give thanks" with our family over the last several years.  This year, we get to celebrate our newest Grand Boy's first Thanksgiving and that will make it an even better day!

A fond memory I have from last year was putting the Grand Girl in charge of making place mats for our dinner table.

 

She also set our Thanksgiving table!!!  I feel her job would rival the best  tablescape artist!!!

 

While the turkey was cooking and the two grands were watching the Macy's Thanksgiving parade with their mom and my hubby, my  son and I went to a nearby park to do our own version of a Turkey Trot 5K run.  

The weather was gorgeous that day, and because I was dealing with an injured hamstring, we ended up run/walking. . . and talking. . alone!   It was so much fun!    

The next day, we drove to the tree farm where our two families had tagged our trees the month before.  Here our son is cutting down one of the trees, while my hubby "assists". . .and the Grand Girl looks on . . .

 

and Grand Boy #1 hangs out in his stroller and munches on a candy cane given to him by Santa!!  

Grand Boy #2 would be born a month later!!   It will be so much fun to see him in the family photo with the Tree Farm Santa this year!!

 

Early this week, I finished my last journal in the Circle Journal Project that nine other ladies and I have been participating in since January.  

Each of us chose a "theme" for our journal, designed the covers and the first two page layout. . . then we mailed them off to the person next on our list, where they completed their interpretation of the theme. .. then mailed the journal on to the next person on the list.  Over the year. . .the journals have been passed around the country. . and are now arriving  back to their homes . . . .completed!!

My last journal belonged to Kay Ellen of KAY ELLEN DESIGNS.  She selected the theme "Travels by the Sea".

 

In my two page layout, I chose to provide an opportunity for the members of the Circle Journal to "Gather by the Sea".  We were all there. . .in our very vintage bathing suits. . . looking oh so festive and cute as we shared stories of the sea.

 

  Being a midwestern girl, I had very few sea stories, so I was content to listen and learn!!  I shared a few lake and creek stories, but they weren't as neat as the sea stories.  :)

 

My layout also included a charm bracelet, of sorts, that contained items that could have been "Gathered from the Sea". . .or at least have a nautical look!!  My interpretation was loose!!  :)

I used a copy of the "By the Beautiful Sea" sheet music and cover as my background.   Actually, that was my inspiration for how the layout evolved.

Items to embellish the pages were gathered at local flea markets . . . the doily, the chain, the ric rac.  My friend Bonnie donated the starfish earrings (you see on the page on the left) and a little "sea angel" that dangled from the bracelet.  The buttons came from my mom's button tin. .. and  the little beads were found here and there.  They reminded me of "sea glass" found along the beach!!

Oh. . . and the brown ruffle along the bottom of this page. . .a coffee filter that I cut into a strip and gathered on the sewing machine. . . giving a "sandy" spot for the bathing beauties to stand!

 

 

THE STONE RABBIT has really enjoyed this Journey of Journals with me.   I'm pretty sure he has posed with each one before I passed them on.  

It felt good, in a way, to be putting it in the mail. . . knowing I'd completed nearly year long project.   However, I will certainly miss the monthly challenges of trying to come up with my interpretation of a new theme. . . in a new shape and size of journal! 

Please visit Beverly of HOW SWEET THE SOUND.  She is our faithful hostess who always provides us the spot to share our PINKS or special themes.   For that, we thank you so very much, Beverly!!

 

Happy Pink Saturday!

 

DANA

SPECIAL THANKSGIVING ARTWORK.....with a touch of PINK

 

 

This year, The Grand Girl made our very special Thanksgiving Day placemats!!  Using brown paper bags as the base....

 

 

she traced her hands onto them.....then made them into sweet turkey designs!!!

 

Of course, she added PINK to my turkeys!!!

 

 

I didn't get a picture of the table before we ate, but she also set it this year, all by herself....deciding everyone's spot as we gathered around to celebrate the many blessings we have received this year.

 

 

I hope each of you had the best Thanksgiving ever!!!

Please visit our wonderful hostess, Beverly, at HOW SWEET THE SOUND.  There you will find a long list of other bloggers who have PINKS to share with you on this great PINK SATURDAY!!

 

DANA