Happy Halloween From The Staffords!

Another Halloween has come and gone, and fortunately, the end of October. Samantha being born, is the saving grace for this month. Looking forward to the start of November tomorrow. However...we did do some trick-or-treating, this evening, and our kids were pretty dang cute all dressed up! Kent was a ninja, and Samantha was Ariel, from "The Little Mermaid." We walked the neighborhood in Bellemont, like we've done the last few years. It's a nice area, and not too far from our home. On our way home, we stopped by our neighbors, because they always love to see the kids all dressed up; and give them candy. Judy (our neighbor) takes their picture too. Randy and Judy are awesome neighbors to have around! Good people. So the kiddos are all tucked in their beds, safe and sound. It's now time for Mommy to explore their candy!!! 

Country Christmas And Country Chickens In The Fall

I have shifted gears, from making fall pumpkins, to Country Christmas ornaments. I'll also be painting more rustic signs, but the ornaments are my new favorite projects! Once again, I am using Ball jar lids. It is amazing how many things you can make with those things! I am also making Christmas ornaments with pine cones (those pictures, another time). All the ornaments are hand painted, by me, I have the burlap, ribbons, fabrics, buttons, and other little touches, on these cute little tree decorations. I am also taking orders for these ornaments, because they do take time to make. I have a couple people interested in them. Ideas: ladies luncheon, coworkers, neighbors, church members, friends, family members, the list goes on and on! So if you are interested...it would be wise to notify ASAP. Also...each one is different. They can't be the same, because I have different buttons, ribbons, etc. Plus, being hand painted, my hand likes to make each one slightly different, hence, the unique factor, and one of a kind gift. Posted, are some of the completed ornaments, but more are being made daily. Also...I took a couple of pictures, of our current fall colors, on our property, and three of my six chickens...Betty, Lucy and Latte. Those crazy chickens. They are all doing well...although, they love to lay their eggs in random places on our property. It has become an egg hunt almost daily around here! Oh chickens. Oh yes, and another thing...I have been subbing more and more at the school, and still loving it! I got to experience the preschoolers this week, and those cute little kids, were so excited to have me in their room; being that I am a "new" face in their classroom. I read five books to them, because the kids couldn't get enough of the stories! Hugs, and more hugs are my rewards. It is so special, to get to be apart of all of these kids' lives, whether it's preschoolers, to the junior highers (sometimes with the junior highers). Samantha was excited, because last week, I finally got to be the substitute for her class! That was pretty cute too. I have subbed for Kent's class many times already, and finally getting to know all of these kids' names. This job, is a blessing for me and our family.



Just Call Me Mustang Sally.

It has been the most beautiful fall weekend! Today has been the perfect temperature, complimenting the autumn glow, cast on our turning leaves of yellow and orange. What has also "changed" in this fall season, is a new car. What? Yes. A new car. It was time to sell off the Toyota Corolla, and replace it with, none other than, a Ford Mustang. Boy is she pretty. Jeff and I had been car searching/shopping for a couple of weeks, and found an awesome deal, with the Ford Dealership, in Camp Verde. They had an Internet Special going on, and with Jeff's savvy ways and smarts...the deal got even sweeter! Jeff went down Friday (he had a half day), and spent the rest of the day, closing the deal. Let me tell you a little bit about our new pretty Mustang. She is a  2014, V6, Premium coup, with the performance package. All black leather interior, and black exterior, ambient lighting (which I have to say, is my most favorite part about this vehicle)! This ambient lighting, stays lit, for nighttime driving, in the interior, on the floor (front and back), the door handles, and the cup holders. You can change the colors from blue (or as Kent calls it, Luke Skywalker blue, light saber), deep red (that would be Darth Vador's color, of course), an orange glow, that looks like a sunset, purple, ice blue, green,  and white. The kids also love this new car, as we don't go through too many vehicles...so it's a treat for them as well! The one drawback, for me (temporarily), is that this car is a stick shift. I do not drive a stick shift. I have never learned how to drive a stick shift, so this idea really freaks me out! Law-Dog is awesome at driving a stick. The man looks pretty hot behind the wheel, let me tell you. Too much information for ya? Too bad! Ha. Anyway...I had my first driving lesson today, and I was so beyond stressed out, and my hands were literally sweating! My heart was racing, and I was just a nervous ball of energy. Yes, I managed to stall the car a few times, but I did get "the idea" on how to drive this car. I actually managed to drive it down Old Route 66, a ways, before I requested to go back home, to the safe zone. So lesson one...done. I need many more lessons to feel comfortable about this...but Jeff reassures me, that I will learn to drive this car, and one day, it will become second nature to me. Okay then!  Good times.



October Snow!

Hello. It's October 10th, and Parks, AZ. has received 4 inches of snow! I could hear the storm in the night, and the weather people were predicting we would be getting snow...sure enough. This is the earliest snow on record (for actual measurable snow, over an inch) SINCE 1961. Granted the most snow reported this early in the year, was seven inches...but here we got four! Pretty impressive. I am looking at all the trees, however, that still have their leaves on them. They look sad and all bent over. We still have our oaks and big cottonwood that haven't really changed their colors yet. As beautiful as it is outside...I feel my Autumn season is being rushed out the door! It is peaceful out there, though. White beauty blanketing the land.

Autumn Days Are Here!

It was a chill weekend, which is what I, and we all needed! It was actually a good thing we didn't go camping (besides the fact that I got sick), because we just needed to decompress and relax, after such a very busy week before! I got to finish decorating for fall, on the front porch. It's cuter than any other year before (at least that's what I think). Maybe the straw bales, oh and my little festive orange lights welcoming visitors and passer by'ers! Pretty cute. Today Jeff had off, since he worked yesterday, so we all decided to take a hike and consume the fall colors, before they freeze (which could technically happen by Thursday). We drove along one of our favorite forest roads, to experience some of the prettiest fall colors, Northern Arizona has to offer. We then started our two mile round trip hike, to Bismark Lake, at the base of the peaks. It was so refreshing and rejuvenating to get out and exercise! To be with my little family, on a stunning fall day, reminds me, just how blessed I am, and how I love the simple life, we have created here in Arizona. I love it out here so much, and I appreciate all that this beautiful state has to offer. You all know how I am fall crazy, so I made sure to take lots of pictures of today's beauty! Thank you Lord Jesus for this beautiful day, and thank you for my family.