Day 304 - 10/31/14 - I wore

Today is Halloween, I didn't wear a costume, but in honor of the holiday, I wore my Lego Figure Skeleton.

I'm grateful to have fun accessories to add to brighten my mood.

#theidearoom phrase of the day I wore 

Day 303 - 10/30/14 - orange

Rebecca was excited when she was almost 3 to be able to pick her own pumpkin and carry it around.  This is an old picture, but I love the memories is brings. The colors in this picture are so autumnal, especially the orange. 

I'm grateful for the memories of my children's younger years that bring smiles to all of our faces.


#theidearoom word of the day orange

Day 302 - 10/29/14 - delicious

I met my good friend Charlie at Panera for lunch today. I enjoyed this delicious bowl of tomato soup almost as much as I enjoyed her company and our afternoon of shopping and looking for ideas to decorate our new house.

I'm grateful to have friends to enjoy afternoons of fun with and for yummy soup on a chilly day.


#theidearoom word of the day delicious

Day 301 - 10/28/14 - texture

While shopping today at the new grocery store I found, Martins, I was impressed by the colors and texture of the fruit, especially the limes, oranges and lemons.

I'm grateful for the colors that God put into the foods he provides for us.

#theidearoom word of the day texture

Day 300 - 10/27/14 - extreme closeup

This is a flower that I photographed in the garden of the Roosevelt Family, earlier this month in Hyde Park, NY.

I'm grateful for the wide variety of beautiful things God has provided us.

#theidearoom phrase of the day extreme closeup

Day 299 - 10/26/89 - delicate

This is a picture of my daughter, Rebecca, who was a flower girl in a wedding at about age 6. She is so delicate and precious looking here. Today is also her 25th birthday.

I'm grateful for her ability to behave according to most circumstances and to be the adorable, precious, delicate child she could be.

#theidearoom word of the day delicate

Day 298 - 10/25/14 - I love

I love to see the excitement on Scott's face as he drives his new tractor around our property.

I'm grateful that he enjoyes yard work and the tools to make it happen.

#theidearoom phrase of the day I love.... 

Day 297 - 10/24/14 - different perspectives

I've been trying to look at our moving and the changes from different perspectives.  This weekend, we are painting inside the living room and bedroom. The house is all moved around and the furniture is not where it should be and things are a mess. Poor Willie. He doesn't understand why things are messed up and is not enjoying this part of the move nearly as much as Scott and I are. He asked to go outside and immediately sat like this and stared off into the woods for quite a long time, refusing to look out way.

I'm grateful that he took the time outside to give him an escape from the chaos that is inside of our house.


#theidearoom phrase of the day a different perspective

Day 296 - 10/23/14 - a game I enjoy

A game I enjoy  lately was a free app from Starbucks a few months ago. It is called Threes and you swipe the numbers to get them to grow as multiples of three.

I am grateful for diversions and relatively fun ways to improve my math skills.

#theidearoom phrase of the day a game I enjoy 

Day 295 - 10/22/14 - shiny

My latest favorite necklace is shiny against my sweater today.
I'm grateful for the resources to buy fun, cute accessories when I want to.


#theidearoom word of the day shiny

Day 294 - 10/21/14 - signs of the season

One of the signs of the season that I didn't know about was the blooming of cotton. This is a field on my way to work. I've enjoyed watching it mature these last few weeks.

I'm grateful for new learning opportunities on the side of the road.

#theidearoom phrase of the day signs of the season

Day 293 - 10/20/14 - outdoors

While wandering around outdoors  in downtown Emporia, I often see this Virginia is for Lovers, Love sign. It is made out of "peanuts" since Emporia is the site of the Great Peanut Festival each year.

I'm grateful to have found a cute, quaint small town full of love.

#theidearoom word of the day outdoors

Day 292 - 10/19/14 - Sometimes I

Sometimes I..... just sit and watch the sky change. This is the sky over Emporia, after work.  A storm came that was quite impressive.

I'm grateful for the weather changes that are a spectacle to see.

#theidearoom phrase of the day Sometimes I...... 

Day 291 - 10/18/14 - light

This traffic light in the center of town in Emporia is "sideways" and I don't really understand why. It makes me think of all of the reasons it could be that way every time I go through.

#theidearoom word of the day light

Day 290 - 10/17/14 - messy

We have been spending time in our new house painting. This is a messy process, but well worth it in the long run. We are doing a light shade of gray in the foyer, a darker shade in the living room with the 20 foot peaks of the cathedral ceilings and then pale yellow in the master bedroom.

I'm grateful that Scott and I are able to do it ourselves and have a good time doing it.

#theidearoom word of the day messy

Day 289 - 10/16/14 - on my mind

Lately, I have had a new class on my mind.  I am designing from scratch a course titled Media and Technology, to be taught during WinterSession - a 4 week term between Fall and Spring semesters.

I'm grateful for the passion I have for teaching and designing meaningful lessons and resources.

#theidearoom phrase of the day on my mind. 

Day 288 - 10/15/14 - in my town

In my town, on the way to work, I am often greeted by these guinea hens in my driveway or yard. When we first moved (about 3 weeks ago) there were 6; now there are 3. Maybe they split up to confuse the farmers.

I'm grateful for critters that wander the neighborhood.

#theidearoom phrase of the day in my town

Day 287 - 10/14/14 - fun

I'm having fun decorating the new house. We were quite pleased that it was not decorated at all... everything was white on white on white. So far we have plans for 3 rooms then we will pause to decide what is next.

I'm grateful for the helpfulness of my husband in my decorating adventures. We are both working hard to be able to work better together.

#theidearoom word of the day fun

Day 286 - 10/13/14 - starts with "R"

My all-time favorite word that starts with "R" is the name of my Princess, Rebecca. I took this picture of Rebecca and Taylor while we were visiting Harvard, in front of the library.

I'm grateful that Rebecca and Taylor were more than willing to spend time touring around with Mom and I.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - starts with "R"

Day 285 - 10/12/14 - a daily habit

What started out as a bad habit has turned into a good habit. This cup has become my favorite, and it has helped me to develop a very good daily habit of drinking plenty of water each day. It started out being the cup I drank coffee from each morning, but I have cut back and am limiting my caffeine intake.

I'm grateful to have developed a good habit from a bad one and that I have the desire to become more healthy.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - a daily habit

Day 284 - 10/11/14 - around me

I 'm surprised to see this many police around me on my way to work.  I used the app Waze to help me see if there are traffic incidences and if I need to find an alternate route to work. On this day, there were lots of police around... and you can't see the 2 that are just off the bottom of the screen shot.

I'm grateful that there are people writing apps like Waze to warn us of this activity.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - around me

Day 283 - 10/10/14 - a talent

I am blessed with the talent of making cookies quite yummy and with being able to adjust the recipes to meet my family's tastes and still be delicious.
These are double chocolate cookies, apple oat delights and not-so rocky road cookies.

I'm grateful for the talent and desire that I have to bake.  If only they weren't so yummy.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - a talent

Day 282 - 10/09/14 - an ordinary moment

From the top of Nobska Lighthouse, in Falmouth, MA, I enjoyed this ordinary moment looking out at the wonder of God's world.  Behind me is Martha's Vineyard, across Vineyard sound. The tour of the lighthouse was anything but ordinary; it is normally closed to the public. Today, a group had made a reservation about 30 minutes before we arrived, but hadn't shown up yet, so the Coast Guard volunteers were going to give tours until they showed up or for 2 hours whichever came first.

I'm grateful to have lucked upon the opportunity to learn about this lighthouse.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - an ordinary moment

Day 281 - 10/08/10 - in my home

This is a picture of Willie from in my home, trying to understand the difference between the screened door and the glass door and no door.  There is no door keeping him out, but he is afraid to try because he has mashed his nose too many times.

I'm grateful that Willie is teachable and quickly learned the difference.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - in my home

Day 280 - 10/07/10 - looking down

This image is taken looking down from the top of the Cape Cod Lighthouse (also known as Highland Lighthouse).

I'm grateful that lighthouses were & still are used to save the lives of many that sail(ed) the rocky shores.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - looking down

Day 279 - 10/06/10 - movement

Today as I looked up on my walk around campus, I notices the movement in the flags. It really made me stop and think what they stand for. I am grateful to live in a country and a state where everyone is free and has a voice in our democracy.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - movement 

Day 278 - 10/05/14 - colorful

While on our trip, Mom and I spent a day in Newport, RI. We walked along the river path and toured the Breakers, one of the former homes of the Vanderbilt family.  This is a picture of one of the colorful flower gardens around the property.

I'm grateful that I live a simpler lifestyle.  I enjoyed the stories of the grand living during the gilded age, but don't think I would have enjoyed living it.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - colorful

Day 277 - 10/04/14 - relax

This picture is of my Mom and I in Hyde Park, at the Roosevelt home.  This is the beginning of our vacation where we will try out best to rest, relax,  have fun and learn something. 

I am grateful for the desire to keep learning about the history of our nation and those that shaped it.


#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - relax

Day 276 - 10/3/14 - reflection

The reflection of the trees in this pond in the woods near our house was mesmerizing to me. I love how the leaves add to the depth of the image but still allow the reflection to still show through.

I'm grateful for the new things that Willie and I discover on our walks in the woods.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - reflection 

Day 275 - 10/2/14 - family

I am grateful to have a close relationship with my family.  This week my Mom and I are touring parts of New England and Cape Cod. This picture is of us at the Culinary Institute of America where we walked the grounds and had lunch at the Apple Pie Cafe - it was fabulous.

#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - family 

Day 274 - 10/1/14 - ground level

From ground level, this is our new home.  We have been moved in for 5 days, and it already feels like home.


#theidearoom photo-a-day challenge - ground level