My Final Fling with FALL!

This was my final week and week END with all my house still decorated for FALL! I LOVE fall and am always a little sad to see it come down. Due to some Christmas decorating scheduling and since I am not hosting a Thanksgiving meal here....I decided it is TIME! In reading some of my favorite blogs.....like Robin's,
I discovered others were already changing out the seasons....SO I jumped on board! But not without a farewell fall weekend celebration!

It began on Friday evening when Amber arrived! Her husband is off in Kansas hunting! Amber is one smart girl! They originally planned on marrying in November.....but that is when Hunting Season opens. Being as wise as she is.....they had a lovely SEPTEMBER wedding four years ago! I TOLD you she is smart!

Sooooo....she and I shopped for groceries for this our Fall Fling Weekend! Amber can create some of the prettiest and tastiest dishes you can imagine. This simple spread featured some of our favorite things to munch on.....and we enjoyed them SO much...we made them do for a light supper!

Wine for me....which was a little TOO sweet but I blended it with a bit of Chardonnay and it hit the spot!

Amber's choice for the evening.....

Add some lighted candles......

and a beautiful fire in a freshly cleaned fireplace.....Thanks, Amber!!

You now have a Perfect Fall Evening!

The next morning we began the food prep and table scape for a Family Dinner Party!

Amber, once again, arranged different things from around the house and then added some recent purchases of her own (plate chargers and place mats) creating a fresh look to the dining room setting.

This plaque I painted reminds me to be thankful. How often we take family and friends for granted and only get together for weddings, funerals and the traditional holiday gatherings. I invited my sister, Nita, and her husband, Mike, as well as Leah and Patrick with Amber being in town as a plus!  I am thinking of hosting a 'Sibling Supper' soon....perhaps after the holidays. If we don't MAKE and TAKE the time to enjoy our family NOW.....when will we?

The candles were all lit....the music playing.....

....so we sat on our front porch and waited for our guests to arrive!

Three pretty ladies!

A few good men!

We were soon ready to EAT!

We had everything from tea....

to wines.....

to my sister's favorite! Rum and Diet Coke!

Garden salad....

Broccoli/avocado/cashew nut slaw with poppy seed dressing...

Steamed Broccoli....

Garlic Mashed Potatoes.....

Turkey Stuffing Meatloaf.....most of these Rachel ray Recipes!

To top the meal off was Leah's Bread Pudding like you have NEVER tasted bread pudding before!!

Dessert was served with gourmet coffee laced with Patrick's 'Pumpkin Pie'.......yum yum!

The next day Amber, Louis Dean and I all went to church at Fellowship in Grapevine. This is one of her favorite churches and she wishes they had one in Houston. She and Mike would listen to the sermons online while they were in Scotland last year. So we went back and it was amazing! I think Amber needed it......it has been a challenge for her to be living out of a suitcase since August 15th! Hopefully I will be sharing pics of her new home SOON! (Say a prayer, please!)

Summer and Sabrina and the baby joined us for Sunday Dinner. I served a repeat of last night's meal with the exception of my REGULAR meat loaf as specially requested by Sabrina!

Amber enjoyed a little 'Abby Time'.....actually, we all did!

After the girls went home Amber and I took our dogs down to the local school yard to get some much needed exercise! Lucy has 'old' parents so she doesn't get to run nearly as much as she would like!

The dogs got along well.....

They can knock you down if you are not careful.....and I wasn't!

Amber and Jersey had a lot of fun! So much so that Jersey got a little rowdy! She jumped up on Amber and  we discovered (later) she knocked off one of her swarovski crystal earrings! 

No worries! We went back up to the playground after dark with our flashlights....walked right over to the area they were playing in and picked up the shining earring! YES!!

Lucy was tired and I think Jersey was, too.

Time to go home. Final Fling with Fall weekend is now over. I am heading to the den now to start the boxing up of all things autumn. Perhaps I should put on some Christmas music! No....perhaps a bit of  Andrea Bocelli or some Yanni would be in order. Or maybe Enya.....or Kenny G....or.....