Happy Halloween

Everyone have a HAPPY and SAFE Halloween!

Pumpkin Carving

We grew our pumpkins this year in our garden. It's a very accomplished feeling knowing that the fruits of your labor are the reason you have pumpkins to carve. We loved having our own patch this year and look forward to growing them again next year. Carving was a lot of fun once we worked through some of the teen drama and communication breakdowns. I let Fin pick her design off Nick Jr. online. She completely threw me when she picked Kai Lan instead of Dora but she clear as day said Kai Lan. I gave it my best and here is how it turned out:

Sissy did her initial and it looks pretty good too:

All in all it was a pretty good time and while I always have these visions of grandeur in my head of drinking hot cider and laughing and getting grossed out by pumpkin goo I know it's not always going to go that way, someone won't feel good or someone doesn't want to do the pumpkins right then, it will always come together. And while it may not be my magazine family version it still turns out to be fun and a memory as well.

Little Lady October Craft

This months craft for Little Lady was her Halloween bag. At Michaels, I found a small felt bag in orange - I figure the smaller the bag the less candy that we will have. I let Little Lady pick out the stickers that she wanted. When we completed the craft I let her put the stickers wherever she wanted them on her bag and then I outlined them in puff paint. I also wrote her name and the year on the back side of the bag in puff paint. I think it turned out really cute. I'm hoping to keep it and make a new one every year so that I can store her Halloween outfit with coordinating hand made Halloween bag because another discovery that I have made as a parent is that it turns you into a hoarder - I don't want to get rid of anything that is a memory of something she did! And without further ado, here is her hand made bag!

Pattypan Squash

We had a garden for the first time this year and I can't wait to have one again next summer. My new favorite squash is the white pattypan squash. At first, when they started popping up I wasn't sure how or what we were going to do with them since I had never had this type of squash before. Silly me, I thought we were only going to be able to decorate with them. Then Big A got creative in the kitchen and turned this squash into a favorite veggie of mine. He boiled up some EVOO sprinkled in some black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, and marjoram and VOILA - this stuff is amazing. So, if you have a white pattypan squash you don't know what to do with, slice it up and try it this way. If you don't like it you can send it to me and I will happily eat it for you!

And if you aren't sure what type of squash I'm speaking of - here is a pic of one in our garden:

Wordless Wednesday - High School Reunion

I love the blogs that I have come across that do Wordless Wednesday. And, since I have a lot of pics to share - I figured there isn't a better time to start...

Natures Halloween Decoration

I didn't have to do much outdoor Halloween decorating this year. We had a visitor from nature do it for us and by visitor I mean a GIGANTIC pregnant spider that has spent the last week or so living on our city issued trash can...

Mommy and Me Monday

The computer is up and running which means I get to go picture happy and catch everyone up on the happenings in our lives...So, the first edition of Mommy and Me Monday:

Two Things on My Mind

Right now I sit here in a funk because of the two things on my mind. Neither are really pressing or depressing or anything like that but they seem to be all I can think about at this very moment and it's kind of driving me crazy.
Right now, I feel like a kid on Christmas morning - which we will eventually get to in my next point- but waiting for something that may or may not come is a very hard thing to do. The wondering what will happen or what the future will hold is tough stuff and while it's something we do every minute of every day when you are hoping for certain things in the said future it gets tough waiting to see what will happen. And for the time being, that is really all I have to say on that matter but I feel better getting it out somewhere other than in my head.
The second thing is Christmas. I have been thinking about it a lot lately. With us down to Big A's income for most of our major expenses and my little part time income I get at the outdoor store I feel like it is my responsibility to plan out Christmas way ahead of schedule. I have been doing pretty good at this. I have been trying to buy one Christmas present on every paycheck I receive so come December it won't be as much coming out of the main account. Like I said, I have done pretty good but then I get lost in my thoughts trying to plan it out some more.
I guess right now I'm just lost in my thoughts on a couple different things and I'm sure this post is more of cluster of words than really making any rational sense but since my blog is kind of like my diary I had to put it out there...in black and white, make it real, and maybe, just maybe the waiting will come more quickly and my mind will be more at ease.
That's all I have for now...have a great weekend everyone!

Little Lady Library Trip

We hit the library up first thing on Monday. It had been a couple weeks since we had gone, our books were due and we were ready for an outing. This is what we got this time and we really like every book we picked out this time:Also, our main computer is still down - if you couldn't tell from the lack of pictures - and I'm using Sissy's laptop. I wasn't able to print off Little Lady's lessons this month. BUT, I have made some pretty awesome construction paper art for her to color on, and hopefully I will be able to get some pictures up of them and our crafts and everything else going on in our lives soon!

Happy Birthday Mom!

My Mom has been on vaca this week with my Dad. Her birthday was on Tuesday and I wanted to wait to post about her birthday until she was back from her wonderful trip. My mom is the greatest, I know that a lot of people say that but I really do have the greatest mom. So in honor of her birthday, here are some old school Natalie Merchant lyrics to let you know just how much I love you:
Lalalalalala...
You've been so kind and generous
I don't know why you keep on giving
For your kindness I'm in debt to you
For your selflessness--my admiration
For everything you've done
You know I'm bound--I'm bound to thank you for it
Lalalalalala...
Hey, hey You've been so kind and generous
I don't know why you keep on giving
For your kindness I'm in debt to you
And I never could have gone this far without you
For everything you've done
You know I'm bound--I'm bound to thank you for it
Lalalalalala...
Oh I want to thank you for so many gifts
You gave me love and tenderness
I want to thank you
I want to thank you for your generosity,
The love, and the honesty that you gave to me
I want to thank you, show my gratitude,
My love and my respect for you I want to thank you
Oh, I want to thank you, thank you,
Thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you

Life, Fate, and Destiny

I believe in fate and destiny. I believe that I have had to live the life I have lived with all the good and all the mistakes to make me into the person I am today. I wouldn't change one thing. I know that Big A is my soul mate and yes I'm old fashioned, I believe there is only one other soul that matches up perfectly with your own. At my high school reunion, I got talking to a girl that now lives in NYC. And, man, I'm a girl that LOVES that city. When I was in college, I really wanted to move there. I had every intention of it. But, I got a job here and I met him, so in the end I was right where I was meant to be. My husband and I sometimes talk about things like that. We both believe that we are each others soul mate. He was married once before and he knows the difference of being with someone you are meant to be with rather than just being with someone. Anyways, I digress. We always will put the scenario out there, and he'll say "what if I would have never moved here, what if I would have stayed in Nebraska?" and my response is always "I guess I probably would have gone to school in Nebraska." Or I'll put out there "what if I would have found a job in New York?" and he'll respond with "I would have found one too and we still would have met." And we believe it. It was our destiny to be with each other. Life happened the way it did so we are together now but I truly believe if we had been dealt different cards that he and I would both have ended up with each other. SO, what do you believe in? Is there someone out there for everyone? Is there are a destiny for everyone to have a certain life? I think so and no matter what I thought I wanted for my life at a certain time, I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be now with the love of my life and you never know what cards we are going to be dealt in the future, we could end up moving to New York, or Colorado, or, or, or....

Catching up and a High School Reunion

So this has been a pretty busy October and by pretty busy I mean really busy. Between night shifts for me and overtime for Big A and Sissy's social schedule, well, we have been running. I guess that is what fall is always like at our house. Our main computer has been down so I haven't been able to print the lessons that I created for Little Lady so I'm slacking on that front and I haven't been able to download pics so I'm slacking there too...I guess when we are back up and running I'll have to participate in quite a few Wordless Wednesdays to get the point of our busy October across. Anyways, I digress, the point I'm eventually trying to get to is this last weekend was my high school reunion - 10 years. And may I say it was a weekend not to be outdone anytime too soon. I do have to preface the events of the weekend with the clause that I went to a private Catholic high school so you know we know how to have fun:)
Anyways, the fun started Friday night at the Homecoming game. It was fun to hang out and start the chit chatting and see everyones littles. Not as many people showed up to the game as I would have expected but it was fun nonetheless, especially because I was a cheerleader in high school so I never got to see or participate in what the people in the parking lot did. The game was not a winner by any stretch and I guess you can say that talent pools come and go but 10 years ago we were awesome and by awesome I mean like unstoppably awesome. The football team couldn't be beat and the cheerleaders were, well, awesome. Life has changed and the school has gotten smaller but one thing that hasn't is how the parents support that school. I mean from the reaction of the crowd you would have thought the score board was in favor of the home team. That night I stayed with Little Lady in my home town and Big A came back to the city to pick Sissy up from a friends and they had a dad-daughter night.
The next morning Little Lady and I got up and went and toured the school with two of my very closest high school friends. It was great seeing everything again and going over memories and nooks and crannies that only students know about their school. We then had lunch at a home town fav and it was great seeing all our kids together knowing that they will be friends throughout life.
Then was the big get together that night. Big A dropped Sissy off at a sleepover, Little Lady was hanging with Grammy and PowPow (she devised this as the perfect name for Grandpa this weekend) and watching Tinkerbell, so we were off. A night to the two of us and only the second time we had left Little Lady since she was born. And boy did we have fun. It was great getting to hang out and talk to people that I haven't seen in ten years and to see those and hang out kid free with the ones that I had seen more recently. To see spouses and what life has given each of us. We are truly one blessed group of kids. We have great spouses, kids, and lives. It's amazing to see where life has taken some of us - from the coolness of New York to the laid back greatness of Colorado - everyone is living GREAT lives. The party continued into the wee hours of the night or should I say morn. It was FUN. But then the next day rolled around and man, did I feel like I had been hit by a truck and I'm not talking a small truck, I'm talking a super heavy semi. There is nothing worse or more embarrassing I have found then to be hungover and be a parent, definitely not something I plan on doing again but was so worth it.
So to the class of 2000, you are all awesome and I can't wait to partake in the 20 year shenanigans with you!

Goooooooo NEBRASKA!

Beat K-State!!!

My Nature Girl

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this girl loves nature. Everything about the outdoors, she loves. A few pics to prove my point...

Exhibit A: "Mommy, this is a flower."Exhibit B: "Mommy, this is a bush."And my last and favorite from this adventure...

Exhibit C: "Mommy I can't look at you and smile, I'm too busy playing with this stick in the dirt."

Have a happy and nature filled Monday everyone:)

I'm a sucker for causes!

I am totally a sucker for causes. This month is also Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Learn more and help where/when you can!

October - Pink IS the Color