Holiday

We have packed up and are off to Aruba for our week long winter holiday.

Wednesday Reading

Did you read Maureen Dowd's column in the New York Times today?
Wasn't it great?!

Moved by a Crescent
By MAUREEN DOWD
Published: October 22, 2008
In a gratifying “have you no sense of decency, Sir and Madam?” moment, Colin Powell went on “Meet the Press” and pushed back on ugly innuendo.

I ♥ the Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday my onetruelove.
Getting older doesn’t seem so bad if we are doing it together.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

Today in Pictures

This morning we had our first baby sign language.
Our lesson was on meal time signs.
When I got home I might have looked up the sign for damn.
(I was busy playing/baby signing to take an official picture)






















Pre-dinner walk face making.

Getting face into position.












Fish face.















Somebody might have pushed this
button on the way down.














Our local green beans for dinner tonight.
Yum.

Overheard

By Luke this morning while his parental unit were getting ready to start the day.

Mom: Faris, look at my gun! {mom is flexing her awesome right arm muscle}
Dad: Yeah, nice pistol.
Mom: Correction. Uzi.

Over Sharing?

Last night.
Let me set the scene.
In the bathroom
a nakey Luke.
Just moments before bath time.
Me.
Getting the bath accoutrements in position.
I become distracted by gleeful laughter
and turn to see what all the fun is about.
Nakey Luke has peed on the floor
and is now stomping and splashing around in it
and then all of the sudden spreading it all around the floor
with is hands and chest.
Hahahahahahahahahahaha.
Not.

Catalogues

Didn’t your heart sing ♪
when the JCrew catalogue
came in the mail a few days ago?
You know the one, with the
metallic flats on the cover.
But then I laughed out loud.
$150 for flats from JCrew?
Please.
JCrew, who do you think you are?
Do you get the Boden catalogue?
Loveit.
Loveit.
Loveit.
Plus they have these awesome
patent flats
that I think I need in purple and deep sea blue.

Oh, and you know
when you are out and about
being fabulous
and you see some lady
and wonder where in the world she got
that leopard top with a drawstring waist
and
paisley and flower iridescent skirt
and
two toned leather cowboy boots that lace up the back?
She got them here and you should stay away.

An Apple

I think this is so funny.
I’m not sure if you will think it so funny.
A few reasons why this is so funny—
1. Luke shows you his new thing, walking with his mouth wide open.
2. The cute way Luke notices the camera and the way he attacks it.

Enjoy dear readers.

Friday Night Dinner

Today felt like my real first
Fall day.
Leaves are really starting
to change
and its cooler in that Fall kind of way.
So dinner tonight was yummy chicken pot pie
in my new white pie plate.
Don’t you wish you were here?















I can’t tell you how boring this post has made me feel!
I’m going to have to do something extra fabulous tomorrow to make up for this.

Planting

On Monday John-David and I
surprised my mom with her birthday present…
we planted fall plants for her porch!
The woman is s.e.r.i.o.u.s about her porch.
Call the house—she is likely out on the porch!
A total hit with the birthday lady.

Watching over the fence.

Tally
2 pots with boxwoods and pansies
1 pot with a mum
2 rosemary plants
1 lone leftover pansy pot
1 thingy of fall corn
Many decorative gourds

Happy Birthday Mom!

Thanks for

the love

the lessons

the laughs.

Squatter

My sweet flowers from the Farmer’s Market came with a squatter.
Do you spy the little caterpillar?

Training

Training.
That’s a good way to think about taking Luke for a day of shopping with my mom, right?
Training him to know how to shop and care for his appearance.
At a superfabulous outlet mall no less.
He endured it well, sweet boy.






























P.S. My favorite purchase? Two delightful white pie plates from Crate and Barrel for $3.50. I’m seeing yummy chicken pot pies this winter (a recipe I didn’t have nailed last winter but I think I have its number now).

P.P.S. Merchandise on the racks was disappointing. Is Linda right that stores are keeping inventory low because of the economy? Say it isn’t so…I’ve got a winter mommy wardrobe to figure out!!

Mug Shot

I’ve been drinking my elixir …err… coffee
in the same Tennessee coffee mug since I graduated.
I shall not confess exactly how many years that mug has been my morning companion.
So I surprised myself when I pick up this little number
at my local Starbucks.

Don’t you see why I had to have it?
Have you ever seen a mug yearn for something warm and creamy?
Don’t fret.
It’s not a replacement, just an addition.

Perspective

My mom always says that life is a matter of perspective.
Here is a real life example.

Perspective 1: Small child eating food he threw on the floor is disgusting, only dogs do it.
Perspective 2: Small child is green at heart; he recycles the food he threw on the floor.

Make your choice.

Marked

Today it arrived at my doorstep.
I’ve been waiting
for what seems like
f.o.r.e.v.e.r.
for my car magnet
(and a few other trinkets).

Magnet

Oh, the fun of refrigerator magnets!
I picked up our ABC and dinosaur magnets yesterday
and he has been charmed ever since.
But I found him strutting around with a lower case ‘e’
and then a 6 or 9 (I’m not sure) in his mouth so
I’ll quietly tuck the ABC’s away until he is older.

Goulash

Monday night’s dinner = Hungarian Beef Stew (or goulash)

















Yum yum yum yum
and
easy easy easy easy.
Find it in November & December 2008 Cook’s Illustrated.

Oktoberfest

Saturday afternoon our building
hosted Oktoberfest for residents.

Luke picked one of the raffle winners.

Kitchen Ditty of Sorts

During last weeks mall trip
I obtained two new skillets
at Macy’s.
I also picked up
my very first melon baller.
I’ve always wanted one
but never had one.
How could I pass up the
Martha Stewart Collection
Melon Baller
on clearance for $2.09?
(original price crazy $7.99)

To my amusement this was on the back…
I think of a melon baller,
also know as a Parisienne scoop,
as an indispensable kitchen tool.
When it comes to scooping out vegetables and fruits,
nothing else can do the job.
In addition to making lovely spheres of fruit for salads,
I use it for everything from creating elegant
cups from tomatoes or cucumbers for hors d’oeuvres
to turning small gourds into candleholder.

And I thought I just got a melon baller.

An October Tradition

We went pumpkin picking this weekend.
Loads of fun.
It’s a tradition I think I’m going to
truly enjoy every year.
(For example, I will enjoy pumpkin picking but will not enjoy tedious Valentine’s Day.)





There were animals to pet.
(Yep, Luke touched the bunny)
















A corn box.











And toys to ride.
(I know some of my Mississippi family is giddy at this sight!)

Somebody might have gotten a work call in the pumpkin patch…















Not very good pumpkin picking footwear.




























Faris pulling Luke and our pumpkin.

Importance of Rules

It is important for me to have rules.

1. No ponytails prior to 4pm.
2. All kaki is banned from my wardrobe except for one summer skirt.
3. Tennis Shoes only for exercising.
4. Baseball hats only for exercising. (because not doing my hair is not an option)
5. Number of toys in purse must be less than tubes of lipstick.
6. High heels at least twice a week.

Rules are important because at some moment I might find myself thinking,
“Thank goodness urine is sterile.”

And then I remember I have rules so all hope is not lost.

P.S. These are not my only rules. Only the ones I’m willing to admit to following.

Mode of Transport

His two little feet
now take him about.

Between Rain

Between rain showers we
took a quick walk on the
other more natureish boardwalk.

Self Portrait

















We were all by ourselves
and it was lovely.












About that rain...
I adore that our local TV stations
show the Doppler radar on cable channels.
I am obsessed with the Doppler.
Seriously.
Obsessed.
Just the sniff of rain
or the mention of it
and I check the Doppler before we
even consider going outside.