My Favorite Place on Earth!

Here are some photos from our little getaway to Estes Park last weekend. Sit back and enjoy (and wish you lived in Colorado too!)

Sliding down the rainbow slide and riding go-carts at Fun City are absolutely must-dos for us when in EP! The girls also did the bungee-jump-thingy this time but I only have videos of that and no time to upload them. Besides, all the up and down motion would probably make you dizzy. 

Love this pic so much!!!

The weather and the colors were GORGEOUS on Sunday. Most of these pics were taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. I also want to note that all of these pics were taken with my iPhone camera...using the Camera+ app which I adore!!!

Don't be surprised if you see one of those two family pics on our Christmas card this year!

Happy Friday everyone!

Searching for Gold

We set off yesterday in search of some Colorado gold.

And boy, did we find some!

Since I'll be in Arkansas next weekend (Woo Pig Sooie!) and we have plans the weekend after that, we knew we had to seize the day if we wanted to see the aspens in all their golden glory. I was worried that we wouldn't see any color because things at our elevation are just beginning to change. Not so in the high country though. I kinda think that things will peak this week and after next weekend the leaves will be gone. {Note to local friends: Go soon!}

It was a beautiful day to be outside and we ended up at Mueller State Park. We haven't been there in several years but it was just as beautiful as I remembered. We enjoyed a couple of short hikes and the nature pond, where everyone but me saw salamander. We stopped at The Donut Mill in Woodland Park on our way home and ran into Santa Claus (from The North Pole). He was in his street clothes handing out candy canes. Abbey got a kick out of that!

We had a really great day. And a great weekend! Hope you did too! Oh, and please don't let the gorgeous fall foliage in the pictures fool you. It's been really HOT here lately. Who took my nice cool weather away?

10 on the 10th

It's been feeling very much like fall here lately and I think I'm finally ready to bid summer farewell and welcome my second favorite season. Here are ten things I love about fall. In no particular order.

1. Tracy's Fall Mix. Oh my goodness. This stuff is so yummy. There's no recipe really--it's just a blend of candy corn, peanuts, and Reese's pieces. I was pleasantly surprised to find candy corn at the grocery store on the very first day of September so I picked the ingredients up to make a batch of fall mix for Bunco tonight!

2. Football. I think I could seriously sit and watch football all weekend long. My husband got the artist gene instead of the sports gene so I mostly watch with Will. Will and I even joined our neighborhood Fantasy Football league together this fall. Neither of us really know what we're doing but we're having fun so far!

3. Jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts, and layers! I really never pack those things completely away during the summer, but you know it's fall when you need to wear a sweatshirt all day long as opposed to just while you're sitting outside in the evening. The fact that I've needed one a couple of days lately makes me smile.

4. The colors. Orange, gold, brown, green, red--fall colors are my favorites!

5. Vegetation. I love pumpkins and squash and gourds and vines and apples and pears and pecans and acorns. Our next door neighbors have a garden and one of their pumpkins is growing on our side of the fence. I see it every time I look out my bedroom window and it makes me happy. I'm keeping an eye on it because we've had a few nights with temps in the 30s; I don't want it to freeze!

6. Cooking. I am so ready for some fall comfort food. I really try not to turn my oven on in the summer any more than I have to. I also can't stand eating "fall/winter" foods like soup and pot roast in the summer. I love to cook but I love it most in the fall.

7. Aspen trees. I like maples and elms and hickory trees too, but aspens are my very favorite. Their leaves turn the most beautiful shade of gold which is so striking in contrast to the white bark. The slightest fall breeze causes the aspen leaves to quake ever so gently, and it's one of my very favorite things in the world. Stunning. Yesterday afternoon, John and I planned a mountain drive for an upcoming weekend--all we need are for the trees to cooperate and turn colors! I hear that's beginning to happen at higher elevations. 

I took this picture in Cripple Creek, CO a few years ago. 

8. Crisp air. I love opening our windows and feeling the cool breeze blow through the house. I think crisp fall air even has it's own unique smell. 

9. Time change. I know lots of people don't like it getting dark at 5pm, but I love it. I love having an early dinner then putting on warm pjs and settling in for the night. Plus, after a summer of re-runs all the good television shows are back on in the fall! (I'm looking forward to Glee and Friday Night Lights. And really wishing we had a DVR).

10. Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks. I love the gingerbread lattes too but pumpkin spice is my fall favorite!

If you're feeling listy today, link up with a post of any ten things on your mind. The possibilites are limitless! Hope you all have a great weekend. Peace out, peeps.

Ketchup

Ketchup? Yeah, I should probably just say catch-up, but ketchup is more fun. Isn't ketchup a weird word?

My sister had her baby! James Michael arrived Tuesday evening weighing 5lbs 15oz. He had some breathing issues and was in the NICU (still is actually) but he's doing GREAT now and is off of oxygen and may get to go home in a couple of days! I'm going to see him in about three weeks and am super duper excited! He is C-U-T-E. And I rarely say that about newborns.

It is REALLY starting to feel like fall here. We've had extremely chilly mornings for a couple of weeks now, and our high temp today is supposed to be 70! I love it. John usually takes our middle-schoolers to school each morning but today I volunteered to drive them so that I could swing by Starbucks. There's just something about forty-five degree mornings that screams pumpkin spice latte! It was delicious.

Despite downing copious amounts of Emergen-C, I finally succumbed to the cold that has been pestering me. Yuck. I'm hoping it's short-lived. I went to bed at 8:45pm last night and I never do that. I have some time at home this morning and was actually excited about getting caught up on some stuff around here but it's hard to get motivated to do anything when you feel terrible. Blech. I'm hoping to squeeze in a nap later. Or sooner. Sooner sounds much better than later.

I am so happy to report that I've been walking and hiking for a few weeks now and am finally pain-free! I do have a little bit of pain if I forget to stretch really well after working out, which is huge motivation to not forget! I am sooooooooooo grateful to be on this side of my injury.

Saying yes. Or no.

Usually when our summer starts drawing to a close, I start thinking about my fall schedule and the things I want to commit to during the school year. I currently have four email messages in my inbox asking me for a big commitment for fall. Four. That's a lot considering it's not even August yet.

Those four emails are overwhelming me right now. I'm not afraid of commitment, but I am afraid of losing myself in activity. Been there, done that, and hated every minute of it.

I took some time Sunday afternoon to jot down some thoughts that should probably become a permanent set of questions to ask myself before I commit to anything. Feel free to add to my list. Or to disagree with me. 

1. Does saying yes to this make me happy? Bring me joy?

2. Or does it cause me to feel stress? Why?

3. Does it cause me to feel guilt? I decided a couple of years ago that I was not going to let guilt be a motivator in decisions I make. The end result is never a good one when I follow guilt's lead.

4. Do I genuinely want to invest in this project? In these people?

5. Is it the right thing to do? Is there benefit/reward in pushing through hard things simply because it's the right thing?

6. Does this commitment reflect my priorities? Does it add to or detract from them?

7. Is saying yes realistic? Do I have the time? The energy? The resolve to see it through to the end?

8. Does saying yes leave room for spontaneity? That might sound selfish but days that are full of commitments leave little room for play. And play is important. For all of us.

9. What do I sense God is asking me to do?

10. What does my family think about me saying yes? Or no?

Honestly, some decisions are bigger than others but I think this is a good place (for me) to start.

A couple additional thoughts:

Just because I'm good at something doesn't necessarily mean I'm called to do it. 

Just because I'm good at something doesn't necessarily mean I always enjoy it.

Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. I get into big trouble when I utter the word "maybe". 

I'd love to know if you have questions you ask yourself before you commit to things or what your decision making process looks like. Seriously!

Quiet

I guess I've been a little quiet lately around here.

(By the way, it cracks me up that if I slack a bit in posting so many of you email/call/text me to see if I'm okay. Thanks for checking on me you guys!)

I'm really okay. It's just been a weird week for me.

It's been a little over two months since my dad died. Autumn has been a season of restoration for me--physically, spiritually, and emotionally--but it has also been a hard season.

I've been thinking a lot about what I was doing this time last year. I was getting ready to go to Arkansas for a football weekend with my dad's side of my family. That was the last time I remember my dad being healthy. Just six days after I got home from that weekend, my dad called me from the hospital in Fayetteville, where he was experiencing symptoms that led to his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. He lived 9 months and one day after that phone call.

My dad would have been sixty-four this past Monday. A couple of days before his birthday I found his baby book in some stuff I was sorting through. I am thrilled to have such an amazing keepsake, but it's hard to look through it because for me it represents something so final. The book chronicles the beginning days of his life, and yet I was there for so many of his last ones. Lots of conflicting thoughts and emotions.

One of my dear friends is journeying through cancer with her dad right now. Their family has had a rough week and so many of her updates have left me with a familiar heaviness of heart. I know that there are no magic words to lessen her pain. I also know that sometimes the path she's walking will get narrow and she'll have to walk it alone. Other times that same path will widen so that friends (like me) can come and walk alongside her. Both the narrow and the wide are necessary. My heart has been very, very heavy for her this week because I understand a lot of what she's feeling. And it makes me sad all over again.

I really am okay. Just giving myself some space (and grace) to be quiet, to hurt, to think, to pray, and to just be.

Wishful thinking on this Wednesday...

I wish today had been a snow day. It's snowing (and blowing) but looks like our district is having school.

I wish that I had time today to pull out my sewing machine and finish the kids costumes. (Wow, never thought I'd say that but weirdly, it's true).

I wish I had a day to stay at home this week. And I wish the next two weekends weren't so full.

I wish I had time to blog about the two salesgirls I've encountered in the last few weeks who have given me a major complex about my wrinkles.

I wish I had time to blog, period.

And I wish I had time to read and comment on the posts that are piling up in my google reader. I feel like such a bad blog friend these days.

I wish every day could be like Monday was for me this week. I started out with a heavy heart, but God sent some dear friends my way and TOTALLY redeemed the day. I will blog about it as soon as I quit meeting myself coming and going.

I wish October didn't feel so busy.

I wish I was drinking a Pumpkin Spice latte from Starbucks right now. (Yes, I'm addicted).

I wish the Razorbacks hadn't had to play the referees AND the Gators on Saturday. I'm still bitter about their loss. I wish I could get over it.

I wish breakfast would make itself. But it won't. So I must go.

Bye.

By the way, this week John is giving away a book and a notebook. If you're interested, there is still time to enter his giveaway.

Howdy.

I have so many thoughts swirling around in my head these days. I've tried to blog about a few of them and just can't seem to get what is in my head to make any sense once I start typing.

So I'm just going to catch up on what's going on around here.

It's been a short week for us. Yesterday was a half-day of school (for my middle-schoolers) and everyone is out today and tomorrow. I slept late this morning (7am is late for me) and the kids are still sleeping. I'm excited about this four-day weekend. Just wish John didn't have to work and could hang out with us.

Today is full of parent-teacher conferences for me. And house cleaning. I also need to finish up my menu plan and grocery list and figure out when I can grocery shop without taking everyone to the store with me! It will probably end up being this weekend, but of course, I have to arrange my schedule around the Arkansas-Florida game and a few other important things. Our weekend is pretty full...and I'm trying to be okay with that. I don't know when I turned into such an anti-activity girl.

Sarah loves to cook and bake and yesterday afternoon asked if she could make some play-dough. I love that she still loves playing with play-dough. After making sure we had all the ingredients (we had to empty the salt-shaker) we whipped up a batch. Seriously, this is the easiest recipe. Takes five minutes from start to finish and it kept her happy for a long time!

Sarah also wanted to bake something. I suggested we make something with pumpkin since I had an open can in the fridge from my pumpkin spice latte. She agreed and we did some searching. She decided against Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups and Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Muffins in favor of a Pumpkin Cake Roll. Oh my goodness. It was good! And she learned some fancy-schmancy baking skills while her mother learned patience. Win-win!

By the way, is there a canned pumpkin shortage on your grocery store shelves? I have had a HARD time finding it this fall. I finally found some and now I'm hoarding it. I think others have the same idea! It's scarce around these parts.

One of the things we're going to do this weekend is get our Halloween costumes made. This is probably the first time in 10 years that I've been on the ball in this area. I'm costume challenged, but I figure if I start this weekend then I'll have plenty of time to NOT stress about it. I'm DYING to tell you what my kids are going to be, but I'd rather show you a picture once we're finished with our costume creations. The girls have changed their minds a dozen times, but I think they've finally settled on something and they're going to be CUTE! Stay tuned...

I have so much more to say, but I've run out of time. Must get moving. I'll be back soon!

PS--Today is the last day to enter the book/shirt/cap giveaway on John's blog.

Because I like to share good things AND calories.

I went to the store last night.

I'm a huge homebody, but being quarantined all week with swiney children started to take it's toll on me and I knew I needed a sanity break. [Note: Going to Walmart isn't really a sanity break, but following a Walmart trip with a Pumpkin Spice latte will get you back on track rather quickly.]

I was wandering the aisles of Wal-Mart and happened upon the candy corn. Oh my, MY. I love that sugary-yellow-white-and-orange-triangular-shaped-candy SO much. It's probably a very good thing that it's only available seasonally.

I couldn't resist putting it in my buggy (that's a cart for all you non-Southerners).

And then I remembered the Fall Mix that my friend, Tracy, brought to our scrapbook-fest last weekend--the Fall Mix that I could not leave alone because I have no willpower and gained four pounds from inhaling nibbled on all weekend.

It's a mix of candy corn, Reese's pieces, and peanuts. The combination of flavors is WONDERFUL, and the colors just scream fall!

The memory of it's deliciousness was enough to make me turn my buggy-cart around and head to the back of the store for some peanuts (roasted, salted or unsalted) and then to the candy aisle to find the Reese's pieces.

I don't really think there is an exact recipe. You just dump it all in a bowl and mix it up. I used about half a bag of candy corn (because I have some purists in my house who haven't become Fall Mix converts...yet), half a bag of the Reese's, and maybe 3/4 jar of the peanuts.

It is SO pretty and SO good.

Especially with coffee.

You're welcome. Happy Friday.

PS (for the grandparents)--Sarah went back to school today, and we're both dreading the make-up work she's going to be bringing home! Abbey's school was closed for a teacher workday so she's home with me. They've both been fever-free since yesterday morning. Woohoo! We may even go for a drive to see the aspens this weekend.

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Fall officially begins today.

That means that yesterday was the last day of summer.

Evidently that meant nothing to mother nature since it S-N-O-W-E-D at my house. You read that right. SNOW. On the last day of summer.

I love snow. I really do. I just prefer it to snow during the winter and not in the summer, fall, and spring. I want to enjoy a bit more of fall before we see more of the powdery white stuff.

It snowed on and off all day yesterday, but very little of it stuck. Thank goodness. More snow is in the forecast, but by the weekend we'll be back in the 60s/70s. I'm heading to the mountains this weekend and hoping that this crazy weather doesn't affect the fall foliage!

Here are a few pics I took for the amusement of all you Southerners.

See my roses? They've been gorgeous all summer, but those are probably the last blooms I'll enjoy for long while--overnight temps in the 20s/30s will make sure of that.

Happy Fall Ya'll! Who wants to come play in the snow with me? Smile.

Wrapupalooza: School Edition

Love that Wrapupalooza title? Me too. I borrowed it from Lisa, who borrowed it from Tiffani. Tiffani is quite the clever one.

My kids started school yesterday....

Everyone had a great first day. School actually started last week, but since we were in AR, yesterday was our official first day. Everyone jumped right in without incident. The biggest shocker of the day? I didn't shed a single tear. Unbelievable! 

Abbey has the same teacher/class as last year (huge blessing!) and is my only child left at our beloved elementary school. Sarah started middle school and has all of Will's teachers from last year (another huge blessing). Will is such a laid-back kid that it didn't matter which teachers he ended up with as long as he was with his friends. Everyone is happy, including ME!

I had lots and lots of running around to do while they were in school. Abbey has an Epipen for an allergy to pistachios so I had to get that refilled and all of her medical forms signed/faxed to the school, and get some appointments scheduled for check-ups/shots next week. Also had to buy groceries since I haven't cooked in a month. I've been gone three of the last four weeks and I am so tired of eating out. Ugh. I'm finding it really hard to get back in the menu-planning/cooking groove though. 

Of course I also had to make a second trip to Walmart after dinner for school supplies. I was amazed a couple of weeks ago when I took the kids shopping and we found everything on our list in one trip to one store. I should have known that was too good to be true. Will and Sarah came home yesterday with an *updated* list (never mind that the list that I shopped from was the one I printed from the school website--argh!). Why do teachers do that? I feel like I'm bleeding money again and I'm ready to stop!

I usually draw the line at new backpacks. (Remember this question from last year?) No one in our family got a new one last year...but this year I caved. Poor Abbey has never had a new one. She's always used her sister and brother's hand-me-downs, and I promised her this year would be different. Sadly, I didn't get one purchased before the events of last weekend transpired so her daddy took her out last Sunday afternoon to find one. She loves it. Will scored a new one too. It was my dad's. 

I am really hoping that the routine of the school year will help me settle into a nice pattern for the fall. Honestly, I feel like we had NO summer. Things with my dad started getting really serious one week into our summer and they went quickly downhill from there. So much of my summer was spent on the phone or on the road or in a state of worry. I'm very sad that he's gone, sure, but I'm hoping that I can begin to move forward without his health weighing constantly on my heart and mind.

I let go of two HUGE volunteer commitments this year. I feel a lot of relief about that as well. You cannot know how free I feel. It's a really good feeling! I'm trying to get a feel for my weekly schedule and not overload myself. I'm such a homebody and need lots of space built into my week! 

It's been feeling very fall-ish here this week which is a very nice change from the heat and humidity we experienced in AR. The kids wore jackets to school today and I just made another pot of coffee. I love fall! And since summer was such a blur, I fully intend to revel in my second favorite season--autumn!!! 

Spinning

Whew! It's been a whirlwind week and I feel like I'm still spinning.

Just wanted to check in and thank all of you for your words, prayers, and thoughts for my family last week. They made all the difference. Truly.

I'm still processing some of my emotions from last week (and the entire summer, really). I feel sad, relieved, frustrated, and many more things. Maybe one day I will share some of that here. Right now though I am spent. Emotionally. Mentally. Physically. 

And this week is shaping up to be BUSY. My kids missed their first two days of school last week, so we're getting ready for "our" first day tomorrow. They're excited but I'm feeling like summer ended WAY too abruptly. I'm also looking at my calendar for this week and trying not to scream! My mind and body are so tired and I feel like I can barely keep up with the hundred and one things that need to be done right away. Ugh. More prayers please!

Anyway, I must get going. I have school paperwork to fill out, backpacks to load, outfits to get ready, and I really want to enjoy some family time before tucking my kiddos in bed.

Thank you again for your prayers. I'm deeply grateful.