yes. still blogging..

yeah yeah yeah. I know. it's been almost two weeks since the last post.  short of me locking myself in a room every other day to write, that's just the way it is.  we've had grandparents come to visit, a big ol' birthday party, a bedroom redecorated, some serious cleaning out of closets, Halloween decorating, and starting at some point this week.. a new roof/screened porch/deck and fence, courtesy of repairing damage done from April storms.  and we'll roll right into a Halloween Party, and then its The Season. + a graduation. + a baby (quit getting all excited, you KNOW I'm not preggers.. I'm referring to Edie Kay). and i have two major events at work in the next two weeks, and then two smaller ones right after the two big ones.  but i wouldn't have it any other way. 

also since my last post, my boys collapsed in a major fashion. my man peyton is most likely not gonna see a helmet and pads this season.  i still love football in any way, shape or form. but for the man who is the heart and soul of the nfl to be out for the season, well.. the season just lacks. 

and while i had very much hoped to be healthy enough to run the St. Jude Half Marathon in December, i'm not quite past the IT Band issues. but i so very much want another full under my belt.. so i have NYC and Chicago in my sights. For 2012. 

know what else is ridiculous fun? painting. I did it over the summer for a work thing, and then again earlier this week with some friends. you start with a blank canvas, and a teacher walks you through how to paint. I'm no Picasso, but I can manage a pretty decent Black Kitty Popping Out of a Pumpkin! A glass or two of wine and some hilarious girlfriends help. 

So as you can see from some of the pics, Eileen's room turned out spec-tac-u-LAR! I couldn't have dreamed it would be so perfect. A friend from work helped us pick all the stuff, and it came together so nicely.  Eileen was a tad overwhelmed at first, I think she had no idea what to think.  Within about five minutes she was running around the room like mad. She loves her bunkbeds, and twice has attempted to sleep on top.. but then she gets a little weirded out and ends up on the bottom.  And she loves her little table - which she's had for years but apparently I never placed it in a proper place.  

It seems smack in the middle of her room - on top of a bright pink rug (not pictured) under a sparkly crystally pink chandelier IS the proper place. We have colored lots of pictures up there in a week. YAY!

She and friends had a blast at her gymnastics party. Admittedly, we went over the top on the bday this year. Two new bedrooms, pierced ears, cupcakes at school, gymnastics party, endless gifts, gum. It definitely went to her head. By Saturday afternoon, the constant whine of  'But I'm the Birthdaaaaaaaaaaaaay Girl' had worn thin.  but hey, a girl only turns five once. (thank God). 


The gum. Well THAT has been a hit. Every morning, before she's even had time to get the sleepies out of her eyes, she's asking for bubble gum. And on a mission  to learn how to blow a bubble. Every afternoon, before I've even said hi to her teachers, she is asking for gum.  So, maybe we'll never have to give her an allowance? Just reward her with gum? Who needs a car? Just give more gum! (I'll enjoy it while I can...)

And then there's the pumpkin bread. Oh the girl loves it. About three weeks ago, one Saturday morning, Bill asked her what she wanted for breakfast. She said something along the lines of 'Isn't it about that time when we get to have Pumpkin Bread?'  She wasn't even five yet- but she associates Fall with Mommy's making of all things Pumpkin.

Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Seeds.. and so on. It should be noted, I have made the soup every year for at least the past 7 or 8.. my friend Kristin found the recipe in Southern Living and to this day when one of us makes it we text each other. Dorks, we know. Also, two years ago my friend Tim told me of a shortage of pumpkin. Something to do with weather that year. And canned pumpkin was hard to find. I remember going to the store and buying roughly TWENTY cans of pumpkin. not lying. I'm still using some of them.... hoarder, what? 

Well anyway- I did finally get my first batch of pumpkin bread made. As always there were multiple loaves and we shared the wealth. As always Miss Thang got the biggest loaf to keep at home and ate pretty much the whole thing. And Heaven forbid you don't cover every inch with butter, she will let.you.know. (and since the kid has gained all of 3lbs in 3 years, and weighs as much or less than some of her 3 year old friends, let her eat butter). 


So there you have it. No doubt I left out some random story. I'll remember it and share it. Until then, Happy Fall Y'All.