Homestead Gardens

It's FALL!!!  ....and I LOVE fall!!!!  We've been soaking up all the wonderful weather and fall festivals in our area.  I'll do posts the next three days of the fun places we've visited so as to not overwhelm you with all the pictures in one day.

A few weeks ago, we went with the Swartz's and the Salada's to Homestead Gardens.

My little pumpkin pie...

I couldn't get enough of them picking up and posing with pumpkins.

My brave little horseback rider!

Watching the live music with daddy...

My brave horseback rider wanted NOTHING to do with this train ride....so I took a cute picture of Amelie and Linus instead.  Enjoy, Nancy!

What I've been reading

 

One of my favorite books is by Havel Kimmel, so when I came across The Solace of Leaving Early at the library, I decided to pick it up.  This was an okay read, but not nearly as enjoyable as Zippy.  Some of the conversations were witty, but I was not drawn in by the characters or their story.  The ending ties everything up in a neat little package, but it is a bit too convenient.  Read Zippy...skip this one.   

I heard good things about The Help at our book club selection meeting.  When it was on the shelf at the beach house during our family vacation, I decided to read it.  I was quickly absorbed into the characters and their story.  Stockett's novel takes place in the South during the 1950's.  "The Help" are not slaves, but they are black women, who are still victims of prejudice and sometimes persecution, working in the homes of white women.  The story volleys from the perspectives of three women, two black and one white.  It is funny, sad, disturbing, and thought provoking.  I highly recommend you add this to your reading list.








Snow Flower and the Secret Fan kicked off our book club in September after not meeting through the summer.  I liked (but didn't love) this book.  If you like Asian culture, you will be fascinated by the ancient "art" of foot binding.  Lisa See certainly has a gift for character development, but there was little hope or joy in the lives of the Chinese people depicted in her novel.

I finally read it!!!.....after Patrick's review, I decided it was time to add Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged to my list.   The time was right since I had a three hour drive (each way) by myself for a beach trip with my girlfriends.  I got through about 600 pages via audiobook.  It took me a few hundred pages, but then I really got into it.  If you enjoy politics, you should read it.  It is criticized by both liberals and conservatives....which is one reason it is so fun to discuss.  I found myself agreeing with some of her political leanings, but thought little of her view of morality.  Challenge yourself and read this one.

I was told that a good comedy read was anything "Jeeves."  I made it through most of Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse.  It was enjoyable but redundant.  Each chapter was an individual conundrum or social faux pas that needed to be solved.  It was creative and witty at times, but I don't think I'll pick up any more of these... 

Wordless Wednesday---visit with Lisa

It may be 10:33pm, but it is still technically Wednesday...

I'm a winner!

I've been blessed to win two FABULOUS prizes in the past few months, and I've just got to tell you about them.  Kara and I became blogging friends a long time ago, and she recently launched a new recipe blog.  She did a generous giveaway, and I WON!!!  Carol's Cookies are award winning (4th place in People magazine and featured on the Food Network) and just plain AMAZING!!!  They are huge!....weighing almost half a pound each.  Patrick informed me that the chocolate chip one is 1100 calories!!!  Let me tell you, every one of those calories is 100% worth every bite.  They have a strange texture, both crumbly and yet super moist.  Pure decadence.  Thanks Kara!  What a treat!

My other win, was this ADORABLE pillowcase dress for Adeline.  Thanks to Tara of Stella Sola Boutique for her generous giveaway!  Of course, I won this forever ago (so sorry Tara!), but as soon as Adeline knew I wanted her picture in it, she REFUSED to wear it.  I mean, wailing and gnashing of teeth...no way I was going to get a decent picture.  One day, I decided to have a talk with her, and she promised me she would let me take her picture in it the next day.  She did.  Thank you sweet girl.  You look beautiful!  Check out Tara's store....she has some precious Christmas stuff posted right now.

Survey Says....

So, I have a strange question for you today.  It has been on my mind since I went to the beach with three of my girlfriends a few weeks ago.  Let me paint the picture...

One friend and I were sharing a sink while we were getting ready.  She brushed her teeth, spit, and that's it.  She rinsed her toothbrush, but not her mouth.  I gave her a lot of grief for "swallowing toothpaste."  She claims she DIDN'T swallow toothpaste because she spit.  The other girls got involved.  I was sure they would back me up.  They didn't.  There were no other rinsers in our group.  I said, "Why do you think they put those paper cups in bathrooms?"  "In case you want a drink of water."  What?!?!?!  I shared the story with my husband.  He agreed that I had the craziest friends on the planet and that NORMAL people rinse.  So, for the record, do you rinse?  Comment if you wish, but please also answer the survey on the left for those who wish to remain anonymous.

Sunday Finest

It's been a while since I've done a "Sunday Finest" post.  These are from the past few weeks...

I love LOVE this hat that my friend, Jen, gave me for Camille's first birthday.  She ordered it on etsy, and it came with about 10 different flowers that you can button onto the hat.  Crazy cute!

Adeline sporting her fall coat and hat that my mom's friend made for her last year.  LOVE it!

Ocean City 2010

Finally!  After this post and a promise of a video/picture/collage of our vacation....IT'S DONE!  My fabulous husband did a fabulous job capturing our fabulous vacation.  Enjoy!

Riddle of the day

My coworkers have been getting into riddles lately.  Thought this one was cute...

You throw away the outside and then cook the inside.  After that, you eat the outside and throw away the inside.  What did you eat?

Hint:  It's a normal food that you've all heard of and probably eaten.

I'll keep the comments hidden for today and give you the answer later tonight!

Tiny Talk Tuesday

Linus and Violet, are at our house.  Adeline tells everyone she needs to go potty and goes into the bathroom.  This must remind Linus that he, too, needs to use the potty.  He promptly follows her in the bathroom and pulls down his pants.  The following dialogue ensues...

A:  Why do you have a tail?
L:  I DON'T have a TAIL!!!
A:  Yes you do.
L:  Peoples don't have tails! (the plural makes this statement even cuter).

_______________________________

Camille is starting to talk, and talk, and talk.  Soon, daddy will not have any brain space left for all the words "his girls" throw at him (yes, that includes me) at the end of the day.  Some of Camille's favorites...

choo choo!!!

gock gock (rock, rock)

I unt dat (I want that)

Ad-yine (Adeline)

Daddy

Mommy

pa pa

gahma (Grandma)

elcome (said for both thank you AND you're welcome)

Crash!

unt up! (I want up!)

ah BOOM!

It's beginning to look a lot like....FALL!

Vacation best and worst

While I'm waiting for Patrick to finish another awesome video/picture thing capturing the highlights of our recent vacation in Ocean City, MD (one of the reasons I didn't post for a week...), I'll give lists of our best and worst moments of vacation...in no particular order...

Best...
1.  Adeline was brave enough to WANT to go on the kiddy roller coaster and ferris wheel!!!  For my scared-of-her-shadow baby girl, this was HUGE!  She laughed the whole time.  It was awesome.  When she got off the ferris wheel...."Mommy, it tickled my belly!"
2.  Adeline's excitement about riding the bus to the boardwalk.
3.  Flying a kite on the beach.
4.  Ice cream....often....frequently with large spoonfuls of vanilla with rainbow sprinkles.
5.  Camille chasing the seagulls while saying "Quack!"  (which is, of course, what all birds say).
6.  Reading TWO entire books....reviews coming.
7.  Doing a 1000 piece round puzzle with Patrick.
8.  Adeline with her chin propped on her elbow on top of my dad's head while watching a ventriloquist on the boardwalk.
9.  Having grandma and paw paw with us for two days....which also includes help with the girls and the AWESOME dinner my mom made for us.
10.  The playground areas on the beach by the boardwalk.
11.  Adeline getting brave enough to splash at the edge in the ocean.
12.  The AMAZING sunset we watched.
13.  Standing on the beach watching "Earl" which really turned into a windy day that produced some super cool waves.
14.  Making memories.


Worst...
1.  Adeline throwing up (which she's never done before in her 3 1/2 years)....luckily it was the morning of the hurricane, and we planned to stay in all day anyway.  It didn't seem to phase her.  She took a 2 1/2 hour nap that day (which NEVER happens anymore), but then she felt fine.  The next day, she was back to herself and eating regular food.
2.  The girls screaming for 45 min after hauling all we could carry the first time we took them to the beach until we finally threw in the towel and made it a pool day.
3.  The Salada's getting sick and not being able to join us.
4.  The smoke detectors in our condo that WOULD NOT STOP GOING OFF at 10:30 pm.  The girls were sleeping, and Patrick and I were reading on the balcony.  It was amazing, but the girls slept through the whole thing, and it was LOUD!  Patrick ran to the store so we could change the batteries in all FIVE of the alarms.
5.  The smoke detectors going off AGAIN at 7:30 am.  This time we disconnected them all.

Change is in the air...

Camille...

My "never stays still for a moment except when completely asleep since conception" baby girl has become quite the snuggler lately.  She's even falling asleep with me some mornings.  This "not a morning person" mommy is thankful for all the morning snuggle time I can get.



























Adeline...

has started ballet class.  She loves it, and is the picture of cuteness.  Her teacher even supplies butterfly wings and flower wands during part of the class.  Seriously.