showered with gifts

Fall is jam packed with holidays.  Seems like Halloween just magically runs into New Years in the blink of an eye.  Holidays are always a time of year that bring family, near and far, together to celebrate.  And, my family has extra reason to celebrate this year.  My sis is expecting her first baby!  So between trick or treating and the Macy's Day Parade, we've also had some showers for Baby H.  You know I love a party, and a party with a good theme is even better.  Baby showers are the perfect event to really play out a theme start to finish.  The first shower was a couple's Build-A-Library shower.  From library book check out card invitations to chalk board art, this harvest-hued party felt like a back to school get together.  It was the perfect theme for guys and girls to enjoy.  The boys were able to man the hamburgers on the grill while the girls handcrafted bookmarks at a craft station.  And everyone loved bringing a gift of their favorite childhood book.

The second shower was a women's tea.  It was so fun putting together the details of this delicate theme.  Enjoy the pictures from the more recent tea.

Baby H is due late December...so excited to be getting a niece/nephew for Christmas!!!

gratefully yours,

my belly may be stuffed, but not as full as my heart.
blessings span from wall to wall, i know not where to start.
 dear loved ones, kind words, even a little green in my wallet.
were i to load it all in the car, 'twould be impossible to haul it. 
each moment a gift, a demonstration of grace. 
His daily provision is perfect for each struggle that we face.

visions of goodness surrounding, i whisper word's of praise,
"thank you, Lord, for these blessings. thank you for these days."

wishing you and yours a happy {and exceedingly good} thanksgiving
*from the lunchbox buddies*

gone fishin...

gettin' cheeky

Last weekend Sarah and I enjoyed a special treat as Sarah's sister, Nita, was in town! The warm fall Saturday morning air beckoned us to Star Bagel for a quick bite and the to Cheekwood a stroll amongst the trees and flowers... and the little young'uns that were frolicking in the grass.

Botanical gardens exist in so many cities and serve as great locations for picnics, photos shoots, and leisurely naps. Admission can be a little pricy, so check out special promotions and special discounts for students/seniors/veterans!

sweet november

hey, november, we thought that was you!  

tonight's sunset was a perfect reminder of why we love fall.  and, why fall gets better and better the further we ease into it.   other reasons we love fall include:

*boots, glittens, scarves...and the plethora of other amazing fall accessories

*hot beverages/cocoa/cider/all-things-delicious 

*candy apples, funnel cake, corn on the cob and other fair carny food

*bursting colors of changing leaves

As a farewell to october's jack'o'lanterns and a nod to november's pumpkin pies,  we've include a wonderful way to continue celebrating the big man on campus (aka the pumpkin):

1.  Gather supplies to gut your pumpkin: knives and scooper tools. Cut around the stem and remove the top hat. Go to town! Dig out the guts and junk the mushy innards, while keeping all seeds separate.

2.  Wash and strain seeds.  Let dry.

3.  Lay seeds out on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with olive oil and sea salt. Bake at 350 until golden brown.

4.  Savor your pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds)!

5.  Consider carving a last name initial or a non-holiday specific symbol, such as a heart, to use as fall decoration. If you are scratching up a pumpkin pie, skin your pumpkin and bake flesh...mash, add other ingredients, season and enjoy.