life {lately}

I have been quiet on here, and for that I apologize. But on the other hand, maybe that's not such a bad thing because it means I'm living life, right :) And you know I love fall, so I've just been so busy enjoying the most out of the season.

So, what have I been up to? Where to start!? Hmm, let's see. I visited family for my dad's birthday, went to a pumpkin patch, visited family for mi madre's birthday, hosted my first witch party (which I will post next time about :)), hosted my first garage sale, been drinking wine by the fire, cooking comfort food for my love and just recently, I was bit by the cleaning/organization bug, and I cannot stop cleaning!? Who am I?? Oh, and I've also been dabbling in some crafts. So, you see, I've been busy. Busy having fun!

Happy August!

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Happy August, friends!

I can't believe its already here. The summer has really flown by with the summer heat being ridiculously hot. I am determined to enjoy the rest of my summer and attempt to be outside as much as I can. More swimming, walking, biking...hopefully no more staining the fence {see photo below}

That's me after 8 hours of staining our fence in the 100+ degree weather. The only good thing about this photo is that I look like a BA {Bad Ass}. And I wanted to kick one certain fellow's arse after shaking his finger at me for not staining the fence 2 months after he power washed it. But, HELLO!? Its seriously seriously hot out there. HOWEVER, I do think I lost like 5 lbs. of water from working outside, which made me smile when I stepped on the scale.

Anyways, I am a bad person. BECAUSE, I'm looking forward to the fall. UGH, I know, I know. Wasn't I just saying I was determined to enjoy the rest of the summer!? And I am. Seriously, I am. But, a girl can day dream, right?

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I am down for all the things listed above. And little does the hubs know, but he is too!

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{Pumpkin Pancake recipe}

{Banana Nutella Pumpkin Bread recipe}

Happy November!

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"In all things, give thanks." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Happy November, friends! Can you believe it is already here? Wasn't it just over 100 degrees not to long ago when I was laying out by the pool and getting my tan on? Sheesh, time really does fly when you are having too much fun.

November means Thanksgiving and that means Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Well, that AND Giving Thanks :) So I thought I would spend this month Giving Thanks to the One who has blessed me with so much. 

Therefore, of course I have to start off the month with thanking God for finding and saving me. When I think about who I would be or where I would be had God not rescued me, I am beyond humbled...and thankful. I honestly can't remember life without God, having been raised in a Christian home, but I can remember times where I felt lost or when I ran from God, my sin and my shame. It is a lonely feeling and a place without hope. Definitely not somewhere I would ever want to go or be in again. But little did I know then that I was not really lost or alone. God was still with me, watching over me and working through even my brokenness and drawing me closer to Him.

To put into words what God has done in my life and for my life, I'm finding to be very difficult because all that I am and all that I have is from Him. I am accepted, I am forgiven, I am found, I am saved from death and my sin (for my God has conquered both), I have hope (in His promises), and I am forever, unconditionally loved. Oh, and so much more, friends. And one of the greatest truths is, I have done nothing to receive all of this except to believe that He sent His son, Jesus, to die on the Cross as a ransom for MY sin. His love, blessings and mercies are not performance driven. They are new every morning and He extends them to me (and you) in love. 

On this November 1, I am thankful for my Lord and Savior.

May this be a blessed November for you, too!

Happy Halloween!

"Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see." ~ Linus from "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" 

Our home is ready for the Great Pumpkin and all the little Halloween Trick or Treaters. Here is a little glimpse into our festive home :)

Happy Halloween!

The Hub's Wolf Pumpkin.

Frankenstein warns the Trick or Treaters to BEWARE of the Wicked Witch!

The Wicked Witch wishes all a Happy Halloween!

Our colorful pumpkins. I love the Chevron Pumpkin :)

The Witch's Chalice :) haha

Our wicked entry way.

The Haunted Mantle

Our new polka dot pillow covers thank to the help of mom's sewing skills!

Spiders have literally taken over our home!

Nothing like glittery pumpkins and a little color to brighten even the most haunted of homes!

Our DIY Chalkboard with vintage frame displays the week's sinful menu.

Say hello to my little friend

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As soon as I decorated our house for Halloween this past weekend, lo and behold, nature adds its own little touch of decor to our home - spiders. So far 2, but really only 1 now. I accidentally killed the first one. The Hubs took some photos of it before I accidentally killed it, though. So that's nice. And I know what you are thinking. "Why didn't he kill it?" Because he is scared of spiders. And "How did you accidentally kill it? Why didn't you intentionally kill it?" Because I'm a schmuck for spiders. I've always loved Charlotte's Web, and I just can't help myself. Seriously.

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So yesterday, I found the second spider. I named him Boo. He was shy and scurried away once I found him. He did let me examine him a bit, and I spoke baby talk to him. But then he hid on the mantle with the fake spiders. I think he's confused. Oh well. He's my friend, and I'm thankful for all the other little buggies he will kill in my home.

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I wonder if I'll start seeing some witches if I start decorating with them in our home...EEK! I love Halloween :)

I would rather sit on a pumpkin

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This truly is my life right now. I LIVE for all things autumn. Por ejemplo (for example), I am not a morning person, but autumn causes me to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to go for hour walks in the dark! I love the crisp air on my face and bundling up. The morning chit-chats with God, the symphony of leaves, birds and bugs whistling in the wind, and the twinkling stars preparing to hide from the sun. Can you imagine these walks? They are so worth being tired at 9 a.m.!

And then...there's...pumpkin. I LOVE all things PUMPKIN! I am planning so many recipes to make with pumpkin :) Once the Hubs turns orange, then I know it is time to stop, but for now, we dine on pumpkin!

My newest pumpkin obsession :)

Goodbye Summer. Hello Autumn!

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Why are people so excited for Autumn? I confess, I am one of those "people" I speak of, but shouldn't I be sad summer is leaving? I love the feel of the sun on my skin, walking barefoot, wearing less constricting clothing and no layers, staying out late till it gets dark around 8:30 p.m., eating fresh fruit and veggies, and grilling outside.

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Yes, I do love summer. And I will be very sad to see it go. But, there is something magical and exciting about Autumn. The tastes, smells and scenery are quite something special altogether - apple, cinnamon, pumpkin and chili, tailgates, football games and the changing leaves. {sigh} Then, there's the holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Just seeing those words typed out gets me excited and jazzed for the upcoming months of fun to be had. These next 4 months are definitely my favorites out of the year.

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But before the sun fades into the West, the Hubs and I will be celebrating the end of summer in style by heading out on our own camping trip. I've camped in friends' backyards and fields (yes, cornfields) before, but I've never gone "real" camping. And by "real" camping, I mean more than a 5 minute walk from a friend's house. I'm pumped. I'm excited. I, I, I have no idea what to bring...

Happy End of Summer!

How will you be celebrating Labor Day?

The color of fall

Blue is everywhere! Charmeuse, denim, gingham, cotton, felt and lacquer! Blue is taking over fall colors this year, and here are a few of my favs :)

Got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight...

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YAY! It's the first day back to school for the youngins, and I'm sooo jealous! I wanna go school supply shopping and pick out some new shoes and backpack! My mom always bought me Reebok high tops. I love high tops. And I love pencils. I miss pencil sharpeners. The old school kind that were nailed to the wall and had a handle. Hmm...I wish I were a kid again.

What do you miss about the first day of school?

 And here's a little gem of a song to get you in the mood for Back to School :)

Signs of Fall

Is it just me, or does it feel like Fall is quickly approaching? 

There have been so many glimpses of Fall lately...

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The sun is less harsh, the air is slightly cooler and I swear last night I felt an autumn breeze in the air.

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I even saw a few cobwebs on our front porch and back porch last night, too!

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As I sat on our back porch breathing in the cool air, I was blessed to observe and aerial show by our local barn swallows. Have you ever seen these birds fly? They are aerial acrobats feeding on dragon flies, cicadas and other little bugs they can find as they dive through the air. A wonderful, fall prelude to behold, for sure!

Rainy Day Randomness

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It's gloomy and rainy here today. I am happy to see the rain, though. We've gone a looong time without rain. My flowers are loving this! I'm kinda loving it too. It's getting me in the mood for fall. I've been day dreaming about pumpkins, apple-scented candles, home-baked goods made with cinnamon, and...twinkling lights :)

The rainy weather brought to mind a favorite song of mine by Nicole Nordeman, "Every Season":

Love this song! Who couldn't love this song, though. Jesus. Check. Autumn. Check. Piano. Check. Sigh.

On a different note, I made this last night:

Stuffed Banana Peppers

Mi madre gave me TONS of banana peppers, so I whipped them up last night and they were soooo good! I used fat free cheddar cheese and blotted the bacon so they were not too fatty. But 80 calories each is not bad for these tasty little treats!

Also, here is my weekly menu :)

Sunday: Rubbed Flank Steak with Horseradish Cream and potato fries

Monday: Thursday: Turkey and black bean stuffed chimichangas and Stuffed Banana Peppers

Tuesday: Maple-Thyme Pork Chops and roasted asparagus

Wednesday: Sesame Orange Beef, rice and brussels sprouts

Thursday: Pasta with Garbanzo Beans and baked zucchini sticks with marinara sauce

The Perfect Weekend

Of all the days that's in the week
I dearly love but one day
And that's the day that comes betwixt
A Saturday and Monday.
~Henry Carey

There is nothing I love more than a lazy weekend, much to the dismay of the Hubsman. How did I spend my weekend? Hmm...laying in bed, watching movies, occasionally getting out of bed to eat or go the bathroom. 

I did go running twice, but I mostly spent the days mentally preparing myself for the holidays by drinking hot chocolate and watching the Holiday and other Christmas movies.

Saturday night I went over to a friend's house for a Girls' Night. We each made a dessert with pumpkin, drank wine and watched Sex and the City 2. Nothing like cream cheese, pumpkin, wine and Carry Bradshaw to heal the mind after a long work week.

The Hubs begged me to be productive, God bless is Type-A, OCD heart. But this little girl had no responsibilities and no obligations. Just the need to lay in bed and think about how blessed she is to have a free weekend with nothing to do but relax.