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?

An emotional wreck

That is what I am right now.

My little Latino Lover of a Nephew, "Buddy," started Kindergarten right this minute, and my heart is breaking at the thought of his parents waving goodbye, and him being scared and lonely. It is the end of an era. 

He's growing up. 

Dios Mios. I can't handle this. Oh Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord. I think I'm taking it harder than him.

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

Weekly Menu...I fell a bit behind already!

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Wow, I am so good at doing things a second time...um, not so much. Ok, so I already failed at posting this week's menu, but I didn't completely forget, so here we go:

Monday: Sauteed Tilapia with Mint and tomatoes and rice

Tuesday: Chopped Greek Salad with Chicken

Wednesday: Sesame Encrusted Baked Chicken Tenders and Rice  
 
Thursday:  Lemon garlic tuna burgers and asparagus with olive oil, lemon and salt

Friday: Radiatore with fresh tomato sauce and asparagus with olive oil, lemon and salt :)

I was in Branson with the Hubs and the family for the past weekend, so I guess you could say it threw me off a bit...or its just me...no excuses, really. Enjoy!