Fall is here, I love this season! (Well, I love most seasons actually). The leaves haven't quite turned yet but they are well on their way. This year I'm ready to say good-bye to summer and embrace fall with all its cozy loveliness. I've spent my last few days off doing "fall" stuff. Hoping to go up to Greenbluff tomorrow. Yesterday, I went for a walk (and side note, ending finding a lovely green trunk at a garage sale). Anyways, this time of year is fun at the park, seeing all the squirrels scurrying around, finding acorns and what not.

Ever since I was little, my mom would take us on walks in the fall to look for bright leaves. We would take our favorites home and press them between wax paper. 

Today, my sis and cousin invited me over to make fall wreaths with them. It was so much fun. I had seen this fun fall wreath on Elise Blaha Cripe's blog earlier in the week, tutorial here. It got tucked into that "Wow, That's Cool, Maybe I'll Get Around To Making One Some Day" folder in the back of my brain. This was perfect timing, now I have my own hanging up by my front door instead. Some times you just need someone else to help kick start your crafty side into gear.

Here's mine all finished. (Of coarse I couldn't wait for decent lighting to take pics, so impatient.) I love how it's so not a typical wreath. Today brought back fun memories of making wreaths with my grandma when I was a kid, still remember my first hot glue gun burn.

This cornucopia has been at every Thanksgiving I can remember, after being moved, removed, box to bigger box to garage sale to my trunk, it had lost most of it's innards and was pretty pathetic looking. It deserved better than that, so when the new Hobby Lobby opened up, I got it some sprigs to spruce it up a bit. ... much better. Also busted out my favorite "Leaves" candle, smells perfectly of fall. And one of Gram's electric candles to finish it off. I still miss her so much. Thanksgiving this year is going to be hard...


And it wouldn't feel like fall with out a good piece of pie! Kicking off pie season with some pumpkin pies! There is something really therapeutic about making pie crust. Also made a batch of spiced cider to finish off the first weekend of fall! Off to enjoy the last glass!

Recently.

Mal's Catnip is somehow still alive...
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Fish Taco Night

With the Parents

 Note Taking & List Making

Jenn showed me a trick for our new-old camera.

the Beach

... we're back from the beach! My sis, cousins and I went to the Washington coast for a little girls vacation, a trip for just the four of us to spend time together, lots of good memories of Grandma taking us to the coast when we were younger. We really had a lovely time together! Sweet being all together, made a lot of awesome memories and reminisced about trips past. It gets a little easier to think about all that as time goes by. 

This summer is flying by!! Haven't been able to keep up with laundry and keeping the floor swept let alone Project Life. Hoping to make a dent tonight! I can't believe July is almost over, crazy! 

Life Update & Instagram Love

Instagram is my all time favorite app, I was so excited when they finally released a version for Android. I hit a hundred pictures today. When life gets crazy busy, its nice to just whip out your phone a take a quick picture to remember the moment by. Instagram helps get those phone pics a little something extra. Anyways, here are some from today.

I've been trying to focus on the good things that happen each day, which is one reason I've finally gotten on the photo-a-day bandwagon via instagram. Today, I'm grateful for a lot of things. First of all, my supportive husband, who's been by my side every day for the last three months, with all sadness and the emotional rollercoaster of loosing my grandmother. And for encouraging me through all the issues I've been having with my back and leg pain the last several months, all the foam rolling, massaging, encouraging me to keep trying things and stay on track with everything. I had an MRI of my lumbar spine done yesterday. It confirmed that I have a bulging disc that is compressing a nerve and thus causing all the pain I've been having, they seem to think it is due to my scoliosis and not any specific injury. Next week, I have an appointment with a physical therapist to see if that might help. Fingers crossed. 

I'm also grateful for all the warm weather we've been having recently. Feels like summer. The lilacs are in full swing and smell so wonderful. We've been cleaning up the garden beds, finished up the shady area near the patio yesterday. (Thanks mom for your help!) I love going to nurseries and looking at all the plants, all the green and new life is so refreshing! Today, I also stopped by the new farmer's market downtown and picked up some local honey made on the south hill. Joe and I had dinner outside for the first time this year tonight, so lovely. Nice way to end a long stretch off. Also made up a batch of my favorite summer drink - passion tea lemonade. 

I'm also grateful for my wonderful family and friends who have been so supportive and caring. I don't what I would do without all of you!

In a Nutshell

I was dropping off 3 bags at the thrift store when I found this little frame. The lady at the desk let me have it for a dollar! Woot! I love the little flowery scroll detail at the top. Joe thinks the lady is creepy, so she has to go. I personally don't think so, but I have other plans for the frame anyhow. If anybody wants the old photo, let me know.
Otherwise, just having an average evening at home. Had chicken, rice and pot stickers for dinner. Played with the cat, went to the gym (that is actually unusual). Now having a cup of tea and muddling through the mess at my desk, while making a bigger mess by taking the frame apart. It drives Joe nuts that I usually have a half dozen or so projects going at once. Anyone else have that issue? The cat is taking a nap and Joe is playing video games. Our evening in a nutshell.



Mal has his own dedicated chair in the "studio", its the now not completely yellow bentwood chair that needs the cushion bettered secured (another project) :)

Day of Thanksgiving

I love everything about Thanksgiving, it's always been my favorite holiday. This year I was so grateful to celebrate it out at Grandma's house with everyone again. Everyone made it except for my brother who is down in California. My sister and cousins and I grew up going out to Grandma's house the night before Thanksgiving. We would help make the rolls, decorate and set the table and watch (and try to help) Grandma get the turkey in the oven. These last few years things have been changing. We still go out to Grandma's house, and we still spend the night but now Grandma gets to relax and watch us work. We make sure she still has her apron on, she's always helping out with something. Things have changed a little, but it's still a wonderful day spent with family. Of all the things I'm thankful for this year I'm most grateful for the time we get to spend together!

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Fall Happenings

I always look forward to the change in seasons, it's kind of like a new beginning. New smells, the change in weather, seasonal foods and all the different festivities. With fall, I look forward to warm drinks, pulling out cozy sweaters and coats, the crisp cool air after hot summer days, crunching leaves on walks, all the vibrant fall colors and the smell of autumn. Plus, there is Thanksgiving, gathering with family, and trips to Greenbluff to pick pumpkins and apples. This fall, I'm thankful to be living in a place with four distinct seasons, thankful for having my family nearby, and for having so many wonderful supportive people in our lives. Right now, I'm sitting out on my porch drinking a pumpkin spice latte and listening to the rain pattering on the patio and the X-Country race going on across the street.

Enough of the mushy stuff... I've had some time off work and it's been nice getting stuff done around our place. Of coarse the to do list is never completely finished and things always seem to take longer than expected. But none the less, it's nice to be crossing some things off! Did a goodwill run today and dropped off eight bags of no longer needed stuff, we've been trying to trim down around here, which also means exercising restraint in what I "find" and take home from thrift stores... Today, we mowed the lawn, weeded some of the backyard beds and got some new shrubs, on a side note Joe actually told the guy at Judy's we were looking for "a shrubbery" just like the guy says it in Monte Python. Epic. We rode the Hiawatha Trail on Saturday, then came home and had a lovely barbecue with friends, Joe made ribs! They were delicious! Yesterday, we had a family get together at my aunt's house, my great uncle was in town from California. We ended up having an "indoor picnic" instead of going to Arbor Crest since the weather was threatening to rain. Anyways, hoping to get a few more things scratched off before I go back to work in the next few days.

Some pictures from our ride on the Hiawatha Trail. The ride is on the route of an old train track near the Montana/Idaho border. It takes you through ten tunnels and over seven high trestles. The longest tunnel is 1.7 miles, and is absolutely pitch black inside so you need either a head lamp or a lamp on your bike. Its a gradual downhill grade so is a fairly easy ride, about ten miles long I think. Definitely far from hard core biking, but was a fun experience!

Chinese Breakfast

Joe's family and I went out for dim sum at Noble Court. Technically it was breakfast for us, since we hadn't eaten yet. (Sorry, kind of an inside joke.) Anyways, Joe has been trying to convince me to try Chinese food again for awhile. All the little ponds and waving kitties were a kick. The hum bao was pretty good, the outside was really nice and fluffy. We'll have to try and make some again, the dough was a complete flop last time but the barbeque pork he made was amazing.

Family Photo

Picture from my birthday taken by Jenn. 

Projects

Anyone know much about flower arrangements - real or fake? I got these at Michael's but they look funny. I don't know if I should put them in a bigger container or not. Any ideas, suggestions??


One of Joe's old notebooks I'm putting to new use - I always run across cool ideas, paint colors, DIY projects, etc and then forget, so now I'll just cut them out and stick 'em in here...


Tuesday we had a girl's lunch at Twigs with my grandma. Our family seems to have a problem with blinking pictures, so these were the best two of the bunch :)




Oh, and I had a few takers at the bird feeder today, they were way to skittish, so no pictures.

Night 1

First night off spent cleaning the kitchen - thank goodness, a little overdue... and then watching the winter Olympics and eating pringles at my parent's house! My dad's been recording everything so we can come over and watch it with him. We saw the Korean ice skater do her short program last night, Kim Yu-Na, she was amazing! ... and she rocked the James Bond theme song - that was pretty awesome! Today, off to the DMV - Yippee!

Back Home

Joe and I had a nice trip to Seattle this weekend! We got to see his family, Matt and Jenn and a lot of other friends that still live on the west side. I got my new phone the "my touch" from Joe's cousin finally, so I am no longer stuck in the stone age amidst all these people with cool phones. I'm hoping the calendar part will work out well - it sinks up with gmail calendar and the hope is I will stop forgetting things and make it easier to keep track of my crazy work schedule! We went to a couple of our favorite restaurants - Dicks, Taste of India, Tubs Gourmet Subs, and the French Bakery in Eastlake! Yummy! I also had a really fun time hanging out and scrapbooking with Jenn at her condo.
Back on home front, our new "couch" showed up today. Its really more of a futon though. Joe got it all assembled while I was sleeping, so I think we will test it out tonight and watch a movie before I go to work! I got "late-started" tonight, so I don't have to go to work until 2300! Super excited about that!! I'll have to put up some pictures in the next week or so. The house is finally starting to come together and not feel like a big empty box ;)
I'm also really excited for Thanksgiving - only 2 days away! Tomorrow, Rachel and I are going to make some pies and apparently our cousins are coming to help out as well. We're planning on a pecan, apple and 2 pumpkins - scaling down from the 13 or 15 pies we made last year! That was a little much! Then in the evening, we're going out to my Grandma's to marinade the turkey and get the rolls started! ... can't wait!!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!!