Friday and Fall Favorites

Happy Friday!! Are you ready for the weekend? I'm so ready, I'm taking an extra day off! Actually, Ken has an appointment with his orthopedist today and the kids are out of school, so I took the day off to be with them. I'll be visiting the office later in my costume with the kids, so I can take a "family" picture with my co-workers. The last one we have (see below) is outdated.


I'm excited because the whole family is going with a Harry Potter theme for Halloween this year. I've always wanted a themed set of costumes. I've forced it a few years, but this year I actually get it! And it's Harry Potter!! Come back Monday for pictures!

Today I'm linking up with Elaine at The Miss-Elaine-eous Life for some Halloween/Fall themed Old School Blogging

What is your favorite Halloween candy? I am an equal opportunity candy eater. Sometimes I'm in the mood for sour or fruity stuff. Sometimes I've got a hankering for something covered in chocolate. The only candy I don't really care for would be something with coconut or just plain chocolate.

What is one of the worst “treats” you ever received in your candy bag? I hate those orange and black-wrapped peanut butter candies. Those are nasty. I'm pretty sure they are the same ones that keep getting passed around from house to house throughout the generations. Those things are like the fruitcake of Halloween! Yuck!

What was one of your favorite costumes you wore when you were a kid? I had some good costumes as a kid. I remember being Punky Brewster one year. That was fun. We also did a lot of mix and match costumes when my parents would bring a trash bag full of old costumes pieces out of the attic and we'd just throw something random together.

How about your favorite costume as an adult? I love dressing up as an adult! Last year I was Wyld Style from the Lego Movie. The year before that I was Bones from the TV show. And Ken was Booth. My first year at my current job I dressed up as the Paper Bag Princess {affiliate link} from the children's book of the same name. That year was epic in terms of work participation. I anticipate this year's costume to be the best ever, though!

That's my BOSS with the green face and purple hair!!

What scares you most on Halloween? Running out of candy? Getting those nasty peanut butter candies in my kids' bags? Not much else, really.

So then, what is your favorite scary movie?? I love scary movies! I'm not sure I really have a favorite. I just the genre. I have especially fond memories of the time I watched "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" while babysitting, fell asleep on the couch, and then freaked out when the parents came home. Good time!

Moving on to Turkey Day.. What is your favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal? The end when everyone else is washing dishes and I don't have to help because I cooked the meal!

What is your favorite piece of clothing or accessory to wear in the Fall? I'm a big fan of boots. Boots with long sweaters and leggings. Also scarves.

What is your favorite pie? If you do not like pie I will forgive you but then what is your favorite Fall dessert? 
I like pie, but I don't love it. I like cherry pie if it's warm. I'll also take a warm slice of apple. I don't care much for pumpkin, but that just leaves more for you, right?

Do you live where there are four seasons? If so, where is your favorite place to see the fall colors? 
We've got all the seasons here. Even that nasty, cold one called winter. I live in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia, so we've got beautiful color around here this time of year. I get to drive down the interstate on Sunday to drop my kids off with my parents, so I'm looking forward to the drive. Henry is known for gasping out of the blue, "MOMMY! Look at the colors! Aren't they beautiful!!" (Almost as beautiful as his heart and love for God's beauty!)

Outside my office

What is your favorite fall tradition? 
I love trick or treating with my kids. I love that it's socially acceptable for me to dress up and be silly with my kids in public. I love apple picking and pumpkin patching* (although we didn't get to do either this year). I love taking a drive just to look at all the colors around us.

Is there anything else special about the Fall to you?
I like the family-ness* of Fall. The weather seems to keep people indoors and we spend more time snuggling because of it. I don't like cold weather, but I'll take any excuse to curl up on the couch with a good book and my favorite people.

*I'm just making up some words here; don't mind me.

Are you a Fall fan?

I am...

I wasn't going to post today since I posted so late yesterday. Then I saw that Elaine is doing some Old School Blogging again and I though I might as well write something. These are always fun!

This month is a bit different.  Copy the bold words and then the rest is up to you.  Fill in the words or sentences however you wish. Link up over at Elaine's.

I am hiding at work. We're technically closed today, but I took Frances and Benjamin to school and thought I'd pop in here for some writing time before I have to be somewhere at 10.

I wonder how much longer this knot in my shoulder is going to be around. I had a nice massage yesterday and she really worked on it, but it's still there. I want my full range of movement back, y'all!

I hear absolutely nothing! That's why I snuck into my office!

I see my computer screens and desk. I see the reflection of sunlight in the windows around me. I see work that should get done that going to have to wait until tomorrow!

I want to have a good time today. It's employee appreciation day! I have a Pilates class at 10, buffet lunch at 11:30, super fun BINGO after lunch and then I'm going to try out the challenge course on campus. I hope my shoulder will allow for all of that! And I want to ride my bike today.

I am glad for a relaxing week, but ready to have students and classes back next week. We have a new full time employee starting and I'm excited to meet him and get him acclimated.

I pretend that I'm not annoyed to do 95% of the housework. Some days I pretend better than others.

I feel excited for today. (Except for the shoulder thing. Did I mention that already?!)

I touch lives everyday. Hopefully in a positive way. I love the interactions I get to have with my own kids, with future educators, and with people in general.

I worry about my kids. Will they grow up to be responsible adults? Some mornings when I'm reminding them to brush their teeth for the 647th day in a row, I wonder about that a lot.

I cry when other people cry. I cry at movies, commercials, books, YouTube videos. I cry a lot, I think, but they're mostly happy tears. Or little pieces of big emotions leaking out of my eyes. Or maybe onions...

I am just realizing that I've already completed this prompt twice. I guess that's because I am a lot of different things. There are so many ways to interpret those two words.

I understand that there are always reasons for behavior even when we can't see them or figure them out.

I say a lot of things over and over again. Hello? Is this thing on!?!

I dream about a bigger house in a better neighborhood where we have more than one toilet and a place for the kids to play and ride bikes.

I try to be a good person. I know I fall short of that on some days, but I truly hope that I am making the world a better place one tiny moment at a time.

I hope that my kids and my husband and my parents and my brothers and my friends all know how much I love them.

I am feeling awfully reflective at this point! I wasn't completely expecting that, but it's not a bad way to start the day!

What are you...?

How Harry Potter Changed my Life and Other Quirkiness

Are you up for some Old School Blogging! I am! And I wrote this in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep, so it might be extra fun to read!!

Are you young at heart or an old soul? Can I say both? Right off the bat, I'm cheating and not following the rules. Please don't tell on me! I think I'm young at heart because I like to laugh and be silly. I'm pretty good at getting the kids to roll their eyes at me. It is a rare day that goes by without a few belly laughs or practical jokes. I don't take most things too seriously.

Halloween 2014

I'd also consider myself a bit of an old soul because I like the classics. I don't tend to get caught up in trends, instead I opt for tried and true. When it comes to music, fashion, or decorating I'm usually a few years decades behind.

Tell me about a movie/book that has changed your life. So many books to choose from!! This is probably not getting at the heart of the question, but here's what came to mind anyway: I'm a big Harry Potter fan. I have read all the books multiple times and passed that love on to my kids. I'm currently reading them the first book at bedtime and I think I'm just as excited about it as they are. But it is the first read that sticks out for me. Ken and I read the entire series out loud to each other. We got the first book when I was in college shortly after it had come out in paperback. I read a chapter or two and he mentioned that he'd like to read it too. So we started reading aloud to each other.

When we started it was just the two of us with school and work and not many other commitments. As the years went by we had to fit in our reading around new jobs, moves, and kids. It got much harder to do and there were many times that we thought about just reading by ourselves and taking turns. But we kept at it and stayed up way past bedtime, read on road trips, and persevered.

I think it helped strengthen us and was a great way for us to honor our marriage and our time together.

Would you like to reconnect with any friends you’ve lost contact with? I did, not too long ago!
I have another story that won't fit here about a friend I've lost. I think I'm still on the fence about whether I want to re-connecct with her. There's a lot of hurt left over from that relationship. That story to me a long time to finally write and I'll likely share it when the time feels right.

Where was your favorite place to go when you were a little kid? My grandparents' house! The lived a few hours north of us in Texas. They had a huge yard with gardens and gullies and trees and grass and horses next door. And the house had a screened porch area with my grandmother's teaching materials: thin paper that was excellent for coloring on, multi-colored, rectangular crayons, and lots of shelves and cabinets to go through. We played dominoes at the table after dinner and we always had room for butter pecan ice cream because "it melts down into the spaces between everything else in your belly, so it doesn't take up any extra space."

Do you enjoy being with only one or two friends, or with a large group of people? It used to be that I enjoyed larger crowds. Or maybe I just tolerated them better. These days I'd love to have some time with just a friend or two. It would be even more amazing if we could take turns speaking a few sentences at a time without being interrupted by munchkins!

What’s your "quirkiest" habit? I often twist and twirl my tongue in my mouth. You'd probably never notice I was doing it. It starts to annoy me after a while, but I mostly do it without thinking.

What part of the past year sticks out in your mind? I feel like there are so many firsts and milestones happening all the time and that makes it hard to choose. As a family we are moving permanently out of the toddler/pre-school era. For the past 11 years I've had someone who needed more or less constant supervision. Schedules always had to be bent around nap times and meals. It's been a gradual move, and I might not have noticed it if I hadn't tried to answer this question, but my kids are a lot more self-sufficient now. They can do so many things for themselves (or for each other). I won't say I'm not needed anymore, but I will say I'm needed in much different ways.

What do you use more often: your intuition or logical reasoning? Most of my decisions get made based on a gut feeling. Oftentimes I will list out the pros and cons, or try to look at something from all angles, but ultimately I go with what feels right.

Where is your favorite place to go out and eat? I'm not terribly picky when it comes to food. Especially food that I don't have to prepare! When he do get the chance to eat out, we try to pick local places and not chains for the most part. There's a new restaurant downtown called Jimmy Madison's that we've tried a few times and really enjoyed. Brussels sprouts are their specialty and they are delicious. Last time we were there I had a shrimp and spinach salad that I talked about for days: big grilled shrimp, spinach, julienned Granny Smith apples, candied walnuts, hard boiled eggs, and a peach vinaigrette dressing! Yum!!

What was the last song that was stuck in your head? I just listened to this great parody of Uptown Funk! Now both versions are stuck in my head.

What is your ethnic heritage? On my mom's side I am 1/4 Native American. That's the main piece I claim. I think my dad's family has more of a Scots-Irish background, but my brother will probably email me to correct me soon.

Give me the story of your life in six words. Quite an adventure; more to come!

Want to play along? Answer these questions and link up here.

Falling into some Old School Blogging

It's time for another edition of Old School Blogging brought to you by Elaine at "the Miss Elaine-ous life".  I think we all know that Fall is not one of my favorite seasons.  There are things I like about it, but some things I could definitely do without. But since I have no say in what the weather does, I have to grin and bear it and tolerate it the best I can. I'm trying not to be a Fall humbug--I promise!

1. What Fall traditions do you have? Fall traditions at my house include schlepping all the summer clothes downstairs and going through fall/winter clothes to be brought back up. For some reasons this transition takes about a month at my house. Clearly I'm doing it wrong! Anyone want to come show me a better way?

If you're talking fun Fall stuff, we love to go apple picking and visit the pumpkin patch. 

2. What is your favorite fall recipe? To be fair, I am looking forward to being able to cook some more Fall-type foods. I love summer fare, but I've had about enough of it for the time being. I'm ready to make chili and stew and make some yummy soups! I also love apple desserts and banana bread. I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin, but we can still be friends, right?

3. What is a favorite Fall photo (or photos) you’ve taken? This is one of those times I wish my photos were better organized. Fall is a beautiful time for pictures. The colors are so rich and the props are fun too: corn stalks, pumpkins, chrysanthemums! I also love Halloween pictures and pictures of family together at Thanksgiving.

4. Football – love it or hate it (maybe it steals your hubby away)? I feel pretty "eh" about football. Ken watches it when he can, but he misses a lot of games because of work. I don't mind sports when they are live (as opposed to on television) so maybe we can get to a JMU game this year. The stars would have to align perfectly for Ken to have the time off when there's a home game and we can afford tickets, though!

5. What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid? I don't remember too many of my costumes from childhood. I do remember we had a big bag full of random costume pieces that we used to create some interesting combinations from. One year, I went as a hippy. I ripped the outside seams out of a pair of my jeans and added in some hideous fabric to make my own bell bottoms. I wasn't a kid that year though. That might have been high school or college.

6. Pumpkins or Ghosts or both? I think they both make great decorations! We don't go full out ghoulish at my house, but we've got some fun items in both categories as well as Frankenstein's monster and witches.

7. What’s your favorite fall fashion item (boots? scarves? sweaters?, etc.) I do love Fall fashion. I love sweaters and corduroys, scarves and boots, fun socks and hoodies.  I struggle every year with whether or not my cords look professional enough to wear to work.

8. Is “leaf pile jumping” your thing or not? We don't have enough trees in our yard to make this question an issue. If we find a pile of leaves somewhere, I am more than happy to jump in it with the kids. I just hate the part where you have to rake it back up again!

Fun with leaves at my parents' house

9. Is “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” a must-watch at your house? <whispering> I don't think my kids have ever seen it!  I'm not good at letting the kids stay up late to watch things like that. I should probably DVR it sometime and let them see it on a Saturday.  

10. What are you going to be for Halloween this year (or your kids…)?I'm thinking we're going for a Frozen theme, although I'm not sure we can pull it off. Frances wants to be Elsa and Henry is excited about the Olaf costume I said I would make him. Benjamin, however, wants to be Batman (like he was last year) and he had refused any Frozen-related suggestions. I think he'd made a cute Sven. Maybe I'll be Sven...I haven't really decided yet!

What does Fall look like in your neck of the woods?

Old School Blogging: Summer Style

My blogging schedule has been pretty non-existent this month, so I was really excited to see Elaine offer up a new set of Old School Blogging questions! Just perfect for today, in my opinion.
If you'd like to join in, just copy the questions and answer them on your own blog. Don't forget to go link up at Elaine's place.

What was your favorite thing you did alone this summer?
With my work schedule this summer, I actually had quite a lot of alone time. I was home most afternoons around 12:30 and had a few hours to myself before I had to get kids from camp or daycare. It sounds crazy, especially coming from me, but my favorite thing I did this summer was clean and organize my house. 

What was your favorite thing you did as a family this summer?
Hands down, I think the best thing we did together this summer was going to North Myrtle Beach. Sadly, it is pretty much the only thing we did all together as a family. Even if there had been competition, though, the beach still would have been my favorite!

What books did you read this summer?
I read and re-read a ton of books this summer!! I can't possibly list them all, mainly because I'm not sure I'd even remember them all. I read a lot of romance novels. I found a lot of free ones on Amazon for my Kindle. Some of them were a waste of space, but there were some good ones too. I also read some great books with the kids: a few Wizard of Oz books, The Secret Garden, and we're finishing Peter Pan.

What do you WISH you had done this summer?
I really wish we had been able to go camping. I guess technically it's not too late. We could still go for a weekend, but I had hoped we'd get in a good week-long trip to the woods.

What movies did you see this summer (if any)?
I don't think I've been to the theater since Frozen came out, but we did watch some at home that we enjoyed. The Lego Movie was a big hit here with all five of us.

Where did you travel this summer?
I did a lot of travelling between here and Natural Bridge because that's the halfway point between my parents' house and mine. We did a lot of kid swapping at that Exxon there!! Obviously, we took a trip to North Myrtle Beach for a week. I don't think we went anywhere else.

What was your favorite treat (as in dessert) this summer?
My friend Julie had a wine party at her house back in July. She served up some delicious food that perfectly complimented the wines. She had some strawberry cheesecake bites that were just heavenly!

What did you celebrate this summer?
Right at the beginning of the summer we celebrated Henry's 7th birthday. Then a few weeks later we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary.  

Did you grow anything this summer? 
Our garden has been mostly a flop, but we did manage to grow some tomatoes and zucchini. The verdict is still out on the Brussels sprouts. 

What is a favorite post (if you blog) that you wrote this Summer?
I had a couple of good ones this summer. If you're looking for something silly, you can check out my Really Bad Poetry About Sleep.  If you want something more technical, you can read my tutorial on Image Mapping. And if you need a spiritual lift, there's Pennies Dimes From Heaven.

What is a favorite photograph that you took this summer?
My favorite pictures to take this summer were the reunion shots of my kids.  They took turns visiting my parents, so they were away from each other, sometimes for two weeks in a row. When I got them back together they were so excited to see each other I couldn't help but photograph them. Of course they usually started fighting again in the van on the way home, but it was nice while it lasted!

What do you want to do next summer?
I'm really hoping we can make camping happen next year. Another thing I've been hoping to do is to take a family vacation that's just us. We are very fortunate to spend time with extended family, but we don't often get the chance for just the five of us to hang out. 

Also linking up here:

 

How about your summer?  Any highlights you'd like to share?

March Old School Blogging: Randomness

I saw Lisa's answers to this month's Old School Blogging prompt and decided I needed to give it a shot, too! Below you will see a set of random questions and my answers to them. After you've read my answers, be sure you head over to visit the host of Old School Blogging, Elaine, at The Miss Elaine-ous Life and/or this month's co-host, Kim, at Co-Pilot Mom!
What is the last thing you watched on TV?
The last complete show I watched was an episode of Top Gear with Ken. Currently, we're watching an episode of Castle. We are way behind on the series and we've been trying to catch up on nights we're together.
When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
We went to church this morning and then afterwards Ben and I ran an errands to Lowe's to buy a new aerator for the kitchen sink. Exciting, huh!?
What is on the walls of the room you are in right now?
I am sitting in the living room and the walls are painted a lovely shade of green. My brother did it for us one summer while we were out of town. There's not much on the wall, except for some decorative shelves on the wall behind the couch.

If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
I would totally buy a new house! And I'd get Ken the truck of his dreams! After that, I'd try to save what was left over. I've got three college educations to pay for, people!!
Tell me something about you that most people don’t know.
I'm having a hard time thinking of anything people don't already know! Oh!! I was a JC Penney model one year for a back to school fashion show. I was about 7 or 8. I had a side pony tail, blue eye shadow and some totally 80s fashion going on. I'll have to check and see if my mom can find the pictures!
EDIT: SHE DID! Aren't I a cutie!?!

Who made the last incoming call on your phone?
I haven't gotten any phone calls all day today! The last person to call me was my friend Julie. She called me back yesterday afternoon to discuss a question I needed some insight on. She gives great advice!!
If you could change something about your home, without worry about expense or mess, what would you do?
Easy peasy!! I would remove the roof and change the top floor to a full story instead of 3/4. I'd add a bathroom up there and give Frances a nice bedroom of her own. I'd also finish the basement with a play room for the kids and some better storage. While we're at it, I'd add a two-story deck off the back of the house; off the main floor with a nice outdoor area and at the basement level with a patio and, heck, even a hot tub!
What was the last thing you bought?
See above for the fascinating story of the kitchen sink aerator! Now my sink only sprays down, instead of all directions!! All for only $4.98!
Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
I don't honestly know. I love roller coasters and thrill rides, but both of those seem rather extreme. I would definitely go up and watch someone else try it and then maybe do it myself.
If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who would it be?
I would eat lunch with Jennifer Lawrence. She seems like a really fun, and totally down to earth person.
Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
I'd go with Target. I could get clothes for myself and the kids, stuff for the house, and food if I needed it. All in one place!
Is the glass half empty or half full?
The glass is half full, literally and metaphorically. I am an eternal optimist. And drinking more water than I ever used to in the past!

What’s the farthest-away place you’ve been?
My mom's family lives in Alaska. I've visited there a few times. It's a beautiful place and I hope to go back again someday.
What’s under your bed?
A few weeks ago I paid Henry to clean out under the bed, so I can say with certainty that the only things under the bed are two storage bins full of out of season clothes and extra pajamas. I won't tell you what's usually under there!
What is your favorite time of day?
My favorite time of day is morning, when I wake fully rested and the rest of the house is asleep. I don't mind getting up early if I don't have to immediately jump into action. It doesn't happen often, so when it does I try to really enjoy it.
What Inspires You?
My kids inspire me. They are such sponges and they soak up everything around them. They are also fairly accurate mirrors, reflecting back their impressions of what they see. Both of those facts inspire me to be a better friend, wife, mother, and person. If they are going to copy what I do, I want to be doing the very best I can.
Don’t forget to tweet your post to @elainea and @copilotmom with the hashtag #OSBlog!

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