Ready for Fall.

It's beginning to feel and look a lot like fall, ya'll! I'm loving it. We have our windows open. It got cold last night so I turned the fan off early this morning. Nice.
I don't typically decorate for seasons, but I've started getting into this year. This is our dining room table which has been BARE for almost 4 years.

I'm not sure how to place a table runner so I have it at an angle. If it's straight across the table then the plates sit on the jeweled part and the ends hang in the seats. I don't know if the decorators would find shame in this or not. OH WELL. I wanted to put acorns in the tray, but they're the considered "chokables" this year so that will have to wait. I found most of this stuff at Walmart! They're getting better on the home decor. Thank you Target for raising the bar. :)

We were pulling and yelling for the HOGS this weekend, but they just couldn't pull it off. They were SO CLOSE! We handed it to Bama and based on the coaches comments and looks, I think he and everyone else knew it! We should have won that game, but maybe we'll go undefeated the rest of the year.
I made these chocolate razorbacks with heath, chocolate, and peanut butter chips for the game and they. went. FAST! I didn't get a picture of the red ones. I took those to school for the kids.

They're SO easy. We'll be making these again...and again.
Just get a candy mold on amazon or your local craft store, melt the chocolate, pour into the molds, tap the tray agaist the counter to even them out, put them in the fridge, and VOILA!

Let's go shopping.

One of Arkansas's best kept secrets has gone national. Rhea Lana's consignment sale was started by an Arkansas mom dedicated to helping other moms find bargains.
It's like the store that comes to town twice a year. I enjoy shopping with my friends and coworkers and comparing what we find. There are additional benefits to consigning with the sale. It gives you the opportunity to get the closets cleaned out AND you can shop early for the best finds.

If you live in NWA then it's not too late to start entering your items on the website. You have until midnight on Saturday September 25.
The Fayetteville Event will be September 25- October 2 at the Kantz Center. The Private Pre-Sale Event for Volunteers, Consignors, and Moms-To-Be will be Monday, September 27. Doors will be open to the public for shopping September 28-October 2.

If you can't make it to the Fayetteville event then check the website because there might be a sale coming near you. With that said, if you still can't make it to a sale near you then I think we MUST support the sale in Honolulu, Hawaii. It's part of our duty as moms, right? We support each other. I'm sure we can sign up to work a shift and earn an early shoppers pass if we hurry. WAHOO! Shopping for bargains in Hawaii. Need I say more? :)

Old School.

Look what my parents boxed up and sent home with me last weekend. They found these things in what used to be my room at their house.
I think it's safe to say that I was either REALLY well rounded or REALLY random.
We've got Disney, the fashionable Boys II Men, and country's greatest.
I'm sure I spent long hours back in 1988 waiting for "Deeper than the Holler" to play on the radio so I could hit play/record at the same time. Then I could only hope the DJ wouldn't mess it up by talking at the end of the song.

These tapes need to go in the trash, but each time I walk by them something else will catch my attention like "Wind Beneath My wings". Ha! Then I'm reminded how much I loved the movie Beaches and could have totally played the role of CC Bloom. I knew all the words, after all.

It's too bad there's not a picture to compare because we even resembled each other back in 1988 (except for the red hair part). :)
I guess one could even go so far as to say my acting career ended before it even began a few years prior with my debut of Father Abraham. I was trying out for the broadway show, Annie, at the coliseum in Russellville. In my 5 year old mind, you pay no attention to the word CUT when singing/performing Father Abraham. He had many sons after all. I am one of them and so are you so I spent the entire song praising the Lord with my right arm all the way down to my left leg.
So there we have it. NO Annie roles, NO CC Bloom, and no other acting roles ever came my way, but I still remember the words to Father Abraham and my 5 minutes of fame.

Back Seat Funnies.

Some of the funniest things are overheard coming from the backseat of my car. One day the oh so clever 5 year old picked up an airplane and narrated as the captain. He got such a laugh that he does it word for word every time there's an airplane in sight.



My new favorite description of the Bible came to fruition tonight as we were on our way home from Tiny Tims class.


5 year old photographer:




Every word of God is perfect.
Proverbs 30:5

Happy 21 Months, Wild Thing.

So.. I've really dropped the ball on the kid updates, but here's to catching up.

*Wild Thing,
You love to eat and you will eat anything.
*You are potty trained for all practical purposes. If we take you consistently, you will go!
*You say one word (Mama), but you have a vast vocabulary. When asked you can point to just about anything. The lack of speaking concerns me...OK stresses me, but maybe it's because you just can't get a word in edge wise around here. :)
*You tackle bigger kids. One being a four year old girl and she cried. (We'll teach you that's not the best way to get the girls)
*You are tough and ALL BOY!
*You can call the HOGS (well...the WOOOOO part with your hands in the air)
*You make motor sounds for toy cars, trucks, and flying airplanes.
*You like to eat in your high chair while squatting instead of sitting down.
*You automatically give hugs and kisses when I drop you off at the babysitters.
You learned this from your brother and it makes my day.
*You no longer cry in the church nursery. You do a short protest by lying (or is it laying) on the floor when we drop you off and then it's over before the door shuts behind us. The protest used to last the entire hour.
*You like to brush your teeth. You like it so much that you will take any toothbrush and toothpaste you can find and then go hide. There is a collection on our kitchen counter that I've taken from you.
*You enjoy making messes. It bothers you if things are orderly so you will promptly arrange them to your liking.
Happy 21 Months, Wild Thing!

Yes, he pushed his chair here to get a pacifier.

Diptacular!!!

I.love.boomama! I love her for the daily dose of humor she provides.
I love her because she says things like "Give the Lord a handclap of praise".
AND..I love her because of the 261+ dip recipes found here
This is tailgating heaven. AMEN?

We might be having this for supper. She's posted it a couple of times, but it's new to me and I can hardly wait to stuff myself silly with it.
White Rotel Dip

3 packages of pork sausage (mild or spicy is fine – but use at least 1 maple-flavored)
4 packages of cream cheese
2 cans of Rotel tomatoes

Brown sausage and drain. In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients and heat until cheese is melted, being careful to stir often.

Serve with tortilla chips. And as I said the first time I posted it, if you’re worried about eating cream cheese AND sausage in the same dish, don’t worry because the tomatoes are TOTALLY healthy, and therefore you’ll be just fine. (from BooMama--so you know it's true.) :)

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Boomama!
Which dip or appetizers will you be serving?

GO HOGS GO!

Falling for Fall.

Yes, I know that's a really cheesy title, but sometimes I draw title blanks and today is one of those days.
With that said, I've come to the realization that I like fall. I never thought I'd say that since I love everything about summer (minus the 110 degree temperatures) and I usually don't want summer to end, but now I'm ready.
My tomatoes and peppers were a flop this year so it's time to move on to pumpkin painting, Christmas shopping, and calling the HOGS!
I've even jumped the gun and put out some fall decorations around the house. I'm crazy like that :)
New this fall: Sprout soccer for the Preschooler. This should be interesting and his first time to play a sport.
In other news, the Commander and I are going to see Cross Canadian Ragweed Friday night and the HOGS on Saturday. I'm excited about both of these events, but I'm equally excited about sleeping until I wake up.
GO HOGS!