Photo A Day- October

I have watched a fellow blogger post "photo a day" challenges every month for quite some time. She always has fun pictures and I have wanted to join in for months- but I always seem to remember in the middle of the month and I figure I am too far gone.

We both get our challenge lists from an Australian blogger: Fat Mum Slim. And I can guarantee she already has November's list up.

I must admit that I would often forget for several days in a row and then I would have to go back and take several pictures. But, I completed it! And it was quite fun. The challenge really made me think about what would be an interesting picture. Although, I have a lot of room for improvement in that area!

October Photos:

1. Where you stood

We were finally able to get back to New Hampshire to visit the hubby's parents this month. Wouldn't you love to have a yard like theirs?

2. Lunchtime

No one can say I'm not a creature of habit- I don't leave the house without these two things every day. 

3. This happened today

We flew back home from New Hampshire- vacations are never as fun when you are coming home. 

4. What you read

It's pretty awesome...

5. Shadow

The extra bedroom in our house has thin drapes so as the sun sets that room gets  a little creepy. 

6. Thankful for?

Cause look at them! They are adorable! 

7. Light

Proof that I wake up way to early!

8. Angle

My Ikea bookcase/best purchase ever for this house. It holds everything and acts as a room separator. 

9. Red

The infamous red chair that the boys all fight over cause it's so comfy. 

10. Emotion

You can tell you are a therapist when: you have a wall of emotion posters...

11. Something close up

Flowers in the backyard in New Hampshire

12. On the table

When my mom came to visit in August we painted pottery with a Groupon I got. My bowl is now hanging out on my table. 

13. Landscape

Seriously, you can never say New Hampshire isn't beautiful in the fall! 

14. Makes you laugh

I'm still laugh so hard I cry when I look at this. My husband always wears aviator sunglasses. Who knew that when the lenses fall out they turn into creepy 80s/pedophile glasses?

15. Dinner Time

5 Guys= Love

16. Something you wrote

This was on my easel at work for most of October.

17. Fruit

Always have some! 

18. Made you smile today

May be dorky but this is my favorite wreath I have made so far. It has claimed it's spot till after Thanksgiving. 

19. Letters

A Hobby Lobby purchase

20. 4: o'clock

Ok- let's be honest. I TRY to be there but sometimes the couch calls to me.

21. Calm

I have realized that I can draw cartoons pretty well and it calms me when I have down time at work.

22. In your town

We live close to main street in Pineville, NC. 

23. The view from here

Another view from the plane ride home at the beginning of the month. 

24. Weather

My favorite time of year- leaves changing and cold weather! 

25. People

We went to the state fair in Maine when we visited New Hampshire- it was the only picture I could think of this month with "people". 

26. Listening to

She speaks to me! 

27. Morning

Cold weather= tea every morning. I love it. 

28. Looking back

Pretty much the last time I could wear a bikini. 

29. Moon

More proof that I wake up way to early. 

30. Clothes

All of these clothes have officially been changed out with my sweaters. Cold weather is here! 

31. Whatever you please

I LOVE my pumpkin- cause who doesn't love The Nightmare Before Christmas? 

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Wordle

Gotta love finding weird things when reading other people's blogs.

Random thing I learned today: You can go to www.wordle.net and it will create a "beautiful word cloud" that represents your blog.

Here's mine:

Plus, I learned how to do a "screen capture" picture so I now think I am very tech savvy. You know you are impressed.

Happy Friday!!

Fall Wreath

It has been a long few weeks. I lost my great grandmother the same week that we had planned a trip to see my husband's family in New Hampshire. It was nice to be able to see my family and his in such a short time but it has left me exhausted.

Before all of this happened I made a wreath for the first time in months- but I haven't had five seconds to post about it!

I have been obsessed with the burlap trend that you see all over Pinterest. This wreath is a combination of many wreaths that I liked.

All the things you will need I found at Michael's- wreath, ribbon, burlap, decorative flowers, letter, scrap book paper, and glue gun. The roll of burlap is in the floral section- and apparently hard to come by! I must not be the only one who likes the look. I bought the last roll- and almost ran out so I wish I had one more roll to make the wreath look a little more uniform.

The "R" is just a wooden letter with scrap book paper mod-podged onto it. Your glue gun becomes your best friend when making wreaths.

Happy Wednesday!

Amusing

I suppose I just need to accept the fact that I am a lazy blogger. I just lose focus. I have even thought of several blog posts recently- yet I have not written a single one. Recipes that I have already broken out that remind me of football season, my fall wreath, other random thoughts. Not a single one written.

You know what's really sad? The main reason I haven't written them is because it would require me to break out my nice camera and take a good picture- and well, who has time for that?

Anyway, instead I thought I would entertain you with why I love my job. Being in an elementary school all day is probably the most hilarious experience in my life. One, it's just visually funny watching little kids with giant book bags and their fingers up to the mouths (so they don't talk). Is that mean? It may be- but still quite funny. They literally look like at any moment they could explode just because of their need to talk.

Favorite moments to date:

I have the joy- sometimes joy, other times hate- of having an intercom in my office. So every morning I get to hear the morning/afternoon announcements. One day, the kids got "on the air" to run for student body president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. All of them got to answer the question- What is the main reason you should be elected? Best answer- BECAUSE I'M AWESOME! I mean the kid practically screamed it. Then, as usual, some little girl quite seriously explained, “because I do not run in the hall”. Clearly that is very important.

I have clients that are either: A- shy and afraid to talk much or B- loud and nutso (but in a good way). Today, I had a kid telling me that in China they make handcuffs that if you move or wiggle will get tighter and tighter until you start to bleed- then they release. While explaining this he used rubber bands on his hands and was bouncing around to demonstrate how one would try to get out of handcuffs. When I asked him how he knows this. "Because I went to visit my granddad in Kansas and his hands were bloody". Duh- gosh why am I so slow?

Or my absolute favorite client *sarcastic* who enjoys belittling me. To date I have been informed: I look like I have cancer, I look like I cry a lot, my laugh is weird and gets stuck in her head, I have corns on my feet, and she thinks I am married to a woman. Honestly, I have to force myself to laugh at this stuff or else I might start living up to the whole crying thing.

I really think I could just about update every day with amusing things my kids say. What do you think?


Oh and P.S. - It's almost Friday!!

Lemon Chewies

Does anyone else have a recipe from your family where no one knows what you are talking about when you say the name? I ask people all the time if they want me to make lemon chewies and they just stare at me.

I suppose a lemon chewie is like a lemon bar. My grandmother has made these my whole life and clearly- to me- they will always be called a lemon chewie.

We have dinner plans two nights this weekend at friend's homes so this is an easy recipe that you can whip together to feed a lot of people.

Lemon Chewies

"Crust"

1 box lemon cake mix
1/2 cup melted margarine
1 egg

Mix with spoon or fork. Pat mixture into greased 19x13 pan. Set aside.

"Topping"

8oz. pkg of cream cheese
1 box of confectioners sugar (this is how you know it's an old recipe- my guess is 1 lb.)
2 eggs
2 t. lemon flavoring

Cream the sugar and cheese, add eggs. Last add lemon flavoring. After putting this topping on the cake crust bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Will be crusty on top but still kinda gooey. Sift confectioners sugar on top while still warm. Let cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.

Hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend!

Blowing Rock

I must say the one thing I will miss about my old position is having Fridays off. It made my schedule much more flexible.

My mom and dad visited me for quite some time in the month of August. I even had the time to take a long weekend in Blowing Rock. It's funny- now that I don't go to Appalachian State University anymore I love going up to Boone/Blowing Rock but when I lived there I wanted to get out so bad. I think it is just a better vacation spot than a "living there" spot.

It just so happened that the weekend we went was Art in the Park. Anyone that is from that area knows that Art in the Park a big deal- it was packed! Lots of vendors and people visiting the area. I bought some art from a guy who lives in Atlanta. His wife is an artist also and she makes custom dog portraits. Um- yeah- I really wanted one but I don't have $500 to drop on a painting of General and Leia.  

My mom and I drove around and looked at the homes. Which we proceed to do every time we visit the mountains. The following is a tour of homes that you should feel free to buy for me- just kidding!

Maybe one of these days- when I have that dream job with summers off- I will just live in one of these homes during the summer. Ha ha- never gonna happen on a social work salary!

Happy Friday,

Lazy 5 Ranch

This weekend hubby and I needed to get out of the house. Somehow, on Saturday night I proceeded to sleep like 13 hours. Now- I admit I am a sleeper. I normally sleep about 9 hours a night. But, let me sleep 13 hours and I am a full out zombie when I wake up. I was incredibly grumpy and would have happily laid on the couch in my pj's never moving on Sunday.

Hence, we needed to get out. I try not to let myself just wallow around when I feel like that. Since we love animals, but have visited every local zoo at this point we decided to head to Mooresville to go to the Lazy 5 Ranch.

The Lazy 5 Ranch has tons of animals on it's property- everything from pigs, to water buffalo, to Texas longhorns, to zebras. You have two choices- you can either stay in your car and drive through the three miles of roads feeding the animals out of your car, or you can go a hay ride and feed the animals from there.

We are lazy and choose the car route. It was a lot of fun. I must admit that some of the animals were rather pushy and if you didn't hold onto your bucket of feed tight they would literally grab it from you. The car in front of us had their bucket stolen within one second of entering the area.

They also have an area that has different kinds of animals as a petting zoo- you just walk around that place. They had a gift shop, and possibly some other areas to roam around. Honestly, we ran out of time to see this stuff because we were in a hurry to get back home to watch the preseason Panther game with my brother!

Plus, the price for both of us and the food for the animals was only $20. That is the kinda fun that is in my budget!

Here is some of my favorite pictures of the day.

He was my favorite!

Happy Thursday!!