Happy Halloween!

Hope everyone had a very Happy Halloween!  It was too cold to trick or treat by us this year so we stayed in and passed out candy and played some board games.  My jewel miner did not seem to mind.  Afterall, he did get 7 bags of candy trick or treating at school.

Favorite Fall Festivities

With our first trip to the pumpkin patch this season behind us, we had to start thinking about what designs we would have on our pumpkins.  Last year we mastered painting and W was hoping to step it up a notch, but I was not quite ready for the actually carving process, so thankfully Target came to the rescue with "Push-in Characters."  We have a spooky Mr. Potato head and have to buy more pumpkins for Mickey and Minnie (pesky squirrels ate two of our pumpkins).

We also had a visit from some lovely Minnesotans!  It was short but sweet and since they come over a weekend, we had some free time to eat pizza, run in the backyard, and catch up.

Look at those cheeks! I just love 'em!

The artist at work.

Finished Project!

It is always so great to see them and time seems to fly even faster when catching up with a best friend.

Yesterday we ventured out to the Midwest Train Show.  I felt a little like Sheldon Cooper oohing and aahing over O gauge model trains.  We journeyed to 2 Toots for lunch and had our food brought to us by train... is there any better way?  If you are in the Glen Ellyn area, I highly recommend it.

I am not sure how many other people saw the blog with the mom who dressed her 4 year old up as a model and posed him, but I was inspired.  Lucky for me, I already dress Little Man like he is in a J. Crew advertisement, so all I needed was a nice backdrop and my camera.

What do you think? Any takers that want to feature in him in a magazine?

I thought it was fall...?

We had a jam packed weekend, as most fall weekends tend to be.  One difference though was the sweltering heat that we were surely unprepared for at the pumpkin patch.

 Despite our family sun burn, we also managed to score some pumpkins and hay stacks, the essentials to decorate a front porch.



Little Man took his entourage (Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom) and met up with his 3 amigos and their parents to tour a new pumpkin patch.  They had tractor rides, petting farms, pumpkins, and pulled pork on everything, so all and all, it was a success for the young and old alike.

"It tickles!"

Llama Llama, is that you?

There were many highlights to choose from, but the opportunity to mine for jewels, I think was a big hit.  It is furthering the new career choice.  FYI, beware of gem stones if you visit our house anytime soon.

When we were not mining, there was a park to roam, horses to ride, and general merriment to be had.

Choo Choo!

On the lookout!

Giddy up, Horsie!

Thanks again for suggesting this adventure, C family!  

Cougar 5K!

Part of our weekend festivities included a family 5K.  Maybe it was the fact that I had a ball to attend the night before, I know -- Classy, or maybe it was that I only ran about 3 times before this race did not train as vigorously as I should have, but when race day came we decided to just enjoy the fall air as we strolled through the course.  Lucky for us, it was a run/walk.  We did put the jogging shoes to good use for a little while, because W wanted to run.

The highlight for me, however, was when Little Man wanted to run across the finish line.  He ran the last .10 of a mile and everyone cheered for him when he crossed the finish line.  It was a really neat experience for both of us.  I know he is ready for his next race... I cannot quite say the same.  I think I would need to actually run on, at least, a semi-consistent basis.

Oh, Happy Day!

Last weekend, I picked up Little Man early from school and scurried to the chapel just in time to see Kim and Tony say, "I do."  It was a lovely ceremony and a hopping celebration.  

(Just a few photos of the ceremony)

Congratulations again Kim and Tony!  It was an honor to share in your day!

So Long Sweet Summer...

To say I am behind on my blogging is an understatement.

Since, I last wrote, summer came and went.  While I planned for relaxation, I do not feel like there were many days that we just played in the backyard and went on long walks.  I did complete two, week long programs at Northwestern. 

Will took my mediation training seriously

And vacation from coast to coast (more pictures from the latter when I finally download them).  All good things, all good things...

Little man is back to school and so am I.  28 more weeks (!) - of class until I graduate... not that anyone is counting.  To take full advantage of my last year of a liberal arts degree, I immersed myself in a wide range of subjects and projects to really induce stress and anxiety expand my knowledge.  Although, it is overwhelming at times, I already feel sad about leaving this welcoming and supportive community and wish I could take on even more to soak up every last ounce of academia.  W is really loving school this year which warms my heart and soul.  I was not sure how the full day commitment was going to go, but he is so enamored with learning that he "secretly" reads books under his blanket during nap time... although it is my understanding that "not even one kid rests."  Poor Ms. Preschool Teachers.

With the changing leaves and crisp air of fall, I find I am in heaven.  Do not get me wrong, I am a softie for summer and all things hot.  Eating on patios, afternoon by the kiddie pool, long days, and the lull of a summer breeze, but my true love is FALL.  If I could find a location that was fall all year long, I would move in a heartbeat.  With fall comes pumpkin everything... this may be my one disconnect with autumn.  I am not quite the pumpkin spice fanatic as some of the other people I know... and after reading what may or may not be in the pumpkin spice latte (thank you Facebook "news") I think I will stick to my -closer to how it came out of the ground- coffee.  

Hope all is well with everyone!

If I had to guess, I would say his new career choice has something to do with the photos below...
Just speculating.

Made with Love

W's new favorite food would have to be chicken noodle soup.  All winter long it was a huge fan favorite... what is not to love?  It is delicious and nutritious.  Not to mention, when cooked in the crock pot, piping hot and when it is negative 20 degrees outside that seems pretty fantastic.

Despite the end of what seemed like an eternal winter, the chicken noodle soup love has stayed strong.  So I busted out my big girl, not paring like recommended, knife and prayed I would not slice off a finger while attempting to carve out some heart shaped carrots.  What is homemade cooking without a little love?

One simple search of Pinterest, Instagram, or google for chicken noodle soup with heart shaped carrots would pull up a sufficient recipe.  I recommend using LARGE carrots and a true paring knife.  This video gives you step by step instructions with 2 methods for preparing the carrots (I used chicken breasts instead of thighs and cooked on low in the crock pot for 6 hours).