Coming soon to a blog near you…

Stay tuned this weekend – I'm posting pictures – eight months post-surgery.

Thought I'd tease ya a bit. 🙂

Eighteen Years

Eighteen years is a long time.

No matter how you slice it, it’s a long time.

But, in this case it has been a GOOD eighteen years. Eighteen years I look back on with affection.

You see, eighteen years ago, today, I “pledged my troth” to my soul mate.

For better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.

I think we’ve hit all of those in the past eighteen years.

And it’s only made US better.

I can’t wait to see what the NEXT eighteen years have in store.

Wordless Wednesday

Grandfather Mountain, NC

I'm gettin' that Fall feeling…

Baking day

I haven’t been in the mood to cook all week. We’ve been eating on leftovers and sandwiches for dinner most nights. My best intentions from Monday’s menu planning have been for naught. Today, however, I feel a little different – thinking about what to cook for dinner and I’ve tossed out the “plan” from Monday and moving on to cooking something that inspires me.

So, today I am baking.

First up was the baked oatmeal I love and that I make WLS-friendly so I can have it for breakfast. That’s cooling on the counter now. (minus a square I’ve already nibbled for my breakfast)

Next up is my beef with egg noodles & gravy. That will be supper. I’ll be getting it into the crock pot soon.

I’m also going to bake some bread.

Trying to decide between my recipe for Portuguese Sweet Bread or a new recipe I found for Oatmeal Bread. The Portuguese Sweet Bread never survives for more than a few minutes after it comes out of the oven. The kids and SuperMan LOVE it. The Oatmeal bread sounds yummy (and healthy) so I’m not sure which one I will make.

Do you make homemade bread? I love doing it and it’s one of my favorite fall traditions. It’s so easy if you have a bread machine – and so much better for you than the store-bought breads with all their preservatives and additives.

And, it makes the house smell so good. Add that smell to the crock-pot smells, and who WOULDN’T want to come home for supper?

I’m off to channel my inner Betty Crocker…

Wordless Wednesday

Menu Plan Monday

Wondering On Wednesday

Who knew!?!

I discovered something new about myself this weekend.

Something I would’ve never imagined.

Something that has caused me to look at myself a little differently.

What is that, you ask?

Well, I found out I love, love, love dance/hip-hop music. I guess that is what you call it. I have no clue what it’s categorized as. I don’t really care. I just love it.

La Roux

Enrique Iglesias

Lady Gaga

Taoi Cruz

Ke$ha

Seriously.

Me?

I love the beat of the songs – not that crazy about the suggestive lyrics (some of them had me going “WHAT did they just say?!”) but I’m loving that rhythmic beat.

Especially driving down the road as fast as I dare with the radio turned up as loud as I can stand.

Goodness.

The Middle-Aged-Mommy-Me is shocked.

The Other-Me is thrilled.

🙂

Welcoming Fall

Fall doesn’t officially start until September 23 – but around here, the day after Labor Day is the unofficial first day of Fall. And it sure felt Fall-ish this morning when I woke to fifty-something degree temperatures outside. How wonderful it was to feel that coolness in the air! Of course, it will be ninety before the day is out, but at least we’re getting a taste of Fall temperatures already. The girls are anxious for the cool weather, too. They have new clothes to try out and they’re ready to be able to run amok outside without coming in soaked and stinky and sweaty.

Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love it for so many reasons:

I love the crisp, cool air – and the fact that I can leave the doors and windows open all day. And I love how the sky always seems SO BLUE and so bright on those cool Autumn days.
I love the nesting instinct that kicks in when the weather changes. I want to spruce things up, tidy up, and put out new decor. (I got my Halloween/Fall decorations out of the basement this morning but am trying to resist putting them out for at least another week – although I probably won’t make it)
I love cooking new things – more comfort foods and heartier meals – with the change in weather.
I love the fact that Fall usually signals a re-start to my scrapbooking. I have a retreat this weekend and I can’t wait to spend some dedicated time on my albums. I haven’t really done much since the last retreat in April.
I love snuggling under my down comforter when the nights are cool. I am sure SuperMan is not looking forward to that – he usually melts – but I can’t wait to drag that thing out of storage and snuggle down!
I love watching the leaves fall, and the colors on the mountain outside my window change.
I love watching my kitties and pups get frisky and romp around in the cool mornings.
I love carved pumpkins, Halloween costumes, and watching the kids trick-or-treat.