CARVERS BEWARE:

Best in Show right here!

Matt & Jenn's First Annual Halloween Party and Pumpkin Carving Contest in our backyard was a huge success and so much fun...

Best costume

Second Best Costume :)

Carving station

Amazing table spread

Look at that pie!

Who snuck a picture of the photographer!

The Cute Hosts

The Competition

And the winner!

SATURDAY AT THE PLAYHOUSE

With the cutest little one in her skinny jeans and baby uggs...

Hahah...

The Playhouse! Can you believe it??

Daddy told her to give Aunt Kara a steak...typical Kyle.

NO CHUBBS ON THE BED

Everyone always asks me if Chubbs gets to sleep in my bed. To which I quickly reply: 'no, no!' 

But he does get to sleep in his own bed on the floor right next to mine! :) As much as I love to cuddle with him, there's one good reason he's not allowed on the bed:

Where would I fit?!?


This picture was taken last night around 11:30pm. The boy gets all out of sorts when it thunders outside and last night it was storming really bad. I thought it would help him calm down if he could lay with me. Bad idea.


I mean, he LOVED it (as you can tell he's pleasantly fast asleep while I'm taking his pic). I on the other hand, not so much. After turning on the light I quickly realized why I couldn't sleep: I was scrunched up on the edge of my bed while Chubbs strategically placed himself smack in the middle. Last time I get suckered into that one! :)

FILL IN THE BLANKS FRIDAY

1. The first thing I do in the morning to start my day is brush my teeth and walk the dog .


2. Today I wish I was at home lounging on the front porch with Chubbs and a good book .


3. If I had an extra $100 in my bank account today I'd invest in some much-needed winter snow boots. I learned from last winter that tennis shoes just won't cut it.


4. Tomorrow I'm going hiking with the neighbs and our pups! So excited .


5. Two things that don't go together are me and meat .


6. Something I can never pass up at the grocery store is the specialty baking isle. Even if I know I don't need anything, I can't talk myself into passing it by .

7. The last time I tried something new was this morning: Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Spice coffee. Which might I add totally disppointed me. A few sips into it I thought it was strangely sweet for plain black coffee (thinking it's black coffee with pumpkin spices added before brewing). Come to find out from dunkindonuts.com, they actually just pump pumpkin syrup packed with sugar and high fructose corn syrup into plain black coffee. Sad story. So I ended up dumping the sad excuse for pumpkin coffee down the drain and brewing my same old tree hugger joe. Much better.
 

Play along and go hook up at the little things we do.

 

Happy Friday!

MY OFFICE LOVES ME :)

Because I brought in a fresh loaf of this delicious Pumpkin Banana Bread from What We Ate Last Night.

I could eat pumpkin all day long and since you all know I always have bananas getting old in my kitchen, I searched for this recipe to use them both. And it was perfect. I did, howevermade a few minor additions noted below (which were DELICIOUS!):

Pumpkin Banana BreadYou Will Need:3/4 C Evaporated Cane Juice or other Vegan Sugar - I used just under 1/2 C Organic Sugar
1/2 C Maple Syrup
1/4 C Vegetable Oil (I actually used the oil, no applesauce this time! 1/4 cup won't kill you.)
1-1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1-1/2 C Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Vanilla (my addition)1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Allspice
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom (If you have it...)
2-4 Tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk (I used 6-8 Tablespoons of Almon Milk and added 1/2 C Oat Bran and 1/4 C Ground Flaxseed)
1 16 oz. Can Organic Pumpkin
2 Very Ripe BananasMethod:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 bread pans using whatever greasing method you like.

In a large bowl combine sugar, maple syrup, vegetable oil, baking soda and spices. Add flour and stir well to combine. Now add bananas and can of pumpkin. At this point we want the dough to be pour-able but definitely not runny. If your dough is too stiff loosen it up with the aforementioned non-dairy milk.

Pour into pans and bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan for 15-20 minutes then remove to wire rack. Store in closed container. Makes 2 loaves.

I higly recommend (from personal experience) putting the loaves in the oven, setting the timer, then curling up on the couch with a good book and the windows open...the smell of the bread baking and a cool breeze blowing through the house: PERFECTION.

TOO EARLY FOR NOG?

NEVER!!!

It's freezing and rainy and I might just add a little to my afternoon coffee :) mmmmm.

AWESOME NEIGHBORS + TEXAS FOOTBALL

= A "Football Station" at Jenn's 28th Birthday Party.

That's right, my new house came fully-loaded with wonderful neighbors. I don't know how I got so lucky, but they're awesome; I've got two above me (Matt & Jenn) and two next-door (Hannah & Evan)...both soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs.'!


Anyways, yesterday was not only Texas' huge rivalry against Oklahoma, but Jenn's 28th birthday party in our backyard, at the same time...Dilemma! No way I was missing the party to watch the game somewhere (since I don't have cable), so I kindly asked Matthew if I could periodically through the afternoon use their television to check the score of the game.


Well, knowing Matt & Jenn for only a few months now I've quickly learned that they know how to entertain and throw a party; and my little inquisition turned into a a full-fledged designated "Football Section" in our backyard during Jenn's party:

    (notice their flat-screen tv on the right, mounted to the deck post!)

Is that not AMAZING??

I tell you they're the best. Seriously, Fall weather, Jenn's birthday party, beer in hand and football outside? PERFECT Saturday afternoon.

The only not so perfect thing? Even though ABC all over the nation was televising the TX/OU game, apparently Pennsylvania ABC can do whatever it wants and decided Wisconsin vs. Michigan State would be a better game to air...are you kidding me?...Boo ABC.

BUT even that couldn't ruin a fun time celebrating with sweet friends and neighbors.

1.   True happiness is        being a longhorn :)  .

2.  The most surreal moment of my life was   on the plane taking off to the Dominican Republic. The month of planning, packing and prepping had flown by and before I knew it I was on the plane leaving everything and everyone I knew for something that I didn't   .

3.  My favorite texture is       fluffy. I like things fluffy: my pillows, my clothes, my pets; just not my hair :)      .

4.  My signature color is    white. Sad, but it's just so easy to match and accessorize  .

5.  My signature style is     tree-hugger/business casual/comfy/hobo/simple - all mixed into one  .

6.  If I could choose one store to spend my life savings at, it would be        Anthropologie    .

7.  My best thing about autumn is        PUMPKIN! Pumpkin everything     .