Picture Time!

This year I decided not to get school pictures. I did buy the class picture, just not the individual ones. Instead, I wanted to get some individual and family pictures taken outside with the fall colors. Well, that didn't happen. By the time I got around to taking the pictures, the fall colors were almost gone. But the field grass was still really pretty. Julie and crew met up with us, and we took a bunch of pictures. Some even turned out decent! :)

Yea, it's over!

Good Attitude

I am definitely a summer person! As the weather gets colder, I'm really doing my best to keep a good attitude. So I decided to share some of my favorite things about autumn:

1. Pumpkin Bars. My friend Carrie got me hooked on pumpkin bars many many years ago. In turn, I've gotten a lot of people hooked on them too! The recipe is super-easy and highly addictive.


Pumpkin Bars:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1 cup oil (can subst. applesauce)
15 oz can pumpkin
4 eggs

Mix everything together. Pour into greased jelly roll pan (a deep cookie sheet).
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup margarine
3 oz cream cheese
1 Tbs milk
1 Tbs vanilla

Spread frosting on cooled pumpking bars.

2. Scentsy Wickless Candles. My friend Julie got me hooked on Scentsy. I love the fact that it's wickless, and it's really easy to change out scents. I enjoy my Scentsy candle warmer (the Zensy) all year long. Havana Cabana is my favorite summer scent. I've just switched to more fall-type scents like Pumpkin Roll and Clove & Cinnamon.

****

OK, I'm in trouble. Those are the only 2 things I could come up with! I'll keep thinking.

(2 days later) I thought of one more:

3. All of the grasses that were causing my allergies are dying, so after 3 weeks my ears are finally unplugged! I'm very grateful for that.

See what a great attitude I have?

This Morning's Outing

Julie and I took the kids to the Thanksgiving Point Gardens this morning. The gardens really are unbelievably pretty all times of year!

Here's a slideshow of the adventure:



To view my comments on each picture (and to view larger versions of the pictures), go to the web album.

Talk about a fun group of kids.

The Surgery Song

Grandma Jodi had her appendix out a couple days ago. Josh wrote this note to her:

Get well soon, Grandma Jodi!

SNOW!

The snow has officially arrived. I am NOT ready for this! Good thing it's supposed to be 70 degrees by next weekend.

Football in the rain

Saturday morning, Matt had a football game, and it was mid 50's and POURING RAIN! We were soaked, but we could still feel our fingers and toes.


The other team's awnings were tilted to shelter them against the driving rain.



Matt at half time.



Joey, Kate and Josh trying to stay dry and warm. I LOVE the double jogging stroller. It comes in handy when I have a ton of stuff to haul to the games.