Sleepy Fall

Happy Glorious Monday Evening!

What a crazy week it's been. Up until Saturday, Dave had worked 12 days straight and when he works like that, it means I work like that. Even though he had worked like a dog, Dave had plans to do this, and that, go to Mason's soccer game, and then the next thing, too. I suggested that we go into slow-motion and do a little as we could possibly get away with. We slept in, ran one errand and went to Mason's soccer game on Saturday. They won! The Pistol Pete's Pirates are undefeated!

On Sunday, we went to Dixon and conquered the World's Largest Corn Maze. Yes! It actually holds the world record! Isn't that cool? Well as cool as it is, it wasn't cool at all in the literal sense! It was sweltering hot and muggy but fun. Dave did an amazing job reading the map and with only one wrong turn, we did the maze in an hour and fifteen minutes! We made one more stop at Pedrick's Produce where we know we can always get the freshest fruits and veggies for pennies. We stuck with the plan and came home in the afternoon and did whatever each of us wanted to do. Dave painted, Mason watched a movie, and I napped.

I can't help but feel like when the season changes from summer to fall, as the days get shorter and the nights cooler, our bodies feel the changes. So many of us are moving a little slower and ready for bed a bit earlier. As we adjust, we get a second wind, so to speak, and find ourselves back in the swing of things just in time for all the extra activities the holidays bring. I say go with it. It you're sleepy, go to bed early. If anyone asks, tell them Kathy said you could!

Happy Fall and remember:

“Sometimes the most productive thing one can do is to sleep.”

Fall Fun!

Making Amends and It's Fall!

The week is here! My favorite week of the year....Fall officially begins this week! The weather has been cooperating as well, a little overcast, some sprinkles yesterday...it really puts me in the mood to rake leaves, build a fire, make a pot of soup, and bake cookies.

In the meantime, on another frequency our family is going through many of the same things families all across the country are going through. Financial/mortgage stuff, balancing all of our daily chores with a little of what we "want" to do and suffice it say, we sometime get crabby. I've been crabby on and off for the last week or two and God bless my husband for putting up with me. I was given some sage advice before we married to always choose my words and before I speak them, make sure they are loving and will lift my husband up. I've not been practicing that lately and I feel the hurt in my heart. I feel that he doesn't feel my love for him the way I truly feel it. I really opened my eyes to this when I witnessed someone else not choosing her words as carefully as I thought she could. I'm sharing this with all of you because as a weekly column about life, good and bad, I want to share with you when it's not all rosy. I want you to know that we all have times we have to say, "I'm sorry" and make amends. This is one of those times for me. Are you listening Dave?

With that, I always seem to bounce back and find something to smile about. Mason and I were invited to a freinds house to pick apples. What fun! After a lovely visit we came home and made mini apple pies. I have some work to do making apple butter and pie filling, but I'm looking forward to it, the weather is lending itself to apples and cinnamon simmering on the stove. What lifts you up when you've been down? For me it is the colors and smells of fall, oh and the singing-cooked-turkey hat at K-Mart! How can you take life so seriously holding a singing-cooked-turkey hat?

I wish I had said this, but I didn't. Doesn't mean I can't...and I will! Big smiles!

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

Pictures of Pie & Grown Up Smiles!

Mason making mini pie!
Dave driving the Nascar!

Busy! Busy! Busy!

This was a weekend full of opportunities, much like many weekends I suppose, but in Auburn some weekends there are many big events that you just can't do it all.

Friday we went to the fair, Fast Fridays motorcycle races, ate some fair food (I love the corn dog!), and we rocked out to our 80's favorites with Tainted Love!

Saturday, Mason and I took care of some business while Dave was off at a game day and we all met up at James and Lisa's for a barbecue that evening. What a lovely group of people and kids (that sounds like I'm implying kids aren't people...I crack myself up!). Mason had a ball with Dolan and guess what happened? Mason asked if he could spend the night, James said, "yes" and Dave and I got a bonus date night! I LOVE when that happens! I can't say we painted the town red or anything, but a Redbox, some microwave popcorn and getting to sleep in on Sunday, well, that's alright!

Sunday Dave went to a Tea Party rally, I got groceries and we met up with James and Lisa again at the fair for the Demolition Derby. The boys all went to the crash-'em smash-'em while Lisa and I worked in the Sierra Brokers Real Estate booth and then we headed home for bath and bed time. All in all, it was a lovely weekend. A good balance of work and play and lots of time with friends!

What about you, did you do anything fun this weekend? Do tell, I would love to hear!

Today's motivator really resonates with me right now. I am in a cycle where I am having to think and rethink something. Have you ever had to do that? Did you come up with a solution that allowed you to do what you wanted to do? I'm hopeful I've found my solution but the answer still remains to be seen. I'll keep you posted!

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
- Buckminster Fuller

Holiday Edition!

I like that, we have a Monday holiday and it gives me license to take all kinds of liberties! Not only was Monday a holiday (Excuses! Excuses!), but as I was writing on Tuesday, the call came from the school nurse that Mason broke his arm. Needless to say, here we are on Wednesday and I'm writing so you won't think I'm a complete slacker!

I started out this week on Tuesday with lofty goals and great expectations...yet what I feel like is I'm living the old adage, If you want to see God laugh, make plans! I'm gonna run and catch up to the week I had planned and I'll write more next week. Lots of love and laughter! Kathy

Summer 2010 Highlights!

I thought instead of recapping the last few weeks of not-so-much-fun, I would go back over the summer and post some pics of the Fun, Friends, and More!

We spent lots of time at the ARD pool. I expect this is the last year Mason will pass for "little enough" to play in the water park.

I love this picture! Mason wanted desperately to mow the lawn. Something told me to capture this moment in time as I expect he won't be that enthusiastic ever again...at least about mowing the lawn! Priceless!

Many afternoons were spent selling lemonade in front of the house. There just wasn't an opportunity to get a good shot without posing it. I didn't want to stage it so this is what we get! Oh, and by the way, in this economy, Mason did alright selling lemonade!

If my memory serves me, Mason spent more nights sleeping on the front deck this summer than he did in his own bed. I say it's because his room was such a disaster, good, restful sleep was just not possible. He will tell you something completely different. No matter, that's what summertime is for, warm nights that make sleeping outside so enjoyable!

The girls had pretty feet all summer long! What girls you ask?

Kathy, Diana, and Julianne in this picture!

And here the three ladies are getting ready to go out with our lucky guy, Dave!

Max, Kathy, and Julianne.

We had a lovely cocktail party one Saturday in July while Julianne was visiting from Minnesota. We had such a wonderful visit. I hope I can post pictures next summer of my family visiting hers in Minnesota!

Lots and lots of new Smoshpellow recipes! These are caramel smoshpellows, one dusted in powdered sugar and the other dusted in cinnamon chocolate. Oh yeah, they are to die for! And don't forget Teresa's homemade truffles. Mason said they are the best candy he's ever eaten...now that's say'n something!

Mason got his own set of paints and figures to paint while school was out. This is really a milestone for us because painting miniature figures is Dave's favorite pastime so Mason being interested, too is pretty cool!

Spencer turned one!

We celebrated with cake while we sang Happy Birthday!

Just so y'all know, Spencer ate the vanilla icing but not the chocolate cupcake.

That part was just for show!

Back to school! Mason started the 1st grade!

Ms. Morris is his teacher and he gets to ride the bus! Note: It's very important to Mason to look like a teenager...note the jeans and shoes - key pieces!

With back-to-school came soccer! Yay! Mason is #6 and plays on the Pistol Pete's Pirate's team. He really loves soccer and loves playing goalie! This is gonna be great fun for all of us...can you tell who's really getting in the spirit? Opening day for SoccerFest 2010 and Dave was our official "Pirate!"

Mason got to call the toss! We won the flip!

My little goalie in action! This was his first scrimmage...or real game as he will tell you. Hey, they played another team, I'd say that's real!

And of course, he had to pose for mom!

It's been a great summer. I'm ready to head into fall and then winter. We have big plans for ZipperBack Gloves and you all know we are planning to move from the Aeolia house after the first of the year. We will be staying local for another couple of years, but we all know how fast time flies! I hope you had as much fun this summer as we did! Drop me note and tell me what your highlight was over the last few months. I love hearing back from all of you! Have a great week and thanks for not giving me too much grief for being late! Smiles!