Are we there yet…

Carving the pumpkin every Halloween remains one of my favorite childhood memories. Each October, dad and I would sit on the front porch and carve triangle eyes, a triangle nose, and a snaggle toothed grin into that years “perfect” pumpkin. Afterwards, dad would nod and say, “I think this is the best jack-o’-lantern yet”. Our yearly tradition was complete when all of the lights were turned off and the pumpkin was lit for all to see.

Last night, G and I continued the tradition with two pumpkins of our own. This year, Mary Reese was able to get in on the action. This in turn meant double the mess. And double the stomach ache for sweet Sadie who consumed just about every seed that hit the floor.  

Tonight, before we lit our pumpkins, we headed to a Halloween cookout up the street. We are so blessed to live in a family oriented neighborhood with lots of children and activity. MR loved being around the big kids and G and I loved talking Georgia football with our neighbors.

As usual, here are a dozen or so pics of our sweet babygirl…

Heading to the neighborhood Halloween cookout

Sweet Mary Reese stayed up later than normal so she wouldn’t miss out on all of the trick-or-treaters. Is this child not the spitting image of her daddy?!

Pink Poodle made her way to the neighborhood fall festival, fashionably late, arriving in a 2008 Lil’ Miss Rosy car. Heads turned as she made her entrance. Smiling from ear to ear, there was no doubt that she loved her costume and every bit of the attention she was getting from the neighborhood moms and dads.

This years festival included a howl-o-ween dog show, a kiddie costume parade, a chili cookoff and a charity cake auction, as well as pizza, prizes, crafts, and an oversized moonwalk for the “big kids”.

After the fall festival, Pink Poodle was off to yet another event. This time, she was cheering on Aunt B, Sweet Anne, Nuni, and Amy as they walked their final lap in the Atlanta 3-Day walk for breast cancer. These four amazing girls walked 60 miles in three days in memory of Anne’s mom, Linda Lee Harvey.  We are extremely proud of their hard work and commitment to finding a cure for breast cancer! If you would like to donate to the cause, please visit my sister-in-laws personal page.

Aunt B and Mary Reese

Nuni and Anne (first cousins) both lost their mom’s to cancer in the last 5 years.

Harvey’s Hooters: Amy, Nuni, Anne, and Hannah

We’re celebrating big over Georgia’s win against LCU! Sweet Mary Reese loved all of the action. She may not be able to cheer the traditional “Gooooo Dawgs”, but she can sure put on one heck of a gameface!

Because few things in life are sweeter than an almost 13 month old little girl and a warm, homemade apple pie…

This Sunday is our much anticipated neighborhood fall festival. There will be apple bobbing, hayrides, and of course, a costume parade. There will also be a charity cake auction. Desperate to “get-in”  with the other neighborhood moms, I eagerly volunteered to make a pie.

After comparing dozens of recipes, I finally settled on one and spent the next four hours trying to come up with a snazzy name for my apple pie.  A name that would make my pie a winner; a name that would bring in the big bucks and make me the talk of the neighborhood. Finally, I settled on “Classic Apple Pie”. Ok, I know, nothing exciting, but how can you go wrong with a pie that has “classic” in the title?! I figure my biggest competition will come from some other pie that will be named “Granny’s famous _____ pie”.

Anyways, last night, G and I did a run-through of the recipe. We cored, peeled, and sliced 8 cups of Granny Smith and McIntosh apples. After baking for an hour, we sat back and enjoyed our first ever attempt at apple pie. I don’t want to toot my own horn, but this “classic” pie puts “granny’s” to shame… 

We’ve been putting in a lot of porch time lately. MR loves watching the leaves fall from her rocking chair. We are a sight to be seen. Like two old ladies, we rock and talk for hours. Yesterday, we talked politics. Today we discussed the latest fashion trends. We decided that funky leggings, pink overalls, and Georgia Bulldawg attire are this season’s must-haves. Apparently, learning to walk before your 13th month birthday and the neighborhood costume parade is soooo not in style this year. 

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“She” talks. And I listen. With a touch of a button, she provides both text and verbal driving directions. She also gives me live traffic updates and is compatible with my Bluetooth wireless. Her “points of interest” feature is my favorite. Based on my location, she lists nearby food, gas, transit, lodging, banks, recreation, entertainment, attractions, hospitals, and auto services. Oh yeah, and shopping. Thanks to her, I now know my way to Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square. God love her, she’s the gift that keeps giving.  

G surprised me with my insta-friend for my 29th birthday. To say that I am “directionally challenged” would be a huge understatement. To put it mildly, I get lost, and I mean really lost, just about anytime I leave my comfort zone. Worse that my sense of direction is my absolute refusal to stop and ask for directions. This in turn means that MR and I ride aimlessly around the big city of Atlanta on average of about 3 hours a week. But not anymore. The possibilities are endless with my new sidekick, “Greta Garmin”! I can’t wait to see where she takes me today!

Thanks to everyone for the sweet Birthday wishes! On Thursday, I took MR to Gran C and Big Daddy’s for the weekend. Later that night, G and I went out, childless, for a special birthday dinner at PF Changs. On Friday, we met Hannah, Brantley, Kate and Wes for dinner and drinks at a Mexican restaurant.

Saturday was all about the Wings Over Marietta Air Show at Dobbins air reserve base. Fortunately for me, cooler weather, long lines, and a big crowd had us home by halftime for the GA/Vandy game. The highlight of Saturday was meeting Big Daddy and Gran C in Dacula to pick up Mary Reese. It had only been 3 days, but I swear she had grown a mile! A big thanks to mom and dad for taking such good care of our sweet baby girl!

On Sunday, we watched the airshow from our front porch. For some reason, I feel like that statement should be followed by, “you might be a redneck if…”  Regardless, we sat outside for hours, took no fewer than 300 pictures, and ooed and ahed at the various aircrafts as they flew directly over our house.

I’m sure once MR gets word of my new friend, she’s gonna want her own “Greta Garmin” for Lil’ Miss Rosy.

Please join me in wishing Car a happy XXth birthday!  I’m not sure if I’m able to disclose actual age, so I’m playing it safe for now.  You can’t take any chances on a big day like this…you know how it is.  Don’t want to hear the one that starts off “do you remember my XXth birthday, when you told everyone…”.  However, for a small fee…rather a donation…to her birthday fund, I may be able to disclose the second digit. I’m sure you could figure out the first since she’s not really that young…but not really that old either. Careful…I may be cutting it a little close with that last line.

Anyway, may MR sleep late (so that Car can do the same), may she wake up happy, and may her mom love the gift her husband gave her.  You can’t ask for much more than that on your birthday.

I love you Car

g

Chicken Pot Pie Dinner at Aunt and Uncle B’s,

an early surprise birthday cake,

sweet chubby thighs,

Petey Pie’s Kitchen–it’s open 24 hours and is a lot cleaner than the Waffle House,

Georgia streets lined of gold,

and constant smiles from sweet Mary Reese!