Pumpkin Carving

This year Grayson wanted a BIG pumpkin, and he could not wait to carve it.

 

No pictures, Mom!

 

He wouldn't touch the goo.

 

To allow Daddy some time with the knife, I gave Grayson some paint to keep him occupied. Battle of the pumpkins was on.



Same intense faces- they are carbon copies of each other.

 



Checking out Daddy's handy work.

 



 

I couldn't find a small candle, so I used a big one. It was a big pumpkin, it worked.

 

Once it was carved and lit, he was terrified of it.

 

Pumpkin painting was a success.



These are My Confessions...

This morning on my way to work I heard Usher's 'Confessions part 2' on the radio. Holla, 2004! I'll pause for a moment while that song gets stuck in your head, well, the chorus anyway.

 

Now keep in mind this was at 5:45 in the morning and my brain typically thinks strange things when I have a lack of sleep- so I started thinking what my confessions would be. Obviously I didn't cheat on my relationship and impregnate the chick I have on the side, so they may not be QUITE as serious as Usher- but they made me laugh when I thought about them.  So here goes nothing internet, these are my confessions....

 

...I squeeze the Hershey's syrup right out of the container and into my mouth about once a day. I'm the only one in my house who eats it, so why not.

 

...sometimes in the middle of the night when Grayson wakes up fussing about something, I lay there and wait a minute for Patrick to get up to go snuggle him back to sleep. Hubs likes to sleep on the futon, and I cant stand it- and I never let him go for more than like two minutes at most before I wake Patrick to go check on him.

 

...during the summer and weekends when Daddy works I am totally that Mom that doesn't get the kid or myself out of our jammies until he calls to say he's on his way home.

 

...my husband has a few articles of clothing that are hideous and nearly falling apart. I may have been known to pull some threads here and there when they are going into the washer to make them fall apart faster.

 

...I have no idea how to work most social media sites. FB, Instagram and Twitter are about it. I have no idea what the heck snapchat and tumbler are, but I know the teenagers love them, so they scare me.

 

....Speaking of teenagers and technology- I may have had some of my students set up my iphone. Without them, I'd have no idea how to update software, clear open apps or probably even answer my phone. I love my kiddos.

 

...As much as I love and adore my son- some mornings I literally dance out of the house so that I can go to work. The terrible two tantrums are pretty bad some days and at least I can tell the teenagers to sit down and shut up- and they have to listen! That being said, I'm always ready to race home and scoop him up for a hug and a snuggle after my little 'break'. (I also have the days where I hate to drop him off and literally think of just quitting my job and staying with him forever, so don't go calling me a bad Mom!)

 

...last week I realized after seventh period that my zipper was down and I hadn't gone to the bathroom since 7 am that morning. That's embarrassing.

 

So those are some of my confessions- what are some of yours?!

 

 

 



Three Years Down, Forever to Go!

Three years ago today I put on the prettiest dress I had ever seen and stepped off of a bus and walked towards the most handsome guy I had ever seen outside of the church where we would be married.

 

 

 

 

That day I pledged my love to this blue eyed Southern boy who made me fall oh-so-in-love with him six years prior when we met as babies our first day in college. Now, three years later I can't believe that time has gone so quickly and so slowly all in the same breath.  Some days it seems like just yesterday we were DIY-ing the details of that day, and others it feels like a whole lifetime ago.  It is a whole lifetime for Grayson, as a mere two and a half months into our crazy ride we learned about the little boy who would cement our love and make us a full fledged family.

 

We've had our share of ups and downs and bumps in the road on our three years, and I can honestly say I cant imagine being on this journey with anyone else. Nights where you work too late, mornings when the child thinks 5 am is play time and weekends full of making memories and messes. Our life may not be the textbook definition of perfect but it is perfect for us.

 

Thank you for taking the good with the bad, the crazy and the sad and loving me more each and every day. Thank you for working so hard to give us the life you want us to have and for always doing the things around here that need to get done. Without you Grayson wouldn't know how to yell when he comes charging down the stairs, soar too high up into the air, how to hide the broccoli under his plate, or say "peas!" to get whatever he wants. Thank you for teaching him all of the things you know and wanting to show him, and me, the world.

 

Thank you for loving me for who I am, flaws and snores and all, and loving me more each day.  You're the absolute best husband I could ask for and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us. As we embark on the next stage of the journey I know we'll tackle it together with love and laughter knowing that we're both in this for-ev-er.

 

I love you hubs, you're the best.

Happy Anniversary, LP.

 

 

Rubber Ducky, You're the One!

A 40-foot rubber duck, the creation of a Dutch artist named Florentijn Hofman, spent a few weeks floating in the river just off of Point State Park. He has traveled all over the world, and decided to make his US debut in Pittsburgh. The Cultural Trust originally thought this guy would get 200 visitors a day, but with a draw like a ginormous rubber duck- this guy got well over a million visitors during his three weeks in the 'Burgh.   What can I say, I guess people are just enamored with Ernie's bff. 

 

On the Duck's last Sunday in the city I finally had a chance to take Grayson down to see him. I couldn't let my kid be the only one who didn't have his picture taken in front of the Duck, and for that reason alone I paid $20 to park on Steelers game day for that crucial photo.  (Truth, I could have parked farther away for a cheaper price but I was not walking 10 blocks with a toddler in the chilly weather in traffic. It was all about convenience.)

 

But my kid, oh he didn't disappoint.  Just check out that face when he finally realized that his favorite bath toy was now roughly the size of his house.

 

 

In reality, he is pretty cute.

 

I couldn't get a picture with him in front of the duck, because goober kept turning around to point at the duck. I really need to teach this kid about a photo op moment.

 

It really is moments like this when I get to do something silly with my kid that melts my heart the most. Like when he waved bye bye to the duck and blew him kisses? I was the puddle of Mommy pushing the stroller. In my opinion that moment alone was worth my twenty bucks.

 



Pumpkin Patch Fun!

I wanted to wait for a nice fall day to go to the Pumpkin Patch, one where it wasn't too cold to go out but one that still felt like fall.  Well thank you October weather in Pittsburgh, it was near 80 last weekend as we made our annual visit to the patch.

 

 

 

The shirt I had so lovingly purchased/had monogramed for the occasion was long sleeved. So lucky for us Nana had found this shirt the week before that she had purchased way back last year. Because you cant go to the patch without a Halloween themed shirt, right?

annnd he's off. We spent literally 30 minutes chasing him through the pumpkins. The kid was a man on a mission. 

 No Aunt Maureen, it needs to be THIS big!

He found his 32 pound pumpkin. Then wouldnt look up for a picture.



The farm had first time ever pick your own apples, knocking three things off of our fall bucket list when you add in the hayride we took to get to the patch!

 

PS- Fresh picked apples are AMAZEBALLS. 

He ate three of them before we even left.

 

We've gone to the same pumpkin patch since Grayson was born, and its crazy to see the changes that have occurred in just two years.

 

three weeks old.

one. 

two.

 

Where did my itty bitty baby go?!

Do you guys have a pumpkin picking tradition?



Five on Friday!

Linking up with Darci, April, Christina, and Natasha for a little Five on Friday!
 

 

 1) You know that moment when the man child throws your iPhone into the bath because he wants the phone to see the bubbles? That's the moment you silently thank your husband for making you buy the Lifeproof case even when you really wanted the cute one from Coach instead.  Because had that thing been ruined I would have probably cried right there in the bathroom.

 

 

2) I'm totally obsessed with a nail polish from OPI called Princesses Rule. Its a pale pink with sparkles that when it chips, you cant really tell. Oh yeah, its also called Princesses Rule. Duh, no brainer there.

Trying to convince the hubs that it is this sole color alone that makes me need a mani/pedi every two weeks. Think he's going to fall for it?

 

3) We're currently attempting to design/frame in a first floor bathroom. True statement, I live in a house of six bedrooms and one bath. We need a first floor bath before potty training hits, and I want it before Christmas when the next round of houseguests arrive. While we haven't started the actual building portion I have designed the space and I know I want it to be gray and yellow. The problem? Finding tile that I like for under $20 a square foot. Seriously tile, why are you so hard to find for a reasonable price? Its a small shower that we wont use every day, so I hate to whip out the big bucks for it.

 

4) I'm all things Halloween right now, and I'm on the hunt for long sleeved yellow t-shirts to complete mine and Grayson's costumes.  Each year we attend a Halloween party and since his birth have always had a family themed costume. Last year we were a Princess, a Knight and a Dragon. This year, our costumes are a little more animated.  Need a hint? They say banana a lot.

 

5) ITS FINALLY FRIDAYYYY! I love my job as much as the next guy (and in reality probably more) but I am oh so ready for the weekend to be here.  Mainly because I had minor surgery on my leg after work on Wednesday and I am so looking forward to Saturday when I can just rest instead of racing around my classroom checking to see if my kids get where the D-P Bonds are in DNA. *Nerd Alert!*.  At least at home I can sit on my couch and have the toddler destroy the house around me. He should think its a blast. 

 

Happy Weekend, Lovelies!

 

 

#TBT

Its Throwback Thursday- and today in honor of one of my best friends in this world turning one year older I decided to do a little #tbt in her honor.

 

Senior Semi- circa 2003.

Holy Eff, who is that girl in the brown dress- oh wait that's me.

 

Anyhow- Happiest of Happy Birthdays my Manda! I cant believe that the girl I met in first grade is still there over 20 years later, pretty sure this means you're stuck with me for life! We've  been together for boyfriends, kissy socks, bad breakups, my wedding bells and baby nuggets and soon it will be your turn to be the bride (sans zilla). I hope this year is the best one yet!