Mt. Charleston

We had a nice relaxing lazy Sunday together. I opted to escape the hustle and bustle and headed to the mountains. It was great, we packed a little lunch and with the little point and shoot camera in hand(I dont think it took too bad of pictures and was easier than busting out the slr) we also did a little hiking. I am hoping to go back out when Kristy and David are in town. It would be nice to get some fall pictures done.
Honestly I got out in the fresh air and loved every second of it, the sound of the grasshoppers, the wind in the trees, the smell of campfires...Just what I needed.
I came home and had to take a big nap and I feel relaxed. There is something about spending time with family and being outdoors.

What a great Sunday afternoon...

10 THINGS : CAPTURING ME RIGHT NOW

It's been awhile since I did a little capture of where I am right now. Here goes: 

1.  I am wanting to re-organize everything. And I mean everything...no drawer,closet or room is safe. It's usually when I am at my busiest that I want to get rid of any excess that has been collected (and I have no time to do it). The result is little messes and piles all around where I have started going through stuff and then had to stop for one reason or another before finishing the task. Not a good cycle.

two- I am loving netflix...how bizarre yet amusing how getting a few movies in the mail excites me.

3. oh man! I really want to get back into a healthy routine of walking and exercising before the weather turns cold. Once the cold hits I just want to curl up on the couch and watch movies.

four- suddenly i feel this urge to take MONSTROUS amounts of pictures.

5. I love my job and am really happy with what I am doing but really am eager for more. like honestly do I have to have a day off...I feel so good when I am working, maybe it is being around happiness all day that I crave to be around such positiveness and all the love.

six...Allison is loving school and has such a good attitude lately. I have a hard time believing she is a 9th grader.

7. totally happy that kristy will be visiting in a few weeks.

eight - BON JOVI has a new single out, which makes my heart happy.

9. I have started Christmas shopping...woot woot

TEN I am planning a babyshower, cookie exchange, christmas card making night, girls night out, and looking for a way to somehow organize all my recipes. toatally random-ness

NEXT BIRTHDAY VICTIM...CINDY on September 30th!

Cindy will be celebrating a birthday on the 30th. Now what shall we do for her?

Bwahahaha...the wheels are spinning. I will keep you posted as to how we will be celebrating!

SUNDAY BIRTHDAYS!!!

Sunday our social calendar was bursting with Fall birthdays. It was an amazing day...

Cindy and Diane pulled off surprising Mimi with a DIVA birthday. Allison and I were giggling with anticipation as she walked up the driveway. The look on her face...priceless....
We found out that Aunt Cindy can tell a good story. She really had Mimi going with stories of Uncle Tom's broken down truck and that they needed to rescue him before heading to dinner.
Diane, Tom and Ron made kabobs for dinner that were so good and then there was cake. I think Mimi really enjoyed her birthday. It was nice hanging out and celebrating.

Here are a couple pics from her DIVA birthday...Happy Birthday Mimi Jones

 Her diva cake was Y U M M Y!!!

We started Sunday  off with Izaiah's birthday at Chuck e cheese he is now 13. I know I had a blast catching up with Chris's family and seeing Heather. They also just got the keys for their new house..YIPPEEEE!!!


Here are a few Pictures from that party...Izaiah is Christophers nephew, for those that didnt know. :) and I did NOT i repeat did NOT have anything to do with cupcakes. ha ha I knew we would be having cake at Mimi's surprise birthday later that evening so I was holding out for that, and I was not the person in charge of allison and icing on the nose. umm...Christopher!

I DID IT!

I have organized my scrapbook paper by color and theme and holidays...yes it is true I need a studio/scrap office again. 
With fingers crossed maybe next year I will have that space to spread out and create. However I did notice how like a freight train as I got deeper and deeper into my scrapbook closet and into my paper jsut how much I am going to love getting back into a routine of scrapping. The challenge is finding a Creative memories and Stampin up consultant to host my party on Oct. 4th it is a Sunday. And you guessed it...no one is wanting to work so to speak on a Sunday.

This weekend I have  a few photo opportunities so be on the lookout for pictures. 
Also I have added to the left of our blog other blogs that are fun and inspiring. If you see any please let me know and we can add them to our list. I am on the hunt for a awesome cookie/cookie exchange theme one. Monday is going to be my fun day so...I cant believe I have two days off in a row. 

Randomness........

Was looking at some pictures I took with the point and shoot and thought I would share this one....A little challenge I have put on myself is to be able to shoot if I have to with this  sony cybershot point and shoot camera, instead of always breaking out the big gun. ha ha
Not bad, and faster than setting up the good camera. We take this one to places where my camera might get too damaged, so I really want to be able to take nice pictures with it too.

Christopher and I had a fun day off together hanging out and then we went and had lunch at a restaurant by our house. We were able to sit outside and talk and people watch. When we got home and were walking the dogs we saw the rainbow.
Kinda fun.

September Birthdays! September anniversary's!

 

Celebrating birthdays this month are:

(if I have forgotten anyone, please let me know and I will get you added)

Cindy Jones

Mimi aka Dorothy Jones aka Grandma Jones ...ha ha 

Uncle Johnny Santos

My dear friend Beverly is also celebrating this month

Birthdays for me are always a time for me to reflect on the past year, and what I want or expect of me for this next year. I think that we all grow and learn everyday and to think 365 days of learning WOW...that is amazing.

What are your birthday wishes, or favorite birthday traditions?

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Celebrating 19 years of lovey dovey-ness this month are:

(if I have forgotten anyone, please let me know and I will get you added)

Johnny and Carol Santos

Congratulations, and do share how you do it!

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This last weekend I had the girls over to make wine cork trivets...the project was a little harder than I expected only because wine corks are not all the same size and the frames were tricky but all in all for our first project not too shabby.

Saturday...and preparing for a busy day

Saturdays at the chapel (Chapel of the Flowers) is always fun because it is alot busier that most other days of the week. I get to see many couples venture off into their new lives together. I get to see all the fun dresses, flowers, cakes, you name it I am gonna see it.
I have many things to accomplish after work as well, I have some ladies form work and family coming over for an afternoon of crafts, coffee, and fun. Probably alot of gossiping too.
I have somehow been blessed with the friendship of one special lady...Beverly.
she was one of the first ladies at the chapel that I can say I admire. She is such a sweet lady and has a heart of gold. For me friendship is alittle harder than I think for most. I dont trust easily, and am a bit quirky. This is one of those friendships I have been watching others have and wondering just how some people do it. She has an overwhelming amount of love for her husband that is so touching.
I cant wait for Cindy and Diane to meet her.
So I guess I better close for now...I will be writing more and sharing pictures of our fine Sunday afternoon later...
I know when you see what we make, you will want me to post the instructions!

Happiness is...

Talking to my mom on the phone and re-connecting with old friends building new friendships!
Today is happiness...

Wow! I just got a reminder email that pumpkin spice lattes are back at starbucks...just one more reason to love fall? Oh hec yeah!

FALLING IN LOVE WITH SEPTEMBER

I think it is something your born with...I definitely am a fall girl. I mean some people are summer people(Allison) and some are so into fall they can taste it. That would be me!
I can taste the crisp anticipation of the things to come, fall fairs, pumpkin everything, crisp leaves under our feet.
school has started, Allison loves it even if she trys to grumble about all the homework. she is already reciting things to us in Japanese(which is so cool). I am seriously thinking that if she were smart she would take as many years of it.
For me this time of year brings me back to a time of great excitement, that at an early age was created by my mother. She was the greatest mom in the world, having 7 children and on a tight budget we always had what we needed.
I can taste her apple dumplings and oatmeal cookies just thinking of our fall adventures. Not only did fall bring fun events like back to school, pumpkin carving (which by the way I won first place in 2rd grade with my pirate pumpkin she lovingly helped me create) or the homemade vampire costume which I took first place in 4th grade over all the kids whose parents bought their kids costumes ( I won a pac man game for that one...i remember Jolene, Jennifer and I played it for hours) but it meant feel good food too. You know on days I would rush home from school to the smell of her homemade chicken noodle soup which you cant have without fresh baked bread...life was good. I think that is why the minute it is chilly out I will try to duplicate that same tradition, in hopes that Allison will feel the way I felt.
On my day off I find myself hidden in a sea of cookbooks, planning my fall baking and deciding just what my menus will consist of. I have some new recipes that I want to give a whirl but my mom's favorites are on the top of my list of must haves.
Funny how my favorite things circle around fall. My mom, pumpkin everything, crunchy leaves, comfort food, Halloween, thanksgiving, the smell of cinnamon, the fact that it gets darker earlier so by 5pm the smell of a crisp autumn night has filled the air, and being able to wear scarves. Somehow I have this love of homemade scarves and the more deep the orange and brown the more I love it...
Below find a recipe for a new cookie that I will be baking in the next week(of course it would involve pumpkin...enjoy!

PUMPKIN-SPICED BALLS
prep:30min Bake:16min

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 Cup Powdered sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1/2 Tsp Pumpkin pie spice
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Cup chopped Pecans,toasted
Pumpkin-spiced glaze
3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1Tsp Pumpkin pie spice
3/4 Tsp half and half, cream, or milk

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Beat in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on med. Butter that is softened, powdered sugar and vanilla until combined. Beat in Pumpkin pie spice and as much flour as you can with the mixer. stir in remaining flour and pecans.
2. Shape dough into1-inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 16 to 18 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completly.
3. dip tops of cooled cookies into pumpkin spiced glaze. Place cookies on wire racks, glazed tops up, and let stand about 1 hour or until set.
Makes about 48.

PUMPKIN SPICED GLAZE:
Combine 3/4 C. powdered sugar and 1 Tsp pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl. Stir in enough half and half, milk or cream (3-4 tsp) to mmake glaze of desired consistency. Makes 1/2 cup.

I hope that you enjoy the cookie recipe and maybe share one of your own...

Happy Fall
Holly