on some notables...

This week has finally got back into the groove of autumn. I was do a little jib happy with the fact that it was chilly enough that I got to put footsies pjs on Sebastian last night :) Oh the little things in life. Seeing him in those pjs made me smile ear to ear. There's something about that I can not explain! 

Tonight Bobby and I are having ourselves a date night. But not just a date night but a full on all night date night. Does that make sense? So remember, what feels like forever ago, when I went to a wedding expo and won a free nights stay at a Double Tree Hotel? Remember? Well we are finally putting use to that bad boy. For a while I was afraid I lost or misplaced the coupon because I wasn't sure where we (notice I said "we" because you know who said that I was the one that put it somewhere) put it. Low and behold it was in my night stand drawer that has way too much crap in it to start with. But hey, Bobby could of stuffed it in there too! The important thing is that we found it and now we are going out for a fun filled night on the town followed by a night at a hotel. Wink. Wink. I'm thinking movie & dinner. Then a trip to a haunted house and later we'll be meeting up with some friends who we rarely get to spend time with and maybe go downtown to hop some bars. And yes, there will be some drinking involved :) It will be epic. Sebastian of course will be with his Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop having a good 'ol time. 

Next weekend is our annual Kamptoberfest with Aunt Cheryl and her gang. We'll be heading to West Chester's KOP campground! During the summer we bought a shinny new tent from REI and we can hardly wait to put it up. Very classy. I can't wait for being in tents, outdoor wilderness, the smell of camp fire & 'smores, working on my photography and just being able to breath in that fresh air! Not to mention that the whole campground does a fun trick or treat bit for the kids. Kid's get dressed in their costumes, mine will be Woody, and then they go around the campground collecting candy from everyone. Cute huh?

October is a busy month! We have three birthdays. Little Danny, Sebastian's cousin will be four years old. I seriously can't believe it. It feels like my sister in law was just pregnant with him. Then a very special birthday for Lilly pie :) One year old little pumpkin. She is so full character and is super spoiled rotten. But we love her. Last the bro in law will be turning 22 who I swear just turned 21. But ahhh well, time just flies like it's nothing.

Sunday we'll be hitting up the pumpkin patch for some pumpkin picking, hayrides and a corn maze. I am in the market for a white pumpkin this year since I think they are the coolest things ever. I'll be the creepy lady who will be picking up pumpkin stems off the ground or I might even just brake them off unattractive pumpkins for a craft that the mother in law and I will be making. I've been meaning to get to the apple orchard too! I know, I know the list goes on. But really I want to pick apples and make apple pie. I've never made apple pie and honestly don't really care for it but I just want to bake it so I can do the criss-cross crust goodness :) 

And that's some notables. Xoxo

♥A.

on being far & thankful...

Sometimes it can get hard being so far away from some of the most important people to me. Both family & friends. Some days are harder than others. When I first moved out to Philly I never would of thought I would ever have these feelings. Oh no not me. I don't need anyone. I kept everyone in my back pocket. They were missed but they were still right there. Close enough. Now I feel like I'm lost at times. 


Sadness can take over and at times like that I just pick up my phone and dial the first person that my heart picks. I can't always do this without that gut wrenching ache. But most of the time after getting off the phone I feel good. I feel like that piece of me that was lost was whole again. Even if the phone call was only three minutes long, it still makes me smile. 
I can't help be so thankful for all things in my life. Nothing better than a gratitude list to end my day :)


I'm thankful for:
staying after working to chat with Ashley on typical girl stuff
Pinterest and all it's inspiration it gives me
brittany's performance of "Run the World" on last weeks Glee episode 
a little boy with such an imagination 
technology
baby feet
a caring husband 
cute music video directed by Drew Barrymore
the sound of the rain beating on the roof
very loving in laws 
burgundy colored mums on my porch 
love is the answer to most questions in my heart
you.

♥A.

on a play date...

Today Sebastian was off of preschool. Don't ask why because I don't even know. I swear kids these days are off for all sorts of reasons! . After a doctor visit yesterday we found out Sebastian has a post-nasal drip. Antibiotics for 10 days and he'll be fine. Today he woke up with out a fever so I decided to do something fun. We headed to Kid's Castle to play with cousin Dan, baby Lilly & Aunt Kate :) Beware, very image heavy 

This little guy was found out back in Mom's vegetable garden. He was just chillin' on a parsley stem :) Doesn't he look cute?! Today was a fun but tiring day. Happy that it felt a little more like fall today instead of the 85 degree weather that we've been having in October. Not cool if you ask me!

♥A.

on a book club review...

Okay, so I'm a little belated with this review. Julee just last month had drummed up a nice little book club. It's fun so I joined even though Julee & the girls are all the way across the country I still feel special in participating and doing reviews on my blog. Alas these are my thoughts on our first book The End of Everything by Megan Abbott. However, if you have not yet read this book and would like to-- don't read this post. In efforts to be involved in my book clubbing duties this is my tool to reach out to my fellow members of the Chatty Chicks Culture Club (the club name). Spoilers.Spoilers.Spoilers beware!


The End of Everything is about a girl named Lizzie who is thirteen-years-old and whose best friend Evie disappears. Lizze who by the way is father-less becomes very close with Evies dad while they both set out to find clues and piece together the puzzle as to where Evie went to. Hmmm where did she go??


I really enjoyed this book however I'm not quite sure I actually understood what really went on towards the end. Did anyone else feel like Megan Abbott wasn't clear as to some very major details? I know that I totally thought that Evie's father was sexually abusing Evie's older sister & even maybe Evie (?). I mean, it was very obvious that Evie's sister and her father had a very bizarre sort of relationship. I feel like this whole weird sexual relationship with the father & older sister is what lead Evie to run away with creepy neighbor dude. Yes? No? And also that is why the mother is very withdrawn from the family. She gets no attention from the father and is also in on the whole gross stuff happening but doesn't really do anything about it. 


Help me out friends! I mean- the father was abusing them right? 


All in all I really loved the writing style and getting to peek into a thirteen-year-old's point of view, be that as it may the thoughts of Lizzie were a bit advanced for her age. But you never know! 


I would love to hear all the Chatty Chick comments below. It would warm my heart :) 

♥A. 

on pumpkin spice donuts...

Chances are highly likely that all of you are on the edge of your seat to see what sort of pumpkin recipe I have in store for you gems today but before I go on about this sweet treat I want you, yes you, to get up from your couch, desk or even bed and just go put your comfy pants on. Put those suckers on because once you make these bad boys you're going to want those comfy pants that you don't wear out in the public but only in the own home. Hey, I'm just looking out for you because anything other than those comfy pants you will be feeling some tightening in your waist line :) Just saying! 

Petite Pumpkin Spice Donuts! Hurrah! Yippe. Skippe. Leap in the air and click your heels!

(do you feel your waist line tightening from just looking at this picture??!)

These things are pure evil. You can't just eat one or two or three...you just want to keep going. They are addicting and melt in your mouth delicious. I am very happy with these and will forever be making them 'til the day I die. No wait. Someone out there who loves me please make a batch of these donuts and bury them with me in my grave. I'm. Not. Joking. 

Ingredients:

1 1/3 flour

1 1/2 baking powder

1/2 salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 nutmeg

1/2 allspice 

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 canned pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

For Coating: 

1/2 cup melted butter

2/3 cups sugar

3 tablespoons cinnamon

In a bowl mixture together the following: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice & salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk all the the following: oil, egg, brown sugar, vanilla, milk & pumpkin. After all wet ingredients are combined slowly add the dry into the bowl while mixing with a whisk or if you are as cool as me, in your kitchen aid! Once combined, it should look like so...

 One thing that I've found difficult when using my fun mini donut pan is that it's extremely hard to scoop batter into the little rings. It can get very messy and with my OCD in play it can get very frustrating so I created this simple way of doing things. 

Place a large zip-lock bag in mixing bowl, spread it around the edges and then just dump the batter into the bag. If you have some helping hands then this step isn't even necessary. Just have someone hold the bag open as you dump the batter in! Simple. Cut a small hold on one of the corners and there you go! You have a nice way to squirt the batter in the rings of your pan. Joy. No mess! 

 Next put them in the oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees and bake them for about 8 minutes. Dump them on a wire rack and let them slightly cool. Meanwhile as they are cooling melt 1/2 cup butter. Combine sugar & cinnamon. When donuts are cool enough to touch dunk them in butter and then in cinnamon sugar. And this is what you get...

 Warning: after eating half of a dozen of these you might experience a slight ting of orange to your skin. Happy Petite Pumpkin Donut eating. Come on get up and make 'em. You can thank me later ;)

♥A.

on bits + pieces...

Bits + Pieces...


Photos: 1. An organized spice drawer. 2. Glowing pumpkins to keep me company in my kitchen. 3. The whole house gets to be bathed in delicious creamy pumpkin. 4. A growing Spiderman. 5. Salmon with creamy dill sauce for dinner. 6. Along with Parmesan & garlic red potatoes. 7. A calendar change. 8. A little Motha inspiration ;) 

♥A.

on the first of october...

Today was the perfect day. After doing my normal chores around the house Sebastian and I packed up and headed out to our first Fall Festival at one of the community colleges. Bobby met us there after a few things he had to get done to one of our cars. A horsey ride was first up. Sebastian's first ever ride on a horse :)

I was standing behind calling Sebastian's name to get his attention for this very photo and the girl that was along side the horse asked me if that was Sebastian's name. My answer was of course, Duh! And she looked at me with a very gleeful expression and told me the horse's name is Sebastian too! How cool is that :)

He rode a very bumpy tracker train ride. Then got a Elmo balloon hat! Around 2pm we found ourselves standing, dancing and sitting watching The Cat's Pajamas singing and playing their instruments. Sebastian was having the time of his life! Not going to lie, I actually found myself dancing along to their very silly & interactive songs. The lead singer who seemed to be a older women was very animated with everything she did! By the time they were done the festival was drawing near to the end so we hitch a ride on the Hay Ride before we left for home.

 We left with a happy heart and a oh so tuckered out boy. I found this in the back seat after just leaving the festival. Out like a light.

What did you do on this first of October? 

♥A.