Jack O Lantern Time

Pumpkin Carving time is upon us - and the kids did us proud this weekend.  Friday night was a combo of things 1. Purchasing said pumpkins from the QFC Pumpkin Patch AKA Supermarket - at  more than 29 cents a pound you can suck it Bob's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch = QFC it is!

I love it how the kids choose the largest of kins to cart home.  Here's Dot's :

Need I say more?

For the non-yanks reading this (Hi Mum and Shona) pumpkin carving may seem like a simple task.  Neigh friend.  First of all, if your child has selected a giaganic pumpkin actually cutting the "lid" so you can gut the pumpkin hard - the skin/flesh of Dotties was at least 2 inches thick....then, when she suggested she would like a landscape with clouds, the sun, birds and flowers....then, then it got really hard.  Luckily the part that I hate most (the gutting) was done pretty quick by all

We are in manland (Mr Bigs garage) in this photo - look how happy Dottie is scooping the innards out of her sisters pumpkin - thats her pumpkin to the right waiting its turn patiently.  Actually when you look at the waiting pumpkin it looks terrified, and when you think about it, wouldnt you be too?  Just standing in line watching your pumily get gutted....

Thats why we choose to put the pumpkins out of their misery SWIFTLY and QUICKLY as soon as they are back from the patch

....course, some of the family take this task with a little more zealousness than is "normal"

but it gets the job done.  Once they are snuffed out its time to pull the insides out.  This allows for maximum light (and stops it from being such a tasty treat by a passing racoon)

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Here is Elliott and Dottie carving after gutting

Here is Geneva's Jack O Lantern - old school style

you cant really see Elliotts very well but its a Santa jack o lantern

Yes, Mr Big DID use a drill for the finer detail of a nostril on his jack o lantern - he likes things "just so" with his art

and I just went simple - a monogram of our last name WITH shark bite out the side WITH a scoch of glitter

Then it was fire pit time

I love hearing the fire cracking, its so comforting.  Plus, if you move the camera in a disco swirl while its still taking the photo you get this

which I really likies!

Also Mr Big put pork chops in the crock pot with a little jerk seasonings in the morning, and hey presto - pulled pork when we got home.  Friends, you may or may not know this about me, but I revere the magical beast that is THE PIG.  Yes, its cute - but more importantly....ITS DELICIOUS in so many frickin ways - what other animal gives so much?  Bacon, sausage, ham, pork roasts and chops.  For me the following wrap was exquiste and most certainly an epicurian delight (yes, I know unknown friend - you would need to remove the jalapenos so you could eat it but then....I would dare you to stop at one)

Saturday heralded the fabulous fun that being parents to teens brings - driving them south to a party or event of some kind in Bothell.  Today was spesh, we had two.  Elliott had a teen drama get together (see you at Midnight El, Dad is resting comfortably now so he will not fall asleep at the wheel on your return leg) and Gen was at her galpals house for a halloween party.  She looked UH-doorable as a flapper gal.  Here she is making the perfect "bow" with red lippie

I did mention to her that the shoe was perfection, but the crocheted friendship anklet was perhaps not in true keeping with the era....btw yes, your eyes are not deceiving you - these are size 10 flippers on a 14 year old

Pearls, check - these are a must for a flapper gal

Feather headband and sequins - check (j'dore the beaded detail)

assume the appopriate pose and voila!  Delightful daughter in perfect costume...

I just love this shot (yes, she was almost falling to her death, but sometimes, sometimes - you have to have this type of prediciment to get THE SHOT.  I think you will agree - its fantazmic

Once night fell it was time to light the kins - and here is the spook-a-licious results

Sunday...wish there was more

Hello dear readers - its Sunday night at 9pm, I've watched The Amazing Race and it's about this time of the week that I turn to Mr Big and complain that there isn't just one more day before going back to work.  Wouldnt it be nice to have more three day weekends friends? Haaaaaaa, what a nice thought.

Mr Big and I had a spectacular weekend with one another, and it was very productive (always good). 

I've had a lump on my swan like neck for over a month now so I thought it was about time to head to the quacks for the annual physical/lump checking visit all in one.  It really was quite a delight filled visit. 
1.  I've lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks 
2.  The lump is a swollen lymph node - nothing to worry about 
3.  Mr Big was there holding my hand at the dreaded blood test portion....I know what you're thinking and you're right.  Now that Im a grown up and 39 I should just pull on my big girl panties and take a deep breath and not worry about blood tests - Im in good hands, this is what these people do ALL DAY....but still, I was filled with terror.  The blood letter was very nice, though I have to say lady - I hum when I am nervous, and you were humming ALOT, especially when you had gone to the second arm and couldnt find a vein.  Really friends, I do have veins, I just think that they are afraid of needles (like me) and so they go to defcon five and yell DIVE DIVE DIVE when they get within 50 paces of a lab.  Its the way they roll.  Anyhoo, she got her vials and asked Mr Big to hold the cotton ball in place while she bandaged my arm, he ably came to her rescue and immediatly flicked off the cotton ball.  A nurses aide he is not, but he is still my hero. 

Doctors visit -  check, Labs - check, Breakfast? LETS GO COZY CORNER CAFE IN BOTHELL!!!!!  I was promised french toast and delicious bacon and I got it.  The Cozy Corner on Main Street serves the greatest french toast in the world bar none.  Only trouble is you must be very very patient because good service there is .... as rare as boobs on a bull lets say.  The ladies are charming, but they are sloooooow.  It took us about 10 minutes to inhale our food once it finally arrive (folks - I hardly ate on Friday at all and then by the time I realized I was starved it was 9pm and time for the actual fast to begin!!) and from sit down to finish we were there for almost an hour and a half.  Pretty bad, but actually worth it for the FT.

So this weekend was the weekend for pulling carpet off the stairs.  Mr Big pulled the carpet and underlay in about 45 minutes on Friday night:

And then we finished most of the rest of it (save for the 5 million staple in the risers we need to still pull out this week).  Actually we are thrilled - the stairs don't look too bad for 100 year old's- though there are a couple of treads that need replacing it largely looks like a good sand should bring them up nicely.  It's amazing the sound muffling value of carpet friends - these stairs were creaky before but now there is no way in hell any of the kids will be able to sneak out at night without us hearing...sorry kids!

The kids are with us next weekend so it wont be till the weekend after that we start the sanding phase which I am guessing will at least be 2 days work.

While we were out on Saturday getting pry bars we also happened across The Prospector a little known treasure trove of stuff in E-town.  Looky what we had to have even though we had no cash in the checking account (hey, there was only one left and it was such a screaming deal at only $29) - fortunatly it was breezy all weekend so it was whirly like a crazy thing both Saturday and Sunday.  We positioned it right by the dining room window so we can look out at it and marvel in it's whirlingly goodness.

We also purchased some evergreens for the side yard - they were on sale for $2.50 each!  Who can resist such a deal?

These are going to go along the fence line and I for one cannot WAIT to see them sprinkled in snow

Speaking of the white stuff, I have been promised via Farmers Almanac that we are getting a very chilly winter which is fine by me as you know -  anyhoo, in readiment Mr Big got new filters for the furnace and it was deliciously toasty in the casa this evening - here he is putting a filter in our MONSTER furnace

and it was chilly today - so chilly that I even had to break out the slippers

We rounded off the day with the Amazing Race while scoffing homemade Chicken Pot Pie  - one of our favorites...and here we are at 9.38pm - time to get stuff ready for the work week dear ones so I must fly - have a wonderful week!

Introducing Princess Mac

You might have already been somewhat introduced to Miss Mac if you have seen her photo in the "photography" part of this blog.  My niece is a really fabulous woman and I am so proud of her. 

Being from Enzed, I am not acquainted with some of the rituals you yanks participate in - including homecoming, but finally - now that sons and nieces are at that age...I am getting to more knowledgable.  For non-americans reading this blog homecoming (according to Wikipedia) is an annual tradition of the US People, towns, high schools and colleges come together, usually in late September or early October, to welcome back former residents etc. It is built around a central event, such as a dinner and, most often, a game of football.  When celebrated by schools, the activities vary widely. However, they usually consist of a football game played on a school's home football field, activities for students and alumni, a parade featuring the school's marching band and sports teams, and the coronation of a Homecoming Queen (and at many schools, a Homecoming King).

You read a couple of weeks ago about Mr Elmo going to a homecoming dance...well now I am so thrilled to say that we have a bonified princess in our family following the nomination and successful coronation of duh-da-duh-da-duh-DA-DAAAAAAAAH..... PRINCESS MACKENZIE MARTIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isnt she lovely, and look how pretty this color is for her!  Here she is with the king and queen:

Sadly Mr Big and I couldn't attend the coronation because of work commitments BUT we are going to the football game today in Monrovia where Mac will be paraded around with the other royalty at the game.  So cool!  We are so excited that you had this opportunity Mac.

Count your blessings

DAMN IT - Mr Big and I are on a self-imposed budget right now and thats what makes it so tough to discover new and fabulous craft ideas....lookie here at this wonderous idea from Julie at Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss - a dry erase "count your blessings board"


I pretty much have to say, I'm making this as a Thanksgiving hostess gift (and maybe I could have one for Casa Del Allen as well) - she made this all from a goodwill frame and other bits and bobs, and for realsies friends, isnt this the most tremendous idea!

It also made me think of all the blessings in my life - here's just a few:
1.  Good Health
2.  The strong, happy, loving and thriving relationship with Mr Big
3.  The bonds with friends and family - I am so fortunate to have such terrific friends and wonderful family
4.  The season and the fact that we have snow coming (is this El Nina or El Nino I can never remember)
5.  My creativity - and that it is endless and constantly flowing

Life is good.

Heyyyy-ohhhh

The title of todays discussion is HEYYYY-OHHHH which is in om-age to one Caroline Hollingshead.  Carrie turned 30 today - Madam, I salute you!  30 is just the bestest age ever (40 may turn out to be the best decade for moi, keep your eyes peeled here for news re that)....anyhow, back to you Carrie.  Congrats on entering your 30's.  Miss Kirsten, our cubie mate, is an extraordinary party planner and decor mistress as was recently evidenced in the owl themed decor of my cubie....though most of Carries decor was put to bed by the time we took this photo you will might see what was left of the platter of delicious cherry-chip cupcakes with bubble pops, a jar of bubble gum etc........thats because the theme for the day was "30 blows". 

You're a genius Kirsten...I hope that you had a wonderful day Carrie.

Of course - what is a birthday without a balloon or 5.....

and visit from lil Olly her darling pixaroo and miss Christine (one of the akeeweegirl followers - thanks Christine, you made my day by mentioning you read these ramblings!).  This kid is honestly the most well behaved lil man ever and I heart him.  Check him and his chubby wee wrists - A-DOOR-ABLE

Weekend delights

Of course - when it's chilly out and the autumn leaves are falling, what better than homemade pizza I ask you?


I love my little fam, so I lovingly set out to create a delicious ham and pepperoni pizza - who needs Pizza Hut or Dominoes when you got Fee? 

There was some secret ingrediants in this epicurian masterpiece - luckily no one saw what they were, not even the Gramster who was faaaaast asleep in the living room...

Until she smelled this goodness:

(notice in the background of this photo Grammie is up and ready for pizza)  meantime Elliott is making a masterpiece of his own, and this one isnt pizzaish - check it out

Dot was really excited to have a slice till I told her I didnt exactly have the ingrediants for traditional pizza sauce so I just improved, as one does, and whipped up pizza sauce a la feebee.  Friends, you may want to get our your notepads and pens at this juncture so you can get this down -

Ingrediants - Diced canned tomatoes, Baby Rae's BBQ sauce, Garlic Salt, Onion Powder, Salt and Pepper to taste...and the most secret of the ingrediants CONDENSED TOMATO SOUP.  Yes dear reader - tomato soup was used in the making of this pizza creation.  When I revealed this to Dot mid-mouthfull she seemed less excited than when the slice was put in front of her

and Gen thought I was kidding

and in the midst of aghast faces, another weird face appeared COMPLETELY inadvertently - meet, the TRUE pizza face jackolantern.  Again, no intention to make said face - it just appeared like cheesus on Glee

Meanwhile Lucy and Betty finally made it to the groomers and they were VERY forlorn that they were so shorn, as I have mentioned before - what bischons lack in brains they make up for with vanity, so having a bad haircut makes for an unhappy pup pup

who knew that under her pride and glory AKA fluffy duster tail, was a pig tail??

Elliott was so thrilled with the pizza and the revealment of the sauce ingrediants that he shouted hallelujah and jumped for joy while wearing his YMCA Leadership costume

Which actually was part PJ's and part Geneva's Lil Red Riding Hood costume from last halloween

Stunning