Pumpkin Patch

GAH - how can it possibly be...THAT..TIME...ALREADY??????? But friends, it IS, and with a scant 70 something days time Santa arrives we gots to get this fall carnival a-rollin!

First order of business?  PUMPKIN PATCH, check.

The Farm is a break from our tradition of Bob's - but we figured what with moving to a new home etc that perhaps it was time to look for another country destination to satisfy our pumpkinie-fall needs.  A friend (Kirst, thank you!) suggested "The Farm" and so we made our way via a Mr Big shortcut through Lowell and back to Everett and then a short skip and a jump to Snohomish.  "The Farm" sounded so ...well - plain mysterious don't you think?  And folks WE WERE NOT disappointed.  Can you say PETTING ZOO?

This is Trixie the pig (current weight 5-600 pounds)........................and her 10 teacup pigs born only 3 DAYS AGO - they were adorable, though sadly out of my reach, which is quite inconvienient.  Sadly none of them were available for pig-doption so I am STILL without teacup pig in my Louis Vuitton.  I won't give up though dear reader - someday I will be the proud adoptive parent of a teacup pig.  The visit did give me pause for thought though.  What sized teacup does a fully-grown (or one year old in Trixies case) teacup pig fit into if its typically 5-600 pounds of goodness?


Don't worry - the fun didn't stop at the pigs - here is a pony

and Highland Cooz (which by the way, are exceptionally friendly and like to lick petting vistors) - Mr Big insisted that their names were Vince and Joey (the two cows) but I think he made this up

and white magic bunnies (Mr Big liked these ones and they thought his knees were sexy)

there were also kittens which were up for adoption, I think there was like 17 million black ones, which would have been perfect halloween gifts - these little girls were feeling the amour for them as you can see -

and they weren't the only ones

I was holding the camera rather than a cute fluffy animule.  Onward though.... next was one of my absolute favoritist animules  THE ALPACA !!! and as you can see, not one but TWO ALPACA AND both of them smiled for me AND there was a baby.  Awesome!

There was also a panda there, which is a weird thing at a petting zoo.  He was quite shy - just look at him peeking out there, cheeky little panda

back to the pigs - they actually had their own show un-beknowns to yours truly.  I was VERY excited when the announcer announced "PIG SHOW, 5 MINUTES" - of course we rushed over to the ring to watch in awe at the show very obviously produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber or some other equally famous show-person.  This was 5 minutes OF DELIGHT friends sheeeeeer DELIGHT!

Here is the set with three houses you might find familar - house made of straw (stupid pig), house made of corn (stupid pig), house made of sticks (duh)....and the man of the hour : FARMER X in the middle of his dialouge *queue shirll grannie voice* "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin".  I wasn't surprised to hear the word OSCAR whispered in hushed tones through the crowd.... by the way, if you are wondering what that is he is holding delicatly by his mouth its the worlds teaniest microphone - perhaps even referred to as a micro microphone.

Here are the stars of the show about to make their entrance

and what does one do after enjoying a show?  Eat of course - but nothing pig-related ok, that would be weird.  Caramelled Apples - no animal products in that

this farm grows corn, god bless them - and sweeteez, it is fantastical, the best I have ever had - so good I have a little collage of it for you to feast your eyes on

and yet more corn, though this time in cornDOG form, possibly somekind of animal in this but I just closed my eyes and didn't think about it while I savored each deep fried mouthful

We choose CORNMAZE, well - the three musketeers did, I myself have seen the children of the corn - you would'nt seen me dead in one of those things....well actually I think that you would see me dead - thats the reason I personally refrain from corn fields (and small town carival rides but thats another story for another day).  Stamps-on-hands

its time to tackle the biggest cornmaze in the state, co-incidentally shaped as the state of Washington:

 



they had all sorts of little stops and factoids along the way, including a stop at Hanford Nuclear Reservation, which seemed to make Geneva quite tickled....

Children of the corn - I rest my case

a little homage to E-town

this is the finale - Grey's Harbor, a nice place to end

and for the way back - a hale bale ride

Dot had a little trip of her own while making her way around

Next stop - pumpkin patch - pretty much the best for last (and there was a cool ole car on the way)

Look at the kid on the right looking at his weird looking orange brothers and sisters - 

and time to check out (although we didn't) - loved our visit, but we are going to back to Bob's for pumpkins...

Stairway to heaven....well, our bedrooms

So, thanks to Thriftydecorchick I am inspired to ANOTHER new pro jay, and fortunatly Mr Big was onboard the sweat-equitytrain with me!  So next weekend we are starting..duh-duh-duh-duh-duh DA DAAAAAA.....the stairwell/hallway! Yes friends, bland vanilla and the non-descript-possible-one-time-tradesmans-entrance-styled stairwell....soon a FAR DISTANT MEMOIR.  So here is the before..

As well as being so bland there is also the most hideous light fixtures, they really should be outside (preferably in the trash) but they are definatly not befitting a lovely old girl like ours - so enjoy the view readers, this will be the last time you see these eye-sores: (PS, There are two of them)

This is the little landing at the top of the stairway to heaven, to the left is Elliott's boudair

This little door here will eventually be the upstairs powder room, we are waiting for Rick from Rick's Remodel and Repair to quote - this will be a pro jay for next summer.....

So we have no idea what the treads will be like under the carpet - so crossed fingers and prayers that they are in good shape and just need a light sand and staining!  We are contemplating something along the lines of this (Thanks Thriftydecorchick) :

and I had also seen a couple of other little gems - what do you think of this type of thing

The incredible creativity of others

You have to check out this video clip to be amazed at the incredible idea that Beckie Farrant came up with!  PAINT CHIP PENDANTS - http://vimeo.com/15537954

Abandano

Who knew?  Aparently there are 100's if not 1000's of abandoned homes in Detroit.  Heres the site to prove it http://www.100abandonedhouses.com/

Course, being an old house fiend, I want to save these all.....

Yabba dabba doo!

I have no idea why I entitled this post with the famous Fred Flinstone quote, apart from to say it just felt right. 

The weekend was so productive, I was really amazed at how much we achieved in 2 short days.  One of the projects I worked on was the little $10 table that I got off craigslist - pretty beaten up but those legs....

I was kind of dreading this project to be frank - I mean, I'm way too pretty to be sanding right? Alas, Mr Big had other projects to work on so I grabbed a sheet of 60 grit and went to work

Actually I was pleasently surprised at just how little work was involved in the sanding (plus my sister Teresa popped by to brighten our day and give us a repreve 10 minutes in....THANK YOU T),,,and before I knew it it was time for the good part - a trip to Lowes and paint picking.

I chose a heritage color called Lincoln Cottage which is really more of a deep grey/faded black - I'm not really in love with the hardware but two trips to Lowes found us awesom pulls that didnt fit the skinny drawer...so we ended up sticking with the original (for now).

and voila!  Hall table for about $20 including the paint (but not including the two extra handles).

More good news to hand - check out the autumnal festival happening in our neighbors tree:

It's 2.25pm Friday - do you know where your weekend is?

Holy slow time captain!  I don't know why this already looooong week is taking so long to make its way to the 6pm conclusion of my work day.  Hopefully now that I have fuelled up at lunch (black coffee, peanut butter on english muffin) it will start to go quickerer.

In between working moments today I have happened across a couple of things I thought you might like - first:

Isn't this a cool and groovy garland?  I thought it would be pretty simple to make with felt squares AND you could make it in any color for any season with seasonal somethings to replace the jingles...hmmmmm, Im thinking on it.

Also - just posted some new things on the project oakes part of the blog - stop in if you have time and let me know your thoughts.

Enlighten

We all have talents and gifts,

every one of us.

The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper & do not require a brush, pen or the keys of a piano.

YOU have gifts and talents and it's time to enlighten your creative mind.

LOVE IT - a great quote to align the attitude for the upcoming weekend to make sure im in this state of mind!  Sadly I cant credit the blogsisters site this was on because I've literally looked at hundreds of blogs over the last couple of days....sorry blogsister, but thanks for the inspiring quote.

Poor Pup Pup

You know, when you're a pretty dog like a bischon frise one of the things you are is vain (the other is dumb as a sock but thats a story for another day).  So imagine the disgust lil lucifer had when she was shaved on only one part of her body and then made to wear a victorian collar.  Yup, she is not a happy camper ... but like I was telling her, things could be worse and she should look at the silver lining - at least she is wearing the purple of the University of Washington right?

Thursday Thoughts

I havent got any pictures to prove it, but this morning I woke up to a heart warming sight - the park across the street shrouded in fog. I love the way that fog settles in. Its like a cloak of tiny moisture beads just heavy enough to hover, but not so heavy you can feel it - and it slightly muffles sound too...the morning was very quiet save a few birds chirping, quite delightful really.

Mr Big was sleeping quietly while all this was going on and I really really wanted to wake him up to show him the fog but I thought about it before jumping up and down on the bed and singing the song (*Time to ...rise and shine and give God your glory glory, rise and shine....etc*) and thought it might chip away at his amour for me if I did so. Imagine - you are in sweet slumber land, your significant other rouses you from this land with an obnoxious song usually reserved for the teens and all of this ....is to view the fog. Exactly, I thought better of it.

Oh - and here is a picture from last year that gives you the visual of the fog - you make the call.  Worth being woken for or not?

Fallen for fall

Fall is definatly here in the Northwest - at least at my house...just look at whats happening in the neighborhood - Sammamish Trail next to the Bothell Slough:

See - I wasnt lying about the colors changing, whats weird though is that following the dinner trip to Alligator Soul we were surprised to see the temperature at 80 degrees, thats right - no typo - EIGHTY DEGREES and probably somewhere in the vicinity of seven thousand percent humidity so what more perfect time than to decorate for fall?

Over the weekend I made a little wreath for the front door.  I was inspired by a fellow blogger (thank you ThriftyDecorChick) - luckily because "crafters do it early" all of the fall decor was 50% off so the whole project cost $13.

First I started with a large rectangle of styrofoam and cut out the middle to make a frame

and I picked the blossums and leaves off of the stems and arranged them ready for gluing

and then hot glued the bits and pieces to the frame (and my finger, damn that nozzle of the HGG gets

f-ing hot - and I had the bubble on my index finger to prove it, but I suffer for my decor) and here is the happy result:

then inside we have a couple of little areas - in the den

The little brown flags were simple to make and very inexpensive, a grand total of $2.25 for a piece of brown felt and a couple of dowels and voila, flags

This little silver candy dish was a Goodwill find and only $2.25, ontop is some quartz crystals and left over leaves and flowers from the wreath

This little $8.99 cloched cupcake pedestal was a steal at TJ Maxx (ok, not literally) and I filled the cloche with all kinds of autumnal goodness - its very interesting to look at

Even Tony got an autumal update - I think he looks quite dapper dont you?

This looks alot nicer in the daylight...but hey, its 10:36pm friends, cut me some slack! 

Anyways I have to thank the internet for all the inspiration - Im sure the decorating will continue

long into fall ... its so fun!   If this is your first time visiting Akeeweegirl please leave a sweet comment or join the fun train by clicking follow!

Alligator Soul = Delish eee mo

Last night we left the mother for a short time and headed out on the town (as much as you can in Everett) and headed to one of our favorite restaurants Alligator Soul.  Friends, a little known secret is that if you ask the waiter/waitress on a Monday night for the happy hour menu they'll let you order from it, but only if you ask - and its a terrific, very reasonably priced menu.  I assumed that the portions would be snack sized and they were - snack sized if you are a giant...otherwise they are more than enough for one normal hungry girl! I guess that just reminds me of the saying "assuming makes an ass out of you and me" -  I ordered the fried chicken (yay! It came boneless and perfectly seasoned and breaded) and thick cut waffle fries (you can ask to sub with hush pups or go half and half if you are indecisive!) and I also ordered red beans and rice, a favorite of mine. I think I might have fitted in about 1/3 of this and the rest I had for lunch today with cubie mates looking over the wall wondering what kind of heaven was assaulting their nostrils.  I might have been guilty of fanning my steaming plate of fried goodness in Caitlin's direction once or twice.  Im sure she appreciated it. And in advance, you are welcome Caitlin.

The other wonderful thing about Alligator Soul is that as well as the happy hour menu on Monday nights they also have their happy hour adult frosty beverage menu ALL NIGHT LONG...lemon drops, cosmos and margaritas are only $4 and their domestic beers are all $2.  

Miss Evelyn is much better today - Mr Big is staying home with her this week, taking a couple of vacay days off to care for her.  He's really quite a wonderful man! 

As I write this blog Im listening to Carolin singing peanut butter jelly time at the top of her lungs overtop of Mikki's phone ringing (with renaissance ring tone), and now Hanner is here - I must fly.

Weekend Homecoming

What a busy, but lovely weekend we had....though I have to say, it did'nt start in a great way.  The head of the Allen Family, and all round general wonderful lady Miss Evelyn, took a stumble on Thursday night.  At 85 this lady is an absolute wonder (did I mention she recently started TEXTING??).  She was out with her constant companion Marty and went to "scoop the poop" when she lost her footing and took a tumble outside her home.  Thursday night was spent at the Monroe Emergency Room and the verdict was a broken shoulder!  Anyways Ev is now holed up at Casa Allen while she recovers and its been our delight to have her here.

Same weekend we had a very special "first time" event with Elliott going to Bothell High Homecoming.  He and a friend went out shopping and he came back looking like an ad for menswear.  Our little guy is a little guy no more - behold, Elliott Allen, young man on the prowl!!

Elliott is now of course, a seasoned veteran in posing for photos having been around me for 9 years its almost unimaginable that he would strike a pose on demand. 

But even the most perfect of subjects tires of being a tiger for the camera of his stepmother

and he was the perfect gentleman picking a lovely corsage for his lady friend

and here are some nice snaps of a proud Dad and son - as you can see, though I have always thought of Mr Big as the tallest man on the planet, Elliott is now an inch or two taller - it seemed only fitting that they should arm wrestle?  Elliott's idea...

Sadly no pictures of the date - he would'nt allow it....still, I may ask permission to take a couple from Facebook so watch this space!

New Pages

I don't know why, but suddenly, at 11.55am last night with a scant few moments left in my birthday day I had an epiphany that I should immediatly start two new pages on the blog - you might have already noticed these but if you havent they are headed up Project Oakes which is going to be a running dream book of the redecoration of our lovely abode, The Weekly Dream Destination page is going to have a weekly wonderful place that I would love to travel to some day.

More birthday delights

OK, so no teacup pig this year, but Christmas is a scant few days away.....Here is the wonderful picture that Mr Big got on  Etsy by a New York Artist.  I love his choice - as you know, I'm big on hooters.

may I also commend him on his expert wrapping of the gifts he selected, I think you will agree, he has a seasonal job anytime he wants wrapping strangers gifts at the mall for tips:

After work Mr Big treated me to a night on the town AKA cirriculum night at Canyon Park Junior High.  Of course, going straight from work I stood out like the proverbial in heels and office wear - in fact, I was wearing 5 inch Joan and David snake skin heels.  I say was because I had a little...how should I say..."trip" as I was trying to stand tall (I now know to never stand my full 5ft 2in AGAIN) and step up to the curb in front of a gazzilion parents waiting to get into the gym when somehow I lost my footing.  Friends, when I say lost my footing what I really mean to say is went ass over tea kettle (coach bag in tow) FULL FACE PLANT on the pavement.  I was reminiscent of a jack-in-the box though and immediatly stood up again with a "nothing to see here" look on my face as I hobbled into the gym with a broken heel...haaaaaaaaaa...

All the CPJH teachers were a delight and I think that the kids are in good hands with them.  Mr Big also attended this school when he was a little nipper and Dot now has one of his old teacher's as her teacher! Imagine the chances!!

After coming home we stopped and got a calling card, my Mum had called three times in one day and couldnt get a hold of me, so it was time to call her back to allow her to sing the song ... this time she was joined by hubby Johnnie on keyboards, it was so terrific, it made my night.  It is also my stepsissys birthday today - so Mr Big and I called and gave our best shot at happy birthday.  It was so lovely to talk with you Dee, can't wait till you come to visit in August 2011.  The really weird thing with Dee is that her birthday is actually the 23rd of September which in the US is tomorrow, and my birthday is the 22nd which is today - but because she is in another hemisphere it was her birthday today here ...are you getting this?  What a headache trying to work out such things.  But now that im 39 I can work these things out right?

It only happens once a year!

Yay!!! It's my birthday day finally.  Im so fortunate in so many ways, especially because I am surrounded daily by wonderful human beings - of course it goes without saying Mr Big is a part of this, but also my wonderful friends (I'm not going to name you all...but you know who you are) AND lovely workmates .. and today they all banded together to kick the day off right.

First of all I got to spend the morning before work with Mr Big.  This may seem like an ordinary thing to you reader, but it's a such a rare treat for us - normally Mr Big leaves the house by the early hours while I am still in noddyville, so I wake to a house with just me, Betty and Lucifer.  Anyways, back to today - really lovely to have him home with me and it was almost my favorite present and then.......

Thanks darling! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this teaset and cant wait to serve tea from this.  Thank you honey a million times over.  He also got me the most wonderous picture which I will post a photo of later - its silk screened owls onto vintage paper - a complete delight!

Then, when I thought I was already been spoiled enough I came to work and look was Kirsten had made:

You are viewing this confectional wonderment correctly - OWL CUPCAKES! ,,,,then look what arrived by courier

http://www.proflowers.com/ is the best florist online!  Ive used them many times myself in the past, the flowers look exactly like they do in their photos (the above is from their website). Both the owl cupcakes and flowers came from Kirsten AND she was also resposible to creating the enchanted owl wonderland that was my little cubie!  Thanks to everyone that colored owls and helped decorate and to Kirsten...you're a goddess of a woman! Thanks so much for all you did!!

More to come...

GREEK FEST time!

As my cube mate Caitlin would say OH EMM GEE....so exciting, I was just marking days off the calender and guess what this weekend is??? GREEK FEST

The plan was that this was the week I was going to start eating better (and had even considered *gasp* exercising!) ...but honestly, with Greek Fest mere days away it has to be next Monday that I start because the Kataifi, Calamari and Roast Lamb await me....and I dont think that any of those foods are known for their low calories - god bless each one of their delicious calories actually. 

If you havent been to this festival and you are one of my people here in Seattletown, you should definatly take time to attend.  First - the church itself is a masterpiece of guilded gorgeousness.  The church offers complimentary tours through the church on the hour and its worth going so you can ooh and aaah at the lovely interior.  Second - you can snag some wonderous deals on specialty foods like olives, homemade pita bread etc.  Third - you can learn about the Greek culture through song and dance, the dance of course being useful to join in with when you have a tumtum full of lamb...and speaking of the lamb, thank you lambies for dying of natural causes so that a lovely Greek man could roast your succulent self over coals. 

I'm glad that you had a good life sniffing the flowers in your own beautiful green field, shimmying to your favorite music and smiling when you saw a rainbow or a butterfly till that day when you had had enough of all that and turned up at the Greek Fest.  And fourth - did I mention the food? Oh my goodness its wonderful.  The congruents bake for days leading up to this festival - almost everything is homemade and delectable.

Its a three day event and they are open till 9pm so no excuses.

A birthday gift from RILEY JAMES

HOT DOG!  A spectacular gift arrived today - my first artwork from Master Riley!!  At only 1 1/2 look at his talent...I love you little guy, and I love you Verna and Alex for thinking to include this with my lovely birthday card which arrived today.  It means so much when you get things like this in general, but specially when you live so far away *tear* miss you guys, wish you could be joining me for my birthday.

Buzzy Bees and Red High Heels

Thanks Mollie and Ricky, I love my honey pot!

and thanks Hailey, these are a perfect gift!