Feels like Fall

It's been a great week. We sure have loved every single bit of this cool weather! Charlee Kate is ready for Halloween tomorrow night. It is so exciting to listen to her talk about Halloween and going Trick or Treating. I don't love Halloween, but I enjoy it because she likes it. I hate that she has to miss church choir tomorrow night because she definitely loves it. It will be a fun cool Halloween night! Pictures to come this weekend when I am working on getting this place back together : )

Thursday means, some radio stations will start playing Christmas music. I can't wait!!!

One of her outfits for her pictures that I am having a girl take in 2 weeks. 

Carving a pumpkin with her daddy!

Thankful

I am thankful... for the fact that the dust in my house is because we CHOOSE to have it there by renovating. As I was cleaning off furniture to move back in (soon I hope), I told Jeremy, "I cannot imagine what people dealt with the day the World Trade Centers Fell". I honestly cannot imagine b/c the dust in our house doesn't even compare to that tragedy. So even though its driving me crazy some days, our allergies are all acting up (which is partly due to the outside, but the dust too), I am thankful that we CHOOSE to have it there and that it is our wonderful home it is happening too. Gave me a different focus and definitely NOT complain.

Here is a random picture of our massive dumpster out in the driveway. Yes it is overflowing now. Good thing it is almost done.

Well it is almost November. I can't believe it. September and October flew, as we wanted them to though. They were so busy beyond saying... good, but just busy. Holidays always bring about business as well, but it is all fun. I am so excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas. My absolute favorite! Charlee Kate enjoyed some time with my mom and her Nana for a few days to get away from the dust. She had her dress up parade at school on Friday and she couldn't wait to wear her Snow White dress. I know she was so excited! As for the weekend, low key, laid back, and the best. What is even better is the 50 and 30 degree temperatures we are having. I just hope it stays.

My friend Ashlee ask me if I wanted to run in several upcoming races where she gets "free spots with Coke". I couldn't do one, but I am going to do the Magic City half in a few weeks. I thought it would be fun. Random on my part, but I should be able to keep up with no problems, lets hope at least. I love random fun races!

The weekend has been great! We have a wonderful day to go to Sunday School and worship tomorrow then just some yummy soup. I was able to make it with my crock pot and we can wash it in the Utility sink in the basement. I am desperate now.... ready to cook.

On Friday night we went to eat at a new restaurant near the Summit in Cahaba Heights. It was so good and we went with some sweet friends. This little girl "Harper" is from Charlee Kate's class at school. We have become friend with their little family and we all do things together. On Saturday, Charlee Kate and I decided to go with Jeremy to the Bama game at the last minute. We really want to take her to as many games as possible and let her tailgate with us. I want her to grow up doing these fun things. We tailgated with our friends (Harper and her parents). They have an awesome house there to go to with tons of food, a real bathroom, nice house, tons of people, chairs, room to play, etc... The girls are just precious together. They run and scream and hug like they don't see each everyday. I love to watch CK make these precious friends and hope she is friends with them for a long time!

Very cold day! Cloudy and I don't think the temperatures left 54 degrees. I love it!!!!!!

It was Alabama's homecoming so we took the girls to the Parade.

Daddys holding the girls as we leave the parade. They even wanted to hold hands here. They can't get enough of each other. 

 Out to eat at the Ice Cream place (yogurt really but hard for her to determine the difference). She loves some good ole ice cream and toppings.

The famous leopard boots I love! Dumpster picture too. That thing is in all my pictures so we have to take them inside. 

Off to a great Sunday and then a great week!!!! I can't believe it's almost Halloween. I love the holidays that come AFTER Halloween so it makes me one happy girl. 

Halloween Get here!

Okay I have to admit, I am not one of those people that just LOVES Halloween. It is by far not my favorite Holiday. I just love it because it falls during my favorite season!!! Anyways, I want Halloween to get here for two reasons. I love it because Charlee Kate is excited! She cannot wait to dress up and go get candy. Last year she had a fever and could not enjoy it so I am hoping for a better year this year. Also, she loves her costume. She has been wearing it for a month now. I am one of those mamas that once I buy it, I will let her wear it as much as she wants it. I don't care if it gets a stain or anything on it. I just want her to love it. The other reason I am super excited is... the house (inside at least) should be done! They have told me maybe a week and a half at the most and all will be done. OMG.... I am sticking to that!

It has been really exciting to watch the changes to the house and it still is, but the dust, haze, cleaning up after them everyday, things all moved around (in an organized mess), etc.... is starting to get to me. Being pretty OCD, I have done pretty good with the mess and have just not stressed and worried over it. However, I am ready for a kitchen, ready to cook, and OF COURSE ready to bake... ready to have dinners with my family at the table, ready for it to have the continuing fall smell inside instead of paint, and ready to see how it all came together. Bathroom... no more yellow, green, and burgundy. Ready to see that to strictly gray and white, but the kitchen most of all. It changed soooo much with the demolition. We are almost there.

TGIF...Its been a good week and thank goodness for fabulous friends and family. We have had some wonderful meals that people have made for us and some who have had us over too. Its been fabulous! We met our next door neighbors, had dinner with them, kids played (and there is even a gate between houses when the kids just want to run over and play). They just had their kitchen renovated b/c they moved in a few weeks before us so they "get this whole renovation thing". I can't wait to post pictures of it.

Anyways, Tuesday we walked to Michael's Steakhouse in downtown Homewood. We love to walk to eat and it was a gorgeous night. We ate outside. They are one of the best places in town for fish too. 

Wednesday we went back to good ole "Grove Place"... our old street to get together with some friends. She had us over for dinner, then we walked the kiddos to church choir. The piano was so much fun for the kids.

Catching up with stuff here and there!

Last week flew by! I can say that some weeks go by fast, but last one really flew!!! Fridays are such a good feeling. I never get this excited during summer for a Friday, but I do now. Love it! It was exciting to have Bama back on the schedule this week. We totally enjoyed watching the game and just hanging out in J'ville this weekend. We were able to see lots of our family and have some great home cooked meals. I miss not cooking, but hopefully it won't be long and we will have a kitchen back. 

When we got back into town today, WOW at the mess. They worked yesterday and tore apart the bathroom. It made an even busier mess, as if a wall being torn out, door being taken out, entire kitchen demolished, wasn't a big mess. It is still fun to watch it all take place, but hopefully it is moving super fast! We will see how the week goes with the big RENO! Pictures to keep updating, but its going to be a busy one. I bet (and hope) it means a fast one! 

Oh what a sweet girl on Friday morning as she got ready for school. I think she was super excited it was Friday (like I was) and she loves it when I pick out a t-shirt and comfy MJ pants for her to wear. LOL... she loved it!

I mean check out this little girl!! This was 3:00 in the afternoon when I picked her up. She looks like she has been playing hard! I had to stop and take her picture because she is always putting puzzles together. They always talk about how great she does with puzzles. She is actually playing a matching game here, but she had the puzzles going too. Usually... this is how she looks when I pick her up. Hair a mess and she is all over the place, but that is hard core playing!

Looking out the window. She knows every single thing we pass and loves to talk about it. Oh, how I am looking forward to this weekend and spending it with her and the family!

Some pictures from the weekend. We took dinner to my Granddad (dad's dad) on Friday afternoon. We ate with him and Charlee Kate ran and played and danced and sang. She was such a happy little camper. It was so fun to watch her play in the same yard that I have SO MANY memories playing with Kelly and my cousins there. 

Heading to eat The Classic on Sunday. We went with my grandparents (mom's parents) and enjoyed a great brunch! I was mad I didn't get Charlee Kate's picture with them. 

And.... this is what I came home to. All of the mess that is not there was tile and about 2 inches of concrete they had to cut through. That means.... MESS! 

October is my new "December"

I think May was the new December a few months ago and now October is the new December. Maybe December will be the new January when there is nothing going on LOL. It is all good stuff though, just keeps us running! Literally!!!

The weekend at my parents lake house was just amazing! I think a lot of it was because we truly relaxed and enjoyed ourselves! The weather was very cool, gorgeous!!! We just didn't do much of anything. I did paint one more project since I knew I would have time, but that was all. It was so hard to leave the Lake b/c it was so gorgeous and relaxing. As my "positive husband" always says.... The good thing is, it isn't far away and we can come back. I try to have his attitude as much as possible!

My little girl was watching her itouch and I forgot pants so had to throw these on with the dress. It is all MJ and didn't match, yet I loved the crazy patterns together. It was such a fun weekend and nice to get out of the "mess at home".

We went to a high school football game Friday night to watch Josh (her cousin) play. She had so much fun and I mean so much fun! She thinks that high school football means "hotdogs and a pack of skittles". That is probably why she loved it so much, but she had a blast! It was a good game too.

 She likes hotdogs at home, but LOVES them at the ball park. Something about the grilled hotdog, she will eat it all!

I am pretty sure nothing about this is a "need" but it screams LOVE. Haha! For the past several years, I have found a way to make an LV useful and love mine. But.... they have never had cute bright ones (besides the multi monogram). However, these are adorable! Jeremy calls it a bowling ball! Ashley... I need your opinion... you are awesome with LV opinions. May have to do a bigger one instead of speedy 30?? Add it with the necklace and I love it!

I like the totally much better than Neverful, but choices are limited for yellow. Still cute!!!!

 

Jeremy always finds a way to surprise me and gave me my keychain that I love, but these are super cute too! Not necessarily something I have to have, but cute!

Love this Life!

I am pretty sure I love this life (actually I KNOW I do)... but I am also pretty sure that it is time to slow down. Its been a roller coaster for at least 6 weeks, and I knew it would be.... but everything is truly starting to fall into place. We have hardly seen ANYONE in the last 6 weeks. We do manage 1-2 playdates during the week though but those are pretty easy when it is time with my girl! However, we haven't really been able to sit back with friends, see much of our family, or anything. When weekends roll around, I just want to be at home b/c so much has been happening.. Pretty soon the inside renovation will be done and I will be ready to have people over. So friends.... its coming. I am also trying out this whole 2-3 week thing with no kitchen, which means NO BAKING. UGH... no treats for me! I must go find a bakery b/c I like my treats. I like to cook too so that is really killing me in some ways, but we are making it. The week has flown by! Looking forward to more of this fabulous cool weather at the lake all weekend!!!

OMG... look at this mess! That green is NOT my color! Old color, has to be repainted. After this kitchen is done, I can post lots of before and after pictures.... at least for the inside : )

This is just a small portion of the kitchen, but it shows a little bit of the mess!

Everyday there is more and more progress!!! Love watching it!

We have had lots of fun play dates after school this week! She was waiting on her friend Harper at CFA here. They love to play together and they are so cute together!

Welcome Fall!

Welcome October and Welcome Fall! The chill is back in the air. What a blessing! I love it! What a relaxing weekend we had. I am reminded that this is why God gave us weekends. Sleeping in, nice Saturday breakfast, nice long runs (with Jeremy and Charlee Kate....which is even better), relaxing, fun errands, projects, church on Sundays, etc... I love them and particularly this past one. We are finally coming out of the crazy fog...probably only to hop back in for a few more week because renovations started yesterday,  but this time the stress should be less. Through lots of devotions and bible studies God has revealed to me what is really important in life and I am keeping myself from getting too caught up in the mess. (mentally... physically impossible, haha)

I will have to take pictures of renovations. WOW... what a mess, yet I am so excited because it is so much fun to watch it change. We have set up "shop" in the den with coffee maker, microwave, basic food items just to snack on, and paper products. Charlee Kate thinks it is so neat. LOL... not my idea of organized, but it isn't permanent. Temporary for a good thing!!!!

Here are a few pictures of Charlee Kate. She just would not sit still for pictures this weekend. She was wild! I just love this little angel more and more everyday... if that is possible!

This first picture is when we were heading out for our run. She was still in her jammies, but thats what Saturdays are for!

Jeremy went to the Ole Miss/Bama game and CK and I had some girl time. She was a wild child this particular night. I turned around when I was at the Juicy store and she was in the window posing by the manaquins. We had to leave quick! Then she was modeling all their hats/purses/ etc... I don't know what she ate this night, but she was in rare form! I have never seen her sooooo crazy! This is what she did, put her skirt on, no shirt, and she had on her cute new leopard boots I bought at Saks last year. Definitely a diva here!

Eating a little dinner at CFA. Bonefish would have been restuarant of choice, but we were next to CFA so went there. 

I couldn't keep her still for a photo!

 She was still here only because I was taking a picture of the back of her and she couldn't tell.

A cute little chalkboard made from a "half door". This is in her playroom and it slides across on her bookshelf. Its cute!

Heading off to church. She was so sweet all morning, then she got mad at me and refused to smile. I thought the pictures captured the moment well!

We now have to eat out often until our kitchen is done.... this was Monday night and she thought she owned the restuarant. We laughed just watching her. Luckily, we were the only ones in there!

She couldn't stop eating breakfast long enough for a picture, but I got it. Just loved this dress! I wanted her precious picture in it, but it didn't really work. We do have a professional photographer coming soon. Wish I could have about 10 outfit changes for her!