a day at the fair...

the craft fair that is!!!!!

i will have to say that my first "show" was a success! i wasn't sure what to expect...but it was actually painless...& i was able to roll in a few orders! i have a feeling i might be one busy little bee until the holidays are over...but that is A-OK with me!!!!!!

i have included a pic of what my "booth" looked like...jeffrey built me this amazing "display fence" so that i could hang my paintings - so nice to have a jack of all trades in the fam!!!!

i wish i had more time to post...but duty calls...i must go PAINT!!!!!

drum roll please...

so...after an official tabulating of results (aka - jeffrey drawing three little slips of paper out of a hat)...the winners are:

meredith davis
liz folds
granna

congrats, ladies! please email me at paintingmehappy@gmail.com with the names of all of your family members (ok - 2 of you i already know all that stuff)...so granna, please send me the names of all the special people in your life including your last name!!!!!

i cannot tell you how much fun this was for me...i will definitely be hosting another contest soon...i swear it's not just because i LOVE all the comments!!!!!! i really do love giving stuff away...jeffrey can vouch for that!

i appreciate ALL your kind words...more importantly - i appreciate all of you "caring" about my family and allowing me to share ourselves with you! i am going to try to comment back to all of you...may take me a little while...but that's my goal!

so for now...please don't ever hesitate to give us a "shout" to let us know you are "here"...it really means a lot!

have a great weekend...i will start planning our next contest!!!!!!

i've been tagged...

i received this game of "blogger tag" from cyberspace and the deal is, you fill out the answers and tag a fellow blogger. IF you read this, you are to copy it into your blog and answer the questions...then tag a fellow blogger and pass along the quiz!

1. Where is your cell phone? in my car...it's home away from home
2. Where is your significant other? laying on the couch...reading "red state"
3. Your hair color? brown...never been touched by any other color
4. Your mother? "honey"...the best dresser, baker, grandmother, wife, mom a girl could ever ask for
5. Your father? he's in heaven...& we miss him...
6. Your favorite thing? long weekends, coca cola classic, my sweet daughters, their daddy, being "home", painting, snuggling with some little people named ella & maddie...the list is endless really
7. Your dream last night? i don't think i slept long enough to dream...
8. Your dream/goal? to live to be 100...among many other obvious things...
9. The room you're in? my tiny little living room...but the fire that the "old man" built is really nice!
10. Your hobby? painting, taking pictures, scrapbooking, anything "martha stewartish"...
11. Your fear? vomit, my children suffering, not being able to see them get married & have children, not having any money to spend at target...
12. Where do you want to be in six years? possibly famous...and noted as the best mommy in the world in a 10 & 8 year old's eyes (i can't believe i just had to write that...what are they going to be like?)
13. Where were you last night? home painting my heart out!
14. What you’re not? snooty, afraid of shots, good at being away from the south, oh, & i'm definitely not tall...
15. One of your wish list items? a private jet...yeah right!!!!
16. Where you grew up? good ole' shreveport louisiana
17. The last thing you did? ordered some pictures off the internet
18. What are you wearing? a fleece pullover & gray pants
19. Your TV? a dear old friend
20. Your pet? has really bad breath...sweet emma lou...best dog a family could ever have
21. Your computer? addicting
22. Your mood? overwhelmed...but nonetheless, happy!
23. Missing someone? too many people to list...
24. Your car? the next largest landfill...pretty much a total "mom mobile"...
25. Something you’re not wearing? a frown...& shoes
26. Favorite store? gotta love some "tar-jey"...
27. Your summer? action packed & memory filled...
28. Love someone? you bet...with my whole heart & soul...& then some
29. Your favorite color? pink...& purple
30. When is the last time you laughed? with ella in the fam...we laugh ALL the time...maddie's not too shabby in the funny department either...her naked buns had me laughing tonight!!!!!
31. Last time you cried? saturday...really hard

ok...i am tagging meredith e. & meredith d.......................get going gals!!!!! :)

hip, hip, hooray...

to all those that have commented!!!!!! nice to "meet" some of you...glad to hear from some old pals! you guys ROCK! i knew i could count on you...& my smile widens as the number rises!!!!
don't forget you have until friday at midnight to leave a comment...if you want to - click here

happy commenting everyone!!!!!

thank you so much...you all sure do make me happy!

wordless wednesday...

to the naked eye...

it would appear that my "babysitting" skills were lacking...

however, i WATCHED madeline use a marker as lipstick and caught the perfect "you lookin' at me?" look on camera...what are we going to do with our little "booboo"...there is no denying that this precious little peanut is almost TWO years old!!!! it just can't be!

she is trying desperately to communicate with us...but we haven't taken the roseta stone course in "madelinese"...therefore stirring up some frustration for the little person! her favorite word is "m&m"...and lest we not forget "NO"...but she is quick to hand out kisses when she thinks she has hurt your feelings. it is so amazing to watch her "grow up" right before our very eyes!

so for now, i will allow her to use crayola beauty products...because afterall, they are washable...and sometimes it's just better to laugh and brand on your heart the love you feel for a baby that's so not a baby anymore...

new stuff at "painting me happy"...

so...i spent pretty much the whole weekend with a paintbrush in hand...and came up with some fun holiday creations! please check out my painting blog for ordering & pricing information!
if you can't tell...i am really excited about all the upcoming holidays!!!!

fun canvas flat...perfect for that door, tree, or wreath...just looking to be "holidayed" up!!!!

(yes, i just made up that word!!!)

just a fun example of what you can do with the canvas flats!!!!!

snowman ornaments...the whole family!!!!

more snowman ornaments!

not holiday...but pretty precious for that "little prince"...

(done on 9x12 canvas flat)

pay it forward fun...

ok everybody.......................this is going to be fun! i recently won a "pay it forward" contest on one of the great blogs that i read...so i am going to join in...and repay the favor!

i know there are lots of people that read the price family blog that don't ever comment or rarely do...& i want to "get to know you better"! i am such a people person and it makes me SO happy to read our comments...so i want to hear from everybody...just so that i can say "hi" once i "meet"you !!!!!!!!

please leave a comment...you know who you are :)...and three people will receive something really fun & hand painted from "painting me happy" ...but i am going to keep it a surprise!!!!! hopefully, i'll have SO many comments - i won't know what to do with myself! please comment by friday at midnight...and i will announce the winners sometime this weekend! happy commenting!!!!

for those that don't have a gmail account...i think it is pretty easy & free to set one up so that you can join us in the contest......................................GOSH, i love to give stuff away!!!! this might have to become a regular thing!!!!!

get going, gals...& guys...if you really want to overachieve...leave me a comment here too...i might just have to throw in a bonus!!!!!

throwback thursday...because it's friday and all...

since i completely lost track of the fact that yesterday was wednesday (columbus day has really thrown me off)...ok - i just re-read what i wrote and in all honesty...i did not even realize that today was friday...even though i just took both of my girls to school....

*sigh*

so...i thought i would have a throwback to the day that my little people were really little people...

precious moments...

madeline coming home from the hospital

madeline's 2nd week home

ella - 5 months old

ella - 13 months old

"painting me happy"...

is official.

i have the business cards...the labels...the brushes & paints...

now all i need are some orders!!!!!! please check out my new painting blog -

www.paintingmehappy.blogspot.com

feel free to contact me with any questions...and pass this link along to any of your friends and family! thanks for all the encouraging words so far...i hope to be painting my heart out soon!

k-4 is fantastically fun...

ella & i are having the best time this year coming up with all kinds of fun snacks for her class! tomorrow is our first turn for "special snack thursday"! of all things, the unit this week that they are "studying" is "we love our earth"...not pumpkins or something "fallish"...but earth...more along recycling lines - what in the world do we do with that!!!!! you don't have to bring a snack related to the unit...but come on - i am the daughter of a teacher - i can't not!!!!

so as i was washing my hair the other day...i was racking my brain on what i could do...i came up with the idea to make "bags of trash" for each student! i filled brown paper sacks with chex mix, yogurt covered raisins, pretzel sticks, & a few green m&m's (in honor of madeline meredith price, of course!!!)...and drew the recycling arrows on each bag! i think they turned out pretty cute!

then for good measure, i had to do a "fallish" treat...this one's for you stephanie!!! i googled around and found these donut hole acorns! ADORABLE!!!! you take a donut hole, dob a little chocolate icing on the top, roll it in crushed pretzels (the recipe calls for toffee bits - ella would have none of that!), and stick a stem on (ella called this a horn!!!!) they are so very yummy...and really, really cute...because that is what 4 year olds are thinking about, right? i am hopeless!!!

i wrote on the top of the box..."for all the squirrels in mrs. bradley & mrs. gill's class...enjoy your acorns! happy fall!"

just thought i would pass along this cute idea in case anyone else is looking for a cute snack for the class...or looking for a reason to lose out on some sleep!!!!!

ella's got a good "grill"...

ella bella had her first "official" dental check up today...she got an A+...and she did great!!!!

her "chiclets" checked out beautifully...we were given instructions to floss because her teeth are "tight"! that should be fabulous...have you ever tried to floss a 4 year old's teeth? we'll see!!!

ella chose strawberry toothpaste and strawberry fluoride...and she loved giving mr. thirsty kisses - it was really cute to watch her act like such a big girl! our sweet little "nate nate" paved this way for us...and we thought about him being such a big boy today while we were at our appointment!

at the end of our time with dr. nelson...ella had all the hygienists giving her bags full of stickers & prizes...even a couple thrown in for her sister - man, that girl can work it!!!!

i am really proud of her...and as i looked at her today taking up so much of that big dental chair...i just know that every moment i have with her...& maddie...is a gift. i am richly blessed.

little "punkins" everywhere...

we ventured back out to "great country farms " yesterday to experience the pumpkin patch! fall is such a wonderful time of year...and there were SO many fun things for the two little pumpkins in our family to enjoy! we were SO much cooler this go round...see "strawberry" post to find out how hot we were last time we were there!

we rode on a big covered wagon out to the "patch" to pick our own pumpkins...55 lbs later - we emerged, slightly covered in dirt, with our pumpkin loot! what a sight...me trying to carry madeline, my camera, & two rather LARGE pumpkins back to the wagon!!!!! we of course had to pick enough pumpkins to represent every member of our family...including emma!

for those that are wondering...yes, madeline did try to take a bite of a pumpkin...yes, she was very disappointed that you can't! what should she expect since everything else we have picked ourselves was edible on the spot!

there was a huge jumping pillow, play ground equipment & playhouses, a barrel train ride, a corn/sand pit, rope swings, slides, and lots of room to run and play...the girls had a blast. the parents had so much fun seeing the littles enjoying the country!

as usual, the majority of the price family was not really into taking any pics...but i managed to squeeze in a few!

we spotted a christmas tree farm on our way to the patch...so who knows, that could be our next adventure into the wilderness!!!!!

hope everyone is enjoying fall and all the amazing things this season has to offer!

this could get interesting...

ok...so a "blogging" friend of mine put me up to the challenge of revealing 100 things about myself...i can't really say "100 things that no one knows about me"...because anyone that really knows me - knows that i am pretty much an open book...but i am just gonna let the fingers do the walking and see what we come up with here!!!!!!


100. i have brown hair that has never been colored or highlighted...ever. ask me this time next year and we'll see what the answer is...lots of grays have been popping up lately!!!
99. my favorite colors are pink & purple...but the color i wear the most is black...go figure.
98. i would love to be an OB nurse but my earthshattering fear of vomit impedes me.
97. oh yea, i have an earthshattering fear of vomit.
96. i actually really enjoy, actually love being pregnant...my belly, the kicks, the clothes, the being able to cut in line in the bathroom...love it all!!!
95. i am secretly very "crunchy granola" at heart...i would like to grow my own vegetables & fruit...and use all organic products...but i still want to have a coke machine at my organic farm.
94. i love coca cola in a styrofoam cup with pellet ice...A LOT! like A LOT!
93. i used to have an ice cream addiction...i'm recovering...i only fall off the wagon like 2-3 times a week!
92. my husband told his sister that he was gonna marry me the first night we met...glad i didn't make him a liar!
91. i used to make splattered, watermelon t-shirts when i was in 6th grade...and i sold them! oh yea - i've got the entrepreneur spirit!
90. i have an amazing mom...she is the best cheerleader, surpriser, note writer, lunch maker, best friend a girl could ever ask for.
89. i do not like any kind of pants that hit me at my waist...being forced to wear them would likely land me in an institution.
88. i wanted to be a mom starting at about age 12 - i just knew if i had one last wish on earth...it would be to become a mommy
87. some of my favorite fruits are fresh peaches & pineapple
86. i was named after my dad & his dad...both of their names were frank meredith walker
85. i was really (let's be nice here) pudgy back in those t-shirt selling days...i could put down both bars of a twix during adult swim faster than you can say "michael phelps"!
84. if you cut me open, i am pretty sure i would bleed purple & gold...GO TIGERS!!!!!
83. while out in california, jeffrey & i participated in "the price is right"...jeffrey was actually a contestant on the show...he even got to spin the wheel!
82. at our wedding, we served ice cold milk with our chocolate groom's cake
81. in 3rd grade, i did the wrong spelling words and had to sit under the tree during recess...refer to #85...just looking for reasons!!!!
80. my labor & delivery with ella were a piece of cake compared to madeline's arrival...always heard it's supposed to be the other way around
79. i was in the "drum corp" (thanks again, laura) during my sophomore year...dark moment in my past - the beats still resonate in my mind
78. i had my heart broken for the first time when i was 16
77. my friends mean everything to me...i LOVE being a friend to others
76. i am just 6 months shy of having breastfed my 2 babies for a combined three years
75. i spent my childhood taking a shower in an outhouse on my great grandparent's farm in corsicana...kinda scary at the time...now i love that fact that i got that opportunity
74. i'll take chocolate ice cream over vanilla any day of the week
73. i wish i would have gotten a degree in graphic design instead of dietetics
72. i went on a cruise with 8 of my friends for our senior trip...had the time of my life!
71. i pick my toenails when i am nervous...i know...gross
70. i will sometimes crave ketchup...the fries or whatever are just a carrier for the "catsup"
69. i wish my children had the opportunity to meet my dad, nina, & "grandma biscuit" and gran
68. as a child, i had to sleep with the hall light on...i also always had to have the closet door closed
67. i believed in santa clause until i was in the 5th grade...i didn't believe my mom could possibly afford our christmas presents
66. i love taking pictures...especially of my sweet peas...& hope to take a photography course soon
65. i won the dean's award in 8th grade (along with amy s.)
64. i always sleep by the door...so i don't really claim a side...but currently it's the right
63. i couldn't swallow pills until about 8 years ago
62. i swam on the swim team until i was 18 years old...still love it!
61. jeffrey & i went to london, england for our 1st anniversary
60. ella was 17 months old before i left her overnight for the first time...it was SO hard for me!
59. my wedding dress was the exact opposite of what i thought i wanted...ivory & strapless...and i felt like a princess!
58. i worked at "corns a poppin'" during high school & i loved it...most of my friends worked there too!
57. my favorite sandwich in the world is from deli casino in shreveport...WE LOVE THE GEORGES!
56. the song "love bites" by def leppard is one of my all time favorites
55. my roommate in college and i used to fast all day long so that we could eat a quarter pounder with cheese & a large fry...did i mention i graduated in dietetics? hmmm.
54. the movie "stepmom" made me cry so hard i felt physically ill
53. my sister & i used to sleep together every christmas eve...we always had such a hard time falling asleep
52. my first dog's name was muffin
51. i name my cars...gray dolphin, ariel, grayson...and currently minnie pearl
50. i am the oldest of 5 siblings...and the oldest of 17 cousins
49. some of the sweetest moments of my life occured within the first few minutes of my daughter's lives...jeffrey & i looked into each other's eyes deeper than ever...knowing that these were our little girls
48. i was a bag of jellybeans one year for halloween
47. a group of my friends & i performed as the california raisins in the 5th grade talent show
46. i am really afraid of tornadoes...but also really afraid of basements...not a good combo!
45. i am really finding this task of "100 things" to be pretty difficult!!!!
44. i won a coloring contest at albertson's grocery store one year ($5)...then went on to win the christmas card contest at Loyola (my highschool) when i was a junior ($50 savings bond)
43. i have gotten three speeding tickets in my life
42. the first concert i ever attended was "milli vanilli"...super...they're weren't even singing!!!
41. i used to hang pictures out of the "bop" magazine of luke perry & corey haim on my bedroom wall when i was in middle school
40. i love to sing but have never done so in public...absolutely terrified
39. i couldn't stand the thought (couldn't even say the word) of bar-b-que while i was pregnant with maddie
38. i slept on a designer sofa for the entire summer that my sister was recooperating from her major car accident
37. i played on an undefeated softball team from 5th grade until 8th grade
36. my family used to eat at el chico's every friday night while i was growing up
35. i loved wearing scrubs to work...so comfortable
34. i am a major night owl...i do some of my best work after 11 pm
33. i did a project in food science comparing fat free cheese & regular cheese...i have NEVER eaten the fat free since
32. i love old window panes & doors...i own several...that are waiting to be creatively used!
31. my favorite teachers in highschool were mrs. meehan & mr. johnson
30. my sister & i had "icee days" during the school year when we were little...mondays & fridays!
29. i used to be so afraid of the dentist that my mom wouldn't be able to tell me that i was going until we were on the way there
28. i didn't get my ears pierced until i was 12
27. while at six flags one summer, our suburban was stolen and pretty much ALL of my clothes were stolen as well
26. i love anything monogrammed...especially the girls' names or initials
25. it's 12:26 am and i just ate a miniature milky way...i'm debating if i want to go for the snickers!
24. johnny's is my favorite pizza in the world...oh, how i miss it!
23. i once forgot my piano recital piece in the MIDDLE...turned & looked at the audience...then started over!!!!! not easy for a little shy, pudgy girl!
22. quality time is high on my "love language" list...& i really value it with people i love.
21. i want ella & madeline to be able to tell their children that they always knew, without a doubt, that i loved them and was proud of them...both in my actions and my words
20. i hope i live to be 100
19. i was getting ready to substitute teach the day september 11th happened...i WILL never forget
18. ella's due date was may 10, 2004 & maddie's was january 19, 2007...ella was 2 weeks early and maddie was one week early
17. i would rather load a dishwasher than unload it...and fold clothes rather than put them away...unfortunately, i am "our maid"...so i usually have to do both!!!
16. i think "bald" looks great on guys...works out well for me!
15. i don't really like to eat white things...mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, ranch, alfredo, cheesecake...you get the picture
14. my mom, brooke, & i rode space mountain at disney world 16 times in a row
13. i only went to camp for two weeks one summer...i was (and still am) a major momma's girl...& didn't like to be too far away from her
12. i usually plan an escape route when i am in a store, mall, etc. - i am really discovering through this list...that i am an awfully apprehensive individual
11. i used to wish i lived on albany street when i was little...kick the can was always so much fun!
10. i can still name all of my teachers from k-3 to 5th grade: mrs. caraway, mrs. sorenson, mrs. lawhon, mrs. music, mrs. fair/mrs. megason, mrs. scheel, mrs. smith, & miss apple
9. my last "wreck" was a few months ago when i basically ripped the bumper off of our suburban...in our garage...don't ask!
8. i love tv shows that depict drama...but can't stand drama in my own life
7. i never wear a watch...haven't worn one since high school
6. emma (our boxer) was "born" to our family on april 10, 2002...she has been known to celebrate a few birthdays with a party hat on
5. i went on a cruise one summer with kelly ripa, regis, ted mcginley, sam champion, & mark consuelos
4. for my 29th birthday...a random stranger gave me 2 tickets to the rolling stones concert in little rock...jeffrey & i had a BLAST!
3. i love candles...i love to get them for myself & receive them as gifts...but i hoard them - and hate to burn them!
2. i love the smell of fresh cut grass, clean sheets out of the dryer, the smell of lavender lotion on my babies' skin, rain in the summer, the bakery at sam's club, the smell of my mom's clothes after she has worn them...the list goes on and on
1. i love spending time with my family of four...which we hope will be a family of 5 some day...doing anything outside. as my friend laura said "frolicking in the mountains picking fruit", playing at the park, or having a picnic...anything together.
one to grow on: i never want to forget the sound of my little girl's laughter or their voice. there is something so sweet and innocent about the way they say things...and there is no sweeter sound.

what kind of mother would let that happen...

it seems that toilets are not just for using the bathroom anymore...they can also serve as a water table of sorts! this mom was on the phone with a friend of hers that was giving her the details of her birth...this mom just loves that kind of talk...and her oldest child came and told her that her sister was standing in the toilet. surely not, thought the mom - not my child!

well, as it turns out...oh yes, the child was SITTING in the toilet, not ON the toilet - IN the toilet...and apparently had played in the water with her hands before stepping in! can i get a GROSS!

the mom had to immediately throw the germy, wet child in the tub and SCRUB every inch of her body! the older child was so proud of herself that she insisted she receive an award for revealing the shenanigans of the youngest sibling...go figure! maybe she should be given a pair of rubber gloves & some comet!

what kind of mom would let her child do that while she was gabbing about birth...i wonder.

what's that? oh, you think i am talking about myself...

noooooooo, i am talking about ella & madeline's mommy!!!!!

(p.s. i totally thought about leaving her there so that i could go get my camera...but then my germ phobia took hold of me...& i couldn't bear the thought of leaving her there for one more second!!!!)

wordless wednesday...

maddie boo boo...

goes to schoooooool!!!! i can't believe that my tiny little peanut spent her first day at mother's day out...and she did GREAT!!

"you want me to go where? did you just say you're gonna leave me there?"

"oh, we're gonna paint, go outside, maybe eat a snack (i sure hope it's sugary)...ok, i'll try it!"

"let me just show you how i 'brush my teeth'!"


"yep, i'm still brushing!"

she whimpered just a little bit when mrs. janine took her from my arms, but by the time i signed in...i looked into the classroom and my baby was sitting like a big girl at a table with puzzles! i took my time leaving the building...just in case she changed her mind...or maybe just in case i changed mine...and then i headed out to run some errands!

"where's that sugary snack i was bettin' on...i'm feeling a little nervous here!"

looking in my rear view mirror and not seeing that sweet little face was a bit strange...but man, my errands went FAST! as i was standing in front of the acrylic paint at michael's trying to decide whether i wanted bamboo or butter cream, my cell phone rang. ruh-roh. please don't let anything be wrong...i answer..."meredith, this is peggy roberts (FYI - director of the school)...everything is fine (i am holding my breath now because i don't know where this is going)...we just wanted to let you know that MADELINE IS DOING GREAT!!!!!" relief...and now i can breathe again! she proceeded to tell me that they had a fire drill and madeline didn't blink an eye - score, maddie! you rock girl!!!!! i thanked her profusely for calling me and left michael's with a HUGE smile on my face!

looks like we might actually pull this off!

after a lengthy stint in the mall...i made my way to "wally world" for what could have been a trial run for "supermarket sweep"...i totally would have won! i got my list into my buggy, checked out, and got back into my car in a little under 15 minutes! maybe that should become an olympic sport!

madeline seemed to have grown up quite a lot in those four hours...she just seemed bigger when i went to pick her up. they played on the play ground, painted a picture, ate lunch at a table, took naps on mats, and read two stories! i don't know how she will feel on friday...but today was a success!

we both hung on a little tighter while we rocked this afternoon. i stole a few more kisses. whispered to each other just a little bit longer. i don't want her to grow up too fast...but it is nice to know that she made it in the big world without me...and she knows that i will never let her go...no matter how old she gets.

mommy loves madeline, mommy loves madeline...yes, i do...yes, i do...mommy loves madeline, mommy loves madeline...i love you, i love you!

"mommy, i got the letter bag..."

these were the exuberant words coming out of my sweet ella's mouth when i picked her up from school today...the letter of the week is "H"...and she needed a show & tell...for tomorrow!

i put my thinking cap on and got to work trying to "google" every preschool snack ever made - because who wouldn't want to eat while learning the alphabet! i figured the typical items like a hammer or hippo were has beens (even i can get into this "h" thing!!!)...so i decided to be as original as possible!

well, the decision was made to create hamburger cookies! ella & i had fun sandwiching together vanilla wafers and peppermint patties to simulate "sliders"! we squirted some red icing on for ketchup...if i was really an overachiever, i would have used yellow and green for mustard and pickles - maybe in another life, during another "H" week!

*sigh*

here's a pic of my little one...with the letter bag...filled with hamburger cookies! i can't believe she is old enough to be learning phonics...just yesterday i was changing her diapers and making her baby food...my how time flies when you are really in love!

on a side note...the smallest little in this family has a momentous day tomorrow! miss madeline is going to attend her first day of mother's day out! jeffrey is not too sure about this decision - quite frankly i'm not either - but we are just going to give it a trial run. since i have started my painting business, i just feel that i need some "paint" time that doesn't involve sweet one hanging on my leg...or require me to stay up 'til 2 a.m. every night! she still seems like such a little baby to me and i can't imagine her eating from a lunch box, going to music, or playing on the play ground without me. but life happens. and she is growing up. and this may be good for her. if not, this mommy has no problem having an appendage or sleeping when i'm dead...but if we could all win - why not!!!!!! i love that little person...and it's going to break my heart to leave her tomorrow...but hopefully, she will love it as much as her sister! there will most definitely be an update on her "first day" after the fact!

Hope everyone Has a Happy, Happy day!

(let's hope no one totes any morning breath to preschool!!!!!!)

an apple a day...

or lots of apples...creates a fun filled sunday spent with the fam!

we headed out today for our first official apple picking! stribling orchard - located in markam, virginia - is in the blue ridge mountains...and proved to be a vast play land for the little & big people! with over 2,500 apple trees, there was plenty of fruit to go around! madeline kept an apple in hand the entire time...she tried many varieties! she took bites of granny smith, red delicious, stayman, rome, golden grimes, & york! she never really liked apples before today!

ella had a ball climbing into the trees to retrieve those fruits that were too tall to reach on our own! jeffrey had a few apples bump him on his "bull head" (ella's affectionate term for his bald head)...occupational hazard when apple picking i suppose!

the weather was gorgeous...and the view of the mountains was breathtaking. we had such a fun time picking enough apples to fill our 10 lb bag...and then made our way out of the orchard...but not before having an impromptu meeting with the BIGGEST pigs i have ever seen! ella had to feed them some fallen apples...and madeline loved hearing them "oink"!!!!

ella & i are hoping to try out our baking skills by whipping up something "appley"!!!! any recipe suggestions would be appreciated! until then, we indulged and bought a warm apple crumb pie at the orchard store...and it was SO YUMMY! it almost looked too pretty to eat...but not really! we managed to put a pretty big dent in it when we got home! uuummm....

virginia is so beautiful and we are enjoying all there is to do outdoors! our next adventure will include a pumpkin patch...oh, how we love fall!

i am not sure how madeline is going to feel about the fact that you can't eat pumpkins...what a disappointment that is going to be!