Catch Up!

Oh my goodness I have so much to blog about it is intimidating! Let me show you what we’ve been up to with pictures.

DSCN2667

Went on a beautiful hike.

DSCN2671

Taught Hallie how to drive.

DSCN2673

DSCN2682

Went to Mount Vernon and saw George Washington’s Grist Mill and distillery.

DSCN2686

DSCN2689

Volunteered and attended a church exchange. It was HUGE!! It opened up @9 am Saturday morning. I got there @ 8:15 and there was already a line outside the doors. It was pretty much a mormon black friday event!!!! We got these items: lots of books, Home schooling phonics kit, scriptures movies and regular movies, walker/bike toy for Hallie, rollerblades for Ben and I (2 sets), a jogging stroller, and a toaster oven. I’d say we scored big time!! The best part- it was all FREE!!

DSCN2691

DSCN2697

Carved Pumpkins.

DSCN2751

Cooked Pumpkin. (Don’t mind the date on the baggies. I was jumping a month ahead when I labeled them.) Opps!

DSCN2729

Went to Cox farms and had the time of our life. (Although Hallie doesn’t look like it in this picture. She wanted to go play instead of stop and pose for a picture.) I have soooo many photos to post from this that I will have to do a whole other blog post just for Cox Farms.

DSCN2760

DSCN2761

DSCN2756

Went to a fabulous little kid Halloween party.  I made Hallie’s costume. It is the fill in until the one my mom made gets here for the ward trunk or treat.

P.S. It is almost impossible to get a good picture of a busy 14 1/2 month old. She seriously NEVER stops! I took like a million pictures trying to get her face and her costume. Alas, I failed!!

DSCN2768

Bundled up and went running with our new stroller!

DSCN2767

And last but not least we are enjoying a Virginia Fall!

I LOVE MY LIFE!!!!

Crafts II

So here are some pictures of my latest FINISHED craft projects.

DSCN2658

Grocery cart cover. This has been my most time consuming project. Thanks to my great friend Stacey and her unwavering patience I am finally finished and able to use it. Goodbye GERMS!!! Just look at how happy Hallie is to have her new cushy and germ free  ride!! 🙂  Tip: Don’t go from burp cloths to grocery cart covers. Much more difficult!!!!!!!!

Here is a lamp that our landlord left behind. BORING!!

BEFORE:
DSCN2575

AFTER:

DSCN2661

I learned a trick from my friend Anna. I’ve fallen in love with Mod Podge!

DSCN2663

I made this out of an old mirror I got at a thrift store. I took off the mirror and spray painted the frame. Then I glued ribbon inside to hang all of Hallie’s flowers on.

DSCN2665

I didn’t make these, my best friend Tiffany did. (Thanks Tiff!)  I’m posting a pic of them because they are so cute and I FINALLY hung them up. (Thanks Linds!)  p.s. sorry such a bad picture we need a new camera!

This Week for Dinner…

October 5-10

This week we are eating leftovers from the freezer. (Gotta love when a recipe makes so much you can freeze and eat later!)  Along with leftovers we are eating nothing NEW. Despite this I thought I would still post what we are eating just in case it sparks an idea for you.

Taco Salad

Chicken and Black Beans over Spinach Salad

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

And for Stacey here are some fabulous dessert recipes I’ve found.

Pumpkin Gooey Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Pumpkin Spice Magic Bar Mini’s

That should hold you over for a week! 🙂

National ZOO

Hallie and I went to the zoo today with a bunch of our friends. I wondered how much Hallie would enjoy it-thinking she might get more out of it when she was a little older, but man she LOVED it! My favorite part was watching her face light up as she would she an animal. She would get this little smirk on her face-I wish I could have captured that on camera but you know how kids are. 🙂 BTW it was the perfect 70 degrees today and NO humidity-WOW doesn’t get better than that!

DSCN2649

That monkey wasn’t in a cage!

DSCN2641

There was the cutest baby gorilla eating with it’s mama.

DSCN2638

Just another one of Hallie’s little faces. Such a goof ball. She crinkles her eyebrows and scrunches her nose.

DSCN2646

Aquarium

DSCN2636

Obviously the elephants

DSCN2648

She loved the big fish

DSCN2653

Hallie and her buddy Gabe. She loves him and just laughs whenever she is around him. So cute!

DSCN2655

Hallie getting a good look at the ducks

Ahh what a perfect day!