Life Lately

I cannot believe that the month of September is basically gone. It really flew by so quickly. September is my favorite month because of Michael and my birthdays, so sometimes it seems to fly by more quickly cause we have lots of fun things planned.

Here is what has been happening around here lately:

...Jar painted this for his boss as a wedding gift (she loved it)

...I decorated the credenza for fall

...Christmas is not far away (I love to get these catalogs)

...the credenza at night

...we went to Oktoberfest as a family

...Michael trimmed the Arbivitea

...I love my new mug

...Michael's birthday phone call

...my mom made this pumpkin coffee cake for Michael for his birthday

...mail from Michael's mom

...making Michael's favorite meal (steak fondue with potatoes, sourdough bread, and corn--I also made some Cajun shrimp)

...I also made Michael a creme brulee for his birthday dessert

...we went to Red Lobster for Michael's birthday dinner (Michael had all-you-can-eat shrimp)

Jar and I split this (well...he actually ate 3/4 of it)

Jar and I also split this (he had most of it)

Cam had crab legs

...we went for a country drive after dinner at Red Lobster

...we stopped at Grandma's quick

...Jar got this flower for me for my birthday

...I made Jar this huge plate of food for dinner last night

...Cam got his aquarium cabinet put together last night

...Google sent me this comparison photo

...Jar made these cool chalkboard signs in produce (he is so talented)

...for his birthday gift Micheal went to see the local tractor pulls/monster trucks

...the boys and I went shopping during my birthday week

...we went to see Ant Man and the Wasp

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Other happenings around here lately:

• Michael and I watched Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime

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• I did a lot of cooking
• Michael and I watched Chesapeake Shores and Treasure Quest
• I did a lot of minimalizing
• I cleaned the whole house
• both boys had a lot of school work
• I got Michael White Castle burgers for lunch
• Michael went to the junkyard
• Michael and I watched Pretty in Pink

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• We watched Mission Impossible V: Rogue Nation on Michael's birthday

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Currently

Currently...

• I am thinking...about when the boys were little, and we lived in Pennsylvania
• I am thankful...for a good night of sleep
• I am creating...a letter for Michael's birthday tomorrow
• I am going...to go clean the downstairs bathroom and laundry room in just a moment
• I am wondering...what job Cam will get once he is done with college
• I am making...a grocery list
• I am cooking...chicken stir fry for dinner tonight
• I am looking...at the flag flying in the front yard
• I am playing...YouTube videos
• I am enjoying...some spray whipped cream with a sprinkling of hot cocoa mix on top
• I am waiting...til 3:00 to take Zena out to the bathroom
• I am liking...the new credenza and fall decor in the dining room
• I am wondering...what meals to fix the boys next week
• I am noticing...that I really do love eating my first meal at 1 or so
• I am buying...less and less (I am really embracing this minimalist thing)
• I am reading...Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana White
• I am hoping...that Michael and I get into working out together
• I am looking forward to...the fall season
• I am learning...that I am a true homebody (I truly love to be home)
• I am pondering...what to do with the front yard landscape
• I am eating...whipped cream at the moment
• I am drinking...a coconut milk pumpkin spice iced coffee
• I am feeling...organized
• I am watching...YouTube videos
• I am enjoying...the sunshine
• I am praying for...Barry and his health with his latest stroke
• I am working on...getting a schedule in place that I truly follow (now that I no longer homeschool)
• I am needing...to cut my bangs
• I am trying...to stick to my schedule
• I am discovering...that I really like minimal furniture and decor
• I am starting...to get in the mood for Christmas
• I am listening to...my mom on the phone
• I am annoyed that...I just don't read as much
• I am anxious about...the boys driving to YAM
• I am excited about...planning for Christmas
• The world needs...less stuff
• I believe...in laughing so hard it hurts or makes you cry (Michael and I need to watch some funny movies or tv shows)
• I am wanting...to get new floors, lights, and fixtures in our bathrooms (and maybe paint the cabinets grey)
• I am remembering...when the boys pushed their lawnmowers in the yard in Blossburg
• I am laughing/giggling...at Bonnie on YouTube who just had surgery and she is on some strong medication (she is loopy like Gma Joseph used to get)
• I am designing...my bedroom in my head
• I am ordering...nothing at the moment
• I am celebrating...losing six pounds over my birthday week (what?)
• I am tasting...Middlesworth BBQ potato chips (in my head-not literally)
• I see...a hummingbird hovering in the back yard
• I hear...Jared pounding down the stairs
• I should...mow the grass
• I started...organizing the house again (I am obsessed)
• I despise...grocery shopping and dusting
• I am NOT...ready for rainy weather
• It's been a big challenge...to feed all three of the boys
• I know it's a little weird, but...I love to get rid of things--to clear the clutter
• I'll be one happy camper if...we could do more family things together
• I love the fact that...I successfully homeschooled the boys 

Currently...

• Outside my window...the flag is flying in the wind on a sunny afternoon
• In the kitchen...Jar is getting himself some water
• Around the house...I need to clean the downstairs closet
• One of my favorite things is...looking at scrapbooks
• Today...was a beautiful day outside. I love September weather
• Tomorrow...it is Friday - my favorite day of the week and Michael's birthday
• Last photo I took...all of the green veggies I bought to juice
• Last video I took...of the boys playing volleyball last Christmas in Target with a ball of paper
• Last text you sent...to Cam telling him that Jar and I were at Roth's and then on our way home
• Last phone call...to my mom 
• Last thing I googled...how to spell emoji
• Last video I watched on YouTube...Phil and Alex vlog
• Last thing I bought on Amazon...ground ginger and cuticle oil
• Last thing I got in the mail...gloves in a bottle for the boys
• Most used emoji...wink face, smile face, and big smile face

September/October Goals

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These are my September/October Goals:

1. Go to a local Farmer's Market/Farm
2. Make homemade soup
3. Burn fall-scented essential oils
4. Have family movie night
5. Bake cookies
6. Bake pumpkin scones
7. Open windows and enjoy the air
8. Take evening walks
9. Go look at fall decorations in the stores; buy some new ones for dining room credenza
10. Put out fall decorations
11. Get into the groove of school
12. Get some home projects done (clean garage, do some more organizing, clean the gutters, cut down flowers, pressure wash around house, paint the stairs hand rail, trim bushes, grass seed out front, weed preventer in flower beds, fall weed and feed on grass)
13. Go for drives and take photos
14. Go to the coast
15. Spend more time outside
16. Celebrate Amy's birthday (Keizer Station, downtown shopping, Hobby Lobby & Home Goods, Trader Joe's, Oktoberfest, movie night, EZ Orchards)
17. Celebrate Michael's birthday
18. Go to Red Robin for our birthdays (or bring it home and watch TV shows or a movie)
19. Go out with Mom
20. Cut Lily's hair
21. Go to Oktoberfest
22. Take fall photos
23. Go on a hike (Silver Falls and Opal Creek)
24. Watch college football
25. Go to a high school football game
26. Rake leaves
27. Make pumpkin bread
28. Get pumpkin latte from Starbucks
29. Get apple cider donuts
30. Go to the outlets
31. Play outdoor yard games
32. Play a board game
33. Have a fire in the fire pit
34. Get into a good cleaning schedule
35. Play four square
36. Boys go to YAM

These were my July/August Goals:

1. Move Mom into new place
2. Jar help out in 3rd Grade SSchool
3. Cam finish his hard class 
4. Jar enroll in college
5. Both boys work more hours
6. Michael change out his trunk and hood (due to Jar's mishap)
7. Michael put new fuel pump on Jeep
8. Go to informational meeting at church on new SSchool schedule
9. Michael work on HOA stuff
10. Anniversary get-away
11. Paint outside house lights
12. Change oil on Cam's car
13. Clean out my closet
14. Get new cabinet for dining room
15. Get new photo for dining room
16. Go hiking
17. Put down stepping stones in front yard
18. Put down stepping stones under hose in back yard
19. Pressure wash the house and all concrete
20. Michael and I work out together every night
21. Go for more walks
22. Eat Keto
23. Jar play cajon in Youth Group
24. Cut Lily's hair
25. Cut all of the boys hair
26. Plan Jar's fall year
27. Go to the coast for the day
28. Take more photos with my camera
29. One family day per month

My Birthday

Today is my birthday, but around here we celebrate our birthdays for a week or so. One day is just not enough.

On Monday, Cam and I went shopping together. We went to Marshall's, Michael's, World Market, Guitar Center, Staples, Petco, and Target. We also got food to-go at Cafe Yumm.

first time to see Zoella's stuff

snacks I picked up

shirt I purchased at Target

mug I purchased at Marshall's

Tuesday, Cam, Jar, and I went downtown shopping (American Eagle, Hot Topic, Pac Sun, JC Penney, Famous Footwear, and Rue 21) and then to Hobby Lobby, Home Goods, and Best Buy. We got food to take home from Auntie Anne's and Pita Pit.

Cam got this

I picked Mom up on Wednesday, and we went to EZ Orchards, to see Barry, Trader Joe's, Jersey Mike's subs, and MOD pizza (for the boys). I got soup mixes and the classic apple cider donuts at EZ Orchards.

Today...Thursday...is my birthday. Everyone is working today, so we will celebrate my birthday tonight. We plan to watch Paddington 2 and have Korean BBQ.

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We plan to go to Oktoberfest tomorrow. I love to go here...mainly to take photos of the boys. We don't really do much there. We walk it quick and take photos and be goofy.

How We Fall

Fall is my favorite season. September is my favorite month, not only because it is my birthday, but also because it is the start of the fall season. Here is how we do fall around here:

• pumpkin spice latte
• pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cake, pumpkin hot chocolate, pumpkin anything
• hot chocolate
• pumpkin coffee
• sweatshirts
• EZ Orchards

• Bauman Farms

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• Oktoberfest

• fall drives
• Barnes n Nobles
• Cafe 66 shakes
• football
• shopping during birthday week
• pumpkin patches and mazes (well we used to do this)
• go hiking
• go camping (oh, how I miss this)
• drink apple cider
• campfire
• roast marshmallows
• make smores
• watch new fall tv shows
• take fall photos
• Thanksgiving

I love fall best of all

Fall is my favorite season. September is my birthday month, so the beginning of fall is so much fun!

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What Wednesday

What we are eating this week:

...chicken fajitas

...spaghetti and meatballs

...lemon cheese filled pasta

...fig balsamic pork with potatoes and green beans
...grilled chicken and chicken fried rice

What I am remembering:

...Thanksgiving with family (Cam just turned 16 years old)

What I am excited about:

...getting back into my schedule

...the boys being in college group together

What I'm watching:

...America's Got Talent

...Dateline

...Kathie Lee and Hoda Today
...Garage Sale Mysteries

What I'm listening to:

...my Fun Music playlist on Spotify

...Jared singing while taking a shower

What I'm reading:

...Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley

...Less: A Visual Guide to Minimalism by Rachel Aust

What I'm loving:

...iced coffee

...pink grapefruit sparking water
..bacon
...relaxing in the evening
...air conditioning
...getting more organized
...becoming more minimal

What we've been up to

...watching Criminal Minds

...celebrating Jar's birthday

...celebrating our 25th anniversary
...yard work
...Jar starting his first college classes

What I'm working on:

...organizing the whole house

...deep cleaning the house

...intermittent fasting
...following my schedule to a T
...laundry

What I'm dreading:

...cleaning the bathrooms (not my favorite)

...the rain and darkness of winter

What we're doing this weekend:

...yard work
...starting a new Sunday School series
...laundry

What I'm looking forward to next month:

...Oktoberfest

...cooler weather
...going to the coast with the family for at least the day

August Boxes

Yuzen Box

Allure Box

Bulu Box

Birchbox Box

Beauty Fix Box