It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

HALLOWEEN!!!

Last Friday I couldn't wait any longer and so I drug the boxes out of the attic and got Halloween all set up at our house. I LOVE LOVE LOVE HAlloween decorations - I think because I have super fond memories of Halloween growing up and because it's just so fun! Here's my eating area... This year I incorporated A TON of laboratory glassware into my decorating. Some have tealights inside, some are filled with candycorn or other candy and others are empty.
The Mantle has scary books and then lab glass mixed in with tealight holders...

Mantle at night...

On one corner of my kitchen counters I filled a cake stand with pumpkins and tulle and put out the plate that we went and made a few weekends ago...

Behind my kitchen sink... In the bottom left you can see a beaker with a candle in it, at night it looks like it's filled with glowing liquid. SO FUN!

The haunted house I found at Tuesday morning on a clearance table about 5 years ago. It was supposed to have glass windows and tealight holders on the back, but since they were all broken I just put some vellum scrapbook paper in there and when the light shines through it looks really neat.

Kitchen counter and buffet table in the front hall...

So glad I got it all up early - now we get to enjoy it for more than a month. I still need to put up all of my cobwebs and finish a few more projects, but for now it's looking festive!

Luke, Meet Levi

Since Dave was crazy busy at work the Friday (and weekend that followed) that Levi was born, he and Luke headed up to Anna to visit our new nephew... SOOOOOOO hard to believe that our Mr. Mason was that teeny (teenier, actually!) just 5 months ago! Levi has the COOLEST swing ever... Uncle Matthew with Luke and Levi (excuse Luke's CA-RAZY hair - I have no idea what that's about - other than he had been out and about with Daddy. hahaha)
Luke really enjoyed Uncle Matthew's music room:

Stefan, Matthew and Levi

Last Sunday

I can't believe I forgot to post these! Last Sunday it was a small miracle and we were all dressed and ready to go EARLY! The boys looked cute and the weather was cool so I pulled the big blue chair out front, popped them in it and attempted to get a cute picture. I took about 30 and here are the best ones :)
Mason ADORES Luke! He looks at him like this 24/7 - most of the time with a big giant smile on his face :)

My sweet, sweet boys!

Tuesday, September 6th

These pictures are from back on the 6th. We went to an impromptu dinner at Dickey's and then decided to head out to the golf course for a walk since the weather was so pretty. This was Mason's first time to sit in the front of the stroller! :)
We picked Gibi up on our way to the golf course - as you can tell we really had to twist her arm to get her to join us. hehehehe

Luke got sprayed by the (stinky) golf course sprinklers...

... which is why he was SOAKED!

Dave was super excited about having his picture taken...

So he returned the favor :)

By the time the sun went down Mason was OUT like a light. Sweet boy!

We are sooooooooooooooo beyond excited about the cooler (dear Canadian relatives, we consider "cooler" weather to be anything under 90 degrees) weather we've been having. We feel like we've been trapped inside with the blinds shut for the last 3 months and we can't wait to get out and play!!! Expect LOTS of outdoor pics in the next few weeks!

Lightbulb Moment

I talk to my students all the time about having "lightbulb moments" - that moment where it just "clicks". Anyway, I had a lightbulb moment while at WalMart last week and it involved a $2 shower caddy and Luke's multitude of art supplies... It's been so nice to have everything in one container (and a container that he can easily cart around) rather than the several smaller ones we had before. The caddy was $2 (I think it was "dorm room" and so it was being cleared out - along with the plastic file crates that were $1/each - bought a BUNCH of those to put in Mason's closet as well).

Anyway, just a simple and easy way to keep things organized - thought I'd share! :)

Scrapped: August

Tailgate

Last night we bundled up (it was a whole 68 degrees!) and headed out to MCA's Tailgate Party.

Mason and Chloe

(Chloe's Kindergarten picture hung on my parents fridge - my mom was the lower school receptionist when Chloe was in Pre-K and K - FOREVER and now Chloe is a SENIOR!!!)
Luke-man was super excited about having his very own lawn chair...

Sitting on my MCA t-shirt quilt (which I just realized that I finished up about this time last year and never blogged about - boo! I'll have to take a picture ASAP)

Luke is VERY social and so when Lily asked him to come sit with her he didn't even hesitate (he also ran right up to a "stranger" (I knew who he was, but Luke didn't) hopped up into his lap and sat with the guy). Luke ran around like a crazy person, rolling in the dirt/grass and having the BEST time ever. Mason was super smiley, got passed around a lot and ended the night on the blanket with a bottle.

The weather was perfect and the party, as always, was a blast. We saw skits, watched the cheerleaders perform and saw the students present their spirit banners. Tonight - the game!