Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from our spaghetti and meatball loving mutt, Porkchop!!

If you recall, Porkchop was going to be wearing one of these costumes, but Old Navy's sizing is weird and two of the costumes did not fit right. Luckily Target has a great selection of costumes and when I saw this and found myself laughing hysterically, I knew it was the one. I bought it and brought it home and sent Michael pictures of him wearing it and I got the response, "LOL, that's hysterical, he's got balls on his head!" Poor Porkchop, I swear he is hoping we get pregnant more than we are so that there is a baby that will be subjected to the same torture!

2009

Bumblebee Porkchop

2008

Spider Porkchop

2007

Captain Porkchop Sparrow

Menu Planning Monday

Monday: Michael is on his own since I have a work event

Tuesday: Pizza night

Wednesday: Sloppy joes for Michael and pad thai for me

Thursday: Stuffed shells

Friday: Ribs

Birthday weekend recap

Well another year older and another weekend in the books. I had a great birthday weekend, I have the best family and friends a girl could ask for. On Friday, Michael picked me up from the train station and we went and grabbed some dinner. After dinner we headed over to Rich and Tif's to hang out with them baby Jacob and Ken. We just talked and relaxed and of course got some baby Jacob time in. We left around 10 and headed home.

On Saturday, my birthday, we got up and went to breakfast. After breakfast I went and did some shopping. I found a couple cute birthday outfits and finally found some jeans that fit. Ever since losing weight I have had the hardest time finding jeans that fit my body and are long enough. After shopping I came home and made us lunch and we just relaxed. I also got my birthday presents from Michael. He spoiled me as usual, even though I told him I didn't want him to get me anything. There were a lot of blue boxes, my favorite! He got me a few pieces to add to or complete some of my existing Tiffany collections.

He got me these medallion earrings in silver to go with my ring.

He got me an extra large heart tag to wear with my key.

Lastly, he got me the necklace that matches my earrings and ring he's gotten me our past two wedding anniversaries.

On Saturday night we met up with my parents at Flat Top for dinner. I love their stir fry and it was so good. We had fun just talking and having a yummy meal. 

Michael and I at dinner

After dinner, Michael and I walked around and did a little shopping before heading home. It was a great night. 

Today we got up and went to breakfast and then went grocery shopping. After grocery shopping we carved our pumpkins we got last weekend! I had picked a template I got from HGTV for my pumpkin and Michael had seen a picture of what he wanted to do online. I set up my tripod for my camera and got out my remote so I could take pictures of all the carving action!

 Our pumpkins "before"

Ready to start carving!

Eww...pumpkin guts

Very serious carving going on

Michael's pumpkin has a face!

My owl is finished! Michael is busy gluing candy corn

Time to start on Porkchop's gourd...Michael is still gluing

My pumpkins are finished!

Michael is still gluing!

You've heard of pinhead...meet candy corn head!

Our finished pumpkins

Michael and his candy corn head creation

Me and my owl pumpkin

Porkchop and his gourd

Our little family

 Our pumpkins all lit up at night

For dinner, we got together to celebrate my birthday with Michael's parents and Grandma, Rich, Tif, Baby Jacob, Tif's parents and her brother and girlfriend, Ken and his parents and sister. We all headed to Texas de Brazil for a meat bonanza! Everything was really yummy and it was way too much food of course. We had a lot of fun.

 Everyone eagerly awaiting the meat to be carved off the spit!

Jacob and his Mimi, too bad he couldn't join in the meat fest!

Michael and I

I really had a great birthday weekend and I'm sad it's over. I have a really busy week coming up at work. I have a 3 day conference Monday through Wednesday so I have some long days ahead of me. However, I'm working from home on Thursday and taking off Friday since I wasn't able to take off last Friday for my birthday. Blog posts will probably be pretty scarce this week, but I'll be back next weekend. Have a great week ahead everyone!

Happy Birthday!

Today is my sister Arla and my birthday! We are 5 years apart to the day, it's always been such a unique thing we share. Happy Birthday to my sister and one of my best friends! 

 I couldn't have picked anyone better to have been my Maid of Honor

Celebrating our birthdays at Disney last year

Thursday Thoughts...

1. I am so happy we had a great night's sleep last night with zero fire alarm drama!

2. I can't believe my birthday is on Saturday, and I can't believe how old I'm getting.

3. Vampire Diaries is back tonight and I'm like a giddy little girl waiting in anticipation (please ignore #2)

4. How is Christmas only 64 days away, wasn't it just June? I am pretty excited for Christmas decorating though!

5. I would love to write a book on people's habits and behavior on public transportation, it never ceases to amaze me the things people do, how they behave and the unwritten rules that exist. I have a lot of crazy train stories!

6. Public transportation observation #1: There is a lady every day on my train car that lines up and throws elbows so she's the first one out the door yet she walks slower than a 90 year old. I pass her every day when I get off the train, what is the point?

7.  I am so happy that tomorrow is Friday. I will be even happier when it's next Friday because I'm off of work.

8. We are carving pumpkins this weekend and I can't decide what design to use, there are too many templates to choose from!

9. I am loving my new morning routine since starting my new position. I love getting my workout done first thing, I feel so alert and have more energy throughout the day. It's so much better than coming home after a long day and trying to muster the motivation.

10. We are having such a beautiful Fall. The weather is definitely changing though, cooler weather is coming soon. You can smell the crispness of fallen leaves in the air...it's my favorite time of year!

A conversation in the love nest at 3:15 am

Some of you might have seen on Facebook this morning that our fire alarm went off at 3:15 am this morning. This might not seem like that big of a deal but when you have 16 foot cathedral ceilings in your bedroom and you don't own a ladder, it really sucks. I have to capture this moment before I forget what was said, because it was pure hilarity, at least to me. Maybe you had to be there, anyways....

Me: (Sleeping peacefully)
Fire Alarm: BEEP! (It's super high pitched and nails on a chalkboard annoying)
Me: (Trying to pretend I didn't just hear that beep)
Fire Alarm: BEEP!
Me: (I'll try closing the door and pretend I didn't just hear that beep)
Fire Alarm: BEEP!
Me: (Maybe if I put the pillow over my head and pretend I didn't just hear that beep)
Fire Alarm: BEEP!
Me: MICHAEL! Do you hear that beep?
Michael: Of course I hear it
Me: What the hell, seriously, what time is it?
Michael: It needs a new battery, you're supposed to change them after Daylight Savings Time
Me: Well thank you can we please just shut it up
Michael: Here's a battery
Sara: (Replaces the battery in the fire alarm in the hallway)
Sara: Yes, sleep time!
Fire Alarm: BEEP!
Sara: NOOOOOOOOO!!! Shit, it's the fire alarm in our bedroom!
Michael: Oh man, how are we going to change that
Sara: Screw this, I'm going to bed in the guest room
Sara: (takes pillow into guest room and closes door, places pillow over head)
Michael: Babe, will you come help me?
Sara: Seriously?
Michael: Get up on this stool and change the battery
Sara: Why do I have to do it?
Michael: You're smaller than I am
Sara: Great, losing weight is really paying off
Michael: Just get up there and change the battery
Fire Alarm: BEEP!
Sara: FINE!
Sara: (climbs up bar stool and stretches out arm)
Sara: Great I can't reach!
Fire Alarm: BEEP!
Michael: Stand on the dresser
Sara: Oh God
Sara: I can't get the old battery out, I just want to go to bed
Michael: Do you want me to do it?
Sara: Oh, now you offer!
Michael: Should I take a picture of this, this is totally blogworthy
Sara: Are you insane?!!!
Michael: What, you can use it for one of your pictures of the week
Sara: Michael, I only have panties and a tank top on!
Michael: So just photoshop yourself a pair of pants
Sara: I'm going to stab you, shut up, do not take a picture!
Michael: Did you get it yet?
Sara: I'm working on it
Sara: Yes, finally! It's sleep time!
Michael: Maybe we shouldn't have waited 3 years to change that battery
Sara: Yeah, probably wasn't the best idea
Michael: And we really need a taller step ladder!

Menu Planning Monday (on Tuesday)

Monday: Homemade pizza

Tuesday: Pierogi

Wednesday: Crispy fishwiches

Thursday: Chicken pesto pasta

Friday: Going out for dinner

This week I'm...

Loving: My new morning workout routine!

Hating: The 10 loads of laundry I have been putting off folding and putting away

Craving: Still craving some homemade soup, need to make some this weekend!

Wanting: This week to go by quickly!

Reading: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Gotta read it one more time before the movie comes out)

Watching: So glad Vampire Diaries is new again this week!

Listening to: Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, anything that blocks out noisy people on the train and makes me walk fast!

Looking forward to: My birthday weekend!

Heard about: Quiet cars on Metra, yes please!!! ( I really hope this happens)

Weekend Recap

Whew, what a busy weekend! We had so much fun stuff going on this weekend, I could really use tomorrow to recover! On Friday, Michael picked me up from the train and we headed over to his Mom and Dad's to have dinner with them, Rich, Tif, baby Jacob and Grandma. Michael's parents had just gotten home from a week long vacation out East to Washington D.C. and Virginia. They told us all about their adventures together and we had fun listening. After dinner we just hung out and talked some more before heading home.

On Saturday, we got up and went to breakfast and then headed to the movie theater to see Jackass: 3D. It was ridiculous as to be expected and we laughed our butts off!

Michael and I in our 3D glasses waiting for the movie to start

After the movie, we headed out to lunch and to do a little shopping. I picked up a few cute new sweaters for fall and winter before we headed home. We got home and I started to do some cooking. I made a chocolate cake for Sunday and made homemade turkey meatballs and marinara sauce for dinner on Saturday. We were waiting for our nephew Jacob's arrival to baby-sit him. Rich and Tif had a family wedding so we were watching the little man for them. We had so much fun watching Jacob. He was so good is always so much fun being around. Michael and I had fun taking care of him together, we're definitely ready for one of our own! I took lots of pictures of course.

Jacob hanging out watching Penguins of Madagascar

 He really loved watching those penguins

Playtime!

Jacob cuddling with Uncle Michael

He even took a nice nap

Today we got up and had some breakfast and I frosted the cake for today's celebrations we were having. We were celebrating Michael's birthday that was September 23 and mine and Arla's birthday that is coming up next Saturday!

I never said I was a professional cake decorator!

Mom, Dad, Arla and Teddy headed over around noon and we headed out to Goebbert's pumpkin farm. Apparently everyone else in a 50 mile radius decided to go to because man, it was packed! We made the best of it though and started out with some lunch so at least everyone's belly was happy! After lunch we headed to animal land and then we picked out our pumpkins! We are going to carve them next weekend!

Heading into animal land

They built a new giraffe enclosure, it's pretty but you can't get nearly as close to the giraffes like we did last year. I liked the old set-up better.

That's as close as we got, hurumph!

There were lots of other cool animals though, like the zebras

Yak

Baby camel

 Michael and the straw elephant

Arla the saloon girl and Teddy the poker playing cowboy!

 The closest we got to the giraffes was this statue!

Mom and Dad and their girls

After Goebbert's we headed to dinner at Cooper's Hawk. We had a really delicious dinner and we left way too stuffed. It was so good.

Michael and I at dinner

After dinner we headed back to our house for cake and to open up birthday presents. I got an awesome tripod and remote control for my Nikon D80 from my parents and Arla and Teddy got me a storage box for my Nora Fleming holiday pieces and added some new ones to the collection. I'm a lucky girl!

 A family pic courtesy of my new tripod and remote control!

All of my Nora Fleming minis for my platter all organized now! New additions are the New Years Tiara, the cupcake and the grill. So cute, I love these!

After gifts we lit the candles on the cake to sing Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday!

Note to self: do not have Dad take pictures!

We had a really fun day together and a great weekend in general. I can't believe that tomorrow is Monday already, I could use a couple more days to rest and recoup! Let's hope this weekend goes by fast. We have a nice relaxing weekend in store next weekend. I hope all of you had a great weekend and a speedy week ahead!