Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Can you believe it…Christmas is only 5 days away!  Everyone is rushing around trying to get last minute gifts and I will admit that I am one of them. Every year I say "I will start early next year"…that never happens unfortunately. Even with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, there is still something you have to do…you've probably guess it…EAT!

My hubby and I eat Mexican food every Sunday at the same local restaurant. The owner knows us and if we miss a week then he makes a point to mention it the next week. He even accuses us of cheating on him…hehehe. Sometimes though we just can't get our fill from one meal a week so we have an easy recipe to keep our cravings satisfied. Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas! I get requests for it alot and this cheesy, creamy deliciousness is definitely worth a try.

Ingredients:
9-10 Medium Tortillas
2 Chicken Breasts
Mexican-Style Melted Cheese
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 1/2-2 cups Shredded Cheese (depends on how cheesy you want it)
1 cup Sour Cream
1/2 Salsa
Taco Seasoning Packet

Instructions:

1. Boil the chicken til white all the way through.
2. Preheat oven to 375
3. Shred the chicken (I love using my Kitchenaid for this part because it's less messy & saves time)

4. Make taco seasoning in skillet -according to instructions
5. Mix in sour cream, cream cheese, shredded cheese, salsa, and taco seasoning sauce in with the
     chicken.

6. Spray the bottom of your pan then spread your melted cheese blend on the bottom of the pan. I   

            usually have to use 2 pans because this recipes makes so much.

7. Put your tortilla shells in the bottom of the pan standing up, ready for the mixture. 

8. Put a few spoonfuls into each shell.

9. Wrap tight.

10. Spread more cheese on top.

11. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. 

I like that everything that needed to be cooked is already done. Now you are just getting all the cheeses melty and delicious. Yum. My family loves cheese so I do sprinkle a little on top as soon as they come out of the oven as well. We eat ours with sour cream or salsa on top. I know this isn't a healthy recipe, but it sure is a scrumptious one. Next time you are having a craving for Mexican food then try this, you might fall in cheese love like we have. 

Thanks for stopping by yal! I gotta go take care of a sick little girl who didn't get much sleep last night and is still irritable from her 15 month shots yesterday. Raleigh is very independent so if she is in a cuddly momma mood then I am happy to be there for her ;)

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Pottery Barn Inspired Mason Jar Pendant!

I know some people have guessed on what my DIY project was this week, and finally it's done. A Pottery Barn inspired Mason jar light fixture! It is my main light in the kitchen and it couldn't be more perfect. I found several tutorials months ago and decided that's what I wanted above my island. When our fluorescent light went out in the kitchen, I took it as a sign that it was time to do it. I should've taken into account that my hubby would wait a few more months to actually do it. I don't know anything about wiring or electricity so I had to wait for him to help because no way was I going to get electrocuted.

We got the rest of our supplies on Sunday and got to work. The one at PB is huge with 16 lights. My kitchen is definitely not big enough to accommodate a light fixture of that size and neither can my wallet accommodate the $400 price tag. So we narrowed it down to 10, then the jars we wanted came in a box of 9, then we lost a socket in the never-ending abyss of the truck so we ended up using 8 jars. It lets off the perfect amount of light so I am happy with it. 

What you need:

8  Mason Jars (pint & half)- $10.24

8  Light sockets (this is the one we used)-$24.80

8  25-watt light bulbs (we used these)-$11.96

2  25-ft 18gauge lamp wire (we used this one)-$8.98

50  wire nuts-$5

3 sticks  3/8 pvc pipe (optional)-$5.94

Black spray paint (had already)

Drill (had already)

Wire cutter (had already)

Phillips screwdriver (had already)

Wood-$20 (we got the big piece bc we needed it for another project)

TOTAL: $86.92

This picture makes the lights look fluorescent almost but they aren't. I used 25 watt bulbs because i knew anything higher than that would light up my house like a beacon in a lighthouse. They ended up being the perfect wattage. 

So this is how we did it!

First, we took down all the old light fixture stuff, all the way down to the hole with wires coming out. Whoever previously installed ours didn't know what they were doing because it was hanging on by one screw and it wasn't even in a stud...just drywall. I'm surprised it hadn't fallen already. 

Next, cut a piece of wood that fits into your previous frame or build a box if you didn't have one. An Adams Thing did theirs out of metal. Make sure the wood isn't too flimsy or the weight of the jars could make it bow. Start to map out where you want your jars, mark it, and decide if you want staggered. We did staggered so we knew they wouldn't bump into one another. 

Then, drill a hole where you want each pendant; make sure it is big enough for the wire to go through. Feed the wire through and snip off. Use more than what you think you should. You can adjust the height later. 

Time to start the wiring. AHHH! My hubby got started and he patiently showed me how to do it all. Connect one small piece of wire to each hole. Slice & strip the wire up an inch or so then twist the ends together. Make sure you twist the HOT with HOT, this chord has ridges on one side so make sure those stay together when you connect them. Once all three HOT ends and COLD ends are twisted then put a wire nut on each end. The three ends should but the 1 going in the hole, 1 coming from the left, and the one coming from the right.

Next, measure out how long you want your lights to drop down. We did about 16 inches from the board. We cut them to 17 inches because you still need a little left to wire the light socket in. 

Now let's go over to the mason jars. Drill a hole in the center of the lid for the wire (get as center as possible) then more holes around for the heat to vent out. DO NOT forget that part or they could overheat and explode. 

Put the wire through the mason jar lid. To wire the light socket, split and strip the last inch of wire again. Then twist the wires around the screws and tighten down. Do this 8 times…it seems like it took forever.

 If you want the pipe to give you a straighter look to the pendants then make sure those are cut and spray painted. Measure and cut those to fit between the top and the lid. We forgot to put those one before we attached the sockets so we had to do it all over again…ugh. 

Without the pipe

With the pipe

Then finally mount it on the ceiling. My hubby did not want it to be attached by screws because if something had to be fixed in the future then he wanted easy access to it. He used door hinges and 2 I hooks. Genius. I'm going to spray paint that soon & stain the wood to match my future countertops ;)

It's a great amount of light and it goes with the country theme I am wanting to do. Next is the countertop, then the sides of the cabinets, and finally the white plank wall. I can see it all coming together. Almost done! YAY!

What do yal think about my new light? My mother-in-law is already requesting one. :D

Thanksgiving, Family, and a Sneak Peek

Hey yal! I am so sorry that I have been gone since before Thanksgiving. The trip to Iowa went great; Raleigh had a blast, but wore me out since I didn't have daddy there to help. I had lots of little cousins to pick up the slack though, because as soon as we got there the little girls were wanting to play with her constantly. It has been 4 years since I have been up to Iowa. The last time we went was when Koby & I announced our engagement to some family members. It was nice to see my distant family, but also very nice to see my mom who lives in Cali so I rarely see her. Mom hugs make everything better...nothing like them. Here are a few pictures from our trip. Also more on Instagram & Facebook: 

 Nosey rosey. She likes playing with the people behind us.

 She went straight for the John Deere section in the gift shop.

We also had a few deaths in our family this week. Three days after getting back we lost my husband's grandfather, he spent his last moments with us, enjoying a late second Thanksgiving dinner that they planned for me and Raleigh since we missed the first one. It has been a rough few days filled with tears, laughs, and family, but that's what we need right now. This song describes him perfectly and made all of us bawl even harder at the service. Please keep our family in your prayers.

We also lost my great grandma as well, she lived out in Colorado with my father's family. She was a heck of a scrabble player and could out fish anyone. She was 98 and lived a long full life. Sending my love to my family in Colorado and Iowa, sorry I couldn't make it back.

Post coming today or tomorrow of my new Pottery Barn inspired Mason jar pendant! I am in love with it! My hubby and I worked on it last night to keep us busy. He finished it about 2am and woke me up to see because he was so excited. I had work today so I crawled into my warm bed early. 

Sneak Peek

Check Instagram & Facebook for 2 other sneak peek pictures.

Packing for Mommy & Toddler

Finally, the day is here! I leave for Iowa soon and I can't contain my excitement. I won't be pulling a Tom Cruise and be jumping on the couch or anything but I'm close ;). This will be Raleigh's first flight and first time meeting my family. I have heard some horrible baby plane stories and some awesome ones so we are hoping to come back with a thumbs up. It's just going to be me and her flying up and then driving back with my sister. So we are going to experience to types of travel and learn which is better for us.

My not so favorite part about trips is the packing. I think there are two kinds of people: the ones who love organizing, cleaning, and packing & the ones who do it because we have to, not because we enjoy it. Guess which one I am…here's a hint…my best friend helped me organize my new kitchen cabinets & my daughters dresser drawers…repeatedly. Whenever I pack for trips I always felt like I did good organizing my bag until I look at it 2 days into the trip and there's a massive pile of unfolded clothes that could hide a small child. This time I am determined to go all OCD on my suitcase so I won't be swamped with clothes. I have to pack for my mini and me though so now I will have double the amount to sift through. It has been a long time since I have flown so I had to catch up on the security guidelines, fluid restrictions, and now baby info.

My best friend Ashley is one of those organizing, cleaning, and packing people so she offered to help me pack. So here's how we packed for me and Raleigh to go on a 5 day trip.

First, make your list of needs for you:

• Clothes
• Dresses
• Jeans/Pants
• Tank Tops
• Tops/Sweater
• Undergarments/Socks
• Coat/Jacket/Hoodie
• Hat/Gloves/Scarf
• Swimsuit
• PJs
• Boots/Sneakers/etc...
• Toiletries
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Shaver
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Body wash/Soap
• Perfume
• Makeup
• Hairbrush/Hair Accessories
• Straightener/Curler
• Miscellaneous
• Camera/Charger/Memory Card
• Phone/Charger
• Lip Balm
• Sunglasses
• Book
• Wallet
• Credit/Debit Cards
• ID
• Paperwork if needed to travel

For toddler checked bag:

• Clothes
• Dress
• Jeans/Pants
• Tops/Onesie
• Jacket
• Socks
• Shoes
• Swimsuit/Swimmer diapers
• Toiletries
• Shampoo
• Body Wash/Soap
• Comb
• Hair Accessories

For Carry-on Diaper Bag:

• Diapers
• Wipes
• Kid Books
• Toys (no noisy toys please)
• Snacks (LOTS of snacks!)
• Tylenol
• Sippy Cup (no liquid in it until on flight!)
• Paci

Snacks: Animal crackers, puffs, welchs fruit gummies, Graham Os cereal, Raisins,

more Cereal, mini crackers

I also put my phone charger, camera, and wallet in the diaper bag so if my bag gets lost of anything then I will have the necessities. 

I got some awesome advice to put Raleigh's outfits into separate Ziploc bags and label for each day. That way I will know what matches and where they are instead of throwing everything out of my bag while trying to find a pair of pants. I also put all her bows, socks, and any accessories in the bags too. Since they are all Ziploc bags then they slid in perfectly next to each other in the side pocket of the duffel which left the big section for me. I want to take as little luggage with me as possible so, aside from her diaper backpack, I am not bringing a carry on bag to go in the upper compartment.

I am so nervous about the flight and then the long wait period after we get there. My mother doesn't arrive until 5 hours after we get there. We also have to wait for her so we can all ride together in the rental car. I have devised a plan to find an empty terminal and let her have free reign and run off some energy then grab some late lunch.

We are off at 8:30 this morning. Wish us luck. Keep updated on our on Instagram & Facebook.

Inspiring Kitchens

After working in my boring, standard building grade cabinets for over a year, I finally got off my butt and started getting my hands dirty. I just started the makeover but I am being optimistic that it will be everything I can hope for in this house. This is not my dream home or my forever home, but I am going to make it the way I want it until I get into my forever home. I have had a few people tell me "No! You shouldn't change it. They are nice." They might be nice for you but not in my eyes. If you have ever had the white counters then you know that they stain almost as soon as anything touches the surface. It's so frustrating that I can't get some stains out no matter how hard I try.

I knew wanted white to brighten up my kitchen and bring more cheer into the space. I also wanted to be able to decorate for every holiday easier and not have to worry about it not blending with the tan. So I went to the best inspirational websites on the Internet to find the perfect kitchen. Pinterest & Houzz were the best by far. They have a wide variety of colors, layouts, styles, and sizes. I decided since I HATE white counters but I want to brighten up the kitchen then I should go with white cabinets. Then contrast with black or rubbed bronze hardware so it will pop.

Here are the few kitchens that were closer to my size and had all the features I loved.

via A Country Farmhouse

I loved these shelves! Beautiful open shelving is so nice to have to break up all the cabinets in kitchens. Sometimes I see kitchens and feel like the cabinets suck you in because they are EVERYWHERE, so this was a nice way to store pretty items and not just shove them in another cabinet.

via Shabby Love

This kitchen has a shabby chic feel to it with all the distressed wood everywhere. She also did some open shelves above the stove & pallet cabinet. I like all the grain scoops, graters, and knick knacks around the kitchen because it brings more of a homey, country feel to the space. Check out the adorable small dinette set, perfect for breakfast with my munchkin.

via This and That

This kitchen in the before stages definitely reminds me of my kitchen. The white counters made me so angry because they stain as soon as anything touches them. I have had a few yelling matches with that super absorbent white devil when my hubby would leave a mess. I also like beadboard backsplash that she used to give the space more texture. This kitchen gives me a better idea into what mine will look like because of the white appliances too.

via Keeping it Cozy

This kitchen is definitely cozy. It is almost like a dream kitchen for me. I loved everything about it: cabinets, counters, plank walls, built-in fridge, beadboard ceiling, etc… I think we are one in the same. They did a beautiful renovating this kitchen from outdated to cozy country, and all on a budget!

These are all my favorite kitchens that kept me driven to making my space all it can be. I am on my way and hopefully can make it look as good as theirs. Wish me luck. 

Which is your favorite kitchen? Let me know in the comments. :D

Kitchen Cabinet Makeover-Part 2

Ready, set, finish!

I am so excited to be done with the cabinets. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. After researching for months about the best way to do your own white cabinets, I can finally say the cabinets are done! Yes, of course I do have the countertops to still do too but the cabinets were what I was really scared about. Here are the final steps to finishing up your marvelous new cabinets with pretty reused hardware. 

Supplies:

• Latex Enamel Paint- $25
• Mini roller and pan- $3
• Great quality brush- $14
• Rustoleum spray paint of your choosing- $6

I let all the primer set for a day then we went over the cabinet frames with the white paint we got from Lowe's. We decided to get the enamel latex paint in ultra white. After talking to the guy at the paint desk about the options for oil-based paint or enamel latex, we concluded it was the better choice. The enamel latex has barely any/if no smell at all, easy to get off your hands, dries quickly, amazing coverage, and rock hard. After the first coat I was convinced that the man at Lowe's was an angel. I wasn't high off fumes like the oil-based primer and I saw my kitchen coming to life. 

We used the same technique as the primer; brush on paint then roll over gently with mini roller. I would also recommend trying to go with the grain as much as possible. By the time we finished, the first ones we did were already dry. We decided to do another coat because it looked spotty from the foam roller and plus another coat couldn't hurt. It turned out beautifully after the second coat, and I'm not just saying that because we were drinking wine at the same time. ;)

I have always loved the oil-rubbed bronze look of hardware against the stark white on cabinets. It's such a bold contrast that catches your eye. So it was a no brainer on what color to do the hardware in. Since I am on a tight tight budget for the kitchen then I am putting off buying new pulls for later *tear*. That won't stop me from making a trip down the beloved spray paint aisle at Lowe's though. After searching through the hundreds of colors on the shelf, I see it…Rustoleum Metallic oil rubbed bronze. My heart skipped a beat or two. It was like a light was spotlighting it with angels singing (or maybe the paint guy singing) behind me.

 While the cabinet doors were still curing from the primer, I set up a space to spray paint my hardware. I scrubbed all the nasty grime that had been setting in since the house was built in 1998 then patted dry and got to work. Pumpkins were my handy helpers today. They held the kraft paper down while I went crazy with the spray paint. This was my first time using the fancy spray trigger. I usually go old school with the tiny press down nozzle. This was sooooo much easier, plus it was the only style this color came in so I had no choice. It dried within minutes and I didn't have to be super careful with the hardware after it dried. I usually feel like I would mess them up, kind of like when you get a manicure and you awkwardly get your card out to pay because you don't want to mess up the nails.  Anywho, I was more than pleased with the look of the new hardware.

Ugly, mismatched brass & silver hardware...

Beautiful, perfect oil-rubbed bronze hardware…i took an after picture but it has mysteriously disappeared like most things in this house.

We did 2 coats of paint on the frames & doors, I definitely recommend doing it during the days so you can see everything better. Unfortunately, because of work and family I did not get to paint during the day so I did have to go back and fix little spots. The contrast between the white & bronze hardware is beautiful. It makes my kitchen feel bigger and brighter which is what I was going for so SCORE! I still have to put the bead board wallpaper on the side of the cabinets facing the sink, but I am tired of cabinets right now so I might do that in a few weeks. Also that patch where the old cabinet was above the fridge needs a coat of paint. Eye sore ALERT!

I LOVE THEM! 

Check out the before & first few steps here!

Next stop is the countertops. I am starting to get my handy tutorials and lists out for the butcherblock counters. They will go with my island well too. My favorite project is actually going to be my white plank wall that will be the main attraction in the kitchen. I have already moved a few things around to get everything ready. The hubby will actually be helping with this project. YAY! I feel like the hardest project is done, i hope. 

Coming soon to a kitchen near...me:

Plank wall with shelves

Butcherblock counters

Beadboard cabinet sides

Shelves above fridge

I will post the pictures and links that inspired me to get off my butt to makeover my kitchen. I won't stop there though, the laundry room & master bath are already being measured, planned, and drawen out.

Oh, and Raleigh found my camera charger yesterday so now I won't have scratchy, grainy pictures anymore. Sorry.

DIY Kitchen Cabinet Makeover on a Budget-Part 1

Happy November (i know I'm a few days late)!

I'm so excited for November because for Thanksgiving me and Miss Raleigh are going on a road trip to Iowa to see my family. I haven't seen my grandparents and extended family in 4 years. It's crazy how the time flies. We are leaving at night so little Raleigh can sleep the whole way plus a lot less traffic going through cities…not that there is ever traffic in Iowa but maybe Illinois or Missouri.

Anywho, if any of you know me then you know that I am a bad procrastinator and easily forgetful. I have been hoarding pictures on Pinterest and my Iphone of white kitchen cabinets and butcher block counters. After months of reading tutorial after tutorial and making lots of lists (I kept losing them. Did I mention that I was forgetful?) I finally got off butt and got to work. Ignore the messy kitchen part please. Sometimes there aren't enough hours in the day.

First, as your taking the doors off, make sure you label the doors and frame so you know where they go when you're done.

No more cabinet doors! AHHH

I knew I needed a sander but thought I would try a stripper for the cabinet doors then sand the frames. I had heard good things about gel strippers but the one I got just did not do the trick unless you really glopped it on there, plus it took at least 30 minutes til you could touch it. It was very messy too. So on the next trip to Lowes to try something else, I got TuffStrip and it worked wonders! It's in an easy spray can. It says wait no more than 10 mins, I found it worked best around 7-8 minutes after applying. I sprayed all the doors and scraped off all the varnish. I had to get down to the wood so the paint wouldn't chip off. See the difference?

That was the easy part. Next came sanding the cabinet frames, which did take longer since you gotta workout from climbing counter to get to the top of the cabinets. Side Note: I recommend connecting your vacuum to the sander. It cuts down on the dust big time and also lets you see what you're doing. It also took a little longer since I had to work on these while Raleigh played in her room because someone is a nosey rosey. She is always wanting to get near the machine that is making the loud noise. Usually it's the opposite with kids, oh well. I have my future vacuumed.

Once everything was sanded down, we made our trip to Lowe's for primer and supplies. I researched on the best primer to use. Oil-based or Latex? I ended up choosing oil-based because of the hard finish. I didn't know how strong the smell would be, but WOW it is strong. Definitely open up all your windows and get some fans. A little goes a loooong way. I didn't even use 1/4 of our gallon.

Supplies for Priming:

• 1-2 quarts Primer-$7.50
• Mini roller & mini pan- $3
• Good quality brush-$7

 It only took me about 1-1 1/2 hr to do my whole kitchen. I used the brush first and put alot of primer on then almost immediately went over it with the high density roller so it wouldn't get any lines. It dries fairly quickly, but I did hear from several sites to let the primer cure for at least 24 hrs. No problem here because I wanted to get the smell out before painting. 

Painting step is going to happen this week. Come back and check it out. I am also going to replace and/or spray paint the current hardware, still debating on that one. 

Update-Part 2

Ghouls at Grassmere

Witches, Heroes, And Nemo…OH MY! Halloween is the time for dressing up like someone or something you love. Recently, I volunteered at the Grassmere Zoo in Nashville. At my job we get 2 days off work a year to volunteer somewhere so I got a day off work too…SCORE. Earlier this year I volunteered at the zoo for Ice Day which was awesome because they stuffed us with ice cream all day. I already knew that the other community service day I wanted to do was the Ghouls at Grassmere. I have heard such great things about it and who wouldn't love being at the zoo while little kids run around on sugar highs in adorable outfits while the parents chase them. There were some pretty awesome costumes but I had a few favorites. Nemo, Doc McStuffins & Lamby (2 sisters), and a storm trooper (StarWars nerd in me) won in my personal costume contest. I think I might've been bias though because I love Finding Nemo, Doc McStuffins, & Star Wars. I know I am a complicated person lol. 

Anyways, the zoo encourages it's volunteers to dress up too, so of course me and my friend Ashley took on this challenge. I debated for weeks on my costume this year & finally came up with something that I love & can do myself without having to buy a $50 costume that I'll only wear once. I decided on…*drumroll*...Katniss Everdeen. I liked the idea because of what she stands for in The Hunger Games. I have to long dark hair, pants, shirt, and boots. I borrowed the bow & bag from Ashley. I bought a mockingjay pin that was a key chain but we worked into a pin & a windbreaker for cheap since I couldn't find any brown faux leather jacket in my size. I scoured the stores and found nothing, nada, zip. It must be a hot item this year. 

After waiting in traffic for an hour & half, we finally made it to the zoo. We got posted at the 3D maze table where we just gave the kids and parents 3D glasses and got them back at the end. Not anything hard, but having to stand in 30 degree weather for 4 hrs straight with no chairs wasn't ideal. I can say they were super busy & they were trying to hand out hot water with dash of chocolate hot chocolate as fast as possible, but nothing seemed to help the numbness. I think I got a little loopy from the lack of feeling in my toes and fingertips. I wore 2 pairs of socks (only because 3 pairs wouldn't fit in my boot) and I still couldn't feel my feet. It was definitely a COLD COLD night and some kids were running around with shorts on or very little clothing! Come on parents…I mean really, are you sure you didn't get her outfit in the adult section of the Halloween store.

The night was a huge win for me, even though it took an hr to get my toes and fingers to normal. I got to see adorable kids chasing each other in funny costumes, Nemo shaking his booty fin about killed me, and we had a little dance party all our own when I got a little loopy. I was disappointed that only 1 kid recognized me. He looked at me after he came out the maze and yelled "You're Katniss!" I grinned and told him that he made my night. Thanks little Wolverine! Given I didn't have my bow on my because the zoo doesn't want us to have anything resembling a weapon, but hey wolverine caught on to the costume.

What do yal think about my costume?

Hope yal have a Happy Halloween!!! 

Pumpkins are Everywhere!

It's time for Halloween! Halloween is only a few days away, can you believe it?! I love Halloween time because there are pumpkins everywhere, candy up every aisle, adorable costumes, and family events around evey corner. I have to say buying pumpkins is probably my favorite out of them all. they are great for decorating & adding that POP of color. I do love the carving tradition though and I was excited because Raleigh can experience that this year. So after a couple trips to the pumpkin patch & the local store for pumpkins we finally had enough pumpkins to carve out some orange beauties and decorate my porch. 

This was our first trip to the patch.

We were in the pumpkin patch & heard rain coming so we all bolted under some trees. It lasted only a little more than 5 minutes but there we're lots of kids crying so it felt like longer.

She was also wearing her cute Halloween outfit, but she decided to pee through it in line waiting for the hayride. That trip wouldn't have happened if her uncle Tanner wasn't sweet enough to come with us since Koby had to go to work early.

We did get to go back with Koby the next Sunday for a birthday party. I had never heard of a birthday party at a pumpkin patch, but hey kill 2 birds with 1 stone. It unfortunately had to be the busiest day they had had all year...Joy. Extra long line and more screaming kids because they can't have candy...yay *eye roll*.

The sun was shining right in my eyes and I forgot to bring sunglasses. I have the memory of a goldfish, no joke.

We went to get some bigger pumpkins for carving later. I was very excited to see how Raleigh would react to pumpkin guts. She loved holding the pumpkins but that's not the nasty part. She wasn't sure at first when we started carving then found out how squishy it felt between her fingers and the awesome noise it made when you dropped them on the floor. Aunt Ashley's kitchen was a wreck.

 That's the one she chose for us to carve. 

I couldn't get her to smile for anything. I would've done a handstand if I thought it would've helped.

Hating it. Not a scream of joy.

Loving it.

That is my post all about our pumpkin experience this year. A 1 year old definitely makes it more entertaining than last year. I bet next year will be even better. Raleigh makes our lives more fun and exciting everyday.

Uh...I swear my hubby has more than 1 shirt in his closet.

These are all IPhone pictures since I'm still looking for my camera charger. Sorry for the quality. More to come including our volunteering at Ghouls at Grassmere (zoo). Also sorry for being MIA recently. Our whole family got the stomach bug then we had a lot going on in a short time. I'm glad I finally got a chance to blog. Even if it's just to tell you that I am alive.