For the past couple years I’ve met up with some hardcore “Black Friday” alumni and stood in line waiting outside Target waaaaaay too early. I’m usually the designated “cart watcher” or the “fetcher” as my girls are armed with ads marked with sharpie circles, names and quantities needed. Dog-eared pages on more than one flier…it’s fun and I DO enjoy it, but I am always just along for the ride and may purchase a {too cheap to pass up} DVD here or some stocking stuffers there.
But this year….
I just could NOT get myself to get up before 4am, throw on some clothes and hit the road to the nearest Target or Wal-mart!
We spent yesterday with some unconventional Thanksgiving Day friends which I will post about later, but I was beat and not prepared to dodge parties diving and pushing for $199 flat screens this year.
Sorry, Ladies.
I missed you, but maybe next year….
I’ll have my sharpie ready!
*****
Did you find any gems out there before the roosters were up this morning?
Our friends {and neighbors} from our old ‘hood in Nor Cal passed through Santa Clarita on their way to San Diego this morning.
They’re coffeeholics like us and we always meet for a cuppa Joe before they hit the road…
Today we changed it up a bit and met at Peet’s instead of ‘Bucks.
I was reunited with a drink that I’d like to think I {invented}, but could be totally wrong…the only reason I say that is because every time I order it they say, “Oooh, that sounds good!”
It’s an Almond White Mocha.
Starbucks no longer has the almond syrup, but Peet’s does!
It was bbbbrrrrr {42*} this morning when we set out…I know, I know…So Cal girl talkin’ here…
My AWM hit the spot.
I also LOVE the Almond Mocha Joy from Seattle’s Best. They use both almond & coconut syrups. YUM!
Might I suggest this beverage if you’re an almond & coconut lover like me.
Now to track these down so I can make them at home…
Up until late last week I thought it was going to be a quiet weekend just cheering Jay along in the Santa Clarita Half Marathon tomorrow, but…
it started at 7:55 am yesterday when I dropped Elliott off at school and has not stopped.
In and out of the car running errands, visits with friends, dance class, birthday celebrations.
I feel like my house is out of control.
I have e-mails and phone calls to return.
Laundry to fold and put away.
Dishes in the sink.
But it’s OK because other things are coming together.
I am so excited to have made several “sales” and collected donations already for CCFA!
Thank you to all who have given and are now sporting a rosette on their cardigan or a clip in their hair.
Some new colors and more bangled bracelets coming up….along with some goodies for the {Fido} in your life! 😉
*****
Even though you know you have “more important” things to get done, never turn down the unexpected invitation that may come your way. It’s in these times that your children can spend hours running, laughing and frolicking with their pals and you can share much needed adult conversations with sweet friends over a cup of coffee {or something else!}.
So grateful for the UNEXPECTED this weekend.
Now, off to get some whole wheat pasta boiling for Jay’s race tomorrow!
Halloween was lots of fun, but I am pumpkin’d, witch’d, goblin’d and candied out!
I’m so glad I decided to dress up this year…it added so much to the night. I spent a grand total of $8 on our costumes this year ~ Elliott reused her dance recital costume, Holden borrowed his and I spent $5 on handcuffs and $3 on a cheetah print beanie that I fancied up with some orange rosettes to match my inmate threads!
A gal stopped me on the street and commented on my rosettes…why thank you! She asked me if I sell them…well, no I don’t, but maybe I should. Which got me thinking….stay tuned!
Getting back to trick-or-treating…we decided to go to our friends’ neighborhood this year as they have a street that goes all out and has haunted houses and stuff. There were swarms of people, my goodness!
Holden was finished before we even started:
10 minutes before we were to leave!
He rallied and we were on our way…
Perpetual mouthful of candy!
LOVE, love, love the red door on this house…
Holdy was always about 3 houses behind the group, but would catch up every now and then…
We had a great time and all was well and good until we got separated and Elliott began to worry about me {she was with her friends and my mom and Jay and I were with Holden}. Apparently she thought I was “lost” and then saw a Sheriff’s car and thought that maybe I’d gotten picked up since I told her I was an escaped inmate! Oops!
We had our annual Halloween chili and cornbread for dinner and enjoyed cobbler with the fresh peaches we picked a couple weeks ago. The cobbler was a breeze to make and turned out much better than I thought it would. Here is the recipe I followed.
We kept ours green, but you can add a touch of grenadine or blue curaçao to change up the color {as seen in the above pic}. Personally, I thought it was just fine the way it was. This is the perfect group cocktail to make in a big bowl with lots of ice and a ladle and people can serve themselves.
Already looking forward to next year and planning my costume! I’ve been missing out all these years…
A friend of mine, Alex, from WAY back in elementary school is a talented children’s clothing designer and has a business called Lexi and Lala.
LexiandLala offers an amazing variety of boutique clothing and accessories for everyone in the family; from baby gift sets, to toddler and teen clothing!
Take a moment to browse through her shop for a one of a kind shopping experience!
CUSTOM ORDERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME!
Here are just a couple of the darling personalized tees available for the holidays…
Please check out her handmade goodness on her FB page!
Also, she has loads of cuteness up for auction here.
more birthday festivities with friends {and neighbors}, some family fitness time yesterday afternoon at the park and ending the weekend watching this precious movie:
A little over a month after we moved here {almost 2 years ago}, I met a woman at Barnes & Noble. We chatted, she gave me her number and a couple weeks later I called her and we had a semi-blind date at her house.
I’m so glad I decided to call a random stranger that I met in a bookstore.
Karen and I have become great friends and our kids get along beautifully.
And because of my friendship with Karen, I have met so many other wonderful mamas! I really do feel so, so blessed. All are what I like to call “good people” ~ just all around nice, respectable, easy to be around, honest people.
Several of us gathered today for the first time in a long time. It’s been hard to mesh all our new school schedules.
Today I was reminded of how lucky I am.
Lunch. Homemade lemon cake with cream cheese and lemon curd frosting. Gorgeous sunflowers. Sweet birthday card.
And the best thing…every single one of our kids get along famously.
Today I wore pink to the pumpkin patch instead of my usual orange.
And I LOVE that the NFL is spreading awareness by sporting pink on the field.
So, check with your doctor and see if you’re in need of a baseline mammogram…and if you’ve already had one, be sure and make that appointment once a year.
So, please wear your {PINK} and go get those pumpkins smashed!
