That Season

Finally!  Fall has made an appearance around these parts.  Here we get two seasons:  Winter and Summer.  Spring and Fall are the two weeks in-between.  The crisp mornings and very cool evenings are savored after the triple digit heat.  But my favorite...what I wait for...

Mellowcreme Pumpkins!

I know that there are a lot of candy corn haters out there but these are way better because it's all the good part of the candy corn.  The orange part :).  Yes, I realize that it's mostly all sugar but Fall only comes once a year and I need to enjoy it during the two weeks it lasts.

Don't worry though, I have a portion control system in place.  They are in a bag on the top of the pantry (I'm not the only fingers I have to keep them away from).  All the way in the kitchen.  And since I am all the way in the office, I have to get up and go in there if I want any more.

Yes, it would be easier just to move the bag in here but then I would eat them all!  Duh!        

Rainy Day Edition

Today is the rainy day edition of Crock Pot Mondays.  I've been wanting Corned Beef for awhile.  Finally remembered to pick one up and now it is chillin in the Crock Pot.  It's not in there alone...oh no.

 
There are some garlic cloves, some carrots and an onion.  Along with the spice packet that came with the beef, there is also some allspice, cinnamon, clove and star anise.  I like my Corned Beef flavorful.  And for those who don't know what Corned beef is, this explains pretty well...

Plus it's an episode of Good Eats.    

We Are No Longer Air Mattress People

Just got back from taking the Hubby camping and we have figured out that we are no longer air mattress people.  We LOVE camping but there has to be a better alternative than sleeping on what the Hubby has nicknamed "the beach ball".  I think that I was experiencing some sleep deprivation because for some reason every time he asked who was moving on the beach ball, it sent me into giggles.  Probably because he was right.  It did feel like we were camping on a giant beach ball.  We also had to downsize from our normal king size bed to a queen beach ball so Clover had to sleep on her own aero bed so she was not happy that she couldn't cuddle in our bed.  And believe me she let me know at four o clock in the morning that she was not happy.

Back in the day when we had our Honda Element we would remove the seats and sleep on a futon mattress that fit in the back.  It was awesome.  However we were also a lot younger and didn't need that much sleep.  Oh my how things have changed.

We have entered into discussions about trailers.  We are still on the fence since that will be a major investment.  Even though we love sleeping outdoors it's hard to fall asleep when real owls are hooting right outside your tent.  Like literally ON TOP of your tent.  I'm used to falling asleep to noise but not real owls hooting.  It kept Hubby up which kept me up because he needs it quiet to sleep and I need him to be snoring for me to fall asleep.  So nature conspired against both of us the first night.  The second night it was much colder and the fog had set in.  For some reason the owls didn't feel like making an appearance.  

We camped at Morro Bay State Campground.  We love it there.  There is a perfect mix of woodsy mountain camping with the water right next door.  The marina is literally across the street.  Clover had a blast exploring and building herself a shelter like the ones she sees on survivor type shows she watches with her daddy.  It was super cute.  And while there are food boxes I wondered why they were needed since I always assumed that they were bear boxes.  I guess the correct term is "Critter" boxes.  We made the mistake of leaving left over hot links on the table along with the bun.  In the morning the birds had eaten the bun but the hot links and the plate where missing.  I thought this was weird since there aren't a lot of meat eating critters out.  I figured someones dog got loose.  Then the more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that it was a raccoon.

From California State Parks Website

 
My suspicions were confirmed later on our second evening.  Clover was down for bed and Hubby was on his cell.  I was sitting by the fire.  I look over at some movement I saw out of the corner of my eyes.  There is the largest raccoon I have ever seen just walking through my campsite like it's no big thing.  He looks at me and gives me the "Wassup" head nod and keeps walking.  He disappeared into the night...like Batman.  My phone was dead so I wasn't able to get a picture of Batman (the raccoon version) so you will just have to take my word that that is what he looked like.  Except bigger.  I do sort of feel bad because Batman (the raccoon version) was probably all set with his tasty newly stolen meat treat only to be greeted with a mouth full of jalapeño hot linky fire.  Later that evening he came back and stole my Cherry Pepsi that I had on the table.  Can and all.  I heard him snatch it off of the table but by the time I poked my head out of the tent he was gone.  Once again like Batman.

I've seen a lot of nature while camping but the first time I've seen a raccoon or heard owls so that part was pretty neat although at the time I was a bit freaked out.  I'de take a raccoon in my campsite over a snake any day of the week.

Even though we love camping it was nice to come home to a big bed and a working shower!  Which we might have if we buy a trailer.  Anyone have any camping ideas for a family of three?        

Mindless TV Watching

I keep meaning to post.  I sat down on Sunday and then got distracted so nothing ever came of it.  I thought about organizing my thoughts so I could post tonight.  Instead I got caught up on The Big Bang Theory and painted my toes.  Do I get credit for thinking about it?  Sometimes it's good just to unwind and let yourself get caught up what's on TV.

Every Dress From Everywhere

Since Clover has discovered that I can sew...things have gotten a little interesting.  She wants basically every dress she sees.  We have a game where she says "I want that dress!  I want that dress" and I tell her that I will put it on the list.  It's true that I am not writing all of these down but I am keeping a mental note that she wants every dress ever.  So a friend said that she wanted to see this list.  I told her I would have to find an old school dot matrix printer to print this huge list.  Since I had an extra minute or two before our crazy Monday gets going I figured I would put together a picture based list.  I do have to note that the list is currently on suspension until my little darling learns how to sleep in her own bed.  She is making an effort not since she hasn't gotten any dresses in awhile.

In no particular order...

Pocahontas

Elizabeth Swan's Wedding Dress and basically every dress she was in from all three movies.

And then there is Angelica

Every Dress Nina wears in Imagination Movers

And every dress from Enchanted.

Every dress that Ariel wears.  Including the sail.  I like this picture because it's every dress from the movie all in one :)  I just noticed that a lot of these are fellow redheads.  

Then I found this picture and it's interesting that the dresses are the same just different colors.  

And every one of these dresses in a non scratchy form.  

Last year for Christmas she received the Cinderella and Belle dress.  I should have tried them on in the store because she wont put them on because they are toooooo scratchy.  So I think I might have to find a way to make these in some t-shirt material.  I know she is spoiled but I don't think I can whip up every dress on this list.  Maybe later on down the line if she is still in her Princess phase we can turn it into a sewing lesson and she can learn clothes construction and make her own.  I'm sure all the holes poked in my fingers from the pins would appreciate the rest.