My Top Eight

A couple weeks ago I told you my Top 9 Reasons I love Fall, number two on the list was Fall festivals. Last weekend, the family headed to Apple Butter Makin' Days, which sometimes I say too fast and it comes as Apple Makin' Butter Days. This is one of my most favorite traditions. 

Each year we meet at Chris' Grandma Pearl's house, in Mt. Vernon, and make the short jaunt to the town square to check out what the vendors brought for us to oohhh and ahhh over this year. 

Hurry up guys!! I can already SMELL the fried onions and potatoes!

If you have never been to Apple Butter Makin' Days in Mt. Vernon, here are My Top Eight reasons to convince you it's the BEST Fall Festival ever, and that you must go to next year:

1. They have thought of everything! Mini-carnival? Check. When your kids start whining, you can dump them off with your significant other, then venture to the square alone and uninhibited.

2. Different strokes for different folks. I don't know if it's the crisp Fall air, or the scent of Apple Butter, but people seem to feel free to express their truest self:

 You know you want to know this fabulous lady. I NEED a ride in that car.

 and look at these little hippies....

 

You go, girls! Express yourself with those tie-dye skirts and funky glasses!

3. The proud courthouse that looks on proudly as the square fills up with excited shoppers throughout the day. Even if it's crowded, you're in the Midwest.....people still have manners and say excuse me.

4. Entertainment. This stage has performers singing, and dancing all day, serenading you while you haggle with the booth owners hawking their wares:

This was a particularly delightful blue grass group.

5. Spending time with the ones you love, hinting at possible Christmas presents:

I think Chris' outfit is very Fall appropriate and manly, don't you agree?

6. The WIDE variety of goods to admire or purchase:

This photo doesn't do these justice, but they are mobiles made from branches with with sweet hand sewn colorful birds birds perched on them.

I loved this stuffed owl that asked: "whoooooo tooooted?" 

We could have used this growing up in my house!

Blue is my favorite color, and I bought the PERFECT pair of earrings then found some awesomely creative necklaces:

The incredible car show comes in at 7:

 

I don't remember giving them permission to show my car? 

 Oh well, I can ride home in my other one:

Sure! I'll give you a ride. I'm just heading to the beach!

What's that you ask? What is the very very very best part of Apple Butter Makin' Days?

It's not the fried potatoes, or frozen cheesecake on a stick. It's not the cool stuff, or even spending time with your family.......

The very best part of Apple Butter Makin' Days is....

8. The Wiener dog races:

I've never been more happy in my whole life than I was in this moment....

When Mr. Speckles took home the gold.

See you all there next year!

My favorites:

I L-O-V-E these three:

Since I got Betty in 2006, I've never been able to go to the bathroom without an audience.

Every time you are woken up from thunder and lightning, just know I'm awake too....with a freaked out whiny shaking baby named Layla.

aaaand this guy:

I totally would have had a crush on him if he were my teacher. 

Happy Friday!

Ten best ways to have a great 4th of July:

1. Load the boat with flotation devices and people: 

2. Head out on the boat to find a nice sunny spot in a secluded cove. If you are like Christian and have been up since 3 am, working, you are probably exhausted and may want to find a shady spot on the boat and take a quick cat nap:

3. After finding the perfect spot,  you float.....

and float.....

and float...

Proper beverages are must, naturally.

4. Noodle placement for optimum floating is not optional: 

Yeah, he knows what this looks like, he just doesn't care because great floating has been achieved!

5. Don't forget to get a fantastic group picture!

6. and remember to come prepared with stories to share:

"And then I says to this wise guy, I says: Yo! I've had it up to here with yo' bull shiz..."
I think Chris'  sweet aviators and fu man chu makes me think of him with a 70's New York accent. 

7. If you brought furry friends, they may need a piggy back ride, even if they are wearing their own $35 doggy life jacket: 

8. After a full day of floating, talking, laughing head home for the main event: 

Forget the tickets to the gun show, this is what you should want to see! 

9. Let your dad take a picture of you looking REALLY excited to be holding a sparkler:

There is no better way to express your love for American then to blow stuff up.....

10. Finally, make sure your furry friends are dressed to represent their love for their country: 

and it doesn't hurt if you are wearing your favorite patriotic outfit either: 

HAPPY FRIDAY! I HOPE YOUR 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION CONTINUES WELL INTO THE WEEKEND! 

LOVE,

This girl

You need a Layla in your life.

Some people in the world are what you would call 'cat lovers.' Sadly, I am not one of these people.

I used to love cats. I even had a cat named Maid Marian after the character in the Disney movie 'Robin Hood' (I still don't think you understand the magnitude my love for all things Disney). Here is a picture of my 4 year old self and Maid Marian taking a nap...

Yeah that's me in a frilly pink bathing suit taking a nap with my cat that I dressed in baby doll clothes.....No big deal!

 Honestly, I thought I LOVED cats. Then I turned14, begged and received a cat I named Kobe (go Lakers!). Don't worry about the fact that Kobe attacked and attempted to eat my arms and legs on a daily basis, it's ok.

Although, it kind of looked and felt like this: 

NO KOBE NO!!! DON'T GO FOR THE JUGLAR!!!

Actually it wasn't ok. It wasn't ok at all, and I was tired of getting rabies shots every 2 weeks. Needless to say, Kobe had to go. 

THEN when I was 20 I decided I needed a cat to keep me company in my apartment. Who lets me make decisions!?!? I got an orange fluffy cat Chris named Hank. Let me just say: SCREW Hank. I HATE Hank. That was years ago, and I'm still nursing a hatred for that damn cat. He and I didn't understand each other whatsoever. After that I said: NO MORE CATS FOR ME!! 

Then I got Betty. 

......and she's basically a cat.

Since Betty fulfilled my animal cuddle need (and wasn't snooty like a cat). It was decided that we needed an actual dog-dog, to go with our cat-dog. Enter this thing: 

 

HOWDY Y'ALL!

I'm Laya and I HATE fake pumpkins and art supplies!

Other than eating the burrito I left on the table last night while coaching a basketball game; Layla is kind of perfect.  She is ALL that is dog:

 and a bit of a card shark.

We built a blanket fort last Saturday (pics to come) and Layla just HAD to get in on the card action. Her face says: "I TOLD you to throw down the pair of threes. Now do it. And then make me a snack."

In addition to being a bad ass card shark dog , Layla also thinks she is human:

"uhhhh....NO. You sleep on the floor, I called dibs on the bed. ALL of it. Also, I need a new pillow, yours is too fluffy and hurts my neck."

She will always protect you from the evil vacuum cleaner...

 

She HATES the vacuum cleaner like I hate Hank, the stupid orange fluffy college apartment cat. 

If you ever need a frisbee partner or a running back for your football team, give Layla a call because she's got the moves:

Here she is trying to find a ball for us to play with. She is a bit suspicious that I am holding out on her, and comes back to check on me. When you see Betty, you will understand why I think there needs to be a "doggy braces'' invention......

Layla always stays loyal to her football team even when they lose to the Patriots 34-3......

Chhhhiiieeeffsss........

I think I hear Chiefs offensive coordinator calling.....Layla will get back with him......

The best part of having your own Layla? 

I mean beside the obvious card shark bodyguard, human like qualities, fearless vacuum fighter, physical prowess, ball hunting skills and loyalty?

She's not a cat.

Real life:

Yesterday I went with my mom and youngest (baby!) brother, Andrew, to his senior pictures session.  I am not ready for his senior year. I have determined that he is not old enough to be graduating and released into the wild, he needs to stay home and play board games with his big sis for the rest of his life (and let me hold him on my lap).

you're 12. you're 12. you're 12. you're 12. WHAT?! you're 18!?! Nahhh...you're 12.

I'm especially depressed because I vividly remember being 18, and if he's 18 that means I'm......OH GOD DON'T say it!! LATE 20's!! NOOOOO!!!!!!  When did that happen?!


I have a wonderful blog, with pictures and everything, to share his model session with you, but the longer I remain in denial that he is NOT taking senior pictures (or going to senior homecomings, taking senior classes, etc.) the longer it means it WON'T happen...right!?



In honor of my denial, I leave you with an email exchange between Chris and myself that happened last week because soon I will be sitting in my closet clutching Andrew's baby blanket, crying: 

Me: Do you have my wedding ring??? I set in on the bedside table last night and it's NOWHERE this morning. There is no way layla ate it is there???

Chris: I have no idea where it is.  I did not see it this morning.

Me: I am seriously freaked out that layla may have eaten it.

Chris: I doubt she would have eaten it off the night stand.  I don't know. I guess we can check her dumps. 

Who me?! I wouldn't eat your ring, momma!

HAPPY TUESDAY EVERYONE! 

Why you should never leave home with your boxer unattended: a lesson learned twice.

I have three loves of my life. Well I take that back, I have many loves -Pizza, Super Mario brothers, painting, beer, old cars, beer, mexican food, facebook, beer, Spinach Artichoke dip...I'm beginning to see why a diet may be neccessary. Back to the issue at hand, my three true blue "never gonna give you up" loves:

This Guy. 

I said: THROW A SNOW BALL AT ME! so he started to and I said: NO NOT REALLY AT ME! OH MY GOD YOU'RE GOING TO KILL ME!!!

This little lady, Betty. 

Chris bought Betty for me when we were 22, after I begged and begged and begged for a dog. I didn't even know what a pom-poo was, but when I called the breeders about their ad in the paper the lady said: "They're so cute! They look just like little Teddy Bears!" Knowing that this was a no-brainer purchase, I immediately said: "SOLD!", and now I cannot go to the bathroom without her poking her head in to see what I'm doing...(Same thing I was doing last time I was in here, betty!)

And finally.........

this mongrel, Layla. 

Layla came into our lives about two years ago. She has the body of a deer, the speed of a cheetah, the attention span of a child with ADHD who forgets her medicine constantly and the curiosity of every cat that ever lived. She's pretty awesome though, and a good sport. For instance: 

                     She lets me dress her up in an elf costume whenever I feel like doing so.....

                        She does the required acrobatics to come inside JUST to amuse me......

      She's always down for a good time at the lake but, like a good girl, she INSISTS on safety first.

However I had NO idea that Layla hated beyond a shadow of a doubt two things: 

The first: apparently my watercolors, & a tube of gold acrylic paint. 

Who knew? Maybe the colors were taunting her about being a dog, and therefore ,colorblind....

"Red: Ya ya nice try ya doggy, but YOU don't know which one I yam!" I gave red a weird 40's gangster accent in my head for some reason. 

It IS possible that she isn't colorblind at all and just thought the paints were some kind of delicious doggy treat and it was her duty to discover if that was the truth or not..... OR betty tricked her into doing it. The inner workings of her mind shall forever remain a mystery to me.

The second thing she hates, we just discovered:

Fake Pumpkins from Michaels! In the words of my mom: "Who decides to take on a pumpkin?"

We got home to this and Chris tried to use his 'you're in big trouble voice' by saying: "Layla! Your mom got those pumpkins for a good deal at Michaels!"

Layla did show some shame and embarrassment. I was MUCH harsher on her: "YEAH LAYLA! I GOT THOSE FOR A GOOD DEAL YA JERK DOG!" Our disciplining could use some work.

The Shamed Culprit:

"I'm sorry momma, but the little orange one called me fat!" Obviously Layla is tortured and taunted by the various decorations, appliances, art supplies in our house while we are gone.

ALTHOUGH,

the one good thing about having your stuff torn up by a mischievous boxer is....

                                                    they do their very best to apologize....