Tink, Tink, Tink...Is This Thing On?

Hello! It's me again... or finally.. or whatever. I know it has been a long time since I posted, but I've decided not to treat my blog like a chore in hopes that it won't read like a chore and then we're all happy, right? Since way too much has happened since July I'll just let one picture do the talkin' here folks. Here was the apex of my summer. It consisted of getting up at 4am, drinking coffee with my Grandpa while tapping our toes to Johnny Cash in a rag top jeep headed for the lake, pushing off from shore only shortly after the sun came up and catching the biggest fish I ever caught. Ahh, how I've missed fishing... and my Grandpa. Paraphrase fishing with my Grandpa. You see, I really couldn't go fishing with anyone else. Who else would put up with me? I have been fishing with my Grandpa since I can remember and he's always done the dirty work for me. I don't do night crawlers. And I don't stick my fingers in fishes gills without a rag between me and the fish (see exhibit A below) and cleaning fish??? Are you kidding me? I got enough of that kind of stuff in high school biology to last me a lifetime. Grandpa always just smiles and puts the millionth worm on my hook with the same patience he put the first one on with. He always tells me I did a good job no matter how many fish get off the hook right before I flopped them in the boat. I love you, Grandpa.

Are you familiar with The Pleated Poppy? This blogger, slash mom of three, slash stay-at-home mom posts pictures of what she wear each week. She does it as a way of motivating herself to make more of an effort with how she puts herself on instead of just walking around in sweats with chocolate stains on them all day. So people link up with her blog and post their own pictures of what they wear each week. It's fun to check out, but never have I seriously entertained the idea of posting what I wear until this picture. It would be just for kicks and giggles, which is about all my wardrobe choices are good for anyways. Here's how it would go...

Budweiser hat - borrowed from my little brother
Mossy Oak sweatshirt - borrowed from my mom
Camo thermal - borrowed from my mom
Levis - borrowed from my big sissy

Now that's an outfit! Grandpa said, "No wonder you've got good luck today. You've got the whole family fishing with you!"

exhibit A. Sockeye Salmon, 23 inches. I ate it for dinner.

I'm not mourning the passing of summer at all. We traveled, we barbaqued, we laid on a blanket in the back yard while our baby splashed in her kiddy pool. And now it is time wear boots and jeans and drink warm things and dye my hair???

Never have I ever gone darker! Blonde highlights are about as bold as I get when it comes to color, but I was ready to try something new. So ta-dah! I'm having fun with it.

Here are some pictures especially for you, Mom. You said you'd like me to sneak into Sophia's room and get some pictures of her sleeping in her new(ish) toddler bed. What a big girl, huh? She's a little girl all the way these days.

And here is a glimpse of my current project. This summer my dad gave me two metal outdoor chairs that have been around since I can remember. In fact my dad can remember sitting in them at his grandparent's house when he was a kid. There's nothing better than these chairs when it comes to relaxing outside. They have this certain bounce and rock motion to them when you sit in them. Not to mention they are just dripping with nostalgia and are completely perfect for my 1950's ranch style home and backyard. Anyhow, they just seriously needed some TLC which I was absolutely prepared to give them once the roar of summer passed. And then the other weekend Sophia and I were walking home from the park and we passed a garage sale. There sat three more metal chairs and they were five dollars each! Well, I beat cheeks back to the house and returned in my car with my checkbook to haul them away before anybody changed their mind. And now I am the proud owner of five somewhat rusty metal chairs. I mean treasures. I can't wait to show you the transformation!

On that note I better be going. The Target Pirates are getting restless. Happy fall, happy harvest, happy Halloween, happy boot wearing and pumpkin spice latte drinking!