C'est Fall!

Do you feel that kids?  That's right, its fall.  The real deal;  I mean wind-blowing, leaves falling, crunch beneath your new shoes and feet real deal fall.  Today I babysat and opened up the doors and listened  to the wind bellow and tinker through the trees while airplanes flew by.  Other than the fact that the kid pooped three times while I was there, it was bliss.

Today I rushed home after work to be with the love of my life.  We were both STARVING and I was having one of those "oppositions to the kitchen" nights.  So, we went to Sandy Springs knowing there were about 15 hundred restaurants that would suffice.  

"How about Flying Biscuit? Fresh 2 Order?  Nothing but Noodles? Or we could try that French place in Perimeter?"

Um, yes please!  I can't believe I have lived in Sandy Springs for for almost 5 years now and I haven't been to la Madeleine! 

(Look at those fall clouds creepin' in like creepers)

We had read rave reviews on their Tomato Basil Soup; we had to try it.  So we had:

2 Bowls Tomato Basil Soup

1 Quiche Lorraine

1 Quiche Florentine

2 Ice Waters

...and all the fresh French bread we wanted

This is me in my old lady sweater.  I got it at Loehmann's because it was cashmere and Juicy Couture, but really its just a geriatric poop-green sweater trying to be cool. What a wannabe. But I sure do love it.

P.S.What's up with that USA Today newspaper box in the background CLEARLY trying to ruin our French ambience?!

Miss Lorraine

Miss Florentine

Soup Soup Soup Soup

French Sourdough

Wheat

Then we did something we shouldn't have...

So, these French desserts were just staring at us!  How rude right??  We went over to see what they wanted and then they begged us to buy them and take them home to eat.

Fine, "We will each get one."

I picked the Sacher Torte

Husband dearest picked the Strawberry Napoleon

"Oh what's that you say? We got a coupon for another free dessert when you printed out our receipt?  Geez, I guess we will have to get the French Vanilla Berry Tart..."

John and I took our treasures home and sat at the table and tasted each one...slowly...one...by...one...

We think we will move to France just for the desserts alone.  I mean, if American French desserts are this good, I can't imagine how good French French desserts are!

Our favorite was...

...the Sacher torte which was layers of chocolate sponge cake, with chocolate mousse, chocolate icing, and apricot jam in layers.

Yes, we ate all of them...oh, France we want to move to you so bad right now.

The last part- grlz wknd 3

When I left my sweet husband last weekend for girls weekend at my parents home I clipped this little note to his pillow.  

When I was younger my cousin taught me not to forget your PJ'S before bed.

P- Prayer

J- Journal

S- Scriptures

That has stuck with me my whole life.  In our home John and I always say our prayers together at night.  Occasionally we miss our scripture study but we are trying so hard to make that a deep habit.  We know that studying the scriptures makes for a strong foundation in our lives and in our knowledge of the gospel. I'd like to think of this blog as the ultimate journal, so I think I've got that one down. (sorry for the tangent)

So, here is the rest of girls weekend.

(Breakfast on the porch the first day)

(that's supposed to say with. not qith...)

(making caramel apples the second night)

(beautiful sister)

(my skinny mother with our fruit skewers)

(grilled chicken the first night)

(candle craft)

(we made these pumpkins out of wired ribbon)

(santa claus looking pizza)

(our feet)

"I wonder if you sisters fully understand the greatness of your gifts and talents and how all of you can achieve the 'highest place of honor' in the Church and in the world. One of your unique, precious, and sublime gifts is your femininity, with its natural grace, goodness, and divinity. Femininity is not just lipstick, stylish hairdos, and trendy clothes. It is the divine adornment of humanity. It finds expression in your qualities of your capacity to love, your spirituality, delicacy, radiance, sensitivity, creativity, charm, graciousness, gentleness, dignity, and quiet strength. It is manifest differently in each girl or woman, but each of you possesses it. Femininity is part of your inner beauty.

-James E. Faust

See Part one (here)

See part two (here)

Operation France and Breakfast for Dinner

Last night we had FHE, like most Monday nights.  It was great.  We finally figured some things out.  John and I have been seriously thinking about doing a study abroad to France for a while now.  We have been praying and pondering if it is the right decision for us for this coming summer.

We sang the perfect hymn for the night, "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go, Dear Lord"

We had breakfast for dinner.  That is always one of our favorites,  John says, "I could literally eat breakfast anytime of the day."  We had:

Pancakes:  We mixed it up a bit with fresh chips of strawberry, 3/4 cup of sour cream, and a dash of vanilla in the mix.  Then we garnished with fresh strawberry slices on top.

Bacon:  Cooked almost til done in pan then we put it on a plate in the oven at 175 for about 5-7 minutes to give it more of a crunch.  Really that is the best way to eat bacon.

Hashbrowns:  John cooked these in the leftover bacon grease!  YUM!  Then of course he added jalapeños and salt and pepper.  They were better than Waffle House.

We already have our fall decorations out, most of these came from my girl's weekend with my family.  I love the holidays so much.  I feel like everyone is so excited with the anticipation of fall just right around the corner.  It is trying so hard to be here.  Just a few more days I hope.  "Come on Fall, you can do it!!"

In honor of our night I went to the European Market here in Roswell and got us some European chocolate.  It was divine!

For our activity we had planned on doing research for French programs and scholarship opportunities but that kind of didn't pan out.  So, instead I did a project that I have been obsessing over for about a week.

Thank you to (THIS LADY) for the inspiring idea.  You can see better directions on her blog.

I made a really cool earring holder.  This is so much better than throwing them all in one bag and having to search for the match!

My husband surprised me two nights ago with an early birthday present.  Seriously, we both can't wait for anything.  He was too excited and I was too curious so I let him give it to me.  

He gave me a beautiful pair of 1.4 carat Citrine Studs.  I LOVE them!  He said he thought they looked a lot like my beloved favorite color...mustard.  Now I have a beautiful new place for them to go.  Good job honey...good perfect job.  

Bottle Cap Magnets- Grlz Wknd part 2

I have been wanting to do this project ever since John and I got married.  At our reception we had Boylan's Vintage Soda.  We asked everyone to save the caps off of their sodas and deposit them in a big mason jar.  My original plan was to make these magnets with one of our wedding pictures in it and send those to everyone as thank yous.  Hmmm...I got too busy being a newly wed  and never did that.

BUT, I have finally done it.  This weekend at Girl's Weekend  I shared my bottle caps and everyone made some magnets.  They turned out perfect and I am so pleased and happy that I saved all of the bottle caps for 4 whole months!  These make for such a precious personalized gift too!

Here is what you need:

bottle caps

resin

hot glue gun

tiny magnets

patience

Here is how you do it.

1. Acquire several bottle caps (however you'd like to)

2. Rinse them out with cool water and let dry.

3.Print off tiny pictures to fit inside (windows has an option to print out a contact sheet with has 35 tiny photos on one page)

4. Hot glue gun tiny magnets on to the back of the bottle cap.

5. Cut out the pictures and hot glue gun them inside of the bottle caps.

6.  Mix resin according to directions and pour inside of bottle caps with pictures.  Be careful not to let spill over.

7.  Blow hot air on the resin to get the bubbles out.

8.  Let dry according to directions and you will have precious bottle cap personalized magnets!

And there you have it.  My dream has now been fulfilled.  Oh, crafting, the things you do to me to make me happy.

Happy perfect four months today to me and my hubs.