20 Things To Love About Fall

I stole this idea from another blog but I have never made a secret of the fact that this is my favorite time of year. Seemed like a good time to return to the blog world and it would give me time to plan a real post!

1. Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks
2. Bonfires
3. Roasted Marshmallows...black on the outside and gooey on the inside...scrumptious
4. Hayrides
5. The Nut Club Fall Festival
6. Carving pumpkins
7. Picking Apples
8. Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Candle from Bath and Body Works
9. Costume Parties
10. Small town trick-or-treating...the way it used to be
11. Combines in the cornfield
12. Caramel Apples
13. Fall displays in front yards
14. Falling leaves
15. Crisp morning air
16. Family photos (a new Fletcher tradition!)
17. Fuzzy throws
18. Warm Apple Pie
19. Reading a book on a Saturday afternoon
20. Scarecrows

Salad Anyone?

I love a good salad. There are restaurants I eat at for the food and restaurants I eat at for the salad. For instance, we don't eat there often but the Bisteca Insalata at Brios is AWESOME. A yummy lettuce wedge with Gorgonzola, tomatoes, bacon makes my mouth water. This is gross but I can almost drink the ranch dressing at Outback. I LOVE salad. All that to say I was excited to get this months issue of Real Simple magazine and see their recipe for Creamy Parmesan dressing. Carrabba's house salad with this dressing is one of my faves. It is one of the aforementioned restaurants I eat at for the salad, not the food. So, imagine my surprise when the dressing turned out to be thisclose to the real deal. I hesitate to say that it is identical because if you try it and don't like it, I don't want to be called a big fat liar. On the other hand, if you like it, I will feel free to say "Told you so!"

Creamy Parmesan Dressing
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c grated Parmesan
1/4 c sour cream
2 tbls white wine vinegar
kosher salt and black pepper

Whisk together in a small bowl and enjoy!

Emma Grace's Nursery

Here is a snapshot of Emma's Nursery. Some of the pieces (crib, fabric, paint) are exact. The others are not. Enjoy!

Can it be?

Can it be that I actually have readers? I do believe so! Ha ha! Actually, I have several readers who refuse to comment so that shouldn't really surprise me. I don't have much to add tonight but I have to share something that I just can't keep in.

Publix has strawberries this week 3 for $5.00!

I know you are wondering why I'm so excited. I haven't really documented it but I have been very lucky in this pregnancy in that my cravings are simple. Fruit, Fruit, Fruit, and more specifically, STRAWBERRIES! I can easily knock out a regular container in a sitting and I must admit, I have been known to eat one of the larger containers in a day. So imagine my excitement when I got my flyer in the mail and that was on the back! When I went last week, they were out so you better believe I'm going to be getting my share this week. If you frequent the same Publix I do, you had better beat me there. There might not be any strawberries left!

I'm sorry.....No I'm Not!

I could apologize (again) for being a bad blogger....but I won't. I'm tired of apologizing so I'm just going to stop. Apologizing that is.

Things are going well around the Garrison Homestead. We have been watching the Olympics almost every night. I don't know if it is just my imagination but they seem to be better this year. The other thing, that might be in my imagination is that there seem to be a lot more crashes, falls, and wrecks then usual. Some of it can be attributed to the host nations trying to out do one another (at least that's what the article I read said) but some of it, such as the ice skating, I can't figure out. Anyway, we have really been enjoying ourselves.

In Baby Benji news, we have have no news. I guess no news is good news? A few weeks ago, we had a little scare but all is well. The baby (and mommy) checked out fine so after two days off my feet, it was back to work as usual. I have my next appointment on Tuesday and then I'm hoping (with my fingers, toes, legs, arms and eyeballs crossed) that we will find out what we are having at the next appointment. At this point, Ben would insert that he knows what we are having....a baby! He's so funny. I must have married him for his sense of humor! :)

Baby's New Ride

We were at the Galleria today and when Joey and Jamie pointed it out, I just had to have it. Apparently Mom and Dad felt the same way because they told me they would get it for us. I can't wait to use it! Thanks Mom and Dad! Your Little Wildcat is so excited:)

The Longest Nine Months of My Life

I don't mean to be an absent blogger. I promise...I really don't. I just don't think about blogging until I'm at work or I'll be driving down the road and think "Oh! I need to blog about that." And then the moment passes and I move on to something else. I'm sure you will all forgive me. I've been a little preoccupied:

It's our little peanut! I don't what else to call the baby because that it what it looks like. This ultrasound was done at almost 9 weeks and it is amazing to me that you can see little feet and arm "buds".....he/she is already the most beautiful baby ever! We are both so excited and can't wait. My due date is August 21st which seems like an eternity x2. So far, the pregnancy is going well. I haven't had any morning sickness; just a little gagging here and there (which I did before I was pregnant). I am having some sugar issues but that seems to be under control. I have lost 21lbs just from changing what I'm eating. Currently, Baby G's favorite food is strawberries. I could eat them 24/7.

A funny story: As Stentsen put it, Ben told me I was pregnant. I had decided to take a test but I was tired of forking out the big bucks for the digital tests. I bought the cheapy Walmart brand test and brought it home. After I took the test, it didn't seem to be working so I left it on the bathroom sink and forgot about it. I must have knocked it off in the floor because later that night, Ben brought me the test and asked me if I had looked at it. I told him it was a dud; just to throw it away. He said "no, I really think you ought to look at it." I just insisted he throw it away. Finally he brought it to me and I saw the pink plus sign.

Well, I was in shock. Even though it was about 10:30pm, I told Ben he had to go to Walmart and get a digital test. He was more than happy to oblige!

This is what we ended up with. I needed proof. After the third test I felt more confident:). Kim said after the first one it wasn't going to change but I couldn't help myself. The third test was some kind of compulsion. I really, really, couldn't help myself!

There you have it. That's our news. We couldn't be happier!