HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Lots to be thankful for this past year. To name a few:

1) Family
2) Nana
3) Friends
4) Our Home
5) My ability to maintain a profitable online business - who would have thought?
6) All the wonderful managers and their enormous support at the 25+ stores I visit each week.
7) New York Yankees for keeping it real.......
8) Our health
9) Everyone who helped Joelle realize a once in a lifetime experience in LA
10) Beach Pea - for those freakin' addictive Cowgirl Cookies!!!!
11) My big brother - no need to say anything more
12) Generators - :)
13) President-elect Obama
14) Last but not least: Joelle - my oldest, talented, smart and beautiful daughter who makes me proud day after day. Marina - my youngest, spirited, smart, unbelievably sweet, beautiful daughter who makes me proud day after day.

MUST SEE!!!

J, M and I went to see Marley & Me today. Warning: If you go, bring tissues! I'm not kidding. I literally blubbered. Trust me, the WHOLE theater was crying. All you could hear was sniffling. Men on each side of us were crying. At one point, my tears were uncontrollable. Seriously.

Anyway, it is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. No violence, adult stuff (well, one or two eeewww moments) or gross language. Just a great family movie that found we three girlz showering Amber with love when we got home.

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

I'm determined to get into the Christmas Spirit. It's not that I don't have any but it seems life's thrown a few curveballs lately.
So, let's start with the snowstorm last night. Perfect. Joelle, Marina and I ordered Thai food and watched a Christmas movie. That was a good start.

Today, I'll let the girls play a bit while I take an inventory of still-need-to-get presents. We're going to the movies this afternoon and tackling a little shopping. Tonight, another movie.

Tomorrow, we are going to get yet another storm. More movies, playing outside and maybe wrapping some gifts.

Everything that the week before Christmas should be!

WHY?

Ok.....I surrender. Whatever it is that is happening, please STOP! They say bad things/news comes in 3's so I hope my family is done. First, my grandmother. Next, power out for 5 days. Then, last night, my BFF/sister-in-law called sobbing. Their dog, Skye, collapsed in their kitchen and Dusty was rushing her to Scarborough (45 minutes away), in a blizzard. Skye didn't make it.

Sorry guys....we loved her too.

Seriously, why do these things happen to GOOD people?

ENOUGH

......can't stand this anymore. I want real food, clean clothes, a quiet neighborhood and my old life back. Christmas spirit? Um, not so much right now. Christie says she was told we'll have power by tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

NOPE.....NOT YET

No power but thanks to Shaun and my Dad we have heat, hot water TV, computer and lights! Yippee!!!!

NOSTALGIA

I find myself constantly (like, 4-5 times a day) sniffing my Christmas tree. I'm not talking sniffing while in the kitchen. This is stuffing your face into the tree sniffing. For some reason, the smell brings me back to Christmas at my parent's house when I was little. There was always that unique scent that I could only smell at home. This is the first year my tree has taken on that similar smell. So, if you walk into my house and my head appears to be getting devoured by my tree, you'll know why.

MARCHING....MARCHING...MARCHING

Joelle marched in her first parade today. Brings back memories...

You did great Joelley!

NANA......

I'm not one to pray. I just take for granted that what will happen, will. Tonight, however, I will ask the Higher Power to listen to Joelle, Marina and I as we ask Him to watch over our beloved grandmother.

Nana was taken by ambulance to the hospital tonight. There, she has been placed on a ventilator in hopes that she can recover from what is happening to her.

Joelle and Marina love her to the ends of the earth. There is no other like their Nana.

I love Nana so much more than anyone will ever know. I will say a special prayer for her tonight and I ask that anyone who reads this to do the same.

The stars are shining on you tonight Nana......

OMG!!!!!!

Well, we did it. Laurie and I.

Ready? 13 1/2 hours of shopping. Yep, you read right. Let me break it down: 2:30 am we drive to the Maine Mall. Breakfast at 8. Target in Biddeford until 11:30. Drive to Stonewall Kitchen. Drive to the outlets for a little browsing. Off to the Fox Run Mall.....Michaels, TJ Maxx, Circuit City and Toys R Us. Pick up some Thai food and home at 5:30.

I might just sleep until noon tomorrow.

HOOKY

Today, I let the girls play semi-hooky from school. It was their reward for super report cards. We went Bugaboo for lunch and then to see "Bolt".

Fun times..........

BOOKS....PART 2

Marina is absolutely absorbed with her Anne Frank book. She read 25 pages last night. And I know she is totally getting what she is reading. She doesn't hesitate to ask what a specific word means and gives me summaries every so often.

As for Joelle's zillion page book? Um, still on the floor of her bedroom. Although, I do have to say that after 2 hours of homework, she just wanted to crash into bed. I do believe she'll see the movie before she reads the book since it comes out in theaters tomorrow.

Stay tuned..........

BOOKS

So, we all went to Barnes & Noble today and I was amazed by the choices that we walked out with. Marina chose Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. Joelle chose the newest sensation, "Twilight" which is a zillion pages long and I got a Consumer Reports magazine.

These are the kind of books that you gladly hand over your cash for!

Happy reading to all and to all a good night!

THE WAVE

Every morning when I drop Marina off at school, I look forward to "the wave." The wave is something Marina has been doing for the last year. She gets out of my car, gives me a kiss, walks around the front of the car and waves. She proceeds up the walkway to school and turns around with another wave. When she gets to the door, she opens it, turns around and waves. Just as the door is about to shut, she gives me one last wave. I can't tell you how much I love this ritual. It leaves me with such a good feeling for the rest of the day.

Mina, Mina, Mina.....can you please stay this way forever?

Life is good........

I have realized for a long time how fortunate I am to have the friends/family that I have. However, that fact has become abundantly clear as of late with regards to one person in particular.

I have a terrific friend in Steve (a narcotics detective with KPD). He maintains my lawn every summer and plows my driveway every winter. I never receive a bill for these services. I have tried MANY times to send him a check but I only get it back shredded to bits. Last year, I got a speeding ticket (oops) in Scarborough. That didn't last long....one call and Steve tore it up. One night over the summer, I heard something in my backyard (even driving Amber crazy). I was absolutely petrified. I called Steve at 1 in the morning and he was here within 5 minutes doing a search with another officer. It ended up being nothing but I was left with the greatest peace of mind. When Joelle went to LA last summer, Steve got us an incredible rate at the hotel we stayed at. He also got the KPD to donate a great of amount of $ to the trip. He now is rounding up more donations for Joelle to attend Camp Electric Youth in New York City. I didn't ask him to do this. It came up in conversation and when I told him she wouldn't be able to attend due to the extraordinary cost of the LA trip, he said "leave it to me". Unbelievable. To top it all off? He set me up with a one night stay at Mohegan, tickets to a show and dinner at ANY restaurant there.

When I asked him why he does all this, he replied...."you are simply a good person and I know life can be crazy for you at times. Better yet, you truly appreciate what is done for you". Thank you Steve.....

Y'know, I have not always walked the straight and narrow but one thing has always remained a constant.....my friends.

DELIVERY....

We delivered our first batch of pumpkin and banana breads to Crossroads today. It was a super feeling!

We'll do it all over again in 2 weeks!

HE'S STILL HERE......

The cat that is. My mom is giving some thought to adopting him. Until then, he remains a pretty loyal cat. Even Amber and Cuddles have warmed up to him. I will not keep this cat.....I will not keep this cat.....I will not keep this cat......I will not keep this cat!!

Wish I could. :)

WOO-HOO!!!!!!!!

Joelle made me and her entire family VERY proud today by making the honor roll at school. She even got an A+ in math. I know I couldn't have done it. I was constantly on the internet researching algebra and I still was confused!

A typical day for Joelle during the months of September and October was: get home from school at 2:45, relax and eat a snack until 3:30, go to rehearsals at 4, get home at 6:15, eat dinner, begin homework at 7 and finish sometimes at 9. The week prior to the show's opening, she was getting home from rehearsals at 8:15 only to be doing homework until 10.

I'm extremely proud of Joelle's dedication to schoolwork and her committment to the play. And what's even more admirable? She NEVER once complained. I'm proud of you Joelle. What an awesome thing it is to say I'm your Mom. :)

Karma

Yesterday I found a $20 bill on top of the refridgerator in my garage. It came out of nowhere. I had just cleaned off the top of the fridge that morning. It was folded neatly and on the very edge. I knew it wasn't mine because I don't fold my bills. I asked the girls (who I thought would own up to the $) but they both said it wasn't theirs. Joelle's response? "Maybe it's karma, Mom". Thinking of the last few weeks and the various food donations we have made (school parties, shelters and now parent-teacher conferences), I guess I'd have to say that maybe she is right. Karma....such a good thing!

LESSONS IN LIFE..........

Today we went to visit my Dad where he works in Kennebunk. He works at a facility that treats brain-injury patients.
We actually look forward to going there. The girls have taken to two people there. David, a young man who was in a car crash that has left him wheelchair bound. His speech is impaired but he always takes the time to talk to the girls. Today he was telling us how warm he was. His internal "radiator" makes it so that he is always hot. Fans and air conditioners help him only slightly. He told us to touch his arm so we could feel how warm he was. A bit skeptical, Joelle touched him first and then Marina. I found this to be extremely touching as it showed the girls that although David may sound and appear different, he is still a human being with feelings and a great love of communication.

Adam is the other young man that is wheelchair bound. He cannot speak and, for the most part, is hunched over for most of the day. Joelle has a special fondness for Adam and he is the first person she asks for when we visit. She'll say hello and he'll lift his hand as much as he can in response. She proceeds to ask him a few questions knowing full well that he can't respond.

We'll continue to make visits and keep in touch with both David and Adam. They teach us about perserverance and force us to appreciate what we are so fortunate to have in our lives. That is a great life lesson.

My oh my........

This is "nameless". He is (we think) a stray that has been pretty much living in a culvert in our neighborhood. He seems to have adopted us as his new family. Although it appears that we have, in turn, adopted him, let it be known that we haven't. I have made calls to animal hospitals and checked the lost ads and there are no matches. We made the mistake of giving him some food on our front porch on a rainy night. The next morning, we found him still there in ball on our mat. This is a picture of him relishing in what seems to be his first comfortable and warm nap in a while. We'll continue to take care of him until we take him to the NHSPCA. It breaks my heart to think of it as he is the gentlest and most loving cat I have ever met. But we already have 2 cats and a dog. We certainly can't become the farm on Debra Lane. Ugh!

CONFESSIONS.....

.....Yes, I am listening to Christmas music already. Well, I mean, it IS offered on cable's On Demand channel.

.....There really wasn't anything in my eyes during Joelle's play yesterday. I was just trying to wipe away my tears of pride.

.....When my brother called at 8 last night and asked if I wanted company, I really wanted to go to bed. But it's my brother and I told him to come on over. I ended staying up until 11 watching a movie with him and his friend. Confession within a confession - I was falling asleep during the movie.

.....The Halloween candy is slowly disappearing into my stomach. I cannot tell a lie.

SCHOOL ROCKS!!

Today is the opening day for School House Rock!

Good luck Joelle! I can't wait to see you tonight!!

IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!!

Every week, I make a trip to Hampton for work. I run my gas down to the last drop because I know I'll find the lowest gas prices around at Irving on Route 1. Lo and behold, I came up on legions of cars waiting to pump their gas. Look at the photo (not actually where I was today but it gives you the idea) and you will see why I waited in line for 15 minutes to get my tank filled. $2.09/gallon....REALLY!!! Iriving has 12 bays and all 12 were at least 6 cars deep.....just waiting.

I happily filled up my tank (when is the last time it only cost me $30?) and shook my head in disbelief when 4 miles down the road was another gas station with gas priced at $2.59. I don't get it.

BAKING FOR A CAUSE........

Last week, I emailed the volunteer coordinator at Crossroads House which is a homeless shelter in Portsmouth. I wanted to know how Joelle, Marina and I could volunteer our time or services. I realized it would be tricky due to J & M's ages. Today, I got a call from Diane, the kitchen director. She said that help is needed in the kitchen but laws would prohibit the girls from taking part. HOWEVER, she asked if I would consider making items at home and bringing them to the shelter. This way Joelle and Marina could help in the cooking AND delivery. I jumped at this opportunity. Diane told me that they get a lot of meat/potatoes donations but they lack in what she considers the "luxury" of sweet items. Sweet items at Crossroads are defined as breads, muffins, cookies, rolls, etc.. The fact that these are considered luxuries just isn't right. I eat banana bread almost daily, muffins most every morning and cookies pretty darn regularly. Oh, the things we take for granted. Thus, we 3 girls have committed to donating up to 7 loaves of bread and/or 7 dozen cookies and/or 7 dozen muffins. We will make our deliveries on the 2nd Friday and 4th Tuesday of every month. We don't have to make this much and depending on the week, we may not be able to. But, we will give it every effort even if it means we only end up with half our goal. Why wouldn't we? The pleasure we will get in knowing that someone down on their luck is enjoying a bit of life's luxuries....well, it doesn't get any better than that.

PROOF IS IN THE NUMBERS!

Okay.....just one more blog about the Shaws/Market Basket debate. I went to MB yesterday to do minor shopping. I have to admit that I was very surprised at how little the total was.

Today, I had to run into Shaws (they are the only store that carries Marina's muffins). I took an extra 10 minutes of my time to physically write down the prices of the EXACT items I bought at MB yesterday. This was actually a very speedy thing since I know Shaws like the back of my hand.

I have added up all the totals and deducted the 2 coupons I used and here it is folks: Shaws - $77.48 and MB - $60.76. BIG difference. I figure that would be tripled if I did major shopping.

Enough said.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad's birthday. The best dad I could ever hope for. My hero, friend.......my daddy. Mina's Poppi....Joelle's Papa. Their hero too. And why wouldn't he be? He would do anything for them. And I really do mean anything. Spend five minutes watching him interact with his two princesses and you will see nothing but pride, love and admiration in his eyes. Oh, but look very closely because you will witness the same in the eyes of Joelle and Marina. Who is the first person Joelle calls with test grades? You got it....Papa. He makes sure to convey just how proud he is of her. He listens.....the most important thing to a grandchild. He really listens. Who does Marina call when she just wants to talk? No question....her Poppi. He makes sure to tell her how wonderful she is and how proud he makes her. She'll tell stories that may not make sense sometimes but he listens.....the most important thing to a grandchild. He really listens.

As for me, my Dad makes sure I'm always okay. If I need anything, I know who I can call. And you know what? Dad never hesitates. He knows its not easy doing the manly things around the house when it's just me.

He worries about me.....oh boy, does he worry. But he shouldn't. I'll always be okay because I have him. He always makes sure to tell me how proud he is of me and continues to make me feel good about the job I'm doing as a single parent. I talk to my Dad pretty much daily. I love talking to him because he really listens....the most important thing to a daughter. He really listens. And for that I am grateful.

I love you Dad!

I

THE GREAT GROCERY DEBATE.....

Ok....I've ALWAYS sung the praises of Shaws. Double coupons, gas coupons, 2 for 1 offers, etc... NO MORE!!!!! The other day I was doing my normal shopping and was shocked at how expensive things had become. However, knowing that food prices in general have soared, I took the "oh well" approach....for only one minute. I headed over to Market Basket, the place where I swore I'd never shop for various reasons. I have to admit, I am now converted. Why? Let me spell it out: Land O' Lakes tub of butter - Shaws/$2.49, Market Basket/$1.79. A 70 cent difference! Ridiculous. Need more? Laundry detergent: Shaws/$5.49, Market Basket/$4.79 (same brand/size). Another 70 cent difference. And these weren't on sale. These are everyday prices. Item for item (I am a Shaw's pricing Bible), the prices were MUCH lower in Market Basket. Shame on you Shaws! I'll miss you but my wallet won't!

AHHH....THEY REALLY DO LOVE EACH OTHER!

I had the girls with me this weekend which I absolutely loved. Saturday night we went to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Typically, the thought alone makes me cringe. However, it was really fun. The kids had a great time spending zillions of dollars to earn tickets only to end up with bouncy balls. The adult conversation was priceless, although it pretty much revolved around the Red Sox/Tampa Bay game that night.

I taught the girls how to play Uno and as you can see, they took it upon themselves to start a game of their own (it seems Joelle was more into finding pictures of the Jonas Brothers). Anyway, they played Uno for a solid hour without any arguments. Amazing!


On Sunday, we went to a corn maze in York. All the way there, Joelle kept saying how much better it would be at night. Well, she was definitely right. The maze is NOT a maze during the day. In all fairness, however, the stalks have pretty much blown over leaving open spaces everywhere. Joelle cried when we left because she felt bad that I had "wasted" $24. Gotta love her. I assured her that the $24 was well spent as I got to spend time her and Marina. We stopped for Thai food on the way home and went to bed very early so I could watch TAMPA BAY BEAT THE RED SOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoo-hoo! (Credit where credit is due....the Sox gave a good series). Can't wait for another weekend with my two girls!

Puzzles Galore!

We have become obsessed with jigsaw puzzles in our house. Every night Joelle & Marina sit down with their TV tray and try to accomplish putting together 100 puzzle pieces. When they finish, they glue it together and keep it as a reminder of their accomplishment. I haven't done puzzles for ages but have found them to bring much tranquility to our home. Marina is so proud of her puzzle expertise that she is bringing one in for show and tell on Friday. Off to puzzleland........

Looking for sympathy.....

I don't like it at all. I was supposed to go to a chili party today (with my winning buffalo chicken chili) and a god-forsaken whopper of a cold crept up on me. Look, I'm a trooper and I can handle most anything.....but, I'm down and out and I want my Mommy!!!!

Bummer.....

A new diagnosis in the field of medicine.....

Joelle was having a crazy moment the other day....too much sugar perhaps? Anyway, after many warnings to get control of herself, Marina asked "Mom, do you think she has AC/DC"? Maybe one of those moments where you had to be there but hilarious nonetheless.

HALLELUJAH.......

Shopping at Shaw's and I ran smack into a display of these!! A very rare find these days. I need not say any more as Brenda is very, very happy!

Lazy days and Saturdays.....

I did nothing today. I stayed in my pj's all day, cleaned the house at my leisure and browsed the internet. I left only to get cat/dog food and a lovely sandwich from Beach Pea. This kind of day is absolutely unheard of for me. I take after my dad too much...I can never sit still. Not today. I finally took time for me and y'know what? I deserved it!

PS...I owe you lunch and a movie Mom!

MIKE.......

Mike came to take the girls to dinner last night. Can I say how admirable it is that he continues do this 2 years after our divorce. The first question he always asks when he comes in the door is "where do you want to eat"? The answer is always the sushi restaurant (I can't think of the name) so it was a nice surprise when Marina exclaimed "Jumpin' Jays"! Talk about expensive taste! Of course, that is where they ended up. They were gone quite a while and I figured that they had gone to the bookstore. Wrong! At 7:30, Joelle ran in the door screaming "Mike bought us a laptop at Best Buy"! Marina followed equally as thrilled. Then came Mike. I couldn't help but break down out of appreciation and my thank you's to him were beyond sincere and heartfelt. He realizes that Joelle is needing a computer more and more for school (and Rhapsody), Marina loves playing her games and I need it to keep track of my listings on Ebay. Therefore, there are numerous arguments about computer time. No longer.....all because of Saint Mike.
Mike is there for the girls no matter what. Here are a few things that amaze me. If the girls call him to ask when they will see him next, he makes time. I remember recently he went away to China for 10 days, was going to be home for maybe a day and then off to NY for several days. Guess what? He made sure he saw Joelle and Marina on that one day off. And it wasn't even a day off. He had been in the office catching up on 10 days of missed work but STILL managed to squeeze in time for the girls. The countless things he does for the girls indirectly helps me and he is very much aware of that. Prior to school starting, he came over and gave Joelle and Mina gift cards to Limited Too for school shopping. I didn't ask him to do this nor did I have to. When we went to LA, he immediately offered to buy the plane tickets. In addition, he gave them spending money. Birthdays? Never forgets. Christmas? Always plays Santa Mike.
I really could go on and on......and on and on and on.
The girls love Mike and they always, always will. As for me, I am honored to say that I was married to Mike O'Neil. I know he will always be a part of our lives and that makes us very happy!

The TV

Every morning while making breakfast for the girls, I make a mental note of what TV shows are on that night. I have literally written down the premiere dates of each show I'd like to watch this fall as well as a daily chart much like a TV Guide. Sick? Probably. Do I watch all of these shows? Eventually (thank you Tivo). Does this mean I have no life? No. I have NEVER sat down during the day to watch a program. (Unless Derek Jeter is up to bat during a Yankees game). Sure, I have the TV on and I listen but I'm not so wrapped up in the world of television that I become a couch potato. This is the way I look at it. I am a single mother who spends her days trying to earn an income (unless housebound....see blog below). I taxi the girls to and from school, drive to dentist/doctor appointments, rehearsals, etc.. I single handedly help with homework often times referring to the internet for help. It is very frustrating when I am helping Marina and Joelle is calling for help also. This is a nightly ritual and it can be very taxing. I am also solely at the mercy of sick children. Up in the middle of the night with a child that heard a strange noise? Yup, it's me walking around the house with a baseball bat. Preparation for the next day begins at 7 and FINALLY at about 8:00 heaven is calling. My time to get lost in another world. Am I complaining? Absolutely not. I wouldn't have it any other way. My point is there is nothing wrong with television. I read many stories about households that don't have tv's. Ugh.....can't imagine. It was Dora that taught Joelle to count to 10 in Spanish. It was Blue that encouraged Marina to use her memory and imagination. It was Annie that Joelle first started singing to.....look at her now. Of course, I don't support endless hours on a couch with a remote in hand. However, tv can be educational as well as an escape....we all need that in our lives.

So, there's my thoughts. Off to Tivo Lipstick Jungle.

Housebound

102.5 degree temperature for most of the day. Very red cheeks. No appetite. On the couch with fleece pajamas AND a blanket. Not even the Jonas Brothers could get a smile out of Marina today.

Get well soon babycakes!

Birthdays.....a little bit of this and that

Well, yesterday was my 38th birthday. No, I have not gotten to the age where I intentionally try to hide this fact. I don't think I ever will either. It's all about security. If you're secure in your own skin then why fib?

I've realized over the past year just how comfortable in my skin I have become. I've cut my hair to a more "mom" style. I am not the exercise fiend I once was.....what's a few extra pounds? I have given up tanning after being told that I need to have a mole removed. I do things that I want to do and rarely second guess myself anymore.

Maybe it's not just about security. I can truly say I am a very happy and content woman. I have two beautiful, talented and smart daughters. I have the most loving family anyone could ask for. I have wonderful friends. I have a wonderful home in a lovely neighborhood. Is there anything else one needs?

Ahh...38. It's all good.

Let's dance!

It wasn't supposed to come this soon. It was just yesterday that she was wiggling her bum to Barney. Tonight, she'll be wiggling away at her first school dance. Needless to say, I became a bit choked up while driving her to the school. I looked over at my big girl and she did the same. We had our moment together and only we could understand the tears. Can time please stand still?

Braces are cool!

Today Marina got braces on her top front teeth. She was very excited to get these on and she's even happier now. Mom's not, though. Why? Hmmm.....cha-ching! These babies aren't cheap. Oh well. The end result will be gorgeous!

It hurts but there is a bright side......

Well, I have conceded the fact that the Yankees will not be in the playoffs this year. I think this fact hurt even more when my family and I (Mom, Dad, Dusty) went to Yankee Stadium over the weekend and the game was rained out. Just messing with our heads, those Yankees.

HOWEVER, the bright side to this is Mr. Joe Torre WILL be in the playoffs with his LA Dodgers and I will be rooting them on all the way. Go Joe, Manny and Nomar!

Conjunction Junction...What's your function?

Here we go again! Joelle was offered a part in School House Rock Live to be held at the Seacoast Reperatory Theater. She will be performing and singing as part of the ensemble. However, she was also offered the "duwop/backup singer" role to Tom (lead character) while he sings Conjunction Junction.

Joelle is sure to be challenged as rehearsals are 3-4 days per week on top of attending school and daily homework. But.....if anyone can do it it, Joelle can.

Congratulations Joelle!!!

Marina....very privileged person!

We passed this on the way into Portsmouth and got a good laugh. No wonder the lot was empty.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINA!!!

This is the angel that came into my life 9 years ago today. I can't imagine what my life would have been without her. I am a very lucky mother. Thank you, Marina, for being you. You are truly beautiful.

Happy birthday.

September = Comfort Food

Even though the weather remains summer-like, I can't refrain from the comfort food I crave in the fall. I got very ambitious today and baked an apple pie (pictured) and made a from-scratch chicken pot pie. The latter was devoured by J & M, however, the pie is being saved for an after bike ride dessert. It may not be fall but take one whiff of my house right now and you'll think that it is.