Happy Halloween and the Teal Pumpkin Project

Happy Halloween everyone! Here is a pic of Ford and I a few nights ago at a Halloween Party. He is a Ninja Turtle this year!

For today's post I thought I would write about the Teal Pumpkin Project!

When you have a teal pumpkin at your house or the sign on your door it lets other parents know you have allergy free options AND Non-Food treats. Pretty amazing for allergy kid moms out there!

I made sure to buy candy that was peanut free since I have several friends that deal with kid allergies. I do not envy them one single bit but know they are all stronger moms for having to safeguard their children the way they do. Ashley, Julia, Tracey, Caroline and Kathryn... a huge pat on your back!

Peanut Free Candies:
Twizzlers and Rolos got cut off this image!

Hope you all have a Happy and Safe Halloween! Asheville is expected to have a snowstorm so maybe that means I'll go into labor!


I know we are all ready!

Fall Fair, Football and BBQ. Perfect October Weekend in Charlotte!

I'm stalking Weather Underground to see if they are going to make any changes but it looks like the weather for this weekend is perfect. (Yep, I just jinxed it).

First up we have the Q-City Charlotte BBQ Competition.

Here is a list of their events. Cooking starts today so I bet uptown smells delicious! BBQ Judging is tomorrow along with the Carolina Brew Fest.

Our buddies over at Sauceman's will be competing again this year. Good luck guys!!! Here is their huge win last year.

Next up we have the Pineville Fall Festival 

Now this is not a huge fancy pig-winning fair like, perhaps, the Buncombe County Fair...but it is a great place to take kids on a Saturday. Here's a few pics of D over the years. (Same vest in 2010 and 2011)

If you go you MUST try the Root Beer from this guy. The best I've ever had.

$5 a pop but it is soooo good!

We also cruise by Simpson's Pumpkin Patch on Hwy 51 since it is almost across the street. You can't have enough pumpkins at your front door!

2007

2010


2011


2012

And last but not least, Home Football for the Carolina Panthers.

I don't know what ass-hat created the NFL Schedule but 1 home game in October is ridiculous. It is too beautiful not to have football at least twice! We are going to meet up with some friends and their kiddos to tailgate and then let the Dad's go to the game. (sad face) F loved his first Panthers game but mommy's biceps almost fell off after carrying him to the nose-bleeds.

Here's to the best time of the year!

xoxo

(Yes, we have Panthers Jerseys but we are SAINTS FANS!!!!!!!!!!!)

Easter-Life Will Find a Way

We are traditionalists in my family. Well, at least my Dad and I are. We enjoy doing the same things year to year for the Holidays. Easter for us is early Church (especially now with a kiddo) and then back to our house to prep for the Myer Family to come. There are 8 Myers, just 3.5 Boylans this trip (M and D had to head back to Florida). Long story short they are our family that we spend every holiday with and I love our weekends together so much. Easter is always Rosemary Leg of Lamb, Tommy's cheesy potatoes, asparagus and coconut cake by Dot. We typically drink all day and then if its nice lay in the grass staring at the clouds with a nice French Rose.


Our extended family! (Andy in red is actually my cousin!)

Church was PACKED Sunday morning. Mom and I shared a chair off to the side and Dad had to stand. The entire Myer family was off in one of the transepts...it was nuts. I always try to listen to the sermons but usually I start thinking of to-do lists, if F is okay in the childcare...etc. But our Dean Todd's sermon this Sunday was absolutely incredible.

Todd first asked what does it mean to believe? (I will try to paraphrase)

When Mary recognized Jesus, was she a believer then? Was she a believer that morning? Possibly believing has nothing to do with knowing, it isn't thinking we might be believers, believing is about what we do. The choices we make. Showing up. Then he asked, what does it take to "see" new life?

He spoke about "Life finding a way". He used Jurassic Park (which I love) as his analogy. He said this movie proclaims "Life will". The park said they had everything under control. Controlled the DNA, controlled the dinosaurs and what Jeff Goldblum said was that life will not be contained. It breaks free. Life finds a way.

And Easter proclaims life finds a way. And life will always have to go through the violence of the cross. But life will reappear. Life shows up because of those who show up.

He went on to say believing is people facing life threatening diseases, and continuing to fight. Believing is a new pope who goes to a prison to wash feet and washes the feet of a Muslim woman. **Believing is parents bringing their kids to school the Monday morning after Newtown**

Now please bear with my anaology but for me my Mother is life finding a way. She has worked all of her life and now is home alone as my father is still working his booty off. Instead of laying around and watching Soap Operas my Mom has found a way. That way is the wonderful women at Jazzercise. When you work your entire life you really aren't sure what to do Monday - Friday. Most of her lady friends did not work full time jobs and already have their routines about them. Her other friends in town are still working. So what is my mom to do? She is limited in the things she can go out and do on her own due to her early onset Alzheimer's.

What my Mom found was Jazzercise. She goes twice a day every day M-F and Sunday afternoons. I went with her this Saturday (that class is no joke!) and the LOVE her. I had 10 different women come up to me saying how much they love my mother. The teacher, Susan, is one of my mother's best friends right now. She takes her out to lunch, they go run errands and do things that girlfriends do. This woman has come into our lives as a blessing and an angel. Jazzercise is how Life finds a way for my mother and I cannot express how wonderful it is for her physically and emotionally. I fought back tears as she was showered with hugs and stories and cheers. 

For me this Easter, life finds a way, and I am so happy that my Mom has found hers. 

Love,

me

Somebody put on a beach music CD...dancing occurred. No shame.

Ornament Swap 2012

I didn't really do paper invites but will next year! I love evite but sometimes there is something special about getting a paper invite.

I probably should have canceled this year's swap but I just couldn't do it. I love my friends so much and I absolutely love an excuse for a party so I would have been depressed if it didn't happen! I did promise that I wouldn't cook a thing and do as little as possible.

M rocked out the outside of the house. (I did promise him two days of golf last weekend if he completed my checklist). How great does it look?!

I bought all the ingredients to make Ooey Gooey bars (thanks Margaret for getting me hooked!) and Cajun Crack Dip but neither happened. Lots of other things wouldn't have happened either if it hadn't been for my friend Anna! She loves party planning as much as I do and she came over and said..Let's get to work! She helped me fluff the tree in the dining room, paint the take home ornaments and set the table. Then before the party started lots of girls came early and hung ornaments on my tree! I am so so lucky to have such an amazing group of girlfriends here in Charlotte!!! Love you all! Oh, and they all brought wine and food! I felt like a lazy hostess!

So enough chat...here are the pictures! I usually take more of the decor and tons more party pics but Nurse Abby kept yelling at me to sit down. (Love you Abby!)

Tree in the Dining Room with take home ornaments for the girls!

The spread

Somebody made a brief appearance!

Deep conversation about ________ and _______

Party Girls

More Party girls!

Stealing begins...

Most stolen ornament! The Furbish Donkey!

Mrs. Nurse Abby. Thank you so much for watching out for me!!!!

Love these ornaments....

We use our fireplace too much so stockings go on the stairs! (Someone PLEASE rip up that carpet!)

Take homes for each lady!

Thank you all so so much for coming and helping! I promise next year I will be back to ramming speed and all bourboned up once you arrive!

xoxo

Pumpkin Patch!

I am so lucky to have so many great mom friends!!!!! Love you ladies so much!

Capitalizing on the fact that this is the best time of year the Pumpkin Patches in North Carolina are booming! I am blessed to have a large group of mom friends here so I thought it would be a blast to all go to the pumpkin patch for a playdate!

I did a little bit of research but my friend Abby told me she had gone by Hall's and said it had tons of little stuff for the kids to do...and she was right!

They had Cars, balls, water feature, fort, tractors, playground, chickens.....so much for these kids to do!

Gotta love the Dollar Store! Not my best work with Paint Pens but you get the idea!

Buckets as coolers for the juice boxes...More Dollar store!

TS who has a birthday coming up!

HS, how cute is that shirt and those curls!

LZ, cruising in the cars

 SF wins the Cutest outfit award!

F's buddy WM...too cute for words! You should hear him laugh

Fisher kids....cute!

Hay Fort!

F loved this!!!!

F and GW with the huge spider. GW is known to my family as frat hair. LOVE his floppy curls

ED wearing the cutest pink skinny cords EVER.

haha, RS....go through the other side!

We only have a few girls in our playgroup.....here is GW trying to work his magic

Pumpkins!

F's girlfriend ALH. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture...it looks like she is singing...."Stop, in the name of love!"

Yay!

Our trip was a blast! I feel horrible because I didn't get half of the pictures I normally get of all the kiddos but without M there I was chasing and running and chasing and snagging F all over the place.