Back to school and feeling blue

The kids started school yesterday and instead of rejoicing as many other moms are doing, I'm actually feeling blue. Back to school for me means back to work. So long to the lazy days of summer, nesting and moving furniture and accessories all around the house, cooking and baking and just relaxing in the pool with my kids. So long to almost daily shopping trips to find that perfect "something". So long to "hey, if I don't finish this today, there's always tomorrow!"
So now that I'm back to work and getting into fall mode, I'm finally thinking about decorating for fall. I've seen so many beautiful and inspiring blog posts about fall decor, I'm practically salivating and looking forward to the weekend so that I can let loose and decorate. How about you? Are you ready for fall? Have you decorated yet?

Despite the best decorating intentions

About a year ago, I decided that I could no longer tolerate having a centerpiece on my kitchen table. I found that my kids were constantly eating or playing at the table and I was constantly having to remove the centerpiece. After going through this routine several times a day, I thought it best to save myself the aggravation and nix said centerpiece altogether. Now in all honesty, it wasn't just about moving said centerpiece a gazillion times a day. I also noticed that whatever the centerpiece, it would somehow become compromised. For example, if it was floral in nature, I would find that flowers had mysteriously been removed. If it was some sort of tiny faux fruit, I would come upon a heavy barrage of fruit flying through the air in some sort of dodge ball...er dodgefruit...game. Believe me, if there was some way to destroy my centerpiece, my two kids were definitely all about it. (Despite my constant pleas to leave it alone!)
So today, I had a tempting thought. I had just finished cleaning my kitchen to a shine, and thought that maybe, just maybe, since the kids will be back to school on Tuesday, I could pull out a nice centerpiece for the kitchen table. I went downstairs to my supply cabinet and pulled out this red wire bowl. I always loved it and decided to add some faux yellow pears. (Do I really need to tell you that one pear in my collection had a stem pulled and was dangling? Hmmm...I wonder how that happened.) Anyway, I displayed my red wire bowl with the pears and stepped back, pleased with the overall look.
I then went to get in the shower. Ten wonderfully refreshing minutes later, I returned to the kitchen to find this:


Ugh!!! How is this possible? In ten minutes while I showered, my son decided to use my centerpiece as some sort of war apparatus for his Lego Star Wars Clone Wars characters! I admit it, I did get a laugh out of it, but why, oh why, won't they leave my centerpieces alone?

Home decorating

I have always been a huge fan of home decorating. Love HGTV and all the various inspiring home decor magazines out there. I have found many, many, many (did I say many?) blogs dedicated to home decorating. To say I am addicted, is an understatement. I just have to share this amazing blog with you:

Cottage 8 big reveal

This is a year long transformation by Jennifer & her husband...it is so fabulous. They couldn't possibly have done a more beautiful job. Take a look, I'm sure you're going to enjoy it.

Yum!

For dinner tonight, I decided to try something different, something I have never made before...Lasagna Rollups. They were so delicious and really easy to make too!

Want some?

We've been pretty busy around here. Lots of shopping going on for school...we start on the 8th. I'm looking forward to getting back to work, and then again, I'm not. I've been pretty productive this summer so just think of all I could continue to get done if I didn't have to work! Actually, I'd be better off to go to work...I need a rest! LOL

At the movies

I went to the movies tonight & saw this...

Julie & Julia.
I have to admit I really enjoyed it. Meryl Streep's imitation of Julia is fabulous and so funny! It was a very cute movie.
The kids & I saw this on Friday...

Aliens in the Attic.
It was ok, I guess, certainly not the greatest kid's movie ever made. I do believe my 7 year old son liked it more than my 11 year old daughter if that's worth anything.
So there you have it, this week's movie reviews!

Dusting off the old blog...

I realize I've been MIA for quite some time. Honestly, I thought of taking the whole blog down. I'd lost interest and really didn't want to bother blogging my mundane thoughts anymore. Ok, ok, I really thought, hell, is anyone reading my mundane thoughts? I decided that I'd give it one more shot. So here goes.
Alot has happened since my last post. Let's see what's been going on for the last 6 months:
Olivia got braces

She had an awesome Twilight inspired 11th birthday party

We finally made it to DisneyWorld

Johnny took his First Holy Communion

Olivia graduated from 5th grade & is headed to junior high in September. EEK!

That's just a bit of what's been going on around here. Believe me, it hasn't all been wine and roses. My mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly in February and I can't tell you what a shock that was for us. But other than that, we've been surviving 2009 pretty well.
I'm going to try to catch up with all of your blogs within the next couple of days. Have a wonderful week!

A little of this, a little of that

I thought I better check in at the good ol' blog since I haven't shown it any love in over a week.
I had every intention of scrapping a little tonight, but instead I started playing around with itunes and before I knew it, I pissed all my time away. Desperate Housewives is on in 20, so after this post, I am headed to the warmth of my couch & some TV time.
It has been bitter cold here...really brutal. Today it was like 20 degrees and we thought it was actually warm compared to what we've been dealing with (-5 with -15 degree windchills). Thank goodness this little baby has been making me smile:

This was a much wanted Christmas gift from one of my nephews. It's funny. I was always the kind of aunt that would buy that one distinct gift. You know, the one that was the most wanted, paying no regard to expense, because hey! I was a cool aunt with no kids at the time so why not give to my nephews and niece? Well, I had eyed this bag in Macy's knowing full well I wasn't going to be buying it any time soon (I have children, I have Christmas gifts to buy, I need to be pratical, I can't drop that kind of money on a purse). My sister saw me fondling it and apparently told my nephew. You can not imagine the scream of happiness I let out on Christmas Eve when I opened this! I can't believe my nephew, now 23 years old, bought this for me! I'm telling you, it gets me teary eyed. Funny how it's all run full circle. Now they're the ones spoiling me! Unbelievable, truly unbelievable.
That's it for tonight. DH is about to start soon. I'm catching a cold, I can feel my head getting stuffy so the couch is a welcome spot right now.
Have a good week!