slow down 2011!!!

so in its usual fashion, october is bustling along nicely--a rapid clip to get us to christmas in record time. seriously, this feels like the fastest year on record! and i'm sorry, but it's just not right to walk into target and have the halloween decorations up next to the christmas ones!!! perhaps they could throw in some valentine's day ones...wait, i'm getting ahead of myself--that won't be atleast until november! sheesh! anyway, everyone seems to be on the mend here. i had bronchitis but am better. same with james. lily had an ear infection--got an antibiotic, reacted to it on the 9th day, and is now on claritin and steroids to clear up her head-to-toe rash...ty is doing well and todd has been threatening to visit the doctor for weeks now, but is well enough to avoid it...for now

 lest you thought cooking took place in my kitchen...spidey is guarding the fridge

 serving a lollipop counts as cooking right? no? i heard someone say yes... (just kidding, i do cook but it doesn't matter because the kids don't eat my cooking)

 so i love fall...and i love to call it autumn instead of fall. and i love pumpkin patches. secretly i wish we could wear orange and black year round and not have people make comments...i love when bath and body works releases all their autumn scented stuff...creamy pumpkin, spiced cider, leaves... i have to be restrained so i don't blow the food budget by going in there and ravaging the wall flowers and the antibac soap...i'm tempted though

 did i mention that i love pumpkin patches? so did the twinnies...we visited one with james's class and bella tagged along too...

 such a florida pumpkin patch, with the kids sweating whilst in their shorts...

 we went on two hay rides...two... one for each kid i suppose. they had a ball

 love, loe, love the colors...rich, juicy, makes me want to paint a wall

 so our dear friends from hand camp came to visit...they come into town every now and then to see a hand surgeon here and we get the privilege of hanging out! i think if they lived closer we'd be in real trouble...they are a lot of fun :) and we grown-ups really enjoy chatting...they seem like old friends, even though they are only-since-march friends

so a few random thoughts...
just to put it out there, i am going to go back to school in the fall to begin a phd program for curriculum and instruction. turns out after a summer of teaching teachers, i thinking i have finally found my niche. more to come on this later, but i figure i would publish it now in case i start talking about it in a few months and realize i never told anyone...i do that a lot :)
other random thought... zuzu is having surgery today and it's almost 4:30 and i still haven't heard from the vet...trying not to worry, but fearing the worst. been praying for her and need to pray more...
i hope you are all doing well as we head into busy-season...once halloween hits, might as well kiss this year good bye! trying to savor...always trying to savor...cheers!