I can't believe this picture is already a year old!

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It is that time of year again, time to close up the windows, send the kiddos off to school,or put the little ones down for a nap. Then grab a blanket and a cup of tea and curl up in your favorite reading spot. I like to call it Mommy Fall Time. I find that reading an inspirational book during this time is the best way to recharge me for the upcoming year of homework headaches with my oldest child and cabin fever with my youngest. This year I was sent Intimate Conversations by Alicia Britt Chole for the MOPS Blog Tour. This is a wonderfully written book. I found it easy to read because of the way it is broken down not only by small chapters but within each chapter there is a section for reflection, whether you choose to keep a journal of your thoughts along the way as I did or just reflecting on what you have read. I do want to say that I found myself many times during this book wanting to share with a few close friends. I would suggest if you are going to read this book do it in a book club or just with a friend. You can find Intimate Conversations at the MOPS website www.MOPS.org

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Well I hear it every week from my working mom friends, "TGIF". I said that too when Friday @5pm meant something. No more responsibilities well till Monday Morning that is, the time when you call all your girlfriends and figure who's house you were meeting at and where were you going for the night. Or even 9 years ago when I had my son and was still working I would look forward to that same time so I could get home and spend the weekend with my son. I worked really hard to be where I am now, A hap plied married mother of two great kids who runs her own business out of the house so I don't miss out on anything with my kids. I don't feel like I have the right to ask for me time when I am not the only parent in this house. But on the other hand I am completely jealous of my husbands ability to go places and not think twice about the kids. Even if I do get the opportunity to go out with friends or just shopping by myself for a few hours all I can think about is what are the kids doing and are they OK. So I have to wonder will this feeling ever stop do I make my self go? I think this week has been harder than most for a few reasons, first my son and daughter have been sick over the past few weeks and that always makes things complicated. We also are in the home stretch of our Kitchen/living room remodel and need to have certain things done when my parents get back from vacation this week, that is the other thing my parents have been gone for two weeks and that is always hard on us because my kids are so attached and love spending time with them, as well as we take care of there house and animals while they are away. We also this week took my father in law back for some tests. In the past he has fought testicular cancer. That alone puts us all on edge. As we hit this milestone in this particular week I too find myself saying TGIF (then I look at our family calendar and realize that there is not a day free till after the beginning of November.)

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The time is upon us, Fall. I love this time of year it cools of from all those scorchers of the summer months and the leaves start to turn. Since we live in Northwestern Pa we get some great views during this time of year. There is one reason I do not like fall tho. The heaters! Where we live we do not have whole house heat, each room has a built in heater and they are regulated individually. My husband and I debate every year when it is time to switch them on. My theory is if it is going below 45 at night they need to be on at night. I feel the perfect sleeping temp is somewhere between 50 and 60. At night I am the one who goes to bed first so at night while he is up he will turn them on and or up. I end up waking in the middle of the night in a sweat. At my age this is starting to scare me, is it menopause or my husband messing with the heaters again? I know we are not the only family who goes thru this I can remember as a child, visiting my Grandmother and being told to distract her so that my father and his brothers could sneak over and turn down the thermostat during family gatherings. Do you and your spouse agree over the temp and when that heater should kick on?

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My BFF and I at our bonfire this weekend

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This afternoon I ended up taking my husband to the ER. He came home last night with an ache in his back and took the trash out for me while reaching to replace the bag he bent wrong and pulled his back. I tried to convince him last night to go to the ER when it would not be as busy and an easier visit on me. Although just like a man he insisted that he did not need to go and would be fine in the morning. Surprise Surprise he was in extreme pain in the morning. It still took me a few hours to convince him to go to the hospital and stop playing he man. Apparently it was a good thing that he compromised when he did because as soon as we got there his back started to go into spasms. As we were ready to check out and he was not still 100% better he asked the nurse for just one more shot. She informed him that he had been given enough meds in our short 3 hour stay to put him, myself and her out for the evening. Mind you that the ER at our local hospital know my husband very well as he suffers from stones at least two times a month. We have been home for a few hours now and my husband has been sleeping for most of that time. I am hopeful that he will be feeling better in a day or so as this week is a busy one for me. This weekend we are having a bonfire party. We do this every fall usually a few of my husbands friends although this year we are having approx 30 people here. I also have four printing jobs due this week, I am the room mother for our son's 3rd grade class and this week we have open house that entails me to call the moms to make cookies and have a poster ready for every one to sign up to help with the parties through the year. We are also in the process of remodeling our house I will be taking over my husbands duties with my father since we will be loosing his help as of Thursday due to a well deserved vacation my parents are taking. I am venting aren't I sorry for that my friends. I do find tho that if I blog it I end up getting it done. So note this universe I will be busy this week but by Saturday night I will be enjoying my friends at a very well deserved party. I am thinking that this week I will have to start vlogging more just to save time. I hope everyone has a productive and fun week.

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OK so I had to get on here right away and blog this. My husband is in our bathroom giving our dog a bath and my 2 almost 3 yr old daughter is right there with him. I here her talking to him and I hear him say I don't know what you are talking about get your mother. I am busily working away in the living room so I just yell in so I can translate for my husband when I hear Anne: Mommy I stuck Mom: What your stuck Anne: yep Help I am thinking where in the world could she get stuck in the bathroom and all I can figure my adventurous little girl is stuck behind the toilet. I get to the bathroom to find her in the laundry basket playing. No she wasn't stuck! Mom: Anne you are not stuck and don't play in the dirty clothes Mom to Dad: I thought she was stuck behind the T-O-I-L-E-T Anne: no mom I was not stuck behind the toilet. Mom: What???? How did you know what I said? Anne: You spell it! Mom and Dad: WOW!!!! I can not believe that she knew what I was saying!

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We are looking for a new name for our radio show. We are holding a contest to name our new show. All you have to do is leave us a comment here with your name idea. The winner will receive a gift card to the Olive Garden.

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