Coffee CubBuster

There's no fireworks, there's no hiding eggs or decorating a tree, but there should be some recognition of the most important holiday of the year-- The first day of Autumn!  Fall is officially here as of September 23rd, and I'm trying to think of a way to honor it annually. Any thoughts? I've tried putting leaves around my humble abode in past years. The tape looked a bit tacky, and I can never live down the comments I received from friends. I usually get some sort of pumpkin beverage, pumpkin food, and/or pumpkin (gord) itself, but I don't know if that's good enough. I always by a "fall" candle to make the place smell as good as the outside goodness! However, I want to honor my favorite season more loudly. Hmmm...... What else could I do to start a tradition in the new Smith family... Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!  I just LOVE this time of year. I'm like a true 3 year old at Disney World!!!!!!! Happy Fall!!!! ~  PumpkinBuster!

My one and only little bro moved to San Francisco for at least 7 months on a work-related assignment this past week. We had a going away dinner for him, and I had to hold back tears when my non-emotional mother began crying at our good-byes. What is it about mother's crying that gets me going? I know it's just a short time, but I still think of Matt as my baby brother. He's all grown up and he's out exploring the world! I can't wait to hear all the stories he comes home with..... in the mean time, I plan to watch reruns of The O.C.  just to feel close to him. Love you bro!!!

Yes.... the air is a bit crisper outside this week, which makes all living creatures shout, "Hallelujah!" And makes me skip like rocks on a pond or jump with a little jig. Oh how I love autumn and it's wooing ways. BUT the air always seems crisp in my favorite coffee/cookie spot, The Fresh Market . There's something about it. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I think it has something to do with the free coffee samples. Nothing is free anymore. Nothing but coffee samples at your local organic grocery. It's like a little bit of heaven every time I step in. Since I can't really afford to buy my load of crops there, I choose to sample (several rounds of) coffee, and in order to justify my freeloading, my husband and I have resorted to cookie purchases. Yes, that is plural. They are sweet, sinful circles of satisfying scrumptiousness. Alliteration is the sparkle of the mundane .  We always get a least two each, and sometimes, if I wait long enough to make...

Sharptop Camp in Jasper, GA I have exhausted myself with "camp onawana" style living these past couple of days (That was an early 90's TV show reference if you didn't catch it).  The school I teach at has an annual high school retreat where we take all of our HS students and faculty to a camp in north Georgia. There's zip-lining, blobbing, sliding, swinging, climbing, competing, hiking, biking, swimming, singing, screaming, dancing, jumping, talking, eating, laughing, listening, praying, learning, growing, and bonding to name a few. It was an exhausting blast. I loved getting to know each of my students on a non-English level and loving on the ever changing upper and lower classmen. I did partake in the sliding (no-picture, no pain), the zip-line (pictured, little pain), and the blob (no picture needed- too much reminder of pain!) I can't wait for fall--- the mountain air was awesome!  Welcome to September! ~Tired and BruisedBuster