Adventures of Halloweens Past

I love Halloween!  Halloween is my Christmas.  Everything about it makes me so happy.  The costumes, the candy, the scary decorations. What is not to love?! 

This is time of year where adults are allowed to play like they did when they were young.  And I am very lucky because I have a group of friends that understands that and loves it just as much as I do.  There was always an amazing Halloween party to go to and haunted houses to explore.  Here are few photos of our past Halloween adventures.

Now that we have kids, don't think that the festivities will stop.  Oh no!  Sure, they may be modified a little.  But the fun will for sure continue.

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Scram bug, scram!

I would love to say that our past weekend and this week was awesome, but alas, it was not.  We have had a rough few days.  Both B and I have been battling a wicked stomach bug that will just not go away. I had to have a cavity filled unexpectedly. Jobie (the dog) is not doing so well.  All three of us have not had a good night sleep since last Wednesday. And Austin temps were up in the 90s. (Come on fall!  I thought we had a deal.)

But even though these days have not been ideal, there were some really great moments mixed in.  Little B made up her mind Friday night that crawling is for chumps and she was ready to walk.  So she has been doing her drunkin' sailor walk (step, step, step, step, fall, repeat) all weekend.  Quite the entertainment. 

In an effort to cure our tummy troubles, my mom shared some of her delicious chicken and dumplings soup with us.  Amazing for tummy troubles. 

And while we sit here on the mend, I am smiling in anticipation of this weekend, knowing that it will make up for this past one.  Friends are flying in, delicious treats are being made, costumes are getting there final touches.  Yep, this weekend is going to be great!

Today, a cold front rolled in right on cue.  Well, maybe not a real cold front, but it will put us in the 70s.  Hey, this is Texas!  I will take what I can get! On Friday, my mom and I will be baking goddesses as we make all the food fixings for Project Spooky Baby Shower.  Then on Saturday is the actual shower.  I can not wait to see all my friends, and of course, the very pregnant mama-to-be.  Saturday night will be spent with more friends and our babies all dressed up in their Halloween gear.  And finally we round out the weekend with Halloween trick-or-treating on Sunday.

So stomach bug, you better get a move-on.  You have overstayed your welcome and I have some serious fun to be had!  This is my favorite time of year.  So scram!

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From my bookshelf: The Historian

The Historian is Elizabeth Kostova's debut novel that follows the quest of a young woman as she explores the truth about Dracula.  Now before you chalk this book up as just another book about vampires, let me assure you that this book is nothing like Twilight or Interview with a Vampire.

This 600-page book is something that you want to curl up on the couch on a cold, dreary day and read slowly, savoring every bit of it.  The main character narrates her adventures as a young historian unraveling the mysteries of Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler whose barbarous reign is the real life inspiration behind Dracula.  She tells you that the story begins when she finds an odd, ancient book belonging to her father. And in this book are a bunch of old, yellowing letters addressed to "My dear and unfortunate successor". 

When her dad unexpectedly disappears, this narrator takes off on amazing journey through Istanbul, Budapest, and many other cities in Eastern Europe.  Digging through clues, hidden texts, and monastery archives, our narrator becomes one step closer to finding her father while uncovering secrets about Vlad the Impaler as well as insight into her own past, including her mother's mysterious fate.

The Historian is easily in my top ten books of all time.

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The World Needs More Pie

As a loud and proud lover of pies, my friend knew that when she sent me this link, I would love it - The World Needs More Pie.  This woman has quit her day job to make and sell pies in Iowa at her new business, The Pitchfork Pie Stand. 

A woman after my own heart.  I have dreams of doing this.  My biggest grievance with Austin, other than the month of August, is that it does not have a respectable pie place at all.  But enough about me.  Let's get back to this woman in Iowa.

Her philosophy is to heal the world one pie at a time.  In her words...
Pie is accessible, affordable, all-encompassing.  Pie is meant for sharing.  Pie connects people.  Pie knows no cultural or political boundaries. Pie makes people happy.  And happy people make the world a better place.  That's why the world needs more pie.

I like this woman.  She gets it.

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Homemade Twix Bars

Sometimes with food bloggers, I want to kiss them and hate them all at the same time.  That is exactly what I felt like when I came across this post for Homemade Twix Bars over on Not Without Salt.

I love Twix bars.  And the fact that I can make a whole batch of them whenever I want and with each bite feel so righteous that they are actually homemade... well, that part is awesome.  Hence, I want to kiss Ashley and her chocolate caramel creations.  But then comes the hating part.  I can not stop thinking about these.  The healthy salad and hummus that I had for lunch seems inadequate and pretentious.  The dinner that I had planned seems average and stupid.  I want to eat homemade Twix bars right now, for every meal, for the rest of my life.

But I will forgive her, because the sweetness of this little batch of heaven is just that good. Plus, she just had the cutest baby ever (besides Little B, of course).

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The look

Who is this little girl standing before me?  And what did she do with my baby?  I know it is just a matter of time before she grabs my car keys and asks to borrow the car. Oy!

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From my bookshelf: A Drink Before War

Part mystery, part thriller, A Drink Before War by Dennis Lehane is a page turner of book that hits upon so many themes - racial unjust, gang violence, the dynamic of the human spirit, blue collar versus white collar..  This author is amazing.  He has also written Shutter Island, Gone Baby Gone, and Mystic River. A Drink Before War kicks off the series of books that follows two private detectives, Angie and Patrick.

Patrick and Angie's job is simple - track down a missing employee who may have taken some important documents.  Once the missing woman is located, they are supposed to contact their client and let them take it from there.  Angie and Patrick locate this woman early on. But once she is found, they learn that there are always at least two sides to every story.

What separates this book from any other action or mystery novel are the characters and themes that weave throughout the entire series.  The socio-economic and social observations pointed out in this book are complex and the opposite of one sided. You hate some characters and what they have done, but yet also feel for them too. It leaves the reader wondering what their perspective and opinion would be.

I think the action packed themes in this book would lead to an amazing book club discussion.  And I can not wait to get my hands on the second book in the series.

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Halloween Party Food

I have been on the hunt for some fun Halloween party food for Project Spooky Baby Shower that is right around the corner.  There are so many great ideas out there on the blogosphere that it is hard to choose which ones that I am going to make.  Check out these spooktacular treats!

What fun, fabulous treats do you make for Halloween?

Photos via Our Best Bites, Pizzazzerie

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The Little One's Birthday Celebration

Wow, it is crazy to think that Little B's birthday was 1 month ago this Saturday.  And of course, I am just now getting photos pulled together from her birthday.  My little one loved her birthday, surrounded by family and friends.  She ate all the icing off her cupcake and did not touch the actual cake part.  Like mother, like daughter.

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Skinny jeans

Little B got some hip Levi skinny jeans for her birthday from her aunt and uncle.  She sure does know how to rock them!

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Meal Planning Monday

I like food.  I like lists.  And I like it when there is a game plan.  My name is Colleen and I write out a weekly menu each week.  There... I have admitted it. 

My Type A skills shine through with this little quirk.  But honestly, planning a weekly menu just makes sense.  There is no more 5 o' clock scramble to figure out what you can make out of half a carrot, leftover hamburger meat and a banana.  We eat a lot more healthy. And on top of that, we save money because there are less trips to get takeout and we waste a lot less food. 

So here is what we are planning for this week.

• Monday: Garlic trout and Parmesan leek quinoa
• Tuesday: Grilled pizzas with tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and basil
• Wednesday: Meatloaf and roasted acorn squash
• Thursday: leftovers
• Friday: Black beans and rice

Photo via Infinity Food Recipes

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An Italian Date Night

This weekend, David and I will be enjoying a much anticipated date night.  We will get all dressed up and head out to our favorite Italian restaurant, La Taverna.  They have the best parmesan truffle risotto that I have ever tasted.  The food, the wine, the conversation, the atmosphere... it all makes me reminisce about our honeymoon in Italy.  How I wish we could go back!  But until then, we have date night to look forward to.  So I am off to go primp.  A girl has to look her best for her guy!

At a winery in Siena, Italy

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Happy Weekend!

We kicked this weekend off right.  My mom came into town for the day and we had so much fun... shoe shopping, an Italy inspired lunch of olives, cheese, bread, and salami, a little pecan picking, brainstorming of menu ideas for an upcoming party, and some good old fashioned catching up on gossip.

Tomorrow we are excited to meet up with our friends in town from Alabama, let babies play together, and enjoy this amazing Texas fall weather.  And then, the best part of the weekend comes!  Date night with my guy.  So excited!

Sunday morning will be lazy with a great homemade breakfast followed by a family trip to the playground where Little B can show off her climbing skills.  And then that evening, we are off to a fancy dinner with one of David's clients.

This is gonna be a great weekend!

Image via Mary Ruffle

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A little reminder

I hesitated for a moment before I hit "publish" on yesterday's post.  Was it too negative?  Maybe it is best to keep those kind of thoughts to myself.  But then, I went ahead and published it because it is real and honest. This blog is not meant to be only about the rosy side of life.  It is just meant to be about life, my life... good and bad, happy and negative, big and little.

And I am so glad that I did publish that post.  Because sometimes when you are honest with yourself about your questions, insecurities, and fears and then you put those thoughts out there into the world, you get an answer back. 

Just like origamibug said in her comment, yesterday was also a day to celebrate. 33 miners emerged to see sunshine after 2 months underground in Chile.  If that is not a miracle, then I do not know what one would be.  And then to add on to all of that, the pure joy and happiness of the world as 33 lives were celebrated.  Rescue workers smiling, engineers working so hard, families hugging, the Chilean government doing whatever it takes, and the whole world waiting in anticipation as each man is brought up.

The world is good.  People are good.  And sometimes we all just need to be reminded of that.  Happy, happy, joy, joy!

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Hopeless cynic or hopeless optimist?

Sometimes I am a hopeless cynic and other times I am a hopeless optimist.  It is like I have two mini-me's - a mini-optimist version of me on my right shoulder and a cynical mini-me on the left shoulder.  Sometimes one little mini-me will dominate the conversation for days, weeks, months.  But most of the time, the two little mini voices argue with one another.  The argument sounds something like this...

C: That stupid person almost just ran over me, the stroller, and the dog in their rush to get to work.  And I had the right of way.  The light was red and I am in the crosswalk! Do they just hate babies and puppies? So rude! Ugh, this might just ruin my day.
O: Maybe they are having a really bad day.  I am sure they did not mean it.

C: I hate watching the news.  Another shooting on a school campus.  That's it!  Little B is never going to school.
O: Maybe that person's mom did not love them enough.  Maybe they just needed a hug and no one gave it to them.

C: Wow, there is a lot of pain in this world. Bombings and car accidents.  Babies in the NICU. Cancer and wars. Lying politicians and cheating husbands.

O: But also a lot of love. Mommas with their new babies, full of hope.  The unfaltering love of a dog. A stranger holding the door open when your hands are full.  A man proposing to the love of his life. The way that old people smile at babies in the grocery store.  The neighbor who moves your trash can up to the curb after pickup.

C: I feel powerless to make this world better.
O: Start small.  Homemade cookies, a smile, a hug, and other little acts of kindness can go a long way.  Raise your little girl to be kind.  And only surround yourself with other kind people.  You just have to believe.


Now I have had my fair share of tragedy and pain in my life, but I also have been amazingly lucky too.  But I struggle with this duality of life.  When something good happens, is something bad waiting around the corner? Are people all good or all bad?  Or maybe a little bit of both?  And how in the world am I supposed to teach my little girl how to navigate this mess of a world when I can not figure it out for myself?


Don't get me wrong.  I am not having a bad day.  I am just having one of those days where I lift my head up from the little bubble that I live in and take a look around.  I appreciate what I have, but I am cautious and feeling a little small in this big world.  My normal M.O. is to turn off the news, focus on the good things in my life, and go about my day being kind to myself and others. But sometimes I wonder if that is ridiculously naive.


What do you think?  Is it better to be happily naive or realistically cynical?  How do you deal with the duality of our world?


Photo via Mary Ruffle

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Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

You know what is better than a whole cheesecake?  Mini cheesecakes.  They are like little bite-size poppers for your mouth.  Just a taste of indulgence without the regret.  Plus they are just so stinkin' cute.

Check out these mini pumpkin cheesecakes that were whipped up over on I'm Just Doing This Thing.  Don't they look delicious? These would be so perfect for a party.

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From my bookshelf: Little Bee

For this month, my book club chose Little Bee by Chris Cleave.  Overall this book was good and I would recommend it to others. 

The story is heavy with some horrific scenes but full of impact.  Definitely a book that you think about after you put it down.

But something was off that I could not put my finger on for a quite a while.  Maybe I was not in the right mental place to read this book.  Maybe it was the writing style.  Maybe the cryptic hype on the back cover oversold it. Who knows. But mostly, I think this is another case of a male author trying to write for two main characters that are women - Sarah, a journalist and mother from the UK, and Little Bee, a girl from Nigeria. He came close, but didn't get it quite right. In my opinion, their voices were a bit off, a little too matter of fact.

I found the plot and message of the book to be eye-opening, well thought out, and often moving.  But the characters themselves seemed a bit too one-dimensional for me.  I was not able to relate to them.  As mother, I would not have made some of the same choices that Sarah did, especially with her child in tow.  So due to all of that, I liked this book, but did not love it.

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Happy Birthday to the love of my life

Happy Birthday to my hunk of burnin' love!  Isn't he the dreamiest?  I am so proud to be his wife.

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Potato pancakes and the mysterious sidekicks

Little B is going through a phase where she is being such the picky eater.  Foods that she used to love are now thrown to the floor in defiance.  Bananas, sweet potatoes, and avocados have been banished from her mouth.  Only strawberries, beans, the occasional grape, cheese, and potatoes have been granted clemency.

I have been racking my brain to come up with creative ways to get a variety of food into that girl's mouth.  My next attempt at culinary greatness is to make Potato Pancakes, with a few healthy sidekicks mixed in.  Adapting a recipe that I found over on Almost Bourdain, I will be sneaking in a bit of spinach, swiss chard, and garlic.

Don't they look so delicious! Keep your fingers crossed that this works.  But just in case it doesn't, I need some backup.  What are you tips and tricks to get the family to eat their vegetables?

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Mama Kangaroo

Sometimes if you want to have a fighting chance to have dinner made and on the table before 10 at night without accidentally adding salt instead of sugar, you have to get creative.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.  I wonder if this is what a mama kangaroo feels like.

Wow, I am just now noticing that we have a lot of fingerprints on our fridge.  Oh well, such is life.

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Halloween art

Today I came across the most kick-ass Fall/Halloween decor post that I have seen all season.  I was so excited when I saw the creations over on Eighteen25 that I may have let out a little squeal of glee.  Little B lets out little squeals of glee all the time; so I figured I was entitled to one of my own. 

Anyways, check out these beauties!  Her tutorial shows you how to make this great pumpkin art.  But the last photo with the crows shows you that possibilities are endless.  Little B and I may be scrapping today's plans so that we can go to Hobby Lobby for supplies.

To see instructions on how to make your own Halloween art, jump on over to Eighteen25.

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Such a Bean Face!

My girl loves her beans.  She loves eating garbanzo beans, black beans, baked beans... she has not met a bean that she has not liked.  The only thing that she likes better than eating beans is to rub them in all over herself.  And we are not talking about a little streak of bean in her hair just above the ear so that she has something munch on later in the day.  Oh no!  She likes to swim in beans, let them soak into her pores, push them up her nose and in her ears.  And sometimes when she is feeling especially sassy, she makes a bunch of funny bean faces and blows the occasional bean raspberry my way.

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Judge a book by its cover

I often wonder if the Twilight books would have been as popular if the covers were boring. 

You can try to not judge a book by its cover, but let's face it.  With so many books out there fighting for our attentions, a captivating book cover goes a long way.  Here are a few covers that have recently caught my eye. 

Have you ever read a book based on the cover alone?  What are your favorite book covers?

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