Did you know that if you’re getting a brain freeze from eating ice cream too fast, you can push your thumb up on the roof of your mouth and it will make the pain dull? LilZ taught me that last night and it is the most AWESOME THING EVER. Try it next time…it’s miraculous. Truly. Screw the beauty of the changes of seasons - my son taught me how to escape a brain freeze! Parenting has finally paid off.
Would you like to know something else I learned this weekend? Something that seems so simple I’m not sure why it took me 15 years of doing my own laundry to learn it? That if you use liquid laundry detergent when you wash your bedding you won’t get that crusty white powder on your comforters from not being rinsed well. Our washing machine is small and sometimes I’ll find powder residue on our comforters and it’s irritating. Then, this weekend? It clicked…use liquid detergent DUMBASS.
I also learned one more thing. Small children can not help carve pumpkins. Well - I’ve known that. I don’t want you thinking that we’ve let our children carve their own pumpkins up until this year. But it’s one of those activities we’ve never done with the kids…so it’s not one they’ve gotten into. So this year? We decided to PAINT our pumpkins! Isn’t that a great idea? OF COURSE IT’S A GREAT IDEA.
I’ve made great strides this weekend…can you tell? I’m a new woman. A new woman with clean comforters sans detergent residue. A new woman with no brain freeze. A new woman with a formerly gray cat. It’s a good day.
holy bejesus!! That first picture is so so so beautiful!! Not that the others aren’t…but dang!!
Painting pumpkins is so much fun!!! Great idea!
A new woman with a formerly gray cat.
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Ha,ha! AndyZ is just too cute with that hat. Glad to see NikkiZ is feeling better too. Looks like she did a great job with those pumpkins.
Hooray for sleep, no sickness, and discovering things you never knew before.
I really want to hear the “formerly gray cat” story. Please!
P.S. That first photo takes my breath away.
a. I LOVE his hat! SO CUTE!
b. I used to use liquid detergent, until I was doing laundry one day in the shared laundry room of an apartment building and there was a guy there doing maintenance on one of the washers from Maytag or something like that. He kept looking at me kind of furtively, I wasn’t creeped out because he looked like a grandpa, and finally he cleared his throat and said, “Can i offer you some unsolicited advice?” I said, “Sure…” and he went on to tell me that liquid sops, for some reason, age your clothes faster and leech the color out. I converted back to powder that day and haven’t looked back. I don’t know if it’s true, but my mom always used powder and my clothes always looked newer than they did when I moved out and started using liquid. I do, now, have a tendancy to run my blankets through a second cycle without soap to get all the soap out so i feel your pain.
Wow, that first photo is great! You take such awesome pictures!
The hat on AndyZ is so cute-really gives him the old man look!
Glad to see NikkiZ is over the strep stuff! Makes you wonder why doctors would bring up the 10 day pill stuff when the shot knocks it out so quickly.
I love that first picture!
I’m just impressed rthat you wash your comforter…
::Adding to mental checklist::
I love all the crafting stuff you do with the kids. I really should start doing it with Meghan. And that hat that AndyZ is wearing is the cutest thing ever!
Oh wow, that top photo is amazing! One thing I miss so much out here in San Diego is the lack of fall colors!!!! There are a few trees that will change, but nothing like that.
Also, AndyZ? LOVE the hat.
HA @ “formerly gray.” From the pic of NikkiZ, I’m guessing your kitty is now black? Eh, it’s more Halloween-appropriate!
Yes, most definitely do the paint thing. The only year we could carve with a child was the first year when we made him sit in the high chair and watch and well…I doubt that was much fun but at least he don’t remember it either!
I wasn’t going to say anything the first time you showed a picture of that baby in that cap. I mean, you know he’s cute, you know what you’re doing waving that kind of ammunition around. But TWO posts with the baby in the hat! Listen, my heart can only take so much cute before it starts feeling the strain.
Hee, that hat is just reinforcing the little old man adorableness.
I actually learned the brain freeze thing last week when I got the WORST brain freeze I’ve ever had off a Sonic cherry slush. I seriously thought I was going to have a stroke it was so bad. So I grabbed out my iPhone and looked up brain freeze remedies so I wouldn’t be scared to take another drink and risk another brain freeze. It’s a GENIUS tip. (You can also curl your tongue upside down and press it to the roof of your mouth too.)
As for the detergent, I haven’t used a powder since before we got married ten years ago and pretty much for the same reason. I honestly don’t know why some people still use powder. Liquid is da bomb, yo.
I just want you to know that I have been thinking about this photo ALL day. It really is quite stunning.
That first photo is AMAZING.
I’m pretty excited about the brain freeze tip as well. It’s a perfect excuse to indulge in some ice cream.
AndyZ looks TOO cute!
But if you paint them, how will you roast the seeds?!? That is the best part! (And it isn’t really cooking.)
OMG, I want to *live* in that first picture.
I have never heard of the brain freeze thing before. I will have to try that sometime.
Thumb on the roof of your mouth? You can also use your tongue … just sayin’
Your photos are incredible as usual. Love the fall shot. Learned the pumpkin thing many years ago and I want to nibble on AndyZ!
OK, so now I have to walk to the shop to get some ice cream. I can justify it - it is a science experiment!
Oh yeah, great photos, I wish we had a reason to celebrate with pumpkins too.
Wow, that first photograph is amazingly beautiful!
LOVE the colors, and the covered bridge in your first photo!
I never knew either of those things, either, but I know how to pop a back. No, I can’t bring myself to do it, but the oldest begs from time to time!
I totally never knew that about a brain freeze. Nice!
I absolutely love miniature pumpkins, and love the idea of painting pumpkins too! Way less work than carving too…
I heard you can also stick your tongue on the roof of your mouth to cure brain freeze. Haven’t tried it yet though.
That first pic is breathtaking! You have such a great talent!
And…where do you come up with all of these great crafty ideas? I think you should launch a craft / DIY website so I won’t feel so bad stealing some of your ideas
I wrote a post the other day after taking a photo of a tree here in California. Here, we have to keep our eyes open and consciously look for the signs of fall. It appear that where you are, you can’t help but notice the color. WOW! That is just so beautiful.