I am…

 a wife

a mother

 a daughter

 a sister

a  friend

 a crafter

 a blogger

 a new shop owner

 hopeful

 a reformed pessimist

 indecisive

 an imperfect perfectionist

a worry wort

I’m having a bit of a hard time right now making a decision… which if you know me, is nothing new. I am probably one of the most indecisive people out there!! When I finally do make a decision, it is so hard for me not to go and second guess whether that was the right decision or not.

Which leads me to now.

When I opened up Noby Designs, I did so as an extension to this blog. I loved that I could design the store the way that I wanted… that I wasn’t limited in any way (other than my coding abilities). I’m now wondering if maybe I should have opened shop on etsy.com. So today, in between taking care of the kids and the laundry, and in between working on new products (some cute tutu’s) and editing their photo’s, updating the Noby Designs store and Facebook fan page,  I have started putting together an etsy store… I know, I’m a little bit crazy and a little bit obsessed… did I mention that in the list up there? No? Well I guess I should add slightly obsessive to it.

Sooooo…. before I switch over to that though, I would like to ask you…

Are you more likely to buy from an etsy store or an independent online store?

First up would have to be Deep Dish (or Stuffed) pizza. I get to thank Ray for introducing me to this large slice  of goodness!!! If you like pizza and cheese then you have to try it!

There are quite a few recipes that I love to fall back on, starting with breakfast… this is the best pancake recipe I’ve ever made!  Once it starts to cool down, I like to start to bake more often. I was always afraid to bake bread, until I tried this recipe… it’s a white bread recipe, but it has given me the confidence  to try something harder…maybe ;)

The last recipe that I would like to share is the Zuppa Toscana recipe… oh yum!!! I never thought that I would like kale, but I love it in this soup… even my picky kids ate it!!

{ps… tomorrow is the last day to enter to win your very own Noby Designs tote!! What are you waiting for ;)}

Abby’s first sip of cider – she didn’t want to stop drinking!

Last year we took Noah to a nearby farm to pick out  a pumpkin. We decided to go to the same one again this year, but had problems actually getting there since the weather and our colds seemed to be working against us most weekends. We finally did make it out to the farm the day before Halloween and I have to say that we couldn’t have gone on a more perfect day…  the sun was shining and there was a chill in the air, but it wasn’t too cold. It was simply perfect.

As soon as we walked through the gate Noah saw the school bus and ran over to it. He can’t wait to be able to ride in one!

They had a little maze set up for kids as well as a larger corn maze. We let Noah lead us through the little one… he had fun running around trying to find the right way out (with a little help from us!)

Along with the usual mazes, tractor ride and pumpkin patch, this farm also boasts a petting zoo, exotic wild animals and pig racing! Abby had fun watching the piggies run =)

You wouldn’t know it from his expression, but Noah did too! He didn’t want to walk away from the races were over.

Noah sitting next to the big pumpkin – it was hard getting him to sit still for more than 5 seconds!

Abby enjoyed watching everything, but the fresh air (and being out during naptime) quickly had her snoozing.

We went to ride the tractor to the pumpkin patch and found out that the pumpkin crop had failed this year due to all of the rain this past July. We were still able to go out and pick pumpkins from the field though since they brought some in from another farm of theirs.

Noah was hamming it up once he found the pumpkin he wanted… Abby missed  it all, not even the bumpy tractor ride could wake her!

Daddy and Noah

Noah had fun riding in the cart with our pumpkins.

After his nap he helped us gut and carve them… he was so excited about them… he kept running up to the table to look at them.!

Today, while the kids were sleeping… well Noah was napping Abby was awake… and in between visits to the candy bowl (this is why I hate having chocolate/candy in the house!), I decided to finally sew a cover for my precious Kindle. I seriously love that thing and have been reading so much more since Ray gave it to me as an early birthday gift a few week ago. I saw a tutorial for a Kindle cover on Chica and Jo, but didn’t like how it opened to the top. I wanted to make one that opened up like a book, so I used that tutorial as inspiration and modified it to fit my needs… and I am sooooo happy with the way it turned out!

It was a little trial and error… there was some seam ripping and re-sewing involved (well multiple times actually)… and if I were to do it again, there are a few changes I would make, but overall I am extremely happy with it and am happy that I am getting to know and trust my sewing machine more and more! Next up a large purse/diaper bag!! I’m excited!

For the past week, almost two, we’ve been battling whatever bug has decided the infiltrate the Midwest. It started out with some coughing, then morphed to sinus pressure/runny noses (and in Noah’s case a double ear infection) and now is changing again to a deeper, more throaty cough along with the sinus pressure/runny nose crud. Throw in a few fevers here and there and we really are a hot mess of a family right now.

So….. for this weeks Foto Friday I decided to post a picture of Noah and Ray atop Clingman’s Dome… those were much healthier days and I want them back!!

You know I’m not feeling well if I’m in bed at 9:30… I really want to get rid of this bug so that we can take the kids to the pumpkin patch this weekend (please, please, please let the weathermen be wrong about the rain!)

Yesterday (well today, since I’m writing and posting this already on Thursday) was the start of the 2010/2011 football season. To celebrate the day that my husband believes should be a holiday, I dragged my sick butt off of the couch and attempted to make something that I had never made before… something that Chicago is famous for… something that we love to eat… stuffed pizza.

Tell me that doesn’t look good!!

It tasted great!  There are a few changes that I will try out next week time I make it… then I’ll post a step by step tutorial on how to make it!! =)

(That’s just me admitting that I didn’t photograph each step this time, otherwise you know I would have been typing up that tutorial instead of just giving you a tasty preview of what’s to come)

Link up and show off the photo’s you’re proud of this week!

Noah doesn’t go anywhere lately with out his baseball cap… or as he says, his “bahl hat”. It’s all I hear about when we leave the house and goodness… if we forgot it at home he lets everyone know about it!

Now it’s your turn! What photo(s) do you have to share with us this week?