Happy Birthday/Anniversary!!

September is a big celebration month around here. Josh and I both have birthdays as well as our anniversary, which is right in the middle. Josh and the kids outdid themselves this year and got me a sweet sewing machine and a bunch of goodies to go with. I've already been to two sewing classes and am having a bunch of fun learning everything that my machine does. THANKS guys : )
Josh and I had a very nice anniversary just the two of us. We went out for dinner and just had fun being with each other. I love that no matter what we are doing we make it a good time and I am very hopeful that we will have decades worth of good times to come.
Josh got a library for his birthday! ha ha! Not really but he did get mostly books because that's what he asked for. He also got a dump cake and brats for dinner. It was a good time this year. Hope all is well! XOXO -Amber

Fall in Phoenix

It's technically fall, YAY!! Here in sunny Phoenix that means we're past the 100 teens and into the single digit 100 degree weather. We took advantage of the overcast weather and wen't to the park : ) Hope all is well!!

Dog-Eared Pages

We visited a used book store today called Dog-Eared Pages. It is a very unassuming shop from the front and when you walk in the door you might not even realize what a gem you've stumbled into until you round the corner and take the step up that transports you into the kind of bookshop you read about in books : ) There are little nooks and crannies everywhere, books stacked ceiling high and that familiar smell of pages waiting to be read. If you are in the Phoenix area I strongly recommend you check it out, you can find more information HERE.

Look at that, he's actually standing still looking at a book of all things =)

Pick up a hot chocolate and plop down to read Mockingjay

Starbucks doesn't pay me but they should because I am a walking billboard of theirs. This is the new salted caramel hot chocolate with which I am currently in love. It's seasonal so go grab one while you can. Anywho.....
I had been among those who were anxiously awaiting the third installment of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay. Like everyone else I read it in a day and I LOVED it!!! It was more real than I was expecting but I think the darkness of the book made it that much better. The whole series really gave me a lot to think about with regards to all of the wonderful things I am blessed to have and all of the things I so carelessly take for granted. Most of the books I read are for entertainment and this was no different except it really made me think outside of myself as well. If you haven't read the books I strongly recommend them. They are categorized as young adult but both me and Josh and my mother have all read them and have all really enjoyed the story.

Hope all is well!! XOXO -Amber

Garden Additions

The weather has finally chilled out just enough for us to get outside and add on to our existing vegetable beds. We added 2- 4'x4'beds to mirror what we already had. Josh and Frank did all of the hard work of moving the soil and mulch, digging 4" down to do a few "lasagna" layers to prevent weeds, and assembling the boxes. We've already planted for our second growing season. We're trying some new things: red okra, brussel sprouts, blue lake beans, kentucky beans, frying peppers, cherokee purple tomatoes and yellow pear tomatoes among other things. Hopefully we'll get something from all of the plants before it starts cooling off too much which is in maybe November. I have heard of a few people who's tomatoes were still going strong in January and the lady at home depot said she'd had the same eggplant for two straight years so we'll keep our fingers crossed.

Jill was goofing off, turning the camera on me and making me pose, she's a fun girl : )

Checking out the bird nest

Our two new square foot gardens

Lastly, meet Frankbob Yellowpants