Don't hate me beacause I'm organized...

but I now have gifts purchased for 3/4 of the people on my gift list. I must say that I rock this year. I don't know why, but I am terrified to not have my shopping done by Thanksgiving this year. I usually do most of my shopping that weekend, but I think I'll be done way before then. Now, finding time to make all my handmande stuff may be a different story. Shop On!

Don’t Fall For It
from The Friday Five

1. What do you like or dislike about autumn? I love the changing leaves, the trips to the pumpkin patch, hayrides, bonfires, carving pumpkins, and deciding what to be for Halloween. There's not much I dislike about it.

2. Have you raked leaves into a pile just to jump in them? When I used to babysit for this one particular family during all SEMO football games, I'd rake huge piles of leaves in their backyard so the kids and I could jump in them. That was some fun stuff.

3. Have you ever carved a pumpkin and how did it turn out? I carved one last week at our church's fall festival and it turned out pretty well. It is the outline of a rather scary cat. We'll carve the rest of our pumpkins tomorrw night.

4. Have you ever eaten anything made from pumpkins other than pie? Pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, and I've been craving a pumpkin pie blizzard from DQ.

5. Where is a good spot to see the leaves change color where you live? There is a spot on I-55 near St. Genevieve that always takes my breath away no matter what season. As you top the hill, the trees are absolutely beautiful right now. I thank God for the wonderful show each time I pass by. :)

City Sidewalks, Busy Sidewalks or maybe not

Hello Blog Readers! Yes, I'm still alive! Things have finally settled down for a few days at the Franklin household and I have a couple free moments to blog. :) We have been well, but busy as we begin the approach to the holiday season.

Yesterday we worked at a Fall Festival at our new church site. It was an awesome day and we had a great time having fellowship with our church friends and members of the community. I am so excited to start attending contemporary worship services at the new site next Sunday. The sanctuary is beautiful and the sound system sounds great. In the most respectful way I have to say, "Yay, God!!!!" I hope the church is successful beyond our wildest dreams in reaching out to the unchurched population in our town. We'll see next week!

Today we went to Sunday school and then went with another couple to St Louis. They had complimentary seats to a concert performance by the St Louis Philharmonic orchestra. Our tickets said the name of the concert was "Holiday Pops, " so we were pumped and in the Christmas spirit all the way up. We had a great dinner at Blueberry Hill and arrived just in time for the opening song. Greg went back to the lobby and returned with programs that said "A Tribute to America." Interesting, didn't sound like a holiday themed title. It actually was holiday themed, but more like Independence Day than Christmas. Nevertheless, the music was awesome and we had a good time. We may go back in December to hear the "Holiday Pops" performance. We topped of the evening with a stop at Krispy Kreme for some hot doughnuts and cold chocolate milk. I am now paying the price and may be up all night with a stomach ache. :( Those doughnuts sure were good. All three of them.

This week is work Monday through Thursday and a trip to St Louis for a conference on Friday. Greg and Carson are going with me to the conference. We're planning to go somewhere fun when I get finished Saturday afternoon. Always nice to take the family on a free work trip.

I have begun my Christams shopping and I'm on a mission to have it completed by Thanksgiving this year. I think it will be great to be able to put all the gifts under the tree as soon as we put it up at Thanksgiving, and hten sit back and enjoy the season without fear of the mall. I say this, but I'll probably end up just buying additional gifts even if I'm already finished with my gift list. I'm having trouble thinking of much that I want this year. There's still plenty of time for me to browse though!

Have a great week! Hopefully I'll have time to check in again soon! -Amy

Pumpkins! and Leaves! and Scarecrows! Oh My!

I love Fall. I realized this morning on my scenic drive to Fredericktown, MO just how much I loe this season. There was a chill in the morning air and the leaves were beginning to colors everywhere I looked. Fall displays were seen all along the roadway and Halloween costumes were prominently displayed in the windows of a secondhand store I stopped in. What a great day.

Today was also a good day career wise. It was awesome to return to the diasatrous child care center I visited a few weeks ago and see that the teachers and director have made a huge effort to implement my recommendations. What a total turnaround from my last visit. To see the children playing happily in a stimulating environment was well worth the years of school and studying I did get here. I am so proud of these teachers for being willing to learn and giving my ideas a chance. Yay Preschool!

This week will be busy as usual. I'll be starting my night class in a few minutes. tomorrow I finally get to play Bunco, which I have missed for the last 3 months due to work conflicts. I am so excited! Wednesday night is Bible study and Thursday I'll be staying in St Louis to attend a conference Monday morning on hearing impairments. I don't know a lot about the topic, so I hope to get lots of useful information. This weekend I'll be working at the Women's Show at our Child Care Resource and Referral booth all day Saturday. Come by and say "hi"! I'll have free cookie cutters for ya! Sunday we plan on heading to Begg's Pumpkin Patch for some Fall fun. Have a great week!

Dear Blog Readers,

I apologize for my extended leave of absence. I have been busier than heck for the past week and a half and I was simply too tired to remember to blog. Here's a brief update of what's been going on in the Franklin household:

Carson's birthday party was a huge success. The kids loved the activities and the jump-o-saurus was a big hit. It was huge. Even bigger than we could have imagined. Greg and I had fun jumping as well, as did my grandma, spry little thing that she is. She even went down the slide. Too cool.

Sunday we went to the zoo with my in-laws and Greg's brother and nephew. It was hot, humid, and Carson was on day 3 without a nap. It was not the most enjoyable trip to the zoo. The boys had a great time at Fitz's Rootbeer watching the soda being bottled and drinking rootbeer floats. Carson had a meltdown at the zoo and I had a meltdown on the way home due to a little too much family togetherness. Things are better now.

Monday I went back to St Louis (yes, less than 12 hours since I had gotten home from the zoo in St. Louis) to a meeting for work. That evening we went to Red Lobster for Carson's birthday dinner. Greg's mom baked him a small cake and he opened his gifts from us, Greg's parents, and Greg's brother.

Last night I worked in the basement trying to get something accomplished on the scrapbook swaps I joined that are due on Friday. I'll be doing that again tomorrow. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. I'll be cropping form 4-10 on Friday and I am so ready for the break.


Saturday we plan to put all of our summer outdoor things away and clean up the yard. Sunday we have a birthday party and church. Next week I'm in St. Louis overnight and I 'm looking forward to the quiet.


Pictures of our recent adventures are posted on Carson's website. www.carsonfranklin.net

Thanks for stopping by!