.our sunday.

Weekends really do fly by. Ryan and I finally slept in for once since I've been on this early schedule. I actually didn't roll out of bed till 8:30am. Quite impressive I know. Ryan did loads of yard work today and was outside for the majority of the afternoon. Of course our boys wanted to enjoy the breeze so out they went to hang out with their papa! Ryan was suppose to be watching Pudge while he was out there. When I went to go check on them, he was gone! I almost freaked out. We walked from house to house calling his name. Ryan walked over to Kelly and Amanda's house (he likes to go over there) and he didn't see Pudge. As I walked to a different neighbor's house, Ryan saw Pudge sitting on Amanda's porch just ignoring us! So luckily he went there and hadn't wandered off too far.  They then came to chill out in our backyard and watch Ryan finish up! After their afternoon outside they came in and took a cat nap! We then headed out to the park to walk the trails! Let me tell you- they are sleeping HARD!!! :) I will post more pictures of the trails later this week. I am going to enjoy my last few hours before the crazy work week begins!

Enjoy your Sunday,
Vanessa :)

.apple orchard.

Ryan and I woke up early this morning and made the hour and half drive past Hickory to enjoy picking our own apples. We always did this in Michigan but didn't get the chance last fall! It was such a perfect day to go! High 70's sunny with a slight breeze. It's nice for us to get out of Charlotte and explore other parts of North Carolina! We didn't go to the Mountains but as you can see in the picture below they were right around the corner. We bought a 1/2 bushel of apples, apple butter and apple cider doughnuts. I also enjoyed hot cider while we where there. I told ya'll that I love this weather but I'm so used to drinking hot chocolate, hot cider and wearing coats/shoes at this time of the year. It's a habit of 22 years that I am trying to break. :)

The view at the apple orchard was amazing! Love the colors and the mountains in the background.

Ryan did most of our picking. Seeing that the apples at my height were not the best he had to use his long arms to reach high and get us the best!

I was able to grab all three of these! Go me!



I'm on the left, Ryan is the shadow on the right and there is our the start of our 1/2 bushel!

TEAM =Together Everyone Achieves More! That's us!

As I was picking my apples Ryan decided to take charge of the camera. I found this huge apple and I turned around and said, " ahhh this apple is huge!" He caught the "ahhhh"part.

This is a baby apple that made me get super excited and take lots of pictures of it!

This is what we went home with! We can't wait to make our yummy treats!

We are now going to enjoy dinner and maybe play a game with some friends. Tomorrow's day includes = making apple this and apple that. YUMMO!!! 5 more days and I will see my rents. Maybe I'll make them something with apples!

x's and o's,
Ness

.the beginning of gorgeous colors.

I am loving this fall weather. I never realized how much I adored fall until I started decorating and becoming more festive around our house. I'm sure anyone who has spent the past week with me has heard me mention the apple orchard 10,000 times. I have tried to break out the fall coat in 85 degree weather and I'm loving all the fall flowers when I walk into the grocery store. I even wore shoes...with socks one day! But my feet did hurt wearing one of my comfy shoes because they have been free to spread out in flip flops for the past 5 months or so!

ooo fall! :)
Here are some of our fall decorations.

Our new wreath for the front door. I have had this new obsession with wreaths. Odd I know!

oo I love it
Ryan's mom brought us these Mums when she came for Labor day weekend and I thought she would like to see how they are doing. I just have to add when you were raised by a woman who KILLED fake plants I didn't think I'd have much luck with this one. But look at her grow! :) There was a scary moment where we thought we had lost her, but she came back to life with some TLC.

Glass pumpkins that replaced our candles on the counter! :) (looking for baby pine cones to put around them- let me know if you have found any)

Last thing I would like = REAL pumpkins for my steps in front of our house. (oh and something for our upstairs table in the hallway)

Funny Side note: As I was driving home from work today I saw these chairs sitting on the side of the road. I am usually not one to stop and sort threw other peoples trash but I have been wanting a cool chair to use as a prop. I couldn't tell if it was broken or not so I slowed down, whooed and hummed on whether to get out. WELL- I did decide to get out and forgot 3 important things. 1) My keys, 2) to turn the car off and 3) my cell phone. So I am standing outside my car with my keys locked inside along with the cell while my car is running I was freaked out. (I also looked like a crazy woman talking and waving my arms frantically.) So I went to a house to use their phone to call Ryan and have him come with the spare set of keys. Thank goodness he works so close to home and that I was almost home when I saw these chairs. I guess I have a story to share during writer's workshop tomorrow! :) Oh did I mention the chairs were broken and I didn't take them with me?!

Photography Information: With the leaves slowly starting to change colors in NC do not FORGET to schedule a holiday session for your family. This can include a session for: kids, couples, family, individuals, pets, etc!  Our first Holiday Mini session will take place on Sunday, October 19th from 9:00-2:00pm at Frank Liske Park in Harrisburg. You sign up for the half hour time slot that meets your needs. (Remember it is on a first come, first serve basis.) I will send the holiday card options when you sign up for your session. :) You can check out the Holiday Mini Sessions for more information.

I think I deserve some couch time,
xoxo-Vanessa :)

.fall.

Fall is my ALL time favorite season. I love the weather, colorful leaves, cinnamon, pumpkin and apple scents and putting on a hoodie to curl up on the couch!

This past week at school we celebrated fall and had an apple festival in our classroom. We started our day making homemade applesauce. As that cooked in the crockpot all day we read an informational book about apples, and did an apple tasting with a green, yellow and red apple. After we examined our apple piece using our 5 senses we graphed our favorite apple out of the three. The kids had a blast doing it and enjoyed tasting the applesauce at the end of the day that had left the awesome smell in our classroom. Below is a peak into our apple festival. 

Ryan and I are going to an apple orchard next week and I'm pumped. I love going, it gets me so excited for fall and Halloween. Below are our new flowers! They are yellow and make our breakfast nook a little happier.

Off to relax with Ryan before the work week. 11 more days and the rents will be here to visit...woot
x's and o's,
Vanessa

.meet the schrotenboers.

Ryan and I definitely enjoyed our Tuesday night. We took the dogs for a walk, watched some TV and... oh yeah- we had a mini shoot with some awesome sunglasses. 

These glasses are for my classroom but we needed to try them out to see if they were worth the extra giggle. I didn't think we would be this amused! :) I look at these pictures and just die laughing! We are dorks.
Two more days of the work week. Do you ever have those weeks that no matter how much sleep you get you are still tired? I have had that kind of week. One night I took meds to help me sleep, well that wasn't the best idea b/c I couldn't keep my eyes  open for the life of me in the shower or the 1st hour of school. If I rested my head my eyelids would automatically close. It was a problem I tell ya! So therefore, I'm ready for a relaxing weekend and I think this one might be it! :)

Stay tuned...early next week I will post more Holiday information, including the locations & card templates. Oohhh la la!

Remember to book your Holiday Session! Orders must be placed by November 18th to ensure delivery before Christmas! :) For more information please check out: Holiday Mini Sessions