random iPhone photo dump time

it's time for some random photos, because that's always fun.  well, for me anyway.  heh.

i got to enjoy my first starbucks fall beverage last week - the salted caramel mocha.  and it's likely my last, because it was way sweeter than i remembered and not really something i'll want to revisit.

while browsing the local outdoor furniture store with the hub, we came upon this...because who doesn't want a dinosaur in their back yard?

while the bean was at a slumber party, the old lady and her special friend and i took one final trip to the l.a. county fair for the 2018 season.  we really made the most out of those season passes, i'd say.

not to mention, i wanted one last batch of those caramel crack fries before they disappeared for a year.

the next night, we enjoyed the first of hopefully many "steak sunday" evenings in our brand new back yard.  i can't lie, guys, i really love it back there and i think we're going to be spending a ton of time there year round from here on out.  it's probably the best investment we've ever made.

last week was picture day at school, and this is our first "milestone" photo with the bean standing where the brick wall used to be.  the renovations have moved into the house now, and both fireplaces are gone now.  no great loss because we lit one of them maybe once in the last 8 years, and now it's so much more open and airy in the house now.

also, the old brown walls are now a pretty shade of blue-gray, thanks to the teamwork between the hub, MIL and the bean.

the old lady and i headed to the japanese supermarket while the bean was at cheer practice, and while browsing for fun drinks to take home we couldn't stop laughing at some of the descriptions.

i made about four batches of brownie bites for the bean to take to school and cheer practice on her birthday.  they were actually really easy to make from scratch, and she said they tasted just like brownies from a box (high praise, i assure you).  they seemed a little boring looking, so i plopped an m&m on top.

and of course, i can't have a wednesday, october 3rd without this shirt making an appearance.

happy mean girls day, everybody!