Check out today’s 30 Days post! Only 10 more days left in the series, which amazes me.

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Shall I continue with my crazy busy Saturday now? I think yes! I like looking back on the weekend. It helps make Monday a little more bearable. Especially when you have numerous things to do, but no motivation to actually do them. I need a day of nothing. Yea. Like that will ever happen. 😉

So after spending a day among toddler lovebirds and birthday cake, we did something I have looked forward to since spring. A hike! I love visiting the many various mountains and trails in our area for family hikes. I hated that the heat this summer combined with pregnancy made it very difficult to get out for any. Even though the fall weather has recently taken a backseat to more summer temperatures, I was not willing to give up on our planned hike.

We visited Kennesaw Mountain for a short 3 mile trail hike. I loved every grueling, 90 degree temperature, steep and rocky uphill moment of that climb.

Hiking is one of my favorite fall activities! I can’t wait for more…which hopefully we will have the time to fit in with our steadily filling calendar.

After the hike, we picked up our friend’s wife who couldn’t go with us and headed out to dinner. After last week’s lesson, my only request was “not a chain”. Our friends picked out Elevation Chophouse, a restaurant situated on the hangar of a small, local airport.

We got to dine while watching planes taking off and landing. Extra perk? It entertained M better than her little backpack of books. Always a good thing.

For my dinner, I split the hummus plate with my friend and also ordered one of the jumbo all meat crab cakes with hot pepper jelly.

These were good! The hummus had the perfect creamy consistency with a slight lemony undertone. The veggies were on the pitiful side, but the black pepper lavash bread made up for them. The crab cake tasted better than some I’ve had at the beach. It truly was all meat. And I loved the kick from the pepper jelly.

The second half of Saturday was a huge success. Good food, good friends, a favorite activity? What more could I ask for.

• What was the best part of your weekend?
• What is your favorite fall activity? I love visiting the pumpkin patch, corn maze, Helen, and other places in the fall but overall hiking is #1. Well, it could be behind eating pumpkin inspired foods. 😀

Check out this weekend's 30 Days of Self Love posts!! Stop Fat Talk (including my personal experience from yesterday) and Loving Others.

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To say yesterday was a busy day would be quite the understatement. By 2 pm, I had been through two kiddie birthday parties, leaving me stealing catnaps in the car that afternoon.

That morning was all about the playground, bugs, and friends. We visited a local park for little man E’s birthday fun. I think M enjoyed herself, don’t you?

You should see the smiles they had plastered on their faces! We’ve set the wedding date for May 14, 2035. That is if Peter doesn’t get to him first for stealing his baby.

In between all the hand holding and puppy love, we enjoyed some food. I just munched a small sandwich since I had a late breakfast and wasn’t too hungry.

We also played on the playground and picked up buggies for prizes. Or attempted to pick up buggies for prizes.

Little Miss Priss didn’t want to touch the things. She is all girl. Does that mean baby B will be all boy? I don’t know if I can play with bugs. I hope he’s like his daddy. Ouch. What does that say about Peter?

I kid! Peter – I mean that I hope he is calm like you. You’re a man’s man with your love of cars and tools. And your need to learn football from your wife. Er, sorry. That slipped out.

Annnyyyywaaayyysss. After the boyfriend’s birthday, we met up with the family for my nephew’s party. It was nice to visit for a couple hours and celebrate yet another year for one of the many kiddos in the clan.

I seriously cannot believe he is already one! Which reminds me…M’s birthday is in a month. I need to send out invitations soon. And see if my daughter’s future mother-in-law minds me stealing her location for a party. I prefer the thought of 15 kids running around at a park over my house. But back to the party. More specifically, the cake. My sister-in-law made this apple spice cake for the party. It was from scratch, naturally sweetened, low-fat/low-sugar..and incredible!!

I told her she needs to start a food blog. Everyone, say “Hello Marie! Please start a food blog!” 😉 If that doesn’t work, maybe she will let me “borrow” the recipe to share with you all. And to supply dessert for my sweet tooth when the candy corn pumpkins go bye-bye. Wait. That’s getting depressing. Although not as depressing as Peter possibly leaving me when he sees that picture. I think its time to bring this post to a close. Look for the rest of the weekend’s recap tomorrow. “Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars (shooting stars)…I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)” ……… Please don’t hate me for that.

• What was your favorite childhood birthday party? Mine was my 4th birthday. It was a My Little Pony theme and we even had a pony come for a little while for the kids to ride in the backyard. I felt like such a princess!
• What bug freaks you out the most? I cannot and will not deal with cockroaches! At a sleepover in 4th grade one crawled in my hair while I was sleeping on the floor. It woke me up and when I scratched at my head from the tickling, that nasty bug fell on my pillow. Eeeeek!!!! Plus, they don’t die! And there’s something just wrong about that.