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Hello, all my favorite blogging buddies!
Really.....a 6 month to a year blogging gap is a bit ridiculous, however, it is what it is. Eventually Ill be up and running on a schedule again...eventually!
So, I recently got into Pinterest and am officially in LOVE! Im busy finding inspiring farmhouse/life pics, etc. and pinning them. I would love for you join me if you havent already! You can find me under the name Erica Carpenter.
My goal is to get back to blogging on a weekly/ every other week basis around Aug./Sept.

To be honest thoughts of FALL have been swirling around in my mind, but Ive been curbing those thoughts as much as I can. Ya know, I would be perfectly happy having spring for about 4 months of the year and FALL 9 months.....its so pretty! So until then, join me on Pinterest, I can tell Ill be pinning FALL pics sooner rather than later!

Busy Time of Year

 Isnt it always a busy time of the year, no matter when....its really busy anymore. Lately we have been working on our "COUNTRY BATH". We have picked out paint colors, decor and its down to the nitty gritty this next weekend....doing the really boring part.....plumbing and electrical. I say boring because my job is to mainly stand by and hand dh tools and things. Makes for a long day. This country bath has been keeping us busy and is usually where any6 of our free time is spent! Im hoping it will be "complete" by CHRISTMAS so I can spread some "CHRISTMAS CHEER" in there!

 But not before the THANKSGIVING turkey is served of coarse. Im still dreaming of THANKSGIVING at our house, when the kitchen is done and I can set the table....oh, its so exciting. This is why I love this time of year!

 IF there is a small chance I can get little bug to sleep and dh away from the tv, my indulgence this time of year would be a long hot bath, then curled up on the couch for some Christmas movies. Im obsessed with HALLMARK MOVIES at this time of the year and have a bunch recorded to watch....cant wait!

 Seeing as how I wont be doing our THANKSGIVING this year, I thought the above was appropriate:)

Then soon the snow will be flying, Iim waiting for the day when we are snowed in and we are actually caught up on a few things so we can enjoy it! Iim praying we can get internet back at the house next summer or so, this coming to the library thing is for the birds, but it quenches my bloggy thirst for now! Hoping to stop in for another blog or so before Thanksgiving and then decorating my blog as well! Happy Fall Y'All!!

Fall Time Faves

 Ah, Fall is officially here! Im savoring a few fall favorites during little bugs naps (which by the way are getting fewer and farther between). I picked up Beverly Lewis's new book (final book in THE ROSE trilogy) Ive started it and Im loving it by the way! Fall and winter are my favorite times of year to read, especially when the rain is falling or the snow is blowing!

 The leaves are nearing the peak around here....they are so pretty and falling ;( but the drives are so nice right now. I cant stop telling hubby ...."look at those trees", " those trees are so pretty"! I love it!

 CINDY WOODSMALL is my new favorite author. As soon as I finish The Mercy, Im going staight to the store to pick this one up. I am in love with the cover of this book.....makes you ready for CHRISTMAS

 Ive been washing away the germy germs with this hand soap that I am currently in love with to....CARAMEL APPLE!

 I set out some PUMPKINS yesterday. Hoping to get a pic up of them next week or so. I cant decorate in the house this year, so I had to do it  outside!

This cleanser conditioner looks soooo good and I wanna try it. Ive used WEN before, but the FALL GINGER PUMPKIN is a new seasonal thing. I love the cleanser for body and face more so than the hair!HANSEL AND GRETEL from Candleberry is a new favorite this year, too. Its one me and hubby can both agree on and thats rare.

So thats about all I have time for right now. We have been busy the last few weeks and that has left little "bloggy time" for me.....which I greatly miss out on! Are any of these your fall faves???

Bittersweet Hollow

 Ahhh, it feels like fall outside, of coarse shortly...it will be FALL.....OFFICIALLY! I dont really care if its official or not...if it feels like fall and smells like fall.....IM HAPPY! Im changing the name of my blog to "BITTERSWEET HOLLOW", why??? Well, I told hubby that when the house was done I wanted to name it that. Of coarse, with a strange wrinkled up face ...he asks: WHY? I reply, because I like bittersweet and fall and the only time you get it is FALL and we live in the "holler" as people affectionately call it round these parts. I just love the name!

 I picked up some pumpkin the other day to make a pumpkin smoothie, but after I opened up the can all I could think about was pumpkin pie. We are starting the Belly Fat diet at home, so Im thinking of incoporating a no sweets rule except for about every two weeks. That sounds doable. The diet basically limits  sugars and carbs...you still get them, just not so many!

 The whole no sweets rule will be hard, but maybe Ill appreciate them more. When the weather is FALL like, I just want to bake.....not that I have time now, but I WANT TO!

 So, at BITTERWSEET HOLLOW, there will be lots of HYDRANGEAS around the house. Of rse it will be a while till the house is finished, but as long as it takes for hubby and me to decide on things we can agree on.....Im planning now! Cant wait for dried hydrangea wreaths with BITTERSWEET in them!

 And there absolutely WILL be PUMPKINS setting on that wrap around porch!

 Im gonna try to make some cute little cakes for fall. I have the tin with the mini bundt cake molds, I love it. I made cornbread in them the other day....interesting, but VERY CUTE!

Im busy making plans in my head for the future.....mainly decorating for fall and CHRISTMAS! I have been listening to CHRISTMAS music, I love it, it makes me happy.....just like fall does. Im even planning to get started on som Christmas shopping in October, maybe put some stuff in layaway. I always say Im gonna start early, but never have......This year I will.
Thanks for the replys on my last post. I like to know what everyone thinks and the decor likes as well. Time to go, hope this finds you in some AUTAMNAL type weather today!

CRaviNg FaLL

 So, the leaves are starting to change....slooooowly.....but they are changing and falling. Soon the woods here will be looking bright and bare at the same time...COULD YOU IMAGINE IF ALL THE LEAVES STAYED ON THE TREES HOW PRETTY THEY WOULD BE???

 Im thimking festivals this time of year. We have an apple festival  here, its either blazing hot and humid or misty and cool. Hoping to take our little bee (our daughter 9 mon. old) to her first one if weather holds out. Then we have a farm festival that I havent been to in years, but wouldl like to....anything to get out in the cool, crisp air! Weve been going out for "strolls" in the mornings just when we can see the sun rise.... its quiet and peaceful!

 I would love to master an APPLE PIE RECIPE, from scratch....if anyone has a simple, delicous one....Ill take it!

 I love cinamon spice tea when the weather starts changing to cooler weather, YUM!

 And I love this cute Cath Kidston mug, my tea would taste even better in it
!

 This is a random pic of an amish farmhouse. Besides the new baby...our house has also been taking up any of our free time. We are remodeling our 100 plus year old farmhouse and amish farmhouses happen to be the inspiration.....love the simplicity and beauty of them. Can you imagine a white farmhouse....wrap around porch....mums and pumpkins all around. It will probably be another few years till we get to that phase, but Im dreaming NOW!

As of now, Ill be dreaming of my next blog, I have a few ideas running through my head. Its so nice to be back and thinking of my favorite time of year....FALL....WHICH LEADS to Halloween (I like the cutsey stuff...not scarey), Thanksgiving.....then CHRISTMAS! It gets darker sooner, which means more time inside with family and friends and books, oh how I love my AMISH fiction! Ok, guess I better close some  FALL like weather outside wating for me! Oh, one more thing....when its comes to decorating (seasonaly or yearly) whats your fave? Primitive, Farmhouse, Cabin, Country Cottage or modern? What are some of your fave fall things?