An Apple Extravaganza and a Newly-Weds Dinner

Friday was a full day. I had to prepare for the party by cleaning up the house a bit, prepare the food, setting up the food and outside, decorate, have my furniture delivered, pick up a few items at Walmart and Lowe's. In the morning I chopped vegetables, cleaned up the kitchen, started decorating, and waited for the furniture delivery. I was told on Wednesday that my new furniture would come sometime between 9:00 and 1:00 on Friday, but closer to 9:00. Well I'm not sure what happened because they called around 11:45 telling me that they were close by. Finally! They took the seat and a half and ottoman down to the basement and then brought my couch in for the upstairs. I am so happy with them all! You all need to come and sit on it sometime soon.

Living room couch

Basement set up. Now I just need art work! 

After the furniture delivery men left I received a text from Kelly asking if I would want her to watch Ellie while I prepared for the party. Um, yes please! I dropped Ellie off around 1:30 and headed to Lowe's. I picked up some Scotchgard for the couches as well as 3 tiki torches and lighter fluid for the backyard. Next I hopped over to Walmart for some last minute supplies and ran home to vacuum and wash the kitchen floor. I picked up Ellie around 4:00 and then headed home where Mom was waiting, checking out my new furniture. She ended up hanging around for the next hour and a half helping me unwrap caramels, heat up the chili, and figure out chair placements for the party. Jon came home at 5:10 and prepared the outside: setting up the tiki torches, the chairs, and whatever else I had forgotten to do.

Donna had agreed to watch Ellie for us while we hosted the party so Doug and Donna came by at 6:15 to pick her up. I was so thankful to have them watch her since I could then focus on the food and guests. I packed a bottle and her diapers and sent her off. Our first guests then arrived at 6:30.
In all there were 17 adults and 2 babies present (William Frisco & Wyeth Estes). We ate chili, a few carved pumpkins, made caramel apples, and had a bonfire. It was an eclectic group of people but I think they all blended together well. We had SO MUCH food. So much that we hardly even touched the desserts! I provided chili, cornbread, chips, salsa, cheese and crackers, vegetables and dip, caramel apples (make it yourself setup), and the drinks and others brought side dishes and desserts. I ate so much. Doug and Donna brought Ellie home around 10:30. She was very tired but seemed to have had a fun time with her Great Grandma Mountz, Nana, and Poppop. Around 11:15 all the guests had gone home besides Peter and Brittany. It was actually Peter's 27th birthday so him and Jon went to the basement to celebrate by playing a few rounds of FIFA while Brittany and I cleaned up a bit. Then we headed down and hung out with the guys on the new furniture. They headed out around 12:30. I took two pictures really quickly at the beginning and I wish I would have taken more - like of the drink and caramel apple table, for instance. Oh well. For those who may want to host a fall party in the future I would recommend you plan it after Halloween. I bought huge pumpkins for carving for a dollar each and tons of little pumpkins and gourds. I purchased the little things 10 for $1. Everyone is just trying to unload their fall plants.

Food table

The backyard. Nobody ate out here because it rained at the beginning.

I finally crawled into bed after doing a bit more cleaning up and unwinding at 1:30 - it was a long day!
Jon and I ended up sleeping in, which was nice. After Ellie woke up at 7:00 for her breakfast I put her back to sleep and Jon and I continued to snooze. I'm not sure when Jon woke up but I waited until Ellie was awake and ready to start the day. Jon and I drank our coffee and ate some breakfast with Ellie and slowly started our Saturday. Ellie and I hung around together slowly cleaning up a bit here and there while Jon went down to work on the basement bathroom.
Today Jon primed and painted the walls and ceiling to the bathroom in addition to installing the light fixtures and fan. He also worked on the switches and outlets. It's always nice that even when I'm not being very productive that Jon is working hard.
Around 5:00 we headed over to Grandpa and Grandma's house for the newlywed's dinner. I believe this is the fourth dinner that we have had at their house and it was the first one that Wyeth and Ellie were in attendance at. Grandma made "Haystack" which we had last time. It was such a hit last time and was just as good this time, too! Hay stack has layers that you pile on your plate with rice, chicken, green onions, tomatoes, pineapples, cashews, gravy, coconuts, cheese, and chinese noodles. Stephen and Sara were unable to make it this time so it was the Fenton's, Estes', us, and Grandpa and Grandma. Mark shared an uplifting verse and we all shared prayer requests before leaving.

The cousins watching Ellie's crib toy we brought

We are so thankful to have grandparents who not only live locally but invite us over for dinner and pray for us and our daughter twice daily - morning and evening. 

 Ellieisms:
Today Ellie sat in her highchair while Jon and I ate lunch. I put her doll/lovie (a doll with a blanket body) on her tray and she was grabbing it and pulling it towards her body. I don't think she was doing it intentionally, but she was even putting it in her mouth.
 Ellie loves this bumblebee stuffed animal that she received from Mrs. Hornberger. She stares at it for long periods of time smiling and laughing periodically.