Ghoulevening

First things first, we carved our pumpkin a couple of weeks ago, and gave it a healthy dose of hairspray to keep the squirrels and deer from consuming it like in the past - it worked, and incidentally gave its hair tremendous body and shine.

Our little koala bear

Our Toddler in that Toddling Town

Fresh-brewed Dunkin' Donuts coffee with a shot of obscenely fattening cream; lip-numbing, ulcer-inducing Buffalo Joe's hot wings; mozzarella layered with mozzarella and then topped with mozzarella in a scrumptious Chicago stuffed pizza; Whit's first jaunt to the taxidermy wonderland that is the Field Museum, with its 21 million specimens that all smell like they were doused in mothball juice; a visit with my old ortho staff and some of the best nurses with whom I have ever worked; and long chats with the dearest of friends and family. Nothing beats Chicago and the special people in our lives with whom our conversations always pick up right where they left off, as if no time has passed at all.

Great Grandma Jean and Whit get some cuddle time

The Best Hats

I started a new job about a month ago, and am enjoying being back in the OR (although it is just not the same without a Marnie, a Dewey, and a Dr. T). With my return to the formal workforce, I found myself ruminating on the past nine months of working for the shortest boss I have ever had, and I pondered if I should add the following experience to my resume:

- Teacher

- Counselor

- Housekeeper

- Chef

- Interpreter

- Chauffeur

- Stylist

- Event Planner

- Coach

- Cheerleader

- Photographer

- Biographer

- Tour Guide

- Singer

- Dancer

- Court Jester

- *Able to recite all of the ABC's according to Dr. Seuss* (this would of course be #1 if we were going in order of importance/transferability to real-world situations)

Such are the many hats of a mom, and I am beyond A(Aunt Annie's alligator) -Ok with it, more than I ever imagined.

President and CEO of Pieper Family, Inc.

Fall Has Fallen

This weekend we had beautiful weather for strolling the fields at Minnetonka Orchards, taking a train ride, and visiting the animals!

Minnetonka Gothic

Whit found a hen hiding behind the coop door

and tried to coax her out to no avail.

Big strides like daddy

Pumpkin pickin'