It's a "gourd" life.

Where has the time gone people? I've neglected my blog! I have been productive though, not just catching up on tivo'd television like some past weeks. :-) In case you're wondering, I'll catch y'all up on what I've  been up to.

Also, I just want to apologize for the cheesy title. I never have been good with those things! You'll see why I picked the title later on.

First of all, I'm running again. I signed up for my very first 5K race and it's on November 23. That's really soon! Here is the web site if you want to check it out, but put on some sunglasses cause it's blinding! Zach signed up too and I'm really excited to achieve this goal--just finishing a 5K. So meanwhile, I've been running my feet off it seems, but I'm able to run a whole 3.6 miles(a little more than the 5K) and I'm working on doing it faster. The difference recently is I'm running outside, which makes me feel like I'm really going somewhere instead of like a hamster on the treadmill like I usually do. :-)

I'm also working on my photography portfolio, and I hope to have it all nice and pretty online really soon-- like in the next week. I'll let y'all know right here as soon as it's up! That way, you don't have to scroll through the blog to see my more professional photos. I'm studying up on Lightroom, so that's what's taking the longest right now. But I DO love that program!

Enough gabbing. This isn't "Through Abby's Pen"-- it's time for some photos! I have to explain the photo below. The Thursday night before Halloween I had a lot of stuff to do, and Zach was planning to come over. I came home to a beautiful bouquet of flowers and the sweetest card from my man--for no reason! I just had to brag on him. The meal was something new I found and highly recommend. It's like an Italian chicken cordon bleu-- chicken stuffed with pesto and mozzarella. yumm!

Next, we carved a pumpkin. I've never carved a pumpkin in my entire life, so this was a learning experience. Artist man Zach drew a cartoon cat design I got from Stephanie on the pumpkin and we got to work hacking away with... a KITCHEN knife(I found out later there's these things called pumpkin carvers... oh well! That would be too easy!). After 2 hours of work, I was worried the design wouldn't look so great, but we lit a candle inside and voila!

I'm so proud! :-) We stuck Party Hat Pierre out on the porch. I had to, since this is what the teenage boys across the landing created! Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this is hilarious.

The next day was Halloween and since the Paint Horse Journal editorial staff is awesome, we dressed up as a group-themed costume for the APHA costume contest. Somehow, we have a plethora of nice cameras and lenses, so we decided to be paparazzi and a celebrity. I got voted the celebrity part, so may I present Paris-Lindsay Olsen, with TMZ, orange county papp and a camoflauged photog?

That evening, Zach and I headed over to our friends Katie and Brad Gaultney's house. Stephanie and Taylor were in town, and Katie had planned a fun dinner party. She got us ladies awesome masquerade masks--I'm the one on the left. :-)

Check out all the dinner table details! I'm so proud of Katie. :-)

This photo makes me laugh! Remember my ring from Sorrento? Katie(on the right) purchased the ring she's sporting in the south of Italy as well...several years before me. :-)

Side note: I'm reading this book called Pompeii by Robert Harris right now, and looking back at this post "Don't Judge Me For Sweating," it makes me laugh. The book is set in Pompeii AD 79(the year Mount Vesuvius erupted, destroying the town) and there are whole paragraphs describing the horrendous August heat... See, I wasn't making it up!

Anyway, so the day after Halloween Katie, Stephanie and I met up at Toulouse-- a cute French bistro in Dallas. So fun and so French!

Last week, I flew to Little Rock, Arkansas, and drove up to Mountain Home, Arkansas. The fall colors were absolutely stunning in the Ozarks. I was writing a story about trail riding, so I had to experience the beauty of the surroundings to get my photos. :-) It was a great trip. here are two photos that I know we won't use, so check 'em out!

Finally, Zach and I came across this car in the grocery store parking lot the other day. I think it looks like the car Cruella De Vil drove in 101 Dalmations. What do you think?