A Festive Fall Baby Shower

Over the weekend, I threw a baby shower for one of our favorite girls who used to watch the kids and now works for me. She's moving to Florida with her husband (in ONE week!!) and expecting her first little boy around Christmas. We're going to miss her dearly (as will our kids!) and wanted to give her a proper send off. She loves all things fall and won't get too many cozy, festive days in Florida, so we went all out to make sure she had pumpkin-flavored everything to tie her over :)

The shower was at 11, so we did a "light lunch" and it worked out perfectly. If you're looking to do low-maintence food for a baby or bridal shower, this is perfect. I wasn't cooking or hustling around the kitchen during the shower, I was able to put everything out 20 minutes or so beforehand. It allowed me to relax and enjoy the shower without feeling like I'm running around to make it all work. 

I served: 

- mini bagels with pumpkin cream cheese 

-macaroons (trader joes has great ones in the frozen section!)

apple pie caramel apples (recipe - these are a total crowd pleaser and people are always so impressed even though they're SUPER easy!)

 -charcuterie platter (salami, prosciutto, cheeses, brie, fig jam, crackers, truffle almonds, cashews, grapes, dried apples, dried oranges and whatever else you can think to add ;) 

- wafer cookies

- caramel corn 

-warm spiced cider (makes the house smell amazing, too)

- mimosas & coffee

I decorated the table with tons of pumpkins and then added greenery before the shower to make it look more robust! Make sure to layer your plates to add some dimension and don't be afraid to just go for it! It'll pay off! 

It's Monday, and we're just over here trying to survive. More coffee, please! 

Apple Picking

The kids & I met up with some of our besties last week to do some apple picking, and it was the perfect fall day (rain boots, donuts, coffee and apple picking are all at the top of my list). Sometimes, the best days come from no real plans, and spur of the moment jump-in-the-car decisions! 

Now... what on earth do I do with all these apples? Leave your best apple recipes in the comments, because mama needs some inspiration!! 

Happy Monday! XO

FALL!

Fall is finally here and I sort of feel like I've waited my whole year life for this :) Summer is great & all, but I play hard core favorites and in this instance, it's fall. Can't beat the crisp air, the pumpkin patches and the feeling like everything is right again when festivities resume. 

I wanted to share a few of my favorite fall things with you, because I want you to love fall just as much as I do. Collin thinks I'm nuts, and Baylor has totally jumped on my bandwagon, assuming his "concerned citizen" status by worrying about every store or place we go to that hasn't yet decorated for Halloween. I totally agree with him - get on it, people! We also drove by the pumpkin patch today and he begged that I call them to find out when they open - he's dying to get his chubby little fingers on an orange pumpkin. He's going to make a bitchin' husband one day. :) 

ONE . TWO . THREE
FOUR . FIVE . SIX

All of these things are total favorites around here - the easiest plates for kids in the most festive colors, perfect halloween jammies that fit everyone, the cutest book about a Fox who is confused about falling leaves (very pertinent for a very curious 4 yr. old), the most delicious smelling fall candle I've found, perfect halloween cookie cutters (that crooked witch hat is amazing!), and our favorite hand soap, which also comes in counter spray & dish soap, in the most festive of scents!

Hope your weekend plans consist of comfort food, football, and kicking your feet up - TREAT YO' SELF!

Halloween Shelving

We're sprinkling bits of fall over here  ... who am I kidding, we are diving in head-first and there's no turning back. I'm kissing pumpkins, chugging pumpkin spice and coordinating my half-time dances during nap time. 

I worked on our open shelves in the kitchen and wanted to share a little update with you! These shelves are hand-down my favorite part of our kitchen and makes decorating for the holidays extra festive! Too many dishes? I don't speak that language. 

Art Print // Cat Print 

CANDLE 

Confused as to what to put on your open shelves? A few of my tips: 

1. Pick a palette: Pick one or two "accent" colors and keep it consistent. This will ensure that regardless of what you're putting on your shelves, it will all look cohesive (in moderation, of course!)

2. Add greens: Greenery is under-rated, especially in the fall, but it really does bring life to a space. Especially the kitchen! 

3.  Think outside the box (or kitchen!): Yes, you want your shelves to be functional with dishes that you'll use, but artwork or non-kitchen items really add interest to your shelves and serve as the perfect place to display! 

4. Stack & Layer: If your dishes are simple, stack them or layer them along with other dishes - varying heights & textures will create a nice visual.

5. Bring balance: This one is a bit harder, but balance is most important when it comes to open shelving. You don't want all your bowls on one side of your shelves and stacks of books on the other. Symmetry will help, so repeat similar items a couple times. Step back (a million times) to make sure that everything feels balanced. 

Open shelving is a total moving target, and will constantly change, so just be patient, don't be afraid to change things until you find a composition that makes you happy! 

Pumpkin Painting Party

We hosted a litte Pumpkin Painting party this week with a few of Baylor's girlfriends (because there's a boy shortage around here!) - we let the kids go hog-wild on the pumpkins (and their faces if you're bellamy), they ate spooky snacks and run amok in the playroom for a solid hour. It was the perfect, festive way to spend a morning with friends. I love making these memories for the kids and always feel best at the end of the day when I invest in the kids. 

Target has this HAND MADE MODERN craft brand that is SO great you guys - their paint colors are SPOT on and they have so many fun crafts and supplies. 

Baylor's new favorite thing is having his face painted like a cat or dog. He pretty much asks every day. I obviously oblige. #winning 

There's about a million ideas for Halloween treats & snacks on Pinterest, and honestly, they're all fairly easy! We did PB&J Spider Sandwiches, orange & black grape fruit skewers, mummy pumpkin muffins, ghost pretzel sticks, apple pie caramel apples (a tradition around here), and festive popcorn (always a winner). 

The day after our party, Baylor woke up with tears in his eyes, and naturally, I asked him what the matter was. After a few sniffles, he confessed that he was upset it wasn't Christmas time yet. He's apparently had enough of Halloween and is ready for the next Holiday - a child after my own heart. Because holidays & being festive are WHERE IT'S AT.  :) So, we went to Home Depot and looked at Christmas trees and that filled his void for another couple weeks. Once Nov. 1 hits, shit's about to get crazy. #hohoho

Friday Favorites // FALL Edition

Friday Favorites is back, with a little fall twist, because it's October and what else are we living for these days? I, for one, am living for all things pumpkin (trader joes pumpkin pancake mix - honorable mention), orange, black, and pumpkin patches on the reg. And as for the members of my family? Well, they really have no choice in the matter, so they're turning into quite the festive little accomplices. So naturally, I'm fist pumping one hand and holding my PSL in the other. #booyah

one // two // three // four // five // six // seven

1. The perfectly dainty fall bunting - just found this shop & LOVE it! 

2. I bought this towel at Target last week and it's such a great graphic addition to our kitchen. Love that it will last through Thanskgiving too. 

3. Dancing Cat Pjs for Bellamy - I seriously want to buy these in every size so she can have them forever. Not only are they SO soft, but ADORA! 

4. Pumpkin Souffle Candle -- need I say more? 

5. Buffalo Check Blanket - this pretty little thing is on my wish list - pray for my self control cause I'm one rough day away from needing some major retail therapy.

6. Happy Halloween Card - framing greeting cards is an easy & inexpensive way to add a little holiday flair to your space

7. Mummy Jams for your little guy, because it's not October without Halloween Jammies!

Happy Friday! Hope your weekend is full of festive fun! 

Weekend Update

We are in full on OCTOBER mode over here and it's getting festive as ... well you know. Our weekend was full of football, pumpkin patches and house projects! We had the flu last week and my LORD it was a bitch. Worst ever, but happy to say we've all come out alive. 

Friday, we visited the pumpkin patch for the first of many times this month, and the kids had a blast. We did the hay maze, watched the little farm animals, rode in wheelbarrows, raced rubber ducks, loaded up on gummy body part candy (essentials!) and of course stocked up on all things "patch-like" - cornstalks, pumpkins, squash, and hay! We grabbed some mums & cabbage at the grocery store, and now we practically have our very own patch out front! #winning

Saturday was our town's harvest festival, so we took the kids down to the parade to experience all the glory. I've grown up here and the parade brings back SO many fun memories, so it's pretty exciting to share it with y own little people! 

The rest of the weekend was spent working on baby sister's room, decorating for fall, nesting all the things and a trip to Target & The Man Store (i.e. Home Depot, which should actually be the Mom Store because Lord knows there's no man in our house frequenting that place.) 

Happy Monday!! :) 

Fall Porches

Happy First Day of Fall! It's pretty much the day I wait for all year. So long summer, you're hot and alluring, but fall will forever be my first love. Bring on the sweaters, bitches. (goodness, she's passionate!)

While I am over here waiting for a pumpkin patch to open (because nobody wants to open before Oct. 1 - totally lame), I'm planning my front porch decor. Last year, we brought a trunk full of pumpkins, hay & cornstalks home (all much appreciated by my borderline OCD husband whom I adore) and the porch was a smashing success. But in true fashion... I'm aiming to out-do it this year. The kids are a little older, get a little more excited about holidays, and Baylor will totally support me bringing home an excessive amount of pumpkins. It only happens once a year, friends. #gobigorgohome

So... to kick things off, I"ll share some of my pinterest inspirations with you. Be sure to check out our FALL pinterest board for lots of pretty things as well, because they all live there. 

Until I can get my hands on some pumpkins, I'll be over here plotting. And buying mums and cabbage. So help me Lord. 

Apple Pie Caramel Apples

It's September AND Fair season around here, which has us (or just me, the pregnant lady) craving some caramel apples. Now, I won't bore you with just any ol' caramel apple... because there's this one... it's special in every sort of the word. Apple Pie Caramel Apple. Ok, you might be saying "ehhh, i don't love apple pie" (a category which I can squeeze myself in to sometimes), or "i'm a traditionalist and like a straight up caramel apple"  (you are so boring)... BUT... please, promise me you'll try these. They're SO easy, incredibly tasty and well, they're beautiful too! 

First secure your apples on sticks, dip them in melted caramel (we use the KRAFT Caramel Bits), set them on a sheet of wax paper coated with cooking spray (a little trick!) and let them cool. While that's happening, melt your white chocolate chips (a bag & a half or two bags) over a double broiler (this is a bit of a sensitive process, as you don't want to scorch your chocolate... be careful!) and roll the apple through the velvety white chocolate (your mouth watering yet?) ... next up, let this baby roll through a bowl of cinnamon sugar mix like a pig in the mud. The C/S mix gives it a clean texture on the outside and keeps everything together. Let them cool/harden for 1-2 hours. 

We prefer ours cut into slices, as you get more bang for your buck (topping to your apple) and you can eat them easily on the couch this way. Preferably during nap time while watching "Tardy for the Party".  Is it too early to pair with a glass of champs? #alwaystooearlyforthepregnantgirl

ENJOY!