Fab Friday: September 4

Well, hello Fall. It's nice to see you again. Yes, we've been very busy here, chipping away at little projects around the house, enjoying your lovely weather, and prepping for school to start. There's been lots of organizing, cleaning, shopping (clothes & shoes), and talking about the Big Day (ie the Start of School). We've had a school tour, picked out the first day outfit, mapped out our walking route, found a lunch bag, and started getting up earlier in an attempt to acclimate to our new routine.

Fall, if I were Martha Stewart, you'd be tops on my Favorite Things list. But I am not (Whew! But my bank account might not be as relieved as my psyche is). I love your cool yet sunny days, and your even cooler nights. I love wearing sweaters & jeans (my favorite uniform), and breaking out my fuzzy pink slippers in the mornings. I love warming up with a hot cup of tea, baking apple pies, and cooking delicious stews, soups, and casseroles for dinner. I love heading to the pumpkin patch with a cup of hot apple cider in hand and a fresh donut in my belly. I love little girls in knee socks & a cardigan, and little boys in Sunday sweaters. I love boots, I love Honeycrisp apples, and I love snuggling under the down duvet on my cozy bed.

Fall, you are TOTALLY Fab, and I am so glad you've arrived a little early. Why don't you settle in and stay for a while, OK?

Mopey Days

The past few days have reminded me of why I don't miss Oregon very much. Oregon is beautiful - lush, green, full of sweet-smelling pine trees, spectacular mountains, and rocky beaches. Know why it's so lush? RAIN. It rains between 6-7 months a year. It's not usually a pouring down rain, more of a gentle, constant drizzle. You know you're an Oregonian when you no longer bother with an umbrella. Throw on a fleece, maybe a baseball cap, and you're ready to move on with your rainy day. The second year I lived in Portland it rained 90 days straight, beginning in mid-November. 90 DAYS. That's a lot of H2O.

I am ready for some sunshine. I should be used to these wet, gray days, but I am longing for some sweet golden rays of sunny goodness. It's been hard to get motivated over the last few days, and my lack of regular exercise has compounded my malaise. I don't care if it's cold out, I just need a little blue sky and S-U-N.

Some of my favorite things

Late Fall is here, with frigid temperatures, and the accompanying desire to bundle up and be snuggly.

These are my cashmere socks. I know - cashmere!? I bought these when I was working at Banana Republic. Boy, do I miss that employee discount. My favorite time of year was after Christmas, when all the cashmere would go on sale. These are super warm and make me feel luxurious, too.

These are Big Sis' knee socks. I bought them because they were on super sale, and I was a little skeptical. But I totally love them on her. A little girl in knee socks - what could be cuter?

New favorite crackers. Whole grain, a tiny bit sweet, and the perfect size for Big J to test out his new choppers.

Like his hat? I do. It's a little bit Elmer Fudd, without the Wabbit hunting. He looks adorable & it keeps his ears warm, too.

Welcome to Fall

This is what we woke up to yesterday morning.

What's that?

It's our overturned grill + propane tank, which was blown 5 feet from it's normal home on our porch. Chicago may be the Windy City, but Des Moines gets it's fair share of stiff breezes, and Sunday and Monday brought high winds with gusts up to 68 miles per hour.

This morning, we woke to morning temperatures of a balmy 22. I think Fall is here.

A Better Day

Today was a better day. Despite the bad weather and the fact that we once again had to cancel the pumpkin patch, I am getting a little more in the Fall/ Halloween spirit. And of course I have new pictures of my kiddos, and that always makes me smile.

Brother and sister hanging out. Now that he is doing more, she's getting more interested in him.

A few weeks ago I bought a couple of DIY Halloween decorations. Combined with Martha Stewart glitter from Wal-Mart, they are sparkle-tastic! She loves ANYTHING with glitter.

It turned out cute. Plus, it's glittery, so it's all good. Love that Martha Stewart!

Big J took the bottle for the first time today. I'm not sure if I starved him into it, or if he just realized it was the same stuff in a different delivery system. Regardless, he sucked down 2 oz. in about 2 minutes, and I was so happy. I hope it wasn't a one time trick.

Race day is tomorrow. Here's to wishing for clear weather, strong legs, and a good night's sleep tonight.

Home Again

We're back from our all-too-brief vacation, and trying to return to the routine of being at home. Big J came home with a stuffed up nose which inhibits his ability to breathe while nursing or sucking on the paci. It's probably a result of the 10 flights in 10 days that he and I took (more on that later). He's still in pretty good spirits, and is drooling up a storm (more teeth a-coming?). Big Sis is already missing her grandma and grandpa.

I love that we came back to an Iowa in full Fall mode. I even had to turn the heat on today! (only because Big J is under the weather).

Next up on the agenda: apple orchard, pumpkin patch (any recommendations??), Race for the Cure, Picture Day at preschool, Beggar's Night, Halloween, lots of apple canning, and (drum roll please.....) BABY WEANING. Good Times for all.

Fall Fever

I have other things to blog about, like our 2008 Iowa State Fair experience and the Sprinkles cupcakes I recently made, but due to my extreme laziness and my lack of desire to move from the couch in order to actually download the last round of pictures, these subjects will have to wait.

I feel like I'm in Fall planning mode. I'm constantly thinking about cool-weather things. Winter boots. Mittens. Cozy, snuggly, fleece lined jeans. Fuzzy hats with ear flaps. Warm, filling Fall foods like stew and baked chicken and mashed potatoes. And steamy soups with hot sandwiches. Yum....

I love summer, especially a summer like we've been having. But around mid-August I begin to yearn for cooler weather. I think Fall is my very favorite season of the year. The leaves changing on the trees. Sunny days with cool temperatures and that nip in the morning air which warns of colder days to come. Hot apple cider and crackling fires. Picking out pumpkins for Halloween.

Corvallis, looking west to the Coast.

Fall planning has also been supplemented by Holiday Obsession. We're going back to Oregon for Christmas and New Years (I almost hurl'd when I bought the tickets. That was highway robbery), and once I got over how much it was going to cost, I started daydreaming about the things I want to do while there. Like visit Saint Cupcake Bakery. And go to our favorite 'Breakfast Place' in Salem for a Breakfast Burrito. Do a little tax-free shopping. Visit Courthouse Square and see the Christmas Tree. Have dinner at American Dream Pizza with my husband. Drive out to the coast and see if we can spot some whales. Visit my friend Aaron at the new design studio where he works in downtown Portland. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I didn't realize how much I missed Oregon until now. I still don't think we'll ever live there again, but I'm looking forward to visiting. 4 months is a long time to obsess about this trip, but I'm going to need that much time to prepare to stay with my in-laws for 2 weeks.