good day

this weekend we didn't have a lot going on, which was actually a pretty nice change of pace. we had plenty of time to be at home and be together and just hang out.  there was a touch of chill in the air - not enough to warrant turning on the heat - but just enough to open the windows and doors and let the awesome breeze blow through and circulate all the dust and cat hair it could find.  

sunday just felt like a really good day. alex had a friend sleep over on saturday night, and i loved sipping my coffee on sunday morning to the sounds of their ornery giggles in the next room.  i really cherish those moments when we can just be in our home.  it was relatively clean, dinner was mostly planned and we had nowhere in the world to go.  i didn't think it could get any better, but then, out of nowhere, my friend emily dropped by with two insane floral arrangements for us to enjoy.  and you know how i feel about flowers;  i completely freaked out and proceeded to do a leg kick that hasn't seen the light of day in a good 12-13 years.  but for the rest of the day i was annoyingly giddy anytime i walked into that room.

at one point in the day, alex was working with evan on a project and she started typing with her fingers on home row.  we were kind of flabbergasted by this and it made me realize all the things that kids learn and do in those minutes and hours when we are away from them. even when there are a million other things going on, these little amazing things are happening whether i have the time to notice them or not.  it wasn't a huge thing, but it was this skill that she has now and it really struck a chord with me.  sometimes all you need is a little break in the madness to stop moving and take in everything that is going on around you. 

in the words of ice cube, i gotta say, today was a good day.  
i may or may not have pulled a hamstring, but that's neither here nor there. 

how was your weekend?  i hope it was as relaxing and refreshing as ours. 

Happy Halloween. Happy Fall.

This is the best time of year.  Hands down.  There is nothing better than fall.  We had an excellent weekend celebrating all things fall related and ending it with our personal favorite fall activity, Halloween.

The weekend kicked off with a trip to Louisburg Cider Mill for some corn mazin', animal viewin' and cider donutin'.  Yes, cider donuts.

That's a cider donut.  Mmmm...... We did not eat 6 of them.  I don't care what you heard.

Later on, we caught a mini-concert and cd release party for our friend Issac and his band Month of May.  They also sang at our wedding:

And then we wrapped it all up with Alex's 5th Annual Halloweenie Spooktacular and a slew of adorable goblins, including this triple layer cake of amazingness, the children of our friends (and wedding photogs) who ironically took pictures of their brood on their cell phone.  I bet they even take good cell phone pics.

And of course the customary group shot: 

And a couple of too-cute-for-words kiddos: 

I can say this now, because no one got hurt, but THE funniest moment of the evening came when the kids knocked on the door of an unsuspecting homeowner, who wasn't actually offering anything to trick or treaters except her ginormous dog.  Upon opening the front door,  this giant fur-ball made a crazy break for it right into the group of goblins.  It was a crazy scene that started like this:

And concluded with the most incredible scaling of a tree any terrified 6 year old has ever completed:

Again, no one was hurt and everyone happily posed for more photos and as you can see that little guy made it safely back down the tree:

And of course an impromptu rendition of "Who Let The Dogs Out?" followed. 

And then more photos:

This was probably one of the warmest Halloween weekends I ever remember experiencing which made it that much better. How was your Halloween?  And more importantly, how long do you think this amazing weather will last???

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things For Fall

Fall is officially my favorite time of year.  And while the changing trees and falling leaves are among the season's most favorable sights, I always look forward to the cooler weather and the clothing options that accompany it.  

Below are a few of the things I am most excited about for fall. 

Some I own, some I like, some I love and others I only dream about...   

1. Seychelles True Story Riding Boots:  Own them in cognac (pictured) and black. I finally broke down and purchased these after several seasons of investing in lesser quality boots, only to watch the lesser quality ones peel, scuff and wimp out by spring.

So,  these were a splurge last winter that I am hoping they will last a long time.  They are, by far, my most favorite article of clothing.

Period.

The black ones are a success story in their own right.  I scored them on some random website that I wasn't even sure was a real website until they arrived on my door step.  I'm still not completely sure it was a real place, but real enough that they marked these babies down to an unbelievable dream-come-true price, of way less than half.  More like 1/5 of what they are currently running anywhere, so you know what I had to do.

Hey - There were no other options. Don't judge me.  I have a problem with boots and I have admitted it so I am already past the first stage of getting help.

2. Scarf. Or in this case, a Snood.  I guess that's a new term I know nothing about.  Personally, I like to call them "scoobs" half scarf -half tube.  But whatever.  I like this one and I like wearing scarfs/snoods/scoobs in the fall and winter and usually opt for one with a jacket as opposed to a winter coat.  This one is a great color and available from TopShop.

3. Jacket.  Dream of it.  The layered look has to be my favorite.  I would take cooler weather over warmer weather any day.   This jacket is super cute and available from one of the stores I dream of on the regular, Anthropologie.  I've been on a yellow kick lately, not sure what that is all about, but I like this in yellow.  Would be super cute in red though too.

4. Stocking Cap.  Really like this little pumpkin. Also found at TopShop.

5. Black & white stripes.  Love the combo.  Own varieties of it.  This sweater available at Nordstrom. but I love any combination of the striped duo on just about anything.  Add skinny jeans and the boots = my favorite look for fall.

6. Hunter Wellies.  Own these in black; dream of these in every color.  I love rain.  I love wellies.  You can find these where I got mine, shoes.com, or pretty much anywhere shoes are sold.

7.  Black tights.  Love them.  Wear any dress with a pair and its an instant outfit for colder days.  Add a cardigan and boots and you're good to go!

8.  Finger-less gloves.  Love.  I'm not big on gloves, even though my dry hands wish I were, but these are the perfect compromise.  Found at ModCloth.

9. Cardigans. Love.  With stripes? -- yes please! Also from ModCloth.

So many cute options for dressing for the season.  Just wanted to share a few of my faves.