Hello! It’s been a minute since I’ve done a This or That post, and when I saw this one on Insta (courtesy of @booktalketc), I thought it would be a fun one to share.
Falling rain or crackling fireplace: both? Both are the coziest options, but if I had to choose, I would go with falling rain for fall and save the fireplace for winter!
Spooky Fall or Cozy Fall: I always want September to be cozy even though it’s still so hot. October can be spooky while November start the coziness leading up to Christmas.
Carve or Paint Pumpkins: We always carve. I remember carving pumpkins even when I was in high school. I hope my kids let me carry on that tradition until then as well.
Corn Maze or Haunted House: uh…neither? If I had to choose, I’d say corn maze. I don’t want the scariness of a haunted house. My heart…and bladder can’t take it 😆
Pumpkin Spice or cinnamon: I think my recent Pumpkin Everythingpost can answer that the best! I love pumpkin spice especially when we are talking about muffins and pies! I made the Trader Joe muffins this weekend. So good.
Bonfire or Fireplace: No way to a bonfire. Too smoky. I love a fire in the fire place while the kids love a to roast marshmallows over the fire pit out back.
Black Fridayor Cyber Monday: Cyber Monday. Amen. I think I went Black Friday shopping once…in 2003. I definitely had less people to buy for then, and clearly I was younger with more energy. That being said, it was solo shopping which I much prefer. Anyway, I’d say since 2009 when the kids were only a month old and I needed to buy presents for family, I started buying an online and became Cyber Monday girl.
Witches or Vampires: Witches are fun…vampires are too creepy for me.
Soup or Chili: Kind of like “falling rain” or “crackling fireplace,” I love both. That being said, I can choose soup for fall and chili for winter if needed.
Speaking of soup and chili, I’ve already made chili twice this fall.
Hello! How was your weekend? After arriving back late Friday night, we spent the rest of the weekend unpacking and doing laundry. I also went and got my car washed and went to the grocery store because we were out of everything. The kids and Trav did go to the UK game on Saturday night. We went from 80 degree beach temps to much cooler weather, and while I miss the beach, I’m ready for full on fall mode.
It’s the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting our monthly link up with some of my favorite bloggers:
Well, I don’t think I’ve really hosted guests (besides family who come to visit) since before Covid.
If we host, it’s usually very casual and typically in fall or summer. Our house is on the smaller side, so I prefer hosting when I know the weather is nice enough for kids to play outside and for adults to sit on the patio as much as possible. In the fall, it’s easy to make a pot of chili which was my “go to” for all the years we hosted Halloween. In the summer, it’s so nice to grill out and let the kids make s’mores in the fire pit.
Here are a few of my tips:
Make lists: I try and stay organized and plan ahead before hosting. I may run errands or prepare what I can in the days leading up to having people over.
Let people help: This is still a weakness of mine. I’m not good at asking for help, but I’ve learned to let others bring side dishes, desserts, and drinks.
Light candles: No matter the time of the year, I always have a few candles lit. That provides a cozy atmosphere during the cooler times of the year and keeps the bugs away in the summer.
Prep beforehand: Travis is big help with this. He’ll clean the house or sweep the patio in the days before people come over. If I need extra tables or seating, I get those items out the day before. Of course, if I can cook or bake in the days leading up to hosting friends, I do that as well.
Buy paper products for easy clean up:As much as I’d love to host with dinnerware, it’s easier for clean up with the kids to use paper plates, bowls, silverware, and napkins. Also, I always make sure to have a marker for kids to write their names on their cups. Now, when I’ve hosted small Thanksgiving or Christmas meals, I definitely use nice plates and glasses.
Buy what you can: Sometimes store bought desserts arethe answer to a time crunch. Also, everyone loves a Fazoli’s bread stick to go with home made spaghetti.
Have a drop zone for purses, coats, and shoes: When people arrive, I want them to know where they can put their coats and purses if needed…which is usually Hadley’s bed. Also, if kids take their shoes off, I show them which closet to put them in, so Homer doesn’t run off with one.
I do feel like my kids (and therefore, their parents) are so busy that we don’t get together in large groups as much as we used to. That being said, sometimes, we spend an evening at the pool with friends in the summer or the moms have a glass of wine after a school event. Also, my neighbors are good about casually getting together when we can.
Anyway, I certainly hope for more opportunities to host in the near future.
What about you? What are some of your best hosting tips?
If you have a blog, we hope you’ll link up! Also, next month’s topic is: the internet made me buy it…
After a week off, re-entry is going to be rough. I’m sure it will take us a couple of days to get back in the groove of school and activities. I hope you have a great week!
How was your week? We had a great one because it was Fall Break and we had so much fun in the sun.
Well, I can’t believe it, but it’s the last day of our Fall Break. We went to the Destin area of Florida with a few other families, and we had such a great time. Honestly, I couldn’t have imagined a better trip.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
It felt odd moving forward with our planned trip as all eyes were on Hurricane Ian in the days before our break. There was so much destruction and devastation in so many parts of Florida, including our usual vacay spot of Siesta Key.
Amazingly, Hurricane Ian didn’t make it to the Destin/30A area.
I’m sure I will give a more detailed recap, but…
…here are afew favorite photos from our weekin Santa Rosa:
While a couple more days would have been nice, we’re all ready for our own beds and can’t wait to see Homer. Truly, it was a great time with great friends. So many memories were made, and it was such a blessing to get away for a bit.
Not Just a Mom:
Wow! Monday is already the second Monday of the month which means it’s time for our monthly link up. We’d love to have you join us.
This month’s topic is: how we host.
Honestly, it’s been a minute since I’ve hosted for a party or get together. Let me know what tips you have!
Hello! How is your week going? We’ve been having a really great one. More on that later!
One of my goals last week was to get my front porch up to snuff for fall.
It all started with two mums that I purchased from the kids’ school PTSA a couple of weeks ago. I put those in the planters that sit out front year round.
A trip to Trader Joe’s was about all I needed to gather my pumpkin collection. From stackable fantasy pumpkins to mini pumpkins and squash, they have it all.
Then, I went to my favorite flower shop to pick up the cornstalks. They have the really tall ones for about $12/each. It’s kind of a mess to get them in my car, but it’s worth it. While I was there, I picked up a couple of white pumpkins as well.
Lastly, I’ve shared about the “Mum Man” who stops by Trav’s work, and has the best deal on mums. Travis picked me up one more smaller one, and I added that to the porch too.
Once we get to the orchard in October, the kids will each pick out a pumpkin to carve that will sit on the porch until we carve a few days before Halloween.
Every year, I put out the pumpkin garden flag, change out my door hanger and door mat and pillows. This year, instead of putting a few pumpkins on the little table outside, I put out a jack-o-lantern lantern that my friend gave me a couple of years ago.
I just move things around on the porch and steps until I’m pleased the final product.
Anyway, this just brings a smile to my face every time I arrive home. It’s the little things…or the $100 dollars worth of pumpkins and mums…that make the porch festive this time of the year.
Since it’s the first Tuesday of the month, Tanya is hosting her monthly Prime Purchases link up, and I always love joining in on the fun.
Y’all you may need to check my pulse…I had a pretty light shopping month.
Here are my purchases this month:
I ordered a few new photos after our family pics this summer. I wanted to put a couple of them in similar frames, and our family room bookshelves are pretty small. These gold ones came in a 4 pack, and have worked out for me!
When I shared my Fall Home Tour post, I talked about the string of lights I put behind the garland on the mantle for a little extra glow. It’s actually a two pack of lights with two remotes, but I only used one for the mantle. These have been easy and perfect to use.
I have the plug in version at school with remote that I put around my white board. I love a cozy vibe even at school.
I had saved this belt bag on one of my Amazon lists quite a while ago. I used my Lululemon one quite a bit in the summer and for things like UK games and cross country meets.
This summer, my friend mentioned that she wanted a belt bag, and I told her about this quilted one that I’d saved. She ended up getting it, and it is so cute…and it’s is a little “nicer” option. I bought it this month and have already used it quite a bit.
Ready for some Saturday errands:
With some Fall Break vacation plans with warmer but not super hot summer temps, I thought this cover up would be cute to try…and could double as a dress for going out to lunch or running errands on vacation.
The length and lightweight material are perfect.
I shared this sweatshirt in last week’s Friday Favorites post, and it’s so good. It’s light weight, and I love the split hem. To me, it’s the type of sweatshirt that I can wear with leggings or with pants (or joggers) to school.
Sorry for the dirty mirror! Wanted to show you a close up the side slit.
What have you been Priming lately? Soon enough, I will be buying birthday and Christmas gifts, I’m sure!
{This post contains Amazon affiliate links…Thank you for supporting my blog!}
Well, well, well…it’s officially my favorite month of the year.
This is now my screensaver on my phone….it makes me so happy.
Ashton creates on Instagram
In honor my favorite month, which always makes me think of pumpkins, I’m sharing some of my favorite pumpkin recipes.
Pumpkin Faves:
When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of pumpkin pie. That being said, I try to at least make a pumpkin pie two or three times in October and November.
I’m team cold pumpkin pie (with a dollop of Cool Whip)…what about you?
Hadley loves to bake as much as I do, and we make thesePumpkin Sugar cookies.
I just buy a tub of icing and then sprinkle some pumpkin spice on the cookies.
If a kid hands me a fundraising sheet, and I see a Pumpkin Roll, I’m done. Sign me up.
Kroger also has them which is dangerous!
I made Shay’s pumpkin cake the past couple of years. Unfortunately, I can’t find the recipe to link up, but I’m pretty sure I used spice cake mix as the base…and a tub of frosting with a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
Pumpkin Sausage Penne Pasta is a family favorite in the fall for sure.
Trader Joe’s:
Of course, Trader Joe’s as all kinds of fall goodness, but my two “must haves” in the fall are:
Trader Joe’s muffin mix. It comes in so handy for pumpkin bread…
…or muffins.
The kids and I devour these for breakfast this time of the year. I love a pumpkin muffins with a cup of coffee on the weekends.
For as long as Trader Joe’s has them in stock, you’ll find Hadley having a pumpkin bagel and pumpkin cream cheese for breakfast. I usually have half a bagel a couple times a week for a snack!
My mom told me she’s tried this butter, and it’s so good.
I’d like to try:
I “pin” recipes on Pinterest pretty often, and have a “fall recipe” board. A few recipes I’d like to try over the next couple of months are:
How was your week? We had a really good one. It was busy of course, and I kind of hit a wall on Wednesday with life just catching up with me, but it was a really great week.
Bonus: it felt like fall all week!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
I have so many favorites to share this week.
Last Friday night was raging with a late evening trip to Trader Joe’s. My cart was full of fall goodness though…pumpkins, mums, bagels, donuts, and more.
Saturday morning’s breakfast was my favorite kind: an apple cider donut and coffee.
Travis and the kids went to the football game. The kids were early tailgaters with Travis joining them later. Hadley really does love football Saturdays in the bluegrass state.
The Major came to visit which means we had to take the traditional porch pic.
On Sunday, we went and watched Wyatt play flag football. I remember when Hayden used to play. So fun.
Hadley and I tried a new recipe: Pumpkin Crinkle cookies. We made them for Sunday night dessert, and they were so good.
Layla (and Wyatt) came over after school on Tuesday. They played outside, and Layla made an impromptu masterpiece.
It’s been spirit week in middle school this week. I joke that no one loves a theme more than a middle school girl!
Tuesday night was a big cross country meet. It was the end of the season county meet. My nephew who is becoming an amazing photographer, snapped some awesome action shots of Hayden.
…and this one of Travis and Hayden. I love it so much.
Hayden pushed himself to the max, had another PR (personal record) and placed 4th. The team placed 2nd in a very tight race. It was an exciting evening of racing. (And we were all thankful that the weather finally cooled off for a race.)
He was pretty wiped out after the race. I know he gave 110% in the race, but the next day he complained of a sore throat. Yep…Hayden’s turn for strep! (obviously not a fave…)
Wednesday I was so tired. I decided to dress really comfy to make myself feel better. Outfit courtesy of Amazon. I’ve worn these joggers a few times already, and added this light weight sweatshirt to my wardrobe. {affiliate links}
(Also, in an attempt to keep my closet tidy, I put a similar black top that’s too big in my donate pile. One in, one out!)
Favorite Mom Meme:
Daughter and Son Day sure snuck up on me! I hope the kids know I love them even if I didn’t post about them on the social medias. 😉
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
Going to Wyatt’s game was timely because this memory of Hayden popped up in my Facebook memories this week. He did flag football for two years. We loved going to his games.
Well, this is the best kind of Friday. It’s our last day of school before a week long Fall Break next week. Our district has never given us a week in the past. My previous district gave us a week, and I never really felt like I needed a whole week off at this point in the school year. That being said, I’m not mad about it! We’re looking forward to be a bit of R&R.
I should be posting pretty regularly next week, but I will just see how the week goes.
Thanks so much for reading.
{This post contains Amazon affiliate links…Thank you for supporting my blog!}
With only a couple days left in the month, it’s time for one of my favorite posts.
I’m linking up with Holly and Patty for Monthly Musings.
This month’s topic is:
If there was ever a blog post made for me…this one is it!
1. How do you decorate for fall/Halloween?
Yes! I always decorate for fall. It’s my most favorite time of the year. Last week, I shared this post with a little fall home tour.
I used to put out a few Halloween touches that I would only have out in October, but I don’t really do that anymore.
2. Do you decorate inside? Outside? Both?
Both!
These outside porch photos are from last year. My current porch is almost complete 🙂
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3. When do you do your fall decorating?
I usually wait until mid-September for the inside, and then a week later for the outside. I like to wait for the temps to cool off before putting pumpkins on the porch.
4. How do you pumpkin- decorate with pumpkins?
I’m the Oprah of pumpkins. Every space inside and out…”YOU get a pumpkin and YOU get a pumpkin!”
5. Do you add lights to your decorating?
Funny you should ask… 😉
I’ve shared about my favorite light up pumpkins from Michael’s, and they provide the perfect glow.
This year, I did add a string of lights to the mantle. They are battery operated with a remote. I just put them behind the fall garland for an extra glow.
6. Do you do anything special for Halloween dinner?
When the kids were little and we did more trick-or-treating, we’d always have friends over and have chili for dinner.
A couple of years ago when Andrea shared her “Spooky” Halloween dinner, I started making that one night for dinner close to Halloween.
It’s always fun, and I hope it’s a tradition we’ll continue even as the kids get older. It’s an easy dinner to make! I’ve also made “mummy” dogs as another option as well.
7. Favorite Halloween candy?
I’m pretty boring…I love a mini Snickers bar or a little pack of Nerds.
8. Full size or fun size candy bars?
We always buy fun size and a variety of chocolate and other candy. The kids love getting a full size bar when out trick-or-treating, of course.
9. Best fall decor tips?
A few years ago, I realized the quickest and easiest way for me to decorate is to just swap out key décor for fall décor. For example, I swap out my regular pillows and candles for seasonal ones.
Also, I take photos (or blog about) where I typically put items which makes decorating quicker year to year.
Then, last year I finally took some time to toss or donate seasonal décor that I hadn’t used for a few years. I narrowed it down to one tub for my fall decorations. (I can’t say the same about Christmas, but I will probably do that this year.) I store all my regular décor in a tub until it’s time to bring it out again in January.
10. Pumpkin spice—yes or no?
Yes…but I haven’t had a Pumpkin Spice latte in a few years. Instead I get some version of a less caloric one if I go to Starbucks. Now, as far as the spice, yes…I do love it! I put a dash of Nutmeg or Pumpkin Spice in my coffee (with a splash of creamer) every morning in the fall.
This was such a fun post to share. Fall décor is always my favorite.
Well, I wondered if I’d still have some time to read once we got back to school, and I was still able to carve out some time to get three books read. That tends to be my monthly average during the school year, so I’m glad to still have some time read.
This month I read…
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
The Younger Wife:
Summary:
THE HUSBAND A heart surgeon at the top of his field, Stephen Aston is getting married again. But first he must divorce his current wife, even though she can no longer speak for herself.
THE DAUGHTERS Tully and Rachel Aston look upon their father’s fiancée, Heather, as nothing but an interloper. Heather is younger than both of them. Clearly, she’s after their father’s money.
THE FORMER WIFE With their mother in a precarious position, Tully and Rachel are determined to get to the truth about their family’s secrets, the new wife closing in, and who their father really is.
THE YOUNGER WIFE Heather has secrets of her own. Will getting to the truth unleash the most dangerous impulses in all of them?
Quick Thoughts:
I’ve read a few books by Sally Hepworth, and I’d waited quite a while to read this one. I really enjoyed it. I loved the structure of the book with the viewpoints of the younger wife, former wife, and daughters. This was a good suspenseful read. I don’t have any experience with dementia and struggled a bit with idea of Stephen marrying while still being married to his first wife. That idea just felt a bit rushed. That being said, there was quite a bit going on in the story with family tension, shoplifting, health issues, and more. It was a quick read for me!
Rating:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo:
Summary:
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
Quick Thoughts:
Again, I’ve ready quite a few books by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and have loved them all. This book was recommended to me by a colleague, and I was one the waitlist for the Kindle copy. I was intrigued by the idea of a glimpse into Evelyn’s life and her many marriages. That being said, I wasn’t expecting to each marriage to be so different and serve a different purpose. The underlying plot learning about Monique’s life and some parallels to Evelyn also made this book very interesting. There was heartache, happy, and lots of of husbands! Definitely put this one on your reading list.
Rating:
Twenty Years Later:
Summary:
Hiding her own dark past in plain sight, a TV reporter is determined to uncover the truth behind a gruesome murder decades after the investigation was abandoned. But TWENTY YEARS LATER, to understand the present, you need to listen to the past…
Avery Mason, host of American Events, knows the subjects that grab a TV audience’s attention. Her latest story—a murder mystery laced with kinky sex, tragedy, and betrayal—is guaranteed to be ratings gold. New DNA technology has allowed the New York medical examiner’s office to make its first successful identification of a 9/11 victim in years. The twist: the victim, Victoria Ford, had been accused of the gruesome murder of her married lover. In a chilling last phone call to her sister, Victoria begged her to prove her innocence.
Emma Kind has waited twenty years to put her sister to rest, but closure won’t be complete until she can clear Victoria’s name. Alone she’s had no luck, but she’s convinced that Avery’s connections and fame will help. Avery, hoping to negotiate a more lucrative network contract, goes into investigative overdrive. Victoria had been having an affair with a successful novelist, found hanging from the balcony of his Catskills mansion. The rope, the bedroom, and the entire crime scene was covered in Victoria’s DNA.
But the twisted puzzle of Victoria’s private life just the beginning. And what Avery doesn’t realize is that there are other players in the game who are interested in Avery’s own secret past—one she has kept hidden from both the network executives and her television audience. A secret she thought was dead and buried . . .
Quick Thoughts:
This book was one that Bev shared on Insta stories and blog, and I immediately added it to my list. It’s still so chilling for me to read books that reference 9/11, but this book was definitely a page turner. There were quite a few characters to keep up with, so it took a few chapters to keep things straight. That being said, the chapters were so short and I think that helped moved the plot along. This book had many twists and turns and I enjoyed seeing it all come together in the end.
Rating:
Overall, it was a great month of reading! I’m hoping with Fall Break next week that I can read a bit more…I have the goal of four books this month.
Today’s Tuesday Talk is about a new app my family has been using…
…called the Cozi app.
I often send my kids (and Travis) texts with reminders for things like practices and upcoming tests. This year, I thought we’d try the Cozi app. I honestly didn’t know much about it, but I knew it was a way for stay organized and keep the family informed. I created an account, and had everyone download the app. I invited Travis to use the app via email, and the kids just used my log in info for access.
Here’s a sample week on Cozi (not my family!)…
A few things about Cozi:
I assigned each family member a color. There’s also a color for “everyone” in case the whole family needs to know. When you create an event, it’s basically like entering an event on your phone calendar. You can enter the event, location, time, and add notes if needed. Then, I click who is going, and it’s color coded.
Anyone can add to the calendar, and I’ve encouraged the kids (and Trav…haha) to add to it as things pop up whether that’s a test or a Student Council meeting. You can also set a reminder to the events just like on the calendar.
Emails are sent weekly with everything on the calendar for that week. That being said, since my kids weren’t invited via email, they don’t get those emails like Travis and I do. I just encourage them to check the app every Sunday and then daily as well just for reminders.
There’s also a place for lists…
Shopping lists: grocery, wholesale, other. This has actually come in handy because the kids will add in things like “toothpaste” or “Doritos,” and I check that part of the app when placing my grocery order.
To Do- There’s a “shared to do” list and then one for myself…I guess because I have the account. We haven’t used the lists as much, but I may use it for weekly chores like putting up clothes or taking out the trash.
I haven’t used it, but there’s also a “recipes” tab with quite a few recipes. If you choose a recipe, you can also add those ingredients to your grocery list.
We use Cozi for practice and dance schedule, test dates, doctor appointments and even things like UK football games, birthday parties and more. You can mark an event as “repeating,” and it plugs it in for each week. So, for example, Hadley’s dance is always on the same nights every week, and I only had to enter them once.
We have the free version, but I think it’s $30/a year that has other features like a monthly view, reminders, and a birthday tracker.
I’ve heard other busy families talk about “shared calendars,” but we’ve never done that. I kind of like keeping my phone calendar to myself because I have so many reminders and other things I put in it. This app, being separate, has been really nice.
Between the weekly paper calendar on the fridge with activities and what we are having for dinner and the Cozi app, hopefully we won’t miss any appointments or activities!
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