Love this.

It's Fall Ya'll!

I am so excited about the start of Autumn. 

It hasn't really affected the temperatures around here yet, but knowing that it will makes me super happy.

As I was grocery shopping last week, I noticed that the pumpkins are out. The pumpkins are out!!! 

I am so anxious to buy a few packs and bring out the fall decorations!

Because I get stuck in the same decorating funk every year, I have been scouring the internet for fall inspiration decor- check out some adorable things that I have found...

Candy corn candle holder filler
The only problem is that you couldn't eat it. Bummer.

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Ribbon/ Fringe Pumpkins
Would these not look perfect on my mantle? And she used fake pumpkins so they would look perfect next year and the next too!

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Pumpkin tablescape
I wish that you could pick pumpkins like you pick flowers in your yard.... well I guess you actually can, but I mean I wish you could for free. Because then everyone who entered my house would get a pumpkin with their initial on it. No matter the occasion.
AND check out those precious white pumpkins as centerpieces. Adorable.

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Orange and blue fall tablescape
Forgiving the fact that my Tigers haven't really given us a lot of reason to celebrate this season, it still stands that ARE Auburn Tigers and we WILL root for our boys. That being said, I love this idea for subtle Auburn with heavy fall (though I don't think it was what the blogger was going for). It's a great mix since we are only 1/2 way through the season and I am antsy to mix the two.

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Pumpkins and wheat
This is just pretty- classic fall. And those pumpkins are pretty adorable.

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How are you decorating for fall?

Baby Needs List- 1 year later

As I think about the things we registered for vs. what we have used the most over the past year, it is really an interesting combination. We were so blessed to receive so much of what we needed at our showers but have picked up several things along the way.

As a year in review, here is a quick list of the things we love- again, it is just our opinion, but these have proved tried and true with EA!

Food/Accessories

Dr. Brown's bottles

Hospital grade breast pump-

I understand that lots of people have lots of opinions about breastfeeding. I also know that it doesn't always work out- not bc some girls are wimps or that they just can't handle it, but bc everyone is made different. This breast pump allowed me to give as much as I could to EA for the first few weeks of her life and I am incredibly grateful for that opportunity. The whole thing was honestly heartbreaking and ridiculously difficult for me emotionally and physically. When we have a second child, I will plan in the budget to rent this pump for the entire month. I just will.  

*On a side note, if you are a new mom struggling with breast feeding and want a friend, I totally get it and would love to talk! Just shoot me an email!*

Enfamil Gentlease-

Once again, I realize everyone has a different experience. Because I was unable to bf for very long, this formula was great- it was gentle on her stomach. Not cheap, but that's life. After she started eating table foods, we did transition to the normal yellow box of Enfamil.

A food processor- 

It's useful around the house and can make baby food!

Gerber Yogurt Blends

Gerber (or whatever is on sale :) ) baby food pouches-

EA no longer likes veggies, but she does like these that include fruit and veggies. They are also fabulous to throw in the diaper bag on a busy day- easy, clean, and tasty!

Furniture/ Big Items

Crib

Travel System-

We opted for the Chicco® Cortino Key Fit 30 travel system and loved it. The system came with a stroller, carseat, and carseat base. The stroller is kind of heavy but I love shopping with it. I dread the day I don't have a stroller to hold my drink, bags, and child while walking around the mall.

We have just transitioned EA into her "big girl" carseat, but also loved the carseat that came with this system. I never once questioned the safety of my child. Beyond that, it was easy to get her in and out- though it did get heavier as she got bigger... imagine that.

Swing-

We got our swing at a consignment sale. It was a good deal and served us well with EA. The only problem I found with our swing was that it was battery powered- the size was great, but I would have preferred for it to plug in.

Pack N Play-

We use a Graco Pack N Play. Ours has the newborn napper and changing station, which was great for that first week when she slept in our room. 

This isn't ours, but it's similar.

Humidifier-

We use the Crane Cool Mist Humidifier. This thing worked wonders during those winter months when it seemed like she would never stop having colds.

Toys

Piano-

We have several friends who had the Fisher-Price Interactive Baby Grand Piano, so we decided to try it out. EA loves it. It is great for sitting, but she still loves to play with it now that she is pulling up. Warning- if your child is pulling up on it, it can be kind of top heavy, so they might fall over. We put ours against the wall. *They have these at consignment sales all over the place, check there before buying full price!

Stuffed animals

Board books

Jesus Storybook Bible

We love to read this little Bible to EA. Each story, both Old Testament and New, relate back to Jesus. Such a fabulous foundation, even at a few months old.

Fisher-Price Little People Noah Ark

EA loves the size of these sweet animals and flirts with Noah all day long... or chews on him.... She also loves to open the doors and put all the animals back in.

We haven't given it to her yet, but we also got the Fisher-Price Little People Nativity set. I love that they make these toys that center around stories from the Bible. 

Lego Duplos-

Brian swears they are better than Megablocks because they work better with real Legos. EA likes to break apart whatever you are building, empty the container, then put the Legos back in.

Stacking cups

Misc

Diaper Genie-

I swore I didn't need one of these things. Fancy expensive trash cans with fancy expensive bags. Then we had a normal trash can for 11 months full of stinky wet diapers.... not poop diapers because we brought them out to the trash can. Every. Single. Time. I bought a Diaper Genie and our house smells fresh again. I am seriously considering buying one for our kitchen trash.

Nuk Pacifiers

Blankets-

We love the Carter's Swaddle Blankets and the Adin and Anais Muslin Swaddle Blankets- both are large and lightweight, perfect for the Alabama heat.

Carter's Footie Pajamas- with buttons

 Adin and Anais Sleep Sack-

These are fabulous because EA can't keep a blanket covering her at night, she tosses and turns too much. This is an excellent solution!

Quilt for fire place-

When we moved into our house, the people before us had the padding on our fireplace. There is still residue from that padding. When EA started getting mobile, we put a quilt, double layered on the fireplace for a short term fix, and it ended up being long-term. It's soft and offers a little padding, but comes off very easily and doesn't leave residue!

KidCo Gateway Pressure Mount Gate-

We put one of these gates up in the opening between our living room/dining room and the rest of the house and it has been glorious. EA has a nice LARGE space to play that is super safe and she can't get in the kitchen. Fabulous. It also doesn't hurt our door frame because it is pressure mount- it also doesn't fall down, which was the problem we found with the more traditional gate.

I am sure there are a hundred things that are not on this list, but these are a few of our favorite. If you are a new mom, I hope the list helps! 

Have a great day!

Currently.

Currently.

Current book(s)

I'm reading this with my sweet friend Kelsey... very convicting with lots of great points, but I'm not loving the writing. Completely my own personal opinion

I refuse to give up children's books just because I'm not teaching anymore. This was the 2010 Newbery Award winner for anyone who's interested.

Current playlist
Chuck Hooten's new worship album, Home. It's awesome.

Current color

This awesome neutral gray I found on Pinterest. After further investigation, the site also has a fun home tour!!

Current food
Chuy's salsa and fresh chip. 

Current favorite show(s)
The Big Bang Theory and Jane By Design

Current needs
To vacuum more- crawling = eating everything EA finds on the floor.

Current bane of my existence
Power cords. Another problem from crawling.

Current #1 blessing

Love these two so very much.

Current indulgence
Milo's Sweet Tea

Current outfit
Brown/Gray skirt from Banana Republic Outlet and light blue shirt from TJ Maxx

Current excitement
I'm getting a pedicure tomorrow and heading to the beach next week!!

Current mood
Excited for the weekend- I'm anxious to spend some time with my hubs!

Current favorite quote or verse

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Current wishlist item

Have you seen this amazing playhouse at Handmade Home? I want to go up there and read.

Current favorite product

I love this hair gel for curly haired days- not too crunchy with just the right wave/curl mix!

Want to join us? 

Favorite Things Party

This morning I was browsing through some of my favorite blogs and came upon this post at The Nesting Place.

Uh. Yes please.

In the post, she talks about a get together based on Oprah's Favorite Things episode, where everyone brings their favorite thing to share with the people at the party. The items do not have to be expensive or fancy, just fun! I *love* this idea and am dying to have a Favorite Things Party of my own!

In addition, The Nester is hosting a fun link party where we share some of our favorite things under $30-
Here are some of mine!

#1. Tyler Candles. These candles smell amazing and last forever! They have a ton of great smells, but my personal favorite is Fleur de Lis.


#2- Coffee-mate Sweet Italian Creme creamer. This creamer is so tasty! It reminds me of my dad making me coffee when I was little- I just add a little more coffee now!


#3- Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Extreme Wear: First Blush. This color simply adds a bit of gloss to the natural. It makes your nails really strong and is perfect for the every day!


#4- Nivea Chapstick. Basically, it feels like silk on your lips. Heavenly.


#5- The Cocomotion Hot Chocolate Maker. This is a smidge over the $30 max value, but is totally worth the price. With a mixture of milk, water, and hot chocolate powder, you will have the best cup of hot chocolate you have ever tasted. It mixes and warms at the same time to create the perfect temperature with the perfect flavor.

What are some of your favorite things? Head over and link up! 

The Pumpkin Patch

Today after church, Brian, EA, and I headed out to the pumpkin patch. I can't swear that I had ever been to one before- and if I had, it was nowhere near as legit as this one.

After parking and going in, we road a hayride out to this huge open field of pumpkins of the vine. It was so fun... and fally! I must have looked for the perfect pumpkin for at least 30 minutes. The options were endless- orange pumpkins, green pumpkins, striped, multi-colored, big, small, flat, tall, skinny.... you get the idea. We both ended up with orange/green pumpkins that were just the right shape and size. After we picked our pumpkins, we jumped back on the hayride to head back. We then made our way through some fair foods (fried pies and boiled peanuts!) and a huge corn maze.

EA basically rocked the pumpkin patch. She got a bit fussy once we got out there, so we hid behind a shrub and fed her and she cheered right up! She was definitely the cutest baby there :)

It was an absolutely perfect fall day. I can't wait until she is a bit older so she can enjoy it as much as we did!

 Surrounded by pumpkins

I have been dying for her to wear these boots, and I almost waited too long... the left one keeps trying to fall off! I love this picture though... so cute!

The fam with Brian's pumpkin. I was still deciding at that point.

Be still my heart.

Have a great week my friends!

Liebster Blog Award

Today, my blog friend Chrissy informed me that I was one of 5 ladies to win the Liebster Blog Award! This sweet award is given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The word liebster is a German word that means dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, and many many other like words. I am so grateful to Chrissy for this precious award and am excited to bestow it on some of my favorite blogs! Thank you Chrissy!!

As a way to keep the award going, the recipients of this award are to nominate 5 outstanding bloggers with less than 200 followers.

The rules of the Liebster Blog Award are to link back to the blogger who gave it to you, reveal your top 5 bloggers and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog, copy and paste the award on your blog. Finally, have faith that your followers will spread the word too!

Here are my 5 favorite blogs in no particular order!

1. Kathryn at And Baby Makes Three. I have mentioned Kathryn in several other posts- I have been following her for a little over two years and adore her blog! She clearly loves the Lord, her husband, and her sweet little girl Madelyn. Her pictures are fabulous and her posts are such fun!

2. Brittney at Far More Than Rubies. Brittney and I became bloggy friends when I first started blogging and I have loved following her. After living practically all over North America :), Brittney, her husband, and their sweet little girl are now living and working overseas. Brittney is such a talented writer and such a fun blogger! Her love for the Lord and her hilarious stories make her so much fun to follow!

3. Rebecca at Tales from the Taffs. Rebecca and I met at Auburn flag try-outs our senior year in high school. She is still one of my most dear friends, though we don't get to see each other near as much as I'd like. Rebecca's blog is a fun smorgesboard of funny stories, creative tidbits, and fun updates on her sweet son Eli! 

4. Brittany at A Merry Heart. Brittany is such a blessing to me! Her faith in the Lord is unwavering and she continually praises Him and gives Him the glory through her blog. She posts great updates on her adorable little girl Lily and excellent stories of how God is working in her life. Her blog is such an encouragement!

5. Kelsey at A Time of All Sweet Things. Kelsey was one of my senior girls in my first core group 4 years ago. Since starting at Auburn, she has also started an adorable blog with fun craft and cooking projects, great stories, and humorous updates on her life. I love her creativity and spunk for life!

Thanks again Chrissy for this wonderful award! Check out these great bloggers and see what all the fun's about!!

Courageous

Friday night, Brian's parents kept EA and Brian and I enjoyed a date night. We had dinner on our own, then headed to the theater to see Courageous with some friends. This was by far the best movie I have seen in a long time. It was heart breaking, hilarious, and challenging. We have full intentions of seeing it again to be sure to catch what we missed the first time. We certainly recommend it!

Have a great night!

Terrific Tuesday

Happy Tuesday!! 

I don't actually have one topic to blog on today, but a random sequence of things on my mind. 

1. 

I adore the way she is looking at the camera here!

2. 

My baby is a month old. She's incredible. But a month old!? Really?! 

3.

I dropped the ball on last week's Football Friday post. So sorry about that. I plan to be back with my weekly recipes on Friday!!

4. 

Brian is out of town a lot of this week so my mom is hanging out with me. Our list of things to do is a mile long. My mom is fabulous with a sewing machine so 

this

and these

are both on my list.

5.

Since it is October, one of my favorite coffee shops, O' Henry's, has hot apple cider. I can't wait to go and get some. Last year, I stopped almost every day on my way to school to get a cup. Kind of expensive, but it was a luxury I could only enjoy in Oct. so I didn't feel so bad.

6.

I have officially had 2 sales at my Etsy shop! I recently added some new items that are super cute, so go check them out! 

Here is my favorite...

7.

Gifted is less than a month away. Eek!

8.

I love bath time.

9. 

I really enjoy spending time with friends. It's fabulous to catch up and to be encouraged. Praise the Lord that He gives us a support system here on Earth.

10.

Actually, there is no 10. I just didn't feel right leaving it blank.

Have a great night friends!

The last goodbye.

Friday night, as part of our anniversary date, Brian took me to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2. For anyone who has been following this blog for any amount of time, you know how I feel about Harry. Sigh. 

Overall, the movie was okay. I adore the books so I tend to be pretty picky about how the movie plays out in terms of the book's plot. I get irritated when they change or leave out certain parts of the story because the books were good. They were truly fabulous writing and did not need Hollywood (or in this case, England) to change them to make them better. This one was good for a movie, but as a representative of the book, it flew through some of the major parts of the book and left out some of the emotional elements that make me want to reread the series again and again.

So, at 6:40 on Friday night, Harry Potter was concluded for me. I won't lie- there were a few tears. It isn't about the movies or a surprise ending, because that's the fun of books that become movies- you already know what's going to happen. But it dawned on me after the movie that this series, along with my children's media class at Auburn, is part of the reason I chose to major in educational media for my masters. These books that I have invested in again and again and again helped me build relationships with my students. They helped me realize again how good children's literature can be. They showed me how important it is for children to find books that they can make connections to and therefore continue to enjoy reading as they progress through school and into adulthood. These books inspired me to reread fabulous books like The Mixed Up Filed of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and do author studies on people like Roald Dahl or Dr. Seuss. They changed my thoughts on children's literature and helped me find a true passion in children's books and reading. I am thankful that Rebecca introduced these books to me my junior year at Auburn because it really isn't about the movies, nor is it really about this particular book series, but about how great books can draw a person in and build READERS. 

Happy Sunday everyone!

The Bitter Berry Boutique

Recently, I have been in a hairbow obsession. I look at every outfit I buy for Emily Ann and try to decide which color bow or headband would go BEST with the outfit. Weird? Possibly. Fun? Absolutely! I have seen a lot of the crocheted headbands to attach bows to, but really wanted the elastic headbands that don't leave a mark.

As I have mentioned in the past, And Baby Makes Three is one of my absolute favorite blogs. Kathryn is amazing and is so in love with the Lord, her husband, and her daughter. She is a fabulous photographer and sewer (as in person who sews, not a place where gross stuff goes... what is the correct word for that?). I have been following her and her sister's Facebook shop, The Bitterberry Boutique, for awhile, but haven't been able to figure out how to buy from her since I am not on Facebook or in Texas. They make the cutest bows, headbands, and clothes ever! A week or so ago, I went to her shop and found she had started an Etsy shop- *SCORE!*

I ordered a plethora of newborn/ infant headbands plus two super cute burp cloths. I am holding off on ordering clothes until I see how big she is, but I am so excited to see the hairbands on Emily Ann! Check out my goodies! The items are so well made and are precious!

Check out Kathryn's Etsy shop, Bitterberry Boutique, to see more of her wonderful creations! I promise you won't be disappointed!

Happy Weekend friends!