sayonara summer

1. We asked but didn't expect the sellers to leave this swing set so when they DID ... we were so excited. I envisioned hours of entertainment for the kids and memories made and etc etc etc. And it's not like the kids don't love and spend time on the swing set it's just that they've spent triple (or more?) the time playing in this little playhouse that was also left behind. Good lesson for my future self if she ever finds herself in the market to buy a fancy play structure ... (whispers: don't do it! Kidding! Mostly!).

2. We're finishing up the second full week of school and so far? So good. I'd say Simon and I are the ones having a difficult time adjusting to getting out the door on time and lunches made the night before and not the morning of. The kids are loving being in class with their (second) cousins and having the same teachers that Simon and his siblings had just a few (ha) years ago. Phoebe starts preschool next week and I don't know that there's ever been a kid more excited to start school than that girl. Full report coming next week.

3. Did you hear the rumblings that the next Bachelor will be announced on GMA this coming Tuesday and if the rumors are true ... it's going to be Colton. No thanks. Will I still watch? Begrudgingly. He's grown on me a bit in paradise but not enough to fill the Bachelor shoes. We'll see! Hopefully the rumors are wrong. Fingers extra crossed.

4. So I picked up Anita Shreve's A Change in Altitude from our little free library down the street and I was cautiously pessimistic but a few pages in and I'm really liking it -- proving myself wrong already.

5. Now that the house is pretty much completely painted I'm slowly starting to get things on the walls and I was SO delighted to see that my friend from our St. Louis days opened a shop of gorgeous prints galore. I've had it open in my browser for days trying to narrow down my picks. This weekend! Decision time. Definitely. (But how wonderful would the Magi print be for a Christmas gift? Too perfect). She has no idea I'm writing this - just sharing the good word/print here :)

6. Alright, maybe you caught it on IG but I reported back on how much I LOVE the jeans I was curious about a few weeks ago. Totally doable for maternity and will be so wonderful postpartum. I will definitely go up a size for the third trimester but they fit pretty true to size for now and are super comfortable. And now you know!

7. Any big holiday weekend sales you've spotted + worth sharing? I'm hoping this specific top magically goes on super sale (this one too! but it's not looking likely) and I'm hoping to find a rug for the dining room (something pretty neutral like this - which feels hypocritical since we spent weeks painting the brown and beige out of the house but want to hang some colorful art on the walls and paint an old buffet a fun color so ... balance!) but other than that ... I'm going to steer clear. I think!

I hope you have a wonderful long weekend! TGIF

back to blogging

One of those bizarrely miraculous and almost harmonious + quiet magical moments captured on e-film. . .

Children Reading Quietly c. 2018.

1. I'm just going to keep telling myself that I'm going to have time to blog more once the kids are back in school and cackle once I realize it was a nice little lie I told myself when it doesn't actually happen but .... this week! Back to school! Let's see what happens, Patton.

2. Speaking of back to school ... I hope I'm not the only one that has yet to do a lick of back to school supplies shopping and realized that supplies were supposed to be dropped off at the back to school open house that happened yesterday? Hoping ...

3. It wouldn't be a summer 2k18 blog post if I didn't give you a painting update and I'm thrilled to report that we only have our room left to paint. Well, and our bathroom but for the sake of sanity let's just say, "ONE ROOM". Celebratory dance. I thought Simon was going to keel over when I casually mentioned I still wanted to paint a few dressers yesterday but the end! It is NEAR. Now, to start the endless deliberations about where to hang things and what to do with all of our newfound freetime in the evenings (Bachelor in Paradise - duh).

4. Becca's finale ... I have to say that I started writing this post a few days ago and her finale already feels like last year's news but ... I press on. I have to say that they seem happy! I was really hoping she'd choose Blake but I think he's in the running along with five other guys to be the Bachelor. I'm on the, "anyone but Jason or Colton" train but ... we ALL know I'll watch regardless of who it is.

5. Alright, I finally finished Summer Wives (and I'm in the market for a new book if you've read anything fun and zippy lately!) and it was good! Not great. I think because I've read a few of her books (my favorite!) before it felt a little bit formulaic and I saw the ending coming from several chapters away but I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for something fun but not too beach read-y.

6. These jeans caught my eye during the Nordstrom Sale but they sold out SUPER fast but they're restocked and the number of positive reviews is impressive, to say the least. I'm going to give them a whirl and shall report back with my findings. I'm also eying this cardigan but I'm still in summer mode and not waving my autumnal white flag quite yet.

7. Simon accused me of being "new school" and not announcing baby #7 over here on the blog but on Instagram instead to which I have to say .... touché. New school it is!! We appreciate all of the excitement and we can't wait for January :)

Have a wonderful weekend. Hope any back-to-schooling went well in your neck of the woods!!