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