Gobble Gobble

How's that for a post-Thanksgiving blog post title?

Shake it shake it.

There, now it's reached its full potential and it'll all be downhill from here.

1. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We hosted my family here but had quite a bit of help from my mom on the food front so I don't really feel like we can take much credit for hosting duties! It's such a strange but great feeling living soclose to family for the holidays and I hope that those of you that don't were able to celebrate with friends or travel to feast, at the very least! Phoebe called everyone's place cards, "credit cards" and marched Uncle Daniel right on up to her room where her tattered Target toy catalogue resides, to show him her Christmas hopes and dreams of the tangible variety so it's nice to know my kids are really embracing the reason for the season - finally. It's also nice to know that I've really mastered not throwing down a good old fashioned run-on sentence. My apologies.

2. We didn't have snow this week but we did last week and most of the kids were thrilled. Bosco had a hard time with the concept that if you remove your gloves and then put your hands in the snow - they'll get cold. I think he's learning though ... I hope. They might've been the only kids that tromped off the school in bonafide snow boots for a few inches of powder but better safe than sorry, I suppose.

3. I'm trying really hard just to chill on the house project front for a little bit (although -- surely painting some book shelves wouldn't be that much time + effort, right?) and I should have bathroom photos back any day now to share with you so gird those expectations. I've also never ever been an early Christmas decor kind of gal (although the new trend seems to be tree rightafterhalloween) but I'm wondering if a (faux) garland here and a string of lights there wouldn't hurt? Just until the advent of ... Advent 2K18?

4. Bookwise, I'm reading A Christmas Memory for book club and still working my way through Elin's latest. I'm not winning any speed reading awards but I'd rather be falling right to sleep than staying up until the wee hours at this point in pregnancy. Speaking of the baby, I just realized this is the first cold weather newborn we've had in six years (since Theo!) and I'm wondering if you have any favorite cold weather baby gear? We will not be heading out on any snow shoeing expeditions so "gear" might be dramatic but you know, everyday helpers for a mom hailing from the dark ages here. Joke. Sort of.

5. Also, speaking of the baby (and therefor mememememememeME) my favorite non-maternity but work really well for maternity pants are 33% off right now. They are worth every penny of the full price, though. I did go up one size for this third trimester but the super soft interior elastic waistband -- it's a miracle worker. Between those and this tank ... maternity dressing hasn't been the horror show that it can be for me. Don't let the pic on the model fool you -- they are GOOD. Pregnant, not pregnant, postpartum, whatever. Best denim on the market.

6. Black Friday sales are feeling a little on the overwhelming side this year as suddenly they seemed to have started at the beginning of the week? I'm staying focused on my quest for requested golf shoes for Simon, a (potential!!) Roomba for um, the family, and a Really Rad Robot for Sebastian who wants one. Really Bad. And I'm suddenly realizing might be really hard to find. Oops. I've yet to hop on the Instant Pot bandwagon but I know this is an amazing steal and there are a few car seats that are 50% off right now. Am I an exciting shopper or am I an exciting shopper? Don't answer that.

7. You can't beat the J.Crew 50% off sale especially since they're including boots which they rarely to never do. And some of the Macy's kitchen sales are kind of insane ($17.99 from $79.99?!) ($29.99 from $119.99?!) but I'll stop there before I become part of the overwhelming problem.

Happy looooong weekend!!!

Novembrrr

Shortly before it started snowing.

YAY.

1. The kids were so excited for an actual winter until they realized that it involved freezing cold weather for an extended period of time and then their inner mother came out to play and realize that it's not alllllll it's cracked up to be. They'll learn to love it. Or hate it like I do. Kidding! Semi. Mostly. Somewhat.

2. I touched on this last week and this is definitely less riveting than weather prattle but how is it that we're staring down the last full week of school before the week of Thanksgiving is upon us? I don't know. We're all so excited because my siblings are making the trek to Wichita we get to meet the one and only baby Seaton cousin, Damien. Abe has a difficult time showing restraint and appropriate affection (oh, I can't lightly-pat-quickly-crescendoing-into-a-hard-hit this adorable cherub?!) around babies so it'll be a nice little practice run for January.

3. On the house project front - I am making progress! Giving myself the old, 'sprint not a race' pep talk but I do think things are coming along at an average clip. I'm finally getting a photographer over here this coming week so I can show and not just tell you about it. And by progress we all know I just mean paint but .... it makes a difference! Or so I tell myself and Simon who claims he'll come home to painted kids and a painted car one of these days. Har. Har. Har.

4. I started reading Winter In Paradise and I really like it but I could be reading the most riveting tail in all of the land and it would still put me to sleep two paragraphs in (which I appreciate since any measures I can take to prevent insomnia are most welcome!). I cannot wait for Crazy Rich Asians to be available on Amazon to watch/rent since that was one of my favorite books last year.

5. The holiday sales are heating up and for once I'm not ignoring them because I'd like to have things all wrapped and ready to go early on so we can enjoy Advent and Christmas break this year (not that we haven't in past year - you KNOW what I mean). I've been needing to fill a few outerwear holes since we moved and was THRILLED to see that all coats and jackets (and sweaters and denim!) are 50% off right now. I snagged this one for Julia, this one for Simon, and if I'm being honest ... this one for myself. After nixing several pairs of denim - the girls finally settled on not just tolerating but even loving these (soft but structured - not leggings territory). Yee Haw.

6. Our dining room chairs (a monthS long search) are 40% off (!!!) at the moment and I can't say enough about them - aesthetic + quality + wipe-down-ability (most important?) are all A+. They're even taller than this fancy pair I kept coming back to (but could/would never pull the trigger on for obvious price reasons) and this is one case where I think I like the "save" option so much better!! All of their furniture is on sale - hold me back.

7. J.Crew Factory is having a flash sale and I'm glad I waited on grabbing black flats for the girls because while these are nice and simple - the back bow makes them just the right amount of fancy, Phoebe-approved for SURE.

Alright, that's allllllll folks!

Happy Weekend. Stay warm. 

check it up check it in

checking in!

our 3948239804th trip to Lowes since July.

1. Even Julia remarked, "October flew by!" yesterday which ... I have to admit is an actual truth and not just a feeling. Flew!! Before we know it we'll wonder where Advent and Christmas went but I'm going to fight the rush with all my might because we might as well enjoy the season, right? Right, Grace. We're not to Thanksgiving so let's hold those horses. But, it does feel like all of a sudden everything is happening at lightning speed.

2. I'm counting our blessings that we had a relatively warm Halloween as I remember lots of cold ones growing up (in New Mexico, not Kansas -- but still!) and that the kids seemed to have a LOT more fun handing out candy than they did trick-or-treating. We made the neighborhood rounds and they made out just fine but Phoebe loved getting in everyone's face and telling them how much she loved their costume before thrusting candy in their bag. She also told me that if we share hair brushes I might give her diabetes so -- her statements can't be trusted. (I don't have diabetes - or lice ... I don't think).

3. House projects are coming along! The pink bathroom is pretty much finished. Or, as finished as it'll be. I'll write a post all about the floor stenciling but a month in - the floors have held up beautifully against the frequent bath splashing and unfortunate (but not accidental?) toilet misses. I'm JUST about finished painting the master bathroom tile (you can see it in the tile painting highlight on my IG) but ... it's taken triple the time I thought it would and while it's a HUGE improvement ... it's still painted tile (but I would do it again! it looks SO MUCH BETTER). Done shouting :).

4. We (or um, I) rounded the 30 week mark this past week, had an ultrasound - and the baby is measuring niiiiiice and big. This makes me think more boy only because Abe was our biggest by far but Simon says he puts no stock in that (what does he know?). I think it's more power of suggestion because I really was feeling totally fine until this week but suddenly I feel like I'm lumbering around and wondering how much bigger this baby can get (MUCH MUCH bigger - I know). But, aside from terrible heartburn (that I'm taking the ACV route to combat) ... I really am feeling mostly fine!

5. I don't have any fun books to report on ... I spend most evenings looking for very specific lighting fixtures (this one? orrrr ooooh look at this cool shop! for that room? etc etc) for various parts of the house but I should be reading My Name is Asher Liev for book club but I ... uh ... have not. Simon and I did start watching A Million Little Things and Simon says he's giving it two more episodes before he declares it to be too slow but I like it! I also really want to see a Star is Born and might even go to a movie theater for the first time in five years to do so. Living LARGE.

6. Alright definitely an odd one to share and I wouldn't if I didn't love them SO much but these undies from AE might be my favorite purchase of 2k18. Super stretchy and soft and a pregnant and postpartum lady's bff+e.

7. If you're in the Christmas pj market - these are 30% off today! We have a few pairs from when Julia was a baby and they are still kicking! Unfaded, not stretched out, etc. They (fortunately - for comfort's sake) are not made of solid gold but sometimes it seeeems like the might be, figuratively. Also, 40% off Fall Favorites right on over here. Woo to the Hoo.

BONUS - I've been waiting for MONTHS for this rug to come back in stock. It's so pretty and depending on how you view neutrals it can totally be a neutral in a darker or bold colored room - so, so pretty! The (short lol) runner is especially affordable. Okay - end bonus.

Alright, TGIF!!