Fall decor!

As you may have gathered, this chick LOVES fall!  And what could be more fun than decorating for fall?  ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.  OK, maybe decorating for Christmas.  But that's it!  Today I'm showing you a little of the fall decor we have up around the house.  Enjoy!

Have you decorated for fall?

Finally fall!

Fall weather has finally arrived and I could not be happier!  It's like the crisp autumn air rejuvenates my mind and my soul!  My entire body just feels better.  I let the chill seep deep into my bones and it feels good.  I hate being hot.  I hate being sweaty and sticky.   From the months of June to August you will likely find me inside, basking in the breeze of my central air.  When it's hot, I don't feel like exercising.  I don't feel like going outside. If there's not a cool body of water involved, I don't wanna do it.  But once the 60 and 70 degree temps hit, I am ready to roll!  Let's go for a walk!  Let's go for a bike ride!  Let's play outside!  Let's hit the apple orchard!  Let's jump in a pile of leaves!

And the beauty this time of year...the beauty can be just breathtaking!   Fall foliage is one of the best parts about living in the northeast.  Never have you seen such striking reds, oranges and yellows splashed against a bright blue sky.

So bring on the scarves, the sweaters, the cozy PJs and pumpkin spice lattes!  I have been waiting all year for you!  Just don't leave too soon...I'm not ready for winter!

Fridays Favorites

It's that time of the week again!  Read on for my favorites!

1. After dinner bike rides
This is my favorite time of year.  It's when I get outside the most because I love the weather!  And one of my favorite things to do is a walk/bikeride with the dogs and my kiddos.

2.  Flowers from my little guy
I came home from work today and was immediately presented with these beautiful flowers, hand picked by my son at daycare. He was so proud and happy to give them to me.  It was the sweetest thing ever!

3.  I was featured at A Brownie World!
My sweet friend Amanda featured me on her blog this week.  How cool is that?!  Can check out her post and be sure to look around her blog while you're there!
Link to post here

4. Mug swaps
As many of you know, I simply can't resist a blogger swap!  And mug swaps are definitely my favorite! We just got our partners and I am so excited to get to know my swap buddy and send and receive a fun mug package!

5.  THIS

There you have it!  

So what are you looking forward to this weekend?  Saturday the weather is looking pretty much perfect and I'm hoping to get some apple picking in after soccer!

Linking up with Andrea at Momfessionals

Thursday Reveals

Welcome to the latest installment of Thursday Reveals!  OK, its actually the FIRST installment, but I'm hoping this will become a monthly thing. What's this all about you wonder?  What am I revealing? Secrets?  Scandals?  Highly classified top secret previously deleted emails?  You'll just have to read on to find out!

So without further ado, I bring you...
Thursday Reveals...

I have been stumped by my son's 1st grade math homework.  Yup.  Second week in. There were triangles and squares and blanks and I'm not quite sure how we were supposed to come up with a numerical answer from that.  Stupid common core!

I bought an ice cream cone on the way home from work today and drove around for an extra 10 minutes to eat it so my kids wouldn't ask for one and I wouldn't have to share.  This wasn't the first time I have done this either.

I already bought my kids' Halloween costumes.  Even more embarrassing, I have started my Christmas shopping.  I can't help it.  I'm a planner!

I am in love with Patrick Dempsey.  I also have a strange attraction to Patrick Stewart (see next reveal).

I used to binge watch Star Trek The Next Generation in college.  I also have about 20 of the original Star Trek episodes saved on my dvr.  #trekkie

What would YOU like to reveal today??

Friday Favorites

Hooray, it's Friday!  I may actually be busier this weekend than I was all week, but that's OK because it's mostly fun stuff! Soccer pictures, soccer games, a concert and a quick trip to VT!

Now onto my favorites from the week...

1.  First day of school
The first day of first grade went great and my guy was super excited when he came home.  A good first day is definitely my favorite, as is the spikey hair he requested!

2.  Bento boxes
As I may have previously mentioned, I totally failed at school lunches last year (i.e. lunchables were my go-to far too many times). But in my defense, Nick is a very picky eater and unless it was a lunchable or Subway,  he wouldn't eat it.  So...this year I bought bento boxes and hallelujah...my kid eats a healthy lunch!  Small portions of several random things seems to have done the trick.  I pack sliced peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, celery, blueberries, baby bells, pretzels, ham, etc.  Could I have done this last year?  Well, I guess but wouldn't it be strange to pack like 6 sandwich bags of random things in the lunchbox?  Either way, I'm super happy with our new system and love that I don't have to use plastic baggies!

I ordered these from Pottery Barn and they are made to fit the Mackenzie classic lunch bags.  Link HERE

3. IG shop - Maxeenlandshop
This chick makes the CUTEST things and has the prettiest fabrics.  She does Mug rugs, placemats, table runners...the list goes on and on!   I just had her make me these super fun Halloween placemats and mug rugs.  How adorable, right??  Check out her shop on IG!

4.  Funny of the week

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5.  Time with my family

They may have drove me nuts 80% of the time, but it was so nice to have a week and a half off together as a family.  Is it next summer yet??

Have a great weekend friends!   Let me know what you'll be up to in the comments!

Linking up with Andrea at Momfessionals

Fall Bucket List!

It's my favorite season of the year and I can't help but together a fall bucket list!  Here's what I hope we'll be doing this fall!

**Apple Picking!  With cider and cider donuts at the end of course!  This is probably one of my favorite fall activities.

**Go for a drive to VT to view the foliage.

**Bonfire with friends.  Fall bonfires are the BEST.

**Hit our favorite fall activity spots...  like Ellms Farm and Liberty Ridge.  Hello corn mazes and pumpkin patches!

**Haunted hayride!

**Bake an apple pie

**Carve pumpkins

**Host a Halloween party???    We'll see on this one...  

**Fall crafts with the kids

**Hit a fall festival or Octoberfest

OK friends, what is on YOUR fall bucket list?

End of Summer Check-In

In my world, it is officially, irrevocably the END of summer.
Vacation is over.
Labor Day is upon on.
School starts this week.
The PSL is back at Starbucks.
And even though the forecast is for high 80's and low to mid 90's this week, I am officially declaring it fall!

So, in honor of the end of summer, lets check in and see how I did with my summer bucket list!!

1.  Take a week long beach vacation

Yes!  Completed!  We just got back from Cape May and had a great time.  We also had an amazing time in York Beach, ME earlier in the summer.

2.  Have friends over for dinner and drinks on the deck
This didn't really happen.

3.  Make S'mores in our fire pit

Well, we didn't get a fire pit, but we DID make S'mores in the oven.

4.  Take the kids to the Drive In Theatre 

Nope.  But we did see Secret Life of Pets at the regular theatre.

5.  Visit a couple state parks

Yes!!

6.  Take a day trip to a water park 

Nope.  But we discovered the town pool which we LOVE!

7.  Pool day at mom's house once a month 

Yes!!

8.  Go to a concert (not sure which concert yet)

We are going this weekend!

9.  Hit another Red Sox/Yankees game
Nope.

10.  Impromptu trip with the hubby 
This weekend!

11.  Continue reading!  

Yes!  But I think I only got to 3 new books this summer.

12.  Ice cream dates with the kiddos

Definitely!!  Lots and lots!!

So, we didn't get to everything on the list, but we did a lot!  I would declare this a pretty successful summer.  How about you?  Did you get to do everything YOU wanted to this summer?

Next up on the blog will be.... my FALL bucket list (of course!)!  Stop by tomorrow to check it out!