Fake Fall clothes

It’s not #fall yet but we’re getting there. With moving, I intentionally didn’t buy any clothes from like April to June because I was grossed out by how much I had in my closet that I haven’t worn since having Sutton. And also, packing up all the dresses I wore for school was kind of depressing because I’m not going to be wearing them and I’m just hoping I got my money’s worth.

Onto some things I can wear in August…

A button down. I wanted this in olive, but they only had it in a small in navy. Runs large! It has a denim look and is like a t-shirt-type material. 

I wear it over everything like a cardigan and I've slept in it too. <$20 well-spent. You could do this with shorts, leggings, a skirt, whatever! 

I bought this camo cropped sweatshirt in-store at the outlet and it’s not on the site but it was $20. I treat camo like a neutral so they have a ton of options online if you like it too!

This is just my personal recommendation but I know everyone has their own preferences for bra-shopping. I only buy bras at Aerie. << It's this particular one only. I found that line there years ago and it was perfect and I go back every year and order a couple more. I don’t care about color so I get whatever is on sale (they all fit the same!) and usually try to hit a holiday sale too. These were $17 each so I grabbed two a few weeks ago. 

Team tees from Old Navy. These were about $15 each and totally worth it. They run true to size so they’re loose but not oversized. I got mediums. Wait for a sale. They're twice as much right now. 

Summer sweatshirt. They have many colors and designs but this was $9 and I couldn’t resist. It’s soft and oversized and absolutely worth it. This is a medium.

I will occasionally pop onto the Madewell site and I saw these “vintage” tees* for $14 each and I always need new basics. They run small, I think. Like, they work but they are not all comfy cozy. 

*I would expect something vintage to be looser.

I'm 99.9% sure that's the mirror I bought in-store and it didn't cost that much (site says $108 and I'd be scared to order a mirror online anyway). 

Lastly, I broke my tar-jay moratorium to buy this mirror (our rental is mirror-less aside from bathroom vanities) and I had to get these shorts. My other two pairs of target pull-on shorts have been worn thousands of times in the last 5 and 3 years, respectively, so I knew I’d get my $15 worth out of these. They are a million percent more purple in person and I didn't know I'd bought brown shorts until I got home and took the tag off (and I am not colorblind). 

Now that I have a mirror ^^^ I will get around to taking pictures again but that also means I'll have to make my bed (so we'll see, I guess). 

Another week, another sickness

 (This time it was me.)

As I type this, I'm up way too early for a Sunday because Sutton had woken me up and she's not quitting with this. Her "sleep" "regression" is going from 16 months to 20 months at this point. She's 19 months now and the span is just increasing. She's more stubborn than her brother, which I didn't think was possible. (I can also hear her yelling at him right now and he's yelling back that "what?! I didn't even do anything!". They need to sort this out on their own.) 

It's funny because I've known a few families over the years who told me how crazy their second-born, a girl, was compared to their first-born, a boy, and I always thought that was funny. Now, I see what they meant. 

Anyway, last Friday I started feeling awful but I mustered through the day and then by Saturday morning, I had body aches. Like, awful body aches and chills and I couldn't function without 800 mg of motrin in my system. I did nothing on Saturday and Sunday wasn't much better. I had no fever and I didn't feel hot, but I felt like I had the flu. 

By Monday, it'd started to turn into a cold but it was just constant aching and pain, like headaches. So I took lots of painkillers, lots of nasal spray, lots of allergy medicine....I think the change in weather where it went from 80s to 50s in the span of two days had a lot to do with the pressure in my head. 

By Friday, a whole week later, I was feeling better. Of course, I went to work and did the best I could. I had a really solid week, I felt, of instruction in the classroom. Getting up and getting out the door gracefully is another story. 

Unfortunately, both kids have a cough now (no fever, no vomit = as good as fine in my book) and Scott is sick. I think he had what I had last week. 

If you google, "body aches, no fever", you get c*vid so...there's that. Also "stress" and "dehydration" and they recommend magnesium. Which is funny because I've had enough magnesium to last multiple people multiple lifetimes but I guess it doesn't exactly stay in your system over the long run. (my magnesium toxicity was 9 or greater two years ago...their measurement/chart stops at 9 so we don't actually know how high it was.) Needless to say, I've been hesitant to take magnesium again but I picked up some Calm gummies anyway. It funny to me that the recommendation to everyone for everything right now is mAgNeSiUm and the whole idea just makes me shudder. 

And now we're back into the 80s again with the temperature. In an effort to protect my sanity, I try to stay home on the weekends and that's easy to do when you don't feel great and it's one million degrees outside in October. 

Actual footage of me when someone says it was the perfect fall day for trunk-or-treating and it was 80+ degrees outside:

Yesterday, though, I had a few errands to run so I took Sutton and we went for a trail walk. I was dying by the end after pushing the stroller. But I needed the vitamin D and the exercise for sure. I had just settled on a new workout plan (15 minutes a day is the goal) when I got sick last week. Onto this week...may we stay fever-free. 

Non-compliance

Waking up today, it's 62 degrees in the house and a certain toddler slept til 8am in her own crib. 

We are (all), clearly, not summer people. 

Anyway, this week was just as stressful as the last two. I took both children with me to an appointment on Monday night and regretted that immediately.

I took Wells to the dentist on Tuesday after school and leaving Sutton with a babysitter was money well-spent. I could. not. even. imagine. 

The good news is that the dentist told me, really, babies should be seen by a dentist as soon as they have teeth. 

Which means I relented and made Sutton an appointment for April, when Wells goes back. Maybe 2 years old will be the magic number for her. I took Wells for the first time at 2 1/2 and then again at 3 and both times were nightmarish (two different dentists). I don't think these people ("experts") understand how bullheaded my kids are. There is no diagnosis for stubborn. This is a complete aside but everyone focuses so much on sensitivities and spectrums and sensory disorders. It's always Well, no baby likes their first time at the dentist. In my experience, no, it's the first four visits, ma'am. Stubborn/intelligent is different. There is no compliance here. I'm glad they're their own people, for sure. I don't want compliance. It's just exhausting.

Just realized I never posted an 18 month update on Sutton because I literally have blocked out her last well-check. 

Anyway. Wednesday I had a meeting after school. Wells watched snake videos on my phone in the corner of the room and Sutton hung out ("screamed" and "cried") with an older helper (the principal's teen daughter, who has taken care of Sutton before, but I think was traumatized by the experience). 

Thursday, I did a Walmart grocery pick-up because we were literally out of milk. Scott seemed to wonder how that could happen. Well, it's pretty easy, really. 

Then things really went downhill when Sutton threw up three times overnight. Lots of laundry, little sleep for us, and she eventually slept for a few hours on the floor with Scott. 

Scott was off work yesterday for a four-day weekend so he stayed home with her. I think it was something she ate because she seemed healthy enough and is fine now. 

Since we dismiss early on Fridays, and Scott was also able to pick up Wells from school, I got a lot done without constantly being asked for candy and "the toys that are in your desk" (the toys I take from students). 

I was supposed to have a couple of obligations this weekend and I came to the conclusion on Thursday that I'm just not going to comply. There is nothing in the world that could guilt me into things I don't feel like doing this weekend. Maybe I learned that lesson from these kids. 

WIW: The Shacket

WIW on a Thursday because that's how it goes...

These shoes from Target: I tried to return them back in February because weren't quite what I wanted. They told me to keep them and refunded me my money anyway. Turns out, they're the perfect fall transition shoe, even though they were too heavy for summer. Who knew? 

These are similar. 

I don't know that a trend has ever popped up this quickly. It's been fast and furious. I live in small-town USA. I see well-dressed women wearing these all over the place (okay, at preschool pick-up). 

Mine is Carhartt. 

They're also shockingly expensive for some reason, but it probably depends where you buy. 

I am proud to announce that I was three years ahead of the trend: my mom bought me this shacket for Christmas in 2019. She said it looked really nice on the mannequin with black leggings (maybe at Dick's or Bass Pro, I'm not sure). I didn't wear it a ton at first because I was unsure of its purpose; the shacket hadn't really made itself known yet. But then it came in handy last year on Fridays when I was pregnant. It matched my orange and black school spirit wear very well. 

Now, I wear it as a coat. It's actually just as heavy as my Northface jackets and a lot more stylish in 2022, and comfortable too. 

Scott has a few jackets like this too. He bought one at Walmart in like 2017 and wore it to work outside. It was pretty ugly and it's a mess now after years of working on houses in it. So I bought him a new one a few years later so he would stop wearing the one that looks like it goes hand in hand with criminal activity. Unfortunately, he witnessed a car accident one day and stopped to help. He was wearing the new shacket and gave it away to a young boy he helped out of a car who didn't happen to have a coat that day. Again, it was brand new. 

And he started wearing the one that makes him look like a threat to society again. 

Maybe I'll be getting him a new shacket for Christmas. 

Weekend Photos (it's. still. fall.)

I put it out there on Instagram: there will be no Christmas in this house until after Thanksgiving. I mean, maybe the day before, but definitely not putting up anything until then when it comes to decorations. I was going to get my Thanksgiving decor out this weekend but, as you'll see, that plan fell to pieces.

Saturday was a great fall day. We went to a pumpkin patch with some friends. 

Wells even got to try paintball. The older boys we were with did it so Wells did too. Strangely, "Wells" hit all of the targets ^^ and the 7 and 5 year old did not. Huh, right? 

Anyway, he had a blast and yelled and screamed when it was time to leave. 

Sunday was a disaster. Wells woke up sick and got worse throughout the day. 

I made these pumpkin pancakes I've perfected over the last two weeks. 

I finally asked Scott to hang up some pictures. 

^My parting gift from coworkers in Alaska. A Shane Lamb (if you're into that kinda thing)

A picture my mom sent that she found at a furniture store on clearance years ago. It's my favorite. "Sunday in Sleepy Hollow".

I grabbed this at Lowe's in the summer of 2017. Everyone always comments on how cheery it is. I literally think it was $40. 

And Wells' newborn outfit.

Anyway. Got nothing done on Sunday. NOTHING. I spent most of it on the couch with Wells watching Go Go Dino and Bubble Guppies. He wouldn't eat or drink. Finally, I wrote up my sub plans on Sunday night and...come Monday morning, he was better enough. Just kind of whiny. Considering that we need to save my days off for when we're really sick and not just "eh, maybe kinda sick?", we went to school. He seems fine now. He was whiny and miserable but never actually had a fever... By yesterday afternoon, he was as good as new. I think we're all just worn out.

Scout endeared himself to me by curling up, voluntarily, next to Wells.

I think Wells was just in his spot. 

 

Homemade Pumpkin Spice

I've noticed something around this time of year: buying pumpkin spice in the spice aisle at the regular grocery store is annoyingly expensive. 

I believe this small container was $4.24. 

Contrast that to Trader Joe's, where you can get a bigger jar for $1.99. TJ's is the clear option for spices, seasonal goods, and hard-to-find products anyway, but I don't know where the nearest one is located and I'm not willing to go find it because I'm pretty lazy when it comes to shopping around. 

So, last year, I started making my own pumpkin spice and just refilling the container when needed. 

If you buy the four spices required, this method will easily last you two or three years worth of pumpkin baked goods, so it's really helpful not to have to add pumpkin spice to your shopping list or, worse, run out mid-baking session (which has happened to me). 

I use pumpkin spice for pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin baked oatmeal, etc. I'm not a pumpkin pie fan, but obviously you do you. 

This is for all your basic (literally) pumpkin needs. 

Homemade Pumpkin Spice

from allrecipes.com 

I multiplied the recipe x10 to fill up the small spice container.

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

I also have been making my own taco seasoning for a couple of years. Totally worth the trouble. So easy and you never run out!

Fall Decorations (new house, weird year, etc) {UPDATED}

I loudly will proclaim fall to be my favorite season by far and I will cash in my #basic card on this any day.....but I don't have a ton of decorations for it. It's weird. I started collecting a little of this and a little of that starting in 2009 when we got married. I have "fall", I have "Thanksgiving", and I have "Halloween". Most of what I have that falls into the Halloween category were decorations I used in my classroom. They don't really fit in with my fall decorations. So I rarely put up the Halloween decorations now. I've never been a huge Halloween fan and I don't know how much I want to make of it with Wells, going forward. The first year, I adored dressing him up. Last year, he didn't know any different, he was incredibly difficult about things, there was a terrible wind/rain storm in Pittsburgh so he couldn't trick-or-treat anyway (not that we were really planning on it?), and answering the doorbell for trick-or-treaters is just awkward to me. I never hated Halloween, though, until I started teaching in Colorado and they forced me to wear a costume and participate each year. Other schools never did. And don't get me started on Halloween and adults; Halloween is a kids' holiday, guys. 

I think I'm really going to take my cue from Wells and how he feels about it over the next few years. He might really like it? If he doesn't, I'll likely just ignore it. Also, with the way public school is going, I don't see how kids could get to have fun Halloween parties right now. 

So here's what I came up with this year...

I got the pumpkin sign and the candle (Sand + Fog Autumn Harvest) at Homegoods last week. I like that they are understated. I got the letterboard idea from Pinterest. I'm not that creative. 

I got these stuffed pumpkins at Target last year and Hobby Lobby this year. I love them, but I don't want Wells to get them so they stay out of reach. 

Runner is from Hobby Lobby. I originally got it for the table but it doesn't look right there. 

This corner is a little cluttered (I keep the bookcase here because there's no good wall for it and I don't want Wells to assume he can climb it at some point; it physically can't fall on him from this angle.)

But it holds some odds and ends of decorations I've collected over the years. Wells about destroyed that scarecrow last year, so it stays out of reach. 

Once upon a time, I filled these shelves. And it's not like Wells is out to destroy my decor...he just touches and moves things and I hate taking the time to move them back. So this is pretty bare. 

Our front door could probably use a good power wash. 

And...I really don't like our kitchen, so I didn't do much in there. I won't complain because goodness knows this house is a million times better than the last go-around, but still. I feel like I had perfected the decor for fall (and Christmas) in our house in Colorado after being there for 4ish years. This year-to-year stuff is exhausting again. 

Are you a Fall person or a Halloween person? I like decorations that can last from September to the end of November. 

Linking up with Emily and Sarah!

3 Things November

Things I'm looking forward to before the end of the month:
I guess Thanksgiving (see below)
...not having a sinus infection any longer? We all have to get better at some point, right?
Seeing if my baby-proofing works out ^^^ I don't have high hopes.

(That was weak. Sorry.)

Things I'm happy with:
My semi-progress getting Christmas gifts together
Completing a lot of my to-do list from the weekend
Taking the chance to go to bed early (before 9pm) multiple nights lately

Things I don't understand (i.e. why do people like these things):
Tattoos
Pumpkin pie
Dancing with the Stars

Things I love to eat at Thanksgiving:
To be perfectly honest, I'm not a huge Thanksgiving food person.
Basically, I'm a dinner rolls and dessert person.
Here's a post with perfect Thanksgiving desserts. Here's a round-up of Thanksgiving food

Things I need from the store:
Crafty supplies from Hobby Lobby
Dog treats
Grapes

Things I don't like to do:
Clean up the kitchen
Put away clean laundry
Brush Wells' teeth

Things I've said out loud to strangers this week:
I don't say much to strangers because my stranger-conversation is usually limited to grocery store cashiers and translating whatever looks Wells shoots in their direction.
But I've said...
"I love you soooooo much" while hugging Jett
"Where's your sock?" to Wells
"Leave Scouty alone" to Wells
Also, "He's going to bite you". I say that a lot to Wells.

Things that smell good in this season:
The scented pine cones they have at grocery store entrances
Baked goods fresh from the oven
Cold air

Borrowed from Steph! Feel free to play along!

Fall Survey 2019.

 Leaves I will never rake. 

Because even though the Christmas decorations are out, it's still fall. Sure, it's supposed to snow today, but it's still fall.

1. PSL or peppermint mocha?

Anything peppermint is much preferred to anything pumpkin. Peppermint is my Christmas flavor of choice but, realizing it's still #fall, that's not what this question is asking.
I don't do PSLs though because they're sickeningly sweet and I don't like squash-flavored (however slight) coffee.


2.  Pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie?

Pumpkin cookies.


3. Thanksgiving dinner or Thanksgiving leftovers?

Dinner.


4. Candy corn or Tootsie Rolls?

Candy corn. I confess I threw half a bag away last week though because, after multiple days of bingeing on it after Wells was in bed, I realized it was leading to some real poor sleep at night. And sleep cannot be compromised on during this season of life.


5. Haunted house or pumpkin patch?

I worked at a haunted house as a teenager and I almost want to say haunted house because the weather is iffy at pumpkin patches. I've never been to one where I wasn't sweating to death or freezing. But I don't particularly like being scared.


6. Corn maze or hayride?

I've never actually done a corn maze. I did a hayride once.


7. Caramel apple or candy apple?

Caramel. I don't know that I ever had a regular candy apple, though. They never look that appealing.


8. Boots or scarves?

Boots. Always.


9. Holiday movies or holiday music?

I don't do a lot of music, so movies. I need to find a way to get good ones this year. The Netflix/Hulu selections are weak and I don't have a DVR, but I could probably play the Hallmark channel all day in the background. I own a few of the classics but I don't think we have a DVD player anymore. I may need to start from scratch in order to start a true holiday movie collection.

10. Tire swing or jumping in leaves?

Tire swing. Though, I might get sick as an adult. I developed some pretty intense motion-sickness post pregnancy. 


Borrowing this survey from Michelle!

Real #fall arrived this weekend.

The different between last weekend and this weekend:

FWIW, the element of this that bugged me the most was that the parents who haul the babies into the pumpkin fields insist on wearing jeans and flannel (and sandals, ironically). Like, the sheer miserableness of it...

And again, if you live in the south, you do you. But in the northeast? Calm down.