Inspired by Fall

Fall is probably my favorite season.  I love the crispness and the coziness of autumn, the sense of energy and renewal I feel with the return of routines (yay for preschool!), and the promise of the holidays to come. I'm a Virginia girl at heart, so I'm definitely missing the beauty of the changing leaves that I'm sure the great Commonwealth is beginning to show off.

Fall at Monticello

Philip and I just returned from a week in Banff, Canada where the weather was really more like winter. Needless to say, we got a good dose of chilly air to tide us over during these warm afternoons in Northern California.  I hope to share some photos from our trip soon, but in the meantime, here are some things that are inspiring me this Fall.

I'm obsessed with this image!  The combination of the earthy wood tones in the pinecones with that black door and the orange satin ribbon is making my heart sing!  This is a totally doable DIY, and a few easy changes could easily take this wreath through the Christmas season.

Keeping with the same colors, I love this one as well.  Also, a very doable DIY.  Would it be weird if I decided to spend a bunch of time trying to make one of these wreaths instead of actually unpacking boxes once we get in our new house?

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Last wreath.  But oh how I love her.  Kind of makes that one from TJMaxx look rather sad in comparison wouldn't you say?  The wildness of the branches mixed with real berries; you just can't beat it.

This image has been around in blogland for a couple years, but it's such a classic I think.  I long for the day when I might have a working fireplace in my home!



How cute are these little acorns?!  So perfect to take to a Fall gathering.

I've made this apple cake, and it's really yummy.  If you ask me, it could totally count for breakfast.

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I love the rustic simplicity of this tablescape.  Leaves + pumpkins + candles = just right.

We've had this butternut squash pizza, and the crispy sage leaves are a perfect accompaniment to the squash and the cheese.

I love the bright pop of orange in this plaid scarf.

I spotted these side tables at Ross recently.  The warm metallic tones of the base and the black top are totally screaming Fall to me.

I would love to make this pumpkin and feta tart sometime this season...

If I were hosting a Fall dinner party, these personalized leaves would definitely make an appearance.  Even if you didn't use them to mark each guest's seat, you could identify the different dishes you were serving with this trick too!

Ok, so to be honest, I get these cookies from Trader Joe's year round.  But there's something about eating them in the Fall that just feels right.  (they're dairy free too!)

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Lastly, placing a few mini pumpkins in a clear vase and adding some branches for height is an easy way to bring a quick dose of Fall into your home.  Now I just need to actually move into my home, and I'll be set :)

Trouble at TJ's

{Thank you all for your encouragement and for sharing in our excitement over our new house in Davis!  I promise pictures are coming soon :) }

When I say 'trouble at TJ's', I could be speaking of Trader Joe's--I am a big fan and have certainly gotten into my fair share of trouble there!  But this time, I'm talking about the Maxx.  You know, TJMaxx, the store for which the hashtag #maxxinista was created, of course.  

I just recently visited the one closest to the base out here in Fairfield, CA, and for whatever reason, I couldn't seem to stop myself from taking pictures of things I liked.  It's not that I was necessarily going to buy them; I guess I just feel compelled to capture beauty when I see it.  

I get a kick out of seeing what kind of things catch other people's eye; maybe you're the same.  

First up, we have this fun, geometric print pillow.  I think they had another shade in stock too.  $20 includes the down insert!  {Do you spy that polka dot print in the background?  I don't have a proper picture, but it did come home with me and is now serving as a great catchall for my kid's books in the car!}

Back to that pillow.  While not an exact match, it totally reminded me of the popular and classic, "Betwixt" pattern by Schumacher, which will set you back quite a bit more than the one above from the Maxx.

available here 

This little leather cube really spoke to me.  The price tag was missing, and now I'm kicking myself for not inquiring about how much it was.  It could be the perfect spot to prop your feet, provide extra seating in a pinch, or it could serve as a side table and hold magazines and a candle!  So long as the space wasn't already overwhelmed by wood and warm tones, I think this little guy could be a great addition to really any style room.

Speaking of candles, I think TJMaxx is a great place to find them.  I ended up buying this one to freshen up the 'ol temporary living facility--I liked the way it smelled (obvs), and the glass canister was quite chic itself.  Win-win.

This poof also called out to me.  I'm not completely sure what it is about it, but I like it, yes I do.

I have mixed feelings about this wreath.  What do y'all think?  I didn't get it (partly because I live in a temporary house where I'm sure I'd get in trouble for hanging a wreath).  I don't love that it's fake, but not all of us have access to real bittersweet berries, right?  I think it's a decent fake, but people like my mom will probably make a wreath with real berries and leave me dissatisfied with my fake one!

Moving on to the non-decor category.

I'm loving this infinity scarf I found.  And hey!  27 week bump alert :)  (Not visible:  maternity, compression leggings.  I am so over them!}

I didn't buy these shoes, but I did enjoy trying them on.

Let's see, what else...Also in my cart--a new pair of inexpensive sunglasses (mine weren't quite able to recover after I folded our stroller up with them in the seat :(, two sets of cupcake liners (I mean, why not?), a box of really delicious chocolate coconut bars for Wade (they taste like an Almond
Joy!), and this package of hot chocolate mix.

We wasted no time and whipped up some hot chocolate on the double.  Mixed with coconut milk, I was so very happy to see my dairy-free boy enjoy some.

Ok, so who else could spend all day in a TJMaxx?  I just think it's amazing that you can buy clothes, food, toiletries, and home decor all in one discounted place!!!  What are your favorite things to shop for at the Maxx?  

Our Trek to California

I know it's been a while since I've written, so let me just start with a bit of exciting news, hot off the press as of two nights ago!

We are now under contract for a house in Davis!!!  (This photo is a total teaser, I know--sorry!)  We have a while till we'll be able to move in--more on that later--but we are so excited, and really just so grateful.

The move out of our Illinois house was horrific (I'll spare you the details, or maybe save them for a rainy day?), but thankfully the transition to our life out on the west coast has gone quite smoothly.  Aside from the fact that the cool mornings and evenings out here are really nice, do you know what I am just loving? The palm trees!  Maybe it's because I tend to associate them with being on vacation, but I just think they are so pretty and unique.  I have taught the kids to spot them too, so we are now all regularly on the hunt as we drive around town :)

Backing up a bit, Philip and I arrived in California almost three weeks ago.   My angel-of-a-mother flew ALONE (from Virginia!) with Wade and Holland two days later.  Before I get to more about our life out here, I thought I'd share some of the pictures of Philip's and my semi-cross country trip.

Despite the fact that we were in two different cars (my introverted husband admitted to enjoying this maybe a little bit...his extroverted wife, not so much), we really did have a fun adventure for the most part.

All told, we saw parts of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and finally California.  I had never visited most of these states, so it was really cool to get a taste of what they were like.

I'd say my favorite was probably Utah, where we stayed in an awesome hotel/ski lodge with amazing views!

Of course our trip was not without its hiccups.  You may recall that I started out driving the car I got when I turned 16, my 98' Honda Civic.  Love that car, but maybe not for a trek like the one we were on.

Philip was pulling a U-haul trailer (we chose to move some of our own things, in case you're wondering why we have a trailer at all) behind our Honda Pilot, but we grew concerned about exceeding the Pilot's weight limit, especially at higher altitudes.  So, naturally, we (and by "we," I really mean Philip) stopped and transferred all of the stuff we had in the 8x10 trailer to a U-Haul truck.  Philip then drove the truck, which pulled the Civic, and I drove the Pilot.  All in a day's work, I tell you.

Once we arrived in CA, we quickly got settled in our "Temporary Living Facility" (yes, that's the official name).  One of the great things about moving with the military is you have this option when you land at your new base.  Furnished somewhat like an extended-stay hotel, we can stay here for up to two months while we figure out a more permanent option.

Now let me just tell you this--I am grateful for this place to stay, but folks, this mama is itching to really get settled.  As nice as it is to have this temporary place, I am quickly tiring of the five spoons we have on rotation, the terrible excuse for a couch that is causing my butt to go numb as I sit here and type this (not even kidding!), and the washer and dryer which can only be used one at a time and take FOREVER AND A DAY to do their jobs.  There is real suffering around the world and clearly this aint that, BUT STILL.

I hope to be back soon with more updates, particularly HOUSE updates!!  Woohoo!!!

A Very Special Birthday Gift

Last year, when we sold our house in Richmond by owner, we said we'd "gift" ourselves a commissioned painting of this, our first home.

The four years we spent in this house held many treasured memories--the start of Philip's new career as a student in dental school, the birth of Wade and Holland (Holland was literally born in the house!), and the forging of many cherished friendships.  We learned to be neighbors here, where we were thankful to live amongst people with whom we had much in common and those who were very different from us.  It's where I experienced both joy and difficulty as I adjusted to my new life as a mom, and it's where I developed a love for decorating and DIY projects.

Needless to say, this was a place to remember (and really, aren't they all?).

Unfortunately, like so many things, commissioning someone to paint our home became yet another thing it seemed hard to justify doing.  There were so many pressing things going on as we prepared to move and subsequently tried to quickly get settled in our new home in Illinois that we never got around to making this dream happen.

In the meantime I discovered that a friend of mine from growing up, Kate, had quite the artistic talent and she had recently gotten back into spending time painting.  Reading through her blog, I was smitten with her work!  I love watercolor, and I think Kate has such a knack for the way she captures her subjects on paper.

Check out some of her work:

all images taken from Color Me Happy

Being the subtle person I am (cough), I suggested to my sweet mom that "Gosh, I sure would love a painting of our house by Kate!  I think she's really talented and how cool to have a piece done by a friend!"  My mom being the doting mother she is, took note of my suggestion :)

Can you imagine how excited I was to open this belated birthday gift tonight at my parent's house?! (We are finally in the great Commonwealth visiting our family before we head west to Cali!!)

I snapped the picture really quickly with my phone and there's a bit of a glare, but isn't it lovely?!  I think she captured our home so beautifully.  I'm already scheming about how I'd like to frame it.

Thank you Mom (and Kate!) for this gift I will treasure forever!  Be sure to check out Kate's blog and join me in asking her to keep on painting!!  :)

Proud

Yesterday was a really special day.  Philip officially graduated from his one year residency in the AEGD program (Advanced Education in General Dentistry) here at Scott Air Force Base!  The magnitude of the day didn't really strike me as it approached, but now as I reflect on it, I realize how amazing it really is.  You see, with the exception of a period of about 21 months back when he was a lawyer, Philip has basically been a student of some sort for his entire life.  Last summer, we marked a great milestone when he graduated from four years of dental school.  And now, with the completion of this residency, he's truly done with school.  Kind of hard to believe.  (Of course, all bets are off as to whether he will eventually decide to pursue a specialty...)

I know there are some who are just cut out for the life of a student--and Philip probably is one of them, in some ways at least.  But really--most of us can't imagine finding ourselves in our mid-30's (sorry babe, I know you're not technically quite there yet :) having been in school for nearly our whole lives.  I am in awe when I think of all my husband has accomplished.

It was really inspiring to see how the military honors a graduation of this sort.  There were all sorts of patriotic  and official things happening.  Sharp looking uniforms,  a lovely rendition of the Star Spangled Banner (thanks Stuart!), words of encouragement and praise for the graduates.  I was really touched by how the families were honored too.  Here's the part that touched me the most, though:  When Philip walked up to receive his certificate of graduation, do you know what he did?  My introverted, never prone to speaking in public, and especially not on a whim, husband--he asked if he could say a few words, and then he went on to sing my praises.  He spoke of the sacrifices he's asked me to make and how our life looks so different from how I probably thought it would when I married a lawyer over eight years ago.  I will not soon forget this.  It really meant so much to me.

Congratulations Dr. Worthington; we love you and are so proud of you!

And here are a couple little video snippets I managed to take.  My phone was low on storage, so unfortunately I had to cut these pretty short.