falling for fall

last friday was the first day of fall.  and around here, it's actually starting to feel like fall.  so, this weekend we did fall things.

i think fall is my favorite time of the year.  you can be outside, and the weather is cool.  the sun is shining and the colors are bright.  i love cool mornings and chilly evenings.  wearing vests and boots and knowing it's the start of the holiday season.  i try not to get into it too soon, so waiting for the first technical day of fall was as long as i could wait.

we started out by visiting a local orchard on saturday.  a fun place that has just about everything.

C loved feeding the goats and the donkey.

it surprises me how brave she is sometimes.  especially when it comes to animals.  animals as tall as her, but yet she just holds out her hand to feed or pet them!

we climbed tall straw towers

played with the wagons

and the best part for her - this giant slide.  adults were not allowed to go down it, so daddyboi was at the top and i waited at the bottom.  she was fearless!

see that little pink dot sliding down?

yep - that's C.  i can't tell you how many times she went down that giant slide.  no fear.  every time she got to the bottom, she looked at me and said "more please."

maybe her trick was to close her eyes.  i don't think i got a picture with them open!

and then pumpkins.  we decided not to get one just yet, but C had fun trying to pick them up!

yesterday, i decided it was time to decorate around the house for fall too!

mantel decorations

those little pumpkins on the hearth are new.  i wanted something down there that if C picked up, she wouldn't hurt or get hurt.  they are soft, kind of like pillows.  so cute!

then a little decoration for our dining room table.

C helped me pick some acorns yesterday from our neighbors yard.  easy and cheap!

i'm not sure how long the candy will last there.  every time C sees it she says "i need treat mommy."  we may have to move the treats out of view!

just some simple stuff to get us ready for the coming season!

i love how little decorations like this make our house feel more cozy.  shaun said yesterday he was ready to build fires!  we might have to wait until we are out of the 70's, but we're getting close!!

happy fall friends!

i did it...

yep - i did it.  i took the plunge and turned 30! 

let me tell you, 30 is alright with me.  i have a feeling my 30's are going to bring great things my way.

don't get me wrong.  i loved my 20's.  i married my best friend in my 20's.  i had my baby in my 20's.  i made life-long friendships in my 20's.

but, i also had some bad boyfriends in my 20's.  some college days of staying up too late and then missing classes that were being paid for. some crazy jobs.  some crazy drama (that really isn't all the dramatic when i look back).  and some heartbreak in my 20's. 

you're 20's are full of transition.  at least mine were. 

so now, i'm 30.  the big 3-0.  isn't it funny how milestone years like this are such a big deal?  why?

i mean - i made sure that the hubs made a big deal about it, but in reality, what is the big deal?

i know who i am now.  when i turned 20, i was lost.  even when i turned 23 or 27, i was still figuring out who i was and who i wanted to be.

i feel like in my 30's i get to learn new things about life.  about my family and my friends.  and about myself.  i don't have to worry so much about figuring out who and what i want to be.  instead, i get to enjoy the person i'm becoming.  and i know that i'll continue to change and evolve as time goes on, but i think now i will have the confidence to do that without freaking out or loosing it.  well,  i'll probably still freak out.  but my 20's taught me that nothing can be done without christ alone.  and that realization is only going to make me a better person for my 30's.  and 40's!  uhh...wait, maybe i'm not ready for that reality...

sure - there will be more transitions in life.  i'm no fool - i know they're coming.  but i feel like i am finally in a place where i feel comfortable and confident in who christ made me to be.

in all seriousness - i feel thankful to be turning 30.  god taught me a lot in my 20's.  he showed me a lot and opened my eyes to some amazing things.  but you're 20's are hard.  so much happens.  college, love, friends, un-love, love again, graduating, divorce, finding a grown up job, love again, marriage, pregnancy, losing babies, hurting friends, marriage fights, moving, cancer, moving again, gaining debt, paying debt.

dang...

some of these things will continue in my 30's, but it hit for the first time in my 20's.  and that's hard.  a lot happened in 10 years.  is this relating with anyone?  sorry...

i had a great birthday weekend!  i got to spend time with just the hubs, with family and friends, and was showered with love!  i have some pretty great examples for my 30's.  i'm taking it on with a smile!

 

it was a great weekend to reflect and realize that my best years are not behind me.  one person wished me a happy birthday by saying "the 30's are like the new black". 

i'll take it friends!  i'll take it.

C's 2nd birthday party!

C was a little princess for the day and loved having all of her friends over to run around and scream in the basement with.  she wasn't shy (thank goodness), and was really excited about everything.  she was so sweet and i am so thankful that we got to celebrate her the way we did.

i don't know if i mentioned this in my last post, but since the party was at 3 in the afternoon, i didn't really do much food.  so - in addition to the pink, orange and yellow theme, i had cookies and milk for everyone.

wait - should i back up and show you more decorations before i show actual pictures of the party?  OK.

even though it was a sweltering 98 degrees outside, and i knew we wouldn't be outside much, i put my bunting on the back porch like i originally planned.

zinnia's from our backyard.  i'm kind of proud...

inside i mostly just decorated over the table.  this is a wider shot than the one above.  it shows off my pretty poms.  i wasn't sure how these would look at first, but once they were hung, i was in love!

also C's birthday banner.  i made it last year and was soooo thankful that i kept it.  i just replaced the 1st with a 2nd and bam!  perfect and easy.

those are little cartons of milk on ice.  the hubs works at a high school, so he scored some from the cafeteria for me.  and those are orange and yellow bendy straws in the mason jar.  i found them on sale about a month back and wasn't sure what i was going to use them for.  but they were perfect for the little cartons of milk!

the chalkboard is one that i made for my sis-in-law for her wedding.  it was yellow, so it fit in perfect.  and the cookies jars each had the name of the cookie on it that was inside.  chocolate chip, peanut butter, white chocolate shortbread and oreo's!  

here's a little bit closer shot

and then there was the cake.  i was so excited about her cake because it was cute and simple on the outside, but there was a little something special about the inside.

 bunting on top to match her invitations

when  you cut into the cake, you got this...

i put red food coloring in a white cake to make each layer and little darker pink than the next.  the two bottom layers are pretty close in color (it was hard to tell by just the mix) but i was still pretty pleased!  =)

and yes - those are scoops of ice cream in a cupcake holder.  a little trick i learned from pinterest.  pre-scoop your ice cream buy putting them in a muffin tin with cupcake holders.  re-freeze and then serve quickly and without all the mess!  genius!! 

the stage was set for a great little party.  nothing too over the top, but perfectly sweet for my little lady.

since it was so hot, we only did cake and ice cream outside.

 she was not at all interested in getting messy again this year.  in fact, i don't even think she ate the cake, only the ice cream.  but she did stick a little finger in it after we blew out the candles...

 
the majority of our time was spent inside.  we, thankfully, have a great space down in our basement for just this sort of thing.  where the kids can run around and be crazy, and the adults can watch and hangout.  i even told shaun that he could have football on if, and only if, it was turned off when i said so.

she really did look like she was having so much fun!  that was the best part for me.  seeing my baby grow up into a little girl, playing with her friends and just being a kid!

opening presents was at the end.  she did so good thanking everyone for the presents she got and thanking everyone for coming.  what a sweet girl i have!

it was a great weekend!  i am beyond grateful for the wonderful family and friends we have that showed up to love and celebrate my baby turning two.  i am so thankful that my daughter gets to grow up knowing that she is surrounded by such love.

happy 2nd birthday baby!  you are my little peanut and you bring such joy to me and your daddy everyday.  we have our moments of fun and silliness, along with the fits and tears.  but every moment, every second, i love you.  with all my heart.

hope you had a fun birthday weekend!

oh man oh man, what a slacker i have been.

well, not really.  i've actually been so busy with work and life and a certain little lady's 2nd birthday coming, i have neglected one of my favorite things. 

"blogging" has suffered.  not only have i not written to forever, i currently have 176 unread items in my google reader.

that's sad and slightly overwhelming...

and honestly, i don't even have the time to take time to talk about time at this time.  follow?

but, my little peanut is turning 2 in three days and i would really be upset with myself if some of this didn't get documented.

so, some sneak peaks of the party planning...

part of the reason why i am so busy, is because i insist on making everything myself!

but mostly because making things gives you cute decorations on a budget.  and hubs likes the sound of that!

the "theme"  is a pink, orange & yellow party and bunting.

here are the invites i made:

pink, orange, yellow & bunting!  i loved them.  simple and sweet.

yes - i'm a busy little bee lately, but it's all for this gal

who wouldn't want to celebrate that little thing!  =)

hopefully i will be able to take a lot of good pictures (not iphone pics that i instagram to make them seem not so harsh) and will show them to you soon!

i can't believe she's almost 2.  i love the little girl she is becoming.  singing the B-I-B-L-E in stores, and clamming up and being shy when people talk to her.  she is learning her colors and letters and is such a little sponge!  this is such a special time and i am beyond amazed and truly grateful that i get to be mama to this precious girl.

time moves quickly.  i can't stop it, but i can be right there for almost every second. 

what a blessing.