Thursday, September 27, 2012

Touches of Fall to our Nest

I love Fall! Love orange and pumpkins and Halloween and changing leaves and Football... and I could go on and on. We got married in the fall and it was perfect. Perfect weather and perfect use of lots of fall decor at our reception. Anyway, I also love lots of fall decorations in our home.

With our busy, crazy lives, I finally got a few touches of fall up around the house and I wanted to share!
 Decorating the mantel is always a favorite. I like arranging and re-arranging {weird I know!} and figuring our what I need to make for finishing touches. 
I found this free fall printable here.  
"A life without love is like a year without Fall." Isn't that saying so true?
They have tons of cute ones and they're so easy to print one out, or get inspired and make your own print! I love finding ideas and re-creating my own art that fits our home and our colors.  
After finishing the arranging and re-arranging on the mantel, I knew my window need another touch, so I made bunting from left-over burlap scraps. I just free handed with black puffy paint the word "Fall" and attached to some jute with miniature close-pins. Very easy and quick, but I think it added so much. I am in love with bunting these days! 
 And it definitely isn't fall without several pumpkin spice candles!
I made an easy Fall wreath that I threw together with a $1 stick/vine wreath from Target (the dollar section is SERIOUSLY the best. Can't walk into target without browsing for a craft idea!) I loved them then, and I'm thankful now that I held on to a couple! I painted the tiny wooden "H" {$1 from Michael's} a dark Orange color with acrylic paint, and attached to the wreath with hot glue. Whole project took less than 5 minutes! 
It isn't fall without fresh gourds and pumpkins! Each one is so unique. 
Is it fall in your home too? I am hoping as Caroline grows up she enjoys helping me put out fun decorations each year and remembers all the fun of pull our special memories. I sure remember loving when my mom decorated for each holiday :) Happy Fall!





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Sunday, September 23, 2012

Rosemary Sweet Potatoes - RECIPE!

Sweet Potatoes are my favorite... Roasted, baked, made into fries, as a casserole... just about anyway possible! I found this yummy recipe a couple weeks ago and made some tweaks to use what I had in my pantry, and to use up some of the fresh rosemary from our herb garden. Super simple!

What you need:
5 Cups Sweet Potatoes, peeled & cubed {about 2 large potatoes}
2 Tbls Olive Oil, divided
1/4 Cup Honey
3 Tbls Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tbls Fresh Rosemary, coarsely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper



Coat cubed sweet potatoes with 1 Tbls olive oil and roast in a single layer for 35 minutes at 450 degrees {Potatoes will get slightly browned}. 
Chop your rosemary... {and make sure you use a hideous neon green chopping board...}. 
While potatoes they are roasting, whisk together 1 Tbls Olive Oil, Honey, Red Wine Vinegar, Rosemary, Garlic, Salt, and Pepper. 
Add sweet potatoes into rosemary mix and toss to coat. 
Serve immediately while hot. 

So yummy, and please don't judge them by these terrible iPhone photos I snapped super quickly while fixing dinner and holding caroline on my hip at the same time. Some times you got to do what you got to do. 





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Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Sunday is our Fun-Day!

Okay, Mama has to brag a minute... My girl is BEAUTIFUL!
 I know, I know, I am biased, but seriously. LOVE this picture. 
A couple Sundays ago, we were at our family reunion down on the James River, and we had a great time! Sundays seriously are our Fun Days because usually Daddy is with us girls! 

Jay is gone to Seattle this week, and we are missing him! But luckily Gram is here to help out and to play!!
 Caroline's first experience in sand... she liked it! None to the mouth yet, but I am sure our next beach/lake trip will include lots of sandy mouths and diapers!
 My loves. Daddy's truly are the best, and as a Mama seeing your man with your baby... nothing better!
We also had some fun pool time. I tell you, this girl LOVES water and was happy, happy to go from the lake to the pool and to be hanging with her DaDa! 
Caroline also got to swim with her cousin Molly who is only 2 months older {not that you can tell from this picture, because C is SUCH A CHUNK!}. 
Their Gram & Nana love them to pieces {if you couldn't tell from those big smiles?!}. SUCH CUTIES we have!
These cousins are going to be fast friends. Already holding hands. SO Sweet!

Don't you just love Sundays? They truly are the best. 


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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Gavin's 1st Birthday!

Last weekend, Jay and Caroline and I headed to SC to celebrate this CUTE nephew of ours FIRST Birthday!
I can't believe it has been a whole year since he was born and a whole year since I was SO stinkin' sick-pregnant with miss love bug. I am enjoying this year's September SO much more! 

Anyway, it was a blast to get to celebrate this awesome little man who is SO.DARN.CUTE. He is walking already, and such fun, fun, fun to play with.
Lyndsey did a great job decorating an making this huge cupcake for Gavin!
 A little shy when it came to just digging into that ultra-sweet icing and cake...
 But he got the hang of it, realized it was yummy, and that everyone was watching! Such a cutie pie!
Caroline was taking in all the Cake eating action from her Great Mema's lap and as content as ever. 
LOVE that girl :)
When we went shopping for Gavin, Uncle Jay was SO excited to pick out a Tee Ball set! Gavin was just excited to walk around with the bright yellow bat... 
Caroline thinks playing Airplane with Daddy is the best :)
 Sweet Cousins!
Uh oh! Wrapping Paper can be used to play Tee Ball with Caroline's head right?! Luckily Aunt Leah was there! These two are only 7 months apart and its going to be so fun to see them grow up together...

And especially now because Gavin, and Chris and Lyndsey are moving to Virginia!! 

Our House is about to get really exciting and BUSY, because The Bate's family is re-locating to Virginia, Chris is starting as a Restaurant Leader for Jay at Chick-fil-A, and they are going to being living with us for several weeks while Chris and Lyndsey figure out where in Waynesboro they want to live. We are thrilled and excited to welcome family so much closer. 
We love you guys, and are excited to be a part of this next step in your family's journey!





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