Two Special Visitors & Our Very Autumn Week!

A couple of weeks ago Miss Caroline and I got to have two visitors! Gram was here all week while Daddy was in Seattle for work, and my good high school friend Emily were here for a day! This Mama loves visitors, and any excuse to have a fun day out. Jay always jokes with me that I am constantly looking for the next fun "trip" or adventure. And by joking, he has hit the nail on the head... I can't help it... I love people and I love to experience new and fun things. AND with Caroline I feel like it is JUST AS FUN to experience things all over because its her FIRST! I am a planner by nature so any excuse to combine friends, and family, and adventures, and planning fun things, I am loving it!

So while Gram was here we went Apple Picking at Carter Mountain Orchard here in Virginia. Apple Picking is one of my all time favorite Fall activities. I think it is because I LOVE apple pie so much, and apple sauce, and apple cider, and being outside and being with my mom. It was a great afternoon! {AND Caroline lucked out with yummy cooked, pureed, and frozen Apple baby food. Yum!}

 Baby wearing is the.greatest.ever.

 "Seriously Mom, no more kisses!"

 When we got back home, Caroline and Gram played with all our apples on the sofa. Love these pictures of my inquisitive girl!

 Aunt Emily brought Caroline her first Pumpkins!!! 

 She loved them. Smart girl going for Orange :)

 She banged and patted and drooled all over them. So much fun! They're on our kitchen table and still a go-to-toy while we are eating dinner. 

 I love this dear friend and we are all excited for the possibility of her moving  so close by in Charlottesville! 

 Such a cute 5 1/2 month grump! She was tired and obviously not in the mood for smiling. This picture with her pouty lip is just too dang cute though!

Emily was the greatest at singing lots of fun songs. I have a feeling Caroline will be begging for Emily to Babysit lots!

Hope y'all are having a great Autumn Monday!

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!

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. 

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.