Thanksgiving Mini Style

The big feast is just one week away and I am determined to get a family photo before we stuff our faces. I have loved dressing a baby girl the last two years but this year I get to dress a boy too! Family or just sibling coordinating looks can be so easily done with a simple color palette and a complimentary print or two. I've linked up all my faves for little girls and baby boys and I own most of these items for my kids!

Fall Home Tour

I'm just another fall loving basic white girl, and I'm totally okay with that. So it's no surprise that there are pumpkins and mums on my front porch, buffalo plaid pillows on my couch and pumpkin spice in my coffee. But seasonal decorating actually has been a bit less fun and more stressful since having kids and I simply mean that I just don't have that much time for it. So this year I've gone much more minimal with my decor than years past. Less time, less stress, less money. More fun! And, as it turns out, I actually love the less is more thing.

I started early, went through everything I already had and bought very few new things, with purpose. It was so helpful to me to put out what I wanted to use then only buy things with a specific spot to put them in mind. This worked out much better than my usual approach of going nuts on everything I like and trying to stuff it all in my house later. It was fun to use my open kitchen shelving to add decor with things we actually use like cups and bowls. And simply putting a pumpkin or fake bats pretty much anywhere suddenly makes it look like fall! 

I decided to stay classic with mostly orange, black and white and that helped to streamline the decor throughout my house. And I didn't worry about differentiating between "fall" and "halloween". Halloween is my most favorite holiday and Fallon is really getting into it this year too so we just went a little fall and a little spooky from the beginning. And after the 31st I'll just ditch the bats and probably keep the rest until after Thanksgiving. Make your own rules!

Cozy Cardis

I can feel fall creeping in, FINALLY, and that means it's sweater weather! Cozy cardigans are staples in my wardrobe, perfect for the end of summer to fall transition. Cool morning layers peel off for warm afternoons and then go right back on for evenings outside. I've linked up my current faves that I'll be wearing on repeat and styled a zillion different ways. Cozy is the new black!

Layered Looks

I like classic neutrals. And jewel tones. I like stripes. And plaid. I like camo, chenille and flannel. And the best part about a layered look is that I get wear several of them at the same time. Okay so there's also a practical point to be made for layering clothes. When it's still warm in the afternoon but chilly in the morning it's easy to take off the top layers without changing clothes. Even if it's the dead of winter wearing multiple layers keeps me warm but makes it easy to take off a jacket or vest before I start to break a sweat while running around with my kid. And then there's the whole pregnancy thing. Layering a scarf or vest over a t-shirt or sweater is weather appropriate and stylish but also bump friendly. Open front shirts, jackets and vest are also great for layering over nursing tanks for new mamas. I mean is there a downside? 

Favorite Finds: Small Shop Edition

Now that our fall weather has, probably only briefly, returned from its several week long hiatus I thought it would be a good time to share some recent seasonally inspired finds. These posts are so fun for me to do and I hope you enjoy reading them too. I love to see what other people are loving for their wardrobes, homes and kiddos and it is really nice to have a direct link to the things others are raving about, because if they are that good, I want them too!

When I received an email about working together with ReplayRecycled I was SO excited. Fallon was eating straight off her high chair with her fingers still and I was washing the same few snack bowls and cups every day. Not only do they have an adorably cute selection of tableware for kids, the company behind the products is pretty amazing. It was founded by a husband and wife team and produces recycled, FDA approved, food safe plastic products for moms and kids alike to love. And the company is all run right here in the USA. We have been loving the divided plates for meals, bowls for all the snacks, flat plates for donuts dates and sippy cups to coordinate with every outfit. 

One day Fallon will have enough hair for ponytails and braids but in the meantime, there is always something denoting her as a girl on her head. It drives me nuts when people assume she's a boy! WesternWanderers has the cutest textures and prints for fall and how could I not snag this striped head wrap for my girl?! And can we talk about baby turbans, or topknots as they are so sweetly called over at Olive & Mama Co.? I about died from the cuteness of Fallon wearing this gorgeous neutral print. 

At this point it will come as no surprise to you all who have been following along that my daughter has a thing for blankets and all the soft things in general. She may even become a bigger blanket hoarder than mama! We received the most beautiful black and white quilt from Clemetine Kids and Fallon has been dragging it around with her EVERYWHERE. Of course I'm tickled that it's so Halloween photo appropriate and it washes like brand new every time. I am certain we will end up collecting all of this amazing brand's prints because they are just so good!

And speaking of snuggly soft things, Fallon has slept with the Slumberkin we got her when she first slept through the night in her crib nearly every single night. And while Sugar Plum (yes, we name everything) isn't going anywhere she's a little worse for wear from all the love. So the chilly air, perfect for cuddling has me thinking she should have a new one. Y'all, these little guys are just right for little hands to hold and feel comforted by. New babe will definitely be getting one when he or she arrives! 

Of course Fallon is growing like a weed and was in need of fall clothes, so I had to sneak in some items into her wardrobe from my favorite small shops. The crewneck sweatshirts from Childhoods Clothing are my favorite! She looks so cute in them and they are perfect for exploring outside in the chilly air. The faded red is such a fun color and worked in well with Fallon's capsule wardrobe. 

Happy Friday!

Fall Diffuser Blends

It's probably no surprise to you by now that fall scents are my absolute favorite. All of the crisp air, falling leaves, baking spices and cozy home smells just put me in a good mood. I used to buy candles by the dozen and burn them like they were going out of style. But since I've been using oils I've been slowly burning down my old soy candles and experimenting with diffuser combos instead. I ordered every fall scent I could think of last month and it has been so much fun to discover all the new ways to make my home smell like the season. I love learning which scents other people are diffusing and am always looking for more ideas. So I thought I would share the ones we have been loving lately. Maybe they are already your favorite combos too or maybe you'll get some new inspiration!

Northern Light Black Spruce + Tangerine + Cinnamon Bark

Bergamot + Lemon + Cardamon

Cedarwood + Orange + Cinnamon Bark

Patchouli + Thieves + Nutmeg + Ginger

Stress Away + Bergamot + Cinnamon Bark

Thieves + Cinnamon Bark + Orange

Orange + Bergamot + Ginger

Clove + Nutmeg + Cinnamon Bark

Purification + Thieves + Orange 

Patchouli + Stress Away + Ginger

5 Fall Baking Recipes

It's been hotter here in Northern Kentucky this first week of fall than it was at the beach last week! But the temps are supposed to be dropping back down so fall baking is back on my mind. When it was feeling all autumn like earlier this month I pinned some must try recipes for the season but so far I'm only 2 deep. I'm planning to get back on the horse this weekend and hopefully I'll have a tiny helper to make it really fun. Cooking just isn't my thing but I love to bake and all the flavors of fall make my mouth water. It probably also has something to do with my huge sweet tooth. So I'm sharing a list of 5 recipes we should all indulge in as the leaves change and the temperatures dip. 

Country Apple Fritter Bread

Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffins

Mom's Homemade Apple Pie

Chocolate Swirl Pumpkin Bars

Maple-Glazed Pumpkin Poptarts

Fall Capsule Wardrobe: Toddler Girls

We did not find out Fallon was a girl until she was born so it was gender neutral everything up until that point. And then allllll the cute girly things came. I was more than set to go with newborn and 0-3 month clothing but by 3-6 months I was on my own. I just have the girl mom experience but my goodness it was so overwhelming diving into the world of dressing a baby girl. So I made it my mission to make daily outfits as easy and fun as possible and daddy friendly too. 

I had read plenty of blog posts about capsule wardrobes for women but never any for kids. It seemed that the same basic principles would apply no matter the age though so I dove in. The first thing I like to do is "window shop" when it's time to size up and/or prepare for a season change. Browse your favorite stores and small shops online and put everything you initially like in your cart. This allows you to see everything together while bookmarking it and sometimes retailers will e-mail coupons to entice you to make that purchase. Once you've made your initial round, start going back and checking to see if you have items that are very similar, narrow down what you don't absolutely love and decide which expensive items are worth it. Then the real work begins. Go through and try to make outfits in your mind with the pieces you have chosen. Ideally each piece can be part of 3 or more different outfits. But of course there will be those pieces that only go with one top or one pair of tights and that's okay! You just want to make sure you don't have too many pieces that are

"solo items" so you maximize your options and get the most bang for your buck. 

I purposely I am not doing this post in the style that I've seen it done before. Truthfully any capsule wardrobe is still personalized to the individual's own taste. So I wanted to give a basic outline of how to create your own as opposed to listing examples of each piece that should make it up. Not everyone likes stripes, some stick with basic solids, others go for bold pieces. Any style can be corralled into a capsule wardrobe so you can do you, just simplified. The key to the capsule wardrobe is the mix and match factor. If you love all kinds of prints and bright colors have solids to balance and coordinate with them all. Go with your favorite basics in those same colors you're always drawn to but grab pieces with fun details and textures to mix in. Get all the stripes but get all the neutrals. Your kid's (or your own) clothes, your call! But if you need a visual or some inspiration to get started, here you go. 

Favorite Finds

I'll be honest, the end of summer left me feeling so uninspired I felt like I didn't have much to share, hence the lack of posts. But September has brought fall like weather and I'm suddenly all kinds of motivated to share new things as we welcome my favorite season. Fall fashion, fall decor, fall recipes, I have so many post ideas swirling around in my head now and I can't wait to get back into this blogging groove. It's a 60 something degree morning and Fallon and I are off to adventure. But first, my latest favorites.

The cutest little jogger pants for babe and total bonus points because they match mama's!

A cozy + festive blanket for all the cool weather snuggles

Hands down the best cardi coat of the season, I want to live in it, and I just might

Must try pumpkin muffin recipe for chilly fall mornings

My new favorite accent pillow that's perfect all year round

The perfect pair of OTK boots to go with everything fall fashion

Floral jams for Fallon that I wish came in my size

Want more favorites? Check out what Ashley, Heaven and Arin are posting about today.

Happy Friday!

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks

It's that time of year again, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is upon us! Every year there is so much excitement and hype surrounding this sale and honestly it never disappoints. You can snag so many great pieces for fall at steeply discounted prices and get a jump start on next season's wardrobe. Although early access has been available to Nordstrom card holders for a week, the sale goes live to the public tomorrow. I'm sharing my top picks and I have a strong feeling many of these items will sell out quickly, so get them while you can!

You know by now that leggings and tees are my jam so of course I was drawn to a few of those immediately. Black moto leggings are a staple for me because I can run around in them or dress them up a bit if I'm feeling fancy. I am all about the layered look when it gets chilly and soft, cozy cardigans are where it's at in my opinion. Grey is my favorite neutral but burgundy will be swooping in for fall. Honestly I'll still be in sneakers and probably Ugg boots most of the time but I think I'll have to finally give OTK boots a shot. Plain old distressed jeans will always have my heart but I've been looking for a pair of distressed black jeans. And they would pair so well with the cognac leather jacket or the cold shoulder sweaters. And did you honestly think I wouldn't throw in a comfy pair of pjs pants? I mean, they have grey stripes. SOLD. 

Happy shopping!

Beanie Babes

Most days I try to get out of the house with Fallon, even if it's just to run through the Starbucks drive thru. She's a high stimulation kid so staying home all day bores her. Now that it seems the fall weather is here to stay, I'm loving all the beanie hats for mama and baby. I run cold, always, and wearing a coat while running errands is kind of a pain, especially now with a munchkin in tow. There isn't really much room in the cart anymore and I need both hands when I'm out and about. Fallon can't wear a coat in her carseat so really, throwing hats on both of us is the easiest thing to do, plus they are basically another way to accessorize! I've linked some of my favorites currently out there for you and your mini in case you wanna be beanie babes too. Can you tell we like pompoms? 

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8


Happy Friday!

Pumpkin Patchin'

Last weekend we did something I look forward to every fall, we took little trip to the pumpkin patch. I've been dreaming of reliving my childhood excitement through a babe of my own and even though Fallon won't remember this year's trip, it's so fun to start traditions with her. 

A farm not far from our house has an annual Fall Fest complete with hayrides, farm animals and of course a pumpkin patch. There's even live music and pumpkin + face painting for the older kids. I dressed up Fallon in the cutest fall outfit and we took in all the sites while spending some quality family time. She may be only 3 months old but it's very clear how much she enjoys being outside and having lots of things to see and hear. By the time we were getting ready to leave little miss no naps was falling asleep in my arms. I already can't wait until next year to see her toddling around with a tiny pumpkin!

Fall Quinoa Salad

So I'm not very creative with my food and tend to eat the same meals over and over again. When I find something I like, it takes me a while to get sick of it. As a vegetarian I have to find ways to get enough protein from plant sources and it's especially important now that I'm breastfeeding. Quinoa is the only complete plant protein and I love that it's a such a versatile food. I always buy butternut squash when the temperatures begin to cool but sometimes have a hard time deciding how to eat it. So last Sunday I went ahead and roasted the one I had while making quinoa just to have for the week and had an aha moment. Mix them together. 

I cubed the squash and started pulling out other ingredients I had on hand. Of course my seasonal loving heart wanted to make it into a fall salad and luckily everything blended together really well. The end result is a an easy lunch or dinner full of nutrients that tastes great and fills me up. I don't measure anything but here's the list of what I threw together.

Quinoa

Butternut squash

Dried unsweetened cranberries

Sliced almonds, walnuts or pecans

Avocado

Sunflower seeds

Honeycrisp apple

Goat cheese

Cranberry Vinaigrette 

Enjoy!

Friday I'm in Love

Fri-YAY!!! Where have you been? While it's definitely been a productive week around here, it's also been stressful. I had to fast for a blood test today which meant no coffee this morning. The horror. This mama is ready for some down time + a cold one. On the positive side, it's finally feeling like fall and that means lots of favorites. So many favorites. I won't bombard you with them all but it just wouldn't be right if I didn't share a few. 

I love navy nails for fall and I finally found the perfect shade. 

A neutral pair of booties is a staple in my fall wardrobe but I've been hesitant to go the open toe route. This pair changed my mind. 

I tend to be a bit of a candle hoarder all year long but the fall scents are by far and away my favorite.This one is at the top of the list, makes your house smell like pancakes.

I've been drooling over all the pumpkin and apple recipes on Pinterest but I absolutely must try these pumpkin gooey butter cakes. 

If you came to my house you might say I've gone a bit pumpkin crazy with my fall decor. But I added an adorable print to break up the madness. 

This isn't fall related but my sister showed me this hilarious video about breastfeeding in public and I'm a sucker for sarcastic humor. 

Have the happiest weekend friends!