Yesterday, I had a totally new experience – I went apple picking!
We went with four other families – a grand total of 13 people – to Skytop Orchards, which boasts over a dozen varieties of apples and is a huge tourist attraction in the area. We got there just as the leaves are beginning to turn. The weather was perfect, and I couldn’t have asked for a better day with my family and friends. It was truly lovely!
The kids eventually got tired of walking up and down the hillsides…
So we plopped them down for a break…
And before I knew it, a wonderful photo-shoot had unfolded! I got five of the kids to sit in a row – 5 out of 11 isn’t too bad, right?!
And this, my friends, is my favorite photo of my children ever because I feel like it perfectly captures who they are at this exact moment in their lives. And I love how much they look alike. My loves. <3
Even the momma friends got together for a picture. We tried to do a kid-less but our munchies ran over, which made us crack up. I really love this group of women – we do a constant text stream all day, every day, and it sure is helpful to have friends to ask for advice and give kudos and offer support.
We got home and I busted out a quick 2.0 mile. Gosh, this weather is excellent for running!
And then the moms went out for dinner all by ourselves, which was pretty fun. We were celebrating two birthdays, which meant we got free cheesecake. Not too shabby!
What have you “picked� I have picked APPLES, Christmas trees, pumpkins, strawberries, and pomegranates (pomegranates were really cool – they grow on trees like apples!).
Oh, I am so excited about this post and giveaway. My absolute favorite leggings are from White Plum – I have waxed poetic about them numerous times. Seriously, they are so soft, cozy, and comfortable – and CUTE. So many adorable styles.
The solid color fleece-lined ones are an excellent choice for Fall/Winter. They are nice and thick so there’s no see-through fears AND they keep your legs warm in dresses. The best!
But the prints are super fun too. I’m a pretty conservative dresser but really do enjoy wearing the crazier leggings. I like to pair them with something solid (like this gray sweater dress) and always get comments on them when I wear them out and about – people just love to talk leggings! Speaking of legging talk, if you have NO IDEA how to style leggings, White Plum has an awesome leggings guide that answers every question you could think of (spoiler alert – your top should cover your butt!).
And, if you’d like to go ahead and grab a pair of leggings now, use the code HTP25OFF for 25% off your entire order until October 15. Don’t forget to check out the leggings guide, and good luck on the giveaway!
After two years of Erin Condren planners, I have switched to a $8 one. Even thought it’s only October 6, I keep needing to flip into 2016 and write down info – my old planner stopped at December 31. I kept on meaning to order another super cute Erin one (I love the covers), but then I stumbled upon a total gem at FedEx and bought it on the spot. It fulfills all my paper planner requirements – a calendar view, a weekly view, lots of room to write…
I switched to paper planners two years ago and haven’t looked back since. I used to use an electronic one for appointments and use scraps of paper for To Do lists – but now it’s all in the same spot. Long live the paper planner, whether cheap or fancy!
My morning:
Full of muffin-making, slide-sliding, and lots of love. <3 <3 <3
Breakfast:
This was a good one! Big and hearty.
Roasted potatoes
Banana
Zucchini
Eggs with spinach and Swiss
And here are some quotes that resonate with me today:
And in other news, I have a toothache so I made a dentist appointment for tomorrow. I am actually pretty scared of the dentist and haven’t been in longer than I care to admit. So I hope everything is okay! I’m going to focus on healthy teeth and hope it multiples. Hah.
On Saturday afternoon, the Husband and I attended our friend Isaac’s birthday party at the 5-star Ballantyne Resort. We hung out with friends, sat in the hot tubs, relaxed in the steam rooms, and drank mimosas. I left the spa feeling very adult, peaceful, and calm, but when we got home, there was immediate kid chaos! Even in the face of a scream fest, I thought, “Man, I actually missed this while we were away…â€
… Although I seriously wouldn’t be opposed to more “spa voices†in my real life! Claire has gotten SO LOUD in the past few weeks, and the kids now have screaming competitions. I swear that my ear drums are bleeding.
Speaking of Claire, she turned 10 months on Friday. She has gotten really good at waving bye-bye (doing it unprompted now!), and she said her third word – CAT! Mama and Dada were #1 and #2. And she’s taken a few steps but hasn’t really started to walk. It’s funny how different the kids are; once Henry took one step, there was no stopping the process (he took his first step at 7 months and was a fully independent walker at 9!). But Claire seems more cautious. Which I am totalllly okay with.
In other exciting parenting news, I accidentally left Henry’s sneakers on the roof of my car and drove away. I heard a THUMP THUMP when we were on a busy road and saw the sneakers go flying off the back – whoops. I was pretty jazzed when I retrieved them several minutes later and they were not squashed flat.
It’s the little things in life, am I right?!
So… How is “No Excuses†life going for everyone? No Excuses <— I will workout. When there’s a will, there’s a way. I had to dig up serious will on Sunday, when H refused (like, flat-out REFUSED) to go into gym childcare. I ended up doing sprint intervals on the track and some strength-training moves (squats, lunges, push-ups, planks, pull-ups) while he played on a nearby playground. It actually ended up being an awesome workout, and it made me want to do playground-workout combos more often. Everyone was pretty pleased!
And see those stormy skies? We have been having some rotten weather, no thanks to Hurricane Joaquin. I’m loving the cooler temps but this rain has got to go!
We rounded out Sunday evening with a play date with friends. Brandi made quinoa muffins – I need the recipe!
I’m making a real effort to get back on track in all areas of my life. Healthy eating – CHECK. Sleep – CHECK. Fitness – CHECK. Catching up on Fear the Walking Dead – CHECK (and AHHH! So good). And last, but not least, Book a Week! When I was about 15 books into my New Year’s Resolution, someone asked me if trying to read a book a week would burn me out on reading. At the time, I said, “Nope!†But… It did. I definitely had a period where I did not want to pick up a book… so I didn’t.
I’ve been getting back into the habit. Here’s a GREAT parenting book that I just finished this week.
This book is AMAZING, thought-provoking, and insightful, and I highly recommend that all parents of young children (2 – 6 years old would probably be the best) pick up a copy. This book was given to me by Henry’s preschool director, as many of the philosophies described guide the school’s procedures.
This book has a huge emphasis on unstructured play, which I love. And the book discusses so many crucial topics and gives great guidance on handling many “discipline†issues… which actually aren’t discipline issues at all. I loved the idea of “changing the place, not the child†when it comes to so many things, like roughhousing, messy art, or even swear words. This is a very progressive book that places a lot of emphasis on understanding and respecting a child’s emotions. It also gives a good look at what kids are developmentally capable of understanding/appreciating.
The title – “It’s Okay Not to Share†– focuses on the fact that the author does not support “forced sharing on demand.†Adults do this, she says, because of social politeness, but what we’re really teaching kids is that 1) they can’t trust adults to protect their play and 2) they should get what they want instantly. She also argues that forced sharing doesn’t actually teach generosity. Instead, the author advocates taking long turns and sharing only when one child ready to be “done,†which actually benefits both kids on the equation. Makes sense to me! If this mindset sounds logical to you, check out another chapter of the book here!
I think the hardest part of applying these ‘renegade rules’ is applying the rules in public with parents/kids who don’t follow the same philosophy. There’s a section at the end of each chapter about this very issue, which I really appreciated! I have actually long been against forced sharing; this rule is easy to enforce when your kid wants something someone else does. But its haaaard when a stranger is demanding your kid share on demand. The other day on the playground, another mom told Henry to get off the swing for a kid who had just walked over! She said, “It’s his turn now. Get off!†I wasn’t sure what to do so I spluttered out a, “Henry, this boy would like a turn. Are you ready to be done? No? Okay, well when you are, let him have the swing†but I felt SO AWKWARD because I was definitely going against the grain. Thanks to reading this book, I know that I was politely supporting his right to play (just as I would’ve protected the other kid’s right if Henry had wanted his swing).
A reader on Instagram asked me for a list of parenting books that I have read and love. Here you go!
