Our Weekend was a Cozy Sweater and Other Metaphors

The Fall must be giving us wings because we took the girls shopping not once but twice this weekend.  On Saturday we went to Trader Joe’s for a portion of our groceries. It has become one of our favorite weekend stops.  They are so cheerful there + pumpkin everything + cheap fresh flowers + baby shopping carts.  It is the best.  On Sunday, my mom and I took the girls to the mall.  I’ve been wanting to get a few Fall pieces for them before the weather starts to get chilly, so we gave it our best effort.  Although, we didn’t get a ton accomplished because helloooo escalators and dressing room jungle gyms, and mannequins aka “shows,” but that’s okay because helloooo online shopping.  I’m sure the kids will end up clothed.

Besides shopping adventures, we watched football, bought a couple more Starbucks lattes than we needed, went for a run, made chili, had friends over for dinner, lit Fall candles.   If a weekend could be a thing, this one was a big cozy sweater or your favorite jammies or those old soft slippers. I shall leave you there.  It was just so good.  Happy Monday. 

Goodbye Summer + A Completed Bucket List (just in the nick of time)

Oh, Summer. I hate goodbyes.
In August, I blogged a Summer Bucket List as a reminder to myself that there were still things left to accomplish, warm weather to enjoy, and so many memories left to make before Fall arrived. And as evidenced by the small photo collage above, I'm sitting in the glory of a list fulfilled.  A cozy place to be indeed.
This is gonna be a tough one to bid adieu. It was just SO good, and I can honestly say we drank it up, all the way to the very last drop. I'm noticing that the older I get, the less I wish away time; the less I try and rush through our seasons together, sweltering though they may be and as pumpkin-licious as the next may seem. But, I think I'm ready now, to close the book on the Summer of beach trips, family, stargazing, gathering, swimming, late night walks with neighbors.  It was oh so good.
Until next time, Summer!
Hello, pumpkin spice lattes, warm cozy sweaters, colorful leaves, crackling fires...
Okay, this ain't gonna be so bad.

A Backyard Dinner Party

Oftentimes, when the weather is nice, and we are done cleaning up from dinner in the evenings, our little family will go for walks. And because of these walks, we've ended up meeting so many really nice people in our neighborhood, many in a similar season of life with babies or young kids.  So, a couple months ago, I mentioned to Andy that I wanted to have a dinner at our house with all these new friends, a chance to hear more about their lives and just let community do what community does best. It also just so happened that one of the moms from up the street loved the idea and offered to help put it all together which is always more fun than working by your lonesome. So we got the plans rolling!
Since our house is a bit small for the number of people we invited, we decided to set up dinner outside, a long table filled with wine, appetizers, and pastas. My neighbor, and nearest and dearest of friends, Whitney, came over on Saturday to help me weave together a long green garland for the center of the table.  Andy ran errands all morning, finishing up every last item on the honey-do list just in time for the Georgia Tech game.  Then our friends, Jana and Brad, who helped with lots of the details, came to help set up.  It was a group effort.
The night was beautiful. Stories were shared; wine was poured; laughter was had by all.  We stayed out until well past 11:00, and I went to bed stuffed with pasta and happy.  I'm not one of those effortless hostesses.  I sweat and flip couch cushions, you know, THAT kind.  So, I am extra grateful for the evening and that folks came to enjoy one of the last nights of Summer with us, at our home.

Santa Rosa Beach Vacation

 The only thing trickier than the Monday after vacation is the Monday after your very last vacation of the Summer.  And so here we are. Be gentle with me. I'll rebound and be drinking pumpkin spice lattes in no time; I'm sure of it.  But first! The pictures and accounts of our last beach hurrah.

We spent the week in Santa Rosa with my family (missing Ross and Kelly).  And in the normal Terrell family fashion, we were up with the sun every day.  There was coffee brewing by 6:00 am, Mimi making pancakes soon after, and babies cooing before we finished our second cup.  The days were long and glorious. On our ride home, we talked about our favorite parts of the week. The list was also long and glorious.  We talked about how fun it was to watch Marin play in the ocean, so fearless and wild. We laughed at the thought of her chasing seagulls with an "Ohh, he few away" with each failed attack. In fact, we laughed about a lot of her antics from the week.  She filled each day with her funny little ways, and we are realizing that all of our nostalgic car rides home will begin and end with these little ladies of ours.
Another shared favorite from the week was the gathering for dinners and cooking together.  We took turns stirring rice and holding babies.  We ate fresh guacamole and drank a margarita. Does it get any better than that?
Okay maybe it does, because I also got to hold my sweet little nephew every day for a whole week. Watching my twin brother Ryan and his wife Alex with their new 10 week old baby boy was another personal favorite from the week. There really aren't words for the joy of all of that. Also, they were SO great with the whole first-vacation-with-baby thing.  So here is my internet hat tip to them.

I am forever grateful for this family and that these memories of our girls with their Mimi and Papa, Aunt, and Uncles are ours to keep.
The warm Summer days have been good to us, and we will be sad to watch them go.  Well, three of us are sad; Brite Wren is doing a happy dance that swimsuit season is done-zo. So, we'll just let her excitement carry us through this Monday- k?

Pink, Sparkle, and Tulle Toddler Wear

1/2/3/4/5

Happy Friday, friends! We are at the beach this week, chasing the last remaining days of Summer. The mornings have been filled with salty air, the aroma of coffee and the cooing of babies. Be still my beating heart. How will they ever get me to leave? Sigh. 
Anyway, more from this last beach hurrah coming soon; for now I wanted to share some of the toddler wear I've been eyeing lately.  Our resident toddler has turned out to be the girliest of girls, proclaiming at random through out the day "I WUV PINK!" So, in honor of the girly girls and having one foot in Summer and one in Fall, here are a few of my favorite toddler things. 

Marin's First Trip to the Amusement Park

This past weekend we took the girls on their first trip to the amusement park.  It's the one weekend of the year when the company Andy works for closes down the park for employees only. No lines, no crowds, lots of funnel cakes, yes please.

And, let it be noted before we get to the amusement part of things that the drive there was not so amusing.  Brite cried the WHOLE drive because she is in a hating her carseat phase; oh, and Andy made the awesome discovery that we forgot his work badge (aka our ticket into the park) just before pulling into the empty parking lot where the parking attendant told us we were two hours early. Where are the laughing and crying emojis when you need them?  Anyway, we made the best of it and we were in the park and buying monster bags of cotton candy before we knew it.

We spent most of our time in the section of the park where the kiddie rides are, and I have never been so thrilled by an amusement park in my life. Watching Marin on those little rides beats going on massive roller coasters any day. We weren't sure what she would think of them at first because sometimes she's a thrill-seeking kinda girl and sometimes she is super cautious.

She hopped on the first ride reluctantly.  It was one of those spinning swing things, and there was only one other kid on it, so she looked at us like she does when we drop her at Sunday school with a "Where do you think YOU are going?" She put on a pretend smile while we cheered for her. She let out a "I'm ready to be done now!" just before the swings started to slow.  She sort of enjoyed it, a small amusement park victory.  She was cautiously curious of all the other rides, but warmed up quickly.  By the end of her first trip on the mini roller coaster, she had changed her tune to "I want to go again!"

What a thrill watching her experience these things for the first time. Her face in that picture up there could make me cry.  All in all it was a successful trip and worth the trek.  Oh, then Andy topped off the night by getting me a funnel cake and he knew that Mr. Forget-the-Tickets would be forgiven because you know, with this funnel cake, I thee wed.