Fall Bucket List 2020!

1. Paint a FALL door hanger. This one is actually already done, this past weekend. I went with my BFF to a local place where you can paint door hangers and similar hanging type wooden pieces. I have done several of them, but never one for Fall. I loved the new design they had come in, which was a truck with a pumpkin in the back. I painted the truck green because its my favorite color, and it was a good Fall color.

2. Decorate for Fall. I LOVE decorating at home for each season and holiday. I already have a big box of stuff in the basement to bring up, but I also got a few new things this year, including a light up monogram pumpkin, a pumpkin doormat, and some other odds and ends. A great place to look for seasonal décor cheap is at thrift stores or online yardsales! I particularly love finding the old ceramic Christmas houses that light up. I even found a thanksgiving themed one this year for $4. 

3. Visit a Pumpkin Patch. I was worried we wouldn't get to go this year, but I read some are opening soon, with special precautions. So we plan to go and pick out pumpkins. Last year we enjoyed a hay ride and then we all got pumpkins we could decorate. The girls wanted to do something new instead of carving, so they did paint and glitter on theirs. 

4. Visit Charleston. While this isn't a yearly thing for us, we are going on vacation to Charleston this year to meet my new nephew! I am so excited to have a getaway with the kids, eat some good seafood, visit the beach-- even if we can't actually swim by then. 

5. Fall Photo Shoot. I love taking pictures of the kids. They are getting more resistant as they get older, but I don't understand it, because they LOVE taking pictures of themselves!! ;) haha. I hope to get the girls to agree to a fall photo shoot this year. I love taking cute pictures of them I can frame and put up around the house. And of course I want to have the memories to look back on in the future! 

6. Day Trip to Mountains. We love being only an hour or so away from the mountains. Its easy to drive up for the day and just visit. We especially like going in the fall because the leaves on the trees start changing colors and it is BEAUTIFUL. I hope one weekend soon we can drive up there. Maybe while we are there we can stop by and get some ice-cream, too.

7. Halloween Movies. Everyone has heard of and loves the movie Hocus Pocus. I am actually not a huge fan of Halloween. But this movie just feels like a tradition that should be carried on. We also like to watch the Charlie Brown holiday specials. 

8. Harvest Trail Mix. I saw this on pinterest and thought it would be a good idea to try and make this fall. I love candy corn pumpkins and we all love snack mixes, so it looks like it would be yummy.

9. Halloween Treat Bags. Every year on holidays I usually get the kids a little treat as a surprise. I found some cute Halloween treat bags already, and will fill them up with candy and who knows what else. Our kids have stopped Trick of Treating for the most part, so I like to do something fun for them since they wont be going out and getting a bunch of candy like the old days. 

10. Thankful Pumpkin. I also saw this idea on pinterest. It looks like they painted a pumpkin and everyone wrote things on it that they were thankful for, and it was a nice centerpiece for the Fall. It is always a good idea to remind ourselves the things we are thankful for, so we don't start taking things for granted. I know this year has been so tough, but we still have it pretty good!!

11. BOO Your neighbors. I have seen a few people do this and I think its a cute idea! You can fill up a bucket or basket or whatever you want with candy, baked goods, trinkets, décor, Halloween baking supplies, or whatever you want. You leave It on the doorstep of your neighbors house as a surprise, and you leave a note saying they have been "Booed" and to spread the love! (then they can decide if they want to keep it going and BOO another neighbor!) This could be a kid-themed basket for a family with kids, or even a basket filled for elderly neighbors would be a nice thought!!

12. FALL FESTIVALS. I am pretty sure that Oktoberfest is cancelled this year, and I am so very sad. We love to take the kids every year. Arnold and I actually went on our first date to our Oktoberfest, 15 years ago! I also doubt we will be having our church fall festival this year. It is sad to think that a lot of traditions and events this year will be missed... but I guess we will just have to find other ways to have fun :) This is a picture of the kids from our church fall festival last year :) 

13. Fall Nails. I am loving the color street nail strips my friend Jess sells. I have been putting them on my toes mostly. I just bought a few new fall colors from her, including a dark purple and some gold! So I could do a look like this one in the picture. I love it. Now if only I could get my regular nails to grow I could do those, too ;) 

Brooke's 14 Yr Birthday & Interview

~BROOKE AT AGE 14~

Going into: 9th grade (highschool!)

Height- 5'7

Shoe size: women's 10

Birthday this year: Dinner out with friends and family, shopping & starbucks

Birthday Gifts this year: New Vans, Hair waver, Teen Bible, Purvida Bracelet

~FAVORITES~

Food: Fruit

Drink: Mtn Dew

 

Snack: Combos 

Dessert: cheesecake

Restaurant: olive garden 

Color: lavender 

Car: Black Mercedes 

Animal: Cow

Movie: didn't really watch any lately

Show: On My Block & The Flash 

Book: Babysitters Club 

Game: Roblox

Song: Blinding Lights

Flower:Tulips

Store: Aeropostale 

Subject in School: Social Studies

Thing to wear: Hoodies and sweatpants

Thing to do: Phone or laptop 

Thing to do outside: Go running

Season: Fall

Holiday: Christmas

Best Friend: Monserrat 

What to do you want to be when you grow up: IT Tech

What are you scared of: Dark places 

What do you want for Christmas this year: Room remodel 

Proudest moment of the past year: Graduating middle school 

~MY LETTER TO BROOKE~

Dear Brooke,

I can't believe you are 14. I still remember our first day home with you. I was young, and nervous, and didn't really know what I was doing. I woke up the next morning and saw you, and thought WOW this really is happening, it's not a dream. You are the one who made me a mama for the first time. In a way, we have grown up together. You have always been my brave, independent, active child. Ever since you were little you wanted to wiggle out of my arms and explore. You have never met a stranger. You take risks and will try anything once, that is something I have always admired, and I wish I could be more like that. You have been thrown several obstacles over the years, like your diagnosis with ADHD, but you didn't let it slow you down. You have learned how to adapt, and you are now thriving, and making wonderful grades. I know you were really looking forward to this year, starting highschool and marching band, and doing lots of fun things. A lot of things have changed due to covid, and I hate that for you. But you are still going to do well with school, and have many adventures, and enjoy your freshman year, I'm sure. Your dad and I are proud of you and hope you never lose your zest for life. We love you, and hope you have the best year ever. 

Love, Mom

Amazon Favorites & Finds!

I ordered Brooke this new Bible, its specifically for teen girls. I am hoping it helps her stay encouraged to keep reading her Bible on a regular basis, and maybe to help understand it better.

This is a really cool blanket I found! And it was not expensive like it says right now.. I follow a few deal pages on facebook and they alert me when there are drops in prices on things or coupon codes on things. So even though we don't need yet enother blanket in this house, I couldn't resist this one! I got the Halloween one since its coming up soon, and they have a few more prints. The blankets glow in the dark! I still have mine in the clear packaging, but Arnold saw it glowing one night and thought it was cool, haha.

This is my new all-time favorite body wash! It smells so good. I tried the kind in the purple bottle, but it has a weird smell to me! I like this brand, and its usually cheaper on Amazon, especially with Subscribe and Save! 

You all probably already know about the wet brush, but it is our favorite kind of brush! All of us have our own now. The brush really helps you get through tangles more easily. This is important, especially with girls that have long hair! I ordered this one for Brooke, because her favorite color is purple. They are often marked down on amazon to $7-$8 instead of the instore price!

We like to use these for our washing machine. You open a pack and dump it into an empty cycle once a month or so. It helps clean out any gunk and smells in your washing machine. We also have used the Tide cleaner but we think that scent is really overwhelming.. we can smell it all over the house.

I have a lot of earrings, and I was using a little tray or jewelry drawer to keep them in, but then I saw this display rack. It has LOTS of spots for several pairs of earrings. Keeps them all together, with the backing pieces on, which I ALWAYS lose... and it looks cute having them out to see. It came in a pack to put together, and all you have to do is stick the top into the little wooden piece, so its easy. 

This is a little fan that goes around your neck, and you can use it hands free! Perfect for working outside on hot days, or wearing to a concert, or the beach. Air blows right onto you and helps you stay cool. I absolutely hate being hot, and so this is a lifesaver. I used to have a little handheld fan but it didn't put out much power and you had to keep up with it, so this one is better. 

My kids prefer using mechanical pencils these days over regular pencils, so I always just jump online and buy them in big backs when they need more. They have lots of options and colors, and they are always running sales or coupons so they are cheaper than in store. 

My favorite thing lately is changing out throw pillow covers on my new couches for the seasons and holidays. Using the facebook deal sites and pages I have found a TON for cheap! I found these most recently, and thought theyd work both with red colors for Christmas and orange colors for Fall/Hallowen. I love the little accents on them. AND they were half off this price!

Have you looked on amazon for clothes? They have some really cute things! I saw this shirt one day and they had it in so many different colors, and YES it was on a great deal that day. Make sure you pay attention to the sizing charts and reviews though, because a lot of things on there run differently in sizes than normal. This shirt is so cute and so soft, I've already worn it a few times! 

Brooke and I both wear makeup, and Rachel sometimes wears it for fun. These are the perfect wipes to wash off your face at night and get makeup off, or just to cleanse your skin. These are the sensitive kind, which are great for all skin types!

This sugar scrub for your body is great! Its made to be used on wet skin, so we just stick our container in the shower. I got hooked on this stuff when I bought Rachel some for her birthday. We got her the mango scent, and this is a pina colada coconut scent I just got and it smells SO GOOD! You can use this on parts of your skin that get rough easily like elbows and knees, and it makes them nice and smooth! And it makes the whole shower smell awesome while youre using it!

Everyone in our family uses daily vitamins. Rachel is still using flinstones gummies. I use Womens One a Day regular pills. Then I found these gummies and they are specifically for teen girls. So I got them for Brooke. They also have a version for teen boys that Caleb has!

I have an iwatch and one of my favorite things is that you can change out the band really quickly and easily. They have a TON of options of bands online, and they are all cheaper than buying them in store. I just got this one that's a gold color and matches pretty much everything. I also have a leopard band and a blue flowered band I got on there. They have some really cute ones.. some are sparkly, some look like real watch bands, some have prints that look like vera Bradley or Lily Pulitzer. So go on there and search iwatch bands and I guarantee you'll find one you love! 

I have been trying to do better this year about drinking more water. Ive seen a lot of a lot of ads for motivational water bottles, so I decided to try one. They make different sizes and colors. The bottle has lines on it that shows you how much to drink, and by when. It helps keep you on track throughout the day. It has a wide opening when you unscrew the top, so you can fit ice in there if you want, or fruit or whatever. It also has a button you just push to pop open the top to drink, and a little holder to carry it or clip it on to something. 

Life Lately: The rest of Summer!

My very first nephew has arrived! Roman Alexander was born on August 13th and weighed over 5lbs. He was a month early. Originally Christina had been scheduled to be induced on the 19th, but she went into labor naturally the week before. I woke up that morning to a text from my SIL and I was so surprised, but just glad he was doing ok! Also, I think he looks JUST LIKE my brother!! I mentioned this before, but early on, the drs found out that Roman's intestines were growing outside of his body, and they would need to do surgery soon after he was born. They waited a few days until he was ready and stronger, and he had the surgery on Tuesday. He did so great! Now he has to stay in the NICU for a few weeks to learn to do things like breathe and eat on his own. I am such an excited Auntie and can't wait to get my hands on him and hold him! After he gets out of the hospital, probably towards the end of September, we will be heading to Charleston on vacation and to meet him!!! 

One day my mom and dad said they wanted to get a change of scenery and they were going to head to the beach for a few days, and they wanted to take the kids. Well you don't have to ask me twice! (haha!) So that Monday they left for the beach and stayed until Thursday. The kids had a great time- they got to go swimming a lot, and walk on the beach, and go out to eat for seafood. Rachel sent me pictures every day of their views, and I was kinda jealous! haha. My dad said they had fun but they argued a lot, sounds about right. 

While the kids were out of town, Arnold and I took the opportunity to go out on a few date nights! The first night we went to Carrabba's and it was a lot of fun. Sadly enough, I went home after that and fell asleep before 9pm. I really know how to live it up these days. 

My bff Jess and I got to go out together a few times this past month, and it was a lot of fun. One morning we went to Cracker Barrel and got breakfast. I thought that would be a little different and fun, since we usually go get dinner. I also love that place.. the store gets me every time. They had a lot of stuff on discount and I may have gone home with a new flamingo beach tote for our trip. We plan to go painting at a local place next weekend. I want to do a fall piece for my door. Jess and I have been friends for almost 19 years, since highschool. She just means the world to me.

Speaking of Jess, she stays home now and homeschools her boys. She has also started selling Color Street. I'm sure you all have heard of it by now, because its all the rage. I have gotten invited to about 10 color street parties so far, haha. Basically its color strips you put on your nails and theres no mess, drytime, or smell. I have very short nails... bad habit since a kid of biting them. But I bought a few sets to try anyway. Arnold helped me put them on because he's so good with detail, and a little bit of a perfectionist. The color stayed on a long time! I since have done a coral color on my toenails and love it. They have so many colors, designs, and options for little girls too. So indulge my little shoutout and get in touch with my girl Jess if you want to try it ;) 

Brooke recently had to go in to the dentist and get a cavity filled. Poor girl has had the worst luck with her teeth and mouth since she was around 4 years old. She is sadly used to being in a dental chair by now! I got to sit in with her, and they gave her some laughing gas to help with the pain and nerves. She was very loopy and they had to keep waking her up, I was laughing. Afterwards I took her to Starbucks to get one of her favorite drinks. My mom used to take me out after dr appointments to get a treat and I guess I carried on the tradition! 

I was so happy when I found out that Disney Plus had SISTER ACT!! I had to go on there right away and watch it. I can still sing along with every word. Back when my brother and I were kids and we went on vacations, we took a few VHS tapes with us to watch and this was one of them. So we watched it a LOT during our childhood and to this day I love it. 

The kids started school! Our county chose to do ALL remote learning until mid September, so the kids got to pickup chromebooks from the school to use. They go on there daily and do zooms with their classes, and do assignments and stuff. It was a little hard getting used to it all at first, but I think we'll do ok. This is not how we imagined Brooke starting highschool experience and Rachel starting middle school! But I know the teachers are doing the best they can in this crazy situation! Rachel started band, and instead of her learning to use her instrument, she is just learning notes and musical information, which is kindof boring for her. 

I may have been making a lot of unneccesary purchases lately on amazon and other sites. I think the delivery guys are getting pretty annoyed with me, they are here about every day! I found a place that made personalized throw pillow covers with your family members names on it, so why not?! Arnold asked me if the names being uncapitalized bothered me, but I know its the style (haha). I also found a nerdy reading shirt which I had to get. Im going to make a whole post soon on my recent and favorite finds on amazon for you all to see. 

Several weeks ago I started feeling bad one day... just completely wiped out. I went to the urgent care and got tested for flu and strep which were negative, and then corona.. which took 5-8 days to come back they said. I went home and rested for the next few days, and eventually my corona test came back negative, but I was still feeling rough. So I went BACK to the urgent care, and this time my strep test came back positive. YES this was my 4th time getting strep this year. The dr said its probably because I had been working with kids so much, and some kids can be carriers of strep and pass it on. I asked if he recommended a tonsillectomy and he said it was up to me. They usually recommend it after 7 cases of strep a year, but that seems like a lot to me?? But I also don't want to have a surgery! Decisions.. decisions.

My mom and dad just celebrated their anniversary. They have been married for 48 years! They are such an inspiration to me, and to many. I have watched them go through some crazy stuff, like running a business together, losing their parents (except my Grandpa who is still alive), raising kids, now helping with grandkids. And through it all they have always been strong. They don't give up when things get hard, and they persevere. They really are amazing people!!!