Happy Friday Everyone!
One – Latest Fall Fun!
Happy Friday, friends! Can you believe we are near the end of September? I hope everyone has been able to have some fall fun! Over Labor Day weekend, we went to Eckerts Farms to go apple picking, but by the time we got out of brunch at their cute restaurant, the rain had moved in much earlier. So, we went to the market and bought some delicious honey crisp apples, apple cider donuts, apple butter, some of their fruit salsas (we got apple salsa, pineapple salsa and strawberry salsa) along with a bag of tortilla chips and we called it a day! We really love going to Eckerts and dining at their county restaurant. The brunch there was DELICIOUS! Check out this fall mimosa flight in the photo above. It was SO fun and tasty! The mimosa varieties on my flight were Cranberry, Orange, Hawaiian and Apple Cider. It was SO good!
First baby red leaf from our sweet gum ball tree.
I shared my Trader Joe’s post earlier this week on Tuesday with all of the tasty fall goodies I found. I always love to look at all of the fantasy pumpkins. I love the pale green ones and sometimes there is pale pink ones. So pretty and fun!
It is SO fun to browse stores in the fall. Hobby Lobby had these ADORABLE mini rolling pins in their fall aisle and I ALMOST got them. They’d be so cute in the kitchen or on a tiered tray. However, I made some of my own a few years back (see DIY mini farmhouse rolling pins post HERE) and I figured I didn’t need them!
Oh, do I love getting a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks when they come out for the first time in the year! We had a painter at our house the day they came out, but I still ran out to get one. I always love to take a cute photo of myself with it, but with all the work that came with getting our house ready to be professionally painted, I just have this tired photo of me! My nails aren’t even painted! Ha, ha! Then, I took Autumn and her friend to Starbucks and Crumbl cookie on a day off school later that week. I got the new Apple Crisp Oat Milk Macchiato and the pumpkin chocolate chip from Crumbl. It was delicious!
Two – Family Happenings!
Since I only do these Friday Five posts once a month, I’m a little behind on posting their back to school photos. Nathan drove himself to school for the first time this year as a Junior! I miss driving him to school, but I think I’m enjoying all the time that it saves me too. He had his picture day on the first day of school and I already got the photos back. He sure does look sharp!
Autumn has a BIG year this year as an 8th grader! This is her second year at her new school and she is loving it there. She even decided to play volleyball this fall! So, she is doing competitive dance AND volleyball. Our schedule is nuts! On the first day of school I surprised her with Crumbl Cookies after school.
We did a college tour of Maryville University before school started with Nathan. He really liked the campus and school overall.
I got poison ivy for the FIRST time! I’m not exactly sure where I got it, but it was on my arms, thighs, etc. Somehow I was lucky enough to have my yearly dermatologist appointment right around when I noticed it and she prescribed a steroid cream for it. I still have some pigmentation from it, but it is no longer itchy. Poison ivy is bad stuff!!!!
And, I’m ALMOST done with my summer basement project! I basically went through each and every item downstairs and organized it better, donated it or pitched it! I love how open our unfinished basement is now! We used to have just a narrow passage way through it… that is how cluttered it got! It feels so good to be able to check this off! All I need to do to finish it up is to move Nathan’s old electric train table in a space in the back that I cleared and I want to organize the cat’s letterbox area better (it is behind me in this photo, so you can’t see it).
Three – What I’m Loving Right Now!
Shop Tula:
Tula and Magnolia Bakery are both located in New York and they’ve decided to partner together to make the ABSOLUTE best body cleanser and exfoliator ever— the Take Care + Indulge Banana Pudding Cleansing Body Exfoliator. Magnolia Bakery is known for their cult banana pudding. You can even buy this banana pudding next day on Door Dash (I’m so tempted!). Well, they took the scent and now you can enjoy it in the shower while you deeply cleanse and buff away dull skin with lemon peel and banana, which improve the look of skin texture and tone. A blend of three powerhouse AHAs help skin appear brighter. Lather up and get glowing with this skincare-first essential!!
Did you know Tula is formulated with probiotic extracts & superfoods to feed your skin the good stuff? Yes, it is! Use CURLYCRAFTYMOM for 15% off!
Lindsey from Lindsey’s Sweet World has been raving about this Fresh Express Chopped Salad Kit with Sweet Kale. She is right, it is SO good. I found it at Dierbergs grocers if you’re local, but I couldn’t find it at Schnucks. I paired it with a nonfat greek yogurt for a little protein. It makes the perfect healthy yet light lunch.
This one is for all of you local folks— Nathaniel Reid Bakery gifted me with overflowing boxes of some of their best pastries, gourmet sandwiches & more. While this bakery is elegant and high-end, it’s also a great place for families. These “everyday luxuries” make for the perfect family picnic on the go with Waldorf chicken salad sandwich, savory turkey sandwich and even their fresh orchard salad with strawberries, dried cherries, pecans, goat cheese, and baby spinach with a strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. If you’re thinking breakfast or brunch, pick up a quick Sunday morning feast of chocolate croissants or other flaky and sweet treats that will please any child (or teen!!). Find out more about Nathaniel Reid Bakery HERE.
Shop Colleen Rothschild:
Colleen Rothschild is one of my favorite brands to use and work with! I am SUPER picky about what I’ll use in my hair and when they gifted their Quench & Shine Restorative Shampoo AND Replenish & Shine Daily Conditioner I was excited to put these products to the test.
Result? These products are great from start to finish. The light, sophisticated fragrance is captivating. The formula is creamy, lathers nicely and is easy to rinse out. My hair felt clean, soft and luxurious! There is nothing on the market that compares, in my opinion. It’s pure perfection.
Four – Latest Books I’ve Read & Shows I’ve Watched
Shop This Book:
I’m about halfway through 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand and I am hoping to finish it by the end of September! I was on a roll with books near the middle/end of summer break and now my schedule has gotten busy again, so I find it hard to find time to read.
We haven’t had time to watch any shows lately, but next up on my radar is the new season of Handmaid’s Tale season 5.
Five – Shocking & Sad News About Our Ragdoll Kitty
This is a cute photo of Rose, our ragdoll who wanted to be in the spotlight after I took some Instagram Stories for an unboxing for some fall clothes.
We found out some shocking and sad news in September. Our ragdoll cat Rose is 11 years old and she has had kidney disease for several years. She was acting like she didn’t feel well, so we got her into the vet and they had a whole list of items that were out of wack and not well with her. However, the radiology report showed that her spleen was swollen and she had a mass by her pancreas. So, Brian took her to get an ultrasound. It turns out she has a rare cancer called mast cell cancer and it is in her spleen and since she has kidney disease she can’t really receive any treatment. The vet estimated 4-6 weeks for her to survive, but online it says something closer to 6-9 months. But, it is such a rare cancer… who knows. Right now she seems to be acting fine and comfortable, but I know that can change quickly given with what is going on in her body. It is so sad and she is just the sweetest most lovable cat. Meanwhile, we have found out my older calico cat of 16 years needs medicine for her thyroid. So, she receives that and insulin for her diabetes everyday. Older cats are so hard!! Prayers for sweet Rose!
I hope everyone has a nice and relaxing weekend!
