Taking Stock

This post is an idea taken from Pip's lovely blog!

Making: funny faces and sounds at Elsie to get the giggles out.
Cooking: enough dinner to have left overs for the next days lunch

Drinking: water, water, water. wishing it was Diet Dr Pepper
Reading: Entirely too many blogs
Wanting: a brilliant idea for Elsie's birthday
Looking: for the perfect combat boot
Playing: with blocks and cheerios
Wasting: the morning away with long bubble baths and story books.
Sewing: a headband and banner for Elsie's party
Wishing: It was the weekend already
Enjoying: Utah's lovely fall weather
Waiting: For Chase to get home
Liking: The Shins Pandora
Wondering: What to make for Dinner
Loving: Bear hugs from my girl
Hoping: for more patience
Marvelling: at the changing leaves and crisp air
Needing: Starbucks peppermint hot chocolate
Smelling: Baby lotion
Wearing: leggings and an over sized tee
Following: baby feet all through the house
Noticing: the sleepy dogs on their bed
Knowing: I am the luckiest
Thinking: about packing for Arizona
Feeling: excited and anxious
Bookmarking: boots!
Opening: Elsie's present so soon!
Giggling: all day every day. oh this girl of mine.
Feeling: blessed.

Sweater Weather

This weekend we got to have Chase's sister and her husband come stay with us. We took them to our favorite spot up the mountain and we took the trip up to Hyrum for our cousin's baby blessing. I didn't get any pictures but I got to spend all day monday with Chase's sweet grandma before her flight left. It was a great weekend with family that was MUCH needed. Thanks for coming!

Enchanted Lilly Giveaway: CLOSED

Oh boy do I have a treat for you all today! I'd like you all to meet Sarah, the creative mind behind Enchanted Lilly! She makes some of the most adorable headbands I have ever seen! She does them for babies, toddlers and adults! Not to mention she has a matching set for a little girl and her doll. Swoon! 

Anyways I am going to let Sarah tell you some fun facts about herself and her cute family!

1. I grew up in the smallest town ever and graduated with a class of 10.

2. My fabulous mom taught me to sew when I was very young.

3. I have 2 beautiful older sisters who I look up to and they inspire me.

4. My husband loves hearing all my crazy new inventions and ideas. I have two adorable children Lilly (4) and Gunnar (1).

5. I am blessed to be able to stay at home with my kiddos and I get to take care of my adorable niece and nephew during the day.

6. A trip to Target by myself with a Starbucks is a vacation.

7. I love to sew and create late at night while the kids are sleeping.

8. I was homeschooled Kindergarden-6th grade.

9. Guilty pleasure- buying nummy coffee from Starbucks and Caribou any chance I get!

10. Favorite Stores-Target and Anthropologie

11. I knit in the fall and winter

12. I love birthdays! Everything about them! Balloons, cake, candles, and surprises! 

13. I love God! He is amazing! I have so much to be thankful for!

14. I like to bake

15. I have 8 nieces and nephews and 2 more on the way! They are so adorable!

16. I went to college at North Dakota State University and majored in Apperal and Textiles with a minor in Communication.

17. I love doing hair and makeup

18. I started making fun headbands after my daughter Lilly was born. The name Enchanted Lilly was inspired by her. 

19. Fall is my favorite season! I love the smell in the air, beautiful colors in the leaves, carmel apples, and pumpkin spice lattes.

20. My favorite TV show is Nashville

Now that we have all gotten to know each other, allow me to explain the rules of the giveaway! 

Visit Enchanted Lilly on etsy and leave a comment here saying which headband you would pick if you won. Winner will be announced Monday October 14th!

Additional entires:

Follow Enchanted Lilly on Instagram

& Like on Facebook

Be sure to let me know by leaving a comment!

AND THE WINNER IS:

Kimberly Wesolowski!

E-mail Sarah at enchantedlilly8@gmail.com to let her know you won and which headband you would like. Congrats!

Morning Stroll

{headband from Enchanted Lilly}

I don't know what it is about this town, but I am in love with it. Elsie and I have been going on lots of walks and I seriously can't get enough of it. The leaves are changing and falling from the trees, when the wind blows you hear them scattering across the streets and sidewalks. There was a group of crows in our neighbors walnut tree, they were taking turns knocking a walnut to the ground in hopes of it breaking open, revealing the treasure inside. The old sidewalks and huge trees make for an interesting path. Sometimes the sidewalk has huge holes or steps caused from the settling of the earth underneath. Elsie squeals with delight as I push her over all the bumps. My favorite is the huge trees that will cover the entire walkway, only allowing small slivers of sun to peak through. And oh the houses!! This area has some of the cutest houses you ever did see. Old brick homes with vines and flowers everywhere, cute front porches that are screaming for you to go sit on them with a hot chocolate and a good book. One house in particular has grape vines completely surrounding their front yard. You guys, the smell is AMAZING. I walk past as slowly as I can and sometimes grab a grape or two. Though tempted to grab an entire bushel, I refrain. And the best part of the walk is looking down to see my baby girl, now almost one year old, fast asleep on her stroller. It's the little things. Oh Utah, you're stealing my heart. Shhh don't tell Arizona...

New House Wishlist

So most of the rooms in our house are decorated and have everything they need. We have beds, dressers, nightstands, a desk... Ya know bedroom stuff. But our family/living room is in need of some serious TLC. Right now we have an old pink rocking chair from my grandma that needs recovered, and a hand-me-down couch that doesn't exactly go with the feel of our home. We then have a crappy coffee table that is falling apart and an old rug my dogs chewed up.... and nothing on any of the walls. Well in a perfect world I would have the money to go get everything I wanted to fill that room and make it exactly how I pleased. Well we don't, so for now it will be a mismatched mess and I'll get over it. Maybe for Christmas we will get our couch. hint hint.

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN

Fall Wish List: Chase Edition

And here's my wish list for the husband. Like he would take the time to online shop. hahaha

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE

Exploring

We've been here for just over three months and I cant believe it took us this long to take the 10 minute drive up the mountain. The trees looked more like a painting than real life and the cool crisp air almost took your breath away as it hit your face. The little creek that runs along the trail is the icing on the cake, making this area the ideal spot for a picnic. Or since we had just eaten lunch, perfect for stomping on all the leaves and chattering our teeth off till we couldn't take the chill any longer. The snow will be here soon, but until it is, this is where you'll find us.

Fall Wish List: Elsie Edition

Little clothes are seriously thee best ever. But little jackets and beanies take the cake. Simply adorable. And let me just tell you how amazing it is that H&M is now online. I can't get enough.

ONE, TWO, THREE,  FOUR, FIVE

Fall Wish List: Erika Edition

Fall means some new clothes and there are so many things that I am swooning over right now. It was hard to just pick a few. Stick around, Elsie edition coming next!

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR

October

via pinterest

We planted bulbs this week. Lots of bulbs that will bloom every spring into beautiful flowers of all kinds. I noticed the leaves beginning to change. My first real fall. Arizona has two seasons. Utah has all four. Summer was fabulous. But I am so ready for crisp mornings, hot chocolate, leaves falling from the trees. Not to mention pumpkins. And oh how I love boots, sweaters and mittens! I will actually need mittens! I feel while I was growing up, October never got the credit it deserves. I guess growing up the best thing about October was Halloween and that we were getting close to Christmas. But now October means cooler weather, snuggling by the fireplace and celebrating the life of our little Elsie.

And I cannot believe she's almost a year old. Holy smokes time flies!

I never want to forget

I pick her up and her little arms wrap around my shoulders, her legs around my stomach. Her head tucked under my chin. She gives me three tight squeezes and then pats my back. Its like she cant get close enough or squeeze tight enough.

When I open her door to get her out of her crib in the morning, she starts smiling, giggling and jumping up and down. Her happiness melts me and I don't mind that the sun is barely peeking over the mountains.

She likes cupboards and pulling everything out of them. She loves soft and fuzzy things, always wanting to rub her face on them. When it comes to eating, this girl is the bomb. She will eat anything. Her favorites are squash, avocado, refried beans, chicken. 

Her most favorite things are books. She will go into her room and pull one book from the bookshelf, "read" each page, and then go back for the next book. She giggles and laughs while looking at the books with flaps, or interactive ones with touch and feel. She will turn the page and instantly feel the bumpy train, or the rusty funnel. Squeal with delight and then turn the page.

Before bed each night we sit on her floor, she grabs a book, comes and sits in either mine or Chase's lap and sits quietly while we read, turning the page when its time. I know she's tired when she starts rubbing her eyes and wants to hold her blanket while we read. I pray she keeps this love for books.

When I finally put her in bed, she always gives me the biggest smile as I pull her blanket up over her. I tell her I love her and goodnight. As I walk out she turns over so she can still see me. I tell her goodnight once more and close the door.

Ohh I love her.