Halloween 2016

What a spooky wonderful Halloween we had this year!  It started with my poor monster pumpkin imploding & ended with a nighttime feeding that left me grateful for our sweet babe & excited for the next few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.

I wanted a super simple costume for Coops this year because we had one fall festival, one play group, a couple of family family visits plus Halloween to wear it on; meaning easy on/easy off & comfortable was key. So we started with THESE footed pajamas, added THIS hat & topped that with a pair of homemade detachable black cotton wings.

Then the pups got in the Halloween spirit with wings cut from black poster board & attached to their harnesses.  Seeing those two trot around the yard while we sat nearby was just beyond adorable.

October 31st was a bit too chilly for baby to just be in pjs so we replaced his wings with a grey hoodie.  Then I handed out bags of treats with Coops on my lap happily chewing his cardboard Halloween books.

This year will be our last (for awhile at least) handing out treats instead of receiving them & going door to door ourselves.  I'm excited to take our little out in the years to come but am already missing sitting on the front step with him last night, watching those books get soaked in drool & smiles go to every visitor.

Hoping you all had a fantastic Halloween & happy November!

Castles & Bucket Swings

We're counting down the days to Halloween (one more!) & Cooper has already dressed up 3 times for festivals, playgroups & great grandparent visits.  I can't wait to share more photos of baby after the 31st, plus a few of our pups that I whipped super simple costumes up for earlier this week.

To make the most of the last few gorgeous fall color days Coops & I headed north to Hubbard Park & Castle Craig for a play date yesterday.  The bucket swings are officially a favorite & we definitely need a set of our own by springtime.  

We followed that with a walk around a nearby lake & drive up to the castle which I haven't visited since I was a little girl & was so excited to see again with our own baby.  The wind at the top of the castle was fierce but the views were breathtaking & we're already planning the same trip up for next year.

I'm cherishing these last few warm days as they grow fewer & further between; all while trying to find a couple indoor activities to get us through those days when it will be too cold to play outside.  Would love to hear what you do with your littles when the snow starts falling!

Friday Favorites

This is our FIRST Friday Favorites in over a year & I'm so excited to share a few recent finds. 

First off- thank goodness for leggings, whoever invented these amazing things deserves a big hug from 4 month postpartum moms everywhere.  Currently loving THIS PAIR which is less than $15 (score!) at Target.  The best part?  You can roll the top band up for the first few months with that baby bump & then keep it down postpartum.  (p.s. I'm wearing them in the photo below!)

I am "this close" to fitting in my pre-baby jeans & in the meantime have resorted to THIS hair tie trick that got me through the first trimester. Pair that with longer tanks & we're good to go until those pants can button all the way up again.

When planning our first family Christmas card photo I wanted something that yelled outdoors & Christmas. And took a bit of time to find the perfect outfit for Coops but I think I've finally settled on THIS flannel/jean set at Carter's.

I'm also on the search for a couple knit beanie hats & eyeing THIS ONE from Old Navy in "Darkest Hour" & THIS ONE from North Face in "Vintage White".

And finally I am 100% addicted to the song Hallelujah by Pentatonix & can't help but get in the holiday spirit with that & a few other holiday tunes by them as well.  When you start painting ornaments for PS in September, Christmas Carols are inevitable by Halloween in our house <3

 Happy Fri-yay all!

Apple Trees & Pumpkin Patches

Can you believe November is nearly here??  Last weekend we all headed to Rose Orchards Farm with Coops for some apple picking & pumpkin patch fun.  After plucking off a dozen apples & gathering two giant pumpkins, that both weighted more than baby, we headed over to visit the sweetest farm animals which always enthrall baby (especially when they make all those fun noises).

     

When we got home I scoured Pinterest for cinnamon applesauce recipes, finally settling on THIS slow cooker one by What the Fork.  

I made two recipe changes- first replacing Granny Smith apples with Macintosh & the second to use a blender instead of masher because we prefer applesauce without chunks. Amazingly 9 apples only filled 1 pint jar so next year I'll be bringing home a bushel instead of just a dozen, but the applesauce came out a-mah-zing & I strongly recommend checking out Sharon's Blog too.

That checks two things off the Fall Bucket List.  Next up, apple pie baking (would love tips on that one!) & fall platter painting with Coops.

Peek-a-boo Teeth & Our Favorite Teethers

I've been suspecting for a few weeks now that Coops is on the teething path. Drool pours out in buckets, he puts everything he can get his chubby hands on in his mouth & you can feel those first little teeth hiding just under the gums.

Every time something big, small or even those daily good morning smiles happens I pray for time to slow down so we can live in the moments a little longer.  Of course it doesn't & I always end up with tears in my eyes over Cooper growing up so fast or in this case- teething already.

A few favorite things to chew on right now include THIS wooden teether (crafted by mama, inspired by Coops), THIS water filled ring & THIS O'Ball Rattle which doubles as a great toy for grasping.

We were told to start cereal & foods (first greens, then oranges, then fruits) by the 6 month checkup; so I'm getting ready with baby cereal in the pantry & organic frozen peas in the freezer. Making our own baby food crossed my mind a few times but I was undecided until a wonderful friend gifted us the Baby Bullet with THIS cookbook & I was sold. The idea of cooking food for Coops when making our own meals feels right & the money it will save is a HUGE bonus.

We picked Thanksgiving day as the first time he'll try solids & I couldn't be more excited to pop him in the high chair for the first time.  I'm also sure the dogs Will be equally excited once they realize just how much of a mess will be made during mealtime from then on.

How did you help baby survive teething? We'd love tips & suggestions for the months to come.

Fall Bucket List

The air is crisp, leaves are falling everywhere & the mums in our yard are the biggest I've ever seen.  Plus watching Cooper pluck mum blooms (with his newfound coordination) when we lean close & squish the petals between those chubby fingers is currently my favorite thing in the world. 

Fall is officially here & this is our first fall family bucket list.  And tackling all these fun things with baby in tow has me beyond excited.

1. Learn how to bake an apple pie.  No joke- every time I bake a pie, regardless of type, it comes out horrible.  Doesn't matter if it's from scratch or store bought filling or pre-made crust.  Literally.  Horrible.  So I am attempting the impossible- bake a DELICIOUS (or at least edible) pie.
What are your tips for pie making, would love suggestions!!

2. Take at least one trip to the apple orchard.

3. Carve pumpkins, of course!

4. Sew a cozy quilt for Cooper.

5. Make s'mores in the fire pit.

6. Learn how to make applesauce.

7. Sit in a giant leaf pile with Cooper.

8. Do a wine tasting with hubs.

9. Visit Fired Up & make a small serving plate for Thanksgiving. 

10. Make apple pie moonshine (stay tuned for that recipe).

Fingers crossed that we'll get to all of these over the coming weeks & finish sewing Cooper's Halloween costume (#momgoals) <3

DIY: Footprint Pumpkins

For Grammie's birthday this year we decided to forego the usual gifts or flowers in lieu of helping Cooper craft his first pumpkin to decorate her home. 

What You Need:

Black Martha Stewart Multi-Surface Acrylic Craft Paint 

White Martha Stewart Multi-Surface Acrylic Craft Paint 

1 Small Foam Brush

1 Small Paint Brush 

2 Small-ish Pumpkins

Then came the prep work. I covered Cooper's bouncer with puppy pee pads (yes you read that right & you can thank me for that tip later), stripped him down to his diaper, strapped him in & put a full container of baby wipes within arms reach.

For the Ghosts:

I used a foam brush to paint Cooper's feet white, flipped the first pumpkin upside down & touched baby heel down first, then pushed the rest of his foot gently down all the way to the end of those cute little toes. It took 3 tries to get 2 prints (use the baby wipes to wipe away excess paint when baby decides to start kicking the pumpkin #truestory).  

Then once dry add 3 short black lines for the  eyes & mouth.

For the Bat:

Follow the same steps as the ghost, but use black paint & only one footprint in the middle of the pumpkin. Then add one wing to each side of the foot & a silly face on the heel.

Immediately following either design- wipe, wipe, wipe that paint off those wiggly toes & we decided to follow that with a bath to get what the wipes missed.

After finishing the ghost pumpkin for Grammie, & a bat version for our own home, I realized that I wanted a bit of Halloween wall art that could be put on display for years to come. So I found a wood pallet plaque buried in our craft bin (similar HERE) & got to work, adding a couple bats & words to make THIS October keepsake <3