happy halloween! and a #tbt

We are spending this chilly Halloween evening in our new home with our feet in a pair of cozy socks kicked up on an ottoman watching The Proposal. Because Netflix doesn't have a single Halloween family movie. It is so fun to be able to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters at our OWN house this year. Although, I must say, I am seriously looking forward to the day I will be dressing up a little one in an adorable animal costume (because those are my favorite kind) and taking them on their first trick-or-treating experience as a mom. Until then, chocolate chip pumpkin cookies and passing out candy at our own home is the next best thing.

As soon as September 1st rolled around this year, I was in the ultimate Fallish of Fall moods. But the truth is, being a first year teacher is kicking my butt and after many late nights spent working at the school, coming home and carving pumpkins and finding a costume were kind of put on the back burner. Before I knew it, this day was here and I hadn't done either. Oops! ;) There is always next year!

So since I don't have any current costumes to share, here is a #tbt of me and my little brother. The cheetah and the lion. He was such a little porker.

And a comparison of a #tbt and a current picture of Rue... I see some family resemblance...

Happy Halloween! Bring on the holiday season! :)

the month of august :: in instagram pictures

Happy Tuesday! Unfortunately it is not too peppy around these parts as it seems I have caught my second bug this school year. That and the pile of grading are the main reasons for the lack of updates around here. Yeesh, I'm behind! Anyway, here we are with the month of August...























August was seriously the perfect month to say goodbye to the fleeting moments of summer. So many life changes happened. All really big ones and all really wonderful ones as well. It started out with an apartment full of boxes and a fluffy little bunny who managed to squeeze her way through a bathroom door and hop herself right on in to the bathtub. Silly rabbit. I ended up getting a little ahead of myself on the packing and we ended up eating off of paper plates for a good two weeks. oops. We said goodbye to our first home as a married couple, apartment #3, and spent the next week or so unpacking. Rue made herself RIIIIGHT at home in her new favorite spot next to the vent. Oh central air conditioning, what a luxury!!

The last week of August happened to be my first week of school as a brand new teacher with her own classroom full of third graders. LOOK OUT! It was crazy times and many late nights pulled to get that classroom put together but it turned out perfect. My classroom has an owl theme. :) Owl addiction, what's new around here. I am a very detail oriented person so what probably could have taken someone a day to complete took me a whole week. haha But I love how it turned out, cute owl welcome tree, curtains, and all.

Rue went on her first road trip to Boise for my step brother's wedding between the transition from apartment to new house. Needless to say, she was FREAKED the whole time and shaking like a leaf but made it in one piece. Within the first few days of living in our new neighborhood, we met SO many sweet neighbors who brought us the most thoughtful notes and treats.

The final weekend in August we went to the fair! I seriously hadn't been since late elementary school, early middle school. How lame am I?! I also had never been with a boy before. ;) haha We had so much fun together. The pronto pup and elephant ear eating was probably my favorite part. That and the bunny barn! Biggest bunny of my life. Rue looked like a dwarf compared to that big brown bun. At the end of the evening, we had tickets to see the bull riding event. I had never been to one before and it was terrifying! I don't know how those mom's sit in the stands and watch as their sons almost get trampled to death! Needless to say, I was more than freaking out for all 50 of them. One boy's stomach got stomped on and an ambulance had to come. Eeep! I can't even think about it. We also got to see these hardcore women called the Axe Women of Maine compete against each other in various events like log rolling and cutting through stumps. It was a really fun day. My one regret was not riding and getting a kiss on the Ferris wheel. It is on my August bucket list for next year. :)

a few october favorites

I love that even after 2 and half years of marriage, we still have firsts. This weekend's first... going to the pumpkin patch together. While I thought this might be a first after we had a baby, the inner child in me just could not wait that long. Besides, it is so much more of a fun experience picking your pumpkins from a field than from a heaping pile of hard-to-reach pumpkins in a box at the grocery store. The adventure lived up to all of its wonderful October favorite expectations.

Another October favorite from this weekend, homemade soup. I made the first of many batches of seafood chowder. It was to die for!

Oh October, I'm so glad you are here. Feel free to stick around as long as you would like.

a unique shopping day

The very same weekend that we were in Boise for my step brother's wedding, we went thrift/antique/consignment shopping at a few of my momma's favorite spots. They quickly became my favorite too. :)

One place was tucked away from the road and surrounded by trees. It was this beautiful, old brick building that used to be a school many many years ago! Some of the pieces for sale inside were actual desks and old books that they used at the school then. My teacher heart was totally in love.

It was such a fun day! Thanks momma for showing us your favorite places. Can't wait to go again now that we are finally getting settled into our home and I know what to look for this time.

my step brother's wedding

The evening before my step brother Josh's wedding, we went to their rehearsal dinner. I spent most of the time following around my adorable and not-so-little-anymore nieces around the backyard photographing their every move. Like any other little there, they were dying to eat one of those cupcakes from the second they were brought outside. Such cuties!

Photos below by Heather Hillman Photography 

It was the hottest day in the history of weddings but it was definitely beautiful! My littlest niece was the flower girl. She ran bee line straight down the aisle toward the ring bearer {can't blame her, he was adorable} with a few petals occasionally spilling over the side of her basket on the way. Then one minute into the ceremony, she had had it with the whole standing still and looking pretty thing. There was hitting of the flower girl next to her, glaring eyes, and many "no"s to her momma's pleas to just hold still and not make a scene. It was all I could do to not giggle in my seat. I love little girls. Especially covered in tulle dresses with flowery headbands. My other niece carried that adorable sign down the aisle for her Unkie Josh's wedding!

To Nicole ::
I'm so glad he found someone like you... sweet, kind, and beautiful on the inside and out. He deserves it and I'm so happy for the both of you! And boy, did you make one beautiful bride!! So glad you are a part of our family.

Wishing you many years of happiness Josh and Nicole! xoxo

goodbye summer, hello fall!

Today was the first day of fall. With an added measure of breeze in the air and the 60 degree temperature, I could not only see it, but I could feel it too. I can't say I am too sad about saying goodbye to summer this year, which is completely crazy for me because I am usually a summer girl. This summer however, I spent far too much time wishing it away... sad, I know. But fall for us meant living in our new house, a first season to decorate it, and the beginning of my first year of teaching. I spent all summer preparing for these huge changes in our lives that I didn't really stop and take the time to get that summer glow on my skin {which in 10 years from now, my skin will probably be thanking me for}. 

It feels like it is not only a season of weather we are saying goodbye to but also a season in our lives. Goodbye to the college days, apartment living, and everything more temporary and hello to a beautiful first home, a classroom full of little ones who are eager to learn, a name plate etched with "Mrs. Williamson" above my door {something I have longed to be and have worked really hard for}, and so many wonderful things that feel more permanent. It is a great feeling welcoming this new season and it is making fall feel even more meaningful for us this year! 

As I was sitting in our new living room earlier tonight with the the person I love most in this world, I was looking out the window and discovered the picture above. It was the perfect silhouette that seemed to put exactly how I'm feeling into picture form. The perfect mixture of the summery pastel colors drenching an Idaho sunset sky and the outline of pumpkins in the forefront. A wonderful reminder that fall is here! You can bet as I light that first pumpkin spice scented candle on my kitchen window sill this week, I will be welcoming fall with open arms!  

national bunny day

I don't know if you knew, but today was National Bunny Rabbit Day! So we spent most of the afternoon celebrating by kissing this little one and feeling so grateful that she is a part of our family. I'm pretty sure that she secretly knew and milked it for all it was worth. ;) The perfect day for getting extra lettuce and treats. We love you Rue!