Have you heard?

New things are going on around this casa, Mama's got a new job. I'm back at with a big girl grown up job that requires regular hours. I have to say so far I'm liking it. The kids seem good with it and the Mr., I'm sure he loves it. So maybe this little creative outlet of mine will start to serve a purpose again. Having something new in my life has made me feel refreshed in other ways. So no I won't be whipping out the sewing machine or baking cookies for everyone in the neighborhood but I will be more thoughtful with my time. I've found when I have less time, I'm more creative. So hopefully I'll be checking in here a little more often. 

For now I'm feeling nesty and ready for fall so let's bring on the brown butter cinnamon rice krispy treats and hot cider! I'll just  pretend it wasn't 97 yesterday.

(PS - I used this picture before however it was perfect for today's post. A little recycle, no big. )

Latest faves

Winter to spring is happening fast here in AZ. It's been beautiful and sunny in the 70's but I'm missing the little bit of winter that we do get. So I feel like my cold weather clothes have gotten very little wear this year. The best way to dress here is layers; the 37 degree mornings that quickly morph into a warm sunny day need great transitional items. Here is what's on my list for this Arizona winter.

Here's what I've been digging. Simple earrings with a fancy back? Sign me up. I've been living in a blazer and tee the past few months. Need a pulled together, quick, chic party outfit? Check! Trust me on this one. Spring sunnies this year must involve the colored mirrored lenses even better if they have a cat eye. Lastly I'm missing short hair, I'm ready for something a little edgier. 

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What I'm Loving :: Fall

Here's a snippet of what I'm loving

Bailey at Peppermint Bliss and Biscuit is slaying it. As much as I love a good neutral I die for color. Her work is always unexpected and vibrant. This wallpapered bookshelf detail I'm obsessed with, so good.

If I wear earrings I almost always wear studs, these Alphabet earrings need to arrive in my stocking this year.

One of my favorite things about Italy was how if it was late afternoon they always served you a tiny nibble with a coffee or cocktail. This snack caddy is perfect for afternoon entertaining. (via)

I made the apple cider cocktail, yum. Easy and very fall. I used the Trader Joe's Spiced Cider and it made my Sunday.

Boy Speak

Being the mom of boys has given me tons of moments that make me laugh. As a kid I was a major doll lover, house player, dress up queen, I did have a brother but I guess his lingo didn't rub off on me. So I'm surprised quite often and the colorful descriptive language that boys use. Here are a few examples of what's going down at our house.

• "It's Sunday and we're kids, we're doomed!!"
• Using the word archenemy in a sentence in a way that isn't supposed to be funny or ironic.
• There is always a lot of  "versing" going on. For example, "we versed that team last week". Hilarious makes me laugh every time and I can't correct them because I love it too much.

Snakes, snails and puppy dog tails? I'll take comic book speak any day over that!

My fall baking plan

Being a mom is not for wimps. I'm sure everyone on the planet knows this but it's worth saying just one more time. The tedium of naps and diapers evolves into homework, sports and trying to help these small humans grow into a decent adults. Trying to keep them on track with homework and helping them navigate life without overstepping; letting them find their own way is a job in itself. It's like a giant act sometimes when you try to stay cool while inside you're cringing, steaming or laughing. The laughing is the best part so it takes the sting away from the moments that are not so hot. 

The kids have been in school for a month and thankfully life is settling into a routine. Routine I like, routine the kids like. So the ripping out my hair crazy person last week has morphed into "let's do this" mom. I like her much better, she's definitely much nicer.So when life settles and I feel nice I bake things. Baking for me is relaxing, making dinner NOT relaxing. I wish we could eat these Chai Spiced Sugar cookies I plan on making for dinner. I think a balanced meal is highly overrated. 

{recipe and image from My Baking Addiction}

Want It :: Apple, Lemon and Gin Shandy

I know I can't be the only wife who's already over football season. It makes me feel a teeny bit unloyal to my Sun Devils but everything about it makes me feel a little meh. I saw these in the latest issue of Southern Living in the Tailgating feature and they sound yummy. Mommy likey. Maybe a couple of these before the game will make it seem a bit more exciting. 

Apple, Lemon and Gin Shandy

3 large Granny Smiths peeled and chopped

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons fresh shredded ginger

1/2 cup simple syrup

2 cups gin

1 (12 oz) bottle of chilled Pilsner beer or club soda

Garnish: Apple and Lemon slices

Puree apples, lemon juice, and ginger in a blender. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, pressing to release juices; discard solids. Stir in Simple Syrup and gin. Chill 2 hours. Stir in chilled Pilsner beer or club soda. Serve over ice. Garnish, if desired

::via Southern Living, photography by Hector Sanchez::

Dress Up :: Fall On A Budget

So we're back and again it's been almost a week since I posted. Ah, Sunday the day of procrastination the perfect day for blogging. I had all sorts of good intentions of a Knock It Off post or maybe some cool Friday links last week but it wasn't to be. I had a runaway dog and a sick kid which of course all happened at the same time. Fun times I tell ya! So I thought we'd play dress up today with all items priced below $100. It's transitional time right now so even though it's still hot we want to pretend it's fall so I kept that in mind when I was playing dress up. 

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Mondays

Happy days people, it's been a rainy weekend in Phoenix. That's like your birthday, Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale and hot cocoa all rolled into one. We are crazy about our rainy days especially when they fall on the weekends. It gives us a pass to hang out, so this was me all weekend. Slug like, not pretty.

It's Monday the kids are at school and I'm ready for the week, kind of. I'm getting excited though because I know at some point it's going to cool off. Fall fever is almost in full effect, I'm dying for sweaters! Even though it's 107 out I'll still try to somehow manage a thin sweatshirt. I'm ready to do some baking but I hate making the house hot with the oven. Maybe I'll pull out some fallish items to make the house seem more cozy and charming, less like a sweat lodge (the unfortunate side effect of all the rain). 

What now?

When I glance at the side bar of my blog I realize that this little engine that could has been chugging along for almost six years. Holy shiz you guys, that is a long time! It's been at a standstill for the past couple of years for many reasons. It's tough being a day in and day out blogger, sometimes you feel inauthentic, sometimes people leave really mean comments, sites like Pinterest and Instagram make it quick to get an inspiration boost, it's a huge time suck, original content...it's a killer, life is hard/good/busy/etc. All of these reasons make it really challenging to stay on top of it. A few weeks ago I was at a family wedding and I was asked why I didn't blog anymore and the truth is a muddle of all of the above things. As my kids have gotten older the hamster wheel of baby and toddlerhood morphs into a completely new dynamic of parenting. The time where they're self sufficient, funny, smart and sassy but also becoming the person that they will always be, and for us it seemed as though it was a time that needed a little privacy. Time to grow as kids and as a family. That doesn't mean that I haven't missed writing, it just meant that I needed time to keep things a little closer to my heart. 

I used to read blogs that had a voice, ones that I could relate to. Not a clone of me but maybe someone who was more brave/scared, busy/bored or quiet/loud than myself. I miss that, reading and hearing an authentic voice. Getting the visual is easy, there are lots of imaged based sites (that I LOVE, don't kid yourself) where we can browse the pretty for hours. But as much as I love pretty I also want to just talk out there to space like I did before. I miss it. So now I'm sort of back to the beginning where my Mom, family and BFFs are the only ones commenting, but that's ok because it's a fresh start. We all could use a fresh start sometimes. So with that I'm welcoming some input. If you've been a reader of my blog way back, I mean waaaay back because it's been awhile what would you like to see here?

image via

Make it :: Top Your Cake

Since we started the no dye/artificial flavor thing in our house checking out sites like Pinterest make me shudder. Many of the party sites and images are flooded with brightly colored candies, goodies and drinks. It makes for a pretty picture but all I can think of is literally, go CRAZY colors. I want my kids to have a fun party like everyone else but sometimes a little visual marketing is all that a simple vanilla cupcake needs. I've started pinning ideas that look festive so there's lots of eye candy but the treats have very little crazy. We'll stick with the old fashioned stuff like butter and sugar. 

All links to the tutorials listed below.

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