Clockwise from top left: Kids' Table Printables, Grateful Mod Printables, Give Thanks Banner, Thanksgiving Menu
Clockwise from top left: Retro Folk Menu, 3D Paper Turkey, Give Thanks Wine Tag, Thankful Paper Chain
This week I'm finalizing our menu so I can go grocery shopping and get to the fun stuff. Of course, I'll keep you posted how it all turns out!
Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? Have any favorite recipes or cooking tips to share? I'd love to hear 'em!
Our plan is that every day from November 1 until Thanksgiving we will each write at least one thing that we are thankful for on a stone (don't worry, you KNOW I scrubbed the dirt off!) and collect them in a glass vase. When Thanksgiving Day rolls around, the vase will be full of happy reminders of God's love and goodness.
"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."Psalm 100:1-5
My favorite part of Halloween has always been decorating pumpkins. I have fond childhood memories of carving Jack-O-Lanterns with my brother Trent and now, as bigger kids, Jason and I continue the tradition. Needless to say, it usually turns into a competition between the two of us to see who can create the best pumpkin. And I ALWAYS win, although Jason will never admit it.
This year, however, he couldn't handle the pressure of such fierce competition and took a nap on the couch while I went to town carving my "G". (In case you're wondering, it stands for "gangsta".) And then, because he was still asleep, I decorated his pumpkin as well, using his favorite drill to perforate hundreds of tiny holes in its flesh (which seemed like a good idea at the time....but not so much when I was cleaning pumpkin guts off the drill before sneaking it back to the garage).
This is another one of my winning creations from a couple years ago. It's a silhouette of our sweet labrador retriever, Denver. (Ollie had not yet emerged from his hole in the ground to join our pack, which is why he is not represented with a gourd here.)
These are the pumpkins we carved together on our first Halloween as Mr. and Mrs. G. As you can see, Finchley closely inspected our work and declared the winner! I'll leave it to you to guess who carved which one.
So, do you ghouls and boys have your pumpkins ready for Halloween this year? Here are some of my favorite ideas gathered from around the interweb if you need a little last-minute inspiration. It's also never too early to begin planning next year's masterpiece!
Clockwise from top left: Spooky Silhouettes, Wrinkled Face, Tinkerbell,
Owl-O-Lantern, Goblins
Clockwise from top left: Translucent Monograms, Monogram, Twinkle Light Pumpkins, Flames, Cinderella Pumpkin
Clockwise from top left: Bird Cage, Celtic Shapes, Mouse House,
Deer Diorama, Pumpkin Pad
Clockwise from top left: Modge Podge Leaves, Gold Gourds, Pumpkin Topiaries, Glittered Pumpkin Centerpiece, Modern Pumpkins
Clockwise from top left: Puffy Painted Pumpkins, Sequined Swirls, Monogram, Blinged Out Spider Web, Sequined Monogram
Clockwise from top left: Crystal Pumpkin, Lacy Pumpkin, Moroccan Pumpkin, Candy Corn, Mummy
Here are some helpful tips I learned for keeping your gourds looking good until Halloween:
Please treat us by sharing your pumpkin tricks in the comments!
We planned our route to take us through the Talimena National Scenic Byway because it's supposedly one of the best places in the state to catch fall foliage. It was still a bit too early to see much color (peak season is late October through early November) but the panoramic vistas of the Ouachita Mountains made for a gorgeous drive nonetheless. As we enjoyed our picnic lunch at one of the scenic overlooks, Jason and I both agreed that this was the prettiest part of Oklahoma we'd ever seen.
From Talimena we continued on to Beavers Bend State Park near Broken Bow. The park was busy because it was apparently fall break for many schools and we were lucky to snag one of the last campsites along the river. The Mountain Fork River is known for its spectacular trout fishing so, needless to say, Jason was in heaven! The dogs loved going on long hikes and chasing squirrels through the woods. And we all know I was just there for the s'mores.
In all seriousness, it was a lovely weekend and I think we all feel refreshed after simply being outdoors. Just what we needed! 
Anyway, we ended up with these nine colors based on a very scientific process I learned in Architecture school: grab a handful of paint swatches, close eyes, point finger....WINNER.
But sometimes, after spending an entire weekend painting, the winner turned out to be a big fat loser and the process started all over again. This is the stuff homeownership is made of, my friends.
Sources: Mountain Ridge by Behr, Pale Wheat by Behr
We chose these exterior colors to coordinate with the brick, although the outside of the house was actually the only part we didn't paint ourselves. But we might as well have. It's a loooong story, but let's just say that the "painter" didn't have the greatest work ethic. Come to find out, he also didn't own a paint brush or a ladder. Or speak much English. Although he clearly communicated that the new paint color I chose looked muerto (dead).
Lovely.
Perhaps turquoise would have been more appropriate?
Sources: Soft Earth by Ralph Lauren,
Rugged Suede by Valspar, Stone Manor by Valspar
We ended up completely repainting the living room because I hated the first gray color we chose. It was a cool gray that had more blue undertones than brown, which made the space look like a prison cell. Thinking about it even now makes me shudder.
Needless to say, the next day we were back at Lowe's picking a different color. Gray can be tricky, I tell you! But the Soft Earth / Rugged Suede / Stone Manor combo we arrived at for the entry / living room / dining room / kitchen was perfection. I feel like pictures don't even do it justice because the difference between these shades seemed so subtle in real life which made for a seamless transition between spaces. Like it was totally planned or something.
Sources: Stone Manor by Valspar, Polar White by Behr
I'm a big fan of the Stone Manor color we painted the kitchen. I thought it was brown; Jason swore it was gray. We regularly surveyed our guests and, hands down, girls said brown while guys thought gray. So weird. Either way, Stone Manor was a keeper.
All the trim, baseboards and cabinetry throughout the house were painted Polar White. For the longest time I thought white was white. Wrong! Have you noticed how many shades of white paint swatches there are at Lowe's? Talk about overwhelming.
Sources: Sand 5 by Laura Ashley, Ancient Marble by Sherwin Williams
The color we painted the master bedroom was Sand 5 in the Laura Ashley collection. It added a richness to the space that was hard to capture in photos. In certain light it looked brown, other times it had a golden glow. As a result, this was my favorite room in the house because I could admire its loveliness from the comfort of bed. Bow chicka wow wow!
Sources: Ancient Marble by Sherwin Williams, Emperor by Ralph Lauren
Clockwise: Lid Rack, Cutting Board Rack,
Measuring Cup Organizer and Conversion Chart
Clockwise: Chalkboard Menu Planner and Shopping List,
Pocket Organizer, DIY Spice Rack
Clockwise: Broom Closet Hooks, Tool Clips, Laundry Cabinet Pegboard
Clockwise: Craft Cupboard, Craft Closet Pegboard, Gift Wrap Organizer
Clockwise: Bathroom Cabinet Racks, Curling Iron Holsters,
Medicine Cabinet Adhesive Cups
Before you invest time or money into organizational products, measure the depth of the item you plan to install and how much space there is between the closed door and any shelves or other items that might prevent the door from closing. Then, go forth and get organized! Just remember to celebrate your newfound space with a slice of cake!
Now it's your turn to take part in the festivities. In honor of Get Organized Week, link your organizing posts below!
And, in the spirit of the season, I made one for you, too! Download my free Fall Bucket List template to customize with your family's favorite activities. Or, print one of the many adorable lists that are linked up below.
I don't know about you, but I can't wait to start checking things off! What will you add to your bucket list?
First up is our beloved Shark Steam Mop. My friend Suzanne introduced me to this nifty invention a few months back and, since then, our floors have never been cleaner. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, the steam mop has truly revolutionized the way we clean our tile and hardwood floors. No longer do we need harsh chemicals to get the job done – just add water and the mop sanitizes the floors with steam! It comes with reusable cloth pads that are machine washable and I'm always appalled by how filthy they are after my weekly date with the Shark. Yes, it's a bit of an investment, but I'm thrilled to never buy expensive Swiffer juice or disposable WetJet pads again!
Next are these reusable dryer balls. Instead of using dryer sheets, which are pricey and full of chemicals, we've switched to these guys. When I first saw them at Bed Bath & Beyond I was skeptical of their claims to naturally soften fabric and reduce drying time. However, after using them in place of dryer sheets for a couple months now, I'm happy to report that they are working great.
Another green product I love is our mesh coffee filter which can be purchased for almost any coffee maker. After each use, we dump the grounds into our compost bin and just rinse out the filter before popping it back into the coffee maker to be used again. It makes me so happy that we're saving money and trees by not throwing out a paper filter every day. Some people even claim these reusable filters allow more of the coffee oils to get through, resulting in better flavor.
We've also gotten into the habit of using cloth dinner napkins instead of paper ones for every meal at home. Previously, the cloth napkins were reserved just for FANCY occasions. No longer! Now we each have our own napkin that we reuse several times before washing them. (I learned a clever tip from a professional organizer who suggests hanging your napkin over the back of your chair after meals to be used again.)
Want to learn more simple ways to be green and save green? Then you'll love listening to the "Be Green" series on Vicky and Jen's What Really Matters podcast (look for the shows archived under the environment section). Actually, I'm a big fan of all of their podcasts, but this series and the Organization series are especially great.
Now it's your turn – what environmentally-friendly products or habits simplify your life and save you money? Share your faves, for the love of Mother Nature!
Sources: Cape, Pendant Necklace, Leather Jacket, Fall Colors, Skinny Jeans, Faux Fur Sweater Jacket, Midi-Length Skirt, Stacked Platform Pumps, Tie-Neck Blouse, Riding Boots
I must admit that I'm still on the fence about the whole leather and faux fur thing. Don't get me wrong, there are many people that can pull off that look really well – I just don't think I am one of them. If we swapped those items for, say, yoga pants and a fleece hoodie, then we'd have some fall fashion trends I could really get behind. In the meantime, until those pieces make their debut on the runway, I pinned these images on Pinterest as inspiration for the wardrobe I'd like to magically appear in my closet right now:
The common threads in these photos seem to be comfy layers paired with more fitted, feminine pieces and accessories like a high-waisted belt or scarf to pull the whole look together.
Or something like that.
Keep in mind, I have absolutely no authority to be writing about fashion on the internet and I'm totally making this stuff up as I go. All I truly know about the subject of fall fashion is that I must hunt down a new pair of riding boots to wear whilst sipping my Pumpkin Spice Latte. Because I bet it tastes even better when wearing cute shoes.
We were happy to return the dog sitting favor as Amanda and Alex often house sit for us when we go out of town. (And I can assure you that we get the bettter end of that deal!)
A while ago I put together a handy document with pet care instructions for our dogs and cat that I keep on my computer so I don't have to reinvent the wheel every time we have a pet sitter. It really simplifies the process of getting everything organized before we travel. If you have fur babies, I suggest doing the same thing. Here are some free templates you can download to get started:
Download Printables Here: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Some of the things that I find helpful to include are:
I'm sure this may sound really over-the-top to some of you, but those who have pets know they are like members of the family! I miss our fur babies like crazy when we are away from them for any length of time, but leaving organized instructions gives me peace of mind that they are being well cared for while we are off having fun.
