Here's a little video of what I did on my birthday . . .
The weather was still on the TOO HOT side (it hit 91 while I was out hiking),
so the hike seemed more difficult than usual.
The landscape was beautiful, as always.
I hiked Hieroglypics Trail.
The top is in a rock valley of sorts that often has water in pools.
It also has hieroglyphs on some of the rock walls.
Then it was time for lunch at Joe's Farm Grill!
I got $10 off because it was my birthday. Woo hoo!
I cooked some pasta and veggies for dinner.
When Greg got home, he had brought roses!
They smell delightful.
I some some wonderful, thoughtful gifts, and the pleasure of watching Colombo with some cats and my favorite person (Greg!) before snuggling into bed all tired out!
The next day, I got to spend some time with my dear friend Cindy.
I wore it today with a black camisole underneath (it's sort of sheer)
tucked into a high-waisted black a-line skirt.
I can't get over how much I like the ruffled sleeves.
And this t-shirt (which doesn't seem to be available online yet):
Slightly wrinkled, but adorable!
It's light pink with black stripes and a small sparkly applique bee.
Look at the cuteness!
Target is busy being fantastic and selling me all the right stuff this fall!!!
I'm filming a "Week Of Style" video this week showing how I'm styling these new wardrobe additions, and as soon as I have the video assembled, I'll post a link!
Here's my last one.
At one point in the last week,
Stephen and Allistair decided that the dining room table was their own
private viewing platform . . .
of course I took a picture before making them get down!
Bonus photo of Greg as a Superhero (at the movie theater):
My parents both have a milestone (ending in "0"!) birthday this October,
PLUS I have been feeling extra icky and discouraged, so some family time was necessary.
Thanks to Greg for holding down the fort while I was gone.
This is a MONSTER post, full of fun and cute nieces and great fall outfits.
I love fall!
ENJOY this trip with me!!!
For some reason, the lighting on this photo got weird and I'm not motivated to adjust it at the moment. I thought the inside of my suitcase looked pretty with all the dots and stripes and textures and that one light blue kitty bag smiling out!
*** MONDAY ***
Here's what I wore for travel.
I love wearing elastic-waist things every day, but especially for travel days.
And Target's long-sleeve t-shirts are extra soft and comfy, but they still look sleek and not too casual.
Same outfit, but you can see the silhouette with the jacket on.
I added tights when I got chilly in the plane.
After I arrived, we had some dinner at Panera (yum! - my favorite meal there is an adapted apple walnut salad without the chicken and cheese - they usually throw on some extra veggies to make up for the lack of cheese) and then headed to get some groceries.
Can you see us in the Aldi security TV?
This was my first trip to Aldi, and I liked it.
It doesn't have regular stock all the time, so my parents usually go there first,
then hit Target (right next door!) for the things on the list they didn't find.
Here's my Dad, giving his CRAZY SMILE.
(That flannel shirt he's wearing is SOOOOOFFT and I like to keep patting his arm or shoulder because it's very soothing.)
Love the Target decor for holidays.
"Trickus Treatus" (= faux latin!)
"Organicals"!!!
Here's some of the gluten-free vegan stuff I got at Target.
Almond Breeze almond milk for smoothies
Nut Thins (though I discovered the have MILK in them and bought a different brand I like much better on a subsequent trip)
Seltzer (this Polar brand is extra super cute with the minimal design and polar bear logo)
Yellow and red peppers
Carrots
Frozen berry blend
Hummus
Spinach
Canned pumpkin puree (for possible smoothie or muffins, which I didn't end up making)
(I was embarrassed because someone was watching me take a photo of the food in my cart, so I moved the camera too soon and got a blurry photo. Not suave!)
*** TUESDAY ***
The next morning, my parents and I went on a walk through the crisp autumn air.
The trees and sky were glorious!!!
that's not my parents' house or car in the background;
they were just resting along the way while I was taking pictures of everything in sight!
one dandelion bravely surviving the chill!
A "helicopter"! = the seed pod from a Maple tree
A little pond with ducks and geese:
On the other side of this TALL wooden wall is the freeway.
My parents pointed out this little flap in the wall.
See the picture of the fire hydrant?
That little flap is for the fire hose to go through . . .
alllllll the way from this fire hydrant across the street!
The vines hanging on the wall turn pretty colors in the fall, too!
My Dad has done quite a bit of geocaching, and he told me there was a cache in the sign somewhere.
Found it!
It was in a little teeny vial with a magnet on the back.
That afternoon, my parents picked up my sweet nieces Cora and Esme early from school and we played toys until my brother, Mark, and his wonderful wife, Jillian, arrived with pizza!!!
(My Dad and I had picked up GF pizza earlier from Davanni's and I was very self-controlled and didn't eat any immediately even though it smelled delicious!)
After dinner, we chatted a LOT and I think everyone cried at least a little bit because all of us have been having a bit of a rough time in various different ways. What a blessing to have a family where authenticity is valued and where we can truly support each other!
Then my Mom and I relaxed and chatted and watched HGTV.
It was a pretty perfect day!
*** WEDNESDAY ***
The next day was another perfect one!
Here's what I wore . . .
sweater: Charter Club (Macy's)
camisole: JKY by Jockey (Target)
jeans: INC International Concepts (Macy's) bag: ABage (Amazon)
socks: Target (but covered by some slipper socks)
My Mom and I had a lovely and wonderful shopping day!
Our favorite place to go is Macy's, so that's where we started.
I also ordered this top to pad my order and get free shipping, and I won't be taking it back!
I like the fluted sleeve with the animal print.
I got a small in these, too, even though I'm always scared to get small tops because sometimes (like at Target!) tops are ridiculously teeny and I need an XL. Sizing is silly.
All these sweaters are light and feminine, and they will serve me well this winter.
Also, if you're interested, Target is having a buy one, get one 50% off many of their sweaters RIGHT THIS MINUTE!!! I actually returned these and repurchased them (online, since our Arizona stores don't carry all the sweaters yet - it's still 94 degrees outside today, so we're not exactly in sweater weather!) and was able to buy all three for the price I had previously paid for two. Yippee!
Thursday evening, my Dad, Mom, and I headed over to see my Mom's sister and her husband, Ron.
I don't get to see them as much as I would like, and it's always wonderful to spend time with them.
Auntie Cindy, my sweet Mom
We looked at photos of vacations and weddings and babies.
It was lovely.
My Daddy, my Uncle Ron
Ron is a very talented carpenter, and I got to see this beautiful wooden single-person canoe he built.
One of the bathrooms in their place is decorated in outdoorsy man style.
Love it!!!
I took some group photos in the entry mirror before I left.
This one turned out the best!
When we got home, I started cooking for the next night.
Friday evening we were planning dinner with Mark & Jillian and Cora and Esme.
It was going to be pasta night, so I needed to create my pasta!
I like veggies with a bit of pasta (rather than lots of noodles with tomato sauce on top),
so I started a-chopping (while watching "House Hunters"!)
Thursday evening for a late-night snack,
I had mini potatoes (cooked in the microwave) with ketchup
and mandarin oranges (from a can).
Speedy, healthy, and tasty!
*** FRIDAY ***
Friday morning I left around 10 to meet Greg's college roommate, Rich, and his wife, Linda,
for lunch in downtown Minneapolis. Downtown has always been a little scary for me, since I was a suburban girl growing up (and I still am!) but it was easy getting there, and the liveliness of the downtown area is appealing. We ate at Zelo, a really beautiful restaurant (but surprisingly, not that expensive!)
I tried on about five different outfits before settling on this one.
Look at that pile of stuff behind me that was waiting to be packed!
I had plenty of great stuff along, so it wasn't that I didn't have the right things,
it's that I hadn't tried on all the things TOGETHER before I left.
Many of the sweaters I took along are shorter than I would prefer because I normally have worn them over other, longer tops (blouses, for example). But when I put on the sweater with just skinny pants, I didn't like how it looked. Eventually I came up with this and I felt just right even in the fairly dressed-up realm of downtown Minneapolis.
(Which is amusing because everything else in Minnesota seems to be dressed in nice fuzzy flannel!)
My parents picked the girlies up from school early again, and we had plans to create a farm
out of construction paper, boxes, and art puffs!
One time when I was about 8, probably, I made a barn out of a potato chip box
and the animals out of cotton balls.
This is sort of an upgrade recreation.
The girls requested which animals they wanted and what colors the animals should be.
Pig was my choice for first animal!!!
Esme wanted a blue dog!
With blue ears and a blue tail.
I also made a doghouse and a bone.
Cora wanted a purple cat, and I can't find close-up photos of her.
I think she's inside the barn.
Here's the barn.
Grandpa and Cora made a C and and an E
out of pipe cleaners for "Cora & Esme's farm"!
I also made a silo and a mud puddle for the pig.
Dad used aluminum foil for a pond (with fish!)
Here's the horse and the rooster.
Cora drew the farmer lady (wearing many hats!)
that you see to the left in this photo.
You can also see the purple cat next to the black cow.
We also played outside while Grandpa and Grandma were cooking pasta for dinner.
After Mark & Jillian put the girlies to bed, I went over to their house and hung out for a long long time until we were all melted into little piles of mush from being so sleepy.
It was absolutely fabulous and lovely.
I love my family!!!!!!
The next morning, my parents took me back to the airport.
I was sad to leave!
But also I was looking forward to seeing my dear husband soon.
There's downtown Minneapolis!
Bright trees and bushes pop up all of a sudden along the road.
Sumac:
It's normally green - it's only red in the fall.
My flight home again was EASY and seemed very quick.
I had lots of good snacks and a number of delightful books, AND I was seated on the aisle,
