I love a dreary Monday from time to time, but I like them always in the fall. They're such a nice invitation to enter into another week with grace and something warm to drink. We're starting our third week of school this week and are mostly finding ourselves in a routine that feels good. The kids are thriving at school, happy and excited every day I pick them up, and we're balancing a busy fall activities schedule with make ahead meals and as many dinners around the table as we can. A new season is always such a great opportunity to reset and be intentional about the important things that might get lost in the shuffle. And knowing that fall is fast and so meant to be savored, a little groundwork at the start of the season helps me see it and not miss it.
But before I start writing about all things apple pie and cozy socks and fall porch love, I've still got a few posts left from our sweet summertime. Coming at ya with all the good things from the dog days of summer...
851. A morning bike ride, big kid style. I love riding bikes, but always reserved it for something to do when Beau was home with us because I do not love pulling that bulky bike trailer. This was our first big bike ride, sans Dad, and we made it to one of our favorite parks AND Mulligans for lunch. We ate on the patio, grabbed some Hanson's ice cream across the street, and then called Beau to come pick us up. I guess we still can't quite do it without him. ;)
852. Beau and his manager, Adam, were at a client's house one afternoon when they came across this sweet old bike in his shed. Beau commented on it, telling the owner that he had a bike just like it when he was a kid. And the guy insisted he take it with him! Who knew how much we'd all fall in love with this retro blue banana-seat wonder, but it's sure brought us a lot of joy seeing Cruz choose this one over his other bike. He looks straight out of the set of Stranger Things and I've lost count how many people have asked where we bought it!
853. I think I golfed more this summer than I have in all my past years of life combined! From a super fun twilight golf night at Sunnyside, to getting surprised with my own set of used clubs for my birthday from Kyle and Erin, to letting the kids tear around the course one Friday afternoon, we've all developed an interest in this leisurely sport. Mila, she was interested in driving the golf cart!
854. I had another great crop of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, and herbs this year, and now have three big jars of fresh roasted spaghetti sauce to show for it. These little green thumbs don't show much interest in the garden or eating the bounty just yet, but someday they will.
855. There's just something that feels so right about snipping my own flower bouquet from the backyard and placing a face of fresh blooms on the table for dinner. Those pale yellow zinnias were my favorite, especially paired with my cheery daisies. Is there anything happier than a daisy?
856. I hit my stride with more Magnolia Table cookbook adventures, finally trying a few difficult recipes I likely would have skipped had I not committed to making them all. And thanks to our new air fryer, I cheated a bit on the fried green tomatoes and they were amazing. I'm pretty sure I used the homemade remoulade sauce on just about everything for a week straight!
Next comes fresh caprese salad and these herbed cheddar scones that paired nicely for an easy post-swim supper on the porch while Beau was gone one night. Oh, and these also were scrumptious with the remoulade sauce. ;)
And lastly, JoJo's buttermilk fried chicken with poppyseed sauce. Yep, have still yet to conquer fried chicken...
857. We squeezed in an outdoor movie night in late August just before school was about to start. We discovered that is the way to go! The air was crisp and perfect for a fire and big blankets, and it got darker much earlier than June or July so we were able to start our movie earlier. We went all things Harry Potter - The Chamber of Secrets was our feature presentation and we accompanied our movie with butterbeer and a make-your-own s'mores platter.
858. But my favorite part of the night had to be our early showing of home videos from my computer. There is something beautifully nostalgic about sitting together under the stars, watching a baby Cruz and Mila and listening to their sweet baby voices echo in our backyard. It always becomes one of Beau's favorite nights of summer. Just our crew, a stick s'more, and a big movie screen in our little backyard.
859. A newfound park with a great playground, a bike trail along the river, and plenty of new places to explore.
860. A special 35th birthday. A freshly delicious breakfast by Beau, handmade cards from the kids, lots of sweet messages from family and friends, and 35 reasons to love Ashley, sent throughout the day from Kate. A day at Lost Island, several laps around the lazy river, and a brave slide down that steep red one to prove I still got it.
861. We had our first family date night on the rooftop of Montage, my absolute favorite place to eat downtown. We have always reserved this for adults only, but I felt like bringing the kids along this year. We got all dressed up, talked up how to behave at "fancy" restaurants, and discovered pretty quickly that Montage loves to cater to kids. From kids' martinis, pizzas they could construct right at the table, and a teapot of milk and cookies for dessert, I have a feeling this downtown staple won the hearts of both Cruz and Mila.
862. Ending my birthday right here. So many beautiful sunsets this summer.
863. Getting to take pictures for Kelsie as she opened the doors to her gorgeous shop, Driftless Style, last month. Kelsie is a dreamer, a go-getter, and has blended her eye for style and her heart for global impact to create a one-of-a-kind store right in Cedar Falls. It's so pretty I might just move in - or at least take a nap some afternoon. ;)
864. And Montage twice in one week? How could a girl get so lucky?! We decided to take our IF:Table out on the town and decided we need to do that more often. We shopped, enjoyed a beautiful night on the rooftop, sipped yummy cocktails until close, and I even scored a truffle and a birthday song. I'm grateful for each of these beautiful, strong, rock star women I get to call friends.
865. Mila closed out her t-ball season just in time for kindergarten. She was pretty 'meh' about the whole thing, but we think she showed potential. We'll see what she says about next year... :)
866. Sweet girl fell asleep at 5:00 at night right beside me as I worked on my computer. It had been an overwhelming day trying to savor summer while also preparing for the semester. And then my baby girl, just about ready for kindergarten, decided to invite me right into the stillness of her sleep. I put my computer down and snuggled right in beside her, soaking her up big as tears ran down my cheeks.
867. And just like that, another summer through and mama back to work. It's always a wild week all hitting the ground running at the same time, and my mom guilt hit hard a few times as I felt like I was choosing work over pool and ice cream and being outside with them. But then I brought them to campus a few different times and was quickly reminded how fortunate I am to spend my days here, and how important it is for them to see the work I love to do. They received hugs from colleagues, got a personal tour around the UNI greenhouse, and even got to hang in a golf cart with TC and TK. Pretty sure the marketing department secured two future Panthers one day! Cruz asked a million questions about dorm life and dining dollars, and Mila decided she wants to work at "the UNI" someday too. I'll take them both, and promised to do their laundry if they stay close. :)
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