Friday Favorites || November Happenings

I hope your Friday is off to a good start!
 This week has seemed to have been a long one for some reason...
 (though, not in a bad way!)
Here are a few fun things from our week:

one. Santa visit✔️

I'm the girl who either does things super early, or absolute last minute.  The years when I wait to get Santa pictures last minute...never result in a picture at all.  SO-the wonderful fast pass happened!  And I was actually on time this year:). I love the Santa at West Town because he is the same every year & so so s w e e t (you can see your kids grow each year with the same sweet Santa❤️).  With the fast pass, we got to have about 20 minutes with Santa all to ourselves.  The boys talked to him and then the digital package let me get images of all three babes with their own picture with Santa, along with one together.  It was a perfect evening!  Even if they did have to wear their "church clothes."

*I'm saving the good ones for my photo challenge & maybe Christmas card...haven't decided!😉

two. first post partum workout

I don't have my actual post partum appointment until the beginning of December, but I have listened to my body & took it easy long enough.  I feel like it would do me some good to work up a sweat-know what I mean?  This marks week one of working out post partum!  Baker wasn't thrilled at first, as she was on the bean bag/mamaroo watching, but when I could hold her while doing a rep of something safe I did-& she was entertained to say the least😂. I didn't hear a whimper out of her after that-I think she was waiting to see just what crazy move we'd do next.

My motto with this last baby-NO EXCUSES! Haha:).

three. first outing solo with all three!

 chick-fil-a + pj's and breakfast with Santa

Sadly, Cade had to work this past Saturday, so he didn't get to tag along for our morning at the mall with pj's, free chickfila, making ornaments, & attempting to sit in Santa's lap (hello, fast pass-bye bye standing in line all day as my boys attempt to rock climb the tinsel lit backdrop!)  I have a feeling he would have talked me out of it if he had been home anyway, LOL.  He has a way of doing that!  He's more of a homebody than I am.  I will say, with our history of him working off, I've never been one to hesitate doing things by myself.  It was a way of life for so long, so I guess that's a blessing-right?
  

We had a fun morning up until our cue to leave.  What might that have been you ask?  

The boys ran over a women's leg & almost backed over a toddler in a little tykes car at the playground...

✌🏻

 

 All you could see was her bow😂

 I even got to take lots of pics!  I was amazed.

four.  Baker's new born pics

We finally purchased them!  So excited to start working on picture walls in the new year!

This is one of my favorites & I know it will have to be humungous to do it justice!

five. stockings

Hello, my name is Cassidy, and I have the worst luck with stockings e v e r.  Wouldn't you know, that when I went to order Baker's stocking back in October...I would find that they quit making the one we all have.  Back to square one.  In years past, I had the same thing happen another time with Conley...& the year after mice ate a hole in our new ones🙈. Thankfully, in walked, or should I say popped (bc I found on the www) the most adorable stockings ever!  And to make it flow, of couuurrrse, I had to get one to match.  And then there is C (my sis who works/does classes online who so graciously helps us with kiddos, too!) who is cooped up at our house right up until Christmas week, so I felt like we owed her one, too!

Just FYI: I wanted to get these embroidered & most everyone I talked to didn't think it possible. I contacted SewFrancie & she was on it-got it done in less than a week, EVEN though I had to ship it to Texas (She is in Knoxville, too-just back & forth).  SO.  If you have what seems like an impossible embroidery/monogram task-she's your girl!

Linking up with High Five for Friday hosted by hosted by Tif @ Bright On A Budget, Becky @ BYBMG, and Della Devoted today!

Happy Friday, friends!

Thanksgiving || Inspiration + Anticipation

I will begin this post by a quote/question from Cam over the weekend:
"Mom, why do you have to be so festive all the time??"
And so it begins.  A teenage attitude at the ripe old age of 6...
He'll just have to learn to love me!
🙈

Our Home
Just thought I'd capture a snapshot of our home this Thanksgiving.  Nothing super special.  I love to use the same decorations (hello, nostalgia!), keep my collection going (of course, when I get the chance) but change it up every year.  While I dooooo have my tree up...I left the rest of the Christmas decor stored for after Thanksgiving-still gives me a little something to look forward to!

Cam made these pumpkins in art!😍

Totally cropped out stray macaroni for this kitchen counter pic & our turkey may or may not be missing a foot...🙋🏻‍♀️

But What Will I Wear To The Living Room??
Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite days to dress for.  If I didn't get another outfit the rest of the year, I would be fine!  I love big, chunky sweaters & dark colors (+ just like last year, still obsessed with mules).
This year...I love this camel-y orange & black together!

The Fun
(Macy's Parade, traditions, arts+crafts, fun food)
The boys are at such a fun age to do crafts.  Aside from fighting & the mess.
I swear they could destroy a cement block with a q-tip😂
But they love to draw & are always asking me what I want them to draw.  So I took it to my advantage & had Cam draw some pumpkin pies.  (He had just learned 3-D art at school...look at the detail!)  I glued some cotton balls on them for the whip cream & used them to make a garland over our breakfast nook.  I loved how it turned out!  And it kinda makes me feel like it makes our house a little more magical.  You know how Buddy makes & strings all the homemade snowflakes?  Or how on the Holiday, Graham's girls decorated their tent with homemade things??
I digress.

We've also drawn turkeys & pilgrims.  I have some of that art hanging in the mud room on the magnet board & the others on the refrigerator.  They are proud of their art work!

*I love these object lessons I've been using instead of bible stories lately.  They are free here!
I got the idea & lesson to go with the thank you cards we made God along with scripture and things to discuss with your littles here- you see their thank you cards below!

*I try to snap a parade pic with a Peanuts character every year.  I love to see how they grow in each pic❤️Watch them grow over the last 5 years...

*And I get a weird kick out of making festive things with food (sorry, Cam):

Building Anticipation
(book, shows, preparing your dish)

I remember reading this book in the 2nd grade!
We are trying to read a chapter a night...so far, that's happened one night last week😂
That's further than we got last year!  Conley left & sprayed his head with Febreeze & that was the end of THAT.

New Girl- I love Schmidt!  We binge watched this series during "big people" time this year😂

Of course, Gossip Girl Thanksgiving.

Fuller House Thanksgiving...b/c I love Candance.

And the classic Peanuts!  Always a must for me😬
There are just some shows you gotta go back & watch those holiday episodes😎

In case you're wondering...November 27th, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving airs on ABC!
I love this idea of a popcorn/jellybean/bread/pretzel cupcake to go along found here:

Then, there is Thanksgiving Eve.
I always enjoy making my chocolate truffle cheesecake on Thanksgiving Eve!🥰

The Recipe
I've basically made this since my kitchen group was assigned dessert for our Thanksgiving dinner in Foods II when I was a Junior in high school.  Before & after marriage LOL.  I'll share my old photo copy with you guys in case your interested!  It's a great memory & delicious tradition that I hold "near & dear "🙃
Okay.  Cam's right...I am annoyingly festive &( I'll just add) sentimental.

its very used!
Well, I've got myself fired up now!  Are you?😋
Let the countdown to thankful hearts & cheeks like this begin!

XO🦃

Friday Favorites || Thankful Hearts & Thoughts

I love November.

I love how the leaves seem to hit their darkest hues, the air in the South is finally dependably cooling off (most of the time), people seem uplifted knowing that a slower season is ahead as long as we can make it to that break or that day off, and, what seems to be the hottest topic of the month on social media... the fact that it's acceptable (by some) to start slipping in bits & pieces of decorations that make the holidays feel like the "holidays."  Not to adopt the secular traditions as what makes this time of year special, but to set the mood of times past (in my humble opinion!).

The reason I adore all the decorations from Halloween, fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas so much...is simply because they remind me of all the past celebrations & traditions I will always hold close to my heart.  They aren't what make Christmas, Thanksgiving, or "fall," but they are a sweet memory I always like to have around as we celebrate the true spiritual meaning behind each.

Oh, the things I have to be thankful for.  It drains my heart to think that there will never be a way to tell God just how wonderful He has been to me.  How much I appreciate Him.  Of course He knows what He has done for me, but I feel so overwhelmed of even where to begin most days that it hinders my prayer life.  I think Satan has used this on me since becoming a mama.  I hit a season in 2017 where I ignored all of that & just decided I would talk to God no matter how insignificant it seemed or silly I sounded.  Believing that He cared what I told Him no matter whether I spoke with perfectly put together prayers or not.  I decided I would talk to Him like a friend, like a daddy.  

Tell Him everything!

I have no trouble doing that with others.  

Why in the w o r l d would I not do it with the person who loves me most?

I've got to get back to that! 

I've been so busy with learning how to be a mom to three, balancing work, house things, a second to myself to breathe & rest (recovery is not the easiest when you are already a mom & then there is mastitis that showed it's ugly face this week😫)-that this area of my life & my marriage feels like it has suffered.  I have GOT to pay special attention to these areas I'm feeling weaker in.

Me in my natural state😬

 That has been my prayer this month.  No matter how small of an effort I make toward that goal, I want to grow back to that each day.  There are tons of more important prayer request I know, but I would SO appreciate it if you would pray for me & my prayer life if you happen to think about it.  ❤️

Favorites this week...

thankful moments

Again, not to sound like a broken record...but I don't think I've had enough time to myself to process my life lately.  I continuously marvel at God's goodness in my life day to day-moment to moment, but I never have time to be thankful.  About two weekends ago, I did.  As I stared outside at all the leaves falling down & had been holding Baker all morning I processed everything.  Her little head laying on my shoulder... she was so sweet, so peaceful, and content.  Tears started flowing.  Pouring.  I just kept thanking God over and over for not only my daughter, but my family and all he had done for me.  I crave moments like that when I can truly feel and find what my heart so badly wants to say when I see God's goodness. 

My thankful & answered prayer picture.  It's like a piece of art to me not to sound corny.  But, it is captured in this picture.  I will treasure it always.

calendar planning

There are some fun things around Knoxville coming for Christmas.  We missed all the Fall things afraid Baker would make her appearance.  I made a calendar for the refrigerator to remind of us a few special things to plan for.   

the sister studio gift guide

I say this every year, but given this Baker's first Christmas...I really mean it.  I want my Christmas shopping done EARLY!  My fave fashion blogger is putting out a gift guide every Sunday full of amazing gift ideas for those of us (ah-hem 🙋🏻‍♀️ who are t e r r I b l e gift givers).  I find these SO helpful and figured it would keep me on pace in getting done in enough time to just enjoy the season.

check it out here or sign up for her mailing list (like I did!)

helllllllo chestnut praline.
I see you & your sweet frothy goodness in that fresh off the press Christmas cup.  Word is, my pumpkin sweet cream cold brew is not going to be stocked after this week.  There is nothing like a little pick me up like a good (but expensive coffee).  I know-it's a luxury I just don't want to give up.  

tree is going UP!

Twas the season for a new tree this year.  Our other one had had a slashed wire & lights that were out for about three years-it was time.  not sure about the flock, but it sure is a beautiful sight.  The boys loved decorating it-even though it took us an entire week.
🤱🏻🤱🏻🤱🏻
SIDE NOTE*One thing I learned this year: TINSEL transforms a tree!


All the Inspo from this pic!  It reminds me of the Rockefeller tree in NYC😍

P.S.  It SNOWED this week in East Tennessee!
A true miracle...We l o v e d every flurry & are hoping for many more this winter-but next time...Knox Co schools need to have a heart & give the kids & staff a much deserved snow day!
Cam was all kinds of sad he couldn't enjoy the fresh morning snow!


Have a great weekend❤️