How many pictures can a person take of orange and red trees? How many pumpkin spice lattes is too many? How many chicken pot pies is crossing the line? How many chunky sweaters does a person need to own before being considered certifiably obsessed?
These are questions I don’t want to know the answers to.
Stats from this month (and last? I’m losing track):
DRINKS: Pumpkin spice lattes, half sweet, decaf, from Starbucks I’m sorry Caribou you just cannot win this one.
FOOD: Biscuit pot pies, pasta galore, my friend Angela’s tortellini soup which I will be dreaming about until I get her to send me the recipe and grant me permission to share on the blog because it will 100% change your life.
CLOTHING: Skinny jeans, ankle boots, the same three sweaters because I spent too much money on them and need to make them count (plus, they’re very cozy).
Please tell me your stats are similar. And if you live in a warm weather climate with fall things such as warm drinks and boots, I would like to send my condolences.
Okay! Here we go. Big updates this month including this one….
We’re Moving To The Suburbs!
WHAT?! Yes. And just like that, we’re moving to the suburbs. By “just like that,” I mean after a very long and trying search process which we discussed here, and hypothetically, like, all the time if we’d be getting together in person, but anyway. YAY! A house. We’re closing tomorrow (WHOA) but not moving in for another few weeks since we’ll do some painting, carpeting, and possibly wallpapering?! before we move in. Things I’m most excited about with the new house:
An attached garage. I repeat: an attached garage. ♡SPACE. More space. Like, we can have my brothers come stay for the weekend and no one will need to sleep on the couch in the living room kind of space. Like, we can watch TV after Solvi goes to bed and actually turn the volume up kind of space. Like, I can host dinner club again kind of space.A bigger yard.A more open floor plan that will allow me to be in the kitchen and still see what’s happening in the family room. This was a huge wishlist item for us / me.
Things I’m most sad about:
A new identity. I love our (current) small house and I think Bjork and I really identify with our small-old-charming-house-in-the-city vibe. Neither of us have ever really felt pulled to have a bigger house, and have definitely not felt pulled to the suburbs. And yet… here we are, buying a bigger house in the suburbs. I am confident that we’ll use the space and love it, and there are so many things we’re excited about with it, but I also think there’s somewhat of an identity shift that we might have to process through with that. (Okay, fine, I say “we,” but Bjork goes with any flow. If it involves processing, it is me.) Restaurants. Or lack thereof. Goodbye, amazing authentic taco spot five blocks from our house. Goodbye, hip vegan restaurant just a few miles down the road. Goodbye, charming Selby and all your delicious restaurants. We’ll be back to visit.The lake. We live by a city lake, with a path, and it’s always low-key bustling with of a wide variety of people and Disney-type woodland animals, and it’s one of my happiest places. I’m definitely going to cry when I go for my last walk.
We Hosted a Team Retreat
Last week we got to have our entire (remote) team in Minneapolis for a team retreat and it was THE BEST of the best. In addition to our several Minnesotan team members, we had two PNWers (hey Portland), one Pittsburgher, an Ohioan, a Milwaukeean, and a Canadian who brought international snacks and treats which was a highlight if I’m being honest. These people are so fun to work with, and while there are a lot of advantages of being a remote team, I was reminded of how nice it is to actually get together and spend time in person. Face to face is just a whole different thing. In a really good way. We are eager to start planning our next team retreat, and I think it might be time to branch out to a new city. What cities are your favorite? Must have: good food and a fun vibe.
Things Are Actually Happening At The Office
WE ARE NEARING THE FINISH LINE! Garbage boxes are laying all around the office and there are still tape spots on the wall where shelves should be. BUT. Desks are in place, plumbing for the kitchen is done, cabinet delivery is scheduled (next week)! Things are hap-pen-ing. I don’t want to give away too much yet, but stay tuned here and on The Faux Martha as both of us will do some reveal-y type stuff when the finishing touches have been wrapped up.
Can We Talk About Family Photos
Question for you. How do you keep your memories and photos organized? I have about 100 ideas for how to do this, for our family, for us, for Solvi, and what has actually come into existence is zero of my good ideas and tens of thousands of photos on my camera roll. Things people do:
Yearly photo books?Seasonal family photo shoots?Journals with handwritten letters to kids?Baby books?Videos of trip and special events?
My mom made a scrapbook for me of all the photos of my growing up years and it is so sweet and special. I want to do something like that for Solvi – something that feels personal and memorable and yes, I love photos, so picture-heavy would be great. But I feel like there are too many good ideas and not enough time. Do I keep it digital? Should everything be printed? Where does handwritten come into play? I need to make a (streamlined, manageable) plan now that she’s turned one. What do you recommend?
Homemade Potpourri
My friend Ang taught me this trick years ago and maybe you all already know it, but it’s so good that I think it is worth shouting from the internet rooftops again and again, weekly, until spring. To make your house smell like fall / holiday / Christmas magic, just simmer some dried spices (cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, mulling spices) with some fresh or dried fruit (orange peel, apples, etc.) and maybe some fresh herbs if you’re feeling it – like rosemary, bay leaves, that kind of thing. Keep it on the stove for a few days and just warm it up every so often (we’re not eating this – it’s just for smells). YOUR LIFE WILL BE CHANGED. You may never light a holiday-scented candle again. It’s natural, it’s cheap, it smells so good.
Sage Says…
This season, do not forget the pure joy of a cozy fall sweater (or, in this case, neck sweater). And she is correct. It doesn’t matter whether you treat yourself to new fuzzy one (like me) or dig a tried-and-true favorite out of your closet (like her). Chunky, warm sweaters are one of the best things that a person can wear when the weather gets un-handle-ably cold outside. If it makes you look just slightly like an arctic marshmallow, then you’re doing it right. I love the coffee date posts because I love hearing from YOU! And fall is giving us lots to talk about. Hope your October-November has been full of sweaters, warm drinks, and doggie snugs – you know, the life-giving little joys.
