First and foremost, happy ADOPT-A-VERSARY TO OUR BABIES! Five years ago today we brought Lylee home from a friend who couldn’t keep her. K and I were unmarried, I’d just finished college, and we were living separately- me in my parents’ basement. A year later (totally unintentional) we brought Enzo home from a rescue. We’d been married for 7 months and just bought our first home. We were living so differently than when we got Ly. Now, half a decade later, life is so, so different. It’s very strange to look back. I stand by my declaration that bringing Ly and Enzo into our lives are two of the best decisions we’ve ever made.
Guys, if you can, adopt a dog. You’ll save a life and gain a best friend ❤︎
Originally these were two separate posts, but I’ve decided to combine them and link up with Kristen and Gretch. Also, I’d like to petition to start “winter” around the end of November. December 21st is just too late.
And now a brief fall recap…
- Go to at least two fall festivals
Yankee Peddler Sept. 9 & 10, 16 & 17, or 23 & 24
Move into the new house!(We close the first week of Oct.)Host our annual Halloween Party!Visit a nurseryandget some mums for the front porchPick/buy pumpkinsCarve them
Get a bay of straw for the front porch- Work on meal planning and try out these recipes:
Slow Cooker Roast Beef- Not bad. I cooked it on high for 4 hr. K thinks I should’ve done low for 6 to 8 hrs. We had some time restraints that night, though.
Mexican Chicken, Sweet Potato, & Black Bean Skillet- It was good, but we’re not bean eaters so I’m nixing that next time.
- Southwest Taco Soup
- Slow Cooker Thai Coconut Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Find a walk route in the new neighborhood with pups- Get a few rooms in the house decorated
Living roomEhh, it’s mostly done. Stuff needs hung.- Master bedroom Still needs painted & artwork.
- My office Needs a miracle. Woof.
Get 25% of my Xmas shopping done by the end of Oct.- Visit an apple orchard
- Bake a new fall cookie No cookies but two different cupcake recipes!
Drink some apple ciderWatch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and BeetlejuiceFind cute booties(*part of 30×30 list) Yaaaas!- Take a dog or two on a hike (*part of 30×30 list) Happening this month w/ E!
- Scrapbook. Even a little bit. Just get something done… lol *office in shambles
- Dog park with E (in Columbus)
- Homemade ice cream, damn it *face palm*
Some thoughts:
Only made it to one festival but I’m ok with that. Our annual Halloween Party went well 🙂 I visited a nursery with my mom, but bought nothing. Then my mother-in-law gifted me some mums for my birthday. I think that means I can check that off. I bought straw and pumpkins the day we signed on the house! Then my brother and sister-in-law carved them with me the night before our party 🙂
Overall I think I accomplished enough. Fall was really hectic and stressful for me this year. I didn’t enjoy it and, while I’m sad about that, I think it’s good to recognize that I overloaded myself and put too much pressure on me/us. We’ve slid into winter much more slowly and delicately.
As of now, I’m starting on my winter to-do list ❄️
Order / address / send Christmas cards- Girls’ trip with my ladies*
Weekend shopping trip with Mom- Finish all the Christmas shopping
- Make some big decisions regarding the business
- Complete 50% of my Christmas Movie List
- Trim the tree and finish decorating the house
- Post some kind of home tour/Christmas tour of house
- Make some Christmas cutout cookies
- Do something fun in the snow! (sledding, build a snowman, etc.)
- Come up with some 2018 goals/resolutions/a word
- Start planning something for our 5 year anniversary (April 2018)
- Get all our stuff out of M&D’s basement
- Got through that stuff and purge all that we can live without
FallWinter walk with a dog or two*- Make. Freaking. Ice Cream.
- Get my office set up
- Look into getting the bedroom painted
- Scrapbook!*
*denotes items from my 30×30 list
I won’t lie… my Christmas cards have been sent, my girls’ trip is happening this weekend in a remote cabin in southern Ohio, and my mom and I have already done our shopping trip (which I’m hoping becomes an annual thing). Whatever, man. Sometimes you need a few surefire things when it comes to goals and checklists.
Will I ever make ice cream in my ice cream maker? Only time will tell.
Life as Louise 
I enjoy reading your blog SO MUCH. You’ve got me thinking and doing new things – fun things. Merry Christmas!
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Thank you so much, Debbie! I’m so happy to hear that!
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I posted about apple butter ice cream in a 3 on thursday a couple weeks ago and I swear it’s the easiest thing ever, try it! You’ll love it. It’s like, 3 ingredients.
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Yes, you totally did. And I printed it back when you posted it. It’s still sitting on my desk. Hahahaha.
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I don’t love winter weather at all, but whenever I have to live with it, I make sure to at least get out sledding or ice skating or snowman building or something like that a couple times–makes the endless weeks of scraping ice off of my car windows a little bit less torturous if I remind myself that there are fun things about snow! Angel used to love to take our (barn) cat sledding with us…not sure the cat appreciated it all that much.
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I try to get my dogs to sled with me but they refuse. My grandparents used to live on a big hill and now my parents do. My husband has NEVER been sledding. I’m ashamed that I haven’t changed that yet…
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HAPPY FAMILY DAY GUYS ❤ ❤ ❤
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Thank youuu ❤
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You’ve been busy! I’m not a big fan of winter anymore, but I try to appreciate it. I try to appreciate the awe of watching snow fall or seeing how excited kids get as school when it snows (even if it’s just a few flurries). Of course, I try to savor the moments of Christmas, because once the holidays are over, winter (for me) turns into a long, gray drag.
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I know I’m opposite of most people. I just really enjoy the excuse to wear layers and drink warm drinks and curl up on the couch with a movie or book 😉
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It’s so neat that you happened to adopt both dogs on the same day!
LOL that making ice cream is always on the list – You’ll get it done one of these days! I gave my parents a hand-crank for Christmas last year and we used it a few times last summer which was really fun. Ice cream is too cold for me in the winter though – I’m all about the cookies now!
We haven’t had any snow yet and it’s making me so sad (global warming…sigh) – Plus that I really want to go sledding with the kids this year. And Swede refuses to watch any Christmas movies until it snows!
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We didn’t realized that we’d done it until we went to celebrate Enzo’s one year with us. It was strange!
We got an ice cream maker for my bridal shower and we’ve never used it. #fail
We’ve finally had a little snow- today included! Hope you have/will soon, too!!
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Happy Adopt-A-Verisary to Enzo and Lylee. I count Max’s adoption day as his birthday since I don’t know his real birthday. Plus, I figure getting adopted by me should rank as the best day of his life as I’m sure it was for Enzo and Lylee too! Your Fall was so busy but with buying and selling home, it’s bound to be that way. Hopefully, things are bit more settled so you can just enjoy the holiday season. I always love reading about people’s goals. It makes me feel like I should set more but then I remember I’m lazy! And I’m all for setting some goals that are slam dunks … those are how we manage to tackle the more iffy ones!
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I don’t know how we learned Lylee’s birthday, but we did. Enzo was born at his rescue so they knew 🙂
I love being able to cross things off the list right away! Haha!
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Hahahaha my office area needs a miracle as well. It seems to be the spot where everything gets dumped when we dont know where to put it or it needs to go be stored or whatever. I’m sorry that you didn’t get to enjoy fall. Hopefully that will change for Christmas/winter!
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My office still has soooo many boxes. And when we decluttered the old house for showings I packed away 4/5 of my office and stored it at my parents’ house. And it’s all still there. UGH. Haha!
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You totally have to include sure fire things on your goals list. It feels good to know you’ll at least cross SOME things off the list, you know? I really want to make a 30 by 30 list. I have some ideas; just need to get them written out! I have an ice cream maker that I’ve never used…haha It’ll happen at some point! Probably not until it gets warmer, though I’d happily eat ice cream anytime.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
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That’s pretty much how I felt about it 😉
I am slacking on my 30×30 but some many things just take TIME. They’re at least started. Ha.
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You are rocking your goals, lady! SO awesome.
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Thank you so much!
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awww happy adopt-a-verisary to the dogs!! we got millie and chelsea on the same day a year apart, isn’t that funny? yay for pets!
make ice cream! then tell me if it is good and if i need an ice cream maker. i feel like i do, so…
i love surefire things on my to do list. sometimes i even put them on when they are already well past done. NO REGRETS.
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SO weird!! How did we do that?? Haha!
I registered for the ice cream maker and I was SO excited when we got it at the bridal shower. But I’ve never ever used it… UGH. Haha
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Can you use snow in your ice cream maker? 😉
Happy Gotcha Day for your babies.
Sounds like you already have a great December planned. Live it up. Get 2017 out with the best month yet
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Ooooh, good idea with the snow! We used to make slushies that way!
So far December has been a very good month 🙂
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I absolutely always write things down that I know I have no choice of doing / are definitely happening!
Happy day Lylee and Enzo!
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Crossing stuff off (almost) immediately just feels so good!
Thank you!
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sounds like you’re kicking off the holiday season right! you should totally have a yearly mother/daughter shopping trip – that sounds so fun! annnnd happy adopt-i-versary two you and your sweet pups! YAY! you really do gain a best friends – we love our shu-shu (as atlas can now say)!
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Oh my gosh, how cute is Atlas saying shu-shu???? I think I’d cry every time. Haha!
It was a productive trip! I say we keep it up every year and flip between different outlets each year 😀
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You did an awesome job on your fall list!
Oooh, I hope you share a Christmas home tour! I love home tours, even though mine is usually in shambles (many thanks to Caleb and his toys).
I am intrigued about your big business decision. Hope to hear more soon!
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Thanks 🙂
I’m hoping to have a home tour up next week on Thursday!
It’s nothing too exciting, haha. We might move locations- same area, just a nicer place if we can find one!
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We have two ice cream makers. Neither are ever used.
Happy family day! Lizzy is our first adoption and it’s the best decision we ever made.
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Hahahaha- I’m glad I’m not the only one with cobwebs all over the ice cream makers.
Yay!! Lizzy is SO cute! And how lucky she is to have a home and family ❤ Way to go!!
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Your winter plans sound awesome 🙂
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I absolutely put things on my list I know I will do, or have already done. Haha! It makes me feel accomplished. I totally get where you’re coming from with hectic schedules. We packed a lot of fun in, but I made sure we had one stay at home day each week. It’s so important to just sit, especially at this time of year. I had an ice cream maker for years and finally gave it to a friend a month ago because I never used it. I hope you use yours!
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There’s just something about crossing stuff off, right? Even if you only write it down to cross it off again.. ha!
We’ve had ours for 5 YEARS and we haven’t used it. I’m determined…
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