Coffee Chat!

Hey hey friends!!

Hope this finds you having a good week so far!!

How was your Halloween?? Our's was fun! We live in a huge neighborhood with TONS of families...so my kids ran around getting way too much candy! I stayed home and handed out candy while Aaron walked with the kids. My extroverted introverted self likes to stay put on Halloween. It's the best of both worlds- I get to see all the cute kiddos in their costumes...and I get to be at home :)

As I started typing this post, I decided today would be a great day to do a "coffee chat."

If you were coming over for a cup of coffee, I'd ask if you want to try some of my favorite coffee creamer. I LOVE this Nutpods brown sugar oat creamer!! I even got Aaron using it! Which is saying something considering he always been a "regular" coffee creamer type of guy!

Let's just talk about some random things shall we?

Last week on Instagram, I mentioned I was having the hardest time finding my youngest daughter jeans that fit her slim, TALL body. My friend Laura suggested checking out Abercrombie kids because they have short and tall sizes. I was so thankful for her recommendation!! I ordered Celine three different pairs of jeans and they all fit her!! She decided to only keep one of them- because the other two she didn't "love." But ALL of the jeans were the right length!! So that was a major win for us! Here's the pair she decided to keep! They look so cute on her! If you have been having trouble finding clothes to fit your pre-teen girl- definitely check out Abercrombie kids! Their prices are a little higher..but WORTH it in my opinion if you can find something that fits your sweet kiddo!

Ok. I do not want to sound like a complainer. Truly people who whine and complain really BOTHER me. HA! BUT- if you are on Instagram....do you feel like literally almost EVERYONE is trying to sell something, push a product, has a code for something or is talking about the SAME product ten other people are sharing about??? 

Maybe I am in the minority...but I don't want or need that many dang recommendations. I like to shop on my own! Part of the fun is searching for things and deciding ON MY OWN if I like it! 

I feel like the SAME things are being recommended by SO many people. Especially when it comes to clothing on Amazon!! Some of it is cute...but let's be honest. A LOT of the stuff that comes from Amazon is not the most amazing quality...and it is trendy. Again, I feel like I am the odd man out in this situation...but I would rather have LESS clothing...that is well made and that I just wear over and over. 

And if it's not pushing a product...it's selling a course! Or telling you how to have the same mindset or routine that they have "perfected." Or telling you need to heal your gut and they have just the “protocol” you need!

I don't know. I feel like people have lost the ability to think for themselves. To be INSPIRED on their own. 

I know I am going on a rant right now...but I have just wonder..am I the only one who feels this way??? Or maybe I am being a Negative Nancy. I probably just need to seriously decrease the time I spend on Instagram. HA!

I thought this was SO funny...and I needed to add some comic relief after my major venting session. HA!

On a completely different note...I don't know if anyone has noticed...but I am not posting any pictures of my kiddos on the blog. A couple of months ago, when I started blogging again, I was unsure how I felt about sharing pictures of my kids on here. So I continued to think about it and ultimately, it just didn't feel right to me. I used to post pictures of them...and honestly- it was SO fun and I had SO many more pictures to share here on the blog. Now that I am not sharing pictures of them- my "content" is quite limited. HA! But- I know for me (everyone has a different comfort level with this!!!)- this is what feels right. But candidly- it feels very odd and almost a little inauthentic to not share a lot about my kids since they are such a MASSIVE part of my life!

Anyway..if you were wondering (even though you were probably weren't)- that's why you haven't seen any pictures of my kids here on the blog!

(I will randomly post of picture of them doing things- like pumpkin carving- but nothing where they are up close and looking at the camera. I know I am WEIRD. Trust me. I know! HA!)

Are you and your spouse big date night people? Aaron and I really aren't. And it's not because getting a babysitter is hard! Our oldest daughter babysits for us- so we have that covered. 

We just don't feel like going out on a date is a particularly energizing thing for us as a couple.      I also think because we put in a lot of effort to stay connected throughout the weekend, we don't feel a need to get out and get that feeling. Does that make sense?? We wake up early on the weekends to drink our coffee together, talk and pray about the day ahead. We take an hour long walk EVERY Sunday. And we hang out every weekend night after our boys have gone to bed. We have both talked about this...we honestly feel like we are kind of weird for not wanting to go on dates-but we both agree we feel very connected and just prefer doing things together at home! I will say- we have made it a priority to get away for 1-2 nights, once a year, and we LOVE that time together. Anyway. Every couple is different and there is no play book for how you should connect as a couple. I think the most important thing is that you are always communicating with each other and checking in with how the other person feels!! 

Here's a little throwback to SEVENTEEN years ago...when Aaron and I had a date night at home carving our first pumpkin together. HA! Please note the huge 3 wick candle I put inside our pumpkin because I was 25, living on my own and did not have a proper tea light candle for our jack 'o' lantern. HA!

I know I have mentioned this a lot on Instagram- but just to update everyone- my mom moved to the Raleigh area this past May! It has been SO wonderful having her live close by. We are still pinching ourselves when we see her at church! Or when she comes over for dinner! Or when we get to stop by her house on a random Saturday afternoon!  Anyway...the boys are having their first sleepover at her house tonight (they don't have school tomorrow) and they are SO excited. They have had their "bags" packed for 3 days now. I am just so thankful we get to do these things with her now! I have not lived near my mom since I left to go to college at 18 years old...so 24 years later...it is happening! So grateful!

Ok. Final thought: How are we feeling about it being NOVEMBER?

I am okay with it. I have made peace with the fact that time is flying by at warp speed and that the time is changing this weekend and that it's going to be SO dark way too early for the next several months.

Let me know where you are. Are you ready for the dark and all the holiday things??

Are you in the middle? Kind of indifferent?

Or are you wishing it was still July. (That's kind of me! HA!)

Ok! It's time to get this day started! Thanks for hanging out and having a random coffee chat with me!! Hope you have the BEST first day of November!!