things i'm dreaming of {october}:

via

a sweet baseball cap.
this striped shower curtain.
slippers that would feel like heaven.
this cute pie maker.
these shoes perfect for fall and winter.
a wireless remote for my camera.
tights with small black polka dots.
more polka dots on this pink shirt with a peter pan collar.

french fries and hippos.

We stole a kid yesterday and hit up the zoo and McDonald's.

#winning

That's basically it.  Except that 3-year olds are pretty much the funniest things to happen to this planet and they say the best things.  Like telling you that there are two kinds of pumpkins: happy ones and sad ones.  Or they whisper "Hey.  Heeeeeyyyyy.  Ben.  Heeeeyyyyy." before succumbing to roaring like a lion to get your attention.  Or they start dancing around excitedly anytime you pass water (a lake, waterfall, drinking fountain, etc.).

Oh, to be 3-years old.

intermittent thoughts.

+ Last week someone told me that I look like the kind of person who would own a bunch of cats.  I still find it funny/offensive.

+ Tonight the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox are playing!  The town has been painted red - literally and figuratively.

+ Ben and I fell asleep at 8:30 pm the other night and slept until 6:30 am.  It was heavenly.

+ We're moving in 3 1/2 weeks!  Unfortunately we haven't been able to find a house to buy, so we will be renting for now.  We're super excited about the house we're moving into, and this is me inviting anyone and everyone to come stay with us since we'll actually have a guest bedroom now.  (Yay!)

+ The thought of packing and unpacking is overwhelming, so naturally I'm avoiding it.

+ I had to come up with a craft to teach at Super Saturday and it was probably the most stressful thing that has happened to me this year.  I think I almost had a meltdown at Hobby Lobby.

+ We made Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Avocados for dinner tonight and I would highly recommend them.  You can find the recipe here.

+ I'm positively ecstatic thinking about the upcoming holidays and our travel plans to Utah and Colorado!

the end.

i'm ready for a snowstorm.

Remember this post about how Missouri is not like Utah?  Well, I'd like to add the fact that it rains way, way more than it snows here.  I think it snowed three times last winter, and each time it was just a dusting.  However, it pours and pours and then turns to ice.  I really love the rain, but sometimes I just need a good strong snowstorm to get me in the mood for the holidays!  With everyone's photos on Facebook and Instagram over the past few weeks of snow, I'm getting jealous and homesick!  I had to look through my photos from Christmas last year when Ben and I were in Utah; the boys went out to play in the snow, and I sipped on hot chocolate in my sweats and slippers while laughing at them from inside.  Those kind of memories are my favorite.

more balance.

I found this list on Pinterest over the weekend and absolutely love it!  (Couldn't find a source for it though...)  This is something I need to print out, laminate, and hang all over my house!  We as a society glorify the idea of being busy all of the time and think highly of individuals who seem to be superhuman and do it all.  Some days I feel stretched so thin, that I don't even take the time to make meals or do things to relax or stay healthy.  Saying yes to making treats for event X and saying yes to teaching something at event Y and saying yes to throwing event Z can be overwhelming.  So here's to balance, saying no when you need a break, and trying your best to do what you can!  

How do you achieve balance in your life?

i'm no cookie aficionado, but this recipe definitely gets two thumbs-up.

3/4 c. butter

1 1/4 c. packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/3 c. milk

1 1/2 t. vanilla 

3 c. quick cooking oats

1 c. flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1 c. chocolate chips

1 c. caramel bits

1.  Preheat over to 375 degrees F.  Lightly grease baking sheet, or use a cooking mat.

2.  Combine butter, brown sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Beat at medium speed until creamy.

3.  Combine oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Mix into creamed mixture until just blended.  Stir in chocolate chips and caramel bits.

4.  Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet about two inches apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are light brown.

Makes 3 dozen

Recipe adapted from here.

the beaver state.

My childhood is filled with a plethora of memories of Oregon.  Having grandparents and cousins who lived there made it a frequent place we visited as a family, and occasionally I spent time up there alone with my grandparents and cousins.  Oregon is where I had tea parties with my grandma and watched Anne of Green Gables with my grandpa while we shared a bag of Peppermint Patties.  Oregon is where I played in the trees and discovered the cool breezes of the ocean.  It's where I spent my time giggling with cousins on a trampoline at 2 a.m. and learned how to spread mulch in flower beds.  It's where I first flew to all by myself at the age of 7 and it's where chilly summer nights made my list of favorites.  It's where I learned how cranky goats can be and how to repair fences on a farm.  It's where I discovered when the best times to collect starfish are and how much fun small carnival rides and games can be.  Oregon has a great big ol' piece of my heart, and I wouldn't change that for anything.

this weekend was a breath of fresh air.

+ a BYU football game

+ General Conference!

+ girls night & yummy cheesecake

+ brunch with friends

+ a walk in a gorgeous neighborhood

+ leaves on the ground

+ homemade cinnamon rolls

+ our first roast, potatoes, and veggies Sunday dinner

+ a husband who did all of the dishes ;)

Life is good & we are ready to take on a new week!

my best friend gives the greatest cards.

Sometimes when you have a lot of energy and dive into some deep cleaning, you come across gems like these cards.  My best friend has a knack for picking out the funniest ones, so obviously I have to keep them!  Not pictured is the "Welcome, little one!" card in baby blue and light yellow that I got for my birthday last year. (Explanation: Everyone at work last summer teased me about being pregnant {which I wasn't/have never been/am not} because Ben and I had just gotten married.  Andy thought it was hilarious and thus, the baby card.)  They all make me smile, but that dinosaur card is my favorite.  :)

It's the little things.

a pumpkin recipe that isn't too pumpkin-y.

Last Friday night we got together with friends to watch the BYU game, and I realized an hour before we left that I was short on time to throw together a treat.  Since it's fall and Pinterest seems to be taken over by anything and everything "pumpkin," I decided to make this little number I've been saving for a rainy day.  The best part about this treat is that it doesn't have that overwhelming pumpkin taste.  (Normally, I don't like pumpkin anything--except for pie.)  The worst part about this treat is that it's absolutely delicious and isn't healthy for you.  :)

Pumpkin Dump Cake

15 oz. can of pumpkin

12 oz. can of evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. white sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

Mix the above all together and pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan.

1 yellow cake mix

1 c. melted butter

Sprinkle the cake mix over the pumpkin mixture, and then pour the melted butter on top.

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

Top with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Note:  I got this recipe from a friend over a year ago, so I have no clue where it came from.  Sorry!