Mickey Business!

This little man and I are heading to "Mickey Business" tomorrow and I am so excited!  Let me explain about Mickey business..I know you are wondering what in the world I am talking about.  JP is in Disneyland for a business trip and we decided to take Nick along!  When I first told Nick that Daddy was going on a business trip to Disneyland, Nick mixed the thought of Mickey and the business trip and made up his own word for Disneyland...Mickey Business!  He's so cute.  Everywhere we go, he tells people we are going to Mickey Business and they have no idea what he is talking about.  I don't have the heart to correct him because he sounds so dang cute.

We are heading out tomorrow afternoon to meet up with JP.  Please wish us luck and safe travels!  We are leaving Conrad here with family and my heart aches a little about that.  I'm going to miss him so much, but I am really looking forward to the one on one time with Nicklaus.

Talk soon!

My Recent Order From Aidan Gray

I love the look of Aidan Gray and I'm so excited because I placed an order with them today!  I bought two of the Chateau Pinot Wall Candelabra and I plan to hang one on each side of my botanical prints which are above our couch.  Then, I bought the fluted lamp for our living room table.  Leave it to me though to fall in love with something that is temporarily out of stock!  Grr.

I'm also thinking about replacing our living room side table with a gathered linen skirt from Wisteria and pairing it with an antiqued glass top from Ballard Designs.  Thank goodness I love this look because I am limited on table options.  I have to have something skirted because the hubs has a subwoofer and wires that I refuse to let be seen.   

Does anyone else have an Aidan Gray obsession like me?  And Wisteria?!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Today has been the most beautiful and perfect day!  The weather is AMAZING and fall is officially here.  I feel like good weather, football season and the upcoming holidays puts everyone in such a great mood.  Today we visited our first pumpkin patch of the season.  We headed to Cornelius Nursery for their annual fall kid day which was such a fun family outing!

Sweet brothers!  Poor Conrad is always on guard.  Nick truly was loving on his baby brother, but Conrad is never too sure.  =)

In Nick's world, it's not a party unless there is a bounce house.

Little Man got a turn after they saw how sad he was when he found out it was for the 'big kids'.  The kind people at Cornelius made the older children come out for a few minutes why Conrad got a turn.

Decorating a pumpkin with Daddy!

We made it home with two large pumpkins and really neat squash pumpkin that is light orange and white striped.  

Happy F'all to everyone!

On the Menu: Melt In Your Mouth Banana Bread

{image via Smitten Kitchen; no relation to my recipe.  just a pretty picture}


This recipe comes from Orange, Texas where my mom grew up.  Mary Martell was one of my grandmother's best friends and she loved to cook.  To celebrate one of Mary's big birthdays, her family and friends surprised her with a cookbook full of collected recipes.  I go to this book often for Southern favorites and comfort food.  This banana bread is delicious and incredibly moist!  Freezes well too!  I baked this yesterday...

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

2 cups flour

4 eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups bananas, very ripe, mashed

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix oil and sugar together in a large bowl.  Add the eggs and mashed bananas, mix well.  Mix all dry ingredients together and add to the other ingredients. Mix just until well blended. Stir in nuts if desired. Put in 2 well greased medium loaf pans. Bake 55 minutes.

Enjoy!

What I Want Now: Antelope Carpet by Stark

Oh my, oh my!  I am currently obsessed with the antelope carpet by Stark.  It is fabulous and a different masculine option rather than seagrass which is a common find here in Houston and other Texas cities.  Don't get me wrong, I adore seagrass and have it in various places in my home.  But I am head-over-heels for this look and hopefully I will have the chance to use it one day.  I think it would look amazing not only in a study, but a children's playroom (if you have all boys like me!) or even in a guest room.

I've heard the antelope carpet is pricey, but not absurd and there is a waiting list.  Lucky for me, the space I envision it in is not too big!

{image credits: 1 HAR, 2+3 Maddie G Designs, 4 Cote de Texas, 5 The Peak of Chic}

Over-the-Knee Boots

I bought the above boots in black yesterday at Nordstrom's.  One of my favorite looks during the fall and winter is to wear boots over skinny jeans.  It's almost a daily wardrobe staple of mine during the colder months.  They are like my flats for winter.  I have been seeing over-the-knee boots everywhere lately and really wanted to try a pair out.  I had to laugh at myself when I went shopping yesterday.  Here is how my conversation went with the salesgirl...

Salesgirl:  Hi, how can I help you?

Me:  (very bluntly) I'm looking for a pair of black leather, over-the-knee boots, but I do not want to look like a hooker.

Salesgirl: blank stare...she luckily laughed soon after.

I'm really happy with them, but I feel like I may have made an impulse decision.  I was in a hurry and really wanted a pair, so I only looked at a few before deciding.  Now I'm having buyers remorse browsing sites like Piper Lime.  Hmm...

{Sam Edelman James boot, $225}

{Dolce Vita Donnie, $310}

{Via Spiga Georgia boot, $298}