Weekend Rewind {Country Pumpkin}

Happy Monday!! The weekend went entirely too fast per usual especially since I only got one day to enjoy. I picked up an extra 12 hour shift at work yesterday (because Christmas in NYC and Catholic Schools lol).


Friday evening my mom came up since she was babysitting on Sunday. She decided to spend the weekend. We all love when she comes! After I got home from work we went to Halloween Express and let the kiddos pick out costumes. Mere originally was going to be a hippie and Max a zombie. After looking at costumes, though, we left with a Pirate and a Vampire! After we ate at Olive Garden. It just wasn't as good as it use to be. Maybe it' s because I don't eat gluten daily or pasta all the time anymore. But I was kind of sad. The kids were probably the best behaved eating out so that was a win.

Saturday we had a slow start to our day. I was able to take Rupp on a nice long walk , do some laundry, and enjoy a cup of coffee. We then went to the pumpkin patch in Dry Ridge called the County Pumpkin. We really like this one. It has a great play area for the kids along with the standard farm animals, maze, and hay ride out to pumpkin fields. It was so warm out. I don't think the kids have ever worn shorts and tshirts on our annual trips to the pumpkin patch. Of course, it wouldn't be a Boots family trip without some melt down and attitude thrown in. #reallife ya'll!! Sometimes our kids need a little dose of reality or in this case a moment to regroup themselves in the truck (with us and the air on fyi haha). After a lecture and some threats for shits and giggles it was back to enjoy the day!! Once we were home they couldn't wait to decorate their pumpkins and momma couldn't wait to pop open a bottle of wine to take the edge off!! Max and I fell asleep on the couch by 8:00 (does that make me officially old...nah....will never admit to that.).

Yesterday Nick purchased our tickets for our flight to NYC. I can't hardly wait. The kiddos know we are going and it will be part of their gift and that Santa isn't bringing them as much as he normally does. Also we always buy them gifts from us to unwrap. They won't be getting that either this year. But, hells bells, they are getting NYC decked out in all her Christmas beauty. That is better than any gift that they will play with for several days and forget about after. Now they don't know we are flying. We have talked about wanting to fly but are keeping that part secret.....so shhhh!! I am going to wrap little airplanes and give to them on the morning we leave!! I already have our 3 day itinerary written out (yes, I am OCD and love to plan things out. I can't wait to share how we do NYC with ya'll afterwards!). No Monday blues after booking those flights!! Hope your all's Monday is off to a great start as well!!

Friday Find

**this post contains affiliate links***

Ya'll if there is one product you need to go out and buy it is this mascara. Let's be honest, if you know me then you know that I am a cosmetic brand snob. If you can buy it at the drugstore or Walmart/Target then I am not buying it. I have been like this since my grandmother and mom introduced me to Clinque at 13 years old. My brands have changed over the years but my faves have been MAC, Clinique, Beauty Society, and others from Sephora or Ulta. Sorry not sorry!! lol. It's funny because I will buy off brand foods (I hate spending money on food), don't have to stay at the most expensive hotels (to the point Nick won't let me pick hotels anymore ha), and will buy shoes and clothes from Target. I have no idea what it is about makeup! A few weeks ago I saw another blogger raving about L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara. I hemmed and hawed but while ordering the kids socks from Amazon I decided I was going to order the mascara too. OMG! It is AMAZING!!! My MAC and Too Faced mascaras don't even compare. No lie! My lashes are longer and fuller than with either of the name brands that I have been obsessed with. Did I say how much cheaper it was too?! Like half the price! I have been looking for ways to save money and I am happy to say I am now a fan!! Let me know what you think and if there are any other drugstore brands or items I need to get off my high horse and try!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Life Lately {puppy update}

Let's get a puppy, we said. It will be fun, we said. We were so upset about our poor Sophie that I think we forgot what it was like to have a new puppy. Lord have mercy, sometimes I feel like I have a baby again. Scratch that.....a one year old that just started crawling and walking . One that puts anything and everything in its mouth. No joke, Rupp is in to EVERYTHING!! He better be lucky he is so dang cute. We now have to keep the bathroom doors shut. He loves the garbage cans....gross! Closet doors have to stay shut as well.......our shoes must taste pretty good! Let's talk potty training....I think it might be harder than potty training a kid haha. I try to take him out every 30 minutes but sometimes we get busy and forget. That is until you see him popping a squat on our carpet!! But with all the headaches that come with a new puppy, I would still have gotten him. Once this puppy phase is over I know we will look back and forgot all the crap....literally!!

Oh and let's just say the cat still isn't  a fan of Rupp. She tries to escape outside every chance she gets lol.

Wednesday's are my Fave

I seriously love Wednesday's! When I went back to my old job one of the things I requested was a consistent off day. In the chaos of being a working mom that little bit of consistency is a life saver. I honestly feel so much less stressed out in my high stressed job compared to my old low stress job with an inconsistent schedule. Maybe it's my type A, have to plan things down to a T, personality but whatev. Or maybe it's being married to a fireman with a 24 hour on / 48 hour off and part time job schedule that I need my schedule for work to be the same each week. My day off is Wednesday! I LOVE it. Work 2 days, off a day, work 2 days and then it's the weekend!! Hump day is the best day lol. I keep Max home from preschool on Wednesday's as well. That gives us a little one on one time. Yesterday we took Rupp and headed over to Smale Park in Cincinnati. I packed his swimsuit and a towel and he got to play in the water fountains. Rupp loved it too!! We always park in Covington and walk across the bridge. Momma gets to fit in some steps! Win win!!

I can't believe  my sweet and wild boy will be 5 in a few weeks!! We had the best day together!!

Hello October

I am not even sure where September went. Now all of a sudden it's October! Hells bells,  Ya'll we are going to blink and it will be Christmas morning. How crazy is that?! September, October, and December are my favorite months of the year!! I have my Christmas lists made for the kids and booked our NYC hotel for the week before Christmas! This year instead of buying a bunch of gifts for the kids from us (Santa will still come) we want to build memories and what better memory could there be but Rockefeller Center at Christmas? Strolling the streets of New York and taking in all the Christmas lights and decorations is more meaningful than some toy that will be thrown to the side a week after Christmas.

Our first weekend of October was a busy one with lots on the agenda.


Mere had a sleepover Friday night. So it was just me and Max. We had a few errands to run Saturday morning before soccer. With some extra time to kill we went into Barnes and Noble. I hadn't been in there in forever. I had forgotten how much I love book stores. Max loves the play areas in them lol. Then it was off to Mere's soccer game!

Sunday we had Nolan over. He turned 16 on September 27 and the kids were ready to celebrate with him (and eat the chocolate cake I made for him lol).

We went to church Sunday evening at the Cathedral in Covington. They have mass at 5:30pm. The cathedral is gorgeous but best of all we were able sleep in. To me that is a win!! I feel like everyday is a battle in my head between a few minutes of extra sleep versus what I really need to be doing. After church we headed to Goodfella's for some pizza followed by a ride by the river and across the bridge. It was the perfect ending to the weekend.

I will leave ya'll with a picture of Rupp! OMG he is getting huge!! Having a puppy has definitely been an adjustment. It is like a having a newborn! Have a great week!!