FALL WEEKEND FUN @ THE PUMPKIN PATCH

Nothing screams Fall more than a trip to the local pumpkin patch.

Our weekend ended up flying by and being quite busy, but we still made sure to squeeze in this festive outing.

Fall is here, and there is no doubting that. The days are cooler and I can feel the crisp air in the mornings. We've accepted Fall around here. The house is decorated, delicious BBW candles are burning, football is on Thurs-Mon, flannel + denim + mustard are being worn, the crockpot is in use, and our front porch is now filled with our pumpkins. I love it!

Oh and I could just eat up those cheeks of hers! #hearteyes

Surprisingly, for all 3 of us, this was the first time ever at the pumpkin patch. but what better way to do it than for us all to do it together. I'm certain this is going to be the first of many, many years ahead! We all had so much fun :)

Harper loved having daddy push her in the wheelbarrow. and doesn't she look just the cutest!? Something about this really kinda makes me want to live on a farm! Brandon thinks I've lost my marbles on that one ;)

I was so impressed with Spooner Farms! It was so much more than just a 'pumpkin patch'. It felt somewhat like a mini fair. From all the various pumpkins, the areas set up for perfect picture opportunities, the candy shop, food booths, animals, and face painting! - it was perfect for our first Fall outing.

We let Harper pick which mini pumpkins she wanted. If we let her, we probably would've come home with 5x as many as we did! If she could talk, I'm certain she would say, "mama, I want allll the pumpkins!" In the sweetest little voice you could ever imagine of course ;)

So pleased with her picks!

Any more pumpkins and her spot in the wheelbarrow was going to be squeezed out.

Harper absolutely LOVES animals. all of them. no matter what it is. and always has. They had ponies, bunnies, baby chicks, goats, and of course a few very large turkey toms (those turkeys are a bit intimidating if ya ask me). BUT there is something about oversized 'fake' animals that just gets her!

I can't wait to see how tall she is by this wall next year!

A fun, successful day out at the patch :)

Something about having a child now, makes all holidays that much better. If it's this great now, I cannot even imagine what our years ahead will be like! I am feeling so blessed with this little life of ours.

Happy Fall!

xoxo

-Brittney

OUR TABLE || CRANBERRY PEAR KALE SALAD

FOOD.

What is life without good food? Am I right? :)

Of course being a dietitian, I am all about getting that 'good, nutritious food'.
Now I don't know about you, but I often get stumped on the veggie side dishes for dinner. I don't like to make it anything too complicated. So often I just go with the same 'ol things. steamed or roasted veggies. lettuce with tomato (and maybe cucumber too if we're really going to get after it). and this summer, lots of corn on the cob.
Now don't get me wrong, those are all still great sides and quick, easy 'go-tos' that I can throw together in a matter of minutes with hardly putting a thought into it. BUT sometimes I just need some variety! but I need it to be something just as quick and easy. because I just made the entree and I'm not about to spend an hour on a side dish. You agree?!
With that... I made this salad the other night to accommodate our lasagna. I tell ya. It was better than I ever could have imagined. The flavors were spot on. and it literally took 5 minutes. if that.

Ingredient List:
Kale
Fresh, ripe pear
Dried Cranberries
Feta cheese crumbles
Sky Valley Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinaigrette

-Roughly chop kale.
-Thinly slice pear.
-Top prepared kale with pear, dried cranberries, and feta.
-Lightly drizzle with dressing.
and that's it! So easy, yet the flavors just explode with every bite. 

This dressing is my new favorite. Purchased at Fred Meyer in the refrigerated produce section.
Nothing fancy, but so pretty! (pre dressing here)

Enjoy! :)

Xoxo

-Brittney

follow along on instagram @brittneyhjelseth

TODDLER LIFE

Toddlerhood.

I've heard about. I've been warned about it. and yep. It is here. At 14 1/2 months, Harper has really hit toddlerhood.
She has always had personality, but now she's getting opinion. and when she has an opinion, my how she lets me know it. Now don't get me wrong. She is still just the sweetest darn thing, BUT the fiesty-ness is certainly showing up these last few days. 

Like when I'm bent down in the isle at Target taking pictures of some new dinner plates that I'm contemplating getting... and when I stand up, I see little miss doing this!

"Sit that bum right down!"

Don't worry (even with taking a picture), I still did what a mother was suppose to do. I made her sit that cute little tush of hers in her seat.

However, this situation continued to happen 17+ times before we left the store (of course I even tried buckling her in - well that didn't do a darn thing). And about half of those times that feisty-ness I referenced earlier, surely showed through. She made it oh so clear to me that she did NOT want to be sitting and it was more in her plans to stand and put her life at risk. Ok I don't know that her life was really at risk.

But when she did things like this (with one leg up)... my mama heart was beating at a very high speed.

I guess at least she put her hands down to hold on..??

So it was time for some distraction, and cups were the item of choice. Of course we purchased them as well - me thinking it wouldn't be polite to put these 'Harper-tested' cups back on the self. At least they were only $0.79 each! 

Now we have two little cups that will probably end up being bath toys.

But she was entertained! Hallelujah! 

At least temporarily for the time being that is...

We made it through :) and though there were moments of frustration (for both of us), it was still a fun trip. 

But is there really such thing as a bad trip to Target? 

Doubt it.

xoxo

-Brittney