A Pumpkin Patch Visit

Last Wednesday's trip to The Hunter Farm was months in the making ... my friends and I ordered these matching smocked pumpkin dresses back in the summer for our little girls to wear! (We got them from the Smocked Auctions Facebook page, if you are curious.)

You may know how Octobers in North Carolina can go -- it can be hot as the dickens or blustery cold. I was a little nervous about the puffed sleeves, but we ended up with a very warm day on our hands, perfect for these dresses!

We propped Classic Annie's sweet little Molly Anne up on pumpkins covered by a muslin blanket. But look at these older girls looking at each other. They are like "okay - now what?"

And then Camille gives a very cautious head pet as Gigi reaches for MA's hand. Warming up...

... and ending with a beautiful, catatonic stare in the pumpkin patch. Maybe next year will be our smiley year. ;)

(No really ... flashback to 2014: ..... see?!)

Humor me with one more from last year, because I just can't get enough of how adorable she looked.

Alright, present day. So, our trip to Hunter Farm started with a hayride over to see REAL animals ... Camille was so excited! She has been on a big cow kick recently (she says "mawwwwww" instead of MOO), so our first stop to see a cow actually getting milked had us all jazzed. There was also a sweet dog named Alfalfa who Camille loved getting to meet. 

We then went over to the barn where we saw all types of animals -- a calf, goats, sheep, pigs, ducks, roosters, rabbits. 

After spending a good amount of time with the animals, we headed back to the hayride to make our way back up to the front of the farm. 

Our last attempt at an adorable photo of friends was a big fail, so we all headed for our cars with promises of awesome afternoon naps ahead of us. And that we got!

Even though I've visited a different pumpkin patch the past two years, I have to say that The Hunter Farm takes the blue ribbon here. One difference is that my entry was paid, not free -- it was $9.50 (Camille being under 2 got her in at no charge), BUT that included our choice of a small pumpkin to take home. For the pumpkin that now sits on our front stoop and for the amazing experience of the hayride, the chance to talk to farmers, and the opportunity to meet all of those animals, I was so impressed. Definitely worth paying for entry. Plus, the owners were SO friendly.

They did mention that weekdays can tend to be busy with school tours until about 1:30 each day, so if you'd like to visit and are looking to avoid the crowds, you may want to shoot for a post-lunch weekday trip.

If you are local, you can find out more and check out weekend happenings on their Facebook page. Yay Hunter Farm, I like what you've got going on!

It's Okay To Be (Fall) Basic

Ahh, FALL.

The first day of this glorious season was yesterday, and I welcomed it with open arms and a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Did I mention I sipped it wearing my white shorts and gold boat shoes? Whaaat .... it was hot here! No blanket scarves 'round these parts just yet!

I think when it comes to this autumnal bliss, you either fall in one of two camps:
1) You really don't give a hoot, I mean it's just a season, or
2) IT'S FALL Y'ALL and it's time to EMBRACE ALL OF THE BASIC FALLNESS

And if you are in that latter camp, I'm here to tell you that it's okay. It's okay to be Fall Basic.

basic / bā-sik (urban dictionary): 
an adjective used to describe any person, place, activity 
involving obscenely obvious behavior, dress, action.

Here's why I don't have an issue with being Fall Basic: it's cheesy, it's fun, it shows enthusiasm for what is a really beautiful time of year. So, go forth, pick your basket of apples, munch your cider donuts, button up that plaid lumberjack shirt, wear leggings to work, singlehandedly keep Starbucks in business, have your pumpkin patch photoshoot, and monogram your pumpkins (carving is so '90s). 

I dig it. 

And dress the part.
I sure as heck am going to.
I do have a few wishlist items this season. Here goes:

Soft Camel Sweater: A cashmere sweater is a bit of a splurge, but they can last a long time with good care. And the luxurious feel is worth owning one or two, in my opinion! Loving this camel version, and I love the navy and heather charcoal colors it comes in, too.

Dark Flare Jeans: I used to have the most amazing pair of AG flares. Tight across the bum, fitted in the thighs, and then the perfect (not-too-crazy) flare. I rocked them as a senior in college and felt so good walking to class with my pointy-toed heels. I wore them so much that they developed a hole that grew and grew until they were bordering on offensive, and now they still exist -- but as cut-offs. I am definitely willing to embrace this trend again. The flares in the photo above are the exact wash I'd want.

Worn Gold Studs: I am loving this worn gold finish ... less flashy than shiny summer earrings, more muted. Available here, and $20 -- would also be a great gift to pick up for the upcoming holiday season for a mom, sister, or girlfriend.

Cozy Plaid Scarf: Comfy cozy, yes please. I'm not a fan of all plaids (some color combos just don't do it for me), but I love this pattern. Available with free shipping here.

And if you're looking for more of an oversized blanket scarf, I also found some really pretty ones for more than half the cost of the above scarf on Amazon here, but looks like they take a little longer to arrive ... may be worth checking out, though! The "brown red" is my favorite color combination there.

Tortoise Sunglasses: In a crazy moment this year, I sold my C. Wonder tortoise sunglasses (boo). I miss them. I like chunkier sunglasses for fall, and these bad boys are only $12. With a 16-month old who loves removing my sunglasses all day every day, that price point is perfect for me.

Essie Polishes + Gel Setter: Okay, full review coming soon, but let's say that I'm a fan of Gel Setter. This gel-like topcoat gets an A+ rating from me so far (on Amazon here) and I love these two muted polish colors: Au Natural (on left, here) and Sand Tropez (on right, here). I think Au Natural would be so pretty on toes too, and I'd gladly give up my fuschia and bright red for this tone.

Tell me ... are you Fall Basic?
What's on your Fall Basic Bucket List?
You know you have one.

* affiliate links used

Easy Autumn Side Dish

Fall to me is all about roasting. Roasting vegetables, particularly. (My husband would say roasting in general ... I am always the one wearing multiple layers, heat on in the house, space heater blowing on my feet, and fireplace a-blazin'.)

Recently I put together this side dish and it was all sorts of amazing. The best part is, it's totally customizable with what you love to eat! This is a sweeter take on the dish, but you could easily make a savory version with a few simple swap-outs.

***

HARVEST ROAST

1 lb butternut squash, cubed

1 medium baking apple, peeled, cored and cubed

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cubed squash and apple in an 8'x8' baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons water and roast uncovered, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes, or until almost cooked through. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine butter, honey, pecans, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Remove squash from oven, and pour honey mixture over squash. Stir lightly to coat. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from oven and serve.

***

I wish I had a photo of it out of the oven, but just imagine the above photo with pecans and a rich, caramelized glaze coating all of the chopped fruits and veggies. So delicious. And so delicious it wasn't worth taking the extra time to go grab my camera!

My annotations:
I used a regular cookie sheet rather than the 8x8 and skipped out on the water part. I did toss everything in a drizzle of olive oil, though, because well -- I just love olive oil. This made a HUGE amount so be prepared to have leftovers. I froze our leftovers and plan on turning it into a soup with my immersion blender and some broth and/or cream when it gets chillier!

Oh, one other annotation. I hate, hate, hate cutting butternut squash. It is hard and it rolls around and I'm deathly afraid I'll chop off a thumb or sever an artery (sorry, I know I'm crazy). I watched a YouTube video before chopping it this time just for a reminder of how to be safe while cutting it. But, for what it's worth, I think buying it pre-chopped is worth every bit extra that your grocery store may charge you. :)

Happy autumn roasting!

Hodges Farm and Pumpkin Patch

This past weekend, Ian and I went with friends and their sweet baby to a local pumpkin patch at Hodges Farm. This was such a lovely way to spend the morning, and with it being only about twenty minutes from our home, it is a must for anyone in or around Charlotte!

The farm had all sorts of sweet animals to meet along with a pumpkin patch, hayrides, pony rides, and other fun activities for kids. 

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They had two very long rows of pumpkins right off the vine. Big, fat, smooth, bumpy, and all hues of orange. I always choose an odd pumpkin -- it's just not my style to go with a "perfect" pumpkin. :)

The morning started off chilly, but my oh my, did we get warm! The day soared up to the 80's ... an easy reminder that we are in the lovely state of North Carolina.

This was actually my very first trip to a pumpkin patch. It only took me 31 years! In past years I've purchased our pumpkins from the grocery store or a farmers market. There is just something so cool about seeing them right there on the very dirt they grew in.

Where did you get your pumpkins as a kid? Church pumpkin lots were our go-to.