Fall Fun - ps: I wore the flower at to the UI football game :)

Here we are a few weeks into my FAVE time of year - autumn. I love LOVE fall! Football, colorful crunchy leaves, pumpkins, apple cider, marching band, all hallows eve, harvest moon, homecoming, hay rides, crisp cool air, caramel corn, and sooooooo much more!

Started getting the autumnal decorations out and having a little fun with them. Chaperoned the homecoming dance at T's high school last weekend. He and his Miss Thing were lookin' sharp.

Saturday we tailgated with good friends before the UI vs PSU game. Of course our beloved Hawkeyes won! It was Homecoming at the University of Iowa and each section was assigned to wear black or gold. Our section was gold. It was a night game and I LOVE those the best. It was cool out, the stadium looked awesome with the sections alternating black and gold. AND WE WON!!! Go Hawks!

 

Sunday afternoon I took our dog Ellie and drove up to Cedar Falls to see Lise. She took us on a fabulous walk around her favorite little lake up there. Ellie (who's half golden retriever and part lab) thinks she doesn't know how to swim! But we showed her she does - poor pup - there was a look of pure panic on her hairy little face for a just a second - then she doggy paddled a whole foot until she could touch the bottom again. Good times! She was wore out and slept most of the way home (almost two hours). 

Happy Autumn to you! xo - Em

Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity Art & Flower Festival

The weather is a'changing and with it brings fun new fall activities. Saturday we checked out the Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity 7th Annual Art and Flower Festival at Anna's Cutting Garden in rural Oxford. The weather was cool, an autumn chill in the air, as we took in the sights and smells of the festival. Approximately 15 local artists (a potter, artist, photographer - to list a few) were selling their wares and some even demonstrated their crafts. Music from Court Hill Woodwind Quintet and Marc & Brandi Janssen added to the festivities with the sounds of old-time fiddle tunes, country duets, and early-bluegrass songs on fiddle, mandolin, banjo and guitar. The smell of wood-fired oven pizza and fresh apple cider tempted our tastebuds. Mmmm! Kittens roamed the country garden grounds and fresh flowers and herbs were picked and arranged. We snagged a lovely bread bowl from potter Val Neumann - her pottery is amazing! Also, purchased fab homemade bar of soap from a soap maker - it smells so good! Here are a few photos from the festival. I can't wait for next year! xo - Em

To Flower or Not?

Do you ever have those moments where you are a little afraid of what other people think of you? I hate to admit that I certainly do. The other day I got caught up in the whole Hawkeye accessories madness - you know what I mean when you have a game or event and want to buy stuff that matches it. It’s similar to buying the cool t-shirt from (insert your vacation city here). So I was at Walgreen’s before the first home football game when I spotted them. Flowers - yellow, white. Pretty. Like candy for your hair! I bought two. One yellow, one white, of course! 

Back at the office, I carefully clipped the yellow one in my hair above my ear. I turned side to side, admiring it. Smiled. Then it hit me and the questions started taunting me. “Won’t people laugh at you with that silly yellow flower in your hair? Seriously, aren’t you a little old to wear that? Tacky. Really? Seriously? WOW!”

So, I did the safe thing and took the flower out. Fixed my hair back the way it was. Put the flower away. Calmed those pesky critters in my head who question everything I do. For now anyway.

But last weekend the flowers caught my eye again. The white one sits on my dresser, tag still on. The yellow one was still shoved away in my purse. After work last Saturday I put it back in my hair. I wore it into Carlos O’Kelly’s and to the store where Taylor works. Sweet son - he told me he liked it. Maybe it’s not so bad. Maybe there weren’t too many people who laughed at me. Maybe nobody did. Maybe I don’t care if they did.  xo - Em