Monday Loveday

Happy Monday everyone!  Surprisingly, I'm in a great mood today!  I'm still super tired (it IS Monday after all) and drinking coffee like it's my job, but otherwise I am feeling good, loving life, and looking forward to a good week!  Monday Loveday post #2 is here.  I feel like I've been sharing a lot of my favorite things lately, so I promise to switch it up with some general updates posts soon!  Anyways, here goes another Monday Loveday list....

1)  Number 1 on my list...coffee!  As of recent, I'm loving Dunkin Donuts Caramel Coffee!  Move over pricey Starbucks, mama has a new boyfriend! ;)  Well, I shouldn't jump the gun, I still love me some Starbucks...but I swear the people at my Dunkin Donuts (haha, yes, it'a all mine), know my voice at the drive through and always love waving at Evie at the pickup window.  I'm not ashamed to admit I'm a Dunkin addict.

2)  No Loveday list is complete without a mention of apparel...I present to you - SCARVES!  I'm loving scarf season.  I do have a handful of favorites that I wear over and over, but my entire collection of scarves is actually getting a bit out of control - as in 2 huge bins out of control!  I've been drooling over the scarves at Target recently, and have my eye on this Coral Infinity Scarf for the winter months.  Yes, Yes, Yes.  The color is amazing!  Can't wait to go spend more money at Target...haha.

3)  Speaking of Target, I am loving the Cartwheel App!  I first heard about it via a friend (and then 20 times from the lady checking me out at Target recently).  I must admit, I'm a fan.  Anything that will help me save money...even if it's a just a few bucks, will always be on my love list!

4)  When I'm not busy being a mom, I'm at work, playing with my colorful pens.  Ha!  Hey, when you're working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, you need some color in your life!  Hello Bic Pens...I love you. :)

5)  Back in August, Tom and I went on the hunt for a new convertible car seat for Evie.  She had definitely outgrown her infant car seat and needed something bigger and better!  Alas, we found the Chicco NextFit!  I wanted to give it a few months before I decided if I like it or not, and...I love it!!  Evie seems to love it too!  The recline features allows her to nap in it, and it's got stellar safety reviews - I'm officially a fan and will recommend it to all my family and friends from here on out! :)

6)  Last but not least, my final Monday Loveday pick - this blog!!!  As pathetic as it may sound, this Love My Evie blog makes me really happy!  I may not have many readers (although it looks like I am starting to get a decent number of pageviews each week!), but I look forward to posting on here all week and I honestly am having so much fun having this outlet to share my inspirations, favorite things, and experiences as a mom, wife, and woman!  So, I'll keep on going, and hopefully you join me for the ride. :)        

My Little Fashionista

For those of you who know me, you know I'm not fashion-forward, at ALL...in fact, you might as well call me "Plain Jane" or "Frumpy Alice." HA.  However, I've always loved fashion and admired people who really put time into making it a priority.  

When I learned I was having a little girl last February, I was super excited and immediately thought about all the cute clothes I would be able to dress her in!  While the first several months of Evie's life were all about the onesies and sleep 'n plays, I've recently begun to focus on her little style (while staying on a budget of course!)  I've been really impressed by the stylish selections I've been finding in stores like Target, Carters, Old Navy, and Baby Gap!  Here are a few of my fall fashion finds that have inspired Evie's wardrobe this season!!

Striped Dress  |  Tan Boots  |  Purple Sweater  |  Denim Jacket  |  Military-style Coat  |  Leggings  |  Peplum Skirted Bodysuit  |  Chevron Infinity Scarf  |  Gold Ballet Flats

Sorry readers who have little boys!  Maybe one day I'll do a post on toddler boy fashion, but for now, girl clothes it is!! Until next time!  

Happy weekend everyone! :)

Fall Decor Inspirations

Back in May, Tom and I began our big basement project.  Our hope was that we could get everything done by the end of the summer.  As the weather got nicer, however, we decided to enjoy the outdoors and pick things back up when the weather started cooling down.  And so, here we are...now finally returning to the project!  After this weekend, the basement will FINALLY be ready for painting and then...furnishing and decorating!  My favorite part!  WooOOOHooo! :) 

Since taking on this gigantic project, I started browsing some sites to get some inspiration.  I'd love to be able to get some small pieces that I can swap in and out depending on the season.  For fall, there are a TON of amazing options.  I thought I'd share some of my favorite finds! :)

Rug  |  Basket with Chalkboard Front  |  Throw Pillow  |  Peach Blossom  |  Floor Vase  |  Boxwood Bundle Decor  |  Elephant Tea Light Holders  |  Leaf Tray  |  Birch Candle Holders

Monday Loveday

Mondays are awful...I think we can all agree on that.  Sometimes, I just wish I could go to bed Sunday night and wake up and it would be Saturday morning again.  Anyone else feel this way? HA.  Anyways, I thought I'd bring a positive spin to this day by sharing some of my recent loves!  Let me know what some of your loves are!  I'd love to hear from you! :)  

1)  I am obsessed with festive pajamas for Evie like these Halloween pajamas from Target.  There's just something about seeing her run around in these little jammies that just gets me excited for Halloween...and it helps that she looks absolutely ADORABLE in them. ;)

2)  "Come little children, I'll take thee away..." Gotta love Hocus Pocus!  I've been sad that ABC Family has not been running this movie on most nights like they have in the past, but apparently it will be on at least 2 times before Halloween, which makes me happy!  Nothing like some some Sanderson Sisters to get you into the Halloween spirit! :)

3)  One of the best parts of cold weather?  Candles!!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE burning candles when the weather turns cold.  There's nothing like curling up on the couch with some tea or hot cocoa with some lovely fall scents dancing in the air.  I'm looking forward to scooping up some of these Mason Jar Candles this week!   

4)  With Halloween just 10 days away, I am super excited to go trick-or-treating with my little munchkin and putting her in her costume!  I just love dressing her up and can't wait to see her face light up when people drop candy in her classic orange jack-o-lantern bucket!  I even took a half day from work so that I can take advantage of the day's fun! 

5)  Another Loveday pick - THESE Moccassins for Evie!  I picked these babies up a few weeks ago, and think they are the cutest thing ever!  I love channeling my love for fashion through my little girl!! 

6)  Football and Thanksgiving - gotta save the best for last.  October means football is on - REMINDER - Bears vs. Packers game is just 2 weeks away!!!  AND who can forget all the yummmmmmmy food that comes with Thanksgiving...which will be here before we know it!  Time to prepare!  Gobble gobble 'til we wobble.

That wraps up my first Monday Loveday post!  I hope everyone has a great week.  And cheer up friends, after today, only 4 more days until the weekend! :)

Citrus Lane October 2013 Review

For several months now, I have been hearing from many moms about Citrus Lane.  For those of you unfamiliar with it, Citrus Lane is essentially a monthly subscription service that sends out packages once a month filled with toys, books, and baby products that are tailored for your child based on their age and gender.  I loved the idea of getting a surprise box each month, and I've heard such great things, so I thought I'd give it a try.  I also had a half-off coupon, so this month's box was only $12.50 (compared to the usual $25).  I thought I'd share the contents with all of you!

Here's Evie unboxing the October 2013 box...

And here's a closer look of everything inside:

Contents spelled out:

1)  Water Bugs from boon ($9.99) -- This one was by far Evie's favorite from the box.  Since she is a huge fan of bathtime, she will definitely be loving this one when we try it out in the tub tonight!  Can't wait to see her catch some water bugs! ;)

2)  Babytime! Playful Wash ($9.00) -- I'm excited to try this one out.  Although we are pretty loyal to our Aquaphor Baby Wash, this one is all-natural with a light citrus scent.  Again, something we'll test out during Evie's next bath time!

3)  Green tones Triangle Castanet ($11.99) -- This was the second toy that Evie picked up from the box.  She was intrigued by it and when I showed her that she could make sounds/music with it, she ran off with it.  Seems to be a great new toy! 

4)  Baby Bug Book & Digital Subscription ($2.83 / $4.50) -- While we probably won't be using the digital subscription, this book is cute.  Evie is now really starting to love picking up books and pretending to read them, so this is perfect.

Evie playing with the boon Water Bugs net

The verdict:  I recommend Citrus Lane based on this box.  All in all, I am pleased with the contents!  For $12.50, I definitely feel like I got the bang for my buck with this box, and it was a blast to watch Evie open it and explore what was inside.  I'm looking forward to seeing what next month brings!  

I Love You, Fall

Yes...I know, another post about fall. ;) What can I say, I'm loving it!  The cool crisp weather just gives me so much energy and inspires me to want to take advantage before the sleepy winter hits.

This past weekend was a fun one!  It was my mom's birthday and one of my best friend's baby showers!  So, it was a weekend full of celebration.  I also got to sneak in some fall decorating - yay!

We've also found ourselves spending more days than usual taking walks to Starbucks...did I mention how CONVENIENT it is to have a Starbucks walking distance from our house?  Evie doesn't seem to mind going with mommy either.  In fact, I think I might be taking her there a little too often.  I really hope she doesn't start asking me for lattes anytime soon ;)

Rosette Top

You can't talk about fall without bringing up yummy food and sweets, right?  Well, my brilliant husband decided to plant an apple tree on our property 3 years ago.  The last couple of years, the tree has not really given us much, but this year has been AWESOME.  Check out this lovely lady!  

Between the apples we picked in Michigan, and the ones we pulled off our own apple tree, I am just dying to bake something appleicious!  Apple pie anyone?  I smell some baking in the near future for me!! :)

Apples and Pumpkins and Wine - Oh My!

Weekend getaway number 2 this fall is officially under our belt, and boy was it a fun one!  Destination: Traverse City, Michigan.  Prior to our departure I was a weather.com stalker - checking to see what mother nature had up her sleeve for us.  Sadly, all I saw was a rain-filled weather forecast on the days leading up to our departure but then I thought...hey, not much I can do.  If it rains, it rains...and it did.  But, we got lucky and it seemed to only rain in the mornings and at night, so we still got to enjoy plenty of Michigan goodness.  Evie didn't mind the morning drizzle either because it meant she got to see ducks swimming about on the lake outside.

Tunic

Day #2 of our trip included a drive up Old Mission Peninsula to check out the lighthouse at the end as well as make a stop at a winery - Chateau Chantal.  Can I just say...AMAZING.  Where have you been all my life?!!  Needless to say, I was happy to take home a bottle of wine goodness from this heavenly place.  

Sunday was probably my favorite day of our trip because we got to do the traditional fall activities - go to a farm and pick out pumpkins and pick our own apples!  I just about DIED when I saw this INCREDIBLE pumpkin patch.  I mean, seriously!  Why don't we have places this awesome in Illinois?  Just a giant pumpkin patch with no one there but us!!!

Jacket

Then came the apple picking.  Again, heaven.  Apples galore and all looked so delicious!  I had a blast chasing my little munchkin around the farm and watching her enjoy all the apple picking/throwing her little heart desired.  I just love my little apple monster to pieces!  What a great time!!!

 
We also did PLENTY of more fun activities...such as travel up the Leelanau Peninsula, visit to Arcadia Dunes, stop at Ludington, and MORE.  The 4 day trip flew by but we had a truly fun-filled weekend.  I couldn't have asked for a better vacation. I got some quality time with my little girl and husband, which was the best part. Cheesy, sorry, but true. :)

Lake House Fun

This past weekend Tom, Evie, and I packed up our bags and took a drive up I-39 across the border to Packers-country (aka Wisconsin.)  The 

intent: check out Tom's sister's new lake house!  I was a bit worried about driving 300+ miles with a 14 month old, but lo and behold, my little girl was actually really GREAT in the car!  Needless to say, we definitely were prepared with all types of toys, snacks, and cartoons for her to watch!  Here's my little girl watching Finding Nemo via our iPad (best idea ever Tom!)

When we got to Wisconsin, Evie loved exploring the new house...as did we!  The house is just a few miles outside Minocqua, and I couldn't believe how lovely the area was and that we had never ventured up that way before!  Up in Wisconsin, the trees were already bursting with color...oranges, reds, golds...aaaaaah...GORGEOUS! 

Albeit short (we only went from Friday night - Sunday), I can say that we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!  Evie even went fishing for the very first time, ha! :)  

With Evie's 2nd trip behind us (her first was to the Dells this summer), we are already gearing up for our second trip this fall - to Traverse City, Michigan!  Looking forward to more fall colors!!!  Stay tuned! :)