Fall is Coming!

Fall is coming! Yay! It has been chilly here the last couple of days (about 40 at night and the upper 60's during the day). It doesn't really feel like fall yet--something lacking in the air--but I know it's coming!

I love fall. I always loved those rare cool, crisp, windy, dry days that we got in Houston--you know, those four days we call "fall." But I didn't know what fall was until we moved to New England. It is now my favorite season. Here are a few reasons why:

1. There is an invigorating quality in the air that just gives you energy and makes you feel wonderful.

2. I love fall clothes--I love sweaters, suede, velvet, herringbone, etc. I LOVE fall clothes. Partially because I love the cool weather, so in turn I love sweaters, and partially because of the rich colors and fabrics. (Courtney, I am jealous of your brown suede pumps.)

3. The leaves up here are gorgeous. We still have yet to have a good foliage road trip. The first couple of years we couldn't get away, and last year it was rainy. Hopefully this year we can make a day trip up into Vermont or New Hampshire to see some of the prettiness.

4. Fall food is so awesome! The apple cider is already out! Now, you Texans don't know what real apple cider is. In Texas, you buy the pasteurized kind on the juice aisle next to the apple juice. But in New England, you buy fresh, refrigerated apple cider from the produce section. It really tastes different, and it's wonderful. Nathan and I actually went to an apple mill one time and saw how they press the apples into cider. And those half-peck bags of apples are already in the grocery store, along with some fall squash. Yay! I can't wait for pumpkin dip and baked squash and the smell of all those lovely fall spices!

5. Apple picking! I love all kinds of fruit picking, but apple picking in the fall is special. Maybe because everything is decorated with pumpkins, or maybe it's that you get to climb ladders, or maybe it's the invigorating fall air. But apple picking is really great. For pics from last year, see this post.

6. I get to pull out the scarves and hats that I make that are actually useful in this part of the country!

Speaking of pumpkins, Nathan and I were laughing at an idea for Halloween this year: I could wear a t-shirt with the stomach cut out and paint my belly like a jack-o-lantern. Ha! It is just so dang round!! Can you imagine me sitting on the front porch giving out candy to kids like that? So funny!

September Arbonne Specials

Fall is here, and with it, Arbonne's holiday products and some wonderful specials!

The Holiday Products are Here!
Check out all of the beautiful holiday products online. And if you'd like to take care of all of your holiday shopping at once, you can take advantage of the "I Want It All" special. This set includes one each of the following Holiday sets:
Always Almond; Merely Sensational; Sweet Sensations; Holiday Lights; Sky's the Limit; For Your Ideal; About Face Charming; The Two-Step; Morning, Noon & Night Light; Big Not-So-Basic(s) Intelligence; and one each of the three new body sprays.
All of these products would normally cost $884, but in September, you can get them for $450.


Rejuvenating Cream 20% Off
In September, save 20% on the Intelligence Rejuvenating Cream for only $28, regularly $35, while supplies last. A fountain of youth in a jar, this ultra-hydrating, non-greasy moisturizer helps skin return to a balanced, healthy state. It's infused with amino acids to help rejuvenate skin.

NutriMinC RE⁹ Hydrating Wash for $16
Qualify to purchase the NutriMinC RE⁹ Renewing Gelée Crème, Hydrating Wash for only $16, regularly $39, with every $75 purchase. An emollient, cream-based and pH-correct gel cleanser that thoroughly cleans, without stripping or drying. Renews skin surface while key RE⁹ elements target and deliver protection.

Week in Texas!

Per my request, the very first thing we did when we landed in Houston was go straight to have some Mexican food! So we went for a huge lunch, after which I saw that my ankles had swollen a lot from the plane ride, and all that salt probably was not the best idea. Oh well, it was still REALLY good. Ken and Meredith came into town that day to see us and have lunch. It was nice!

The next day I had a baby shower at my friend April's house! It was SO nice. My mom was really touched at how many people came (about 20) and who was there. It was sweet to see everyone, and we all had a good time. Plus, I got more cowboy outfits than I knew existed! This is going to be one well-dressed kid!

Me and the grandmas-to-be

Granny, who wanted all the gifts passed to her, trying on the cowboy hat and outfit.
Me with the Hooter Hider from Granny!

Cute little bathrobe

The hostesses: Aunt Patti, Mrs. Valentine, April, and Noemi
(and the amazing Italian Creme cake, a second piece of which I swiped after
everyone else had left!)

We went to Waco on Labor Day to spend a few days with Nathan's family, and I have zero pictures of that because we were totally lazy and did not do much of anything. Except eat. It was really nice to just kind of "be" for a while and not have an agenda.

Then we headed back to Houston for the next weekend, because I had another shower scheduled. But woe to me, I got food poisoning. I thought that I would still be able to make it to the shower, but I really was just too sick, and I was just dying that I wasn't able to go. Mostly because about 20 friends were coming, some of whom drove from Austin or Dallas, and it just killed me that I wasn't going to get to see everyone. But what we ended up doing worked pretty well--Mom and Nathan went, and Nathan opened all the presents. Ha! I think he was totally out of his element, but he was a good sport. And Sarah and Courtney went all out with the cowboy decorations and the awesome food. Nathan took a few pictures of the decorations, and Mom sent me a picture of Nathan opening a gift. For a couple more pics, see Courtney's blog.

New Year's Baby!

I forgot to mention that based on the measurements they took at the ultrasound, they updated my due date to December 31. I thought that was kind of neat. :)

Ginormous

Okay, I am freaking huge.

I don't know what the deal is, but I just keep growing like nobody's business. Luckily, I am not putting on weight very much in places other than my belly (or is it that my huge belly makes everything else look small?), but overall I have gained a ridiculous amount of weight. I went to the doctor today, and I'm only a few pounds short of the minimum amount of weight you should gain for your WHOLE pregnancy, and let's see, hmm, I'M ONLY BARELY SIX MONTHS!!!!!

Seriously, my family was like, "Are you having twins or what?" One woman at my shower even looked at me in awe and told me I looked like I'm about to deliver. Sweet. People at work are like, "Yeah, you definitely look, um, pregnant." And my doctor pointed out today that if it keeps up at this rate, I could be in for a really big baby. Lauren is NOT too excited about the prospect of a huge baby.

Y'all need to write me and make me feel better about this. Or give me advice, or something. I'll post a picture once Nathan gets back in town and can take one of me.

Oh, and an update about our week in Texas is coming, I promise.

Well, at least you've got your health

You know how, when people tell the older generations their problems, the response is so often, "Well, at least you've got your health"? That used to kind of annoy me, because it seemed like the response was making light of the other major problems being talked about. I think I also disliked that response because I was young and nearly always felt great. I didn't know what it was like to lose your health.

But I have to tell you, those older people are RIGHT. It is STINKY to be sick.

I had a nasty case of food poisoning this weekend that just flattened me. Not only did it completely clean out my digestive system (which is an unpleasant process), but it basically left me a weakened, flattened mess. It is a stinky thing to feel that weak. Plus, I had to miss my own baby shower! In the wee morning hours, while I was still, well, emptying myself, I was still thinking I could make it to the shower. I figured that once I was emptied, what else could happen? Boy, was I wrong. I got totally dehydrated (a bad thing for a pregnant woman) and lost all my energy, started running a fever, etc. Ugh, it is not fun to have zero energy and try to fight a fever. Lucky for me, the whole thing only lasted 24 hours. It was enough to prompt Nathan to postpone his trip to a conference for a day, though, because he got worried. He said he had never seen me so sick.

So all that to say that whatever your problems are, if you DO have your health, thank God for it. It's something we all take for granted most of the time, but it is not fun to lose. I think of people with cancer and with other diseases who fight feeling badly all the time and it makes me think how blessed I really am. Thank you, Lord, for my health. Help me to keep from taking it for granted.

Chick-fil-A

Oh, Chick-fil-A,
you beacon of chicken glory,
why do I always forget you're closed on Sundays?

Why do I always,
in anticipation of your zesty lemonade and tasty chicken,
desire your goodness on the Sabbath,
just to be foiled by your chicken righteousness?

I'll just have to stop by tomorrow. :)