Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.

Happy sunny Sunday, friends! We have a beautiful fall day ahead and not too much on the schedule…which sounds perfect after a loooooooong week here at home. Keith left early Sunday afternoon for a business trip and didn’t return until Friday. Oh my — I was severely outnumbered by the boys…but I lived to tell about it, so here we go…another week’s worth of adventures captured on my iPhone!

Monday started off cold and gray. I managed to sneak in a morning walk with Margeaux while the older boys were in school before the pouring rain really started.

IMG_7450

IMG_7451

IMG_7454

After picking up Casey at noon we made a quick stop in Target for essentials like Jurassic World underwear (for the boys, not me). 🙂 Shopping with these two always has to be very brief!!

IMG_7457

Since I had a few minutes to kill before picking up Gibbs, I browsed through Anthropologie as well. I got some good gift ideas for the holidays, including these candles that smell AMAZING. I will definitely be purchasing a few for some special ladies in my life!

IMG_7459

A rainy Tuesday morning trip to the mall with my mom, where I got this new purse! Hooray for smaller bags that aren’t built for diapers!

IMG_7462

My patient (hah!) shoppers were also treated to cake pops!

IMG_7467

IMG_7477

IMG_7480

And lunch at Panera afterwards! My mom introduced me to the Roasted Turkey, Apple & Cheddar Sandwich — and boy is it GOOD! The boys love the mac n’ cheese…

IMG_7483

Mom stayed with my younger two guys so that I could go to my monthly Board meeting at the preschool. Let’s just say that they had fun…I returned to two naked little guys who were on their way up for baths after splashing in mud puddles while I was gone!

IMG_7488

The sun finally came back out on Wednesday, and it was SUCH a gorgeous day. After dropping the older two boys off at their schools, Spence and I spent the morning with my friend Serena and her youngest girls.

IMG_7491

We went for a short walk and then let the kids play outside for a little while before Spence and I headed out.

IMG_7490

After picking Casey up from preschool at noon, we ate lunch out on the porch to enjoy the weather. These 70 degree days won’t last much longer…

{Peanut butter & jelly on whole wheat + grapes + milk + a side of Matchbox cars}

IMG_7495

Once we picked up Gibbs that afternoon we made a stop at Dollar General to buy the gifts for Casey to put in his shoebox for the Operation Shoebox program that his school is participating in through Samaritan’s Purse. It’s a wonderful cause, and it’s such a nice lesson for the boys (especially at this time of year when they’re already making loooooong wish lists for Santa Clause!).

Casey’s shoebox for a 4-year-old boy will include personal hygiene products like soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes, as well as cars, trucks, a stuffed animal, art supplies, a puzzle, a ball, a slinky, some candy, and a few other toys that the boys picked out. Shopping with these three is never…boring.

IMG_7496

Thursday was another busy one! Running errands at Walmart in the morning,

IMG_7503

Holiday art projects at home (coming soon to a blog near you!),

{Casey + a Can of Spray Paint}

IMG_7504

A pot of My Grandmother’s Hamburger Soup for dinner later that evening,

IMG_7509

Lunch at Subway after Gibbs’s early dismissal from school (teacher work day),

IMG_7516

a conference with Gibbs’s teacher in the afternoon, an early supper, and an evening capped off with their first Tae Kwon Do class. Phew!

IMG_7517

Friday morning whirlwind! No school for Gibbs (Teacher Work Day), so my mother-in-law picked him up for a sleep-over; Keith arrived home from the airport at 7:30 a.m. after a cross-country red eye flight from Seattle; I took Casey to preschool; and Spence and I went for a walk with Mollie before heading into Charlottesville for a Costco run. All before lunch!

IMG_7519

This guy doesn’t mind shopping so much when he can eat his way through the store…fudge, smoked provolone, tons of chicken pot pie, and chocolate cake! No wonder he wasn’t hungry for lunch…

IMG_7526

I made the season’s first batch of The Best Roasted Butternut Squash Soup for dinner to have alongside the cod that Keith grilled,

IMG_7529

and that stick of butter that you see went into some whole wheat gingerbread that these two helped me make for dessert (or snack, or breakfast, or whatever!). It was a total mess having them in the kitchen with me, but they had fun and it entertained them for a few minutes.

IMG_7533

The dinner table (and the whole house) was SO quiet without Gibbs at home. And I’d say that he’s probably the quietest of all of my boys. It just goes to show how much different two children vs. three children can feel.

And then Saturday rolled around…and Spencer’s birthday celebrations began! He actually turns 2 today, but we decided to start the party a day early! He came downstairs and immediately started opening gifts (at Casey’s insistence, of course).

IMG_0751-2

When my father-in-law brought Gibbs home we headed into town for a special birthday treat. We made a quick stop (or two) at the carousel, which Spence is kind of obsessed with,

IMG_7548

and then made our way to the Build-A-Bear Workshop for a little fun. Some of Spence’s favorite things (other than tractors, buses, and trains) are his stuffed animals. He LOVES them, so we knew that making his own would be a real treat.

IMG_7552

While Casey and Gibbs picked Darth Vader and Storm Trooper Bears to bring home, Spence went with a cuter and softer Yorkie puppy.

IMG_7557

BUT, his Yorkie puppy also came home with a blue light saber because he couldn’t leave that store without a weapon like his brothers!

We had lunch at the food court in the mall before heading home for naps. The birthday boy was exhausted from all of the excitement!

IMG_7567

For supper Keith smoked two whole chickens that I picked up at Costco on Friday, I made some of Overnight Macaroni and Cheese (EASIEST recipe EVER!! You have to try it…just ignore the 3-year-old photos. Hah!), a green salad, as well as some Crispy Oven Roasted Seasoned Potatoes. Cupcakes for dessert, of course!

IMG_7576

Now I’m off to take some food photos while Keith and the boys play outside, fold some laundry (my never-ending task!), and celebrate the Little Guy’s 2nd Birthday with a hike in the woods. Have a great week!

blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

Read More

Square overhead shot of hands serving a chicken pot pie recipe with biscuits
Overhead image of a bowl of chili mac on a dinner table with cornbread
Hands serving a platter of sheet pan sausage and potatoes

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.