Fill in the blank...Saturday

(via Pinterest)

1. Nothing says fall like pumpkin patches, cooling temps, golden aspens and freshly baked apple everything!

2. My favorite autumnal tradition is heading up into the mountains to go leaf peeping. I love the giant patches of golden aspens among the conifers. They look like fluffy clouds, and are perfectly picturesque.

3. My favorite fall treat is my Dad's toasted cake donuts smeared with butter and a giant mug of apple cider. My family is good at bringing a little bit of Michigan Fall to Colorado. We may not have cider mills, but we recreate the scenes we can.

4. Fall makes me think of books, blankets and coffee because the evenings are cool and perfectly made for cozying up for a quiet couple of hours, preferably in Barnes and Noble.   

5. Autumn free form word association, go! apple picking, hot cider, pumpkin spice coffee, pumpkin pie, corn maze, crunchy leaves, changing colors, cozy blankets, afternoon walks.   

6. My go-to outfit in the fall is skinny jeans, tee, long cardigan, tall boots and flashy earrings. The joy of short hair is being able to show off fun earrings.
    

7. My favorite fall holiday is (Halloween or Thanksgiving) definitely Thanksgiving. I absolutely adore just about everything to do with Thanksgiving: my Uncle coming to visit, trips to Denver, horseback riding, dinner at the Ranch, vegging out in the evening and the general sense of Family and Happiness. I love it!

Fill in the blank Friday

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1. The best thing I did all week was be social. It sounds so simple, but my life has felt turned upside down for weeks and making time with my friends has made me feel more like myself again.

2. Books that instantly hook me make me super happy. (I know I've said this before...)

3. Pets are a wonderful comfort, but a real responsibility.

4. My family is the best thing about my life.

5. With the cooler weather I am looking forward to curling up in blankets, cozy sweaters, the way the air smells, turning leaves, making giant pots of soup, boots and the perfect excuse to stay in and read in the evenings.

6. Something that's on my "wish list" right now is an all expenses paid trip to Melbourne, Australia.

7. This weekend I am going to play honorary family member for my roommate and her sister, wander around old town, catch up on some tv, start a new book and finish unpacking the last of my boxes.

Fill in the blank Friday

1. One thing that is completely superfluous, but that I could never give up is hand-crafted lattes enjoyed in a coffee shop. I don't care how fancy your home espresso machine is, or how more cost-effective it would be to give up my caffeinated habit, I simply cannot do it. Drinking the perfect nonfat latte in a local coffee shop is an experience; it's so much more than just the beverage that I'm addicted to.

2. Being in the role of "salesperson" makes me feel awkward.

3. I can't fathom going an entire year without travelling, even if it's just a short, nearby trip every once in a while.

4. Apples with sharp cheddar is my favorite snack.

5. Lately I've been appalled by my lack of reading. Seriously, folks, I only read 2 books in August. 2 BOOKS! That is completely uncharacteristic of me. August was a very stressful, trying and emotional month, so my lack of reading doesn't surprise me, but it saddens me nonetheless.

6. If at first you don't succeed try, try again...and attempt to hold off on the panic until it's justifiable (I should listen to my own advice).

7. Fall is the season I live for, and it is just around the corner. It's nearly time for boots, cardigans, pumpkin spice lattes, leaf peeping and cooler temperatures. I'm a happy girl!

It's not yet Autumn

While chatting with one of my Aussie friends this weekend, I found myself repeatedly reminding him that it was still summer in Colorado. He seemed to be convinced that summer is actually May through July, so obviously I must be mistaken.

"But," I said "it's only the beginning of August. Autumn is still a month away."

My argument didn't appear to be taking hold until I finally asked him if it was Spring yet in Sydney.

The answer?

"Not quite yet; it's still a month away." Ah-hah!

Those silly Northern versus Southern hemisphere seasons sure can be confusing.

So, the point of this apparently random story?

It's August.

Summer isn't over yet

...but, the practice for Autumn seems to be starting.

I woke up this morning completely and happily cocooned in my comforter. My nose was chilly from the cool air in my bedroom, and I found myself darting my hand out to hit the snooze button as quickly as possible, not wanting to expose it to the world outside of my blankets for longer than necessary. My morning shower was reminiscent of those on Autumn mornings: hotter than normal, leaving my skin bright and rosy. And coffee, which is always step one for me, no matter the season, seemed to ease me into waking up better than usual. The sky was grey, and the mountains were veiled in low-lying clouds on my drive to work. There was a hint of the sun in the sky, the promise of afternoon sunshine once the mist burned off, but in that moment, Colorado felt like Autumn.

I'm so ready for it.

ps- in Australia, a comforter is referred to as a doona...I don't know why, but I kind of love it.

The balance between Summer and Fall

This weekend had me craving Fall just a little bit. Granted, I did spend some time laying out by the pool, keeping my tan up and eating frozen yogurt with my Mom, but thoughts of Fall are still in the back of my mind. I'm not sure if it's because I'm over the hot temps or if it's the afternoon mini monsoons we've been having, which make me crave tea and reading under blankets, but I think I've hit my Summer peak. I'm not ready for the days to get shorter, for the pool to close nor for my little patio garden to bite the dust, but I am more than ready for chilly, brisk mornings, pumpkin spice lattes and cardigans...you know, just a few of my favorite things. I'm also ready to rock the new skinny jeans I found for $9 (yes, you're reading that correctly) at the Ann Taylor Outlet this weekend. Perhaps that little deal is what's really putting me in this Fall mood...that and the pumpkin spice lattes, of course!

Fall soup kick

Good morning, lovelies! It is a gorgeous Fall day here in Northern Colorado...the sun is shining, the temps are cool and the sky is a bright blue. It could quite possibly be classified as one of our perfect Fall mornings! Anyway, there is something about the cooling temps and darker evenings that puts me into a cooking mood. Fall is all about hot and hearty comfort foods, don't you think? Warm apple crisps, giant pots of bubbling soup, and baked pasta dishes call my name once those leaves start to change. It always seems like there's something better to do in the Summer than cook, but Fall evenings practically volunteer themselves for time spent in the kitchen.

My latest food kick has been soup. I want to eat it for practically every meal; I feel the urge to pull out my dutch oven each weekend; and I love being able to share some homecooking with my friends. My current recipe obsession? Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini...give it a try:

Italian Sausage Soup with Torellini

Ingredients

1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
5-6 cups beef broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine
4 large tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped OR 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 tablespoon packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1.In a 5 quart Dutch oven, brown sausage. Remove sausage and drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
2.Saute onions and garlic in drippings. Stir in beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
3.Skim fat from the soup. Stir in zucchini and parsley. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add tortellini during the last 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.

Really, you could throw in any veggies that you have on hand. I'm not a huge zucchini fan, so I increased the amount of carrots and added mushrooms and celery instead, which was wonderful! I also used canned diced tomatoes rather than peeling and seeding my own because I'm lazy like that; and I opted for hot italian sausage to give the soup some zing. This was amazing! I'm seriously considering making another batch this weekend.

Tell me, what are your favorite Fall foods? Care to share any recipes?

Fill in the blank...Monday

1. True happiness is knowing and loving yourself, imperfections and all; and surrounding yourself with others who know and love the true you.

2. The most surreal moment of my life was my college graduation. 4 years of hard work summarized in just a couple of hours. It seemed almost anti-climatic, but it was a wonderful day spent with friends and family and I'm still proud of myself.

3. My favorite texture is dependent upon the season: soft and cozy when the weather gets cold, like ultra soft fleece and cozy cordurouy; and light and airy when the weather gets hot, like a breezy jersey sundress.

4. My signature color is green. It's my favorite color and turns my eyes super green; I love it!

5. My signature style is jeans, tank, cardigan, flip-flops and bright, fun earrings.

6. If I could choose one store to spend my life savings at, it would be, without a doubt, Anthropologie. I want all of the furniture, dishes, textiles, clothes and accessories in that store. My love for that store is bordering on obsession...thankfully I can't afford more than a few well chosen pieces or I would be in serious trouble.

7. My best thing about autumn is the crisp, cool air and how it smells faintly of cinnamon, even when the leaves start to rot. I love that the Rocky Mountains seem to be covered in gold when the aspens turn, but the sky always remains a true blue. And, I love that it's the perfect excuse for cardigans, candles, hot tea and lovely books.

Leaving on a jet plane...

Tomorrow I'm off to Michigan with my Mom for a week. I'm very excited to not only have a break from work, but to see family that I haven't seen in years and, surprisingly, to be in the Midwest. Both of my parents are from Michigan and I spent many summers visiting family, so even though I'm a Colorado native, I always feel like I have Midwest roots. I can pull out my Michigan accent and blend in with the best of 'em! In fact, those pesky Michigan "a's" that I grew up working to hide rear their ugly head on a regular basis (big time last night)...and gives my friends fodder with which to mock me for days. I'm going to sound like a true Michiganian by the end of next week, I'm sure!

It's still a bit early to catch much of the Midwest Fall color, but the temperatures are projected to only be in the 60's, so I have high hopes for crisp, cool air...perfect for playing at the Cider Mill, drinking entirely too much Dunkin' Donuts coffee and exploring the Ford family mansions.

I'm not sure how much you'll see me around here, but I can pretty much guarantee that I won't be able to stay away for the entire week. I might not post much, but you better believe I'll be checking in on everyone's latest posts. I hope everyone's week is lovely!

Another Fall Fashion Find

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This is the best picture I can find of my latest Fall purchase. As I'm sure everyone has figured out by now, I'm a bit of a cardi junkie, so the fact that this is the first cardigan that I've bought so far is pretty impressive. I picked up this little beauty in black and cannot wait to wear it! I love the ruffle detail, that it has a zipper rather than buttons and the fact that it looks good open as well as zipped. I'm sure I will be getting a lot of use out of this cardi!

Fall Fashion Find

I just had to show you all the fabulous purse that I bought the other day. I'm really picky about my purses, especially when it comes to shades of brown, and this one is perfect so far. I'm in love. I've been on the hunt for the perfect I'm-ready-for-Fall messenger style purse for a while now, but hadn't found anything that was an absolute must-have (keep in mind that I'm surprisingly frugal)...until Wednesday. I found this little beauty at Target and now feel really cool strutting my stuff with it (ha!):


What's your must-have piece for Fall this year?