Falling for Fall

Happy first day of fall, friends.

We live very close to a university and they had a home football game today. My windows were open and I got to hear the roar of the crowd. It was awesome. I wish I could have been there, but since it was loud enough to hear at my house, I imagine it would have been too loud for Little Man.

(Photo from Merchant Circle)

Maybe next fall he'll get to experience a college football game.

While I love summer, I'm kind of glad fall is here. There is something so refreshing about that slight chill in the air that reminds us that summer has come to a close. Even though it was probably 80 degrees here during the day, the evening air turned crisp. Soon the trees will be turning and leaves will be crunching underfoot.

Hopefully our little family will venture back up to West Virginia to check out the Blue Ridge foliage. If you haven't noticed, the West Virginia mountains are our new favorite hang out. I guess with baby we've mellowed a little. There's something about seeing a vast wilderness before you that makes you slow down and look at life a little differently.

(Photo from Romantic Asheville. Click here to see more of that gorgeousness.)

That photo is of Asheville, NC. It isn't quite West Virginia, but the same mountain range, so close enough. I liked that there are other photos on the page for you to browse.

As the trees change and the weather turns chilly, sweaters will become my go-to. I like this stripe cowl from here. It might be time to go shopping... (If you're reading this, Beau, I'm totally kidding. I hate to shop. You know that.) No, but really, guys, isn't fall shopping such fun? The boots, the scarves, the layers.

There's a certain flavor to autumn, too. While I'm not a fan of pumpkin flavored anything, and cinnamon isn't my bag, I am looking forward to steamy cups of hot chocolate and home-made soups. Mmmmm. Yep, I'm ready for summer to be done.

What do you like best about autumn?

Instagram art

I love what Instagram does to my photos, but hate how they just kind of sit on my phone and Facebook after I have fun with filters. I have some pretty nifty shots that don't really get to see the light of day. So, a few weeks ago blog sensations Young House Love posted a giveaway for Canvaspop, a company that specializes in turning Instagram art into canvas prints. Their post opened new doors for me. While I didn't win, I did take advantage of the 30% off discount (checkout code YHL30 good through 12/31/12!!).

All of a sudden I knew that my Instagram treasures would become legitimate art! Like for our walls! Whoo hooo!

Just the other day these guys appeared on my doorstep:

Each canvas is 12"x12" and is perfect!  My only regret is that I didn't use the same Instagram filter on each photo. (You can see how one border is dark and the other is light. Totally my bad, but since the photos weren't taken or Instagrammed the same day, or had any higher purpose at the time, how was I to know?)

Here' a closer look. 

This summer we took Little Man to the beach once (pre-baby, I thought it would be so easy and we'd be there all the time...HAH!). While we were on that one trip to the beach, I took this shot of him contemplating the sand and it has become my favorite picture of him. I love the floppy sun hat pushed jauntily back (because it was too big, but whateves), his super chunky cheeks, and the sweet bow of his lip. I could just eat him up. I also love that I captured his mellow personality perfectly in the shot. He's very contemplative. Not only did I get it with my iPhone, but now it is on canvas and will, someday, be hanging on my wall!

 

The other image is our first kiss as husband and wife. More on our super sweet, super private elopement coming soon. But here's the shot, up close and personal.

 

 

Yes, I know there is an element of irony in the photos in this post being terrible when the post is about a company that converts awesome photos to canvas. Stop judging. You're missing the point: these things are awesome and if Beau doesn't stop me, all of our walls will be covered in canvas! There are worse things, right?

 

Perhaps soon I'll do a little update and show you where they hang. I'm still contemplating that. (Remember this post about my ineptitude when it comes to decorating?)

 

 

So, tell me, what photo would you have printed on canvas and beautifully displayed?

 

Oh, BTW, if you use either of the links to Canvaspop I provided, you'll save $30 on your order of $100. Like magic. Hopefully you'll have a better idea of where to hang your Instagram art than I do!

 

My HONEST Opinion

Have you heard about the company called Honest?

Not too long ago Plum District, a Groupon-like company offered a deal on Honest products. I spent $20 for $40 worth of products. I'd been talking about Honest with my neighbor Ayme and decided this was as good a time as any (OK, better!) to sample a few of their products.

Using my voucher, I purchased the shampoo and body wash, conditioner, diapers (with anchors on them!!), and mini hand sanitizers. Let me just say, the diapers are incredibly cute!! Look at those ice cream cones and skull and crossbones! They are, by far, the most adorable disposable diapers I've ever seen.

(Image stolen from the Honest website.)

What I like most about this company is their care and concern for the health and well-being of their customers and the environment. The diapers are natural, plant-based and easy on a bum with sensitive skin. Most of the time I don't use disposable diapers, but when I'm out and about I decided carrying around a wet bag, diapers and covers is just too much. I've been seeking the best possible diaper for Little Man to wear when we are hanging out away from home. Regular diapers give his little bum a rash, and the chemicals give me the heebie-jeebies. To be honest, there aren't a ton of options out there. Honest diapers fit the bill and surprisingly they cost about as much as other 'sposies.

Completing my order was super easy, the delivery was quick, and the products felt like they were high quality. You can't see it, but both of my thumbs are up. Why yes, that does make it very difficult to type. Thank you for asking.

I do have to say I'm not in love with the shampoo and conditioner, but that's because I'm weirdly picky about smell. The products are made with vanilla and tangerine essential oils, which to most normal people probably sounds nice. I'm clearly not normal; I don't love the way they make my hair smell. It isn't unpleasant, but I'm not a fruity or vanilla-y kind of person. I'd be super stoked if they developed a lavender formula. (Ahem, hint, Honest.)I'd buy the heck out of that!

My Honest opinion is that this brand is definitely worth checking out. Heck, you can even skip out on that annoyingly expensive Target run that consists of diapers, beauty and cleaning products and have them all delivered to your doorstep. (Thus freeing up your Target runs for those nonessential items that just kind of end up in your cart, but make you really happy.) How cool is that?

If you could have anything delivered to your doorstep, what would it be? (Dibs on David Beckham. Sorry ladies.)

I'll Drink to That

While I was poking around the Internet (thank you, StumbleUpon) I found this little gem of a site.

Its one function is to select a beverage based on the music you are listening to. For example, if you are listening to The Offspring, you should be drinking PBR with an olive (presumably the 40 ounce version). Mozart, a bottle of red wine, garnished with a cherry. Florence and the Machine also calls for red wine, but with a pineapple garnish. Obviously.

Is garnishing beer and wine a thing? I mean I almost understand garnishing Madonna's vodka with pickled carrot sticks (?), but why is Michael Buble's Merlot free of adornment, yet Frank Sinatra's needs a maraschino cherry?

I guess I have a thing or two to learn. Or three: look up Bob Marley. Is that for real?? I'll keep looking for my soundtrack for champagne and strawberries.

(Photo taken by Velo Steve and found on Flickr.)

Do you pair music with drinks? Do you know where to find pickled carrots? Ever sip Merlot with fruit?

You Bet Your Cass

Beau, Little Man and I have done some recent traveling. Twice in recent weeks we have gone to West Virginia for a soon to be disclosed, but currently top-secret mission. (Oooh, the suspense. I know...) On our way home for one such top-secret, super suspenseful trips, we decided to make a spur-of-the-moment stop in Cass, West Virginia to ride the Cass Scenic Railroad. (Those of you who know Beau know that spur-of-the-moment is his forte!)

Frankly, it was pretty cool! Once upon a time, there were over 3,000 miles of logging tracks in the mountains of West Virginia. Now there are only 11, but they are 11 working miles that make up the Cass Scenic Railroad. An adventurous person can traverse all eleven miles of said tracks. We, however, skipped the four hour trip and took the shorter four mile, two hour trip to Whittaker Station. (While Little Man is an awesome baby, we thought four hours on a train might test even his patience.) 

 

 

Whittaker Station is home of a recreated, authentic logging camp. And some absolutely breathtaking views.

 

 

Here in Virginia, people sometimes say derogatory things about West Virginia and its inhabitants. I think those people need to visit places like Cass. Views like this will shut anyone up.

 

 

Anyway, back to the train. Our trusty guide was locomotive #5. Shay #5. It is the second oldest Shay locomotive in existence. It has been in service since November 1905 and it weighs in at a mere 90 tons. As we climbed the 7% grade, the locomotive billowed black puffs and soot rained down on us. I can't remember exactly how many pounds of coal we shovelled into the engine to produce the steam that powered it, but if I recall correctly, it was about 1500 pounds. I remember saying to Beau that the poor man had moved the equivalent of a Ford F-150 in the course of our two hour trip. Whoa.

 





 

At each railroad crossing, and as we approached the stations, the conductor would sound the ear-piercing whistle. My super brave son only got a little perturbed by it. There was a chin quiver at one point, but for the most part, the whistle was met with a look of sheer surprise mixed with a smidge of suspicion.

 

 

But, you know little boys...they love trains. Their dads do too. Beau is already planning on taking the four and a half hour trip to Bald Knob when Little Man is old enough to geek out with him.

 

Here are a few more sights from the trip.

 

 

 

If you happen to find yourself in West Virginia (like we did twice in one week...) I highly recommend stopping in Cass for a few hours. You might be pleasantly surprised at what West Virginia has to offer. This is just one of many wonderful adventures to be had in this fine state. (Over the course of the last few years, we've also rafted the New River, hung out at the Greenbrier, and visited/skied Snowshoe, so I feel that I can make that last statement with the utmost authority.)

 

And, hint, we hope to have many more WV adventures.

 

Have you made a spur-of-the-moment stop that turned into a great little adventure? Tell me about it!

 

 





A Rose by any Other Name

I recently read Cheryl Strayed's Wild. It was an interesting memoir. I didn't fall in love with it and I certainly wouldn't enthusiastically recommend it to every person I meet. With that said, I did enjoy the read. And it is worth reading if you've got a bit of free time and are interested in hiking, the California wilderness, or a woman's quest for healing and discovery.

(Images from my Instagram... Yeah, I took those. Cool, huh?)

I finished reading Wild in the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia, not far from the famous Appalachian Trail. Since a good portion of this book takes place in the mountains of California and Oregon on The AT's sister trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, I found Strayed's descriptions to be fascinating and vivid. I almost wanted to don a backpack and hike the oh-so-close AT 'till my toe nails fell off. Ok, no, that's a lie. I didn't want that at all.

Anyway, the author, Cheryl Strayed, writes about how she changed her name after she and her husband Paul divorced. "...I pondered the question of my last name, mentally scanning words that sounded good with Cheryl and making lists of characters from novels I admired. Nothing fit until one day when the word strayed came into mind. Immediately I looked it up in the dictionary and I knew it was mine. Its layered definitions spoke directly to my life and also struck a poetic chord..."

The passage got me thinking about what name I would have chosen had I decided not to keep my married name after my divorce. As a person passionate about words, it seemed like a really difficult and permanent change. I mean, your identity is wrapped up in your name. The thought of making the choice for myself seems too big, too scary.

I, too, would probably have first thumbed trough the list of character names from novels that made an impression on me. (Amy Eyre...) I would have very seriously considered Beckham--for obvious reasons. I would have given way too much thought to the significance of choosing a noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc. Would it be an English word? Or something less obvious like a sexy French word that translates to an English word that carries significance in my world? (Amy Paroles, perhaps?)

I'm so glad glad that I didn't have to face the pressure of picking a name. I just had to pick the right guy to give me a new name. That happened, gasp, last week. But that, my friends, is a post still to come.

If you got to pick a last name that fit you, what would it be? Why?

Stay at home

Not only is motherhood a huge and amazing change in my life, but it isn't the only one. Generally, at the end of August I make my preparations for the upcoming school year. I buy supplies, decorate and arrange my classroom, prepare lessons and classroom expectations, among myriad other tasks. This year, though, I'm still hanging out at home with my Little Man. Beau and I decided together that being a stay-at-home-mom would be best for all three of us. And, so, as my friends and colleagues prepare to start the new school year, I am officially becoming a stay-at-home-mom.

(Image from here)

Like I said in this post, the birth of our son changed my outlook on my career. It ceased being my biggest priority. I imagine that at some point I will go back--perhaps next year, perhaps not--though when I think about it, this line from Robert Frost pops in my head:"...knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back."

It is hard to say where I'll be in a year. Perhaps I'll miss teaching high school so much that I'll be pining to go back and influence teenagers to adore British lit. Perhaps I'll be so content being at home with my Little Man that I'll try to finagle another year out of Beau. Or, perhaps I'll find other rewarding and important things to do with my time that will allow me to remain at home while earning some cash. (Face it, a girl has to have shoes. How will I ever pull off the old "These? New? Naah, I've had these for ages..." stunt if Beau can see the expenditures?)

(Image from here)

At the start of last year if you had asked me if I'd be able to give up teaching, I'd have looked at you like you'd just disembarked from the crazy train. I'd have pointed out my recently acquired National Board Certification, my Teacher of the Year plaque, the photos and notes of students from the past and told you that I belong in the classroom. And yet, here I am. Labor Day weekend has always been my last weekend of freedom. This year, it is the last weekend of freedom for my friends, and what I thought would be a sad weekend for me.

(Image from here)

At some point over the past three months (!) between late night feedings, dirty diapers, first smiles, coos and cries, I've changed dramatically. I am, first and foremost, a mom to an amazing little person. I'm going to do everything in my power to grow a human being who is kind, loving, smart, sincere and honest. Rather than taking an active role in shaping the lives of my students, I'll be shaping the life of MY child.

And so, as the first day of school approaches, I am relinquishing my role as high school English and journalism teacher and becoming a SAHM. I know I will miss it very much. I will miss the relationship I have with my students and my coworkers. I'll even miss the 4:40 a.m. alarm clock (because it, at least was predictable and consistent...).

Staying at home with my Little Man is something I'm very excited about. It is the most important (and probably most difficult) job I will ever have. Fortunately I've been trained well by working the second hardest job out there. Despite my excitement, it is with bittersweet heart that I write this post acknowledging the fact that tomorrow, for the first time in thirteen years, won't be my first day back to school as a teacher.

Have you done something that you thought you'd never, ever be doing?