Flying the Friendly Skies: Spokane, WA

I’m leaving early tomorrow morning for a business trip to Spokane, WA. I’ve never been to Spokane before nor do I know anyone who has travelled there. I’m so curious to see the city. I’m hoping for some fun restaurants to try with my co-worker, Sarah; quiet time for reading (perfect for the long flight!); and, if I have time, a ride on this:



Spokane Falls SkyRide

I'll be back on Saturday evening. Hopefully, I'll have some SkyRide pictures to share. :)

Weekend Wrap-up

I've had another busy weekend. On Friday night I invited both sets of parents over for belated birthday cake in honor of Dave. I spent Saturday afternoon with my parents while Dave was at work. We went on a house tour in Solebury. It was a sunny, crisp autumn day that was just perfect for driving around and visiting gorgeous houses.

I look forward to the golden leaves on this tree every autumn.

Last night Dave and I attended a harvest dinner hosted by members of our wine club. Nine courses in five hours - I was stuffed! My favorites were stuffed cherry tomatoes, country mushroom and nut pate, butternut squash soup, and apple pie. We drank a different wine with each course and my favorite was the 2010 Cuvee Amrita White from Anne Amie Vineyards in Oregon. Yum!

Dave played in a soccer game on Sunday morning, so I went to brunch with Michelle and then enjoyed a long walk around the neighborhood. I love sunny Fall weekends!

Happy Birthday, Dave!

Dave enjoying a birthday cocktail at The Boathouse

Dear Dave,

Happy birthday! I adore you and all of the sweet things you do for me. I love that you tell me jokes when I am bored, pack my lunch every day, and give me kisses whenever I ask. I'm super proud of how hard you are working on your PhD. Having you as my husband makes me a fortunate girl, indeed!

Love,

Steph

Fall Wardrobe Refresh

I like to pick up a few additions to my wardrobe each season. Here's what I chose this fall:

No. 2 pencil skirt from J.Crew

This skirt is both elegant and snuggly. Plus, I adore the color.

Autumn Breton shirt from Boden

I love striped shirts, especially if one of those stripes is navy. Throw in brass buttons and I'm sold.

Weekend Wrap-up

Whew - I had a super busy weekend! Dave and I scrubbed our house from top to bottom (I love starting the week with a clean house). We visited with our families over dinner, coffee, and Sunday breakfast. And we hosted a Sangiovese tasting on Sunday night.


Dave setting out delicious wines for us to sample.

The wine tasting was a perfect way to end the weekend and start the new week off on a cheerful note. Happy Monday!

Growing Basil

I love keeping a basil plant in the house so we can have fresh basil for cooking. Unfortunately, I can't keep these plants alive for very long. I've tried keeping them inside and out, but they always die after a few weeks.

Dave picked up a gorgeous new plant at Whole Foods and I'm hoping that it will be happy in the sunny window in our living room.  I've also put it in a colorful pot hoping that it will feel pretty and loved. I'm going to start out small and try to keep this plant alive until Thanksgiving. Wish me luck!

Baby Gifts

Recently, Dave and I had occasion to buy two gifts for brand new baby girls. I was a bit stumped at first since I don't buy baby gifts very often.  Both moms had already been given showers and didn't have many fun options left on their registries. Luckily, I read this post on A Cup of Jo about gifts for new parents. Dave and I visited our local bookstore on a dreary October evening and picked out two new books for these sweet babies.

The Runaway Bunny is a classic that I can still remember reading with my mom when I was a little kid.

We also selected Forever Friends which describes a sweet friendship between a bunny and a bird. We loved the story and the gorgeous, creative illustrations.

I hope these babies enjoy their new books!