Hey friends! I apologize for the unintended silence on the blog this week. I didn’t have a chance to blog on Wednesday due to traveling (I typically write my blog posts the day before they’re published on the blog) and then I was having some issues behind the scenes with web stuff yesterday but think it is all resolved now. It was frustratinggg but over the years, I’ve learned to roll with it. That’s life as a blogger! I’m back now and looking forward to a regular week of daily blogging next week.
Anyway, how are you guys? I must be honest when I say I’m checking in this morning after feeling a little defeated all week. Truthfully, I’ve been feeling intense waves of sadness ever since I lost someone important to me a couple of weeks ago and, most recently, I think everyone can agree that this election has been a tumultuous one to say the least.
I’ve always kept politics off the blog and I plan to continue to do so (I know you guys aren’t looking to me for political posts!) but I will say that I hope Americans can remain hopeful. (I loved it when President Obama said, “We have to remember that we’re actually all on one team…We’re not Democrats first, we’re not Republicans first, we are Americans first. We’re patriots first. We all want what’s best for this country.”) I hope we can concentrate on positive change, get involved and raise children who embrace differences, respect others, stand up for what is right and value compassion and kindness. I hope we can do this, first and foremost, by example.
Since I know you’re probably stopping by the blog this morning looking for my usual Things I’m Loving Friday blog post, I want to be sure to share that with you guys as well! It’s always to helpful for me to think about the small things around me that provide a source of joy in my everyday life and I hope this post encourages you to do the same every week. Please feel free to tell me about one thing that made you smile this week in the comments section of this post!
P.S. I am sending my copy of Mindy Kaling’s latest book to Christina who was the first person to request it in the comments section of last Friday’s post. Sending love and hugs to everyone who commented that they are going through some tough times right now.
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Finally Feels Like Fall
After a seemingly endless summer, it finally feels like fall in Charlotte and I am loving it! The leaves are changing and falling, temperatures warrant a lightweight jacket and mornings are crisp and chilly. Fall has always been my favorite season and even though it took a while for it to officially feel like fall this year, it finally does and I’m embracing lots of scarves, sweaters and evening cups of hot cocoa!
- Teaching Chase New Things
Gosh, I feel like I owe you guys one giant motherhood/Chase update because I have so many things to share (I stopped breastfeeding two weeks ago!) and an update is definitely on my to-do list for the blog… Hopefully soon! Anyway, I am really enjoying this phase of life with Chase because he is such a little sponge and seems to learn and absorb so much every day. I love teaching him new things and it still shocks me to see how fast he picks up on new tricks and skills. Clearly I only babysat for older kids when I was growing up because my lack of experience and knowledge regarding babies and toddlers is glaringly obvious when my mind is blown by the simplest things (like Chase touching his nose when I ask him where his nose is, buzzing when I ask what noise a bee makes, etc.). Experiencing the world though Chase is incredible and the time I spend with him every day is just the best.
- Target Holiday Décor
November is here and since all retail stores seem to bypass Thanksgiving that means Christmas decorations are already popping up everywhere. When I was in Jacksonville last week, I couldn’t resist picking up a few of the fresh fir-scented $3 candles from the Dollar Spot at Target for me, my mom and my sister. Even though my carryon bag was exploding, I figured I had room for one tiny candle! Now that I’m back in North Carolina and don’t have the restrictions of a carryon bag to consider, I fear for my wallet the next time I find myself at Target or HomeGoods. I think the fact that I’m not planning to decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving will help me pace myself when it comes to filling my cart with everything red and green.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Sweet Potatoes
This recipe is so darn delicious! I first made this recipe when three of my blogging friends and I were testing recipes for our Dinner Made Easy ebook. It is one of Lindsay’s simple recipes and Ryan and I loved it so much that I’ve made it at least four or five times in the past two months. It’s also a hit with Chase so that makes it a clear winner for the Fagan family! (Also, big congrats to Lindsay on the birth of her baby girl!!!)
In case you missed my post all about our meal planning ebook, you may find it here: Dinner Made Easy: One Month of Healthy Recipes, Shopping Lists, Meal Prep Tips and More
- Friday Flashbacks
Weekend Circuit Workout (Looking for a workout to try this weekend? I’ve got you covered with this total body workout!)
Peanut Butter Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal (I made this recipe again on Wednesday and almost forgot how easy it is to whip up! It also tastes wonderful with almond butter!)
Question of the Day
- What is one thing you are loving right now?
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Hi Julie! First of all, your posts about Chase have made me even more excited about having kids. I haven’t been around babies very much so I had no idea just how… I’m not sure how to put it… Lively? Interesting? Complex? Fun?… They are from day one.
What I’m loving this week is that my future sister-in-law is in town for my Bachelorette Party this weekend! I’ve actually never been to one before so that makes me extra excited. I hope you have a great weekend Julie!
So sorry about your loss, Julie. I’ll be praying for you. And remember that it’s totally OK to feel bouts of sadness. Allow yourself to grieve however you need to 🙂
Something making me smile this week is my precious new baby, Hallie. She’s such an angel and quite frankly I never knew a newborn could be so “good.” My other two were nuts haha. So, the week’s been a slow one but it’s just what we’ve needed as a family.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!!
-Sarah http://www.thefrugalmillionaireblog.com
It’s been feeling like Fall here in southern MD, but the mornings have been a bit chillier than I would like. I just love seeing all the leaves changing though. And Jenny said it perfectly above, all your posts about Chase make me more excited to eventually have kids. My husband and I have decided to wait another year, but I look forward to the day I can have those moments you have with your little boy.
Julie,
I am in Kansas and this week just started feeling like fall here too! We have been having unseasonably warm weather as well! I love fall and am so thankful that it is finally starting to feel like it here!
Speaking of fall…I can’t wait to try out that chicken thigh with carrots and sweet potato recipe! It looks so good and just what I need in my lunch routine!
I’ve missed you in the blog world this week and am happy to see a cheerful post from you again! I too am trying to control myself from getting lost in the Holiday section of Target… trying to stay strong and wait till I dig out my current stuff and see what all I already have!
Your summary of the election and our hopes for the next few years was perfect. The hardest part of this week is seeing everyone so hurt and divided, but I am hoping to see our country grow stronger and more united soon. I am so proud to be an American!!
I’m so so sorry for your loss. I saw your post on Facebook the other day and to be quite honest I wept when I read about it. It’s an unimaginable and unfair loss. It did help me keep some things in perspective this week, which was needed.
On a more positive note, I’m looking forward to my best friend and her 7 month old coming to visit me this weekend.
Sorry about your loss Julie! Something that is making me smile is giving my sweet baby boy a bath in the evenings(even though everything he does makes me smile). He is almost 4 months and he is smiling and making noises all the time now! I have been reading your blog for years and going back to your pregnancy posts helped me through my pregnancy! Have a great weekend:)
Thank you for addressing the election. It’s a heavy topic but it must be talked about. I for one literally feel like I am grieving.
Same.
Glad you made it back home safe! Toddlers and babies are amazing–they pick up things so quickly! This week I’m loving Udi’s GF bagels with Go Veggie vegan cream cheese…the “cream cheese” is made from a coconut base and it’s so good!
Whenever the blog goes down I always try and tell myself that things like that happen in companies ALL THE TIME, it’s just so frustrating when it’s only you trying to figure it out! Glad you got things running!
So true!!!
I love that it’s finally feeling like fall too! I love all things fall like big sweaters, boots, warm coffee drinks and hearty meals! That slow-cooked chicken sounds perfect for this weather too, looks like such an easy and delicious meal. Have a great weekend 🙂
It is certainly a tough week and it seemed as though a lot of bloggers steps back. But it is so nice to see everyone coming back sharing things that they love and knowing that there is a lot of happy in this world.
Yeah the election was pretty depressing. Regardless of who is our future president, all the hate crimes I’ve been seeing in the news, that’s what really makes me sad. Hopefully we can all come together and move forward in a positive way.
This week I’m loving the fall weather and the daylight in the morning!
What kind of high chair is Chase sitting in? I have one that clips onto the table but it doesn’t have a tray so the table is always so gross!
I’m loving my new nail polish, Essie’s “Petal Pushers.” It’s the perfect shade of grey for Fall and dries fairly quick. I’ve been loving it all week!
So I just googled this color because I’ve been looking for a pretty gray and immediately ordered it on Amazon. Thanks for the recommendation, Kaitlin!
Julie, I am sorry you are going through a tough time! You are in my thoughts and prayers. I am going through a hard time, myself, and trying to remain positive is sometimes difficult. This week I am thankful for your 20 minute treadmill workout from a few years back (alternating between 6 and 7.5 mph). My husband tore a ligament and broke his ankle this week, so I am now the sole entertainer/carrier/playmate of our 10 month old. While I love it, 20 minutes is about as long as I can sneak away, so I’m alternating between weighted hiit workouts and this treadmill routine to keep me sane.
Also, I love your thoughts on how to make a positive impact on this world-through teaching our children to be kind and compassionate. I wrote a short post about that earlier this week, and will link it in case you care to read it.
https://www.facebook.com/shelby.n.adams.33/posts/10157716058175331
I’m also thankful for sugar free vanilla lattes because, let’s be real, this mama needs her caffeine!
Thinking of you, Shelby. <3 I'm so glad you were able to find 20 minutes for yourself (and your health!) amid a hectic time in your life. <3
OOh, I have to try both of those recipes – they look delicious!
The crisp Autumn air makes me feel incredibly happy, almost giddy. I relish warm and comforting beverages this time of year. I have a feeling I will be making a trip to Target to check out those candles! Candles are my affordable luxury.
I was hoping nothing was wrong when you didn’t post. I kept checking Facebook to see if you wrote something there, haha. I’m so sorry you are going through a tough time <3 Prayers for you. I hope you have a greta weekend with your family.
I’ve been meaning to make your PB baked oatmeal!! Target always gets me with their holiday stuff….my office shares a building with Macy’s and they put up their massive tree (not lit yet) before Halloween. Not going to lie though, I wasn’t mad. I’m super psyched for the holidays this year. Have a great weekend!
P.S. your snap of Chase & Ryan yesterday was the cutest!
Thank you, Steph! <3
I love the Frankenstein on Chase’s shirt!
Although the leaves on the trees have been gone for awhile here in Calgary, we haven’t seen much snow yet so far. The weather has been unseasonably warm so I’ve been making sure to get outside and enjoy it before the cold and snow arrive!
Thank you! It was actually a gift last year from a friend whose son’s name is Frankie! 🙂
Yes please do a baby/mom update! Those are my favorites 🙂 I am also loving the fall and the earlier morning light. I am sorry for your loss, I’ll be praying!
Thank you for speaking to the election. I can say that I’m sad that I wasn’t able to discuss political topics in my own work-life and I wish I had, especially now that I see the outcome of the election. May we learn from this and use our abilities to connect with others in new ways, to inspire, and have civil conversations on topics we usually are afraid to bring up.
I think so many feel this way. I’ve had some very difficult conversations with friends this week but they’ve also been important conversations, eye-opening conversations and conversations that truly should’ve been had for a long time now.
I love fir everything! Happy Friday!
This was a wonderful post and I loved the Obama quote. We need more hope in our world. I’m so sorry about your loss. I just learned how to knit and I’m loving making scarves for everyone I know (actually, scarves are the only thing I can make, so….)
I am loving that the cooler weather is finally here! I live near you in Greenville, SC. I, however, am praying for rain! All of these forest fires and smoky air are adding to the sadness of the election.
I am thankful to all the fire fighters working to protect us.
Sweet Chase is so adorable! And I hope you start to feel better and more normal everyday from your loss. 🙁
Thank you so much for mentioning the election, Julie – these past few days have felt like the twilight zone in some ways, and it’s been so strange to move through my routine as normal in spite of it. Reading this and other blogs is a well-loved part of my daily routine, and somehow, scrolling through cheery prose that made no mention of what’s going on just didn’t feel right this week. I really appreciate your courage in acknowledging the turbulence of this week and for mentioning the additional grief and sadness you’re experiencing right now aside from that. You’re in my thoughts!
One thing that’s making me smile this week is keeping a gratitude journal where I write down one thing I’m thankful for every day. I often do that leading up to Thanksgiving, but it feels especially important (and comforting!) this year.
Thank you, Katherine. I feel like everyone in America felt the impact of the election this week — and I know exactly what you mean about the twilight zone. I love the fact that you have a gratitude journal! What a wonderful way to focus on the GOOD. <3
Thank you so much for addressing the election Julie! I really appreciate hearing your opinion and openess on the topic. As a New Zealander we can’t quite believe what happened in the US this week, but if nothing else, it has brought a lot of latent frustration and feelings out into the light.
I’m also so sorry for your loss, giving yourself time and space to grieve is SO important, so embrace the bouts of crying!
What a wonderful, thoughtful, compassionate post, Julie. First off, so sorry for your loss (it seems like many people in the comments know who this is but I do not – but I don’t need to know anything you don’t wish to share here. Just know you’re in my thoughts and I’m sending you some sunshine and healing. Grief is bumpy, so I’m wishing for many ports in this storm for you, and for every day reminders of hope. Sending you life-preservers of hope to arrive whenever you need to grab onto one.)
I too had a very rough, grief-filled week. Thanks for addressing the election. This was the most strange and heart breaking and contentious election season ever, and I join with you in wishing for healing for everyone moving forward. Love the quote, and your wonderful pics as always.
Thanks for posting that quote by President Obama, I think it was a great way to highlight what we need to focus on during this tumultuous time. It’s been a rough week for sure, and I can’t imagine going through it with the loss of a loved one on top of everything. Hugs and hope for healing going your way!
Sorry to hear about your loss. What a season this must be, but I’ll be saying prayers for hope and comfort. And thank you for your soft and peaceable words about the election. It is hard to watch people fight and hurt one another. I am comforted by sentiments like yours that, although feeling sad, are expressing hope and a desire for better things ahead.
Chase is adorable and I remember feeling the same sense of shock and wonder when my son started doing all those “little” things. Even if you had been around tons of babies, you’d still be just as dazzled by Chase’s new discoveries! Just one of those parent things, lol!
Something making me smile this week is my son’s (2 1/2 yrs.) newfound love for all things Toy Story. He sleeps with a little Woody plush that we’ve had since he was born but has only now begun loving since seeing the movie. He now runs around the house, arms outspread, saying “Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!” (Said in toddler-eze, of course). The only problem- keeping an eye on his desire to jump off of EVERYTHING, yelling “to infinity and beyond!” Ha ha. I never knew I’d get such a kick out of my kids enjoyment of toys and characters so much, particularly having boys (I’m a die-hard Disney princess girl to this day). But there’s just something so darn adorable about their attachment and watching their imaginations take off. ?
Can’t wait to hear your Chase update! My little girl is about 3-4 months younger than Chase, and I SO enjoy your updates – whether it be looking forward to new stages with her, helpful ideas, or just reassurance that others are going through similar parenting struggles!
Thank you for not overlooking the election and how it is affecting us all. I love reading your blog and find comfort in the words you posted about the election and the quote from President Obama. Thank you. Prayers and love to you and everyone grieving the loss of your loved one.
I’m feeling like I’m ready to start wrapping breastfeeding up (my girl is 8.5 months so I’m not going to make it as long as you!) so I’m curious in your mom update as to how stopped and any advice!
longtime reader that has never commented. of all the blogs I check up on week to week, you’re the only one that seemed to mention the election. respect to you for choosing to broach the difficulty of last week.
I need new running shoes and what a better time than xmas? my last ones were the Reebok one 2.0 that you recommended and I love them, but I can’t find them anymore. what shoes would you recommend?