5 on friday: farewell september

You guys! It's the final Friday of September! That means this weekend starts Ryan's homecoming month! As I've mentioned before, I can't share actual dates or times because of OPSEC, but the countdown is finally really on! I know that's a whole lot of exclamation points, but I swear that's how I feel right now. Today, I'm linking up for 5 on Friday with Smidge of This.

1 // My neighbors are moving, and I'm heartbroken. There's officially a "sale pending" sign on their lawn, and I winced a little when I saw it. Jo Ann and Mike have been surrogate parents to us since moving to Fort Drum, and though they're just moving an hour and a half away to Lake Oneida, it won't be the same! On the flip side though, Nana (that's what Spence calls her) has been smothering the boys with love lately, and they just eat it up. That's Spence up there on the tractor the other day with Nana - his happy place.

2 // I made myself a magnolia wreath the other day! You may remember I made some fall wreaths the other day, and I've really wanted a magnolia wreath for the house for a while. Mission accomplished! Now I just need to make some more! If you're interested in buying something similar, look here.

3 // The cooler weather finally hit NNY! It's been averaging about 62 during the day here right now, and last night hit 39. I'm relishing the cooler weather, and I love the fall breeze that's finally in the air. Bring on all the warm drinks!

4 // We have a brigade spouse's Dining In on October 12th, and I have no idea what to wear. I'm thinking of renting from Rent the Runway again, since the theme is Little Black Dress with a touch of witch and wizard's attire. What do you think? Yay or nay?

5 // I updated my freelance website the other day, and I'm pretty pleased with myself! It looks quite spiffy, and I'm hoping it will pull in some more work because, while I have a great career, I'm so desperate for new writing projects! PSA - if you know of anyone looking for a contract copywriter or editor! Let them know I'm free ;)

Have a great weekend, wonderful friends!

once upon a weekend

The days are ticking away quickly now, and though we're in an impossible heat wave, we're doing our best to enjoy these dog days of...fall? But seriously. I'm less than 3 weeks out from the Chicago Marathon, we're less than two months until Ryan comes home (I won't be advertising exact dates), and we are going to be busy, busy, busy these coming weeks. So, this weekend, we did our best to enjoy what we have around us here in NNY, starting with a day at the Theresa Fall Festival, and our very last Blizzard Barn treats of the season!

These little men have been having a bit of a hard time lately. There have been a lot of feelings in the Moore household, and I think it might be, in large part, because they're confused about Daddy's absence. I've made a point throughout this deployment to avoid too much talk about Daddy being gone because Spencer seems to dwell on it, and he gets really confused. He's told me more than once that Daddy lives at "Daddy's house" now, and that's "very far away." 

Now that we're getting closer to the end of this deployment though, we've been able to Facetime Ryan a bit more, and I think it's confusing Spencer a little bit. He was really upset both yesterday morning and this morning when Daddy couldn't talk on the phone, and dropping him off at daycare was especially awful today. Deployments with little ones are no joke, friends. These kiddos bear the brunt of it.

But, I digress. We did our best to remain distracted this weekend, so Sunday we went back to Old McDonald's Farm in Sackets Harbor, and the boys had a blast again. Despite the fact that it was 85 degrees yesterday, we did our best to get out there and soak up the sun because the next few weekends are going to be fast! We'll be in NJ next weekend, then we're just two weeks from Chicago!

It's about to get crazy around here very quickly! I hope you all had wonderful weekends :)

I'm linking up today with B Loved Boston for Weekending.

i'm feeling fall

Is the title of this blog accurate? Yes and no. I'm starting to finally feel a bit more in the fall kind of mood, but this weather certainly isn't! It's almost 80 again here today, so the fall vibe is not strong here in the North Country. Regardless, the deeper we descend into the season, the more I crave the fall feeling, and I've been seriously getting my craft on lately.

I've always been the type of person that absolutely needs a creative outlet. That's why I started Black River Boutique. However, I closed my little mama & baby shop for quite a few reasons - not the least of which is how heavily the baby goods market is regulated. I loved the products and the goods, but it's something I'd rather simply gift to friends than try to sell. It's very daunting otherwise.

I mentioned last week that I desperately wanted to make a wreath, but that my craft gene was eluding me. Well, I finally succeeded, and I made a little wreath for our back door. And then the craziest thing happened...I realized I wasn't absolutely awful at making wreaths...(I know...insert shocked emoji here).

And, what's more, I found that it was seriously relieving my stress taking the time to clip faux florals, arrange them around grapevines and make something new from nothing each time. Honestly, I've had a lot of fun doing it. Some are better than others, but I find myself challenging myself more and more. And now, scary enough, I'm pondering selling my creations, or attempting to do so. But I'm not sure whether I dare.

I have about six floating around my house with no home though right now, so maybe I should...

Do you love to do crafts, as well, to relieve stress? What sort of crafts do you do?

mini memos [3]

It's Thursday again, which means it's time for some more mini memos! Throughout any given day, I think of these little letters to myself and things around me, and I finally started putting them down on paper. And thus - "mini memos" was born. This is a little ode to life lately over here, and it's fun to look back and see those fleeting moments that flash through my mind.

Dear crafting...why do you elude me so? I'm doing my best to be crafty with all these fun ideas I have, but I swear that the crafting gene just didn't quite stick with me.

Dear Spencer...we've turned a corner with potty training (via bribery), and I literally have no shame about it. If you want a few skittles for peeing on the pot. Have at it, my boy. I shall give you ALL the skittles.

Dear crockpot...why is it that I fall in love with you again every fall? Between hot ciders, pot roasts, pulled pork and more, we're destined to a busy duo this fall and winter.

Dear Bitmoji...I finally caved and made my own bitmoji because carpe diem and all that. Now I don't know why I did it or what to do with it.

Dear running...thank you for giving me an outlet for all my crazy deployment rage. I just wish you'd let up on my hip a little. This marathon is coming up fast.

Dear cold sunsets...you remind me that summer is coming to a close, and while you're beautiful, you kind of make me sad.

Dear Ryan...I can't wait until you're finally at the South site again! I need me some wifi and face time with my husband again!

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And now it's your turn...

Link up your own mini memos here!

currently: the end-of-summer edition

^^^ the view from my kayak this past weekend in Forestport, NY

I have mixed things about fall here this year. Don't get me wrong...fall will always be my favorite season, but it's just that it never really felt like much of a summer here. Plus, I have this feeling that winter this year is going to be brutal, so I'm not quite itching for the leaves to fall just yet. That said, we've definitely started feeling that definitive chill in the air, and with it getting darker earlier than ever, I know summer is coming to a close.

But, that also means we're almost ready for Ryan to come home, and that makes it all worth it! For now though, the Moore family is currently....

Loving: Cooler evenings means more fun playing outside, blowing bubbles and racing around the backyard together.

Watching: I'm still finishing The Vampire Diaries. I'm on season 7, and I must finish it soon! I'm also watching The Last Ship, which is finally back on. For the boys, they now love Mickey Mouse and Puppy Dog Pals.

Reading: I'm actually reading The Total Money Makeover (again), and gearing up for some serious getting-down-to-business budgeting when Ryan comes home.

Hoping: That our soldiers come home sooner than anticipated, but not too soon...I have to finish my marathon first!

Savoring: We have our mulling spices hot cider simmering in the crockpot, and I can't wait to take that first sip of fall. 

Attempting: To get better at writing down my to-do lists first thing in the morning. Right now, I wait too long, and then I'm all flustered by the time I do it.

Feeling: Excited for the Chicago Marathon - just barely over a month away! All my hard work has led to this, and I can't wait to officially be a marathoner.

Planning: Honestly, all my planning is going into the FRG right now. I can't wait until I'm no longer the FRG leader, but for now, we're planning the Dining Out, plus the homecoming, plus gift baskets and more. Yikes.

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Just a reminder that tomorrow is a mini memos linkup! If you'd like to participate, we'd love to have you!

mini memos

Do you ever find yourself crafting little notes to yourself during the day? I certainly do. I think them in little letter forms, and I was inspired to do something revolutionary today - and just get them down on paper or, in this case, le blog. Life is constantly flying by and changing in a second, and these are just little thoughts that I think - far too fleeting and otherwise gone too soon. 

Dear Ryan: This one's for you. Yesterday was your birthday, and I'm really sorry we didn't spend it together. At least they didn't duct tape you like they did in Korea :)

Dear hand-lettering: You're slowly wheedling your way into my OCD heart, and I love it.

Dear fall: I'm watching you slowly creep your way in, and while I love watching the leaves turn, I'm just not ready for summer to go yet.

Dear deployment: Can we break up yet? You've taught me a lot, but I'm over you.

Dear Army: I know we still have time until you owe us orders, but I'm getting impatient. If we could just find out if Ryan's been chosen for assessment (soon), that'd be great!

Dear New York: You've charmed me this summer, I'll admit it. I think I may miss you just a little bit when we move.

Dear Run4PRs: Thank you for leading me on this running journey to the finish line in Chicago. I really needed you! 

Dear doggie playdates: Thank you for keeping my pup and, by proxy - me, sane. So grateful for Jenn, Bolt, and the chance for our furry friends to meet.

Dear daycare: If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You've made it possible for me to do my job again. 

Dear DSLR: Why do we have such a love/hate relationship? You take such pretty pictures, but you're so hard to bust out with the boys in all their glory.

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And there you have it...What do you think? Should I make this a little link-up?

these are my confessions

How is it already Wednesday? I mean, seriously? I feel like my to-do list grows daily, but the days keep getting shorter and shorter. I find myself wishing time would slow down, even just a little bit, so I can accomplish a little bit more of what I want to do each day. I also wish time would speed up so Ryan can come home. The dilemma, my friends...it's real. 

I found myself sitting in my car the other day thinking of all these random things I've learned about myself in the last 6 months of my husband being gone. Here's the thing...if there is one thing that deployment is good for, it's learning a lot about yourself. Like, a lot. Some of these things are so petty. Some of them are super introspective, and since I love "about me" posts, I'm going to force some of my confessions on you today, as I link up with Jessi's Design for What's Happening Wednesday.

1 // I hate wasted time. When I make an appointment for a scheduled time, I expect the appointment to be at that time. I find myself getting more and more angry and rageful the longer I wait for something...like a doctor's appointment? Keep me waiting 30-40 minutes, and I'll be a hot mess by the time the doctor comes in. Yes, I realize that emergencies take precedence, but oh. my. gosh. HURRY UP.

2 // I love fall and all things fall...but I hate Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Does that mean I'm not basic?

3 // I've discovered I really don't like LuLaRoe. Now, there's a caveat to that. I love their black leggings. They're like butter. However, I searched and searched for a single pair of black leggings, and they arrived with a hole in them. Needless to say, I was unimpressed. I've got a bunch of LLR gifts in my closet, but 99% of them are just not me. I'm not a fan of patterns and 99% of my wardrobe is black, gray, or white.

4 // The less sleep I get, the better my selfies are. This is the truth.

5 // I am physically incapable of going to Target without spending money. I can go for toilet paper and leave with 14 items for my children. Does that mean I am basic?

6 // The only good part about having the bed to myself during this deployment is that when my side of the bed gets too warm, I can roll over to Ryan's side and enjoy a cooler spot for a few hours. (Sorry, honey! This bed is all mine.)

7 // I don't like gangster rap. Again, there's a caveat to that. I don't love gangster rap unless I'm running...then, bring on allllll the gangster rap. I think it's an anger thing that fuels me?

8 // Before I had children, one of my favorite shows on TV was Law & Order SVU. Having two little boys now though, I find it really difficult to watch. I can't see shows where children are injured or killed. It, quite literally, elicits a very visceral response, and I just can't do it. I mean, can you imagine anything ever happening to a face like this? Nope.

9 // This is awful, but most of the time, my first reaction to one of my children falling is just laughter. Of course, there's a big difference between an actual fall and a little tumble, and I swear I have an appropriate response to both, but yeah. So, there's that.

10 // I have unpopular political views, and I've discovered I'm actually pretty passionate about politics this past year. It's been a struggle to deal with a lot of family and coworkers when half of what they say is so clearly just preached ad nauseum. I've learned that it's important to have our own personal convictions - whether popular or not - and while I don't preach them to anyone, it's important to me to stand fast to them.

what's happening wednesday

I absolutely refuse to post anything political because it is so very, very volatile, but I want to say that I believe in America, Americans and the chance for us to rebuild our nation again. And with that, I'm mostly just glad this darn election is over! But onto important things, really…Today, I'm linking up over at Jessi's Design for What's Hap"pinning" Wednesday to share what's new with the Moores!

Porter Dean is 5 months old today! This little boy is not really all that little. He's 25.5 inches long, 15 lbs and wears 6-9 month clothing easily. He was sleeping through the night, but he's started pooing in the middle of the night, which has started a wakeup a night again. He's a quiet, mellow little man who's really only vocal when hungry or tired. He thinks his brother is the greatest thing since sliced bread, loves to be held or worn and plays for hours on end in the exersaucer. He's done so well with sleep training that I'm a really proud mama. Also, he's completely weaned - which has turned out to be a  great blessing for both my mental health and his physical health.

Spencer Bruce is less than a month from 2 years old. He's entered what Mr. Rogers called "the age of separateness," and it's been a trying month or so around here. He's such a good boy, but he has such a strong will, and while that's a good thing, the tantrums are not. Disciplining him has been hard, and he needs 100% consistency, which is even harder because Army life is not consistent at all. 

Ryan's deployment orders are in. I can't say exactly when or where he's going because of OPSEC rules, but he is going, and he's leaving pretty soon. My heart hurts thinking about it, but I want to make him proud and know that I will do everything in my power to hold down this little fort of ours. Winter will be the hard part, but I'll make sure our last summer here at Fort Drum is one for the books, if it's the last thing I do!

Black River Boutique is doing quite well, and I just love sewing my new holiday prints! My very first show is this weekend in Chaumont, so I'm hoping to just have a fun, exciting day sharing my goods with the locals. Here's hoping it goes well!

What's new with you?

burrville cider mill

Before I even start this post, I just want to say that I thought these pictures were lost for good, and my heart was broken. We went a few weeks ago in the beginning of October, and when I went to upload my pictures, my computer crashed - after I'd deleted the memory card on my camera - because I thought they were safe on my comp. Today, they miraculously appeared in the cloud, even though I didn't save them there, and I'm so, so excited to have them back because they're such precious memories.

The Burrville Cider Mill is a staple here in Northern NY, and it only sells local apples from the North country. Their homemade cider and cider donuts are amazing, and they have the most beautiful waterfall right behind the shop, which makes it the perfect family outing for pictures! Plus, they press cider two days a week, and it's so fun for the kiddos to watch.

It's become so very real to me the last few weeks that this is our second to last fall here in New York, and while I don't love New York, I absolutely love this season here. There's something so amazing about the leaves turning, the smell of fall and the change in the weather to the crisp, cool air. It's really incomparable. Ryan will be coming back from his deployment near fall-ish time next year, and I hope we can get one more family trip to the Burrville Cider Mill because these are memories I hold so dear.

Also, you really can't beat the cider donuts. Go here. Go twice. Keep eating :)

here we go...

Just like that big, lonely leaf up there, today marks day one of two weeks without Ryan. 

It sounds silly because, in the grand scheme of things, it's just two weeks. But, with his deployment looming about 3 months away, plus the business of the season to come, the reality of it all is just sinking in. Ryan has something called CTE, or Mountain Peak, the next two weeks. He'll be on the airfield, but they won't be allowed to come home. It's meant to simulate the stress of deployment, but it's a little silly, if you ask me.

Since taking over the FRG leader bit, I've been working hard to make sure we do right by our soldiers, mostly because I know the deployment will be hard. I want to be involved and get things done, and mostly, I want to be as involved as possible to stay closer to Ryan.

We're bringing them meals throughout CTE, but it won't be the same. Our bed is big and lonely. After the kiddos go to sleep, there's no fun conversation with my best friend. It's crappy, frankly, but I'm so proud of him. I know how exhausted he is, and I know that this is so hard on him, and yet he takes it in stride.

So, here we go…two weeks without Ryan, alone with two littles. I have lots of fall activities planned with the kiddos, and I'm hoping that, at the very least, I can show myself I can do this. Let's get this done!

five on a much-needed friday

I've never been more excited for a Friday in my whole life. Friends, it's been a week. Truly and honestly, this week has tested me in every single way possible. I sound like such a mopey person when I say that, but truly, everything has been very overwhelming this week. I'm prone to anxiety and depression, and all those waves of emotion flooded me in every way possible this week. I'm so grateful for all your sweet words and encouragement on my last post though. Today, I'm linking up with A. Liz Adventures and Meet @ the Barre.

I'm thrilled to have a Friday and a four-day weekend with Ryan, and I'm really working to turn my perspective on this trying season around. So, in the spirit of keeping myself sane and remembering the good, rather than the crazy, I'm posting five things that are making me happy and keeping me going this week.

1. From the Ground Up by Dan + Shay - This song brought me to tears this week reminding me that, yes, there are going to be some really, really hard weeks, but we're in this together. Through it all.

2. This Boy - Spencer is such a toddler these days, and it seems like he's going full speed ahead 99% of the time. That other 1% though is reserved for sweet moments with mama, and when he takes the time to stop and give me a hug, you'd better believe I cherish it.

3. Danny-Dog - I'm such a contradictory person. Danny is simultaneously the sweetest and most annoying little blessing in our lives right now. She's wonderful. She has the absolute best disposition, and I'm so glad we have her. I've found myself frustrated by the love she's needed from me, as well as the reassurance, but I'm reminding myself that sweet animals return that love tenfold.

4. Crap TV - Ryan's schedule has been garbage lately, and while it's been awful missing him and knowing how hard he's working, I've been getting some really good TV binges in. Up now? The Originals. Up next? The Returned.

^^^image via

5. DIY Halloween Decor - I'm ambitious, but I'd like to tackle some Halloween decor for our front door this year. There's something about it that just feeds that creative need I have. I'm thinking along the lines simple, clean and chic.

^^^image via

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! We're heading to Potsdam for a hockey game with some friends this weekend, so here's hoping for some fun and relaxation.

Five on Friday: Seriously TGIF

Another week has come and gone, and it's been nonstop over here lately. It's been a long, hard, trying week, simply because it seems like we never have a moment to stop. Ryan's been gone from about 6-6 every single day, and between work, workouts, FRG, sewing and attempting to clean, my week has been nuts. It doesn't show signs of stopping soon either. BUT - it's Friday - and that's something worth celebrating! Today, I'm linking up with A. Liz Adventures and Hello Happiness.

1. Burrville Cider Mill

Last year, we visited the Burrville Cider Mill as a family of three - not yet aware that we were expecting baby number two. This year, we're super excited to go as a family of four, share the waterfalls with Spencer, who might be almost old enough to appreciate it now, pick some apples and get some delicious cider and donuts. It's not far from home, but it makes for some great family memories and traditions while we're here at Drum before Ryan has to leave.

2. Family Clothes (and Shopping!)

Fall is coming at us from every angle right now, and I love it! We've discovered, however, that Spencer's outgrown 99% of his cool weather clothes, and that means a new fall/winter wardrobe is in order. At 21 months, I'm tempted to bypass those 24 month clothes and head straight to 2T, since I hear the size difference is minimal, and I'll regret it otherwise. Thoughts, mamas? Any great deals I should know about? Porter needs new clothes, too, since he's about a hundred times bigger than Spencer was and in the opposite season.

3. Fall Fabrics

I'm pretty obsessed with some of the fall fabrics I'm going to feature in Black River Boutique! There's some season prints (skulls with bows, etc.), but this PSL print had me giggling, plus pie? (both prints via Spoonflower) Yes, please!

4. Piper & Scoot

^^^ image via

I mentioned in one of my last posts that I've recently discovered Piper & Scoot, and I just love all the things. I've been working on slowly revamping my wardrobe little by little, and we're budgeting in some new clothes for a church-appropriate, mom-appropriate, chic wardrobe for me. Because I'm losing weight, it's tricky to buy while doing so, but they have some of the greatest maxi dresses (I bought that Hanna dress above), peplum tops and swing dresses around. Color me obsessed. 

5. A New Blog Design

You may have noticed my blog looks a little different lately…that's because I needed a redesign! I wanted something cleaner, brighter and simpler for the coming months, and I wanted to be able to feature larger images without cluttering the page. I think it looks pretty great, but I'm biased…what do you think? 

Happy Friday, all - I hope you have a great weekend!

life lately through the lens

Today I'm linking up with Jessi for What's Hap-pinning Wednesday to share some of what's new here in the Moore household! Life is busy, busy, busy lately with things moving full speed ahead in seemingly every direction. We have a big trip coming up next week to Philadelphia for my little sister's wedding. We'll be heading down on Thursday and coming back on Sunday, so it should be a crazy busy and crazy good time with family and friends. I'm working on her bridal shower favors and treats right now. Full disclosure, Carlisle Bakery is making the goods - I'm just DIY decorating them. Here's some of my inspiration: 

^^^ image via

I recently discovered Piper & Scoot, and I absolutely love, love love their stuff! I bought two beautiful dresses and a top I've been lusting after, all of which I will wear for the shower. They're both mom-appropriate and chic. Does it get better than that?!

Ryan and I recently binge-watched Stranger Things on Netflix. If you haven't seen it yet, or you're on the fence, you really need to get off that fence and watch it! It's really incredibly well done, and the fact that it's so very 80's makes it even better! We're in a show hole now that we've finally finished both Downton Abbey and that...any recommendations? I think we should continue the Blacklist or Blindspot. 

I've been crazy busy working on FRG stuff, things for Black River Boutique (some fun new fall prints coming soon!) and really just soaking in the last of summer. The weather is turning today, and I can feel that crisp, cool breeze sweeping through the windows now that the air conditioning is finally off. I took the boys to the park the past two days, and Spencer braved the slide like a big boy - 10 times in a row! I was one proud mama watching my little ginger biscuit climb up and slide down all by himself. As an aside, he did fall down the stairs once, but we brushed him off, kissed the little scrape, and he was right back at it. 

I've been taking a lot more pictures with my nice DSLR lately, and I'm glad to be dusting it off and using it again. There's so many moments I don't want to miss, and while I love my trusty iPhone camera, the pictures don't compare to the ones from my camera. Hopefully we can print some of these for some DIY wall projects soon!

What's new with you?

chasing summer

You know those weekends that are just perfect for all the right reasons? This was one of those weekends. We didn't do anything crazy. We just spent time as a family, getting things done and enjoying these last vestiges of summer, and it was amazing.

I'll be the first person to say that I love fall. So much. Like, so much that I have written posts about how much I love fall. But this summer has felt both eternal and fleeting. It was a hot summer, I was pregnant forever, and then once Porter was born, suddenly the summer sped away at lightning speed. Now, we're heading into fall with a 21 month old, a three month old and an impending deployment that's making me cherish each moment more than ever.

On Saturday, Ryan and I had our weigh-in at Weight Watchers early, then we took Spencer to get his weekly doughnut. When we got home, we knew we had some tasks we wanted to knock out, and the stars really aligned for us to get them done. Spencer loves playing in the car, so while I cleaned out the car, he played in it for almost two hours, soaking in the heat and sun - making for a perfect nap time. Likewise, Porter napped like a boss while Ryan took care of some tasks in the house, and both of us managed to get our respective wedding attire for my sister's upcoming nuptials altered. To celebrate accomplishments, we took our boys for the last ice cream of the season at the Blizzard Barn - and Spencer got his very own cup!

The icing on the perfect Saturday was a family dinner with our neighbors across the street, who brought their two dogs over to play in our big back yard. We ate nachos, spent some quality time soaking in the fresh air as the weather turned right then and there. The storm clouds were rolling in with the breeze, and we felt the summer's humidity die down - making for the perfect Sunday, too. 

Sunday was simpler…just church, nap time and a trip to the park. Ryan got to watch his beloved Chiefs pull a win from behind, and when we went to the park, we watched our little man climb around and own that playground. There is so much joy in his little face when he's playing outside, and it makes my mama heart smile. His love of life and enthusiasm for the simple things - time with mama and daddy, yummy treats and the great outdoors - is infectious. 

I can't wait to share all the delights of fall with him in the coming weeks! I hope all your weekends were just as sweet as ours.