The weather outside my house is hotter than ever.
Dinner with friends at Cheesecake Factory. We went for the seasonal pumpkin cheesecake and they didn’t have it yet! BUMMER! They get it October 1st – we were two days too early. We had to settle for Snickers Cheesecake (poor us, right?). It was so good I had a dream about it last night. :) Guess we’ll just have to go back again for the pumpkin! Until then I’ll be doing double time on the treadmill.
Kenny and I stopped by Lowe’s to look at BBQ grills and they have their Christmas trees out! WHAT!? It was still September. I should have been appalled, but I was ecstatic. Made me simply giddy! I was worthless the rest of the night. I couldn’t focus on BBQ grills. All I could think about was twinkling lights and happy mail and Chestnut’s Roasting on an open fire. In fact, it made me want to start planning for the upcoming holiday season ASAP. I do like to be on top of things you know. :)
Have any of you starting thinking about Christmas yet? I have a few posts in mind to help us all jump start holiday planning. Are you ready for that? Or do most of you like to get Halloween behind you first? I’d love to hear if I need to be patient or if your thoughts about Christmas line up with mine: BRING IT ON!
Erin I love your blog. I am a long time reader but haven’t commented until now. You are inspiring. I love your organisation and loads of other things too. It’s funny but you feel like you get to know people personally when you read their blogs. Here in Australia are enjoying springtime and then over Christmas it is so hot but we love it. I started getting ready for Christmas months ago, just buying little gifts when I saw them and have packed them away. I try to make it less stressful by being organised. Don’t laugh but I did consider wrapping them too. Cassie x
Hi Erin, I love everything about Christmas and I already know what I am doing for our Christmas cards this year. I went to Sephora today and when I was done there I picked up a few presents for the kids. It really seems like the months are flying by so I think any ideas you might have will be helpful.
I am hosting the Favorite Things” party this year that you posted about. I am so excited. Everyone seems to be excited to come.
I will say, I thought Hobby Lobby was a bit early with their Christmas decorations down the whole right side of the store. They had their stuff up at the end of August and it was 107 out. Ha! It was really pretty though.
Love the pictures of the kids.
Have a great week
I giggled a little at your comment about dreaming about dessert – that is so something I would do.
And Christmas? Definitely BRING IT ON! Will and I were walking the dog the other night and I saw candles in our neighbors window. I had that same giddy feeling. Will … not so much. I guess I need a virtual Christmas support group until he catches up with me : )
Happy October!
Christmas? BRING IT!
I’ve already started my Christmas shopping and have picked up a few home decor items for the holidays from Hobby Lobby; the season is so much more enjoyable when you’re prepared!
You will love Instagram on your phone- look for it in the App Store.
Also, check your phone camera settings to see how it’s focusing. You can set it to kind of make a grid on your screen and focus every square.
Thats great that you have the new iPhone. I have the iPhone 4, but my contract is up this winter so I hope to get the new one. It looks like it takes nice pictures.
I already started my Christmas shopping, just a small amount. But I strive to be done by Thanksgiving , that way I can enjoy the actual season & not be running around crazy. I usually just do little stuff like stocking stuffers in december since all the fun holiday stuff is out :)
Love the decorations! I can’t believe how good the quality of pictures were from your phone! They are really really great!
I went to Cheesecake Factory for the same reason. Had salted caramel cheesecake…but since then found Pumpkin ice cream. What’s fall without pumpkin?!
As far as Lowes’ grills…I would go with something else. A Wilmington or a Broilmaster or a Holland. They have lifetime warranties and are fabulous grills. A little more pricey but you shouldn’t have to ever buy another grill…or not for a long long time. ( we sell them in our business so that’s why I have an opinion. Go to a local gas company that sells grills. They will install it and do any service or repairs needed along the way. You will be glad you did.)
I love your rose bush by the front door! I have a few in my backyard and they just make me smile.
I’m with you about Christmas! It’s my favorite and I start planning early!
I’ve already started my shopping and my goal is start making the Christmas cards. I just wish the weather would cooperate. SoCal weather is not fall-like at all :)
I have yet to put up my Fall decor but I broke out last year’s Christmas binder already. :)
coohiao10HI Erin,
I’ve been reading your blog for a while but haven’t commented until now. But, your giddy Christmas attitude matches mine so I thought I’d share. I too love when the stores start putting things out early. I shop and put things away all year long. Our Wal- Mart has Halloween and Christmas decorations out. I love it when Christmas “lands” at Lowes! This past Saturday morning when I went down to the kitchen for breakfast my husband and 8 year old daughter were humming Christmas Carols. As soon as I walked in they said “Mom, we’re ready for Christmas!” I got all excited and said “we could skip Halloween and just start decorating for Christmas???!!!” I would love that because to me, Halloween has gotten so creepy and weird it’s hard to keep it wholesome. Anyway, they quickly thought about it and said “No, were not skipping any holidays!” Oh well for me but, they decided November first that we were going to get all the Christmas decorations out. That made me really happy because for at least the last 5 years or so, I have been battling them to get the decorations out on November 1, and now they are finally on board! I’ve just been overlapping Thanksgiving and Christmas for the last few years and enjoying the decorations that much longer. I have so many Christmas decorations that it takes a long time to get it all out and set it all up. So, starting early is the only way to go. The day after Thanksgiving it’s Christmas at my house! Thanks for a great blog. Just like everyone else says, you truly are an inspiration! Carolyn :)
OMG Kole is SO big!
I LOVE Christmas… so Please starting sharing your thoughts now so we can all be inspired. I dont do Halloween. My BFF died at 13 on Halloween so I dont do anything. My girls go trick-or-treating but that is it. We dont decorate PERIOD! Not a time I like remembering and I get so nerveous having them out during that time. SO I am all for skipping Hw and going straight to Thanksgiving and Christmas :)! Thanks Tam
Oh thank you so much for the sweet comments everyone! I haven’t had time to check in until now and you all just put a huge smile on my face. :)
Cassie – So kind of you to say! Thank you. You are so smart to start buying little things now. And I think wrapping them is a great idea! One less thing you have to do in December, right!?
Cathy – I agree – August is a bit early! But by October I’m ready to start thinking Christmas!
The Dukes – Thanks for the Iphone tips! I’m going to look into both of those things.
Nonny – Great tip! I will look into those grills for sure. Thank you!
Mackenzie – I know! This weather is driving me nuts! It’s supposed to be 99 degrees on the coast today! WHAT!!??
Carolyn – Thank you so much! Congrats for getting your family on board. :) I’m working on that right now!
Tam – I am SO sorry to hear about your friend. That’s awful. :(
To be truthful, I don’t like walking in a store and Christmas jump right at you and Halloween or even Thanksgiving have yet to past…but that being said I have starting thinking about christmas. You know the budget, the cards, the gifts, yada yada yada. I LOVE Christmas so it is almost impossible for me not to think about it, even early!
I love your roses!
Erin, I love your blog and your super sense of humor! My iphone 5is on its way. I’m upgrading from a phone that barely texts. I can’t wait! What kind of case did you (or Kenny) choose and do you like it? How are you organizing your photos on the phone?
Where did you buy your kitchen canisters? I absolutely love them.
I have finally accepted my husband’s phone (mine’s kind of old school lol) as an acceptable way to take pictures sometimes, so I’m not lugging our big camera on every outing, and I’m loving it! :)
LOVE the roses by your front door.
Went to the states once for a few months with my sister, and The Cheesecake Factory is one of my favourite memories. I’m torn between drooling and booking flights!
And the other day I went to the shops and saw the Christmas stuff and had the exact same reaction lol – I knew I should have been at least a little unimpressed but I was stoked. I’m having a baby just after Christmas so have been getting gifts ready in a big way for a month or two (so much fun!), and I was delighted to finally be able to wrap them :):) I forced myself to stick to the giftwrap section, but I can’t wait to go back and check out the decorations!! :) So bring on the Christmas posts!! – I see nothing wrong with extending the Christmas season you know, indefinitely… :)
I’m currently putting together our outfits for family pictures for our Christmas cards. I always have my Christmas stuff done early and everyone makes fun of me (in a nice way of course).
And your roses really are beautiful!
Erin! You need to do Instagram! You will love it! I’d love to see you on there!
I’ve heard the camera on the iphone 5 is so great! I’m excited about it!
I am extremely giddy about Christmas too!!! Plus I am extremely organized for Christmas this year, I have don’t half of my Christmas shopping already, just another half to go, which I plan on doing in the next 2 months, so then dec 1st I can simply put up my tree, wrap my gifts and sit back and enjoy it all with my kids! I LOVE Christmas, I some how become a child myself again around that time of year ;)
I’m heading to Florida for a quick vacation ten days before Christmas so I definitely have started thinking about it. I want all the gifts bought, wrapped and everything out of the way so I can enjoy my trip without stressing over what’s left to do at home. Plus, we have a Hobby Lobby here and no joke, they’ve had ornaments out since July. It’s hard NOT to think about it when that’s staring at you everytime you go in the store. ;) As far as Cheescake Factory goes, I’m partial to the white chocolate macadamia nut. I can’t seem to pass that up to try anything else!
Abby! Your comment made me so happy! You and I would get along fabulously. :)
Courtney – We just did family pictures too! So nice to get the Christmas cards ready ahead of time.
Kami – I know! But not sure if I have time for one more thing right now. :)
Thanks everyone! So happy to hear from others who are as excited for Christmas as I am. :)
Erin, it’s Lori again. :). First of all, I love your rose bush along the trim outside your door. That looks so beautiful!!! I love it!!!! Next, I love Christmas stuff too, but I also love Halloween!!! I love Halloween decorations! So fun! So I’m excited about Christmas but I also love to indulge and enjoy Halloween & Thanksgiving!!!!
Once I decorate for fall, I am ready to move on. I decorated last weekend and had to STOP myself from buying a Christmas Ideas magazine at Walmart yesterday. I am ready for twinkling lights tooooo!
Erin, I wanted to add that I absolutely love your front door and the roses, so welcoming. Makes me want to pop in for a cup of tea and a chat right now. Cassie x
Hi Lori and Steph and Cassie!
You are all so sweet! Loved hearing from you. I wish you all three could stop by to chat and have a cup of tea. :)
Julie! Just realized I didn’t answer your questions! So sorry about that. The case I bought is just a purplish one that is super thin and just fits around the back of the phone. I picked it out at a Verizon store and they didn’t have many options so you will easily find it. I haven’t figured out how to organize my phone pics yet! So far I’ve just been downloading them onto my computer into a file called “iphone pics.” I’ll let you know if I come up with anything better! My kitchen canisters I bought at a specialty store in Utah that is out of business now. Sorry that wasn’t much help! Thanks for your sweet comment!