Montgomery County Fair

I love fairs. Growing up in Texas, the state fair was a big deal. We even got a day off school and free tickets every year! I love the fried foods, farm animals, and festive atmosphere. The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair isn't quite the Texas State Fair, but it is still a lot of fun. This year I had an awesome girls' day out with my friend Katie, her daughter Paige, and Zahara.

We ate our way through it! We had funnel cake, lemonade, ice cream, and roasted corn! Everything was amazing, except the corn. It was actually so salty that we returned it and got our money back. I LOVE elote, but this was terrible. The lemonade was like crack though. We split it between all of us, and even got one refill. It wasn't enough.

 

Zahara and Paige loved the animals. They got to pet a giant rabbit, see the huge pigs, watch sheep being judged, and even ride a pony!

We also ran into one of Zahara's classmates. I always love seeing her interact with her friends. Also note her outfit that she picked out: doctor princess. I love it!

It was a gorgeous day to be outside and I'm so grateful I was able to spend it with those wonderful girls. Thanks Katie! Let's do it again next year!

September Thoughts by Z

New season, new gems from our little girl:

Thought 1:
Upon hearing a cricket making lots of noise outside:
Z: Aww, he's looking for a girl.

Thought 2:

Z: Quick! There's an emergency! There's a volcano about to erupt in Brooklyn!

Thought 3:
Z: What are you doing?
Dan: Exercising. It's good for your heart.
Z: And it's good for your tushy!

Thought 4:
Dan teaching Zahara to sweep:
Z: I'm 4 years old. I know how to do it. Give it to me. I'm on it!

See previous Thoughts by Z here

Dear Asher: 13 Months

Dear Asher,

Happy 13 month birthday, little guy! This month has been a whirlwind of packing and getting our house ready to move, and you've shown that you are one adaptable fellow. You are happy whether you're playing with a pile of toys, or a pile of cardboard boxes.

Teething has been hard on you this month. You've already got eight teeth, and we can see at least four more coming through. Hopefully this round will be it for a while and you can relax again.

You're cruising like a boss! You can move all around, even going up the stairs. But you don't seem to have any interest in walking. You're not standing on your own yet. You clearly can do it--and have done it at least a couple of times, but you're just not bothered. That's fine though. Everything it its own time.

This month you got your first pair of shoes--at least ones that actually fit you. They are Stride Rite size 4.5 wide. You look adorable in them. Especially with your new haircut. That's haircut number two for you so far. This one wasn't nearly as successful as the last time, but you did well and you look handsome--though we still call you our furry chicken. Sorry.

You're so interactive and love playing games with your sister. Your favorite is when we start in the living room and you crawl as fast as you can to the stairs. Zahara and I will chase you and "catch" you at the bottom of the stairs and carry you back in to the living room. All three of us will squeal with laughter and start the whole thing over again. So fun!

We love you and can't wait to spend all of your next birthdays in our new house!

Stitch Fix Update

I told you a while back about this new thing I was trying out called Stitch Fix, a clothing delivery service. Since then I've gotten three more deliveries and I'm back with a review.

First Box:
I reviewed my first box here. I thought they did a great job getting my style right off the bat. I kept two of the pieces--the skinny jeans and the knit top. I still wear those all the time and really love them. The jeans especially are great quality and I'm really happy with them. The shirt though, was not the best quality. I actually wrote back to Stitch Fix to complain because after the first wash it was already pilling. They were great, and immediately credited me back the money.

Second Box:
My second box wasn't nearly as good. I didn't take pictures of all of the items (blogger fail), but I was struggling to keep even one of the pieces. I reluctantly kept a cross-over sleeveless shirt just so I wouldn't lose my credit. Turns out though, I LOVE it now! It's my number one go-to shirt this summer. It's so light and fits me well. I should have given my stylist more credit.

Third Box:
The third box was my favorite so far. I asked for clothes for my upcoming cruise, and they totally nailed it. I actually kept all five items! That earned me a 25% discount, so all five items ended up being only around $200. Not too bad.

I also got a great pair of white skinny jeans and a beautiful bright orange top. I don't have great pictures of them though. I really love all of these items and have worn them a ton this summer.

Fourth Box:
After my high of getting all five items in my last box, this one was a disappointment. I really didn't love any of the items. I again ended up keeping one just so I wouldn't lose my credit, and I do actually like it. I've worn it a few times since then and it's a great date night dress.

The jean jacket they sent was fantastic, and normally I would have kept that, however my mom just bought me a great jacket for my birthday. I don't need two denim jackets.

The other items just weren't my style and didn't fit well. The shoes were fun, but too big. The flower dress was way outside my comfort zone, but I was willing to give it a shot. It was just too big in the waist and not figure flattering. The maxi dress just looked cheap (but wasn't!).

I wrote all my reviews on the Stitch Fix site as I always do. This time, customer service reached out to me to apologize for my box and waived my styling fee for my next box. I appreciate that they are always trying to make things right.

So, what do I think about Stitch Fix now that I've done four boxes? I still really like it. It's fun to get items that are picked just for me. I like that the stylists refer to my notes and my Pinterest page for inspiration. I like getting things that are outside my comfort zone--things that force me to update my style. And, who doesn't like getting packages in the mail?

I'm getting my next box on Friday. I'll let you know how it goes!

And if you're interested in Stitch Fix, would you consider using my referral code? It doesn't cost you extra and I get small commission.

Things I Love: Halo Top

I'm probably pretty late to this party, but have you guys tried Halo Top ice cream? It is so good! My parents introduced it to me when they were here a couple of weeks ago, and I'm officially hooked.

Here's the deal: it's low-calorie ice cream that is packed with protein. Is it healthy? No, probably not. I mean, it's not like you're eating a carrot stick. But, if you have a huge sweet tooth like me (see: Sweet Tooth Traveler), and you're going to indulge anyway, why not do it with something that isn't quite so bad for you.

So far, we've tried the pistachio, chocolate almond crunch, and mint chip flavors. I'm not a huge mint chip fan (shocking! I know!), but Dan said it was really good. The other two flavors were really, really good. The pistachio is a little sweet, but I like it. It has a nice, nutty flavor. The chocolate almond crunch has yummy crunchy bits that kind of reminded me of a rocky road.

Next up on my list to try: chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter cup, s'mores, black cherry, chocolate covered banana, and candy bar. I mean, right?! How good do these sound?

source

Have you tried Halo Top Creamery? What do you think?

This isn't a sponsored post, I just really, really like this ice cream!

Asher's Cake Smash

The best part about a baby turning one is the smash cake tradition. We didn't have a big party for Asher like we did for Zahara (#secondkid), but we still wanted to mark this occasion with a low-key celebration. My in-laws were in town, so we bought a small cake and let Asher have his way with it. It didn't take him long to figure out that sweets are delicious!

Zahara couldn't resist getting in to the act as well. Luckily, Asher was a good sport about it.

Here's to many sweet years ahead, Asher!

Read about Zahara's First Birthday Party here.

Also, did you notice that adorable onsie Asher is wearing? That's courtesy of my very talented sister-in-law Amy. She's got a shop full of great designs. Check it out here.

August Thoughts by Z

She's still on a roll. Here's some more thoughts from our little girl.

Thought 1:
Z to me: You're just too beautiful. We need to give you away.

Thought 2:
Z: You know what happens if we eat a watermelon seed? Nothing. We just aren't supposed to.

Thought 3:
After taking my orange crayon when we were coloring together:
Me: I need that crayon to color my carrot picture.
Z: Well, you can use the black crayon and color a moldy carrot instead.

Thought 4:
Z: When I grow up I want to be a doctor who drinks beer.

Bonus Thought by Omri (her school friend):

Omri: Whenever Zahara talks, I listen to what she says because everything she says is beautiful.

See previous Thoughts by Z here