Dreaming .....

Not quite sure if it is the slight change in the weather, or the fact that I know soon the days will be shorter, but I have been thinking more and more about sleep! And comfy bedrooms - lots of fluffy pillows and throws to snuggle up in. When I was a little girl, I used to dream of having a princess bedroom. One of my cousins had a four poster canopy bed and I just thought it was the greatest thing ever! Not that my bedroom wasn't great in its own way, but that bed! Wow!!

When I moved into my first "grown up" place, after college, I bought an iron bed that was not quite a four poster but close enough for me. I remember selecting bedding that would complement the dark iron - I wanted all white but honestly, with a black lab I knew I was dreaming - it would never be all white again.

But now I am all about the comfort. The more comfortable the bed is, the better rest you get and that's the name of the game these days! Still love neutral colors, lots of fluffy pillows and comfy throws, though. Not absolutely certain that precludes better rest, but it looks really great!

Great pillows & LOVE the words above the bed

LOVE the Mr & Mrs

And just for fun....

'Til next time.....

Magnolia Obsession

Most everyone I know has a little guilty pleasure that they enjoy. Face it, life is sometimes more than just a little challenging so why not enjoy, right? My obsessions have always seemed to revolve around design and of course, I am one of the Magnolia followers - I could literally sit and watch episode after episode of "Fixer Upper." Chip and Joanna Gaines are warm, funny, down-to-earth and ever so talented. They have successfully created a brand that has found its way into many homes, due to simplicity and subtle charm. And the creating didn't stop at just their show - there's Magnolia Market, The Silos, Magnolia Journal, products featured at Pier 1 Imports and so on. 

This morning when I sat to down to write this piece my blog, I hadn't seen the news yet. Just hours ago, Chip and Joanna announced that this season would be the last for "Fixer Upper." As sad as this news was to me (and loads of my friends), I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and for Chip and Joanna that reason is their family:

This is just us recognizing that we need to catch our breath for a moment. Our plan is to take this time to shore up and strengthen the spots that are weak, rest the places that are tired and give lots of love and attention to both our family and our businesses.

~ Joanna Gaines, from the blog, "At Home"

So, I plan to enjoy the last season to the fullest and look forward to what they have planned next. I have even reserved some time to pour over my issue of Magnolia with a warm cup of tea later this evening. I already spied the orange-glazed apple fritters recipe - might have to whip some of these up this weekend! Maybe you should too!

Welcome Fall

Nearly all my life I have been an Arizona girl, yet I've always felt just a tad bit out of place when it comes to fall. Those of you that are familiar with Arizona know that if you live in the Valley of the Sun, there's not much "fall" to speak of. Our weather consists of hot and hotter until it's cool, then it's hot and hotter again. Definitely not a four-season place to live in. But I long for the season of fall - in a BIG way! My hubby showed me a funny video yesterday - a women wakes up on the first day of fall, proceeds to dress in her fluffy topped boots and plaid scarf. She makes her first cup of pumpkin spice coffee in the kitchen and heads outside the front door. Immediately she is greeted by the still present sounds of summer and she begins to sweat - her hair falls flat, she's gasping for air because the scarf is too tight and hot around her neck, and neighbors dressed in shorts and tank tops are staring at her. THIS is YOU, says my husband. Yes, that's me! He knows me so well!!!

A few mornings ago, there was a slight change in temperature here and in moments there were pictures posted everywhere of Arizona front doors open in the morning! Of course we all knew what this meant. It's coming - the cool weather. What's even better is the fact that the last few weeks of September always are the start of  our favorite time of year, and not just because of the weather. It is the best part of the year for us because we are lucking enough to spend more time with our family! 

Happy Fall!!!