‘Editor’s Corner’ is a monthly-ish series highlighting what I’m loving, what I’ve been up to, what’s on my mind and more!
It’s good to be back writing an ‘Editor’s Corner,’ as well as blogging in general! As I mentioned in this post, I didn’t intend to take as long of a break from the blog as I did, but, in the end, it was good because it allowed me to completely soak up and focus on my time with Etta during my maternity leave.
1. T and I had a great time celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary this month. We spent one night at the Surety Hotel, which is a really cool boutique hotel located in Downtown Des Moines. We had dinner at Mulberry Street Tavern which is located on the first floor of the Surety. If you go, I highly recommend the halibut. T isn’t the biggest fan of fish and he thought it was delicious!
2. We didn’t make it to a pumpkin patch this year, so it’s a definite ‘must-do’ next year. (Last year we went to Center Grove and had a great time.) We did, however, get in some fun Halloween activities, which included events at Living History Farms and the Johnston Library, as well as trick-or-treating on “Beggar’s Night” as it’s known around here. Lake was a witch (her choice!) and Etta was a puppy (The costume Lake wore when she was a baby!)
3. Speaking of Lake and Etta, I thought I’d do a little update since it’s been awhile!
LAKE:
- Started gymnastics back in August.
- In September, she became obsessed with all things Halloween.
- Loves to sing – especially in the car and in bed before she falls asleep. Her favorite song to sing is The Finger Family.
- Loves having pretend “boo boos” and wearing band-aids.
- Loves playing hide-and-go-seek.
- Loves Peppa Pig
- Favorite foods: Chocolate milk, grapes, acai bowls and pancakes.
ETTA:
- Loves babbling.
- Is still mesmerized by her sister.
- Loves looking at herself in the mirror.
- Loves having staring contests with her daddy, haha!
- Loves sitting up this seat.
- Is pretty much sleeping through the night now.
4. I’ve been loving listening to this fall jazz music and this playlist from Joanna Gaines.
5. Trader Joe’s fans! Were you able to get your hands on some of the fall goodies?! I’m not going to say how many packages of Maple & Sea Salt Kettle Corn and Spiced Pumpkin Madeleine Cookies I purchased, haha. I see some Thanksgiving items are starting to pop up, which is exciting! If you’re looking for something to bring for a Thanksgiving or holiday get together, check out this post!
6. This is for sure my favorite new feature of iOS 15. It’s pretty handy to be able to copy and paste text from a photos. But I admit, it’s also a little creepy, too!
7. If you’re in need of a good stain remover, I highly recommend this one. I typically gravitate to more natural products but this is just so darn effective. I’m in constant awe of how well it removes poop stains from diaper blowouts, food, dirt, you name it. I spray a generous amount on the stain, let it sit for awhile and then throw it into cold water to soak or directly into the washing machine to wash. There are a couple different types, but the one with the red handle is the best.
8. How cute is this Instagram reel?! Talk about creative!
9. August marked my 1 year “blogiversary,” or anniversary of my blog. I was going to do a little post to commemorate the occasion but as mentioned above, I took a hiatus from the blog during maternity leave. So I thought I’d keep it short and sweet and post the photo I took back in July and say it’s been a wonderful first year. I’ve loved having this creative space and am very grateful for each and every one of you who read here!
RELATED POST: Why I Started A Blog
10. And lastly, ONE GOOD QUOTE – which is from a phenomenal book I just finished:
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
-Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning
I hope you had a great October! Be on the lookout for bunch of GIFT GUIDES I’ll be posting in November. ‘Tis the season!
-Jolene
P.S. – ICYMI this month:
Meet Etta!
Thank You Gifts For Labor & Delivery Nurses
Etta’s Newborn Photos
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*Click HERE to read past Editor’s Corner posts.
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