fall scarf exchange

we all know i LOVE summer more than any other season. i like fall, but i don't love it like everyone else. one of my favorite things about fall is the wardrobe switch to cardigans and scarves. i have a lot of both, but can you really ever have too many? (don't answer that).  i always enjoy doing box swaps. it's a fun way to get to know new people, and i love the anticipation of waiting to see what's coming in the mail. when i saw the announcement about the scarf swap i was so excited. i shopped and packaged and shipped and waited for my package in the mail. becky sent me this fun package

i have zero buffalo plaid in my closet which i need to fix immediately. i love this scarf. it's warm and cozy but also a little lighter weight so i don't choke to death. i'm pretty sure i'll wear this thing all winter long. the sanitizer is perfect. i use that stuff all day long.

jelly pop shoes|gap jeans|old navy chambray|michael kors watch|alex and ani bracelets|clinique matte crimson lips

photos bonnie

halloween 2015...not what i expected

last time i checked in about halloween i was planning a really low key holiday. my friends and i planned to bring a bunch of yummy food, watch some football, maybe get in the hot tub, and answer the door if a few trick or treaters came by. that's pretty much how the night started until...

sage, tiffany, and the dog showed up dressed as unicorns.

we decided we all wanted to be unicorns.

target shenanigans looking for unicorns

the unicorns were sold out so we settled for zebras and owls (and the world's worst lighting)

we went to a party long enough to parade around in our costumes and take some bad lighting pictures. i am so sad we didn't take some pictures at the house before we left. we laughed and laughed, and had the best unexpected night. 

blogger no sleepover...what we ate

a few weekends ago i hosted a blogger sleepover (or no sleepover since some of us went to bed at 5:30am). i originally thought things would be pretty similar to last year, but that's not what end up happening. last year was much more of an event. this year was more of a gathering. it was equally wonderful but quite different.

last year i provided all the food (for a higher ticket price). this year we all brought food, drinks, snacks, and it made it so much less stressful for me. we had soup, salad, and bread for dinner, cookies supplied by the fix for dessert, a soda bar, and lots of treats and snacks. jen made the most delicious oatmeal for breakfast, and i'm pretty sure we all ate a few m&ms. the food was all great, and we all enjoyed ourselves chatting away as we ate. the event started with dinner so after about an hour of chit chat, i brought us all together for some discussions.

 

jen, bonnie, sarah getting ready for dinner

 tayler mid dinner convo

 more dinner conversations

 kaylynn and her cute bump

photo c/o jordan bree photography

cookies c/o the fix

we had plenty of food but not enough leftover to feed 6 more armies like i sometimes struggle with. we kept it pretty simple, and it was perfect.

fall break in california

i had an extra day for fall break this year and decided to take off a few more days so i could go to california. i love visiting chelsea and fam because it means lots of play time with kids and much needed relief from the stresses of life.

the kids tried on their costumes

photos of kenzie at soccer practice

kyler hopped in too

we went to the pumpkin patch with the kids and with kyler's joy school

karlee and karson had soccer. the car battery died when it was time to leave so we walked over. ashley got to see karlee's game before going to the airport.

both kids scored goals

kenzie fell asleep with me a few times (all the heart eyes)

i did some makeup on karlee for fun. she also tried fake eyelashes.

more photos of kenzie

sister picture

i love being there! i love the kids and spending time with chelsea. i am always so sad and can't wait to go back-hopefully for the holidays.

wear it wednesday...rocksbox #4

**i received a complimentary trial of rocksbox 

when i first started rocksbox i wanted studs and layering necklaces. that's about all i put on my wishlist and figured they would send things i like. after a couple of months, i've added a few things. i really liked everything in this box.

 gorjana azra studs

 house of harlow native legend cuff

sophie harper

i had fun wearing the different pieces. even though i loved them all, i ended up sending them back. i just couldn't justify keeping something that was similar to what i already have.

have you tried a subscription service? use code aubreyzarubaxoxo for a free month of rocksbox.

pumpkin patch number 2

some things are just more fun with kids. the pumpkin patch is one of them. kyler's joy school had a field trip to the pumpkin patch the last day i was in california. even though we already went to another pumpkin patch with all the kids, we decided to go. it was fun to see kyler run around with all of his friends.

2015 goal update...FOCUS on...finances

if halloween wouldn't have been this weekend, i would have no idea october is over. it was 70 degrees on saturday and pretty warm yesterday. i'm definitely not complaining, but it is very weird for utah. christmas is going to sneak up on me if things keep going this way.

it might not feel like it, but it does look like fall here.

warm weather of not, the month really did end. here's my goal update.

OCTOBER was FOCUS on finances

1. write down all money spent starting today (i should have started oct 1, but i didn't)-i did pretty well. i forgot a few times, but overall i did ok. it helped me be a little more accountable for my money.

2. pay for all drinks (soda) in cash ($30 cash budget for drinks for the month. i did this in the past and have gotten out of the habit.)-check

3. save a little each week in cash (per the challenge from elder durrant in lds general conference to save a little each week and also ponderize-focus on a verse of scripture-yes and no. i forgot to do it each week, but i did get the amount this weekend and save it

NOVEMBER is FOCUS on why

after talking with some friends a couple of weeks ago, i decided i really need to stop and think about the why for a lot of things in my life. 

1. spend 5 minutes each day being still/pondering

2. record 3 good things about my day in my journal each night (i have done this in the past and really liked it)

3. create mission statement for my blog

the year is coming to a rapid end. how are your goals going?

churchy...being still

Doctrine and Covenants 101:16

16 Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.

i've talked a few times lately about being busy which is pretty much the opposite of being still. i am not the kind of person that really likes to be still. i like to have a lot going on. i like to be busy. i like noise. i also believe in a God who hears and answers prayers. recently i've been thinking a lot about prayer. i know that God gives us answers to our prayers. it may not always be the answer we expect or want, but those answers do come. i guess i have been thinking more about answers than actual prayers. i make the time to pray. i have a habit of praying first thing in the morning and last thing at night and sometimes during the day. often times those prayers are rushed. i say what i have to say, and that's it. how am i ever supposed to get answers to my prayers if i don't give God the time to talk to me? 

it seems obvious when i type it out. God isn't going to talk to me/answer my prayers if i'm too busy to even listen. part of the need for me to be still is to give time and place in my life for God to speak to me. i need to work on this. i need to work on opening my heart and mind more often so that i can be guided. i've spent some time this week thinking about what it means to be still and how i can be more still in my life. what does it mean to you to be still?