Welcome to the Fall 2018 installment of the Coffee Date series! This is a landing spot for relevant topics that maybe don’t fit neatly into the regular posts about food and home on here, and a place where you can find lots of what's going on with us in one post. See here to get the whole scoop on coffee dates!
So, grab your coffee. Get your blanket and your slippers and get nestled in BECAUSE IT IS FALL and we have catching up to do.
Apartment things - We are still working on getting unpacked and settled. I think I have officially gotten over the this-is-so-cluttered-it’s-making-me-anxious phase and am starting to think we are really going to be able to fit all of our things here. I have even gotten excited about storage solutions.
There are some bigger purchases we’re planning on making in the coming months (a rug for the living room, a dresser for the nursery) that I think will make a big impact on the feel of the apartment as a whole. Since we don’t plan on living here for too long, I am excited about taking some decor risks I don’t think I otherwise would.
Virginia is for lovers - I was warned I would have culture shock moving here from Michigan, about which I thought “whatever, I’ve been places, I won’t be shocked.” But it was TRUE. Things are different here. I’m currently reading Confederates in the Attic because I don’t understand the whole confederate culture. (like I am familiar with American history, but how is this still such a deeply ingrained piece of the culture?)
In other news, it’s hot here. Like REALLY HOT. It’s mid-October and just beginning to feel like fall. The weather has us convinced that we will not be here for the long haul. We’ll see if the warmer winter changes our mind.
We are thoroughly enjoying all of the restaurants and food trucks and breweries here. This is a great city for food. As the weather gets more inviting, we are planning on doing more outdoorsy things, like hiking and pumpkin patches and vineyards!
What we’re watching - Gilmore Girls! We were looking for a show to watch. This was Husband’s suggestion because he wanted “a good fall show”. He's into this show. (Cannot put into words how much I enjoy this). I watched GG in high school, and am finding that I have a whole new appreciation for it as an adult. The neighbors so charming, the town so quaint! The theme song that takes me back to my teenage years. I LOVE IT.
I am also working on catching up on Outlander. Are you watching it? What do you think about it? I am trying to fit in all of the episodes in time for the premiere of season 4. I will be with some family that is very into it on premiere day and I would hate to be left out of the viewing. I watched season 1 years ago because said family recommended it so highly but it was just too graphic in every way and I’m not about that. But I picked it back up recently and SEASON 2 GETS ME. I’m loving it. Even considering re-watching season 1 (because I feel like I probably forgot some plot points/characters over the two year gap).
New mom stuff - Postpartum hair is the real deal. I’ve heard about people talking about this phenomenon. I was warned from several trusted sources that three months from my due date I would start shedding like nobody’s business but obviously I thought, “no, you don’t know my hair” and ignored them.
But it’s real. I was wrong. I am pretty sure this is just all of the hair that would have normally come out during pregnancy, but didn’t because I was pregnant, so in theory I am just getting back to the amount of hair I’ve always had. But it seems totally different now. Like it just doesn’t lay right?
I am currently contemplating what seems to be a popular thing do to about this problem: chopping it off. Plus Baby has started aggressively pulling, so I’m thinking the shorter the hair, the harder for him to grab.
Oh baby - Current favorite article of baby clothing = bloomers! I know it’s fall and bloomers aren’t exactly in-season, but just as a PSA for anyone expecting a spring/summer 2019 baby: Baby bloomers are the cutest. You might be tempted to get some baby shorts. But I’m here to tell you that newborns in baby shorts look kind of ridiculous. Like endearingly old man-ish. Bloomers are just so classic baby, and seem way more comfortable than shorts.
Just for fun - We have been deep into Pandemic lately. Have you played it? It is surprisingly hard. And I don’t know how I feel about it being so collaborative. I like it in theory, but part of me just wants there to be a winner. Our board game playing definitely amps up during the cooler months, so if you have any suggestions (especially games that can be played with just 2 people), let me know!
Beauty - I am paring down my nail polish collection. In my college years, I used to have painted nails at all times. I loved buying trendy and seasonal polishes, and my collection grew quite a bit. More recently, I haven’t painted my nails as much. I am convinced as soon as I finish my second coat, Baby will need urgent tending to and I am not skilled enough to pick up a baby without ruining wet polish. I also am learning that a jar of nail polish doesn’t stay good for more than a couple of years. So, I am working on building sort of a capsule wardrobe of nail colors. Colors that can be worn in all seasons, and aren’t overly trendy. If ever I go to an actual nail salon to get my nails done is when I will likely branch out color-wise, but I would like for things I own to be as versatile as possible. Favorite colors so far:
- OPI You Don’t Know Jacques!
- OPI Bubble Bath
- Essie Mademoiselle
- Essie Lady Like
- OPI - Malaga Wine (okay, probably not a summer/spring color, but I use it frequently enough to justify owning it)
Unpopular opinions - I’m not into hardwood flooring.
There, I said it.
I mean, I think it looks nice. But I’m learning it’s loud and echo-y and all of the postpartum shedding and those cats we live with who also shed mean that we have tumbleweeds blowing around if we go more than 5 minutes without sweeping. It’s also really hard. I like more cushion under my feet. And also, it is so slippery with socks on. I have scared myself on the stairs multiple times. Must be more careful.
I know these things can be mostly solved with rugs, but why get flooring that you just have to cover up?
Husband loves hardwood. I have decided I could live with it long-term if bedrooms, stairs, and the living room were carpeted.
YES. Carpeted. I am a carpet person.
Looking ahead - Fun things are coming up!
I never know what part of fall to be most excited about - the clothes? The food? The holidays??
The biggest thing on our agenda is to get our apartment all squared away before Christmas decorations take over come out.
Also, Halloween! I like Halloween for little kids. I think costumes and candy and trick-or-treating is all super cute and fun. I’m not about scary stuff though. Haunted houses and creepy movies are a hard pass for me.
Thanksgiving - Love the sentiment of this holiday. Also love the meal (especially the sides. I could pass on the turkey) and will eat it in obscene portions. Favorite part? My mama’s cornbread dressing. It takes up approximately 80% of my Thanksgiving plate.
We also have a really fun vacation coming up, get to venture back to our old stomping grounds in Michigan, will hopefully find a church in our new city, and we find out if Husband passed the bar! Plus lots of apple picking and cider drinking and feeling like we get to experience the season for the first time again with our little one in tow.
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