What's Up Wednesday

It's another edition of 'What's Up Wednesday' where I link up with the above mentioned bloggers on the last Wednesday of each month and answer these questions:

So here we go!

What We're Eating This Week...

Baked Tacos

Since school started (or if we really want to get honest, since Tess was born) our dinners have been off! Sloane has a pom-pom class from 5-6 pm once a week and Reece has gymnastics from 4:30-5:15 once a week on a different day than Sloane... so we are scrounging on those days for food! 

But I went to Sam's Club yesterday and since they renovated their store, they added a fabulous meat/deli/freezer section with a great selection of pre-made meals. So I picked up rotisserie chicken enchiladas that we will eat on all week!

I also went to the store late last night and grabbed Reames Noodles to make my mom's super easy chicken and noodles (despite the ridiculous mid-70 degree weather currently happening at the end of October here in Arkansas). I also picked up some hamburger, refried beans, tomato sauce and taco shells to do baked tacos. So good! 

What I'm Reminiscing About... 

I love my TimeHop app because every day, it shows me pictures or posts from all of my social media from the years before on that exact day. This week has been really fun - lots of pictures of Sloane coming home from the hospital and a house full of my family visiting that first week. Can't believe that in just two and a half months, we will add a fifth baby to my family (not MY little family - this baby train is over - but my extended family)! Can't wait for Baby Hills!!! 

What I'm Loving... 

I blogged about these items on my Friday Favorites last week, but as I'm able to use them more, I'm figuring out what is working and REALLY loving them! I can really tell a difference on my face and though I don't think my face will ever be as clear as Samantha Ponder... 

 

It won't stop me from trying! 

What We've Been Up To...

This has been the month of travel for the Clark's. We travel alot anyway, but we are wrapping up the fourth weekend in October and we have traveled to Manhattan (which is five hours away) twice, while I'm going back this weekend for my sorority's 100th Anniversary (I can't wait - yay KAPPA)! 

It was Sloane's sixth birthday on the 15th and we were in Manhattan for my friend's wedding, but we always celebrate Sloane's birthday with the family at a K-State tailgate, so we went back last weekend to whoop up on Texas and sing to the birthday girls as it was also my sister Lauren's 28th birthday! 

Poor Lauren's name got left off the cake! :)

Sloane and I went to the K-State volleyball game and she gave Willie a big squeeze!

Our November is packed as well with trips back to Manhattan for a football game and Thanksgiving, while I will be traveling to Kansas City the first two weekends for Two Dots shows.

If anyone is in the KC area and wants to come see what Two Dots has for fall and winter, come see us at the Shawnee Mission North Cheer Competition on Saturday, November 5 from 9:30 am - 3 pm (Shawnee Mission North High School Gymnasium) or on Saturday, November 12 from 7:30 am - 4 pm at the Cure of Ars Gift Gallery. This is located at 9403 Mission Road, Leawood, KS. Get early access at 7:30 am for $10 and get mimosas and early shopping before the rest of the crowd! We will have everything on our site at the show as well as new items! Plus there will be lots of fantastic vendors -- get some Christmas shopping out of the way! 

What I'm Dreading...

Traveling. As much as I love to be gone (so it seems!), I'm so tired of traveling. I really would like to own an airplane.

What I'm Working On...  

Currently how to purchase an airplane.

As well as gearing up for all of our Two Dots shows! 

And lots of meetings with the Northwest Arkansas Mom's Bloggers -- the site launches in mid-late November with a launch party on November 17! More information to come as it becomes available! 

 What I'm Excited About... 

This time of year is my very favorite! It starts off with my birthday (the best day of the year), followed by a great month of October and Halloween and the changing of the leaves. Then comes November and a reminder of the many things I have to be thankful for (but tend to forget) and a wonderful day of food with my family on Thanksgiving. 

Then comes the Christmas season. Literally the most magical time of year. I just love it. Nothing beats the feelings, the smells, the fun that comes this time of year! 

What I'm Watching/Reading...

The Book Club book for this month is For the Right Reasons by Sean Lowe and I of course picked it up right away because I was hoping for juicy details on how the show The Bachelor is really made (Sean was the main man on the 17th season of The Bachelor where he did actually meet and marry his wife, Catherine Guidici). I also wanted to see how much he mentioned K-State... which he does.

 I'm certain this will be the one Book Club book I make it through and probably the one Book Club meeting that I won't be able to go to. Go figure. 

As for what I'm watching...  Matt and I try and find a show that we can watch together since we have very limited time together every day. We both had heard about Sarah Jessica Parker's new show Divorce. on HBO and so we gave it a shot (I LOVE me some SJP - Sex and the City is probably my favorite TV show of all time). We are two episodes in and I can say that we both like it! Obviously it doesn't sound like the greatest show for a married couple to watch, but it's actually funny... so we will keep watching!  

What I'm Listening To...

Remember last month when I said I was listening to Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Holiday Hits?

Yeah... that hasn't changed. 

What I'm Wearing... 

I wish I could say 'JK' after I type what I'm about to type. 

But I'm wearing shorts and t-shirt. On October 26. And I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. I should be wearing jeans (even though I don't have any STILL), boots and a puffer vest! Not shorts, my Birkenstock sandals and tees. 

Though this weekend, I'm throwing in the towel on summer weather atleast for a few days. I found a really cute corduroy skirt at Old Navy I'm hoping to wear out with Kappa gals on Friday night. Take THAT, summer temperatures!

 

  What I'm Doing this Weekend...

Well... as you've been reading, this weekend is my sorority chapter's 100th Anniversary! Pledge classes from WAY back when to very recent are getting together to spend a weekend together - reminiscing, touring the recently renovated house as well as the K-State campus and football stadium, food, drinks... just an all-around great weekend spent with good people! 

I'm happy to be apart of it because this place gave me so much my four years in school and continues to give to me today through the friendships I have continued post-college. 

 

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month...

I'm so looking forward to our Two Dots shows Lauren and I will be doing in Kansas City. We have the best time at all of them because we meet lots of people, sell alot of clothes and get to hang out with each other for 10 hours a day. Definitely looking forward to it! 

I'm also very much looking forward to Thanksgiving! We are in Manhattan this year with my family, which means so much laughter, lots of walks, good food and beer, and relaxation. It's going to be a great month! 

 

What Else is New... 

I feel like I've literally told you EVERYTHING, you can't possibly take any more! 

My little family is in a little state of limbo at the moment and hopefully will have answers to some unanswered questions soon. But as we enter the month of November, I am reminded, again, to be thankful for what I have and know that God already has a plan for us ... we just don't know what it is.

Which kills me.

Seriously. Doesn't he know how I work?! :) 

 

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

XXOO,
Allyson

 

What's Up Wednesday

Happy Hump Day, friends!

I started reading Mix & Match Mama a few years ago when her brother, Sean Lowe, was on The Bachelor. Sean Lowe also played football at K-State so I was primarily watching to see how many times K-State could be mentioned.

Any pub we can get, we take it.

She's just a mom, married to a K-State football player that my best friend was in love with in college, who loves to cook, who produced two children of her own and has adopted two, her last baby just recently. It's been fun to read along about her story with her kids as well as find some easy dinner recipes and some fun makeup/clothing recommendations.

She does a What's Up Wednesday with a few other blogger gals and I thought it would be fun to get in on it! So on the last Wednesday of every month, we will give this a shot!

What We're Eating This Week ...

Well... obviously if you read my post from Tuesday, you know that this one will not be very full! In fact, it's a repeat from Tuesday's post since Monday is the only day this week mama will be making anything -- Tuesday is a late pom/pom class for Sloane and Wednedsay and Thursday of this week, Matt is gone. Which means hot dogs and mac-n-cheese for the kids (and me - who are we kidding, I love some mac-n-cheese)! 

But as a reminder, I made the Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos from my Pinterest board for our good friends, the Stacey's. It smelled amazing all day long and luckily, it was amazing! It was SUPER easy to throw together in the crockpot, left it there all day, shredded the chicken at 5:30 and then we ate. My kind of cooking!

What I'm Reminiscing About... 

I've had two different adventures pop on my TimeHop app this week and both were awesome trips that make me want to immediately go back! 

 

This first picture is of Matt, Sloane and I - Sloane was just about 11 months old. We took a Clark family vacation, which included us, Matt's parents and his brother, Michael out to New York. We visited New York City and drove to Cooperstown, New York to the Baseball Hall of Fame. It was a part of their dad's Father's Day present from the boys (sidenote: Cooperstown in the fall is the most picturesque fall town -- absolutely adorable and I would totally move there from August - November)!

It's hard to remember life with just one child (because it's impossible to remember life BEFORE one child), but I can tell you this -- this girl and I were TIGHT. I just adored her ... and I still do. But once she hit the age of one, we basically have butted heads. I'm slightly kidding when I say this, but I feel like the next time she will ever appreciate me is when she's had her own first little girl. So... we've got awhile! 

This picture is from a hotel room view in Maui, Hawaii. Matt and I went there for our five year anniversary, which has already been three years ago (YIKES)! It was absolutely amazing! And we are already counting down the days until we go back! 

What I'm Loving...

It is no secret that Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year! I love decorating for fall, fall smells, fall colors...

I love pumpkins as well and have never, ever, ever seen a better selection of pumpkins that right here in northwest Arkansas at a local fireworks stand. 

Yep.

It's seriously amazing! The selection is so crazy - these are pumpkins you see on Real Simple that you can never find in real life. And they are between $5-10. 

It's our version of a pumpkin patch down here! I let the kids go and each pick one out. So they drag a cart around, pick out teeny little pumpkins and then drag my HUGE pumpkins around! #winning

What We've Been Up To...

My parents and niece Perry came to visit last weekend! #meltingheart

We are busy people! We are constantly go-go-going! We spent this last weekend at home and will do the same this weekend before October weekends are consumed with traveling to Manhattan, Kan., for K-State football games, a sorority sister's wedding and my Kappa Kappa Gamma 100th Anniversary Reunion!

What I'm Dreading... 

Flu shots. 

Enough said.  

And they didn't make the mist this year. 

Let that sink in.

What I'm Working On... 

Oh, you know... just everything.

I've been working on Two Dots this week, getting summer items moved to the sale rack to get ready for new items coming in this week and next (20 percent off all sale items this week with code FALL20 at checkout)! It's been hard to keep up with the store since Tess came into the picture and it could easily go away. But my sister and I really do love it, so we'll keep going!

Yes, it's that time when scarves are a mainstay at Two Dots.

Plus we just found out that we made it into another show in Kansas City in early November - Gift Gallery at Cure de Ars in Leawood on November 12 from 9 am - 3 pm. Mark your calendars! 

What I'm Excited About...

Do we even have to ask?! 

Which is why I celebrate it all month long, every year.

PS. Don't forget to enter the Etsy Gift Card Giveaway at the bottom of the post that I'm hosting JUST because it's my birthday! The winner will be announced on Friday on my Friday Favorites!  

What I'm Watching/Reading... 

I'm not afraid to admit to you all that I LOVE Bravo TV and Real Housewives shows. New Jersey is one of my favorites and this season makes me laugh because when I'm trying to explain to Matt what is happening (who could care less but will pretend to watch five minutes with me), it goes something like this "So that girl on the left, she just got out of prison and so they are all taking her to Vermont to celebrate that she just got her ankle bracelet off and taking one last girls trip before she becomes a single mom because her husband is about to leave for prison."

That's a fairly accurate description from Sunday night's episode. 

I'll start reading next week for Book Club. 

I hope.

What I'm Listening To...

Once September rolls around, when the kids and I are in the van, we are almost always listening to the Vince Guaraldi Trio's Charlie Brown Holiday Hits (click the link to listen to some songs). Yes, it has some Christmas songs... but it also has The Great Pumpkin Waltz, Thanksgiving Theme... so it's not just Christmas! 

But I love the piano and it always, always, always makes me happy! So why not?!

What I'm Wearing...

This week FINALLY became Fall! As in the weather and the actual season are meshing together! Woke up to 49 degrees this morning, but it warmed up to upper 70s, so it makes it hard to dress in the mornings.

It's definitely jean season and despite a good effort on my part to lose the baby weight from Ms. Tess, my favorite JCrew Factory jeans are still too tight. Which is a bummer. And a real problem. Since I only only these jeans in the same size. So... this means either I need to make a stop at my local JCrew Factory three hours away or figure something else out. Like constant leggings?

I found this pullover the other day from a blogger (Styled Snapshots) and LOVE it. And need it. It's perfect with jeans and booties, or jeans and sneakers for those days where I just need to be comfy AND cute. :) It's also from Abercrombie & Fitch, a store I haven't visited since 2005.

What I'm Doing This Weekend...

This is where I should insert a large question mark! Because I don't know! The only thing I do know is that Friday, my birthday, we will be spending it at the Bentonville High School football game, where Sloane will be dancing at halftime. 

Who wants to spend their birthday watching their daughter dance at a high school football game? 

Well, you know it's me! Seriously... I love high school football and cheer/dance so this is right up my alley! 

My mother-in-law is coming down Friday and I think Matt made birthday plans for us on Saturday, so I'll let you know. It's currently a surprise and I'm going to try and let it stay that way (which I never do ... I am almost never surprised)! 

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month... 

I LOVE to travel... but I think once October is over, I will never want to leave my home again (though we will be traveling so much the rest of the year, I might as well get over it)!

We are taking the kids on a surprise trip to the Gulf Shores for Sloane's Fall Break. They don't know it yet and we really haven't meant to keep it a surprise but we just haven't mentioned it to them... so I think we will keep it that way until we leave! If you've ever been and have some tips on things to do/see, comment and let me know!

We've got tons of birthdays to celebrate next month, including Sloane's 6th birthday, as well as one of my dear friend's weddings (on Sloane's birthday), football games and my Kappa reunion so it's going to be a packed month! 

 
What Else is New...

Nothing. I think I told you my entire life story on this post. 

Go buy your Glade Pumpkin Dream candle, ASAP! 

XXOO,

Allyson

PS. The link to the Etsy Gift Card Giveaway is below - enter before Friday! 

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