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1. THE AMAZING RACE
This could be alternatively titled: Why I’m Not Reading Anything Right Now.  I am obsessed!  I’ve been watching a couple of episodes after the kids go to bed and am currently in the middle of Season 3.  So far, I’ve added Australia, Portugal and rappelling off a mountain to my bucket list.  The country I’m okay never visiting? India. 


2. MY TOPS FROM GRAY MONROE
Have you heard of Gray Monroe?  You know how much I love supporting small businesses, especially when they are run by mamas.  This fall, I have been slowly creating a new fall wardrobe and have purchased two striped tops (the MacKenna and the Walker) and the Kendall dress from Gray Monroe.  I love them and wear them all the time!

3. BABIES IN FOOTIE PAJAMAS 
What is it about fleece footie pajamas?  It’s finally cold enough for P to wear them to bed and he is just the cutest!  Unlike my other kids at this age, he is very tall and thin, which causes some problems dressing him.  I finally discovered footless pajamas (where have I been?!), which will help when he’s busting at the leg seams but too skinny for the next size up!


4. MY DUTCH OVEN
When cool weather comes around, my dutch oven comes out and gets major use!  We’ve been using it all the time, making dinners like White Chicken Lasagna Soup and Taco Spice Chili.  I really want to try to make a loaf of bread in it too!


5. OUR COLOR-CODED DUFFLE BAGS
We just returned from a week in Maine for Thanksgiving and I’m convinced that our color-coded duffle bags saved our sanity.  So easy to pack everyone’s clothes, shoes and toys.  (P doesn’t have his own yet, so I packed his stuff in our big tote bag, another favorite from L.L.Bean.)  My semi-crazy packing method this time: I let the laundry pile up (on purpose) and then had a mega laundry day.  After each load, I would fold and put directly into each person’s bag.  At the end, I checked to make sure there were enough outfits/undies/etc. but for the most part, I was done!

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2. SPICY PICO OVER GUACAMOLE DIP
This dip was totally an impulse buy at the grocery store.  I can only eat a teeny part of the pico and a lot of guacamole at one time, but it’s SO good.  Mark, the two biggest boys and I finished an entire container in one sitting!

3. “A SMALL MIRACLE” FROM KALLAH
Like most people, we’re feeling some financial strain in our house right now.  Nothing drastic, but enough that I was starting to feel anxious and overwhelmed.  And then I stumbled on Kallah’s post, “A small miracle” and it was like God was talking through her right to me.  This part has stayed with me in the weeks since: “That’s the whole point of tithing, I think. It’s to give the Lord a chance to remind us that He is the one who gives and takes away; that everything we have is His anyway. It’s acknowledging that we do not control the outcomes of our lives no matter how great we are at planning for the future. It’s thanking Him for providing and an act of trust that He won’t stop.”

4. A FREE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO COURSE
I just signed up for a free Snackable Photo Course (delivered to your inbox) from Shlutz Photo School.  I’m only a few “Snacks” through, but I’m really enjoying them.  Someday I really want to invest in learning how to shoot in manual, but these tips are helpful for now.

5. NEW SWEATERS
My mom surprised me with a little birthday shopping spree – best surprise ever!  I got this sweater in two different colors (heather and taupe) and they are so warm and comfy.  And with Virginia finally realizing it’s fall, I’ve finally gotten to wear them too!

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1. GLOBAL TABLE ADVENTURES
If you are interested in international cuisine, Global Table Adventures is the website for you.  We have been choosing recipes to make based on the countries in our African Studies and everything has been delicious!  This week, we are studying Mali and will be making Maasa, a type of gluten-free pancake doughnut.  Her directions are always simple and clear.  I also love how she sprinkles in a little geography and culture throughout each post.  Be sure to check out the Map Room as a cool way to browse her website too.

2. MY NEW TUNIC
We had a handful of fall-like days here a few weeks ago and I excitedly looked at my closet to see what I had to wear.  Apparently, I must have been in a third-trimester decluttering hysteria last year because I have almost nothing!  Part of me is kicking myself for my craziness, but the other part is secretly excited to build a wardrobe from scratch.  It’s like a capsule wardrobe in reverse!  One of my first purchases was this tunic from Target’s new brand, A New Day.  It’s soft and non-clingy and will be perfect over leggings for school days at home.  

3. PRINTABLE WORKOUT PLANNER
I have been running pretty consistently since July as well as dabbling in a little CrossFit and weight-training.  I started using these printable workout calendars to plan a month out at a time.  Four weeks seems to be the sweet spot for me!  I used to plan full 90-day training schedules and then get frustrated when school would begin again, Mark’s work would pick up, or we’d all get the flu.  My plan was ruined and I’d just quit.  Now I just look at the month ahead and tweak my plans to fit what’s going on.  I’ve been much more successful – no quitting yet!

4. 1 SECOND EVERYDAY APP
“Life is made of seconds.  A modern visual diary.  Stitch the moments of your life into a single continuous chronological movie.”  I LOVE this app.  We’ve been recording seconds since the day we moved into the new house (over three months now!) and it is already one of my most prized possessions.  

5. “GARDEN ANSWER” YOUTUBE CHANNEL
While chatting with my hair dresser about future garden plans, she mentioned her latest find: the Garden Answer Youtube channel.  I quickly looked it up when I got home and I’m hooked now too!  Her garden tours are my favorite, giving me so many ideas for our land in the years to come.

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1. DATE NIGHTS WITH HOME CHEF
At the risk of sounding like total fat kids, Mark and I love food.  We aren’t “foodies” by any stretch, but we love sitting down to a good meal together.  There’s just something about dinner and good conversation…I don’t know, it’s our mutual love language.  When we moved to our new home two months ago, I wanted to find something special that we could do as a couple.  And randomly, I stumbled on Home Chef.  I know there are a ton of these dinner box subscriptions out there, but the price was right (with $30 off the first delivery, it ended up being less than $20 for 4 meals) and we tried it out, fully planning to cancel if we weren’t impressed.  GUYS.  Friday nights have become our favorite time in the entire week.  I have our delivery set to Friday, so our friendly Fed/Ex lady drops the box off in the afternoon.  We usually make pizza with the kids, watch a movie and then whisk them off to bed so we can cook together.  For whatever reason – maybe because we didn’t have to grocery shop or make the menu? – just following the instructions together is so fun.  And almost every single thing we’ve made has been delicious.  We have the “two meals for two” plan, so we’ll usually cook one to eat together on Friday night and then make the other to give Mark two lunches for work.  If our budget is extra tight one paycheck, we skip one week’s delivery and just spread the two meals out.  It’s a bit of a frivolous expense, but I can’t tell you how wonderful it’s been for my marriage.  (If you’re interested, you can use my referral link to get $30 off your first delivery too!)


2. NUUN
I love this stuff.  Nuun is basically an electrolyte replenisher but without all the sugar and artificial coloring.  I use one tablet in a big glass of ice water after every run, along with a scoop of collagen peptides.  They are easy to transport, so we’ve also brought them for the boys after a hard soccer practice too.  My favorite flavor is Citrus Fruit, but they’re all really good.  


3. AUDREY ASSAD’S VERSION OF “BE THOU MY VISION”
My favorite hymn.  I randomly had it stuck in my head one day and a quick YouTube search revealed a version by Audrey Assad.  She sings it so beautifully!


4. FITTEST ON EARTH DOCUMENTARIES ON NETFLIX
Since I started lifting weights, CrossFit has begun to pique my interest.  Who am I?!  I don’t recognize myself either, hah!  There are two documentary-type movies on Netflix about the CrossFit Games and I’ve watched them at least two or three times each.  (My favorite is Tia-Clair Toomey!)  I’ll never be in the shape these athletes are in, but it’s so amazing to see what the human body can do.  
5. SWAGBUCKS
I think I’ve mentioned how much I love Swagbucks on the blog before.  I’m always searching for something on the Internet anyway, so why not earn points and eventually get paid for it?  You can also earn points by completing surveys, shopping through their links or even watching videos.  I’ve been saving my points this summer and just cashed in for a $10 Amazon gift card.  I’ve got six birthdays and Christmas on the horizon, so every little bit helps!

What are five of your favorite things this month?  Comment with your five or write a post and leave the link in the comments.  I’ll officially be making this a monthly link-up starting next month.  I’m so excited to read your lists!

Welcome to the Five Favorites linkup!

Homemade Milk Jug Bird Feeder // M made one in his co-op science class (using a method similar to this post) and we hung it from our front yard tree.  The smaller opening has attracted many little bitty birds, like finches and sparrows.  I think they find it safer than trying to fight with the larger birds.  

Acrylic Window Bird Feeder // We have this feeder hanging from one of our living room windows, which has been perfect for observing throughout the day.  In the past month alone, we probably have seen at least 15 different types of birds!  It’s been fun to watch how each interacts: the “scare-dy bird” who backs into the feeder before it eats, the big mourning doves who think they own the place and scare the others away, the little finches who come in pairs with one always on the lookout.  Always something interesting.  

Backyard Birdseed Mix // We use this birdseed mix and because of the variety of birds we’ve seen at the feeders, I would highly recommend it!  


Birds of North America Guide Book // We have this old one, but I have about five others on my wishlist!  Ours is simple enough for the kids to look through without being too overwhelming and we keep it handy in our living room book basket.   

Backyard Bird Identifier // If our bird book proves unhelpful, this website from National Geographic is really great to help figure out a bird’s species.