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# Whimsical September

A Family + Lifestyle Blog

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## Posts

- [Throwing a Sip and See for a Mom and Her New Baby](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/throwing-a-sip-and-see.html/) - Over the weekend, a girlfriend and I threw a Sip and See together for a friend of ours who recently had her third baby girl. We sent out invitations a few weeks ahead of time inviting her friends to drop by between 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to see Sarah, meet/see/hold her newborn daughter, grab a bite
- [Five Ways to Make Your Blog More User-Friendly](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/is-your-blog-user-friendly-five-questions-to-ask.html/) - Not only do I love writing my own blog, but I genuinely love reading dozens of blogs as well (BlogLovin is my go-to resource for keeping up with my favorites.) I occasionally run into issues on others' blogs that could make them a tad more user-friendly, and if I'm having these issues on your site, there may
- [Wamego Tulip Festival](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/2017-tulip-festival-wamego-kansas.html/) - This article contains information about Wamego Tulip Festival down in Wamego, Kansas. We have the cutest little town called Wamego about 20-30 minutes east that never fails to come alive when it's time for a festival! The weather was expected to be gorgeous on Sunday, so my mom and I packed a bag full of
- [Stroller Review: The Best Single and Double Strollers](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/stroller-review.html/) - This article is an unsponsored stroller review, and contains my personal opinion of the best single and double strollers on the market. I think the most common question (by far!) that I see in Facebook moms groups and on my social media newsfeed is "What baby items do I need? What do you use and love?" I, too,
- [The Best Marriage Advice We Ever Received: Don't Have Specific Jobs](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/this-was-the-best-marriage-advice-we-received.html/) - This article contains our opinion about the best marriage advice we ever received. The Best Marriage Advice Throughout the last couple weeks I've been browsing decor for my best friend's upcoming bridal shower, and I kept stumbling across the Pinterest-y idea for an "advice jar" where attendees jot down advice for the bride-to-be. It got
- [How Much Do You Pay A Babysitter?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/how-much-do-you-pay-your-babysitter.html/) - This is often a hot topic among parents, and the conversations almost always end in laughs and all agreeing that we wish we could turn back the hands of time and do more babysitting. Sitters these days are making a pretty penny! So how much do you pay your sitter? I don't have any reservations about
- [Pre-Deployment Tips For Spouses: How To Prepare For Deployment](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/6-tips-to-make-the-pre-deployment-waiting-game-less-painful.html/) - This blog posts contains pre-deployment tips for spouses. Three times in the last six years I’ve watched my husband throw a 50 pound bag on his back, put another overstuffed bag in each hand, and walk away from me for eight months or longer. That last kiss wasn’t long enough. I need just one more
- [Little Man Baby Shower: A Black and White Brunch](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/a-black-and-white-little-man-themed-brunch-baby-shower.html/) - We had so much fun throwing this Little Man baby shower for the sweetest friend. This blog post shares food ideas, decor, and much more. Enjoy! On Saturday morning we celebrated one of the sweetest friends I've ever met and the little boy cookin' in her belly with a little man baby shower brunch. We bounced
- [Bachelorette Weekend In Destin: Activities, Best Places to Eat and More](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/destin-bachelorette-weekend.html/) - Are you thinking about having your bachelorette weekend in Destin? Here's my experience celebrating with my best friend in Destin, FL. The last few days were a total whirlwind of driving, flying, and a lot of welcomed girlfriend time. We celebrated my best friend Ashley's upcoming July wedding with her bachelorette weekend down in Destin, Florida,
- [ISR Instructor: How and Why to Become One](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/isr-instructor.html/) - Interested in possibly becoming an ISR instructor? They are in high demand because so many areas do not offer this program, even though there are so many families who are desperate for their children to go through it. If you are interested in becoming your own boss and diving into this career, please read on!
- [Bora Bora Vacation Planning Tips: A Q&A with Past Guests](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/06/an-interview-jennifer-joshs-trip-to.html/) - This Bora Bora Vacation Planning Tips article is Q&A style with guests that just returned from their trip of a lifetime. You'll find information about overwater bungalows, food, activities, travel paths, expenses, and much more. Enjoy! Bora Bora Vacation Planning Tips 1. In a nutshell, when thinking about Bora Bora vacation planning, was this trip
- [Disney Vacation: One Tip for Planning Your Dream Vacation](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/1-tip-planning-disney-vacation-dreams.html/) - Because my Disney recap posts have been quite lengthy in words and pictures (sorryyyy!), let's cut straight to the chase in this post. :) If you and your family have dates penciled in for when you'd like to shoot to go to Disney, or maybe you're like I was and just dreaming of one day
- [Overnight Guest Guide: You Must Serve Cake!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/hospitality-idea-hosting-overnight-guests.html/) - Here's the real trick to hosting overnight guest: Serve cake! When we visited my sister's family in Florida a few months ago, she had a bundt cake sitting on the kitchen counter that was always available to us. There was usually a clean knife and cake plates nearby, and we enjoyed cutting ourselves a sliver
- [Homemade Carrot Cake: The Crowd-Pleasing Two-Layer Cake](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/crowd-pleasing-two-layer-carrot-cake.html/) - This is my favorite homemade carrot cake recipe. I hope this recipe is a hit with your family as well! Our whole family knows that we're in for a treat when Jamie's grandmother is in the kitchen. I've mentioned Mamaw before and what a special person she is in my life, so I was thrilled when
- [Two Incomes to One: 6 Things We Did When We Transitioned from Multiple Incomes](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/howweliveononesalary.html/) - This post contains my thoughts about transition from two incomes to one. My last day of teaching was two weeks before I delivered Hadley (November 2013), and we've been a one-income family ever since. In some ways the transition was much easier than expected, and in other ways we struggled with our new limitations. 6
- [Outlets for Parents: Stay-At-Home Edition](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/outlets-for-stay-at-home-moms.html/) - This article contains 10 outlets for parents to unwind and relax. Being a stay-at-home parent is a tough gig. Being a working parent is a tough gig. Being a parent is a tough gig! Amen? Overall I truly love being a stay-at-home mom, but our good and bad days go in ebbs and flows as they do
- [Daily Routine For Moms: The Stay at Home Edition](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/happened-incorporated-daily-rhythm.html/) - This post contains my thoughts on a helpful daily routine for moms. Earlier this month I was reading a few blogs for leisure when I stumbled across a post about daily rhythms that stopped me in my tracks. I poured over the author's every word and knew that this post was meant for me to
- [Gift Guide for Baby's First Christmas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/gift-guide-for-babys-first-christmas.html/) - Hadley was only six weeks old when her first Christmas came rolling around, and I vividly remember feeling so stumped (and a bit baffled) when the slew of questions came in asking what we wanted her to get for Christmas. Obviously a super legitimate question, but she was this teeny tiny little human who really
- [How to Sell Things on Facebook Marketplace and Make Extra Cash](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/12/how-i-made-over-1000-selling-items-on-facebook-marketplace.html/) - This post will walk you through the step-by-step process for how to sell things on Facebook Marketplace. I hope you find it helpful! Thank you Facebook Marketplace for sponsoring this post. When we moved from Kansas to Alabama last spring, I had an overwhelming amount of household and baby items that I wanted to sell.
- [Air Fryer Sausage Balls](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/air-fryer-sausage-balls.html/) - If you've never tried air fryer sausage balls, you need to add that to your to-do list! Check out one of our favorite air fryer meals below! We were gifted an for Christmas, so we've been spending the last few weeks experimenting with it. We're big fans of it so far, as it seems everybody
- [Breakfast Casserole: Go-To Recipe For Hosting Brunch](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/hosting-first-breakfast-staple-breakfast-casserole-recipe.html/) - This breakfast casserole recipe was a hit with our family! We hope your family enjoys it as much a we did! We had the nicest surprise this week! Over the weekend Jamie's former college professor/running buddy/Army mentor texted him that he and his wife (also a Lt. Col.) were going to be passing through our area
- [Baked Red Potato Casserole Recipe](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/09/twice-baked-red-potato-casserole-recipe.html/) - This article contains my favorite Baked Red Potato Casserole Recipe. Read more below! More often than not, our family enjoys taking advantage of Army four-day weekends to travel out of town to see friends and family. This past weekend though the idea of going out of town never even crossed our minds. We were
- [Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese Recipe](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/08/creamy-white-mac-n-cheese-with-little.html/) - This Panera Copycat Mac and Cheese Recipe tastes exactly like the melty, cheesy version we've all come to love when we order from Panera Bread. The recipe takes 15 minutes total and involves just two pots (one if you put the cooked pasta in a separate bowl). Your guests or family will go crazy over
- [Strawberry Pineapple White Chocolate Cake Balls](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/strawberry-pineapple-white-chocolate-cake-balls.html/) - For years, one of my absolute favorite summer treats has been a big bowl of sliced up strawberries and fresh pineapple. I love cutting up my fruit at night after dinner, mixing it all up in a big storage container, and letting the fresh fruit juices soak together before indulging the next day. It makes my
- [Strawberry Shortcake Recipe with Angel Food Cake](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/three-ingredient-strawberry-shortcake.html/) - This strawberry shortcake recipe with angel food cake calls for three ingredients and is absolutely crowd pleasing! Not only does it only take a few short minutes to throw together, but it's delicious. You can also make it ahead of time. I sincerely hope you enjoy this recipe! Find full recipe at the bottom of
- [Pepper Jelly Cream Cheese Dip: A 30 Second Appetizer](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/cream-cheese-and-red-pepper-jelly-dip.html/) - This Pepper Jelly Cream Cheese Dip requires two ingredients and two steps. Delicious! This simple and sweet dip is the perfect appetizer not only for the holiday season, but year round to serve for family and friends. Serve it on a plate with Wheat Thins or Ritz Crackers, and you'll be sure to please the
- [Easy Make-Ahead Recipes:  Breakfast Edition](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/easy-breakfast-recipes-make-ahead-busy-morning.html/) - This article contains a few of my favorite Easy Make-Ahead Recipes. Thanks so much to Lizann from The Seasoned Spouse for today's guest post! Thank you for your support of these guest posts as I take time away to focus on my family. In case you missed why I'm taking a couple weeks off from blogging,
- [Blueberry Mojito Recipe: Easy Summer Cocktail](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/lightened-blueberry-mojito.html/) - Are you dying to get your hands on an easy summer cocktail? This Blueberry Mojito recipe has you covered! Read more below. Earlier this summer we pulled up some chairs to sit around the bar with some friends at the Forsyth Mansion in Savannah, and I immediately noticed another guest sipping the prettiest drink.
- [Shredded Pork Tacos with Queso](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/how-to-make-time-to-cook-dinner-shredded-pork-pineapple-tacos-with-queso.html/) - The following post is written by me on behalf of Smithfield® Marinated Pork. One of my best friends called me recently who was feeling overwhelmed, and she blurted out almost as soon as I answered the phone something along the lines of "How do you and Jamie avoid going out to eat all the time?
- [Easy Stovetop Chicken and Noodles](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/easy-cheesy-stovetop-chicken-and-noodles.html/) - This post contains an easy stovetop chicken recipe that was sponsored by No Yolks as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed are my own. It's no secret that Jamie and I have always enjoyed entertaining, but we discovered a new-found appreciation for having guests over to our home for dinner once we
- [Naan Bread Pizza: An Easy, Delicious Weeknight Dinner Recipe](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/naan-bread-pizza.html/) - Margherita Naan Bread Pizza: The combination of the spices, cooked tomatoes, and melted cheese all on top of this soft bread makes this meal mouthwatering. Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe! It's a crowd pleaser the whole family will love and ask for again and again. My mother-in-law is an exceptional cook, and
- [Gift Guide for Expecting Moms](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/gift-guide-for-an-expecting-mom.html/) - This article is a gift guide for expecting moms. Oh, I had so many people that I love in my mind when putting together this post. Not only is my sister seven months pregnant, but an overflowing handful of my girlfriends are expecting babies in 2018. I love it! I've already written a couple of
- [Revenue Streams For Bloggers: Top Ways To Make Money](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/the-three-most-common-revenue-streams-for-bloggers.html/) - What are the top revenue streams for bloggers? One of the most bold questions I get about blogging usually comes from those who I'm really close to or complete strangers, because they're the only ones typically brave enough to ask it. ;) They'll ask "So how do you actually make money from your blog?" They
- [Leaving the Military: FAQ's Answered](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/most-commonly-asked-questions-about-getting-out-of-the-military.html/) - Ah, my inbox has never been so full as it has been the last six-ish months with questions about ETSing (leaving the military). Getting out of the military is a very daunting transition, and what makes it even more of a blurry road is that you're often left with very few people to ask questions
- [Essential Painting Tools for Beginners: Top Suggestions For New Painters](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/10-essentials-to-complete-a-perfect-interior-paint-job.html/) - This article contains information about essential painting tools for beginners. With the exception of one room, we slathered paint on every wall in our two-story home within the first 18 months that we lived here. In fact, most of the walls were painted in the first six months (I was anxious to rock and roll
- [Breakfast Casserole with Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Eggs](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/sausage-egg-and-cream-cheese-breakfast-casserole.html/) - This breakfast casserole with cream cheese, sausage, and eggs is absolutely divine. Not only is it incredibly tasty, but it's a breeze to whip together and is sure to please your entire crowd. I hope you enjoy immensely! Ooohhhh I love me a hot, savory breakfast casserole for so many reasons. Love, love, love it.
- [10 Reasons We Love Living in Manhattan, Kansas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/10-reasons-we-love-living-in-manhattan-kansas.html/) - This article contains our top reasons we love living in Manhattan, Kansas. We called Manhattan, Kansas our home for four years and found it to be the sweetest surprise. We explored every inch of it and believe it's one of our nation's hidden gems. In this post, I share many reasons why Manhattan, Kansas is an
- [Top 10 Best Restaurants in Manhattan, Kansas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/best-restaurants-in-manhattan-kansas.html/) - Welcome to The Little Apple! This post is a round-up of the best restaurants in Manhattan, Kansas. Try to make it to as many of you can during your visit! They are all sure to please your tastebuds and leave a pleasant, lasting memory of Manhattan in your mind until you return again. One of
- [10 Subscription Gifts to Give This Year](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/10-subscription-gifts-give-year.html/) - This article contains 10 subscription gifts ideas. Of all the gift guides I put out this holiday season, I think today's might be my most favorite! Subscription services have gone absolutely bananas the last five years or so, and for good reason! I've given and received numerous subscription services the last few years, and there's
- [5 Things I Do With My Kids' Schoolwork and Artwork](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/5-things-i-do-with-my-kids-schoolwork-and-artwork.html/) - Here are 5 things I do with my kids' schoolwork and artwork When you're cleaning out your kids' backpacks and inevitably find a mound of artwork and papers, what do you do with all of it? A friend and I were chatting about this recently, and I realized that I'd subconsciously created a pretty good
- [Top 10 Favorite Items for Kids](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/our-top-10-favorite-items-for-kids.html/) - This article contains my top 10 favorite items for kids. Whenever inspiration strikes and is accompanied by a bit of energy, Jamie and I have been getting to work on decluttering "kid stuff" right and left. It's kind of disheartening when I see cute baby or toddler items that the girls rarely used or liked,
- [Downloadable Income and Expense Worksheet for Bloggers](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/downloadable-income-and-expenses-worksheet-saturday-sit-down-sign-up.html/) - This article contains a downloadable income and expense worksheet for bloggers. Hello, hello! I hope you've had a nice first week of 2018. :) This week feels mega long to me, but we're pushing through and looking forward to a beautiful weekend (highs in the 40s - gasp!) Besides 30 minutes in the snow on
- [Homemade Valentines from Babies and Toddlers: 5 Ideas for Kids to Make](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/5-homemade-valentines-ideas.html/) - Here are five ideas for homemade Valentines from babies and toddlers to send to your spouse, relatives, and friends that will make them smile from ear to ear. Great craft ideas to do with your little ones! All five of these homemade Valentines Day card ideas are quick, easy, and most importantly - cheap! Enjoy! I
- [Kitchen Organization Hacks: 2 Ideas For Your Kitchen Drawers!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/using-drawers-to-better-organize-your-kitchen.html/) - This article contains my favorite kitchen organization hacks for my drawer. Check it out below! Welcome to our kitchen, my most favorite room in our new home! Do you know what a major positive is to unpacking in a home that you know you'll only be in a few short years (or less)? There's zero
- [Tips For Road Tripping With Kids: Secret To Adventuring With Little Ones](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/five-keys-to-success-when-road-tripping-adventuring-with-little-ones.html/) - Thank you Maxi-Cosi for sponsoring this post. Keep your little adventurers comfy, safe & stylish with the Maxi-Cosi Magellan™ Max 5-in-1 Convertible Car Seat! Here are my top tips for road tripping with kids. Both of our girls learned quickly after birth that going on frequent road trips here, there, and everywhere is simply a
- [13 Blog Posts for Military Families](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/13-posts-military-families-should-read.html/) - This is a round up of blog posts for military families. Since my life is my blog's content, it makes sense that a good chunk of my material revolves around military-related topics. Some were written as resources, some were written with the intention of simply being relatable (i.e. so other military families know they're not
- [7 Amazon Purchases I'm Loving Right Now: Best Buys On Amazon](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/seven-recent-amazon-purchases-i-love.html/) - These are my top 7 amazon purchases that I'm loving right now! I've seen a good handful of posts like this circulating lately, and for some reason, they are some of my favorite posts to skim! Since you can find nearly everything and anything on Amazon, I find it fascinating what others have discovered, purchased,
- [The Best Time of Day to Workout: 10 People Weigh In](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/best-time-day-work-out.html/) - In your opinion, when is the best time of day to workout? If exercise is a part of your daily (or almost daily) routine, how or when do you squeeze in the time to make it happen? I had no idea that 2018 was going to be the year that exercise finally became an enjoyable
- [Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe + a Giveaway!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/easy-homemade-pizza-dough-recipe-a-giveaway.html/) - This easy homemade pizza dough recipe can be made a couple hours or a couple weeks before mealtime. It's simple, fast, freezable, and most importantly a recipe your whole family will love. Skip all the way to the bottom of the post for this easy homemade pizza dough recipe, or skim through this post for
- [How We Afford To Travel: Tips for Prioritizing Family Travel](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/how-do-you-prioritize-and-afford-to-travel.html/) - This article shares how we afford to travel and quick tips about how you can too. I've always really enjoyed breaking up the monotony of everyday life and getting out of town for a few days, whether it be a family vacation growing up or to visit friends for a long weekend as an adult.
- [Child Safety: How Do You Make Sure Your Child's Friend's Home is Safe?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/03/how-do-you-make-sure-your-childs-friends-home-is-safe.html/) - This is a child safety article about keeping your child protected while visiting a friend's home. If your children are school-aged and enjoy spending time at their friends' homes that they meet at school, how do you ensure that their home is a safe environment before letting your child spend extended time there? This admittedly
- [Financial Responsibility: Why We Stopped Using Our Credit Card](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/03/why-we-stopped-using-our-credit-card.html/) - This article contains information about how we created a financial responsibility framework that works best for our family. I have preached loud and proud many times on the blog for the last several years about how much I love our Southwest Premier credit card; It has allowed us to travel to some amazing places thanks to
- [Madison, Alabama: 6 Reasons to Move to This Beautiful Town.](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/03/6-reasons-we-decided-to-move-to-madison-alabama.html/) - Deciding where to plant roots was a pretty easy decision for us; Madison, Alabama it would be. We decided about two years before Jamie's last day in the Army that we were going to be getting out of the active duty side of the house, so we spent a few months talking constantly about where
- [Valentines Day Date Ideas that Don't Involve Hiring a Babysitter](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/02/valentines-day-date-ideas.html/) - Here are some of my favorite Valentines Day Date Ideas As cheesy and "Hallmark-y" as the holiday is, Valentines Day really is a great opportunity to shower those around you with a little bit of extra intentional love - especially your significant other. If you'd like to enjoy this minor "holiday" with your spouse but
- [Finding a Church Home: How We Navigated Through the Church Search](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/how-we-navigated-through-the-church-search.html/) - Note: This article contains information about finding a church home. I know that all of my blog readers aren't Christians and come from many different faith backgrounds, beliefs, etc. If we differ, I have a little inclusive note for you at the bottom of this post. <3 Finding a new church last year when we moved
- [Afternoon Quiet Time Tips  for Kids Ages 1-5](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/02/how-we-successfully-navigate-afternoon-quiet-time-for-kids-ages-1-5.html/) - Here are my top afternoon quiet time tips that I use for my little ones. Having good infant sleepers is not something that I can add to my motherhood resume, but toddler/preschool sleep is my JAM. "They" (whoever "they" is) always say that if it's one kid who is being difficult with something, it's probably
- [Family-Friendly Vacation: Top Reasons to Vacation in Grand Cayman](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/10-reasons-to-take-kids-on-vacation-to-grand-cayman.html/) - When we booked our family-friendly vacation to Grand Cayman last October, we knew next to nothing about the island. I knew that it was beautiful after seeing a few pictures on Instagram from Amanda's family vacation there over fall break, but otherwise we were clueless. We decided to travel there and make it our 2019
- [Family Travel Tips for Your Next Vacation](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/03/a-gigantic-list-of-reviews-and-recommendations-for-your-next-vacation.html/) - This article contains my favorite family travel tips, recommendations, and reviews. After 11+ years of traveling together (!), Jamie and I have nailed down pretty well what makes us irritated when we travel. Because travel for leisure is just that - for leisure - our motto is that we want to cut out as many
- [Cheap Flights on Delta: How to Find the Best Travel Deals](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/how-to-find-cheap-flights-on-delta.html/) - This article contains information on how to find cheap flights on Delta. I'm not sure if I talked about this on the blog, but I very briefly shared on Instagram Stories a few days ago that the only reason we initially booked a trip to Grand Cayman over other islands is because of the cheap
- [Four Treats in Four Hours to Bake, Package, and Give this Week on a Whim](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/12/christmas-treats.html/) - "Holiday Baking Days" are generally not a part of our December traditions, but 2020 found us having two this year: one for our kids (holy flour and sprinkle explosion!) and one for just me. All alone. In my kitchen. With no little fingers and extra messes to worry about. *Ahem* - maybe the mess was
- [Tips For Eating More Meals at Home (Without Weekly Meal Planning)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/6-tips-for-eating-more-meals-at-home-without-weekly-meal-planning.html/) - This article contains tips for eating more meals at home. Well, no snow here in north Alabama today. Jamie is thrilled because a "snow day" would have meant diving into his PTO time, but the girls and I were looking forward to a neighborhood snowball fight. ;) Oh well! That's Alabama weather for ya! Today's
- [Annie the Brave: STEM-Inspired Dresses for Girls is Here!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/annie-the-brave.html/) - This article contains information about Annie the Brave Clothing Line. I so vividly remember the first time my precious friend Chelsea shared that she had a big, scary secret to share: She was taking her very first baby steps toward designing her own clothing line for girls. SHE HAD MY ATTENTION! Long story short, her
- [Stitch Fix Maternity Review #29: May 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/05/stitch-fix-maternity-review-29-may-2019-a-25-credit-for-you.html/) - Stitch Fix Maternity Review: This post is written in partnership with Stitch Fix, a brand I have loved, supported, and written about on my own for nearly five years. Thank you to so many of you who have given this service a whirl as well! I know so many of you love it as much
- [Hooked On Phonics Review: Teaching Our Child to Read](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/05/hooked-on-phonics-learn-to-read.html/) - This Hooked On Phonics review covers how old our children are, why we love this program so much, how much time it takes to use it, and how interested our children are. I truly hope this review is helpful! Thanks so much for reading. If you want the key to our five year old's heart,
- [Remodel VS. New Construction: A List of Pros and Cons](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/fixer-upper-vs-new-construction.html/) - This blog post shares our experiences with living in a remodel vs. new construction home. As a prior military family, we have had a number of home experiences which helped us make the current best decision for our family regarding our most recent home purchase. I hope this post is helpful in sorting out your
- [Bring a Stuffed Animal to Work Day: A Free, Sweet Parenting Idea](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/08/a-free-sweet-parenting-idea-bring-the-stuffed-cat-or-other-beloved-item-to-work-day.html/) - Here's a free, sweet parenting idea: bring a stuffed animal to work. Last week Jamie did the cutest thing for Hadley that made her think she has the greatest dad in the world (she does), and I thought the idea was too cute not to share with you all too! After he dropped her off
- [Fruit Dip Recipe: Best Two-Ingredient Recipe for Your Next Potluck](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/07/two-ingredient-fruit-dip-recipe.html/) - This easy peasy two-ingredient fruit dip recipe takes just a couple minutes to whip together and is sure to be a hit at your next shower, barbecue, or even as a sweet treat you keep in the refrigerator all to yourself. Enjoy! If you're like me, you generally select what to bring to a potluck
- [Four Months of Homeschooling: Some Thoughts](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/12/four-months-of-homeschooling.html/) - I'm not going to lie - I just wrote that title and had to stop and think about if it's really been four months since school started. Have we really survived? Have we really made it a full semester? Are we for real still doing this thing? We are, we are, we are! I cannot
- [Modsy Review: The Online Interior Design Service We Tried Out](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/09/modsy-review.html/) - This Modsy Review is unsponsored. About a year ago we started discussing our interest in doing a bit of a living room refresh, and just last week we finally bit the bullet and got our big pieces ordered! Wheeeee! It took a hot minute to save the moolah, but a lot of things took priority ahead
- [How to Cut a Pineapple: 5 Quick and Easy Steps](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/09/how-to-cut-a-pineapple.html/) - I don't want to insult anyone's intelligence here, but if you've never cut up a fresh pineapple, I'd love to show you a quick and easy way to do it! Jamie and I took a Costa Rican cooking class during our honeymoon years ago, and one thing the chef showed up was an incredibly easy
- [Fresh 48 Pictures | Mommy, Daddy, and Jillian at 24 Hours Old](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/09/fresh-48-pictures.html/) - This article contains information about fresh 48 pictures. Our stay in the mother/baby unit following Jillian’s birth was quiet, and was by far my favorite hospital stay out of the three deliveries. These images capture really well the calm we experienced during our first full day in the hospital with our girl. It was mostly
- [Acts of Kindness: Stories of Immense, Unforgettable Acts of Goodwill.](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/09/acts-of-kindness.html/) - Acts of Kindness- To perform an act of contribution, help, kindness or share with someone if you know they need it. I've told this story a few times, but it was one of those pieces of advice that really sticks with you. After Sadie was born and I returned home to Kansas after delivering her
- [RugsUSA Jute Rug Review](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/10/juterugreview.html/) - RugsUSA Jute Rug Review: In this post, I discuss how long we've had these jute rugs, why we purchased them, how they've held up, what kind of foot traffic they see, how we clean them, and what the general upkeep is. Links are included as well for easy shopping. Enjoy! Last summer I purchased an
- [Southern Sleepovers Review: Throw The Perfect Kids' Sleepover Party](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/11/southern-sleepovers.html/) - This article is a review of my experience with Southern Sleepovers. On Friday night, we flipped our house upside down and celebrated Hadley's 6th birthday, sleepover style! Though Jamie and I really enjoy entertaining, we've never hosted a big birthday party for our girls at our home before. In the past, we've leaned more toward
- [Christmas Expectations: What Expectations Are We Setting For Our Family?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/12/why-why-you-should-shed-self-imposed-expectations-of-what-christmastime-should-look-like.html/) - This article is an inside look into how I'm managing my Christmas expectations. Every holiday season I go through some level of feeling that maybe we aren't quite "seizing the season" enough by enjoying all of the wonderful activities there are offered in our community for children. On any given day there are a handful of adventures we
- [A Beachy Thanksgiving in Gulf Shores, Alabama](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/12/thanksgiving-in-gulf-shores-alabama.html/) - Thanksgiving in Gulf Shores was a good, good idea! My mother-in-law suggested it a couple of months ago, and you didn't have to twist any of our arms too hard to get on down there! My in-laws rented a neat little house on the bay side, and the two of them, our family of five,
- [How Often Do You Go To Disney?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/12/howoftendoyougotodisney.html/) - How Often Do You Go To Disney? We were bitten by the "Disney bug" really hard after taking Hadley and Sadie to Disney World in March 2017. Jamie and I took them spontaneously when we saw an open long-weekend, and though we hoped we'd have a great time, neither of us expected to enjoy every
- [Kid-Friendly Meal Ideas : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner + Our Routines](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/12/our-kids-favorite-foods-breakfast-lunch-dinner-our-routines.html/) - This article is about kid-friendly meal ideas . Sometimes my favorite posts to write are the ones that I would personally like to read about myself, which is how I feel about this post today. While I originally thought the topic of our girls' favorite foods was one of the more boring topics I've ever
- [Little Things to Remember from our Thanksgiving 2020](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/11/thanksgiving-2020.html/) - It’s a quiet post-holiday Friday morning here, and I’m immensely enjoying being up before my loves, sipping coffee on the couch with the fireplace on, and typing this. (Long-time readers already know that Teddy is snuggled up firmly against my leg.) I usually size myself up as an extrovert because I love being with my
- [How To Create A Diamond Accent Wall](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/03/creating-a-diamond-accent-wall.html/) - This article shows you how to create a diamond accent wall. Hello, hello! This post is just a few months overdue, but I'm happy today to finally share how to create a diamond accent wall. It was completed back in November as part of our total living room overhaul, but I thought it deserved a
- [Five Things Every New Military Spouse Should Do](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/new-military-spouse.html/) - This article contains is five things every new military spouse should do. Thank you Operation In Touch for sponsoring today's post! Jamie and I were talking recently about all of the excitement that went on at West Point last month surrounding graduation and commissioning activities. Jamie and my brother-in-law Josh are members of the class of 2010, and
- [Breastfeeding and Formula Supplementation: What's Working For Us](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/11/breastfeeding-and-formula-supplementation-whats-working-for-us.html/) - This article contains information about Breastfeeding and Formula Supplementation. It blows my mind how many different ways there are for a mom to feed her newborn in 2019. Exclusive breastfeeding, exclusive pumping, exclusive formula feeding, exclusive breastfeeding with introduction of the bottle down the road, but that’s in that bottle could be pumped milk or
- [Favorite Amazon Purchases from the Last Six Months](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/our-favorite-amazon-purchases-from-the-last-six-months.html/) - This article contains a complete list of our favorite amazon purchases from the last six months. One of my plans for the day was the do a quick write-up about our family's favorite Amazon purchases from the last six months or so, so I found it funny that random Amazon purchases came up in conversation
- [5 Outdoor Baby Swing Options](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/03/baby-swing-options.html/) - This article contains 5 outdoor baby swing options for your home. Happy first day of Spring! With the weather hopefully warming up, you may be itching to get outside more (we sure are!) Having a little baby swing to plop Jillian in while we've been outside hanging in our backyard has been so wonderful throughout the
- [36 Last Minute Gift Ideas for Men, Women, and Kids](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/12/36-last-minute-gift-ideas-for-men-women-and-kids.html/) - This articles contains last minute gift ideas for Christmas. I don't know if you'd technically say that buying gifts nine days before Christmas would be considered "last minute", but if you like to do all of your shopping online like me, nine days to go is definitely teetering on "last minute" if you want
- [How to Paint Trim White](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/how-to-paint-wooden-trim.html/) - This post is a doozy, but I'm so pumped to finally share with you (after a load of trial and error) how to paint trim white and freshen and brighten up your entire home! How to Paint Trim White I can't even believe I'm about to type this, but every inch of oak trim in
- [Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls: A Quick and Easy Tutorial](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/air-fryer-cinnamon-rolls.html/) - Air fryer cinnamon rolls are so easy and fast and a perfect example of why every single kitchen needs an air fryer! Enjoy! If you have an and a package of store-bought cinnamon rolls, then you're ready to have a sweet, hot breakfast on the table for your crew in six minutes flat! Let's go!
- [Indulgent Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Homemade Buttercream Icing](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/carrot-cake-cupcakes-with-homemade-buttercream-icing.html/) - This recipe for carrot cake cupcakes is about to become a staple in your home. The minced carrots make them incredibly moist, and the homemade buttercream icing is literally the icing on top! Your friends and family will be asking for the recipe after the first bite (I've given it out at BBQs dozen of
- [Why We Decided to Build a New Home](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/11/why-we-decided-to-build-a-new-home.html/) - Good morning! I'm writing this post in real-time like I used to do in the Stone Ages of blogging. It's currently 5:02 a.m. and I'm weirdly wide awake after an exhausting weekend (I crashed early last night). Jamie is fixing me a cup of coffee and then he'll head to the garage to work out
- [Where Do I Begin? + the First Three Days of HOMESCHOOL!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/08/where-do-i-begin-the-first-three-days-of-homeschool.html/) - Well hello my friends! It's been a hot minute since I've logged in to chat here, but I have a bit of a pep in my step today after a pretty stinkin' great week, and if nothing else, I want to document it. Most of you know the story behind my blog title, but if
- [A Birthday Letter to Mom on Her 50th Birthday](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2012/09/to-my-mom-on-your-50th-birthday.html/) - This birthday letter to mom was written and shared with her on her 50th birthday. I share with her all of the qualities that I admire and hope to emulate. I hope she will always treasure my words, as I will always treasure my relationship with her. To my mom, with love, on your
- [Los Altos de Eros: Our Dream Honeymoon in Costa Rica](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2012/06/our-belated-honeymoon-in-costa-rica.html/) - I am so excited to share with you a Los Altos de Eros review, a true slice of Heaven here on Earth. Read on to discover why the food, activities, views, people, and more make this your perfect destination vacation spot. There is no combination of positive adjectives to adequately describe in this Los Altos
- [A Birthday Letter to My Dad, With Love, On Your 50th](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2012/03/a-note-to-my-dad-on-his-50th-birthday.html/) - I wrote this birthday letter to Dad on his 50th birthday. It captures all of my pure thoughts on how and why I admired him in that moment in time. This letter is a treasure to both of us. Happy birthday, Dad. I love you. A birthday letter to Dad, with love, on your 50th
- [Boston Marathon Training Plan](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/08/boston-marathon-training-plan.html/) - This Boston Marathon Training Plan was followed and completed by a 2014 male finisher. This was his eight full marathon, so this training plan was very intentionally made. It can be used to follow a slew of other marathons too. Please let us know if you have any questions! Helloooo! Happy Friday! Today my sweetest
- [The Story I Never Imagined I'd Have to Tell: What We've Learned After Our Daughter's Near Drowning Accident](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/story-never-imagined-id-tell-weve-learned-daughter-nearly-drowned.html/) - A couple weeks ago I experienced the most painful 30 seconds of my entire life - I thought our two year old daughter was dying. My husband screamed a sound I've never heard him make. We saw her floating face down in a hot tub, and the sheer horror of seeing her blue, seemingly lifeless
- [Our Daughters' Hall Bathroom Makeover: A Quick Weekend Project](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/05/our-daughters-hall-bathroom-makeover-a-quick-weekend-project.html/) - Tell the DeSpains to stay home for the next few weeks (errr, months!) and we'll get ourselves neck-deep in more projects than we know what to do with! We've lived in our home for just over two years, which has given us enough time to envision how we want to put our own touch on
- [My First Experience Framing with Smallwoods Home](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/04/smallwoods-homes.html/) - Anyone else throwing themselves into house projects as a way of coping/distracting themselves this month? Home-related things have been a pretty solid go-to for me lately, and I've heard that by the crowds at Home Depot and Lowe's, I'm not alone. A fly on the wall would probably think I'm ridiculous for how often I've
- [Finally Launching My New Website](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/05/finally-launching-my-new-website.html/) - It felt SO GOOD to finally rip the Band-Aid off last Friday and wake up to see that "Coming Soon" countdown replaced with a full-functioning website on AllThingsMadison.com. It was the culmination of months of hard work and tons of time (at least 15 hours a week just on that site), so to see it
- [Sadie's 4th Birthday and Parade](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/04/sadies-4th-birthday-and-parade.html/) - Over the weekend, we celebrated Sadie turning four and fabulous! And my goodness, was the weekend fabulous. Just browsing through my pictures selecting which ones to include in this post made me feel so happy; We made some very special memories. For Sadie's birthday this year, she asked for a High Point Climbing Gym birthday
- [Aspects of Life Right Now | April 17th, 2020](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/04/aspects-of-life-right-now-april-17th-2020.html/) - Good morning! I hope you've had a nice week despite the continually wonky circumstances. This is the first post that I've been able to make time to sit down and crank out in over a week, and it feels good to do so. Today I'd like to do a bit of a "brain dump" that
- [A Sunny Springtime Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/04/a-sunny-springtime-weekend.html/) - Hello, hello! I'm writing this real time from my bed at 5:56 a.m. on Monday, hot off an enjoyable weekend. The springtime weather seemed to act as a natural mood booster and forced us outside into our yards from nearly sun up to sun down both Saturday and Sunday. In an effort to document more
- [TableTopics To Start Conversation](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/04/tabletopics-to-start-conversation.html/) - I've shared before that we have a dinner party routine in our home when guests join us: I ask them to humor me and answer a few questions from our TableTopics cube. I usually inconspicuously reach for it once everyone has finished eating (we keep it nearby on our sideboard) but before anyone starts getting
- [The Last Weekend in March](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/03/the-last-weekend-in-march.html/) - By day #4 of quarantine (that was already two weeks ago - wow!), I had a zillion thoughts swirling through my head about how these events already had many thick silver linings. Usually when I have deep thoughts like this, my fingers ache to type them out and share. I held back though because I
- [On the 12th Day of Quarantine...](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/03/on-the-12th-day-of-quarantine.html/) - It's Wednesday morning here, staring ahead at the 12th day of quarantine since all of this went bananas a couple weeks ago. On Friday, March 12th, when it was announced that schools were closing and going into quarantine was strongly suggested, we charged ahead with our women's night at church and then (unknowingly) said goodbye
- [Our Quarantine Daily Rhythm + Recent Amazon Recommendations](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/03/our-quarantine-daily-rhythm-recent-amazon-recommendations.html/) - Hello, hello! How are you doing with "social distancing"? I've seen some funny memes going around about the differences between introverts ("I've been training for this my whole life!") and extroverts ("My life is oveeeer.") and how they're likely handling this in opposite ways. I fall somewhere in the middle and have been going back
- [Slice of Life: March 14th, 2020](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/03/slice-of-life-march-14th-2020.html/) - LONG time, no "Slice of Life"! While blogging is a top priority in my life, other "top" priorities have eaten up my time in big ways lately. We've been having lots of fun and life has been good, but finding time to sit down and chat about it all has just been a bit tougher
- [My Orangetheory Pregnancy: How I Kept Up and Why It Paid Off](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/08/working-out-while-pregnant-orangetheory.html/) - Ahhh, this post is one that I always knew I would write but had no idea what kind of words would fill it, mainly because my Orangetheory pregnancy felt somewhat like an experiment. I didn't do much intentional exercise during my first two pregnancies, so I was curious how fitness would impact me during my
- [Launching A New Website and New Business](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/03/launching-a-new-website-and-new-business.html/) - Here we go!! Ahhhh, I just need to sit in my bed right now and do some storytelling, you guys. I want to document this wild couple of months and share my thought process as to how all of this came to be! Did you catch on social media yesterday (either on my personal Facebook
- [January 2020 Stitch Fix Review #30](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/january-2020-stitch-fix-review.html/) - Haaaaappy Friday! And if a three-day weekend is on your horizon thanks to MLK Jr., then happy long weekend to you! Whoop! I have a Stitch Fix review for you today! Can you believe it? Many of you probably assumed that I wasn't a customer with them anymore or that maybe I'd just given up
- [How to Play High Low Buffalo: A Conversation Starter with Your Children](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/10/how-to-play-high-low-buffalo.html/) - How to Play High Low Buffalo: This family conversation starter is an easy way to encourage children and adults alike to open up about their day and what made them happy, sad, or interested. It's low pressure and something you can do any time, anywhere! Our family has been playing a game called High Low
- [10 Reasons You Need a Financial Advisor](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/11/10-reasons-to-use-a-financial-advisor.html/) - In this post, readers will discover 10 reasons you need a financial advisor. From retirement oversight to stock market advice to general daily budgeting, a financial advisor is an unbiased resource who desires to help your family get back on track and stay on track financially. The idea of writing financial posts makes me snicker
- [New Family Gym + Fitness Routines](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/02/new-family-gym-fitness-routines.html/) - Anyone who has read my blog even a few times knows that my 5 a.m. Orangetheory class is one of my favorite things (I didn't say my 4:20 alarm was though!) I have been attending this class 3-4x a week since April 2018 and could list off a handful of ways that it's made my
- [Pottery Barn Loralie Spindle Armchair Review](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/02/pottery-barn-loralie-spindle-armchair-review.html/) - In this Pottery Barn Loralie Spindle Armchair review, I share how long we've had these chairs, the fabric selection we chose, how we primarily use the chairs, what throw pillows we pair with them, and more. We are highly satisfied with the Pottery Barn Loralie armchairs that we purchases for our home and hope this
- [Concerns I Had About Having Three Kids](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/02/concerns-i-had-about-having-three-kids.html/) - When Jamie and I were in the thick of it with trying to decide whether to have a third baby or not, we were in good company. The more we talked openly with close friends and family about the decision, the more we heard from others that they struggled (or were/are currently struggling) with the
- [Cheers to 80 Years: Grandma's Birthday Party](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/02/cheers-to-80-years-grandmas-birthday-party.html/) - If you know Grandma, YOU KNOW GRANDMA. She is sassy, loud, hilarious, and so much fun. She has a thick New York accent and absolutely no filter. At her core, she loves to have fun and be the life of the party. With her 80th birthday falling on a Saturday this year (February 15th), the
- [Two Parks, One Day: 12 Hours at the Universal Orlando Theme Parks](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/02/universal-orlando-theme-parks.html/) - In this post I share many details about our day at the Universal Orlando theme parks, including information about a helpful app, wait times, crowded and light areas, and more. Enjoy! These parks are truly so much fun for the whole family. I hope you find this post helpful in your vacation planning. About a
- [Five Days in the Sunshine State](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/02/five-days-in-the-sunshine-state.html/) - HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, LOVES! Hadley told Jamie on the way to school yesterday that Valentines Day is her favorite holiday. When Jamie scratched his head and asked why, she said because it's all about showing love to other people. YOU WIN, HADLEY. I love that. We admittedly have never gotten to into this holiday. I
- [One Simple Change That's Helping Me Tackle Laundry More Efficiently](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/02/one-simple-change-thats-helping-me-tackle-laundry-more-efficiently.html/) - My personality craves efficiency, so I'm constantly revising my routines to get day-to-day tasks done faster and easier. With every life change (i.e. new baby, new work load, new home, etc.) comes a change to how to efficiently get things done, and my laundry routine was one that needed to be overhauled after the birth
- [How Much Do You Spend on Groceries and Dining Out?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/grocery-budget-for-family-of-five.html/) - In this post I break down our grocery budget for our family of five (*ahem* what we actually spend on groceries) and what we actually buy that is included in that budget. I share exactly what we spent in the month of January throughout various grocery trips as well as what we spent on dining
- [Pottery Barn York Sofa Review: Everything You Need to Know Before You Purchase](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/pottery-barn-york-sofa-review.html/) - In this Pottery Barn York sofa review, I share about all of the options we selected for our sofa, why we chose Pottery Barn, how long we waited for delivery, if it's met my high expectations, and what it's like having an ivory sofa with three children under six years old. I'll be updating this
- [The Design Process & Reveal of Our Living Room Overhaul](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/living-room-overhaul.html/) - If you didn't already know that I am a planner to the core and over-think almost everything in my life, you absolutely will after this post. :) See, when Erica wants a new couch, Erica doesn't just go to a few furniture stores to pick out a couch (insert Jamie's palm to forehead because he
- [The Two Pairs of Shoes Your Little Ones Need this Spring](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/two-pairs-shoes-little-ones-need-spring.html/) - My girls' shoe collections look a lot like mine; The collections are not very big, but they're full of shoes that we love wearing, that last, and that don't cause much fuss. When I buy a pair of shoes, I want to get some longevity out of them as well as find them comfortable and
- [Slice of Life: January 24th, 2020](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/slice-of-life-january-24th-2020.html/) - Hello, hello! HAPPY FRIDAY. :) I hope you've had a great week. I don't know about you though, but I am thrilled it's Friday. We're looking at a weekend with very few plans, and I am simply craving the downtime that I'm about to have with my girly trio. I shared bits and pieces of
- [Slice of Life: January 23rd, 2020](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/slice-of-life-january-23rd-2020.html/) - It's the first "Slice of Life" post in 2020, which is a bit ironic because there's not a single picture in this post that's actually from this year. ;) We're going to rewind just a big to mid-December 2019 and catch up on some random life happenings that haven't made it to the blog yet.
- [Chrysler Pacifica Review After 10 Months of Ownership](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/chrysler-pacifica-review.html/) - This Chrysler Pacifica review will share with you why we selected it over other comparable vehicles, why it's been so helpful when driving around young children, and specifics about the features that we feel are made with families in mind. Enjoy! I swore that I would never get a minivan, but then we found out
- [All About Our Sweet Jillian at the Six Month Mark](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/all-about-our-sweet-jillian-at-the-six-month-mark.html/) - Jillian is a whopping six months old! Half a year! And man oh man, does she know how to make me us very happy parents. I'm not sure I've done many (any??) posts where I share updates specifically about Jillian, but today I want to zero in on all things related to our "oops caboose"
- [An Enjoyable Weekend With Friends](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/an-enjoyable-weekend-with-friends.html/) - This past weekend was the kind that left me feeling grateful and immensely happy by the end of it. Despite a fever for Sadie, a tornado warning in the middle of a baby shower, and Jamie drilling with the Reserve both Saturday and Sunday, it was still just the absolute sweetest few days. On Friday
- [Quiet Your Mind | Destin, Florida December 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/quiet-your-mind-destin-florida-december-2019.html/) - Last month, just three days after Christmas, all three girls and I packed our suitcases once again and headed down I-65 to Destin, Florida. My parents own a timeshare in Orlando that they frequently trade in their points for to use at other properties. For the third year in a row, they've booked a condo in
- [A Reintroduction + "Who Are You?" (Year Three!)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/a-reintroduction-who-are-you-year-three.html/) - For the first time in my adult life, I don't have any major life events looming this year. No deployments, no moving to a new state, no buying or selling homes, no pregnancies, no new babies. One (or more) of these things has happened every year since 2009, but 2020 is looking much more quiet.
- [A Few Things You Didn't Know About Jamie (In Honor of His Birthday)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/12/a-few-things-you-didnt-know-about-jamie-in-honor-of-his-birthday.html/) - Tomorrow (Monday) is a day where the holiday season takes a complete pause and we focus on our #1 guy. December 23rd is the big 3-2 for my love. Some people like to call him Mr. Whimsical September, and for some reason he doesn't mind. ;) We are the luckiest to call Jamie ours, so
- [Celebrating Jamie's 32nd Birthday](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/celebrating-jamies-32nd-birthday.html/) - Jamie is his mom's little Christmas Eve Eve baby with a December 23rd birthday, and over the years we have found many benefits to his birthday being right before Christmas. :) By this point in the holiday season, we actually welcome the day where "no Christmas activities are allowed" and we focus solely on Jamie's
- [Christmas & New Years Eve Shenanigans 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/christmas-new-years-eve-shenanigans-2019.html/) - December went by in a complete flash for our family. Like, if I didn't write this blog post and record some special memories in our , I'm not sure I would remember a thing about Christmas this year because it all really felt like a blur. Whew! By the time we got back from our
- [Stitch Fix Kids Review: Hadley and Sadie's First Boxes](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/stitch-fix-kids.html/) - I can't believe I'm writing a Stitch Fix Kids review! I'm smiling from ear to ear about it! I've been receiving boxes for 3.5 years (!!), Jamie's now received four boxes, and so it just seems fitting that the girls' clothing needs can now be met this way too. It's a whole family affair, and
- [An Honest Stitch Fix for Men Review Four "Fixes" Later](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/an-honest-stitch-fix-for-men-review-four-fixes-later.html/) - Choo Choo; All DeSpains aboard the Stitch Fix train! Though I love (!) Stitch Fix for my own clothing wants/needs (I've received over 30 boxes) and really like the kids' Stitch Fix boxes as well (Hadley received her second box a couple weeks ago and OMG cuteness), it's the Stitch Fix for Men service that I
- [Stitch Fix February 2019: Review #28](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/02/stitchfixreviewfebruary.html/) - You know what still thrills me about Stitch Fix, even after 4.5 years of receiving boxes?! There's almost always something inside the box that I want to wear immediately and that answers the "What will I wear to 'xyz' function?" question. For example, this sweater. I got my most recent Stitch Fix box on Wednesday,
- [The State of the Blog: LET'S DO THIS!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2020/01/the-state-of-the-blog-lets-do-this.html/) - Happy New Year!! Yesterday I sat down with a cup of coffee and a charged-up laptop to do some 2020 business goal-setting and planning. But you see, just that word "business" stirs up a variety of emotions for me. Is this really a business? I actually feel somewhat insecure in this area because I feel
- [2 0 1 9](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/12/2-0-1-9.html/) - At the conclusion of every year and beginning of the next, I always pray for the health of my loved ones. At the conclusion of the year, I continually find myself full of gratefulness that my loved ones are here and healthy, and at the start of the new year, my prayers typically revolve around
- [Slice of Life: December 12th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/12/slice-of-life-december-12th-2019.html/) - Well.... I have a few pictures for ya today. Quite a few. :) I was telling a friend recently that we basically spent April - September of this year laying lower than normal while trying not to over-commit or over-extend ourselves during the end of my pregnancy then into the beginning of our lives with
- [Seeing Frozen 2 + 12 Pieces of Frozen 2 Merchandise Under $25](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/11/seeing-frozen-2-12-pieces-of-frozen-2-merchandise-under-25.html/) - Have you seen Frozen 2 yet? I took Hadley and Sadie to see it on Saturday afternoon, and I loved it just as much (if not more) than they did! I thought the deeper storyline, the animation and special effects, and the music were all fantastic. I teared up a couple of times too, which
- [Slice of Life: November 25th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/11/slice-of-life-november-25th-2019.html/) - Today is a beautiful Monday morning here in north Alabama. It's a cloudless day with deep blue skies, in the 50s (perfect fall temps IMO!), and all three of my babes are happy at school (the big two) or with my mother-in-law (the baby). But I might be the happiest all of them because I
- [Slice of Life: November 23rd, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/11/slice-of-life-november-23rd-2019.html/) - Happy weekend! I am so behind with off-loading pictures from my phone onto this ole blog, but I'm going to do my best to play catch up because we've had some sweet happenings lately that I'd love to share here. :) I've taken monthly pictures of all three girls in this rocker, and one day
- [Mom & Jillian Roadtrip to Savannah](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/11/mom-jillian-roadtrip-to-savannah.html/) - Last Friday morning, Jillian and I hit the road and made the drive to Richmond Hill, Georgia (riiight next to Savannah!) to spend a couple quick days with Meg and her kiddos, Jack and Brynn. Her husband Chris recently deployed for nine months, so that gave me the push I needed to get in the
- [A Day in the Life #11: November 4th, 2019 (almost 6, 3.5, and 3.5 months)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/11/a-day-in-the-life-11-november-4th-2019-almost-6-3-5-and-3-5-months.html/) - 11 "Day in the Life" posts! 11! I did my first post like this when Hadley was eight months old and have continued to do two per year, and now here we are with #11. Time flies, but I love skimming through these posts and watching our kids grow up. I've been meaning to do
- [Here Comes the Bride (and her Groom), the Happiest Hermione, and a Squishy Pumpkin](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/11/here-comes-the-bride-and-her-groom-the-happiest-hermione-and-a-squishy-pumpkin.html/) - Halloween felt short and sweet and overall successful. We braved the brutal temps, watched the big girls run around with glee, and then all collapsed in bed at the end of the day. We made some really happy memories to tuck away and always remember, which makes me joyful to think about. I often wonder
- [A Rainy but Mega Sweet Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/10/a-rainy-but-mega-sweet-weekend.html/) - I can't remember the last good rainy day we've had here in north Alabama, but this weekend we had two days in a row of glorious steady rain combined with comfortable, mild temperatures. Jamie and I really enjoy a good rainy weekend every now and then because we find that it slows us down and
- [Reviewing New Products on the Market + Recommendations for You](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/10/reviewing-new-products-on-the-market-recommendations-for-you.html/) - One of the most fun, unexpected parts about running a lifestyle website and social channels is the opportunity to review Public Relations items. I believe the way this works is that entrepreneurs create a product and then hire PR firms or individuals to spread their product widely, hoping to get it into the hands of
- [Our Long Weekend in Indianapolis + How We Tackled Jillian's First Road Trip](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/10/our-long-weekend-in-indianapolis-how-we-tackled-jillians-first-road-trip.html/) - With Jillian hitting the three-month mark during the big girls' Fall Break from school, we decided a few weeks ago that it would be the perfect time to get out of town and head just a few hours north to Indianapolis to see some of Jamie's closest relatives. This would be our first road trip
- [Slice of Life: October 14th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/10/slice-of-life-october-14th-2019.html/) - Hello hello! I hope this post finds you well this mid-October Monday. Our crew spent a long weekend in Indianapolis with Jamie's extended family (he was born in Fishers, if you're familiar with the area!) and had a wonderful time. Looking forward to sharing a few pictures on the blog hopefully tomorrow since it was
- [September Moving Mayhem](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/10/september-moving-mayhem.html/) - Jamie and I have joked for months that we better have our popcorn popped and ready come September because there was going to be a show to watch with many of our closest family members. Ch-ch-ch-chaaaanges! My in-laws had their sights set on moving to our area from Austin, my parents (and grandmother) were embarking
- [Slice of Life: September 23rd, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/09/slice-of-life-september-23rd-2019.html/) - Happy Monday!! My house is so quiet right now and I'm loving it. (Most people assume I'm an extrovert, but I often recharge from and crave being solo and having silence.) The big girls are at school, Jillian went down for a nap like a champ, and now Mama is ready to spit out a
- [What Are You Saving For?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/09/what-are-you-saving-for.html/) - During a conversation with a group of girlfriends last week, the topic of financial savings and goals came up. In a "Round Robin" sort of way, everyone started casually sharing what their family is saving for or working towards. A couple girls mentioned purchasing new vehicles in the next year or two to accommodate their
- [10 Weeks as a Mother of Three: Some Storytelling](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/09/10-weeks-as-a-mother-of-three-some-storytelling.html/) - Jillian will be 10 weeks old on Thursday, and Jamie and I have found ourselves numerous times actually high-fiving each other for freaking DOING THIS. Like, WE ARE STILL ALIVE. And so are our kids. And we're HAPPY more often than overwhelmed. and RIGHT NOW we are in the newborn stage that found us completely
- [Jillian at One Hour Old: Family Photos](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/09/jillian-at-one-hour-old-family-photos.html/) - Our family has had professional photography taken numerous times since starting our family, and every single time the same thing happens: I initially struggle to justify spending the money (because the best photographers are never the cheapest, rightfully so), but then I beam with absolute delight over the images we get in return. They are
- ["Before and After" 1980s Home Tour](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/before-and-after-1980s-home-tour.html/) - We bought our house site unseen back in September 2014, and we fell totally in love when we did the walk through the day before we closed (We like living on the edge!) We immediately saw how it would work so well for our family, and we also could see huge potential for what we
- [Third Baby Preparations and Expectations](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/02/third-baby-expectations-and-preparations.html/) - Hello hello! How was your weekend? No matter where in the U.S. of A. we live, we've always been able to expect at least one February weekend to be surprisingly warm and springlike. I actually bought the girls their annual pairs of Native shoes last month in anticipation of the first warm weekend of 2019.
- [iTunes Radio Review: Why This Service is Worth Subscribing To](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/itunesradio.html/) - This iTunes Radio review shares the many reasons why we view this subscription service as worthwhile for our entire family. We've been subscribers for over three years and still continue to enjoy this service. I hope this is helpful in deciding whether to subscribe to this service yourself. Subscription services have been hot for years
- [Slice of Life: August 29th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/08/slice-of-life-august-29th-2019.html/) - Hi friends! How is your week going? Have any of you grabbed a Pumpkin Spice Latte yet? I heard they came out Tuesday, the earliest they've ever started serving them. I think I'm one of the only women in the country that hasn't ever had one. Ha! I didn't start enjoying coffee until two years
- [Slice of Life: August 28th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/08/slice-of-life-august-28th-2019.html/) - I really thought once the girls were back in school that I'd have more time to sit down and share on this blog. FUNNY JOKE! That has been far from the case. Here is a screenshot of a post I tried to work on last week that QUICKLY was interrupted by my sweet baby girl.
- [Convertible Dress Styles: How to Tie a Convertible Dress](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/9-ways-to-wear-a-convertible-maxi-dress.html/) - This post shares nine convertible dress styles and ways to tie it. A convertible dress is a perfect option for an formal event, whether it's a wedding, military ball, charity event, school formal, and more. This is also a wonderful bridal party option. Scroll to read more and draw inspiration about how to tie a
- [Oh Crap Potty Training Method: Days One & Two](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/01/potty-training.html/) - I read Oh Crap Potty Training before potty training both of my 25 month old daughters, and this Oh Crap Potty Training method worked beautifully with both of them. I cannot recommend it enough, especially if you have a weekend set aside that you can devote to and dive right in. Read on to hear
- [LG SideKick Review: Pros and Cons of our Washer and Dryer](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/02/lgtwin.html/) - This LG SideKick review shares the pros and cons of our washer and dryer. I will also show you up-close photos of the functions available on both units. I hope this is helpful! To see an additional review written after using this system for three years, click here. I quickly mentioned our new LG TWIN Wash
- [A Floral Pink and Gray Nursery for Jillian](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/pink-and-gray-nursery.html/) - Never have I ever loved interior design the way my heart pitter patters for creating my girls' nurseries. From the initial color scheme research to hanging the final piece of decor, I relish in the entire process! Since the only thing missing from her room at this point is her (c'moooon girlfriend!), I figured that
- [Sugar Dumplin: An Affordable Online Childrens Clothing Boutique](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/sugar-dumplins-affordable-online-childrens-clothing-boutique-girls-boys-giveaway.html/) - I've said before that one of my favorite things about writing a blog and reading other blogs is the opportunity it offers to share some of my favorite brands and products with a new audience, as well as learn about brands and products from others that I may have never heard about otherwise. If you know
- [Stitch Fix Buy New Colors Option and How It Works](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/07/the-buy-new-colors-brand-new-option-from-stitch-fix-im-obsessed-with.html/) - Weeeeeeell. I got myself in some trouble this week. ;) It all started when I logged into my Stitch Fix account to make sure I wasn't receiving a fix this month or next, because I need a few months to let my body figure itself out after Jillian comes. I see that I'm set to
- [On the Night Before You Were Born](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/07/on-the-night-before-you-were-born.html/) - It's 10:50 p.m., and your Grandma, two big sisters, and big brother Teddy are all sound asleep. The house is dark and quiet except for the sound of Sadie's white noise machine blaring from her room and your dad tinkering around in our room putting a few last-minute things in his hospital bag. He is
- [Orangetheory Price and Other Info to Know Before Signing Up](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/08/orangetheory-price.html/) - Boutique gyms with consistent class structure and instructors are popping up all over the world, and one of the biggest questions people ask me about my particular gym is the Orangetheory price. I'd love to jump right in and answer that specific question for you about the Orangetheory price, as well as share a few
- [Sending Hadley to Kindergarten + Sadie's First Day of 3K](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/08/sending-hadley-to-kindergarten-sadies-first-day-of-3k.html/) - Last Wednesday was Hadley's big day to finally throw on her new glow-in-the-dark unicorn backpack (this obsession with unicorns may kill me, haha) and march confidently into Kindergarten. She has been taking speech at her new school for a while now via our school system, so she's been more than ready to officially be a
- [Jillian's First Month: Joys, Challenges, Favorite Things, Etc.](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/08/jillians-first-month-joys-challenges-favorite-things-etc.html/) - On Sunday we reached the one month mark with our Jillian girl, and I have so many things (SO MANY THINGS!) that I want to spit out all at one time about the last month of our lives. I want to tell you about her and us and our big girls and our extended family
- [Slice of Life: August 1st, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/08/slice-of-life-august-1st-2019.html/) - It's been a hot minute since I cranked out a "Slice of Life" post, so I feel like this post should be split into two parts: before Jillian's birth and after (two super different worlds, haha!) I plan to do a post in a couple of weeks about Jillian's first month, so this post won't
- [A Much-Anticipated Family Reunion & Celebration](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/07/a-much-anticipated-family-reunion-celebration.html/) - Most of you know that I have a younger sister who I'm very close with who has lived in Germany with her husband and two kiddos for the last 2.5 years. On Saturday, after a wild few months (for them) trying to figure out when exactly they'd be moving back to the States, they finally
- [Jillian's Birth Story](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/07/jillians-birth-story.html/) - I was fascinated by reading birth stories when I was pregnant with Hadley years ago, so I made sure to write down my own birth story with her and shared it here on the blog. I then did the same with Sadie, and now here we are rounding things out with one more story: how
- [Welcome to Our World, Jillian Jamie](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/07/welcome-to-our-world-jillian-jamie.html/) - Last Thursday morning, our lucky little 7/11 baby girl made her grand entrance at 9:24 a.m. here in Madison, Alabama following a successful induction. (I hope to share the birth story soon, if you're interested.) She weighed in at 7lb 14oz and is 20" long. She has a head full of long, dark hair (our
- [Slice of Life: June 27th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/slice-of-life-june-27th-2019.html/) - Yesterday (Wednesday), I thought (!) it might be baby time. I had contractions that started around 7:30 a.m. (about 90 minutes after my last run at Orangetheory), and they stayed consistent for about five hours. The were uncomfortable but I could definitely talk through them. Thankfully I had an appointment that morning anyway, so they
- [June Gift Guide: 12 Ideas for All Kinds of Recipients](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/june-gift-guide.html/) - Gift giving is one of my favorite things to do, especially when I've found something that has me excited for the recipient to open. We've had a lot of special occasions the last few months that have had me running around town or scouring the internet in search of the perfect item(s), but there have
- [End-of-Pregnancy #3 Chit Chat](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/end-of-pregnancy-3-chit-chat.html/) - Happy Friday!! We've had a great week around here but are looking forward to a pretty quiet weekend. Jamie has drill (he doubled up on drill weekends this month so that he can take July off) but is always home by dinnertime. The girls and I have a few things we may get in to,
- [Miya's Visit, Jillian's Baby Sprinkle, and Father's Day 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/miyas-visit-jillians-baby-sprinkle-and-fathers-day-2019.html/) - Hello, hello! Hope you're having a great week so far! We're flying through June, which has me excited. Almost baby time! I know my postings have been pretty sporadic recently, so thanks for sticking with me and reading when you can. :) You know the quote "You can do anything, but not everything"? This feels
- [Slice of Life: June 3rd, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/slice-of-life-june-3rd-2019.html/) - May was an excellent month, full to the brim with all kinds of activities and events (this linked weekend was our best and busiest!), but June has a lot of wide open spaces on the calendar. Hallelujah! My plan is to have sloooow mornings with the kids, throw sundresses or swimsuits on and get out the
- [Slice of Life: June 4th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/06/slice-of-life-june-4th-2019.html/) - Hello, hello! I have another slice of our lives for ya today! If you missed yesterday's, you can back track here. I'm not sure I've had new posts on both Monday and Tuesday on any given week in a hot minute, but with the girls at VBS every evening this week, I've had a bit
- [All About Baby Girl #3's Name](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/05/all-about-baby-girl-3s-name.html/) - We've been calling our baby comfortably by name for months now (our family and closest friends have too!), so I feel 100% secure in moving forward with sharing a little bit about our little girl's name: Jillian Jamie DeSpain. Jillian!! (Insert a million hearts here because I'm so excited about the reality of our daughter that I
- [Are You Too Busy or Too Bored?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/05/are-you-too-busy-or-too-bored.html/) - Recently we had a few families over for dinner, and if you've been to a dinner party at my house, you know that my guests always have to humor me by playing along with my towards the end of the meal. (You know that lag time when everyone is full, but nobody wants to quite
- [12 Fun Places to Get Away](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/05/12-fun-places-to-get-away.html/) - Are you summer vacation planning? Looking down the road and wanting to plan a trip for the fall, the holidays, or maybe even next Spring Break? If you're in need of a getaway (who isn't?) and dreaming of where to head to escape it all, here is a list of 12 places where you will
- [Four Days of Mid-May Mayhem](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/05/four-days-of-mid-may-mayhem.html/) - Early last Thursday morning, Jamie and I hustled around the kitchen together making coffee, lunches, etc. and basically said "We are at the starting line of 90 insane hours, but WE CAN DO THIS and we will enjoy this!" I think sometimes the introverted sides of Jamie and me tend to get overwhelmed when our
- [A Mothers Day Right Up My Alley](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/05/a-mothers-day-right-up-my-alley.html/) - I always really enjoy blogging about how we spent special days/holidays even when we don't do anything extraordinary simply because it's these ordinary days that collectively make up our lives. (I have always absolutely loved the quote "How you live your days is how you live your life" because it's sooooo true.) I don't want
- [A Letter To My Military Spouse Soul Sisters, With Love](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/letter-military-spouse-soul-sisters-love.html/) - The Friday before Mother's Day is annually recognized as National Military Spouse Appreciation Day. I admittedly used to think this idea was kind of silly, but now I view it as an awesome, extra opportunity to celebrate some of the most incredible people I've been so fortunate to have in my life. A Letter to My
- [Slice of Life: June 11th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/slice-of-life-june-11th-2018.html/) - For some reason I couldn't wait to sit down and share a "Slice of Life" post with you today. There's nothing super special included in today's post, but I have come to just love going back through the pictures I've recently transferred from my phone to my computer and grabbing a few that are representative
- [9Round Versus Orangetheory: Similarities and Differences](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/9roundvsorangetheory.html/) - I risk sounding quite dramatic with my next statement, but joining 9Round in Manhattan, Kansas back in December was one of the top 10 best decisions of my life. I don't think I realized how stressed, overwhelmed, or "in a rut" I regularly felt (usually SAH mom related) until I realized how great I started
- [What is a Sip and See and How to Host One](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/how-to-host-a-sip-and-see.html/) - What is a Sip and See? I've heard this question many times the last couple years as I've prepared to throw them for my girlfriends. This post will answer all of your questions, including who is the ideal recipient, what kind of food you should serve, what to do about gifts, and more! Thanks for
- [Our "Coffee Fridge": A Review of the GE Profile with Keurig K-CUP Brewing System](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/05/geprofilekeurigkcup.html/) - I've had the best intentions for so long to share with you all about our "coffee fridge" that so many of you dubbed it last year when I first shared about it on Instagram. Maybe it's a good thing that it's taken me a hot minute to sit down and share about it because every
- [The New Weekday Routine We've Fallen Into](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/05/the-new-weekday-routine-weve-fallen-into.html/) - I wrote a post in 2017 outlining our daily rhythm, which was created out of necessity on the heels of my husband's 4th deployment. Not only did our kids do better when they had some semblance of what to expect each day, but I found that I enjoyed the toddler/preschool stage of motherhood much more
- [ISR Refresh Course: Sadie's Second Year of Lessons](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/05/isr-refresh-course-sadies-second-year-of-lessons.html/) - Sadie finished up her ISR refresh course last week and I thought I'd share a little bit about it for those of you with kiddos who may be interested in this topic. :) Most of you know that we are swim safety fanatics around here and I believe in ISR with every fiber of my
- [Happy Birthday to My First Born: A First Birthday Love Letter](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/11/a-first-birthday-letter-to-my-first-born.html/) - In my mind, today's post seems to carry so much more weight than most of my other posts because I know that someday my daughter will read it. My thought process is running a mile a minute, but I can't seem to get my fingers to type the "right" intro. I've known that I wanted
- [Transitioning from Co-Sleeping to Crib: Our Experience](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/transitioning-co-sleeping-crib.html/) - This post shares our own personal experience and journey with transitioning our second baby from co-sleeping to crib. All babies are so unique in their newborn sleeping ways, so please take our experience with a grain of salt and apply where you see fit. Thank you so much for reading and supporting my blog! I
- [Homemade Christmas Gifts for Grandparents: Six Thoughtful Ideas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/gift-guide-for-grandparents-6-homemade-gifts-from-kids.html/) - This post shares six fantastic homemade Christmas gifts for grandparents, most that I've had experience making with my own children. I can tell you from experience that these gifts are sure to bring big smiles to the recipients' faces. Enjoy! Out of all the gift guides coming out this month here on this site, I
- [Sausage and Noodles with Creamy Marinara Dinner Recipe](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/noodles-creamy-marinara-sausage-recipe.html/) - This dinner recipe combines sausage and noodles topped with the creamiest marinara sauce, making this dish incredibly easy but also insanely crowd-pleasing! Enjoy! If you keep up with my recipes around here, you may notice that their requirements frequently have two common denominators: very few ingredients and very little time. Win after win! I’m somewhat
- [How To Freeze Pancakes + Our Family's Pancake Recipe from Scratch](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/pancakes-scratch-recipe.html/) - Saturday morning pancakes from scratch our of jam and one of our favorite family traditions, so I'm excited to share in this post all about the recipe we use as well as how to freeze pancakes. We sincerely hope you enjoy! Considering how much I love pancakes, it's funny to think about how they've only
- [Shark Rocket Powerhead: A Review](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/shark-rocket-powerhead-a-review.html/) - This is a review of the Shark Rocket Powerhead, one of the best vacuums we have ever owned! We love this vacuum for so many reasons and still use it religiously four full years after we got it. Can't recommend enough! Read on to see why. With a growing family naturally comes a growing house,
- [What Activities Are Your Kids Doing this Summer?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/what-activities-are-your-kids-doing-this-summer.html/) - If you have kids of any ages who will be out of school this summer, what are you envisioning your summer will look like? Last year we didn't do any traveling as a family or sign up for any paid activities simply because we wanted to take the summer months to ease into our new
- [Slice of Life: April 29th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/slice-of-life-april-29th-2019.html/) - I really love springtime. Beautiful days are like a drug to me. I can't help but want to do everything outside: eat, hang out/talk with friends and family, mess with my flowers, go on walks, lounge on our covered patio (bonus points if it's raining, ahhhh), just everything. The pollen that tickles my nose makes
- [Pregnancy Chit Chat: Week 29](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/29-week-pregnancy-chit-chat.html/) - Happy Wednesday to you! I'm happy to sit down and do a little bit of documenting and share about how things are going this pregnancy, something I haven't really done much of since the conclusion of my first trimester. You may remember that I previously shared how difficult weeks 7-12 were. After opening up about
- [Sadie's 3rd Birthday Shenanigans + Easter 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/sadies-3rd-birthday-shenanigans-easter-2019.html/) - Last week was a flurry of one celebration after the next, with starting in Boston to watch my brother run the marathon on Monday and then Sadie turning three on Thursday, while also mixing in Easter activities nearly every day from Wednesday-Sunday. It was a super fun week, but let's just say my activity tracker
- [Subscribe and Save Deals vs. Walmart - August 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/subscribe-save-deals-vs-walmart-august-2017.html/) - This blog post is a part of a series I like to do which showcases my favorite Subscribe and Save deals! I hope you find some new products to add to your monthly delivery that end up saving you great money. Enjoy! Another month of Amazon packages, and another month where I'm covering my eyes
- [Tricare Prime Vs Standard: Our Experience Switching](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/02/switching-from-tricare-prime-to.html/) - This blog post compares similarities between Tricare Prime Vs Standard. My opinions here are simply based off of our own experiences and will vary from family to family. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you find this helpful! Let's talk about the three ring circus that is Tricare. Note: If you are
- [New England + the Boston Marathon in a Flash](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/new-england-the-boston-marathon-in-a-flash.html/) - Hello, hello! Happy Humpday to ya! My mother-in-law is here visiting for the week, so we're fixing to run out to grab lunch while the girls are at school before a completely full afternoon of dance, swim lessons, a few other random things, and finally a local community Easter egg hunt tonight at my best
- [Slice of Life: April 10th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/slice-of-life-april-10th-2019.html/) - I have a chunk of pictures to share today but not a lot of time to write up a bunch of words, so let's get to it and breeze through a slice of life from the last month or so. :) Most of these pictures are just little snapshots of my girls, with very few
- [One Year at Orangetheory Fitness (and Why I've Stuck With It Longer than Anything Else!)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/04/one-year-at-orangetheory-fitness-and-why-ive-stuck-with-it-longer-than-anything-else.html/) - I got an email on Tuesday celebrating my one year anniversary as an Orangetheory member. ONE FULL STINKIN' YEAR! This is HUGE for me because I've never stuck with a fitness regimen this long as an adult. In the last 11 years I've tried: regular big box gym memberships countless group fitness classes at aforementioned gyms
- [A Balanced, Enjoyable Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/03/a-balanced-enjoyable-weekend.html/) - I remember piddling around the kitchen with Jamie Friday morning as we both got ready for the day and discussed our shared enthusiasm for the quiet weekend coming up. Between traveling, his drill schedule, and other various commitments, we hadn't had a weekend to lay low at home together in a hot minute (at least
- [Grand Cayman / Part Three: Stingray City, Starfish Point, and More](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/03/grand-cayman-part-three-stingray-city-starfish-point-and-more.html/) - Thanks so much for keeping up with these vacation recap posts! I really want them to be helpful and informative (or maybe just entertaining?), but I also selfishly have added a few extra pictures and stories for our own memory keeping. For this reason, I apologize for posts that are a bit longer than usual!
- [Our Family Vacation to Grand Cayman / Part Two: Rum Point](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/03/our-family-vacation-to-grand-cayman-part-two-rum-point.html/) - My neighbor sent me a message recently asking me who helped us research for and book our recent trip to Grand Cayman, and it made me smile because I planned this trip 100% by myself. While Jamie helped me pick the trip location and timing, all of the logistics fell into my arena, and I
- [Our Family Vacation to Grand Cayman / Part One: Seven Mile Beach](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/03/our-family-vacation-to-grand-cayman-part-one-seven-mile-beach.html/) - Well, I have so much that I could say about our recent vacation to Grand Cayman that I'm honestly not even quite sure where to begin. (I feel like this is usually either a really good or not so good thing!) To sum things up right off the bat, it's easy for both Jamie and
- [Our Experience with ISR Swim Lessons](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/finishing-isr-a-video.html/) - I vividly remember the first time I saw an ISR swim (Infant Swimming Resource) video. My Kansas bestie Meg had put her infant son Jack through the program (before we met them) during their time stationed at Fort Rucker (Alabama), and she showed me a video of him finding his way to the top of
- [Our Shared Home Office Space: A Look Inside](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/03/shared-home-office.html/) - We downsized about 500 sq. ft. from our Kansas to our Alabama home, so we thankfully had an excess amount of furniture and decor to fill our new space until we decide to focus more intentionally on decorating each nook and cranny of the house to fit this specific home. The only room I've worked
- [Dear Mama Whose Heart is Twisted About Having a Second Baby](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/dear-mama-whose-heart-twisted-going-one-two.html/) - A few months ago my two year old daughter and I were driving home from dinner with friends, and as we pulled onto our street a lump formed in my throat and big tears began to stream down my face; I realized that tonight was our last night ever just the two of us to do
- [Slice of Life: March 4th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/03/slice-of-life-march-4th-2019.html/) - Hello, hello! How was your weekend? Ours was a steady combination of relaxing (Friday evening), crazy busy (Saturday), and productive (Sunday), so I'd say ours was a-okay. We traveled to Atlanta (just under a four hour drive each way) the last two weekends, so it felt good to hang around town this weekend. I have
- [New(ish) Baby Items On My Radar](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/02/newish-baby-items-on-my-radar.html/) - It's been six years since I created my baby registry during my pregnancy with Hadley, so it's safe to say that things have evolved quite a bit since then! While some tried-and-true items are still frequently used by new parents due to their timeless, proven function (like this that both of our girls lived in!),
- [My Feature in the Thriving Military Wife Series (+ How to Sign Up to Watch!)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/02/my-feature-in-the-thriving-military-wife-series-how-to-sign-up-to-watch.html/) - Hello, hello! It's currently Thursday morning, and Sadie, Teddy, and I are all sitting about as close together as we can while we watching Hotel Transylvania 3 on this rainy day (and I type away on this post of course!) I love Thursday mornings SO much because it's the one morning a week where Sadie and
- [18 Deep Discounts on Kids' Items Right Now from Nordstrom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/02/18-deep-discounts-on-kids-items-right-now-from-nordstrom.html/) - I was poking around online this morning looking for a new sports bra (I ordered because everything from Zella is gold considering the moderate price tags) and saw that Nordstrom has some pretty deep discounts going on for men, women, and kiddos. I decided to quickly round up a few items from the kids section
- [A Weekend Surrounded By Friends & Fish](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/02/a-weekend-surrounded-by-friends-fish.html/) - Our Presidents Day Weekend was one we won't soon forget! It was chock-full of friends, family, and some big, big fish, but it was also filled with some sorrow too. On Friday night, Jamie's uncle passed away from a hard-fought battle with cancer, and though it wasn't unexpected, it was still a somber evening around
- [Slice of Life: February 15th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/02/slice-of-life-february-15th-2019.html/) - When I was browsing through my phone looking for pictures to grab for this "Slice of Life", I realized that my "videos to pictures" ratio is about 4:1. Ha! We've been boppin' all over the place lately, but I have just a few pictures to show for it. Such is becoming more and more routine
- [A Day in the Life | February 4th, 2019 (H: 5YO and S: almost 3YO)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/02/a-day-in-the-life-february-4th-2019-h-5yo-and-s-almost-3yo.html/) - Ahhhh, time for a bi-annual "Day in the Life" post. :) My love for going back and re-reading these posts gives me more than enough fuel to continue publishing them twice a year like I have since 2014. Watching our girls grow up before my very eyes as I click from one "Day in the
- [Stitch Fix November 2018: Review #27](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/stitch-fix-november-2018-review-27.html/) - I have been meaning to update you about my last fix, in which I requested FIVE PAIRS OF SHOES! I was hurtin' pretty bad for some new fall/winter shoes, so I figured letting Stitch Fix pick some for me to try was more fun than going to the store. Well, that request fell a bit
- [Slice of Life: January 28th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/slice-of-life-january-28th-2019.html/) - Our January has been a good one, not only because we've celebrated some fun events, but also due to my health significantly improving from December. I shared in a previous "Slice of Life" that my first trimester wrecked me mentally and physically for about six weeks, and during that time I remember thinking "I will
- [We're Having a ...! Pictures from a Phenomenal Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/were-having-a-pictures-from-a-phenomenal-weekend.html/) - Well this past weekend was pretty stinkin' wonderful. It was full of good food, family and friends, and some pretty great surprises, which all left my heart feeling the fullest it's felt in a while. Here are a few pictures and stories! On Saturday morning, we threw a gender reveal party with our parents and
- [New Baby = DeSpains Need a New Car](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/new-baby-despains-need-a-new-car.html/) - First of all, THANK YOU for the comments you all left yesterday on my post. I wasn't expecting the feedback I received AT ALL. In fact, I was moreso expecting complete crickets due to my sheer rambling (that I thought might come across as confusing and unorganized; I'm not saying it wasn't.) ;) As a
- [A Pivot Point](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/a-pivot-point.html/) - If you and I were sitting down in my living room cross-legged on the couch, sipping coffee, wearing lounge clothes, and chatting about life, there's a good chance I might open up to you and tell you about the crossroads I've been feeling with my blog the last month or two. So welcome to my
- [One Giant Post Answering Questions about Post-Army Life (Friendship, Finances, Etc.)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/one-giant-post-answering-questions-about-post-army-life-friendship-finances-etc.html/) - Happy Monday! I hope you had an enjoyable weekend! Today I'm excited to write this post in real time and candidly answer your flood of questions I received on Instagram last week about post-Army life. About a week ago, I had a kind reader email me requesting another post with more of my thoughts about
- [All About Urgent Care: Readers' Questions Answered](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/urgent-care.html/) - I love the occasionally journalistic side of blogging which allows me to investigate, question, and deliver - and that's exactly what I'm bringing to you today! Recently I opened the floor for questions on Instagram regarding urgent care, a healthcare option that's becoming more and more popular due to its convenience for families. Then, I
- [Rewriting the Future for Children with ACEs: What You Should Know](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/rewriting-the-future-for-children-with-aces-what-you-should-know.html/) - On a list of traits that describe me, "relational" and "tender-hearted" are two terms that are about as close to the top of that list as they could be. I love my people and prioritize relationships, sometimes almost to a fault because of how tender-hearted I can be. Personality tests have described me over and
- [Slice of Life: January 4th, 2019](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2019/01/slice-of-life-january-4th-2019.html/) - Well hello there! Happy New Year! I almost feel led to reintroduce myself in this space because the Erica you've been getting on this blog the last seven-ish weeks didn't quite feel like myself! The hormones from the first trimester sent me into a tizzy in a way that felt very unfamiliar and uncontrollable, but
- [Top 5 Posts on Whimsical September in 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/12/top-5-posts-on-whimsical-september-in-2018.html/) - I often use Google Analytics to track this website's traffic, and on that account I've set up a custom report that tells me how much traffic each blog post is receiving. This report makes figuring out my most popular blog posts quite easy, and every year I look forward to diving into this report! There
- [You've Probably Heard the News... :)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/12/youve-probably-heard-the-news.html/) - Yesterday I shared a big secret that I've been absolutely bursting to tell you: baby DeSpain #3 is well on his or her way! And the song I've had stuck in my head since the day we found out is Thomas Rhett's "Life Changes". Ain't it funny how life changes You wake up, ain't nothing
- [Christmastime Slice of Life: December 14th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/12/christmastime-slice-of-life-december-14th-2018.html/) - Happy Friday! I hope this finds you well and that you've had a great week despite surely juggling your fair share of holiday to-dos. I can't quite figure out how my daily list of things to buy and do seems to continue getting longer rather than shorter, but ready or not, we're 11 days out
- [Gift Ideas for Preteen Boys](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/12/gift-ideas-for-a-preteen-boy.html/) - Well, this is admittedly not my arena. LOL. But when I asked who the hardest people were for you to shop for on IG (back in September-ish), three people specifically mentioned their preteen nephew, grandson, Godson, etc. So I spent a good chunk of time recently pouring through websites and articles searching for what preteen-ish
- [Gift Ideas for Your Husband](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/12/gift-ideas-for-your-husband.html/) - So this time of year is actually gift-giving central/chaos for Jamie and me. In a span of three weeks, we celebrate both of our birthdays, Christmas, and our anniversary! Yeesh! It's pretty wild. After a few years of trying to figure out how to "properly" celebrate all of these special occasions without always combining them,
- [Gift Guide: Gifts That I'd Like For Myself this Christmas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/gift-guide-gifts-that-id-like-for-myself-this-christmas.html/) - A couple months ago I posed a question on Instagram "polling the audience" about who their most difficult person to shop for is, and someone commented "Myself! I never know what to ask for or buy for myself!" I thought this was so interesting because I often feel the same way. I then saw an
- [A Guide to the 2018 Holiday Gift Guides: What to Expect on What Day!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/holiday-gift-guides.html/) - HAPPY FREAKING FRIDAY, MY FRIENDS! (All caps intended.) Wowweee, this has been one of the busiest weeks that I can remember. It's been filled with all good things, but juggling one "little" thing after the next can sometimes make you feel a little loony! Responsible adulting isn't for the birds, no ma'am. :) I am
- [Five Reasons I'm Glad My Husband Joined the Army Reserve + A Sweepstakes](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/12/five-reasons-im-glad-my-husband-joined-the-army-reserve-a-sweepstakes.html/) - This post is sponsored by , which includes a fabulous sweepstakes at the bottom! This article details a handful of reasons and insight into our experience as a family with the Army Reserve, so I hope both my pointers as well as the sweepstakes are of interest to you! Once Jamie made the firm decision
- [Gift Ideas for the Woman Who Has it All](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/gift-ideas-for-the-woman-who-has-it-all.html/) - If you search "gifts for the person" on Google, the first search result that completes that sentence is "who has it all". Too funny. Many of us have someone (often a female) on our list who seeming already has it all, but here are a few ideas that I'll bet she'll still absolutely love. Gift
- [Our First Time Hosting Thanksgiving](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/our-first-time-hosting-thanksgiving.html/) - Last week was full of family and feasting! My in-laws drove in the weekend prior to Thanksgiving for Hadley's birthday party, which set us up perfectly to host everyone at our home for Turkey Day. In the past, we've always traveled to my family in Alabama or his family in Texas for this holiday, so
- [8 Gift Ideas for Couples](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/8-gift-ideas-for-couples.html/) - Happy Monday, friends! I don't know about you, but I have been riding the struggle bus hard the last few days. I feel like someone let the air out of my tires completely following our big Thanksgiving Day feast, and it's taken me a few days to get my act back together. With that being
- [Are You or Someone You Know Affected by Toxic Stress and ACEs?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/are-you-or-someone-you-know-affected-by-toxic-stress-and-aces.html/) - Have you ever started reading about a topic or story that instantly broke your heart, but in the same breath you couldn't help but keep reading? That's how I felt when I first started researching toxic stress. As a former private and public school educator, it took all of two seconds for so many of
- [Gift Ideas for your Friends' Kids](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/gift-ideas-for-your-friends-kids.html/) - Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends celebrating today near and far! Jamie and I are hosting the big event today for the very first time, so we're looking forward to feeding a big crew later today and soaking up lots of relaxing family time. After the meal is cleaned up and the turkey coma
- [Gift Ideas for Your Dad, Brother, Father-in-Law, and Brother-in-Law](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/gift-ideas-for-your-dad-brother-father-in-law-and-brother-in-law.html/) - I don't find the men in my life overly hard to shop for, mainly because they're all typically very easy to please. They never really need anything and are usually happy to just receive anything. Though I don't find them difficult to shop for, I do find them boring to shop for. Gifts for men
- [More FAQ about Working with Coach Mark (Online Health Coach)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/more-faq-about-working-with-coach-mark-online-health-coach.html/) - Hello, hello! I've shared a couple of times in the last few months about my ongoing experience working with an online health coach, in which my goal has been to learn new things about nutrition and have a bit of accountability when it comes to my health and wellness. You can read the last two
- [Celebrating Hadley's 5th Birthday](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/celebrating-hadleys-5th-birthday.html/) - Five fingers. One whole hand. This girl is finally (finally!) five years old! I'm not quite sure what she thought would be so magical about being five, but my goodness, her excitement level for this specific birthday has been off the chart for months. We were relieved and excited when Saturday finally rolled around so
- [Was Getting Our Three Year Old a Trampoline a Good Idea?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/was-getting-our-three-year-old-a-trampoline-a-good-idea.html/) - Happy Hump Day! I hope you're having a great week so far. It seems to be flying by around here as we gear up for family to arrive in town Saturday, Hadley's birthday and party also on Saturday, and then of course Thanksgiving activities next week (we're hosting!) I really like when the holidays are
- [Slice of Life: November 12th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/slice-of-life-november-12th-2018.html/) - Well this is a record; It's been a full SEVEN WEEKS since I've cranked out a "slice of life". This last quarter of the year has just been a-flyin'! My last "slice of life" was supposed to be a two-parter, so this post was actually sitting in my drafts. I remember sitting down to work
- [Getting Behind Philanthropy as a Family](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/getting-behind-philanthropy-as-a-family.html/) - Jamie went to a “Man Night” at our church last month, and he came barreling in the door at 10 p.m. ready to talk my ear off about what an incredible night he had. He loved the food, the community, but most of all, the speaker. All weekend long he’d randomly spit out things he
- [Creating a Children's Travel Journal and Keepsake](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/childrens-travel-journal.html/) - A couple of days before we left for Germany, I stumbled upon an online article (I wish I could find it!) that discussed the "ancient" art of scrapbooking, and how most kids have no idea what this is. The author discussed how she'd recently taught her fifth grader about scrapbooking by creating a few pages with
- [Losing a Diamond Ring in the Atlanta Airport, and How It Showed Back Up](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/losing-a-diamond-ring-in-the-atlanta-airport-and-how-it-showed-back-up.html/) - There's an itty bitty detail from our Europe trip that I never told you about, and that's that our trip was almost ruined before we were even wheels up from Atlanta. Nothing (and I mean nothing) is ever easy, right? (Oy.) What would a big vacation like this be if something didn't go awry? We
- [Stitch Fix August 2018: A Review of My 26th Shipment](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/stitch-fix-august-2018.html/) - Stitch Fix boxes have been flying all around this house lately! Hadley and Sadie both got boxes last month, Jamie has a box coming in a few days (he's set up to receive them quarterly), and I'm movin' and groovin' receiving boxes on the regular, per my usual! You know what I've realized lately? I
- [Our First Halloween in Our New Neighborhood](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/11/our-first-halloween-in-our-new-neighborhood.html/) - I remember my parents really enjoying Halloween when we were growing up because they would get to be outside with all of the neighbors and socialize. My mom would sit beside all of the other women from our cul-de-sac and pass out candy while my dad took us around trick or treating. We all just
- [Coffee Talk: What It Was Really Like Traveling Abroad with Little Ones](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/coffee-talk-what-it-was-really-like-traveling-abroad-with-little-ones.html/) - If you and I were sitting down for coffee and you asked me how things really went while traveling with the girls overseas (because it was surely a mess at times, right?), here are a few things I'd share with ya. For reference, Hadley is almost five and Sadie is exactly 2.5 years old. I'd
- [Are We Terrible Parents If We Don't Take the Kids to the Pumpkin Patch?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/a-just-what-the-doctor-ordered-kind-of-saturday.html/) - Jamie and I often joke that we are perfect for each other because neither of us knows how to properly relax. We are planners by nature and enjoy scheduling everything down to the minute so that we can maximize our days and juggle a bunch of things. Our personalities simply jive this way. The problem
- [Our First Airbnb Experience and Why It Was Exceptional](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/first-airbnb-experience.html/) - In this post about our first Airbnb experience, I break down a half dozen reasons why using Airbnb for our Switzerland trip could not have been a better choice. I'm sharing how much we spent per night, how our chalet aided our travels with children, and more. Also, there's a code at the bottom of
- [A Mostly Undocumented Fall Break](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/a-mostly-undocumented-fall-break.html/) - Though you wouldn't know it from my iPhone's camera roll, the girls were out of school all last week for Fall Break. I barely took pictures or created any Instagram Stories of anything we did, so I guess you could say that I was on a bit of a unintentional social media break. ;) I
- [One Month Results After Working with Coach Mark + Daunting Europe Maintenance](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/one-month-results-after-working-with-coach-mark-daunting-europe-maintainance.html/) - A few weeks ago I shared some mega vulnerable, personal pictures to help illustrate a few things I wanted to share about my first experience working with an online health coach. Working with Coach Mark was a very (very!) spontaneous decision, but at the halfway mark of my first month, I was feeling confident enough
- [All Things Fires: Experiencing Two Firsthand, Making an Escape Plan, and More](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/all-things-fires-experiencing-two-first-hand-making-an-escape-plan-and-more.html/) - Thank you First Alert for sponsoring this post. October is Fire Prevention Month - practice safety in numbers to ensure your family’s super prepared too! Our Family's Home Fire I was just shy of turning five (Hadley's age exactly actually) when my family's home caught fire. It's one of my earliest memories, and it always
- [My 10 Favorite Moments from Breathtaking Switzerland](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/my-10-favorite-moments-from-breathtaking-switzerland.html/) - I am almost always the type of person who loves to go away and equally loves to come home, but leaving Switzerland was initially kind of crushing. (Holy dramatics, Erica... typing that sounds so silly. Sheesh!) It was though! Life felt so peaceful and slow and obligation-free, and while I was so grateful to experience
- [Liechtenstein: An Itty Bitty Country That Did Not Disappoint](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/liechtenstein-an-itty-bitty-country-that-did-not-disappoint.html/) - Yesterday morning at the gym Selena Gomez's song "Back To You" came on, and I instantly felt all warm and fuzzy inside because I was emotionally transplanted back in time to driving around Liechtenstein. The last time I heard that song was last Thursday early afternoon right as we crossed the border from Austria into
- [Rothenburg, Germany + Two Sweet Days of Downtime](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/rothenburg-germany-two-sweet-days-of-downtime.html/) - Going to Europe was exciting for obvious reasons, but more than anything I was simply craving quiet time with my sister and her family. Though we wanted to get out and enjoy Germany, I let Jennifer know ahead of our trip that it was 100% okay if we took a couple days to just relax
- [Our Back-to-School Daily Rhythm](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/our-back-to-school-daily-rhythm.html/) - Thank you Council For Responsible Nutrition for sponsoring this post. I am proud to be one of the 170 million Americans who take dietary supplements each year! With nearly two full months of the school year under our belts, it's safe to say that the girls and I have settled into a nice weekly routine.
- [Traveling to & Our Weekend in Germany](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/10/traveling-to-our-weekend-in-germany.html/) - Helloooo (or "Hallo!") from Germany! If you're wondering, "Erica, you're on vacation. Why are you writing a blog post?" It's because I am so very, very jet-lagged and can't get my act together! Oy. It's currently just after midnight on Monday here in Ansbach, Germany, and though the rest of the house is passed out,
- [Midnight Pasta Recipe: An Easy and Healthy Meal for Busy Nights](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/20-minute-midnight-pasta.html/) - This Midnight Pasta recipe is quick, easy, versatile, healthy, and filling: all things that make a perfect meal! Scroll to the bottom for the complete recipe. A couple years ago when I set a goal to get back to my pre pregnancy weight, I followed a strict diet of complex carbs, veggies, fruit, healthy fats, and
- [Slice of Life: September 26th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/slice-of-life-september-26th-2018.html/) - Hello, hello! It's raining heavily here in north Alabama right now, which has made for a pretty cozy, slow day so far. I took the morning off from the gym to sleep (I always try to do this at least one weekday per week to get some extra sleep), and then we were able to
- [A Return Back to Title Town](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/a-return-back-to-title-town.html/) - Jamie and I have been antsy to attend a big Alabama football game for years, but making the stars align for this to happen when we lived halfway across the country + having two young children was difficult impossible. We were determined to get down to a game this season though since we're finally living
- [Eye-catching Sunroom Curtain Rods: An Easy DIY Project](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/eye-catching-curtain-rods.html/) - These sunroom curtain rods are easy to create but make a big impact. Your guest will be turning one's heads quickly to ask "Where did you get those rods?" Continue reading to see where to buy these wooden rods, what paint you should use, and what your time commitment looks like. I've always been a
- [Milestone Birthday Ideas: One Memorable Way to Celebrate Your Loved One](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/04/milestone-birthday-idea.html/) - Milestone birthday ideas: This inexpensive gift idea is designed to make your loved one feel celebrated and loved by friends and family all over the world! You guys! I received news yesterday morning that had me bouncing off the walls! I'm so (so so so so) excited! One of you incredible readers nominated this post and
- [When To Find Out Baby's Gender: The Great Debate](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/finding-out-gender-before-baby-is-born.html/) - When to find out baby's gender is a great debate in today's society due to high-tech equipment that can tell moms and dads earlier than ever. In this post, eight moms weigh in on how to decided whether to find out or not. They also share why they're glad they found out early and why
- [Home Tour: Sadie's Mint, Pink and Gold Nursery](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/sadiesnursery.html/) - I have been in Heaven the last two months working on Sadie's mint, pink and gold nursery. I could not have asked for a more fun project to work on during these winter deployment months! I don't have a natural eye for design and usually have a pretty difficult time envisioning what I want the end-result
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #3: Party of Five Blog](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/saturday-sit-3-party-five.html/) - In this third installment of the Saturday Sit-Down series, I sit down with Kimberly from Party of Five blog. Enjoy! She is a sweetheart and a great writer with stories to tell. As soon as I got today's blogger's answers back for this installment of "The Saturday Sit-Down", I was eager to publish this post.
- [5 Reasons I Love My Pampered Chef Stone + An Online Party](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/pampered-chef-stone.html/) - Much to my horror, I recently discovered that my almost eight year old Pampered Chef stone wasn't invincible after all and had cracked into three pieces right smack in the middle of dinner baking. HOLD ME. HOW WILL WE EAT!? All kidding aside, I use our stone almost daily, so this seemed like a first
- [The Necessity and Heartache of Disciplining](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/the-necessity-and-heartache-of-disciplining.html/) - Two year olds are complete jokers. Oh my Heavens. Two of my very best friends plus my sister all have two year olds (they were all born within three months of each other), and I swear all four of us swap days were we are sending snaps on Snapchat related to losing our absolute you
- [My First Experience Working with an Online Health Coach: Weeks 1 & 2](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/my-first-experience-working-with-a-health-coach-weeks-1-2.html/) - Helloooo, and happy hump day! Today's post is a bit out of my comfort zone, but since I share 90% of my life within this blank space with all of my internet friends, I figure I better just dive right into sharing about my newest venture! Anyone that even semi knows me knows that I
- [Caffeinated Chocolate Protein Breakfast Smoothie Recipe](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/caffeinated-chocolate-protein-breakfast-smoothie-recipe.html/) - I shared a little bit on Instagram a couple weeks ago about how I'm trying to make my nutrition match a bit better with the energy I'm putting in at Orangetheory, so I have a pretty specific plan I've been recently following until I can get my food habits back in check. (It's been a
- [Alabama Home Tour: Our Kitchen Eating Area](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/alabama-home-tour-our-kitchen-eating-area.html/) - As I was wiping down our kitchen eating area after lunch yesterday, I noticed that there was blue marker streaked all over two chairs and an area of the tabletop, but it thankfully wiped right up with no problem. No voice-raising from this mama was necessary. ;) Jamie was nearby washing the dishes, and I
- [What We Received this Month from Amazon Subscribe and Save](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/what-we-received-this-month-from-amazons-subscribe-and-save.html/) - I'd have to look back, but I think it might be close to a year since the last time I shared about receiving a Subscribe and Save shipment. We took a short break from receiving shipments around the time we moved this past spring, but we picked back up in May and have been rockin'
- [Do You Talk to Your Friends On the Phone?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/do-you-talk-to-your-friends-on-the-phone.html/) - I saw a somewhat hilarious, but also sadly truthful meme the other day (I wish I could find it now) that poked fun at the idea that most millennials would rather walk over fire for a friend than actually pick up the phone and call him or her. What do you think? Are you awkwardly
- [Mostly Terrible Pictures from a Not-So-Terrible Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/mostly-terrible-pictures-from-a-not-so-terrible-weekend.html/) - We had a really nice, fairly low-key weekend, which was just what the doctor ordered. For some reason I found myself totally smoked on Friday afternoon. We'd been having a really good day, but by 4 p.m. I found myself a bit irritable and ready to clock out for the day. To say that I
- [Slice of Life: September 7th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/slice-of-life-september-7th-2018.html/) - Those of you who knows me in real life (haha) know that when I get energized and excited, I get really chatty, really silly, and really spastic. This is the place I'm writing from today! BAH! I've had two cups of coffee, am sitting in Starbucks finally getting a chance to work for more than
- [A Reintroduction + Who Are You?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/a-reintroduction-who-are-you.html/) - Hello hello! I hope this finds you well and that you're enjoying this first week of September so far. Hadley was so excited to tell me after school yesterday that "It's a new month, Mommy! September! September has nine letters!" Little does she know that September kicks off her mommy's favorite season. Like so many
- [Sharing Our ISR Story On the Local News](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/09/sharing-our-isr-story-on-the-local-news.html/) - Jamie and I were recently given a really neat platform via our local news to share about Hadley's near-drowning accident two years ago and ISR (Infant Swimming Resource). About a month ago, the girls' ISR teacher Kim was contacted by the local news about doing an upcoming story about the program, and she suggested pulling
- [Benjamin Moore Hale Navy: Freshening Up Our Office](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/11/benjamin-moore-hale-navy.html/) - We used Benjamin Moore Hale Navy to paint an accent color within our built-in bookshelf as well as a refinishing color on our thrift store desk. I am in love with this rich, true navy and hope you can see its true color in this post. I have no idea who I am, but I
- [Gift Guide for a Christmas Morning Backyard Surprise](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/backyard-gift-ideas.html/) - This list of 10+ backyard gift ideas featuring toys and games for kids of all ages (and all budgets) is sure to thrill your recipient on his or her big day! When the temperature isn't too drastically hot or cold, we live outside. Our kids are always happiest being outdoors (I swear that's our cure-all
- [Gift Guide for Sisters, Sister-in-Law, or Someone Who's Like a Sister](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/gift-ideas-for-sister-in-law.html/) - This post is full of fantastic gift ideas for sister in law, a sister, or someone who is like a sister. You'll find items that range in a variety of price points and cater to many different interest. I am so passionate about gift giving and view it as a major language of love when
- [Celebrating a New Decade With Fun in the Sun](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/celebrating-a-new-decade-with-fun-in-the-sun.html/) - I have a hunch that this past weekend is one that we'll be reminiscing about for decades. It was so short but so sweet and just what the doctor ordered for all of us. On Friday afternoon, we dropped the girls off at my parent's home and then drove about an hour away to Wilson
- [She Has a Name!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/01/she-has-a-name.html/) - We were much slower this time around than we were with Hadley when it comes to sticking to a baby name, but I'm so excited that this little girl finally has one. We used the same criteria that we used with Hadley to pick her name. You may think I'm crazy for having such strict criteria,
- [David's Bridal Military Discount & Our First Post-Baby Date Night](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/first-post-baby-post-deployment-date-night.html/) - This post is brought to you by David's Bridal and features David's Bridal military discount. During the last couple months of Jamie's deployment we talked nonstop about all of the things we couldn't wait to do together once he got home - local restaurants to try, belated special occasions to celebrate, and more planned date
- [A Dinnertime Crowd Pleaser: Our Not-So-Secret Family Meatloaf](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/dinnertime-crowd-pleaser-not-secret-family-meatloaf.html/) - This is the best classic meatloaf recipe, which has been pinned over 50k times on Pinterest. Reviewers say that it's the first meatloaf they've ever loved, and that this is the last recipe they'll ever use for meatloaf. I hope you love it as much as most do! Enjoy! And thank you so very much
- [Whimsical September: Where It Comes From & What It Means to Me Now](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/whimsical-september-where-it-comes-from-what-it-means-to-me-now.html/) - Good morning, friends! I hope you had an enjoyable weekend (we did!) and your week is kicking off on the right foot. With college football gearing up to be in full swing later this week, I have a husband who is dancing around the house just pining for the weekend already. Needless to say, it's
- [Slice of Life: August 24th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/slice-of-life-august-24th-2018.html/) - Shouting TGIF from the rooftops over here! We have a fun weekend on tap and Jamie and I are ready, ready, ready. I think Jamie has said "I am so ready for this weekend" at least 10 times the last few days. This week has been a bit of a doozy due to some significant
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #68: Making Home Base](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/the-saturday-sit-down-68-making-home-base.html/) - This interview with Making Home Base discusses DIY projects, home decor, family life, military hangings, and much more. Click here to read about Chelsea & why she is such a fun one to follow and learn from. Hello, hello! I hope you had an enjoyable week! Any big weekend plans? We are heading to a "battle
- [Can I Get Rid of the Ads on Your Blog?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/can-i-get-rid-of-the-ads-on-your-blog.html/) - I recently had a blog reader politely ask if there was a way she could turn off the ads and pop-ups on my site. I didn't mind her question in the slightest; In fact, I appreciated her asking because I want her to continue reading my site (I so appreciate every single one of you!!!)
- [Army Change of Command Ceremony: Details About Jamie's Big Day](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/jamies-change-command-ceremony-reception.html/) - This post details the days leading up to and the day of my husband's Army Change of Command Ceremony. I detail the reception food, pre-ceremony activities, who was in attendance, and more. If you are reading this post, you are surely planning for a very special time! On Friday we kicked off what is sure
- [Orangetheory Fitness Cost, Modifications, and More of Your Questions Answered](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/your-orangetheory-fitness-questions-answered.html/) - Today I have some of your top Orangetheory Fitness questions answered! A few days ago, I opened up the floor for questions about Orangetheory, and boy oh boy - ask and you shall receive! I grabbed 10 questions to knock out here in this post, which I hope is helpful to those of you who
- [A Review of Rockabye Rockers](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/rockabye-rockers.html/) - Today's post is sponsored by Rockabye Rockers. Thank you for your continual support surrounding sponsored posts! As a blogger, I loosely follow an editorial calendar with ideas for what posts to write and share when. Today's post was penciled in for the end of February. Rockabye Rockers Then I received the product which I'm spotlighting
- [Homemade Valentines for Babies and Toddlers: 4 Great Ideas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/homemade-valentines-day-cards-from-babies-and-toddlers.html/) - This post contains four great ideas for homemade valentines for babies and toddlers. We started making these homemade valentines years ago, and it's continued to be the sweetest tradition. These crafts are all easy to make and easily personalized and changed depending on what you're going for. Enjoy! I'm a big fan of traditions that
- [You Are My Sunshine Party for Hadley's First Birthday](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/11/hadleys-first-birthday-party-you-are-my.html/) - Over the weekend, we threw Hadley a You Are My Sunshine party, and it was so, so special. I'll be the first to say that Pinterest started to put a lot of pressure on me to throw the most perfect first birthday party ever. I take that back. I was the one that was actually putting all the
- [Boston Marathon 2014: Recapping as a Runner and a Spectator](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/04/on-monday-april-21st-around-1-p.html/) - On Monday, April 21st, around 1 p.m. EST, I got a text that made my eyes well up with tears but my heart swell with excitement and pride - my husband was FINALLY a Boston Marathon finisher! My eyes initially filled with tears because I somehow completely missed him running by me, even though I had been
- [The Fault in Our Stars](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/05/the-fault-in-our-stars.html/) - My mom is here! MY MOM IS HERE! I really couldn't be more excited. She flew in to Tucson a few hours ago, and now she, Had, and Ted are taking a little snooze. So excited to host her here in Arizona for a week. I have a little book review for ya today! :)
- [Ground Turkey Baked Spaghetti](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/05/we-enjoyed-quick-trip-to-park-today-to.html/) - We enjoyed a quick trip to the park today to play with Jocelyn and take some pictures. Hanging with my new friend Lisa the other day inspired me to really take advantage of my Canon T3i camera and learn how to use it! I've had it for almost three years so it's about time. I have
- [Hiking Carr Peak in Sierra Vista, Arizona](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/06/hiking-carr-peak.html/) - Carr Peak was one of the most memorable things we did while living in Arizona. Read on to learn why! Before Saturday, I thought I'd been hiking. Now I know that I'd never really been hiking. At least hiking with an end-result like this. Sierra Vista is completely surrounded by mountains, and Jamie and I
- [Our Newborn Essentials](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/02/i-did-almost-all-of-my-baby-product.html/) - I did almost all of my baby product research by reading personal blogs rather than website product reviews. In my opinion, most product reviews are very one-sided; someone who is satisfied with a product that she/he expected to be usually isn't going to take the time to review a product (at least I don't unless my expectations are far
- [How I Told Our Parents that I'm Pregnant](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2013/07/telling-our-parents-that-they-are.html/) - I don't think our parents know this, but Jamie and I have been thinking up creative ways to tell our parents that I'm pregnant for as long as we've been married. Conversations including "That would be a hilarious way to tell my parents that we're having a baby!" were spontaneous but embarrassingly frequent. We've always
- [Father of the Bride Reflections](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/01/father-of-bride-reflections.html/) - Bridal Reflections from the Father of the Bride This is one of the most treasured pieces of writing I have ever read. My dad wrote this days after my wedding, and his dry humor is all over it. I love him so much and will treasure his reflections forever. Two days after Thanksgiving Day we
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #34: Victoria Strader](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/saturday-sit-34-victoria-strader.html/) - Hellooooo long weekend! Today you can find the four of us beboppin' around the Kansas City Speedway at the World Series of Barbecue! Who knew there was such a thing?! We'll head home just in time to put the (hopefully exhausted) girls to bed and park it in front of the TV to cheer on
- [Second Baby Registry Tried and True Favorite Items](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/baby-items-ill-be-reusing-again-and-purchasing-new.html/) - Second baby registry: This blog post covers all of the items that I absolutely loved using with our first baby and will continue to use with our second baby. There are so many baby items out there, but this list is tried and true! You truly cannot go wrong with any item on this list
- [Hospital Bag Checklist for Mom and Baby](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/hospital-packing-list-for-mommy-baby.html/) - Congratulations on soon welcoming your little one! This blog post provides a realistic hospital bag checklist for mom and baby. Overpacking and unpacking should both be avoided, so as a mom of two, I created this perfect list of items to make your packing a breeze so that you only bring exactly what you need.
- [All About the Army Reserve (So Far): Time, Money, Perks, Etc.](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/about-the-army-reserve.html/) - Jamie decided about a year ago that he wanted to continue serving in the military via the Army Reserve, and he started getting the ball rolling with everything this past January. His last official day as an active duty officer was May 23rd, and then he immediately transitioned to the Reserves on the 24th. (For
- [DIY Hair Bow Holder: Quick and Easy and Ready to Hang](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/diy-hair-bow-holder-5.html/) - This DIY hair bow holder will be quick and easy afternoon project that will give your girl a special, homemade way to display all of her favorite bows that she can easily pick from when getting dressed each day. You can use any colors you'd like. Please note that this type of DIY hair bow
- [Our Growing Family Photo Wall Through the Years](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/family-photo-wall.html/) - A month or two ago I shared a glimpse on Instagram of our hallway family photo wall, and my direct messages went b-a-n-a-n-a-s! I was flooded with messages of ambitious viewers ready to replicate the idea in their own homes that very weekend, which were all so fun to read! (PS: If you ended up
- [Birth Photography: Four Reasons to Consider Hiring a Birth Photographer](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/chose-birth-photographer.html/) - My parents have a large storage bin and literally dozens of albums full of photos of my siblings and me taken throughout our lives, but I've always been drawn to the album that's full of pictures of when we were born. Somehow in those life-changing moments my dad had the focus to take pictures, and as an adult I
- [Tips For Making Friends in Your New City or Duty Station](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/tips-building-community-new-duty-station.html/) - For many military families, your community (or lack of) can make or break how you feel about a duty station. When we were stationed at Fort Campbell (TN), I absolutely loved it and cried for weeks leading up to and weeks following our move (I wish I was exaggerating.) At the time, we would have
- [A Family Saturday at Ashwood Farm](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/family-saturday-farm.html/) - Our biggest girl is right where she belongs spending her toddler years in Kansas because she truly cannot get enough of all things related to farm animals. It's hard to drive anywhere without spotting a cow or a horse in a random field, so even the smallest trips across town are often thrilling to her. A
- [Our Thoughts on Our Home Warranty with American Home Shield](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/do-you-have-a-home-warranty.html/) - Do you have a home warranty? We signed up for ours almost two years ago and we're relieved we did. When we were assigned to PCS (move) to Fort Riley a couple years ago, we knew that we desired to live on the west side of Manhattan. We quickly learned that the housing market is unfortunately quite expensive
- [Two of My Favorite Parenting Organizations: Parents as Teachers & MOPS](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/two-favorite-parenting-organizations.html/) - I always perk up when someone shares with me a new resource that Hadley and/or I will enjoy or learn from, so I'm always happy to blab about two of my favorite outings/resources for moms that are available to me in our town and may be available to you in yours as well! Parents As
- [Golden Tote Review After Receiving My First Box](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/first-golden-tote-review.html/) - This post is brought to you by Golden Tote. As always, thank you for your continued support of sponsored posts! They help keep the lights on around here. I'm positive you know that subscription services are all the rage right now, and our household has absolutely hopped on board! We have diapers on delivery, dinners
- [Some TLC for the Forgotten Half Bath](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/some-tlc-for-forgotten-half-bath.html/) - In this post I share about a cheap, easy, and quick update that I did to our home's half bath. A little paint goes a long way in this dark, hidden bathroom tucked away in our 1980s-era home. Valspar Tempered Gray takes this room from gloomy to bright in just a couple hours. Continue to
- [Rodan and Fields Before and After](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/rodan-fields-pictures-thoughts.html/) - If I would have seen a blog post with a title like this a few months ago, I would have clicked it so fast; I've been curious about the Rodan and Fields before and after hype for months! Though I'd heard about this company almost three years ago, it didn't start really piquing my interest
- [Aeroflow Breast Pump: Get Your Breast Pump for Free](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/how-to-get-your-breastpump-through-your-insurance-company-in-one-quick-step.html/) - This post shares information about how new moms can utilize the free services provided by Aeroflow Breast Pump to receive their breast pump for free through one's insurance. Continue reading for information and links about how to get started with this incredibly handy service today. Aeroflow Breast Pump Did you know that if you're a
- [Shop Your Closet: Fall Outfits 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/fall-outfits-2017.html/) - This blog post for fall outfits 2017 also will carry beautifully into fall outfits 2018! I used Pinterest to help me shop my own closet for outfits to put together for date nights, outings with friends, or just running errands around town. Before you go shopping this fall, shop your own closet to see what
- [Back to School Excitement For the Whole Family](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/back-to-school-excitement-for-the-whole-house.html/) - Back to school, back to school, and the entire DeSpain house is elated! Hadley started her official Pre-Kindergarten year on Tuesday, and I mean it when I say that she couldn't have been one ounce more excited. Her teachers are precious, and I have a strong hunch that she's going to have the very best
- [Talking About Money: Are You Comfortable With It?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/talking-money.html/) - I've always heard that it's good etiquette to be cautious before talking about money, politics, or religion with others (specifically those who you do not know well). All three are topics that are deeply personal and likely to turn a group of people into opposing debate teams (who of course all think they're right). I understand
- [Our Girls' Completed Bedrooms in Our New Home](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/our-girls-completed-bedrooms-in-our-new-home.html/) - I've only showed you bits and pieces of our new home here on the blog, and I'd love to take you on a quick tour through the girls' bedrooms, if you'd like! One thing I really enjoy about our home is that the girls have their own hallway that consists of their bedrooms, a shared
- [My Father-In-Law's Surprise 60th Birthday Luau](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/my-father-in-laws-surprise-60th-birthday-luau.html/) - Once Jamie got off work on Thursday, we loaded up the car and headed about 6.5 hours north to his original hometown of Fishers, Indiana. We have a birthday boy in the family (my father-in-law) that is hitting a milestone special day this week, so some celebrating was in order! Jamie and I started throwing
- [Using Joanna Gaines's Method of Saving Outgrown Baby Clothes](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/outgrown-baby-clothes.html/) - Several months ago, Joanna Gaines used her Instagram Stories to document the decluttering and organizing she was doing around her home. I was intrigued for obvious reasons because everything the woman does seems to be a good idea and/or turn to gold, so I made sure to pop over to her channel every day to
- [European Vacation Planning: Germany & Switzerland](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/european-vacation-planning-germany-switzerland.html/) - One of my top priorities during my little break the last couple weeks was buckling down and figuring out details for our upcoming trip overseas. Most of you know that my sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew have been stationed in Ansbach, Germany for about 16ish months, and the time is finally (!) right to hop
- [Why You Should Buy Your Premier Protein at Costco](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/premier-protein-costco.html/) - Today's post is all about a fun event coming up for the military community, so check it out for details about where, when, and what's involved! Big thanks to Premier Protein at Costco for sponsoring this post. It's thrilling to me that such a large chunk of the Whimsical September audience has a military affiliation,
- [Slice of Life: August 6th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/08/slice-of-life-august-6th-2018.html/) - Hello, hello! Happy Monday to ya! It feels pretty darn fabulous to be back. :) Vacations and general time away from our day-to-day routines are often so great for two reasons: 1.) we're able to do things we don't normal have (or make) time to do and 2.) we often return to our normal routine
- [Changes to Tricare Urgent Care & What They Mean for Military Families](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/changes-tricare.html/) - Tricare is popularly thought of as one of the greatest perks of being a military family. It's one of the most affordable health care options out there! #amen On the other hand, if you're a member you've likely joked with others about how you're equal parts immensely grateful for this health insurance while also struggling
- [Do You Take Sermon Notes?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/sermon-notes.html/) - When you settle in during church, do you take sermon notes? During my middle & high school youth days, I did a ton of doodling, highlighting, and tiny note-taking in the margins of my bible, though I wouldn't call this sermon notes per se. I'd once heard a quote when I was a kid that
- [Dream House Plans: Build It With this Notebook](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/round-two-for-my-dream-home-book.html/) - Dream House Plans: I'm so excited to chat with you about this! When we bought our semi-fixer upper in Kansas four years ago, I had so many plans but so little money. Ha! (We were not intending on buying a home in Kansas, so we weren't quite as financially prepared as we would have liked
- [Out of the Office](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/out-of-office.html/) - Hello, hello! I'm coming to this space today to share that I'm taking a short "summer vacation" away from content creation - my first (overdue) break in seven months! - but I'll be back soon with a line-up of content that my fingers are already aching to type out. Simply put, I'm craving some down
- [A Day in the Life: July 20th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/a-day-in-the-life-july-20th-2018.html/) - Hi friends! I hope you had an enjoyable weekend! This was Jamie's monthly weekend to drill with the Reserves, but he was home by dinner each night, and the girls and I had plenty to get into while he was working. I'm really proud of him and how hard he works to provide for us.
- [The Public Sale is LIVE! My Try-On Session from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/the-public-sale-is-live-my-try-on-session-from-the-nordstrom-anniversary-sale.html/) - As a blogger, the annual Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has been front and center in my world every July for years, but I didn't actually start shopping from it until two years ago. I decided to hop on a few deeply discounted, absolutely adorable, practical, and popular items, and this sale has been super credible to
- [One Big Emotional Rollercoaster of a Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/one-big-emotional-rollercoaster-of-a-weekend.html/) - I think my exact words in Friday's blog post were something along the lines of how we were going to have a super low-key weekend and how giddy I was about it. Ha! What a joke. Oy. Low key is the last word I would use to describe our weekend as our lives came to
- [The Give Back Giveaway Series: For Literature Lovers](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/the-give-back-giveaway-series-recently-released-literature.html/) - Your feedback last week was resoundingly positive regarding this new series, so let's get right to it and have a little bit more giveaway fun! If you enjoying reading, this one is for you! I have three recently released books that all sound captivating: , , and . One winner will receive paperback copies of
- [Slice of Life: July 13th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/slice-of-life-july-13th-2018.html/) - This summer has been equal parts really stinkin' fun and really (really) long, and despite all of the good times we've had as a family, everybody is going to be jumping for joy when preschool starts in a month! We intentionally didn't put any family travel plans on the calendar this summer so that Jamie
- [Stitch Fix #11](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/09/stitch-fix-11.html/) - This month I received a new stylist (Britt), and I definitely want to keep her around! She sent the kindest note along with my box and picked out some great pieces to send me this month! I'll go ahead and say upfront that if I had an unlimited clothing budget each month I actually
- [Stitch Fix #13 - November 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/stitch-fix-13-november-2015.html/) - I'm sure I sound like a broken record at this point, but the box I received a few days ago is hands down my favorite box I've ever received from Stitch Fix garment-wise. It's also surely not a coincidence that the price for the total box was also the highest I've received to date, and
- [Stitch Fix #12 - October 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/10/stitch-fix-12-october-2015.html/) - If you've ever wondered about Stitch Fix's maternity option, I'm here to share the deets with ya throughout the next six months because I've decided to keep going with my Stitch Fix obsession while pregnant with baby D #2. Whoop! My last fix was technically a maternity box too; Remember those cute navy leggings with the
- [Stitch Fix Review #14: December 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/stitch-fix-14-december-2015.html/) - Just because we're all over the place this month didn't mean I wanted to miss out on my monthly Stitch Fix box! A few weeks ago I changed the shipping address to where I knew that I would be on the estimated delivery date, and a few days ago I found a new cardboard box
- [Stitch Fix Review #15 - June 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/stitch-fix-review-14-june-2016.html/) - Note: This post is in no way sponsored by Stitch Fix. I pay for all of my own clothing myself; however I do receive a small credit towards my account when readers use my affiliate link. I’d love and appreciate if you used my Stitch Fix referral link to check out Stitch Fix and sign
- [Stitch Fix #16 - July 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/stitch-fix-16-july-2016.html/) - Note: This post is in no way sponsored by Stitch Fix. I pay for all of my own clothing myself, though I do receive a small credit towards my account when readers use my affiliate link. Drama queen alert: This fix is what MY DREAMS ARE MADE OF. Seriously, this is my favorite box yet (and
- [Stitch Fix #17 - October 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/stitch-fix-17-october-2016.html/) - You may remember that a few months ago I switched my Stitch Fix frequency from once a month to once every three months. Though I do miss the treat of seeing a Stitch Fix package on my doorstep each month, there was no way I could afford to keep the entire box month after month.
- [Stitch Fix #18 - January 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/stitch-fix-18-january-2017.html/) - While my bank account is giving me a big high five for changing my Stitch Fix frequency to every three months from every month, I really miss seeing that pretty box on my doorstep as often as I used to! I was tracking that my latest shipment would arrive on New Year's Eve, so I
- [Stitch Fix Review #19 - April 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/stitch-fix-19-april-2017.html/) - Little joys in life sometimes look like receiving your Stitch Fix box on a Friday when you weren't expecting it until Saturday. :) I ripped open my 19th fix the very second I saw it and almost immediately loved everything inside. I didn't have any specific wardrobe needs this time around, so I just asked my
- [Stitch Fix Review #20: July 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/stitch-fix-20-july-2017.html/) - Hello from Austin, Texas! This is our second stop on our road trip, and we'll be here a few days spending time with my in-laws. We're planning to explore Fredericksburg today, and I've really been looking forward to it since my MIL threw around the idea a few weeks ago of heading that way. Should be
- [Stitch Fix #21: November 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/stitch-fix-21-november-2017-try-stitch-fix-for-free.html/) - *This post is not sponsored, and I pay for all of my own clothes myself. :) Affiliate links are included within this post though, as well as a link to a free box to try at the bottom of this post. Enjoy! Well, well, well... hello Stitch Fix box, my dear old friend. It's been
- [Stitch Fix #22: January 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/stitch-fix-22.html/) - It's Stitch Fix day! If snooping what other people get in their Stitch Fix boxes is one of your guilty pleasures, just know I'm right there with ya! We know the inventory these stylists are choosing from is vast, so it's neat to see the variety of pieces and who they matched up what with.
- [The Give Back Giveaway Series: Vellabox](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/the-give-back-giveaway-series-vellabox.html/) - Good morning and HAPPY WEEKEND! <3 Last week we concluded 18 months of "The Saturday Sit-Down", but today I'm cranking out a whole new series designed to kick off our Saturdays on a fun note! Introducing the "Give Back Giveaway" series, where every Saturday starting at 4 a.m. EST I'll be hosting a different giveaway,
- [4th of July Festivities from Dawn to Dusk](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/4th-of-july-festivities-from-dusk-to-dawn.html/) - We had a great 4th of July from start to finish, and I literally mean from the time my feet hit the floor until the time I collapsed into bed. We surprised ourselves by accidentally planning a pretty full day, but I immensely enjoyed it, and I think my fam did too! My dad runs
- [Stitch Fix Review #23: February 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/stitch-fix-review-23-february-2018.html/) - I was a little more anxious than usual to get this month's Stitch Fix box because I did something that I usually don't do, which is cheat and peek ahead of time at what's in the box. I saw the shipment email come across my inbox, and for some reason my curiosity got the best
- [Stitch Fix #24: May 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/stitch-fix-24-may-2018.html/) - Three cheers, it's Stitch Fix day! I usually don't closely track when my fix ships and is scheduled to arrive, but for some reason I was bursting this month to receive my box (probably because it's been three or four months since my last one thanks to our big move). I totally cheated and snooped
- [Stitch Fix Review #25: June 2018 + A Summer Vacation Giveaway!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/stitch-fix-review-25-june-2018-a-summer-vacation-giveaway.html/) - This post is sponsored by Stitch Fix, a personal styling service I have used and loved for years. 25 fixes later, and it's safe to say that at least a solid quarter of my closet (honestly maybe closer to 50%) is filled from clothes from Stitch Fix. Pants, shorts, jackets, short dresses, long dresses, sweaters,
- [Independence Day Throwback Pictures for Fun](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/independence-day-throwback-pictures-for-fun.html/) - Happy, happy Independence Day to all of my American friends today! The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays (I'm really just a big holiday lover in general, but the 4th has always been a particularly happy one!) I love the excuse to wave American flags, grill out with people you
- [What We Actually Wear to Workout](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/07/what-we-actually-wear-to-workout.html/) - I recently had a friend text me with the suggestion that I write a post about all things workout clothes-related. She was talking about how workout clothes are so darn expensive these days, and I couldn't agree with her more! I immediately thought her suggestion was such a good idea, but I wondered if what
- [The Conclusion of The Saturday Sit-Down](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/the-conclusion-of-the-saturday-sit-down.html/) - What a fun, fun ride! Chelsea from Making Home Base was my last featured "Saturday Sit-Down" blogger, as I've decided to conclude the series. I'm really so happy about concluding this series on a high note and am generally just thrilled that this whole little series ACTUALLY WORKED. I dreamed it up during a two-week
- [Slice of Life: June 28th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/slice-of-life-june-28th-2018.html/) - Ahh, where did we leave off? Finishing up this week's "Slice of Life" post today. <3 If you missed the first one, you can back track here. Thanks to my bestie Jessica (who then gives all the credit to Pinterest - haha), the girls and I whipped together three of these special plates for Father's
- [Slice of Life: June 26th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/slice-of-life-june-26th-2018.html/) - Hey friends! I'm typing away, putting this together on Monday night while plopped comfortably on the couch with The Bachelorette in the background and a husband around the corner who is acting like he isn't counting down the minutes until The Proposal comes on. ;) It's the silliest show, but neither of us can turn away!
- [A Fast-Paced Celebratory Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/a-fast-paced-celebratory-weekend.html/) - This past weekend was a good one - the type that makes your heart hurt a little bit once it's over because you wish that days like these were the norm. But you know what? If they were the norm, would we appreciate them as much? Because it's so true that you always want what
- [Potty Training Sadie: Success!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/potty-training-sadie-success.html/) - So not only is this part two of potty training our hilarious Sadie, but it's also all about #2. Yeeaaahh, we're going there! When we left off a couple weeks ago, Sadie had the pee part of potty training down pat. Since then we've have three random pee accidents where she was playing with friends
- [The LG TWIN Wash System with SideKick Pedestal: A Review After Three Years of Use](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/the-lg-twin-wash-system-with-sidekick-pedestal-a-review-after-three-years-of-use.html/) - Three years ago I won my first ever (and probably only!) internet giveaway - and it was a pretty big one! Shortly after LG rolled out their new TWIN Wash system with SideKick pedestal washer, we became the proud owners of a shiny new pair! Since we've had it for a while now, I thought
- [Grocery Shopping Online: Why It's the Bees Knees](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/grocery-shopping-online-why-its-the-bees-knees.html/) - Are you on board with online grocery shopping? Has it completely changed your grocery shopping routine for the better like it has for me? We cook better meals, save more money, and generally can't get enough of what a time-saver it's truly become for our fam. About 2.5 years ago, Hadley and I were in
- [Perspective.](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/06/perspective.html/) - Something the Army taught me is to be grateful for every single "quiet" moment I have with my husband. Having him away was painful at times, as well as exhausting and just plain lonely, but the weekends and holidays that we were able to spend together after time apart felt like some of the happiest
- [I Love Potty Training](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/i-love-potty-training.html/) - Lies lies lies. I loathe potty training. Ask anyone that knows me, and they'll tell you how animated I get about how much I disliked it when I did it with Hadley. Maybe it had something to do with wintertime, no outdoor play, no husband, no wine, two major regression periods (once when Sadie was
- [A Sweet Memorial Day Reunion](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/a-sweet-memorial-day-reunion.html/) - We kicked off a drizzly Memorial Day with an Orangetheory workout for me and a "Murph" Crossfit workout for Jamie followed by a quick family walk before we shifted gears. We had a load of people to feed that evening at our home, and I was busting at the seams with excitement! Most of you
- [Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) Review: The First Few Weeks](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/infant-swimming-resource-isr-review-the-first-few-weeks.html/) - Hi friends!! Ahh, thanks for sticking with me last week as I posted way less than I usually do (sad face!) Like I mentioned in yesterday's "Slice of Life", I realized that I way overdid it this month with jumping from one thing to the next to the next, and though May was an incredibly
- [Slice of Life: May 27th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/slice-of-life-may-28th-2018.html/) - If you would have talked to me on Friday night, I would have grumbled at you while peering through sleepy eyes that I way, way, way overdid it this month. I'm not a napper, but on Friday afternoon I napped for two hours while my girls thankfully also slept, and then I went back to
- [Turks and Caicos Destination Wedding Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/turks-caicos-destination-wedding-weekend.html/) - My college roommate Hannah had two big dreams for her future that my sorority sisters and I would all kind of giggle and dream about with her: her first big dream was to be a dolphin trainer (check!), and her second big dream was to get married one day in Turks & Caicos (check!!). Her
- [Organizing Medicine and First Aid: From Cabinet to Hanging Bag](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/medicine-first-aid-organization-from-cabinet-to-hanging-bag.html/) - If your big ol' heart pitter-patters to the beat of having everything organized, you may just have a new project to work on once you finish skimming through this post. ;) For that reason, I'll keep this short and sweet! During my recent trip to Georgia, I noticed that my friend Jessica had all of
- [Mothers Day Weekend + an Extra Grateful Heart](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/mothers-day-weekend-an-extra-grateful-heart.html/) - Mother's Day weekend this year was just the way I prefer any 'ole picture perfect weekend to be - a little sun, family, rest, catch-up, Jesus, and social time. Earlier in the week I had scheduled a 7 a.m. Orange Theory class for Saturday morning, but on Friday night I canceled it. We had just
- [Girls Trip Across Georgia](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/girls-trip-across-georgia.html/) - Woweeee, what a whirlwind week we had last week! I road tripped with the girls to Savannah, Georgia (Richmond Hill for those who are familiar with the area!) to see one of my best friends, Jessica (we met while teaching next door to each other in Tennessee - fun, right?!) It was so exhausting but
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #67: Luke & Manda](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/the-saturday-sit-down-67-luke-manda.html/) - Happy Saturday! I'm so happy to be home this morning after a whirlwind, awesome week in Georgia. I'm looking forward to celebrating Mother's Day with my own mom and then of course the girls who call me Mom, and I really can't ask for much more than that. This week I'm featuring Amanda as the
- [Backyard Patio Progress + 5 Tables I Considered](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/backyard-patio-progress-5-tables-i-loved.html/) - I wouldn't say that this post is so much as a "backyard reveal" as it is more of a "here's where we're at with our back patio" post. :) From birth, our kids have been soothed by the freedom of the great outdoors. Sadie was born in April 2016, and all summer long she basically
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #66: Keep Up Kate](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/the-saturday-sit-down-66-keep-up-kate.html/) - Hello friends! Happy Kentucky Derby day! Happy Cinco de Mayo! Happy Graduation to soooo many people around the country who are walking today! Shoot, first weekend of May, there's probably a ton of weddings too! Whoop! It's a hoppin' day! But you know what the four of us DeSpains are doing today? Probably not much!
- [Slice of Life: May 4th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/slice-of-life-may-4th-2018.html/) - Happy Friday!! I have a short and sweet "Slice of Life" for you today because while I'd love to spend a few hours blabbing about a few topics I have on tap to write about, I know that a better use of my time would be to continue working around our house. We haven't been
- [A Beautiful Weekend with Friends](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/a-beautiful-weekend-with-friends.html/) - My friend Meg and I both agreed that we were still on little highs on Monday after the very best weekend! The Landers family are some of our best friends (we met in Kansas), and they're currently stationed down at Fort Rucker, which is about 4.5ish hours south of us. They're PCSing soon, so we
- [Introducing "In Good Company": A Community for Bloggers](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/05/launching-in-good-company.html/) - Oh, I kind of have butterflies in my stomach right now as I type this post; I don't know why! Well, maybe it has SOMETHING to do with how EXCITED I am to share that a couple girlfriends and I have dreamed up something really neat that we're finally launching today! Bloggers! Are you looking
- [We Finally Have a Front Porch! + How We Styled It](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/we-finally-have-a-front-porch.html/) - A new home always excitedly feels so much like a blank canvas just waiting for some color and personality, and our front porch was the first canvas that I couldn't wait to "paint". I adore the grey brick and stonework on our home's exterior, but I knew from the get-go that adding a bit of
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #65: Courtney At Home](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/the-saturday-sit-down-65-courtney-at-home.html/) - Happy weekend, everyone! Thanks for heading this way today to scope out who this week's featured blogger is. I'm happy as could be this morning because some of our very best friends are waking up with us! Do you remember our buddies, the Landers? They're here! In fact, Meg and I are probably drinking coffee
- [Slice of Life: April 26th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/slice-of-life-april-26th-2018.html/) - So I just wrote the date in the title of this post and did a triple take at the calendar at the bottom of my computer because how in the world is it already the end of April? I am confident this has been one of the fastest months of my life. I feel like
- [Sadie's New "Big Girl" Bed + the Rocky Transition Period](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/sadies-new-big-girl-bed-the-rocky-transition-period.html/) - Sadie's last night to sleep in her crib was the night before our movers in Kansas disassembled her crib to take to Alabama. We decided months ago that with a new house and new bedroom came a new big girl bed for Sadie since she'd be just about two years old anyway (let's just knock
- [A Day of Fun for Sadie's 2nd Birthday](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/a-day-of-fun-for-sadies-2nd-birthday.html/) - Sadie's 2nd birthday was so low key and so super great, and I'd love to share and document her special day on here if you'd care to virtually share in the fun. :) We opted not to do an all-out traditional party because of timing. In the last couple of years I've really zeroed in
- [Slice of Life: April 2nd, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/slice-of-life-april-2nd-2018.html/) - We officially have a full week in Alabama under our belts, and it feels really good to be home! I had envisioned last week being full of relaxing days on my parents' couch and catching my breath a bit, but sure enough we were rockin' and rollin' from one to-do list item to the next.
- [Military Housing Options: Which Is Best?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/the-pros-cons-of-buying-renting-and-living-on-post-according-to-20-military-spouses.html/) - Though some military families decide well in advance that they will always rent, buy, or live on post no matter where they're stationed, many others (my family included) make the housing decision on a case-by-case basis depending on where they're being stationed and for how long. Though we really enjoy owning our home, the idea of
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #64: Injenious Life](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/the-saturday-sit-down-64-injenious-life.html/) - Hello, hello, and welcome back to another week of "The Saturday Sit-Down!" Believe it or not, I'm actually in Birmingham again this morning. One of my long-time best friends turned 30 yesterday, so a girlfriend and I drove down last night to surprise her at a little party her husband put together. We're heading home
- [Do You Take Workout Supplements?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/do-you-take-workout-supplements.html/) - Thank you to the Council For Responsible Nutrition for sponsoring this post. Learn more about how #SARMsCanHarm at crnusa.org/SARMs! Chatting about protein, pre-workout supplements and drinks, recovery aids, and more has been a frequent thing in our household the last few years. Do you and/or your significant other incorporate any or all of these products
- [Sadie Rose is TWO! + a Few Things That Make Her Who She Is](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/my-sadie-girl-is-two.html/) - Two years ago at 12:50 p.m., Sadie made her speedy entrance into the world and has had me wrapped around her finger ever since. A mother's love is the most unique thing; Halfway through writing that very simple sentence above, I started tearing up. My girls know how to twist my heart in a way
- [Slice of Life: April 17th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/slice-of-life-april-17th-2018.html/) - It's a celebratory week around here because tomorrow because this precious little love of my life turns two! And speaking of Sadie and the "Slice of Life" that this post is, she got her first significant black eye recently. She was trying to be silly and run away from Jamie and crashed hard right into
- [A Fantastic Wedding Weekend in Birmingham](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/a-fantastic-wedding-weekend-in-birmingham.html/) - After a week of digging our way out from under boxes, it felt pretty darn wonderful to pack our bags for the weekend and head about 100 miles south to Birmingham! On Friday we drove a whopping five miles to my parents' home, dropped off Teddy and the girls for a weekend of fun, and
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #63: Larayeeb Ali](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/the-saturday-sit-down-63-larayeeb-ali.html/) - Good morning from Birmingham! Writing that feels like deja vu because I believe I started a "Saturday Sit-Down" like that once before. We flew down to Birmingham last August for a wedding, and this morning we're waking up in the home of the friends who we came down last time to see get married. :)
- [Instagram Q&A: Part Two](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/instagram-qa-part-two.html/) - Hello, hello! Happy Hump Day! Our week is flying by around here as we hustle to unpack and set up as much of the "big" stuff as we can before a wedding in Birmingham this weekend and then Jamie's first day of work on MONDAY! Squeal! I'm so excited for him! The upcoming wedding (he's
- [We Didn't Quite Build Our House, But Kind Of: Our Experience](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/our-experience-with-buying-a-partially-built-home.html/) - Before Jamie and I flew to Alabama to house hunt back in January, we'd talked endlessly about our non-negotiables for the home that we'd buy (I blogged about that wild house-hunting trip here.) We were 90% sure that we wanted a new construction, so we saw that experience going one of three ways. We'd either
- [Closing, Moving In, + a Few House Pictures](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/closing-moving-in-a-few-house-pictures.html/) - Hello, hello! It's 5 a.m. on Monday morning, and though I know many of you already think I'm a fruit loop for getting up this early on my own each day, I am so happy to be back in "routine" right now. There's something about the stillness of my dark living room, the warmth of
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #62: Little Whyte Book](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/the-saturday-sit-down-62-little-whyte-book.html/) - Ahhhhh, HELLO, my friends! If I were with you in person, I'd probably say this as I greeted you with a big hug and practically collapsed into your arms while also smiling like a fool because WHAT A DANG WEEK. An exhausting but simply INCREDIBLE week. I can't wait to get wifi hooked up today
- [Instagram Q&A: Part One](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/instagram-qa-part-one.html/) - A few days ago I slapped up a quick post on my Instagram Stories asking if you had any random questions you'd like me to blab about in a post this week. I decided to split up the questions I received into two posts, just for fun. :) Here's part one, all about friendships, parenting,
- [An Eventful Monday](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/04/an-eventful-monday.html/) - Yesterday was excitedly full of numerous good things! Besides the intoxicatingly perfect springtime weather, we had a ton of reasons to smile. For starters, I attended my first Orange Theory class and really enjoyed it! Though I wanted to love one of the local 9Round gyms here so (so so!) badly, I sadly knew after
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #61: Days of a Wife](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/the-saturday-sit-down-61-days-of-a-wife.html/) - Hello hello, and Happy Easter weekend! I have the beautiful Kasey from Days of a Wife on the "Saturday Sit-Down" today, and I think it's so well-timed that she shares a good amount of faith-based content considering the religious holiday weekend. I love what she has to share today about new adventures, being a newlywed,
- [Two Beauty Products That Live in My Car](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/two-make-up-items-that-live-in-my-car.html/) - I was driving around a couple of weeks ago, dabbing on some concealer at a red light and then swiping on some matte lip color once I arrived at my destination, and I thought about how darn handy it's continued to be having a couple of specific make-up items permanently housed in my car. Do
- [March Gift Guide: 10 Ideas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/march-gift-guide-10-ideas.html/) - It's a big birthday week for our loved ones! Yesterday my beautiful MIL had a birthday, and tomorrow is my dad's special day. We primarily gifted experiences for them this year, which is something we often like to throw into the mix to change things up every now and then. The act of physically opening
- [Alabama: Getting Here and Being Here](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/ala-freaking-bama-we-are-here.html/) - Have you ever done something crazy and thought to yourself later "I can't believe I just did that!?" If so, you likely understand where my head is at right now because I CANNOT BELIEVE WE JUST DID THAT. And by "that", I mean handle a short deployment, get through the holidays, find a job, list
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #60: The Good Stuff](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/the-saturday-sit-down-60-the-good-stuff.html/) - Hellooooo from a very slap-happy Erica! Ha! What a week. We are tired and giddy all at the same time. :) Things went well with the packers and movers the last couple days, so today we're scrubbing this house until it shines and then going out to pop into a few of our favorite places,
- [When I Think Back On Our Time Living in Kansas...](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/when-i-think-back-to-our-time-living-in-kansas.html/) - On Sunday morning, we're hitting the road to make the 800 mile trek to Alabama with two very (very very!) packed vehicles. I remember when I drove with the girls down to Alabama in October, I hoped that the next time I made that drive would be in March (if we happened to be moving
- [Packer Prep & a Week That's Flyin' By](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/packer-prep-a-busy-week.html/) - The last couple weeks have been flying, and I mean FLYING by (!) around here. We've had a zillion balls in the air at all times it seems, but now we're at the point where our packers are on their way this morning and the "to do" list has dwindled significantly. It's go time! Last
- [Strengthening Our Marriage One Workout at a Time](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/strengthening-our-marriage-one-workout-at-a-time.html/) - This post was sponsored by Reebok as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. About a month ago, I had this moment of clarity while standing right in the middle of our kitchen that likely changed my outlook on fitness for a lifetime. I'd
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #59: Communikait](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/the-saturday-sit-down-59-communikait.html/) - Well this is the easiest "Saturday Sit-Down" intro I've ever written. :) Meet my blogging bestie, Kait! I debated just calling her and simply recording an hours-long phone interview instead of my traditional-style interview because there are so (so so so) many layers to her blog. Knowing the wealth of knowledge she has to share
- [Stories, Ramblings, and a Few Favorite Things](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/stories-ramblings-and-a-few-favorite-things.html/) - Every once in a while I'll sit down during my self-designated "work time" with no plan at all for what I'm going to write about. I just write. This afternoon, I have my feet kicked up on the coffee table, laptop on my outstretched legs, and am breathing a sigh of relief that for the
- [Slice of Life: March 13th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/slice-of-life-march-13th-2018.html/) - Oh, hi! :) I have a short and sweet "Slice of Life" ready for ya, if you'd like a glimpse at what's been going on in our neck of the woods lately. I figure that more people will be searching Google and Pinterest for carrot cake recipes this month as Easter approaches (April 1st), and
- [Switching From Blogger to Wordpress](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/10/making-the-leap-to-self-hosted-wordpress-org.html/) - I'm pinching myself a bit that I'm actually typing up a post about self-hosted Wordpress because making the transfer is something that I've wanted to do for almost two years. I'm so glad it's all behind me and that I'm able to move forward with blogging on my improved platform! When I started my blog
- [Benefit Brow Bar Review + Eyebrow Care](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/eyebrows-care-routines-whats-yours.html/) - Do you have a routine for keeping up with eyebrow maintenance? I remember getting my eyebrows waxed for the first time around 8th grade after begging my mom to let me. My eyebrows grow in quickly and thick, and if I don't have a professional helping to maintain their shape every once in a while they start looking
- [Stories of the Highest Highs and Lowest Lows from our 8 Years in the Army](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/stories-of-the-highest-highs-and-lowest-lows-from-our-8-years-in-the-army.html/) - If there's one thing you'll rarely experience in the military, it's monotony. Jamie's career in the Army has allowed us to experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, often back to back to back. I've always said that the good times are really, really, really good (they have to be for anyone
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #58: Denise Renae](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/the-saturday-sit-down-58-denise-renae.html/) - Hello hello! How was your week? Ours was pretty rocky as we continue to plow through some of the final hurdles before we be-bop out of Kansas, but taking one things day at a time is our best (and only) option. This weekend we'll be working on things around the house, making lists of things
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #55: Grandma Becky L.](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/saturday-sit-55-grandma-becky-l.html/) - Follow my blog with Bloglovin Good morning, friends! What are you up to this weekend? We have some friends visiting us this weekend who we haven't seen in nearly three years (!), so we are excited to soak up their visit and take them to a few of our favorite local hotspots. I'm smiling from
- [Guest Bathroom Oak Vanity Makeover with Chalk Paint](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/02/2235.html/) - Another oak vanity bites the dust! This weekend I full-on attacked the honey oak vanity in our basement guest bathroom with Annie Sloan's "Old White" chalk paint, , and finally Annie Sloan's dark wax. She's a beaut! After spontaneously painting the walls last week, I decided to grab a girlfriend and venture 45 minutes west
- [11 Essential Hostess Items](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/02/hostingstaples.html/) - Today's topic is a fun one: entertaining! One thing that entertaining party guests and painting your home have in common is that they both become very easy (and potentially inexpensive) to do if you already have a stockpile of the necessary staples on hand that you use over and over again. Both tasks used to cause
- [Parenting Mistakes and Things I Want to Do Differently with Newborn #2](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/02/fivethingsnewborn.html/) - Chances are high that eight-ish weeks from now we'll have a baby in our arms (I can't even believe it), and I've found myself thinking lately about the things that I consider "successes" with Hadley that I want to try again with Sadie as well as the areas that I want to do better at, or at
- [A Very Special Trip to Lincoln](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/special-trip-lincoln.html/) - On Saturday, we loaded up and headed north for one final midwestern day trip. We were Lincoln bound! I've mentioned a handful of times before that my second cousins live in Omaha, and about a year ago we all met for the first time. I don't think any of us expected to click so instantly,
- [A Tough Conversation: Are Your Kids Written in Your Will?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/a-tough-conversation-are-your-kids-in-your-will.html/) - Happy Monday! Nothing like kicking off the week with a topic very few people like to talk about, right? #sorryaboutthat #butletsdiscuss If you have a child, is he or she written into your will? I'm a part of a handful of mom-related Facebook groups that I've joined for one reason or another throughout the last
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #57: Jenny Hale](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/saturday-sit-57-jenny-hale.html/) - Hey there! I hope you had a great week and that your weekend is kicking off nicely! We're heading up to Lincoln, Nebraska today to spend some time with extended family, and all four of us are anticipating a really great day. We've only ventured up to Nebraska once since we've lived here (when we
- [Can You Be a Teacher and a Military Spouse? Five Reasons It's Hard](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/02/educationmilspouse.html/) - A couple of weeks ago I included a question within my survey asking readers if there is a particular subject they'd like to see addressed in a future post, and I had several people ask me to address the same thing - if I ever saw myself being able to balance having a teaching career
- [Guest Bathroom Flooring: Tile That Looks Like Hardwood](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/02/guestbathroomflooring.html/) - It's almost ridiculous how much I love fixing up this house. 18 months later and I'm still just having a field day! I haven't done anything big around the house the last six months or so because we've been a little preoccupied with, oh say, deployments and baby prep, but it's felt so good to
- [Slice of Life: March 1st, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/03/slice-life-march-1st-2018.html/) - What an absolutely, positively nutty couple of weeks it has been. You know when things get so bananas that it's almost easier to just belly laugh at the chaos than cry? Yep, that's been me. Very few tears have actually been shed, but oh my stars - I've definitely felt a little loony at times.
- [Deciding to Get Out of Active Duty Army: Part Two](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/deciding-get-active-duty-army-part-two.html/) - So now that you know what's next for our family and Jamie's job specifically, let's backtrack and talk about how we got here. In the education world, we called this "Backwards Mapping", where you know what the end-goal is, but you now turn around and connect the bricks that built the path. If you missed
- [Deciding To Get Out of Active Duty Army: Part One](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/deciding-get-active-duty-army-part-one.html/) - Jamie and I were talking the other night about the range of emotions we are both feeling about March 2018 being around the corner. We've had our eye specifically on March 2018 for two solids years. If we can just make it to March 2018. I wish March 2018 would just hurry up. All of
- [10 Gift Ideas From Amazon this Month](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/10-gift-ideas-from-amazon-this-month.html/) - Are you on the hunt for the perfect gift for a loved one this month? We have a slew of birthdays and special occasions coming up the next two or three months, so my eyes are officially opened and on the lookout for perfect DIY or store-purchased gifts for our loved ones for their special
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #56: Shallow Roots Living](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/saturday-sit-55-shallow-roots-living.html/) - Hello, hello! Welcome to another week of "The Saturday Sit-Down"! I hope your weekend is off to a nice start! We went ahead and slightly lowered the price on our house this week to renew some interest in this terrible sellers market right now, and we almost immediately had three requests for showings this weekend.
- [Transitioning from Two Naps to One](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/transitioning-from-two-naps-to-one.html/) - Happy Friday, friends! Today's post is an answer to a recent reader's question regarding how and when our girls transitioned from two naps to one. For the life of me, I can't remember how this transition went with Hadley (it's probably buried back in an old post somewhere like a good chunk of my girls
- [A Sweet President's Day Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/sweet-presidents-day-weekend.html/) - We had a nice long weekend around here! I'm admittedly writing this feeling a bit "off" and flustered by some moving-related issues, so to blow off some steam I'm sitting down to look at some happy pictures and think about the fun we had the last several days. On Friday night, some of our close
- [Images I'll Treasure Until I'm Old and Gray: Our Family Photoshoot at Home](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/images-ill-treasure-until-im-old-and-gray-our-in-home-family-lifestyle-shoot.html/) - A couple years ago I noticed that the new trend for newborn photography was capturing parents with their precious little one in his or her nursery and around the home. I loved this style of newborn photography so much, but we weren't able to do this with Sadie in our home since I delivered her
- [Slice of Life + a Tax-Filing Resource: February 16th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/slice-life-tax-filing-resource-february-16th-2018.html/) - With just five weeks left in Kansas, we're officially gearing up for the "Farewell Tour" portion of PCSing (or in our case ETSing since we're getting out.) The "Farewell Tour" is what many military families describe as the period right before you move where you start saying your "see ya laters" and experiencing your "lasts"
- [Toy Organization and a Simplified Playroom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/toy-organization-and-a-simplified-playroom.html/) - On a list of things that make me a little loco, these two rank fairly high: When the playroom is such a wreck, I can't even see the floor. When my kids don't have any interest playing with their toys because 30 different toys and activities are thrown all over the room, and they don't
- [Advice For New Big Sister: A Follow-Up Post](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/advice-hadley-new-big-sister-follow-post.html/) - A couple months ago I scheduled today to be the day that I review all of the advice that I received regarding Hadley becoming a big sister, and I'm not sure if the timing is perfect or terrible. We've had a helluva week around here with a very specific attention-seeking action, and it came to a
- [Maternity Pictures: Sisters, Best Friends, and Army Wives Edition](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/maternity-pictures-sistersarmy-wives-edition.html/) - Though I don't think I would ever purposely choose to walk through the pregnancy experience without my husband, the obvious benefit (of doing it twice) is getting to share these very special moments with my family members and closest girlfriends who normally likely would not have been a part of them if Jamie were around
- [How To Earn the Southwest Companion Pass](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/fly-free-bring-friend-free.html/) - Happy Friday! I hope you had a fabulous week! My little family temporarily reunites in just a few hours, so you can bet that I'm bouncing off the walls with excitement and nerves (the very best kind) as we speak. :) Today's post is either a reminder for long-time Whimsical September readers or great, brand new
- [An At-Home Dinner Date Idea for Two (Or the Whole Family!)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/a-sweet-at-home-valentines-dinner-idea-for-the-whole-family.html/) - Do you have any big plans for Valentines Day tomorrow? Both girls are going to be in school, so Jamie and I are going to take advantage of the free time and work out together at 9Round (he tried it out with me last week and loved it) followed by a brunch date at one
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #54: Mudpies and Pearls](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/saturday-sit-54-mudpies-pearls.html/) - So here's a little behind the scenes for ya: Even though you're likely reading this on Saturday, I'm currently putting this together at 5:27 a.m. on Friday morning. I might be a little insane, but hear me out. :) I'm sitting here under a heated blanket, sipping coffee, listening to Sadie's white noise machine nearby,
- [Do You Have Annual Vacation Traditions?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/annual-vacation-traditions.html/) - Ever since Sadie was born, we've slowed our roll a bit with taking trips for leisure simply because our energy and finances were seemingly focused on other things. One kid didn't slow us down, but two little ones certainly (and justifiably) did. Now that our youngest is nearing two and seemingly much more manageable and able to
- [Slice of Life: February 7th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/slice-life-february-7th-2018.html/) - Good morning and Happy Hump Day! I always look forward to Wednesday because it's the one day a week that both girls are in school all day. It's glorious! Lat fall, I envisioned this to be my one day a week where I could do whatever I wanted, but I usually end up filling it
- [Sadie's Social Induction Birth Story](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/sadies-birth-story.html/) - As I sit here typing and watching my nine day old baby girl snooze just four feet away, I'm reminded how thankful I am that she's here, she's healthy, and that the labor experience - one that I'd admittedly been a little anxious about for months - went as well as it did. I'm so excited to
- [Favorite Toys for Two Year Olds: Hadley's Picks](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/hadleys-favorite-things-2-5-years-old.html/) - Hadley's imaginary play skills have shot through the roof lately and it's so enjoyable to watch. Until a few months ago she was never that great at independent play for more than 10-ish minutes, but lately she can't get enough of dumping out her buckets of toys and going to town creating and playing. Having a
- [Nicknames for Kids: Do Yours Have Them?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/do-your-kids-have-nicknames.html/) - Jamie and I can't put a finger on when we started calling Hadley by "Hadley Boo" or who was the first to call her that, but to say that it's stuck would be an understatement. She has a few other nicknames too ("Diva Diva" is another accidental popular one), but Hadley Boo might as well
- [The Lowdown on My Instagram Closet Sale](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/clothing-sale.html/) - I have no idea what possessed me to do this, but last weekend I successfully hosted my first (and last!) Instagram closet clean-out sale. I woke up Friday with zero intentions of cleaning out my closet, but by noon on Saturday I was blowing up Instagram by listing over 40 of my best gently-used garments
- [Painting the Exterior of our Home - Before & After](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/painting-exterior-home.html/) - As if I wasn't obsessed with paint enough, this not-as-massive-as-you-would-think undertaking completely put me over the edge! We're going to hit our two-year anniversary in this home this week (how can it be already?!), and our exterior was way overdue for a little bit of love. We've worked diligently on freshening up the interior since
- [House-Selling Update & Some Real Talk](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/house-selling-update-kind-loosing-chill-minute.html/) - Jamie and I have both tried really hard to stay relaxed, patient, and level-headed when it comes to this whole house-selling thing, but I about lost my cool Sunday when I got a text from our realtor saying that the people coming to see our home that morning would need to reschedule. Major sad face.
- [What To Do When Your One Year Old is Losing His/Her Mind (and You're Rapidly Losing Yours Too)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/one-year-old-losing-mind-youre-rapidly-losing.html/) - Up until a couple weeks ago, we were navigating a phase with Sadie where she was the most high maintenance, impossible to please kiddo 80% of her awake hours. For 2-3 months she was seemingly so frustrated with and screaming about everything - her food, her clothes, our activity, you name it. That stage where
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #53: Life With the Lesniaks](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/saturday-sit-53-life-lesniaks.html/) - Well hi! If heading here on Saturday morning and reading this is a teeny part of your weekend routine, THANKS! :) So glad to have ya! What are you up to this weekend? This morning I'm briefly speaking on a panel over at K-State and answering questions about how I make food choices for my
- [How Old Were You When You Met Your Spouse?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/02/old-met-spouse.html/) - It's been 10 years. 10! On February 1st, 2008 Jamie and I met each other in person for the first time at the bottom of an escalator at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, New York. I was with my sister, and we were flying in for the Yearling Winter Weekend ball (sophomore ball) at West Point.
- [A Day in the Life: January 2018 (Hadley 4 yrs | Sadie almost 2)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/day-life-january-2018-hadley-4-yrs-sadie-almost-2.html/) - I put together my first "Day in the Life" post 3.5 years ago after stealing the idea from my parents (who did something similar when I was a baby), and here we are eight "Day in the Life" posts later. I've done them each summer and winter, and occasionally Jamie and I go through them
- [Slice of Life: January 30th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/slice-life-january-30th-2018.html/) - Hey friends! Happy Tuesday to ya. :) I have about an hour window to unwind for a little bit and share a slice of life with you, so let's get to it! One thing I love so much about living anywhere but the southeast (where we are happily moving back to by choice haha!) is
- [How To Get Out of a Bad Mood](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/five-go-methods-snapping-bad-mood.html/) - I call it "getting in a funk". It's those days where you're in a foul mood for one reason or another, or maybe not for any good reason at all. I think we all get in these moods from time to time. I really loathe these days, especially when I can't identify one legitimate reason for
- [Most Clicked On & Purchased Items from the 2017 Holiday Gift Guides](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/clicked-purchased-items-2017-holiday-gift-guides.html/) - Even though math was my least favorite subject growing up, I've oddly always had a thing for studying analytics and numbers. This is probably why I got such a kick out of checking my affiliate sites in November and December to see which items were popular with click-throughs as well as purchases. Of course I
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #52: Dreams + Coffee](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/saturday-sit-52-dreams-coffee.html/) - Ah, January 27th already. This month flew by in lightning speed around here! I went in for my routine dental cleaning this week, and my sweet hygienist asked me how our holidays were. I paused for a second before answering because I had to think about it; Is she talking about Christmas? Isn't it, like,
- [The Rollercoaster of Being a First-Time Mom: A Follow Up Four Years Later](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/the-rollercoaster-of-being-a-first-time-mom-a-follow-up-four-years-later.html/) - Four years ago today, I vividly remember what a wreck I was. Why hadn't anyone warned me that the first few weeks (months?) of being a brand new mom would be way harder than they would be enjoyable? Did they try to tell me and I just didn't listen? Likely. I remember sitting on our
- [My 30th Birthday + A Weekend of House Showings](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/30th-birthday-weekend-house-showings.html/) - Well this past weekend was just a total whirlwind of running around 100 mph (which we all know is the speed Erica DeSpain is the most comfortable with anyway! haha), but man... it was so good too. So so so so very good! Excited to chit chat and share about our happenings! Around 2 a.m.
- [Introducing Food at Five Months Old](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/introducing-food-sadie-months-5-8.html/) - When the time rolled around to introduce to Sadie to food, for the life of me I couldn't remember what I did or when I did it with Hadley. I felt like a first-time mom sitting behind my laptop reading article after article about how to best start food. Because I know this is a heavily
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #51: Our Darling Adventure](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/saturday-sit-51-darling-adventure.html/) - When I first rebranded my blog and started taking it a bit more seriously in 2014, the first thing I attempted to do was build somewhat of a community with other bloggers. I can't remember how I went about finding an initial core group of "blogging friends", but one of the first girls I "met"
- [Slice of Life: January 19th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/slice-life-january-19th-2018.html/) - Happy happy happy Friday! Today should be a little extra fun around here because I'm kicking off a new decade today! I've been oddly looking forward to 30 for a while and am extra glad to have Jamie home this year to spend this special day with. :) I thought it would be fun to
- [February Gift Guide: 20 Gifts Under $50](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/february-gift-guide-20-gifts-50.html/) - A few days ago I wondered if my timing for this month's gift guide post is a bit poor considering Valentine's Day just came and went, but then I realized that there are still a million other birthdays and events happening all the time for the people we love. If you're on the lookout for the
- [Finding Our Forever Home](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/finding-forever-home.html/) - Mission freaking accomplished! We found ourselves a little dream home to call our own this spring in Madison, Alabama. But whew buddy, this house-hunting trip gave me a few new gray hairs! I mentioned in my post earlier this week that Jamie and I were looking at houses through the lens of “Could we stay
- [All Kinds of Celebrations Over Here](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/all-kinds-of-celebrations-over-here.html/) - The very bottom portion of this post (a giveaway - hooray!) is written in partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures. When I first started blogging in 2008, 100% of my posts were written during a spontaneous free hour where I could sit down and unload a handful of "life happenings". This post feels like a blast
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #50: Better with Beale](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/the-saturday-sit-down-50-better-with-beale.html/) - Hey friends! Hope your weekend is kicking off nicely. :) I appreciate you heading over this way today and checking out who's being featured. Meet Ashley! She is so well-rounded and writes content that I believe will appeal to so many people. As always, I hope you'll read through each of her questions below and
- [DIY Home Projects: Updates On How They've Held Up](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/updates-on-diy-home-projects-how-theyve-held-up.html/) - I remember when we closed on our home 3.5 years ago feeling so darn excited but also pretty overwhelmed because we had a ton of projects ahead of us that felt necessary to tackle in order to love this house. (Anyone remember the bright green living room accent wall and master bath?) We bought it
- [Welcome to a Lifetime of Worry](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/welcome-lifetime-worry.html/) - Early on in the second trimester of my pregnancy with Hadley, something alarming showed up on one of my ultrasounds. She had a choroid plexus cyst on her brain, and it was bluntly explained to me that sometimes these things go away on their own between 20-30 weeks, though other times this cyst is known
- [A Review of Brands I Did Sponsored Posts For in 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/review-brands-sponsored-posts-2017.html/) - Helloooo Tuesday! I was hoping to get this post up this morning as usual, but instead of working last night after the girls went to bed, I ended up trying to comfort and soothe Sadie constantly until about 12:30 a.m. She's been sick for a few days and can't seem to kick it. Hadley has
- [Slice of Life: January 8th, 2018](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/slice-life-january-8th-2018.html/) - I wasn't expecting to find many pictures on my phone to pull for this "Slice of Life" because there's sadly just not a whole lot of fun to photograph when life revolves around getting your house officially on the market. Thankfully, we finally went live on Thursday! We've only had a couple of showings that
- [4th of July Weekend 2016 in Wamego, Kansas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/4th-july-holiday-weekend-2016.html/) - Good morning and happy Tuesday! How was your holiday weekend? I usually try to write these recap-type posts the night before, but last night I was a little under the weather and just plain exhausted from a very full afternoon/evening of holiday activities. Right now Sadie is taking her morning nap, Jamie and Hadley are
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #49: Cupcake N Dreams](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/saturday-sit-49-cupcake-n-dreams.html/) - Welcome back to the "Saturday Sit-Down" series after several weeks off for the holidays. Feels good to be back at it! When I dreamed up this little series during Christmas Break 2016, I expected it to last maybe three months. Maybe. I was terrified that once I opened up the chance to be featured, crickets
- [Jamie's 30th Birthday - What a Day!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/jamies-30th-birthday-day-of-fun.html/) - A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Jamie's big 30th birthday by doing a whole bunch of small things that equaled one heck of a fantastic day! Would love to share with you all about it, if you're interested. :) Last year, three-year-old Hadley couldn't stop joking about wanting Daddy to have a cow party,
- [Memories & Mishaps: A Whirlwind Christmas Break 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2018/01/memories-mishaps-whirlwind-christmas-break-2017.html/) - Happy New Year, and hellooooo 2018! Boy oh boy, am I glad to see you, and by "you", I mean 2018 and you readers. :) Our entire family has been out of all of our routines the last two weeks (hence the 100% planned blog break), but we're all gladly jumping back into them this
- [Pesto Chicken Pizza on Homemade Dough](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/pizzapestochicken.html/) - Fri-daaaayyyy! Hooray! Jamie has the entire week off next week before he starts his Commanders course, so today kicks off a whole lot of family time. :) I'm popping in today to share our family pizza dough recipe that we've worked hard to perfect throughout the last few years. I've mentioned on this blog no less
- [How To Stain a Fence](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/exterior-home-improvement-staining-fence.html/) - Popping in with a few before and after shots of our recent outdoor project: staining our previously untreated fence. We're getting crazy over here - let me tell ya! ;) Not only was our fence untreated, but it also had many weathered areas from our sprinkler system. It desperately needed some TLC that we finally got
- [A Laundry Tip: Why I Swear By Doing a Load Per Day](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/laundry-load-day.html/) - There are three things I've been doing every single morning, seven days a week, without fail for over a year: make myself a Spark, pour Hadley the sippy cup of milk that she's inevitably demanding, and start a load of laundry. Laundry Tip: Do One Load Per Day A couple of years ago I read
- [A Rainy Morning Pancake Playdate](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/rainy-morning-pancake-playdate.html/) - I've been joking around with my mom this week about how her visits don't look like what they used to. She's been visiting me either in Tennessee, Arizona, or here in Kansas for over five years, and until now we've always filled our schedule to the brim with shopping, sight-seeing, dining out, and more. Having two
- [An Honest Blue Apron Review After Five Weeks of Use](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/blue-apron-review.html/) - About a week before Jamie returned home from his recent deployment I sat down to do some meal planning, but I felt very uninspired and uninterested in selecting meals and making a coordinating grocery list. This is something I used to really enjoy doing before he left, but I did zero of it while he
- [Communication Skills & Addressing Others by Name](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/skill-addressing-others-name.html/) - Last week we were watching one of the "feel good" backstories behind one of the Olympic teams, and the coach made a comment that stopped Jamie in his tracks. He mentioned that the leadership skill he works the hardest on is always making a conscious effort to address his players and coaches by name. Jamie
- [9 Tips for Readjusting as a Family After a Deployment](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/tips-adjusting-family-deployment.html/) - When I married Jamie in January 2011, I knew that a deployment to Afghanistan was looming. I knew that the first year of our marriage would be untraditional and that there would be hard times, but I had no idea what our lives in the military would hold once he returned in 2012. In hindsight I don't
- [8 Ways to Love and Support Others During Hard Times](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/seven-ways-love-others-difficult-times.html/) - One thing I've learned about myself since I've had children is that I'm not a very good receiver of selfless gifts from others. For some reason I have a hard time letting people love me during times when I surely need it the most. I'm always so overwhelmed (in a good way) by how truly
- [PCS roadtrip: Hello Kansas!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/09/pcs-roadtrip-hello-kansas.html/) - Hello from Kansas! We're here. Our PCS to Fort Riley, Kansas Popping in for just a minute to give a quick road trip update, and then I'm shutting off my brain for the rest of the day in anticipation for closing and starting our next home ownership journey tomorrow. Speaking of the house, we finally got to
- [Two Flights For the Price of One with Southwest's Companion Pass](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/07/no-more-flyin-solo.html/) - For the next 16 months, my little family of three is going to be flying on Southwest for the cost of one ticket every single time we fly, no matter where we fly! As of yesterday we've officially earned Companion Pass status, and I am pumped to share how easy it is for you to
- [Chicken, Feta, & Sundried Tomato Wrap](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/08/chicken-feta-sundried-tomato-wrap.html/) - Jamie and I are big shredded chicken fans, and more often than not we have a big Rubbermaid in the fridge full of shredded chicken waiting for us to throw into something - appetizers, wraps, salads, pasta, you name it. Everybody shreds their chicken differently, but here's what works for us: Place desired number of
- [Cake Recipe with a Naughty Name & Sinful Taste: Better Than Sex Cake Recipe](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/08/cake-recipe-with-naughty-name-sinful.html/) - Baking is not my forte, and the people who know me best are laughing because they know it's true! Because I'm a big sweets lover I frequently volunteer to bring dessert to get-togethers only to find myself apologizing for my pitiful-looking cake/cookies/pie/etc as soon as we walk in the door. It's bad! With appetizers and main dishes
- [Arizona Monsoon Season](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/07/monsoon.html/) - Did you know that Arizona has a monsoon season? Since we moved here in March, the only precipitation we'd seen prior to last week was a 10 minute mist that was light enough that one could still leisurely walk outside to check the mail or walk to the car without an umbrella. The local news stations
- [Our PCS to Fort Huachuca](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/04/our-first-big-psc-move-out-west.html/) - Tomorrow will mark one month since we officially said "see ya later" to Fort Campbell (we still own a home there, so it's not goodbye!) and began our 1,744 mile trip to our new home in Fort Huachuca/Sierra Vista, Arizona for Jamie's Military Intelligence Captains Career Course. The last month seriously just seems like a blur; It has flown
- [How to Decorate When You Have Kids](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/how-to-decorate-when-you-have-kids.html/) - Hey, new friend! I'm so happy to be subbing in for my dear friend, Erica, today! I'm Chelsea, I'm a stay at home mom of two little girls (firecrackers), navy wife to my cute hubby, Matt and DIY/home decorating blogger over at Making Home Base. I love sharing quick and easy DIY projects or decorating
- [Lemon Cake with Lavender Frosting](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/lemon-cake-lavender-frosting.html/) - Hello Whimsical September readers! My name is Kait and I blog over at CommuniKait, where you can find posts on living in Hawaii, my favorite recipes, travel recaps and more! I have two cute chocolate Labs who make regular appearances, too :) Today I'm popping in with one of my most popular recipes to date:
- [Bedroom for a 3 Year Old Girl: Hadley's Completed Big Girl Room Reveal](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/hadleys-completed-big-girl-room-reveal.html/) - This post was sponsored by Annie Selke as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. Stay tuned near the bottom of the post to secure a sweet discount code and enter the giveaway! Oh I am just giddy today to share Hadley's completed "big girl"
- [Freshly Picked: The Shoes My Girls Are Growing Up In](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/shoes-girls-growing.html/) - Our daughters are quite literally growing up in Freshly Picked shoes, the children's shoe brand that we've used and loved for years. Hadley (pictured below) received her first pair when she was six months old, and we've been sold out to this fantastic company ever since. I still remember how excited I was for Hadley
- [That's A Wrap for the Pig](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/thats-wrap-pig.html/) - The combo of wearing her piggy costume and collecting gobs of candy makes this girl smile like no tomorrow, so I'm not sure how I'll break the news to her that that's a wrap for Halloween 'til next year. She's had a ball. She's worn her costume to a college homecoming parade, to preschool, to
- [Hadley's Highly Anticipated "Horsey Party" (a.k.a. Horse and Princess Birthday Party)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/hadleys-highly-anticipated-horsey-party.html/) - Princess dresses, ponies, pink cupcakes, paint, and precious, precious friends. These are the things that contributed to the happiest birthday party we could have ever imagined for Hadley, and it was easy peasy! Lots of DeSpains were overjoyed on Sunday. We'd never thrown a traditional birthday party with friends for Hadley before, and we decided months
- [Using GivingAssistant.Org to Make Cash Back Fast](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/ive-already-made-money-year-christmas-shopping-online.html/) - Happy Thanksgiving Eve everyone! I absolutely love the eve of major holidays. Everybody always seems to have an extra pep in their step (and maybe a bit of nervous energy) in anticipation of and preparation for the next day's events. Whether you're spending the day with a load of friends and family or just quietly
- [Recent Toy Organization Strategy that is Saving Our Sanity](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/recent-toy-organization-strategy-saving-sanity.html/) - Good morning and Happy Friday! What do you have going on this weekend? We have a couple of work-related Christmas parties on tap and of course we'll be watching the Army/Navy football game tomorrow (Beat Navy!), but otherwise we'll be staying in and relaxing every chance we can get. The temperatures in the teens aren't much of an
- [The Christmas Gift I'll Never Forget](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/christmas-gift-ill-never-forget.html/) - When I was about 15 years old, my dad gave my mom a Christmas gift that left big tears streaming down all of our faces. It was the most wonderful Christmas Eve, and I'll never forget it. A few weeks before Christmas I remember my dad sitting at the kitchen table one afternoon looking through piles
- [Favorite Christmas Recipes](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/favorite-christmas-recipes.html/) - Helloooo Monday! Whew - we need a weekend to recover from our weekend. It was so great, but I think the girls and me will be hanging low today and catching up on a little rest. I'll be sharing a few pictures in a "Slice of Life" post tomorrow, but until then I wanted to
- [Classic Games to Play with Family & Friends](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/games-play-dinner-family-friends.html/) - Do any of you pass the time during the holidays by playing games with your friends and family? For years we've enjoyed a big meal, ate dessert, and then nestled in for the night to play a round (or two or three) of whatever game someone inevitably brought along. Sometimes we play for 30 minutes
- [A Budgeting Tool to Use in the New Year: A Review of Mint.com](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/budgeting-tool-use-new-year.html/) - On a list of things that I typically steer clear of blogging about, finances is hiiiiigh up there! On a list of things that I typically love blogging about, my favorite things are super high. So I guess these two lists are colliding today because we're talking a budgeting tool that we're totally into and I thought you
- [Turning our Sunroom into a Playroom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/turning-sunroom-playroom.html/) - Remember last week when I talked about how it usually takes us a hot minute (a.k.a. a couple of years) to figure out how to best use our space? This post is a picture perfect example of that! When we moved into our home 2.5 years ago, our sunroom looked like this. About four months
- [DAFNI Hair Straightening Brush: A Review](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/new-dafni-straightening-brush.html/) - Today's post is brought to you by DAFNI Hair Straightening Ceramic Brush. I get a little pep in my step almost every time I see a package on my front porch, but last week I leaped off the couch the second I saw the UPS man walking up my driveway! I'd been tracking my DAFNI straightening
- [Pros & Cons of Pregnancy While Your Husband is Deployed](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/pros-cons-pregnancy-husband-deployed.html/) - I'm not sure why I've been so gun-shy to write this post; I think it's just difficult with a subject like this to determine what's best left private and what's necessary and helpful to share. I can't count on two hands how many conversations I've had with women on the other side of the computer
- [7 Ways to Work On Your Marriage](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/work-marriage-link.html/) - I saw this link-up topic recently with Shay and Erika's "Workin' It Wednesdays" and knew it was right up my alley! I've always thoroughly enjoyed learning how other married couples are being intentional about keeping their marriages happy and strong, so I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring and contribute to the conversation a
- [I Have No Idea What to Make For Dinner: What We Eat When We Have No Idea What to Eat](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/eat-dinner-no-idea-eat-dinner.html/) - Did you follow that post title? :) While I would love to have a perfectly planned out meal plan week after week, that's just not a reality around the DeSpain household these days. I'm a planner by nature though, so I usually decide in the morning what we're going to do for dinner that night
- [How Do I Get My Baby To Sleep Through the Night? Our Success Story](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/mama-doesnt-sleep-finally-got-baby-sleep-night.html/) - When we struggled with Hadley to get her to sleep through the night as a baby, I chalked it up to the fact that she was just a bad sleeper. Despite reading every single sleep training article and book in the world, we were still up with her 3-4 times a night (7p-7a) until she was 15
- [Spring Outfit Ideas to Put Together From Your Own Closet](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/shopping-closet-springtime-clothes.html/) - Heading to Disney in a few weeks put a fire under me the other day to sift through my closet and take inventory of what I have for spring and summer. I didn't buy any new spring clothes last year since I was mega pregnant and then postpartum, so I wasn't sure what pieces I had
- [DeSpains Do Disney Part Four: Magic Kingdom and a 4 a.m. Departure](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/despains-disney-part-four-magic-kingdom-4-m-departure.html/) - Our 6 a.m. alarms came early on Saturday morning, which would be our last full day at Disney World. We were so excited about the day we had planned at Magic Kingdom, but we were also not as sad as we expected to be that it was our third and final day of vacation. We'd had the
- [A Beautiful Weekend in Savannah, Georgia](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/incredible-weekend-beautiful-savannah-georgia.html/) - Well hi! I hope this mid-week post finds you well as we round out June here in a few days. :) I feel like this month went by in a flash, and we're predicting July will do more of the same. Summer is flyin' by! We've been home for a couple days settling back in
- [PCS Season: Leaving Vs. Being Left](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/pcs-season-leaving-vs-left.html/) - Military friends, which is typically a harder scenario for you: leaving your friends behind at your duty station or being the one that's left? At both of our previous duty stations, we were nearly the first out of our friends to leave. Though the "goodbye tour" was brutal (especially at Fort Campbell - my heart
- [The Great Milk Debate: Fairlife Vs. Regular (+ Readers' Opinions)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/great-milk-debate-fairlife-vs-regular-milk.html/) - Last Friday we did our grocery shopping at Walmart for the first time in forever, and when I went to grab our weekly three (!) gallons of milk, I noticed a brand of milk that I've seen more and more people talking about online lately - Fairlife. A gallon (16 cups) of Walmart's brand of
- [How Much Does It Cost to Run a Profitable Blog?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/money-does-it-cost-to-run-a-profitable-blog.html/) - At the end of last year, Jamie created a fancy little Excel file where I could easily keep track of my incoming and outgoing blogging money. I've been tracking every penny since that's spent on and earned from this little corner of the internet, and it's become quite apparent that the old saying is true:
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #40: Oh, Dear Abbey](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/saturday-sit-40-oh-dear-abbey.html/) - I was so excited when Abbey emailed me months ago inquiring about this little Saturday series. I'd visited her blog several times and am always mega impressed with her writing, her beautiful pictures, and her general layout. She seems to be nailing this blogging thing, and I have grown to thoroughly enjoy her content. I
- [2 0 1 7](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/2-0-1-7.html/) - Whenever a blog post feels a little heavy and I never know how to start it, I always begin by writing a line like this about how I'm just not sure where to start, hoping that the words will come to me. How (in the world!) do I sum you up, 2017? You want to
- [Slice of Life: December 19th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/slice-life-december-19th-2017.html/) - Hello, hello! When I opened up my phone to grab some pictures for today's "Slice of Life", I noticed there weren't nearly as many as usual. Definitely a sign that we've been hanging low and soaking up the quietest Christmas season we ever have, and I don't hate it. Not one single bit. If there's
- ["How Much Do You Charge For a Sponsored Post?" + More Blogging Questions Answered](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/blogging-questions-from-instagram-answered.html/) - About a year ago I started really internalizing the idea that if you want to grow, you need to be willing to constantly learn new things. Every industry is constantly evolving, and these days, faster than ever! As a blogger, I enjoy learning about how to improve this or that via posts I read or
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #48: Everyday Counts](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/saturday-sit-48-everyday-counts.html/) - Good morning, my friends. :) Thanks for heading over this way today to check out who this weekend's featured blogger is. :) It's actually the LAST one of 2017! What a fun year it's been getting to know 48 amazing, diverse bloggers from all around the world. I hope to have just as many next
- [Amazon Subscribe and Save Deals - December 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/amazon-subscribe-and-save-deals-december-2017.html/) - I'd have to look back at old posts to figure out how I ever got rolling with this whole Subscribe and Save thing from Amazon, but I'm not sure I'll ever look back! It's one of my very favorite things. Having household essentials on hand 24/7 has helped me stay on track with one grocery
- [The Sweetest Weekend (He's Home!)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/sweetest-weekend-hes-home.html/) - All weekend long we floated on cloud nine as we celebrated not only Jamie's homecoming from Poland, but more importantly the fact that he's home with us for good. With the exception of 2014 (which included two cross-country moves), every year since 2011 has been touched by a deployment, so Friday night was a huge,
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #47: Babies and Bathwater](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/the-saturday-sit-down-47-babies-and-bathwater.html/) - Ahh. It's Saturday. I love Saturdays. I hope you're enjoying a festive one this mid-December weekend! Today's blogger is sweet sweet sweet. Once you start reading her writing, you'll pick up on what a kind, adorable person she is. She and I have talked back and forth about random things the last few months as
- [To Parents & In-Laws of Service Members: Your Sacrifices are Not Overlooked](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/parents-laws-service-members-sacrifices-not-overlooked.html/) - As Jamie gets ready to come home from overseas and we begin the final steps of transitioning out of the military, I can feel the weight of his absence releasing from my shoulders. We're almost to the finish line. The months that he's gone are obviously more difficult for us, but that's not a secret
- [Food for Thought: Hunger Doesn't Take a Holiday](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/hunger-doesnt-take-a-holiday.html/) - Ever since visiting Harvesters back in June, you could say that my "senses have been heightened" to noticing the food drives all around me throughout the year. This time of year they are wonderfully rampant, and food banks thrive on the charitable hearts of others during the holiday season to get their shelves stocked and
- [Sadie's New "Ride": Her SwimWays Baby Float](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/sadies-new-ride-summer-baby-spring-float.html/) - This post was sponsored by SwimWays as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. To say that my nerves are a little shot when it comes to being around water would be the understatement of my life. There's something about traumatically experiencing just how
- [Hallway Decor: Our Growing Family Photo Collage](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/hallway-decor-growing-family-photo-collage.html/) - Besides working on Sadie's nursery, home improvements and decor in general fell a bit to the wayside the last few months. Once we returned home to Kansas from Alabama a few weeks ago I quickly put on my to-do list to freshen up our picture frames with new professional shots that our family has had done the
- [Slice of Life: December 4th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/slice-life-december-4th-2017.html/) - Hellooooo and Happy Monday! Hope your week is off to a great start. :) I have a fairly short (and sweet) slice of life that I'd love to share with you today, if you're interested. :) As usual, I grabbed a handful of pictures from life lately to give you a small glimpse into a
- [21 Suggestions For Helping a Mom After She Brings Home a New Baby](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/what-do-you-bring-new-mom-after-she-has.html/) - Once a friend or family member has a baby, do you have a “go to” routine for when to go visit the new little one? Some people love welcoming visitors to the hospital, while others prefer a set amount of quiet time to adjust at home before opening their doors to company. I know many
- [Jump Around!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/jump-around.html/) - Hadley got a pretty big new toy last week, but I think Jamie and I are loving it even more! We are now the super giddy owners of a big 'ole trampoline! A couple of my friends with elementary-age children have trampolines, and after seeing Hadley run around and have a ball on them throughout
- [USAA Movers Advantage Program](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/10/usaa-movers-advantage-program-dining.html/) - Good morning! USAA members (or those interested in becoming a member) - this post is for you! As I was researching dining chair options online this morning, I realized that I recently utilized a very handy resource that I haven't shared much about - until today! USAA Movers Advantage Have you heard of the USAA
- [Our Upcoming Deals with Amazon Subscribe & Save - March 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/upcoming-deals-amazons-subscribe-save-march-2017.html/) - I know that my newest obsession with Amazon's Subscribe & Save program may sound like THE dorkiest thing (I'm not saying it's not...!), but we are saving a heck of a ton of money, and that has me doing a little happy dance! I have never been a big coupon user because I found that
- [Having a Baby on Tricare Standard + Reasons Why You Should Switch to Standard Now](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/baby-tricare-standard-reasons-switch-standard-now.html/) - I won't do any beating around the bush today. Switching to Tricare Standard from Tricare Prime is hands down one of the best decisions our family has ever made, and I'd love to share with you our experience if you're also military and interested in switching yourself. Making a long story short, Hadley and I
- [Military Intelligence Captains Career Course Graduation Day](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/08/captains-career-course-graduation-day.html/) - It's packing day! Squeal! Crossing our fingers that everything goes just as smoothly as the last two moves have gone. While Jamie mans the packing process today, Hadley and I are be-bopping up to Tucson in a few hours to pick up my sister! If you've talked to me at all in the last week you know
- [Sweet Dreams Baby Shower](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/1436.html/) - On Saturday we celebrated one of my very, very best friends Amberlee with a Sweet Dreams baby shower for her baby boy. She's only a couple of months (at the most!) from meeting her son, Carter Lee, and everyone who loves Amberlee couldn't be more excited for her to become a mom! Sweet Dreams Baby
- [10 Tips & Tricks for Your Next Partial DITY Move](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/10-tips-tricks-for-your-next-partial.html/) - Happy Monday friends! I hope you had a nice weekend and enjoyed a little bit of r&r with your loved ones. On Friday I realized we had zero plans on the calendar for the weekend, and that in itself made me want to do a little dance and just enjoy the freedom of a no-commitment
- [Our Upcoming Deals with Amazon's Subscribe and Save - April 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/our-upcoming-deals-with-amazons-subscribe-and-save-april-2017.html/) - I need to start leaving some cookies or Gatorade or something out on my porch for our UPS/FedEx/USPS folks because they do a lot of walking up and down our (short) hill of a driveway! We've made necessary adjustments to our April Subscribe and Save order, so I just wanted to share what items were
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #46: Keating Bartlett](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/12/saturday-sit-46-keating-bartlett.html/) - There are just three "Saturday Sit-Down" features this month before we wrap up 2017 and tie a bow on this series's first full year. The first of those three features is a blogger named Keating who I've been following for at least two years now, but we might actually be getting closer to three! I've
- [Disney World Part Two: Hollywood Studios & the Dining Plan](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/despains-disney-part-two-hollywood-studios-dining-plan.html/) - My friend Meg asked me a couple days ago if I was feeling down about being home from Disney, and my quick, easy answer was no! We had nonstop fun for three days, got our fill of Disney, and then happily came home. I love to go away, and I love to come home. Let's get
- [A First Birthday Love Letter to Sadie](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/first-birthday-love-letter-sadie.html/) - To my beautiful girl, It's your first birthday! I'm not often at a loss for words when I write, but I know that I'll give you this letter when you're older (even though it's impossible to picture you as any older than the precious little one year old you are!) No matter how old you
- [Six Breakfast Dishes to Bring to a New Mom (Or Any Friend Who Could Use a Hand)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/six-breakfast-dishes-bring-new-mamas-friend-use-hand.html/) - After Sadie was born last year, a handful of my sweetest gal pals came over to feed us, and it was incredible and humbling and so very appreciated, especially since I was such a hormonal mess sending Jamie back to Kuwait for a couple months. One friend from MOPS brought by a big patch of
- [Our Last Army Goodbye](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/last-army-goodbye.html/) - Jamie and I first met on a snowy Friday night in New York and within 24 hours knew we might have something special together. 36 hours later on Sunday morning we said our very first "see ya later" before I boarded a flight back to Alabama, putting 1,000 miles between us. We'd continue putting physical
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #41: Her Happy Heart | She The Fierce](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/saturday-sit-41-happy-heart-fierce.html/) - Not only does this series feature bloggers from all varieties of niches, but they're writing from all around the world too! Earlier this year I featured bloggers from Singapore and Thailand, and I'm thrilled today to introduce Klara, who does all of her blogging from Down Under. She's been such a pleasure to chat back
- [Marriage Advice: There's So Much More Than Being Happy](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/marital-encouragement-theres-much-happy.html/) - I was talking about something marriage-related with a relative recently who's been married 40+ years, and she said something that really got me thinking: so many of us define the success of our marriage based on how happy we are. She went on to say that obviously being happy is something we should strive for,
- [A Beginner's Guide to Learning to Drink Coffee](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/try-youre-learning-drink-coffee.html/) - About six weeks ago I desperately needed a little bit of caffeine to help me stay awake with Jamie during our late-night 2.5 hour drive from Atlanta to Birmingham. After an incredibly busy day, we were exhausted. So we swung into the airport terminal's Starbucks, and I snagged the most "froo froo" drink (as Jamie
- [Musings & Pictures from Thanksgiving Week](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/musings-pictures-thanksgiving-week.html/) - Jamie and I try to stick to a pretty good schedule of flip flopping the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with our families, and this year we were really looking forward to a DeSpain Thanksgiving. Plus, we'd actually never spent Thanksgiving in our own home since getting married in 2011, so we were pumped to finally
- [A Gift Guide for Dads, Fathers-in-law, and Brothers](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/a-gift-guide-for-fathers-fathers-in-law-and-brothers.html/) - Do you have "go to" gifts for the men in your life that you find yourself routinely giving for every birthday, Father's Day, and Christmas? Shirts, ties, maybe a new wallet? Admittedly I always resort back to one of these old faithful types of gifts, and if you're like me, you want to break up
- [Will You Be My Community? + A Note of Empathy for Families at New Duty Stations](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/will-you-be-my-community-a-note-of-empathy-for-families-at-new-duty-stations.html/) - Without having to give it a second thought, my absolute favorite aspect our military lifestyle is the community of family we've made throughout the last few years. I truly can't imagine my life without some of the people we've met and I've often wondered how we ever did life without them. On the other hand,
- [A Guide to the 2017 Gift Guides...](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/a-guide-to-the-2017-gift-guide.html/) - Ready or not, here come the holidays! I've always gotten a kick out of gift giving, which is why creating monthly gift guides this year has been so enjoyable. I hope you've found them helpful too in loving on or uplifting those you care about. A well-thought out gift can speak incredible volumes about how
- [Slice of Life + Hadley's Birthday: November 22nd, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/slice-life-hadleys-birthday-november-22nd-2017.html/) - Hello hello! We're busy putting one foot in front of the other around here as we navigate our last few weeks without Jamie. His family is in route today to join the girls and me for Thanksgiving, and then we'll have just a few more weeks to tackle alone before our favorite guy comes home
- [Gift Guide for Those Who Love to Entertain with and Play Games](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/gift-guide-for-those-who-love-to-entertain-with-and-play-games.html/) - When I think back on holiday family gatherings in the past, I always remember the moments where everybody was united around a table or living room and laughing, usually because of some "dumb" game that someone (*ahem* usuuuuually me) suggested that ended up turning into absolute hilarity. I risk sounding like such a goober here,
- [Gift Guide for Preteens & Teens](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/gift-guide-for-preteens-teens.html/) - Good news, folks. :) Though this gift guide series is coming to a close this week (with the exception of a bonus in December), Christmas is still five full weeks away. If you haven't given anything holiday-related a second thought, no worries. You have plenty of time! If you're shopping for a middle or high
- [A Reintroduction + A Question for You (Round Two!)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/who-are-you.html/) - I did a little some'em some'em last fall for a blog post that was so much stinkin' fun and actually incredibly helpful when it comes to blabbing my life away in this space. I reintroduced myself and asked you to do the same! So since so many of you humored me last year and played
- [Happy 4th Birthday Hadley! (+ a Silly Q&A)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/happy-4th-birthday-hadley-silly-q.html/) - Happy happy Friday, friends! We are filled with excitement around here today because as of 2:03 a.m. we officially have a big four year old in our home. :) Every year on her birthday I get teary-eyed at least once and am filled with so much emotion. It's just so darn true that there's no
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #45: For the Love of Gourmet](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/the-saturday-sit-down-45-for-the-love-of-gourmet.html/) - Happy happy happy weekend to you all! Can you tell that I'm glad it's here?! I'm sure many of you are on the road or in the air today as you embark on Thanksgiving travels. We've gone out of town every single Thanksgiving for our entire adult lives, so I'm pretty stinkin' thrilled that we
- [Gift Guide for Elementary School-Aged Kids](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/gift-guide-for-elementary-school-aged-kids.html/) - Typically elementary-aged kiddos have zero problems coming up with a lengthy list of things they'd like for the holidays, but in case you're looking to surprise a kid in your life with something a little bit unique that wasn't on their list, I've got you covered. :) Have a wonderful weekend! <3 Gift ideas for
- [Gift Guide for Deployed Service Members](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/gift-guide-for-a-deployed-service-members.html/) - Oh, this lucky #7 gift guide was so surprisingly fun to put together! I was inspired to put this together by a reader who requested something like this months ago, and I agreed with her that settling on what to send service members while they're deployed can be a tough one! Not only do they
- [8 Rules for Improving our Preschooler's Table Manners: An Update](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/update-on-improving-our-preschoolers-table-manners.html/) - A few months ago I wrote about my big revelation that Hadley less than desirable table manners. I wasn't really sure what was expected of or acceptable for a 3.5 year old, but I was confident that whatever she was doing was far from it. Ah, let me back up! I don't want to give
- [Slice of Life (+ a Little Bit of Whining): November 13th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/slice-life-november-13th-2017.html/) - Oh hi, hello. :) I hope you had a nice weekend. We did! It was a nice combination of venturing out of the house as well as much-needed time at home to tackle the list of things there always is to do, especially with a load of holidays and birthdays coming up. The highlight was
- [Gift Guide for Toddlers and Preschoolers](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/gift-guide-for-toddlers-and-preschoolers.html/) - So admittedly it's a little hard not to put my own bias into this post because we currently have a toddler and a preschooler at the very tip top of our shopping lists. :) It seems like parents are constantly asking for recommendations for what to gift this age group because they are hopeful that
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #44: Countdowns and Cupcakes](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/the-saturday-sit-down-44-countdowns-and-cupcakes.html/) - Hello hello! It's just me (and, well, my featured blogger!) popping in this week for the umpteenth time thanks to all of these crazy gift guides. :) I love putting them together and sharing them, so thanks for your positive feedback and humoring me by checking them out day after day. :) Y'all rock! There
- [Outback Steakhouse, Operation Homefront, and the Man I Adore](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/outback-steakhouse-operation-homefront.html/) - Ah, tomorrow is a special, special day in my little orbit because it celebrates so many people that are dear to me. In particular, Happy Veteran's Day to this guy, who I am so (so!) incredibly lucky to call my husband. He is the hardest working, most well-rounded guy I've ever met, and I've never
- [Gift Guide for Moms and Mothers-in-Law](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/giftguidemomsmothersinlaw.html/) - When people chat about shopping for their moms or mothers-in-law, it seems like they always say they're the easiest on their list or the hardest (because what do you get the woman who "has it all already?!" some have said.) Here are a slew of gift ideas to help you cross these special women off
- [A Big Dream & the Little Train Around a Family's Yard](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/a-retired-couples-dream-their-very-own-train.html/) - A couple weeks ago my mom arranged quite the treat for all of us! She got in touch with a sweet retired couple from church who she'd heard had a train that ran around their property and set up a time for all of us to venture down to south Huntsville to tackle a ride
- [What It's Like To Be a Farming Family: An In-Depth Interview](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/what-its-like-to-be-a-farming-family-an-in-depth-interview.html/) - The very best part of the Kansas Corn Tour back in September (besides having a sweeeeet hotel all to myself! Hallelujah.) was the evening we spent at a local Wichita restaurant dining with farming couples from all over Kansas. The other bloggers on the tour have echoed my sentiments in that we unexpectedly became captivated
- [Tate Farms + the Night of the Mermaid & Fairy](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/tatefarmsandhalloween.html/) - Blogging about pumpkin patches and trick-or-treating six days into November seems a bit irrelevant, but you guys know we DeSpain girls have been on the move lately! I would love to share these sweet pictures (and a few bloopers!) with you, if you're still interested in reading about some October fun. :) Since Hadley was
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #43: Fantastically Four](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/11/saturday-sit-43-fantastically-four.html/) - Hey friends! Writing to you from my "blogging spot" on my living room couch curled up with a blanket, and I'm breathing a big sigh of relief that the weekend is here. It's thankfully shaping up to be nice and quiet. We have dinner plans with friends tonight, and will then head home to end
- [A Short and Sweet Visit with Our Fort Riley Fam](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/short-sweet-visit-fort-riley-fam.html/) - When we said our excruciating "see ya laters" back in May to our Kansas "framily", we totally didn't expect that we'd see each other less than six months later. Sure enough, we were able to spontaneously reunite for a couple quick days last week while the girls and I are here in Alabama visiting. The
- [Slice of Life: October 30th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/slice-life-october-30th-2017.html/) - Hey friends! I hope this "Slice of Life" post finds you well on this Monday morning. :) We're excited to see Jamie's face on TV tonight! He'll be doing a shout-out from Poland during the Broncos v. Chiefs game alongside our good buddy John. His wife Kelsey and I are just pumped to see our
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #42: Oh Mom Gee](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/saturday-sit-42-oh-mom-gee.html/) - This weekend's featured blogger is someone who I haven't met in real life yet, but I hope to soon considering we both live in the same city! I heard about Casey's blog a few months ago, and one thing that stands out to me about her writing is how honest and raw she is. She's
- [Subscribe and Save Deals: October 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/subscribe-and-save-deals-october-2017.html/) - We're scheduled to get our next Subscribe and Save shipment from Amazon as soon as we get back from our trip, so I wanted to quickly pop in and share what deals we're scoring and items we're receiving in bulk. It's important to note that in this post, I didn't compare the prices I'm paying
- [ETS Chit Chat and Where We're At With Getting Out of the Army](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/ets-chit-chat-a-k-a-where-were-at-with-getting-out-of-the-army.html/) - Since half of the conversations I've been having with friends and family lately seem to be fielding questions about our big transition, I figured I'd bring the conversation here as well and give you a little glimpse into what we're up to. :) Over the next few months I'll commonly refer to getting out of
- [Kansas and Germany Meet in Alabama](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/kansas-germany-meet-alabama.html/) - This time last week I was staring at an 800 mile road trip ahead that I was timidly prepared to tackle alone with my divas, but this week I'm happily in Alabama with the big road trip behind us, surrounded by a ton of family. A TON. I've been under the same roof since Saturday
- [Slice of Life - October 17th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/slice-life-october-17th-2017.html/) - It's been a hot minute since I published a "Slice of Life" post, and I'm so happy about sinking into the couch and sharing a little bit of what we've been up to besides blog trips. :) I had a little bit of an emotional afternoon yesterday, and when I talked to my best friend
- [Recapping the Enlighten Retreat](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/recapping-the-enlighten-retreat.html/) - On my flight out to Salt Lake City a couple weeks ago, the kind lady sitting next to me asked if I was traveling to Utah for business or leisure, and I hesitated and then smiled, responding "Both!" And it was totally both. A couple weeks ago I spent three days at the Enlighten Retreat
- [Hadley's Birth Story](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/02/hadleys-birth-story.html/) - Even though Hadley was born 11 weeks ago (What?! Already?!), I still feel like the details of her birth are crystal clear. I tell a much better (much more comedic!) story in person, but here goes the version I’m comfortable sharing on the internet. Hadley was due on Thursday, November 14, so by the
- [Spring Cleaning: My Rules of Thumb for Decluttering My Home](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/tips-for-decluttering-every-space-in-your-house.html/) - Your random fact of the day about me: I get a huge high from cleaning out. I LOVE IT. I haven't always been like this though. In fact, my obsession with decluttering and organizing only started about five years ago during Jamie's first deployment when I was living in our tiny home alone unpacking and
- [Freshening Up the Laundry Room](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/freshening-up-laundry-room.html/) - My New Years week project last week was tackling the laundry room, and tackling is what I did! I wasn't planning on getting started on it so soon, but New Years morning found me plopped on the couch with the boys watching football while Hadley napped and Jennifer worked. I lasted all of 20 minutes
- [How Do You Welcome Your New Neighbors?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/do-you-welcome-your-new-neighbors.html/) - A couple weeks ago our neighbors across the street left to head to their next duty station, and the very next day a different moving truck arrived ready to move in another family. We scoped them out for a couple of days when they were in and out with boxes, and around day four I
- [Sadie's Baby Dedication](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/sadies-baby-dedication.html/) - Sunday was a wonderful, important day for our whole family! We had the honor of standing in front of our church congregation and publicly committing to raising Sadie in a way that's glorifying to God. We have so many dreams for our baby girl, but above all of them is that we want her to choose
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #22: Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/saturday-sit-22-faith-trust-pixie-dust.html/) - There are several reasons I'm really thrilled to feature my friend Heather for today's "Saturday Sit-Down" feature! She's a friend from college who lives back in my hometown, and she also has two little girls who are both just a few months older than my girls. As moms, we have so much in common, so I
- [Our Thoughts One Month After Canceling Cable](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/thoughts-one-month-canceling-cable.html/) - During a "Slice of Life" post last month, I briefly mentioned that we finally canceled our DirecTV cable account after our bill went up again, and you all had a lot to say! Apparently many of you also canceled cable or are considering it, so this was a hot topic in the comments section of
- [My Favorite Etsy Purchases](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/favorite-etsy-purchases.html/) - Continuing with the "gifting/favorite things" theme from this week, this post spotlights my favorite purchases from Etsy. I've utilized Etsy for years to find gifts for all kinds of occasions - birthdays, wedding showers, hostess gifts, you name it. Even Jamie has found Etsy useful and has ordered me a few things from the site, most
- [Road Trippin' through Dallas, Little Rock, and Memphis](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/road-trippin-dallas-little-rock-memphis.html/) - Hello from sweet home Madison, Alabama! We've officially clocked over 1,800 miles in the car in the last week, and honestly, we have had the best time! Sadie struggled in the hotels a couple nights, but otherwise everything has been smooth sailing (knock on wood). Our game plan to get from Austin to Madison (1,000 miles)
- [A Surprise Baby Shower for a Fellow Army Wife & Friend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/a-surprise-baby-shower-for-fellow-army.html/) - Remember how last week I mentioned that we were busy gearing up for a big barbecue at our house on Saturday? The truth is that though we were planning to host lots of guests for a backyard party, we were actually planning a big surprise couples baby shower instead of just a barbecue! I first
- [How I got involved with AdvoCare and why it was the BEST decision](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/02/i-cant-count-how-many-of-my-girlfriends.html/) - I can't count how many of my girlfriends have asked me "So what is up with this AdvoCare stuff?". Most of them are not surprised in the slightest that I jumped right into another adventure after I resigned from teaching to be a stay-at-home mama! I was determined to gain only a healthy amount of
- [Our Anniversary Double Date in Denver + my eShakti.com Dress Review](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/our-anniversary-double-date-in-denver.html/) - Last Friday we three DeSpains loaded up the Jeep once again and headed seven hours west to one of my absolute most favorite states - Colorado. Our very first friends from Fort Campbell, TN moved to Colorado Springs a few months ago, and since we share a wedding anniversary (same year and all!), we thought
- [PCS tips from Army, Navy, and Air Force Wives](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/08/pcs-tips-from-army-navy-and-air-force.html/) - Back in March, Jamie and I set aside the night before the packers came as the time to pack up our things that we planned to take in our cars to Arizona. We planned to put all of said things in our master bathroom and then tape a sign to that door saying "do not pack". We'd
- [Jamie's Brigade Ball](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/jamies-brigade-ball-mary-2015.html/) - After five years in the "real" Army (Army life post West Point), we finally got to attend a military ball! Usually military members and their dates attend these types of things every year or every other, but because of Jamie's frequently rotating assignments we've somehow missed out on being able to attend one. When he
- [Hosting My First FRG Coffee Group - A Favorite Things Party](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/hosting-my-first-frg-coffee-group-a-favorite-things-party.html/) - Last night I hosted our FRG coffee group for the first time, and everything seemed to go off without a hitch! Our battalion's coffee group just formed a couple months ago, and I volunteered on a whim last month to host in November. I'd never been a part of an active coffee group until we got
- [Attending Jamie's Battalion's Military Ball](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/attending-jamies-battalion-military-ball.html/) - Last Thursday was a little bit fancy, a little bit celebratory, and just a little bit crazy. We woke up celebrating Hadley's 3rd birthday as a family before scrambling to get her off to preschool for the day. We were set to receive our babysitter at 4:30 and then promptly head to Jamie's battalion's military
- [Brass, Be Gone! Our Fireplace Update](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/10/brass-be-gone-our-fireplace-update.html/) - Our living room fireplace, easily one of the biggest eyesores in our home, took all of three hours to update, and I couldn't be happier with the finished product! Ever since we started looking at purchasing this home I had issues with the fireplace. It's location is bizarre (it's all the way to the right
- [Military Love Story: Tara & G](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/military-love-story-tara-g.html/) - Today I'm excited to share with you another unique military love story from Tara who blogs over at An Aiming High Wife. Thank you Tara for sharing your story! My name is Tara, and though my husband and I have been married for the last three years, we've been together for the last six (ish).
- [Pre-Deployment Family Pictures](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/pre-deployment-family-pictures.html/) - Hello from my kitchen table on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon! I'm sitting here with a full heart as I watch Hadley and my mom make a cake together a few feet away. Grandparents are just amazing! Watching Hadley love on her four grandparents and watching them love on her in their own unique and special
- [Little Girls' Bathroom Refresh](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/little-girls-bathroom-refresh.html/) - Besides hanging up Hadley's shower curtain and putting a picture frame up on the wall, I hadn't attempted any kind of updating in our hallway full bathroom until a couple weeks ago. We spend so much time in this space from the time Hadley gets up until the time she goes to bed, so it's been
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #12: And Then We Laughed](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/saturday-sit-12-laughed.html/) - Happy Saturday everyone! I sound like a broken record by now, but I am really glad to introduce Karen to those who don't already know her and follow her blog. Jamie always laughs when I call someone "a doll" because he said that that's how he knows I really like someone. Well, I think Karen
- [A Metal Door Makeover, A Very Naughty Dog, and an Ad Space Giveaway!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/a-metal-door-makeover-very-naughty-dog.html/) - Let me tell you the story about how painting the interior of our exterior metal doors led to waking up Saturday morning to a torn up trash bag (with nasty diapers) and the biggest mess I have ever seen in my life. T E D D Y ! Let's back up. Last week I ran out
- [Last Minute Gift Ideas Under $20 For Men, Women, and Kids](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/last-minute-gift-ideas-20-men-women-kids.html/) - With just 11 days left until Christmas Eve, today is likely one of the last days to place an online order that will (hopefully) arrive just in time to give a loved one for Christmas. Because I love any reason to play around on Nordstrom's website, I rounded up a bunch of great gifts ideas
- [Dressing for Spring/Summer: Staples for Men & Toddler Girls](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/oldnavystaples.html/) - Last week I raided Old Navy and splurged on much-needed new wardrobes for Jamie and Hadley. Obviously Hadley needs new clothes every season as a rapidly-growing toddler, and Jamie just simply needed new clothes in the very worst way. Old Navy is my go-to for children's play clothing simply because their prices are unbeatable while
- [Dear Military Spouse Facing Your First Deployment](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/04/dear-newlywed-military-wife-facing-your.html/) - My TimeHop app has been flooded with pictures the last few days surrounding my husband's first deployment to Afghanistan in 2011 - the "good luck" cake, the big family gathering, the packing, the tears, and that one final (for a while) kiss goodbye. I was such a wreck saying that "see you later" to my
- [Premier Designs + an Amazing Giveaway!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/premier-designs-amazing-giveaway.html/) - One of my favorite (of many!) things about having a blog is having the freedom to showcase some of my friends and their small businesses, and today I'm really excited to do just that! Keep a look out for a fantastic giveaway at the bottom! Meet my sweet friend Julie, pictured near the center in
- [A Beautiful Sunday Afternoon for Fall Family Pictures](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/beautiful-sunday-afternoon-fall-family-pictures.html/) - Though I really wanted to have some updated professional family photos taken, I didn't think it was going to be in the cards for us this year for a plethora of reasons. I stumbled upon a local photographer's fall-session giveaway on Facebook a few weeks ago, and though I didn't win, I was still really interested
- [My Thrift Store Dresser/New TV Stand Makeover](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/10/my-thrift-store-dressernew-tv-stand.html/) - It was truly love at first sight. I walked into a Salvation Army one Saturday afternoon a few months ago in Arizona to treasure hunt, and I knew as soon as I saw this baby she was mine. I had to have her. The whole store was half off, and I bounced out of there proud as a
- [PCS Woes: Why Finding Another Church Home is So Hard](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/02/pcs-woes-finding-new-church-home.html/) - Finding a new church home is right up there at the top of the list of things I find the most difficult to do following a move. I'm not sure we could ever feel completely settled or "at home" in our city without a church to call ours, so we've sought out new churches to
- [Asheville, North Carolina Girls Getaway Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/03/asheville-north-carolina-girls-getaway.html/) - Things have been a whirlwind around the Olsen household lately. My mom's spirits are as high as they could be considering she can't do much because of her broken ankle (she has a long road ahead), but I'd say she's doing pretty well. Hadley has no idea that she's hurt and climbs on her and
- [My Sister's Baby Shower](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/my-sisters-baby-shower.html/) - Saturday was all about my sister Jennifer as we celebrated her with a baby shower! She's due with my niece Carly Grace at the end of May, and we are all ecstatic for her to get here! I already had a dream a couple weeks ago about what she's going to look like, which must
- [10 Lifestyle Blogs I Love](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/04/10-lifestyle-blogs-i-love.html/) - There are many blog genres floating around the internet, and one of the most popular is the lifestyle category. A lifestyle blog can be simply defined as a window into one's life. A reader may find posts about weekend happenings, what's on the dinner table, a recent home project, and fashion picks all in one
- [A Favorite Halloween Tradition: BOO Kits!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/10/a-favorite-halloween-tradition-boo-kits.html/) - This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Booitforward #CollectiveBias One of my absolute favorite parts of being a parent is beginning to recreate some of my favorite childhood memories with my own little family. My parents are often surprised when I tell them the things I fondly
- [West Point Founders Day Ball Alabama 2011](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/04/you-gonna-miss-this.html/) - No matter how much I complain about the things I cannot stand about the military (lack of communication is absolutely numero uno on the list, by the way) I'm actually learning to like it more and more almost daily. One of the biggest reasons I am moving to Clarksville and away from the comfort and
- [They survived a tornado.](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/04/they-survived-tornado.html/) - It's a beautiful sunny day here in Clarksville, Tennessee. I am surrounded by my parents, sister, grandma, and all four dogs in my home, and there is really nothing more that I could ask for (except maybe for my husband and brother to be here as well). Life is good. But not for
- [A kiss a week](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/05/a-kiss-week.html/) - I truly believe the worst part of this deployment (saying goodbye!!) is behind us, and one of the only things that keeps me going is the idea of Jamie's homecoming, pulling into OUR driveway, and finally being able to living together for more than two weeks as a normal married couple. Nine months to
- [One year ago.](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/05/one-year-ago.html/) - Tomorrow will mark ONE YEAR since my wonderful husband Jamie and about-to-be brother-in-law Josh Alexander became Second Lieutenants in the Army. The trip up to New York brings back so many memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life. My parents, two siblings, and I all drove up to New
- [The very, very best weekend of my life... We're married!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/01/the-very-very-best-weekend-of-my-life.html/) - I'm at a loss for words on how to begin this post. How do I even BEGIN to put to words all that I experienced in the last eight days? *Deep breath* - Here goes! [ NOTE ] - I have no plans for this post and am going to ramble as thoughts come to
- [If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2010/11/if-you-want-to-make-god-laugh-tell-him.html/) - I was thinking the other day about how every plan and every dream I ever had for myself has not or is not working out. And I am completely okay with that. I can vividly remember telling my "life plan" to my junior year English teacher with FULL confidence that it was going to work
- [ENGAGEMENT!! whaaaaat?!?! :)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2010/07/engagement-whaaaaat.html/) - Yep. I said it. Jamie and I are engaged to be MARRIED! I can't believe it. I mean, I can believe it (primarily because I've known for 2.5 years that I wanted to marry him!), but I can't believe that there's a ring on my finger and that he's calling me his fiance! Coolest feeling ever. I've
- [Teaching Internship Update](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2010/02/oh-internship.html/) - I’m back to blogging. At least for the day. The idea hit me the other day that I should be writing a book about my teaching internship. Just go home and spill about my day. Every day (and I do mean EVERY day) I leave school with several stories that I’m just bursting to tell
- [The Shack by William Young](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2009/05/has-anyone-read-william-youngs-shack.html/) - Has anyone read William Young's The Shack? I'd put off reading it for almost a year because of the endless required reading I do as an English major, but I picked up my mom's copy a few days ago and have had my nose in it every free chance I've had. I'm nearly half-way through,
- [Valentines Day and My Grandmother's Wedding](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2009/02/my-little-bubble.html/) - It’s Monday, and I am excited! I have always normally absolutely loathed Mondays, but certainly not this semester because Monday equals The Bachelor, which equals two hours of me & ten friends sitting in front of the TV squealing in shock over Jason & his traveling lips or the ridiculous antics all his little girlfriends
- [To The Mom Who Wants a Break (But Not Really)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/mom-wants-break-doesnt-really-want-break.html/) - As a mom, do you ever beg and kick and scream (possibly literally?!) for a break but then as soon as you get that break, you want your babies back? Why do we do this? Why?! I don’t understand why this happens, but I go through this thought process nearly every single time I leave
- [A Day in Salt Lake City](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/a-day-in-salt-lake-city.html/) - Greetings from Salt Lake City! Have you been to this city before? It’s absolutely beautiful! Before yesterday I’d only been to SLC for a brief layover, and just that taste years ago of flying over the lakes was enough to dream of visiting again one day. I’m here in Utah for the Enlighten Retreat that
- [Book Recommendations for Dads-to-Be!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/06/book-recommendations-for-dads-to-be.html/) - Good morning! While this little cutie bounces around in her new doorway jumper, I have a couple of book recommendations for the dads-to-be out there! A couple weeks after I found out that I was pregnant with Hadley, I ordered Jamie a couple of books that I shipped to Afghanistan as a surprise. Jamie really didn't
- [Bisbee](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/05/bisbee.html/) - Happy Friday! It's 3 p.m., and it looks like we won't be finding out today where our next post is going to be. I had really high hopes that today would be the day, but I guess we have a few more days (at least) to wait. By the way - like the new blog
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #39: (Bee)autiful Blessings](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/saturday-sit-39-beeautiful-blessings.html/) - Hello hello from Heber City, Utah! We're still rockin' and rollin' at the Enlighten Retreat, and I look forward to sharing a bit about it sometime soon. :) The first word that came to mind when I thought of how to describe this blogger is authentic. I imagine that if I had a coffee date
- [How Cloud Pets Are Helping Us Bridge the Distance with Family](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/how-cloud-pets-are-helping-us-bridge.html/) - This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. I genuinely LOVE this product and am really excited to share it with you! Big thanks for your support regarding sponsored posts! #CloudPetsForever #CollectiveBias For the foreseeable future we're sticking out this Army thing for the long haul, and as
- [Behind the Scenes on the Farm with Kansas Corn](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/10/behind-scenes-farm-kansas-corn.html/) - Oh, I have such a fun few days to share with you today, friends. I went on a short trip last week that left me educated, inspired, and flat exhausted, and I'm tickled to share some pictures and stories with you, if you're interested. :) Last week I drove two hours south to Wichita to
- [Give a Bottle Breacher](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/clever-gift-idea-give-bottle-breacher.html/) - "This is definitely the only time that beer and bullets go well together!" My husband muttered these words tongue in cheek last night as he proudly used his brand new Bottle Breacher bottle opener for the first time to crack open a cold Father's Day brew to drink with dinner. Cheers to one heck of
- [Chalk Painted Kitchen Cabinets Transformation: From Honey Oak to Bright White](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/chalk-painted-kitchen-cabinets.html/) - Oh, I have all the things to say about painting our kitchen cabinets! First, I am breathing one big sigh of relief that I'm writing this post because it means that this project is done! So crazy. I've dreamed of transforming our kitchen by painting our cabinets white ever since our offer was accepted on
- [Mom's Christmas Breakfast Casserole](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/12/moms-christmas-breakfast-casserole.html/) - Does your family have a traditional Christmas morning breakfast? My mom has made her mouth-watering breakfast casserole on Christmas morning for as long as I can remember, and I'm excited to continue her tradition and make it for our whole family next week when we host Christmas in our home. Not only is this dish
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #38: Growing Pains](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/saturday-sit-38-growing-pains.html/) - Ahh - the weekend! Welcome to it, my friends. :) Thanks for taking a little bit of time to pop over to check out this week's featured blogger! When I was preparing the interview questions for this feature, I had the hardest time pulling myself away from Kelly's blog long enough to actually write them;
- [Slice of Life: September 26th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/slice-life-september-26th-2017.html/) - Hello hello! Thanks for popping back over here for part two of this week's "Slice of Life". Ready to jump right into a little bit more of what we've been up to as well as a handful of our favorite things lately. :) If you missed part one from this week's "Slice of Life", you
- [Slice of Life: September 25th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/slice-life-september-25th-2017.html/) - Happy Monday, party people! After the heck of a weekend we've had, all I really have the "thinking room" for is a slice of life where I spit out a little bit of what we've been up to, if you're interested. :) I have a load of pictures I'd love to share with you, so
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #37: She Flew South](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/saturday-sit-37-flew-south.html/) - Cheers to the weekend, which also means cheers to a day that we aren't running out the door by 8:40. :) As far as today's plans for the girls and me, I'm thinking pjs until noon sounds pretty darn fabulous. We need a "do nothing" day, and I'm hoping that today is going to be
- [September Gift Guide: A Little Something For Everyone](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/september-gift-guide-games-food-much.html/) - Who are you shopping for this month? I actually just bought my first Christmas present for a loved one yesterday. Eek! I saw something 30% off and snagged it. It kind of blows my mind that we'll be in full-blown Christmas shopping mode in two months, but for now let's focus on the birthdays, anniversaries,
- [A Monday Morning MAJOR Attitude Adjustment](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/monday-morning-major-attitude-adjustment.html/) - Hey! You know I like to keep things real around here, right? Well, I'm just doing my thing keeping it real today. :) *** Monday morning was HARD, and I was so mad at myself that I was struggling. Obviously I was sad that Jamie was leaving because there's nobody I would rather be with than
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #36: Marathons & Dog Tags](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/saturday-sit-36-marathons-dog-tags.html/) - Have you ever noticed the tagline of this little Saturday series? "Because everyone has a story to tell." It's so true. Everyone has some kind of story, and today's blogger in no exception. Though I always hope these featured bloggers receive new traffic, I really hope today's will because Jen is fabulous. She blogs so
- [Slice of Life: September 15th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/slice-life-september-15th-2017.html/) - After a month of doing all things revolving around big sister, Sadie finally got her day in the spotlight. Our baby girl started "school". :) She's joining Hadley one day/week (Hadley goes three days/week) at preschool, but Sadie is technically in the Child's Day Out program. From what I heard, she had a really great
- [Five Ways to Involve Your Loved Ones in Ending Hunger](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/five-ways-involve-loved-ones-ending-hunger.html/) - This post is a part of my 2017 ambassadorship for Harvesters, an honor I'm truly grateful for that's opened my eyes in so many ways. Stay tuned for a sweet giveaway at the bottom of today's post! **** On a list of things I deeply desire to model and teach my girls, compassion for others
- [Simple Joys](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/simple-joys.html/) - I've always been a sentimental person, but these days I'm frequently noticing just how filled up I feel by the simplest things. I've found myself recognizing them more and more - the quick moments that unexpectedly and briefly make me forget that there's anything negative in the world. The funny thing is, a lot of
- [Deeply Discounted Women's Clothing, Jewelry, and Handbags Under $25 - Sale Ends SUNDAY (9/10/17)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/deeply-discounted-womens-clothing-jewelry-handbags-25-sale-ends-sunday-9917.html/) - Popping in with an ultra rare Saturday evening post because I have to share these MEGA discounted items with you! I've been doing a ton of window shopping (and a teeny bit of purchasing too!) the last few days getting ready for some events coming up, and I CAN'T GET OVER the price of these
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #35: The Lovely Latte](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/saturday-sit-35-lovely-latte.html/) - Good morning everyone and happy, happy weekend to you! I know things are about to start rockin' and rollin' down in Florida, and gosh... the chaos of the last few days for Florida and Caribbean residents gives me heart palpitations. I'm not familiar with hurricanes in the slightest, so I can't pretend to relate. Just
- [Slice of Life - September 8th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/slice-life-september-8th-2017.html/) - TGIF! Whew. Even though this week was a short one, it was pretty wild around here. Certainly not bad, but just a totally different pace than what we'd gotten used to this summer. We went from zero to 100 from last week (still summer) to this week (full-blown fall) as far as activities/commitments go for
- [Labor Day Weekend Family Fun](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/09/labor-day-weekend-family-fun.html/) - Happy happy happy Hump Day. :) I'm actually typing this up real time (my computer reads 5:59 a.m.) because I woke up about an hour ago craving coffee and quiet time. Jamie is downstairs working out (what I should be doing... ha!) and is going into work late today so that we can all go
- [What's Up Wednesday: Army Life, A New Family Member, Favorite Things, and More](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/whats-wednesday-army-life-new-family-member-favorite-things.html/) - Some of my favorite blog posts to sink into my couch and write are the semi-mindless ones where I answer questions and blab about all of life's happenings. Today's post is one of them. :) Linking up with Shay, Mel, and Sheaffer for their monthly "What's Up Wednesday". Feel free to chime in in the
- [What the Best Day Ever Would Look Like](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/best-day-ever-look-like.html/) - *** I read a post last night that summarized 10 beneficial ways to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey, and I was wowed by what a well-rounded list it is. If your big ol' heart is looking for a way to help in some capacity, this list should help you put a finger on how
- [24 Hours in Birmingham](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/24-hours-birmingham.html/) - Hey friends! Last week I mentioned that our weekend trip to Birmingham would be fast and furious, and boy oh boy... it was a whirlwind! We had a ton of fun though, and I'd love to show you a few pictures if you're interested. :) My in-laws arrived from Austin Friday morning to watch the
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #33: Klein dot Co](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/saturday-sit-33-klein-co.html/) - Happy happy happy Saturday, and hello from Birmingham! We got into town late last night and are spending time with my brother this morning before heading to meet up with friends for tonight's wedding. Should be a great day! Today's featured blogger coincidentally lives right here in sweet home Alabama, and she is just the
- [Slice of Life: August 24th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/slice-life-august-24th-2017.html/) - I don't know about you guys, but I'm thrilled to see Thursday rolling around already! It's been a full week for our fam, and the fun will keep on comin' as we head to Birmingham this weekend for a wedding and to see a big handful of our close friends. It'll be a fast and
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #32: Blonde With Pearls](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/saturday-sit-32-blonde-pearls.html/) - Good morning, friends! As usual, thanks for swinging by each week and checking in on who the featured blogger is. Today I'm so happy to introduce you to Kristy! We actually went to high school together and have talked a little bit back and forth for a while about getting her blog off the ground.
- [August Gift Guide: 18 Gift Ideas for Loved Ones of All Ages](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/august-gift-guide-18-gift-ideas-loved-ones-ages.html/) - Happy happy FRIDAY! What do you have planned for the weekend? We're looking forward to a couple days filled up with a little bit of social time and a little bit of lounging. Sounds good to me. :) Are you on the hunt for any gifts in the next few weeks, maybe for a shower,
- [Slice of Life: August 15th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/slice-life-august-15th-2017.html/) - Hey friends! Sorry I missed ya yesterday without a Monday post. We've been enjoying Jamie's long weekend and working our tails off on our kitchen. Happy to report that we are done done DONE! I have a whole slew of pictures from the last couple of weeks that I've put together in two "Slice of
- [Slice of Life: August 16th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/slice-life-august-16th-2017.html/) - After looking back at the pictures in today's and yesterday's posts, I've realized we've done a lot of living outside the last couple weeks. The weather here in northeast Kansas has been unseasonably "cool" (we haven't hit 90 all month), and comfortable weather like this has all of us wanting to be outdoors. It's been
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #31: Typically Jane](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/saturday-sit-31-typically-jane.html/) - Hello hello! Welcome to another edition of "The Saturday Sit-Down". :) Thanks for joining us! Today's featured blogger is Jane from Typically Jane. Coming up with questions for this interview was so easy. She writes about so many neat topics and has experience in several things I know nothing about! I hope you enjoy getting
- [When Social Media Doesn't Tell the Whole Story](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/social-media-doesnt-tell-whole-story.html/) - If you follow me on IG Stories, you'd have thought we were having the most enjoyable Friday night this past weekend (and we were!) I posted a picture of our lake view from Jamie's Army function (it was absolutely the most beautiful weather), and then I shared a picture of us smiling as we headed
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #30: One Mile Home Style](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/saturday-sit-30-one-mile-home-style.html/) - Kansas bloggers are feeeeew and far between; there aren't many of us! Fortunately I've had the pleasure to meet several of them though, and one of my absolute favorites is this girl! Meet Stephanie, today's featured "Saturday Sit-Down" blogger. :) She and I had been following each other's blogs for a while, and last summer
- [IG Stories Q&A: Eyebrows, Nursing, Friendship, and a Few Favorite Things](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/ig-stories-qa-eyebrow-nursing-friendship-favorite-things.html/) - Happy Friday! What do you have on tap this weekend? We have zero commitments - hallelujah! - and are pretty darn thrilled about it. :) Earlier this week I was cranking out some blog-related tasks and hopped on IG Stories real quick to ask if you all had any topics you'd like to see me
- [Slice of Life: August 1st, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/08/slice-life-august-1st-2017.html/) - Sadie has the right attitude about August: we're going to be maxin' and relaxin' during our last full month of summer. Preschool doesn't start around here until September, so besides a quick wedding Jamie and I are jetting off to in few weeks, we're going to be enjoying some slower days around here. It'll be
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #29: Life, Love, and Reality](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/saturday-sit-29-life-love-reality.html/) - Cheers to the weekend! I hope you're enjoying the last few days of July. How in the world is August and school and FALL right around the corner? So crazy! This weekend's Saturday Sit-Down feature is all about a sweet blogger named Jessica. :) I started poking around on her site recently in preparation for
- [July Gift Guide: #NSale Edition](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/july-gift-guide-nsale-edition.html/) - Who are you shopping for (and potentially spoiling!) this month? We don't have a ton of summer birthdays in our families, but recently we've been cranking out wedding and baby gifts like crazy, which I actually thoroughly enjoy because I love poking around at peoples' registries! Have you dug through the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale yet?
- [A Day in the Life: July 23rd, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/day-life-july-23rd-2017-hadley-3-5-yrs-sadie-15-mo.html/) - Oh, I get so giddy about publishing today's post. These semi-annual "Day in the Life" posts are so lengthy and I'm never quite sure if my readers make their way entirely through them, but they hold pictures and videos that always make my heart swell months and years later. Not only are these posts precious
- [My Favorite iPhone Apps](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/favorite-iphone-apps.html/) - Hello, hello! I rarely do blogger link-ups, but I've always enjoyed Momfessionals's "Show and Tell Tuesday". Not only are her prompts usually right up my alley to write about, but I always enjoy reading posts that others share as well! Today her prompt is all about apps on one's cell phone. I actually wrote about
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #28: A Little Bit of Emily](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/saturday-sit-28-little-bit-emily.html/) - I have about 10 blogs I try to go straight to at some point throughout every day, and Emily's is one of them. I've said before that my personal favorite blogs to read are the ones that allow me to get to know the author as if she were my friend, and Emily's blog fits
- [New Site Design + a Slice of Life: July 21st, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/new-site-design-slice-life-july-21st-2017.html/) - Did you just double check to make sure you're at the right site!? It looks a little different today! What you see is the culmination of many months worth of researching exactly how I wanted my site to look and operate. I've known for over a year that Fran from Freeborboleta would be my girl
- [3-Year-Olds and Table Manners (Or the Lack Thereof)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/parenting-issue-road-trip-magnified.html/) - With the exception of their safety, I would classify myself as a generally laid-back mom, almost to a fault at times. Ha. :) I sometimes wonder if I should research this or that a little more than I do, because for the most part we do a lot of drummin' to our own beat around here!
- [Highlights from a Perfect Wedding Week](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/highlights-perfect-wedding-week.html/) - We're home! It'll take a few days to fully settle back in, but our hearts are full after an incredible trip. We couldn't have asked for a better two weeks! We ended our trip on the highest of highs as we celebrated my best friend Ashley's wedding week. I took a few pictures here and
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #27: Finding My Yellow](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/saturday-sit-27-finding-yellow.html/) - Another week, another wonderful blogger to share with you! She is so well-rounded and driven and someone who I admire for all that she juggles so well. I hope you love "meeting" Stephanie and that you'll pop over to her blog to check it out! Q: In three sentences or less, tell us a little
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #26: Messy Buns and Baby Bums](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/saturday-sit-26-messy-buns-baby-bums.html/) - Hello hello! I hope this finds you well and that you're enjoying the start of a nice weekend. As you read this, we're likely somewhere in Arkansas making our way over to today's destination: Memphis! Today's featured blogger has quite the story to tell. Admittedly she is a blogger I'm not super familiar with,
- [All Over Texas (Fort Worth, Waco, Austin, and Fredericksburg)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/all-over-texas-fort-worth-waco-austin-and-fredericksburg.html/) - Jamie is gearing up for another deployment in a couple months, so we decided that we want to use his block leave time to run around and see as much family as we can. We totally lucked out that my best friend's wedding is on the tail end of his leave, so we mapped out to visit with
- [Slice of Life - July 3rd, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/slice-life-july-3rd-2017.html/) - Happy Monday! I hope many of you that are reading in the U.S. today are enjoying a day off of work in anticipation for a fun holiday tomorrow! The 4th of July has always (always always!) been one of my favorite holidays. It combines so many of my favorite things - hot weather, grilling, family
- [June Gift Guide: 12 Gift Ideas in Everyone's Price Range](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/junegiftguide.html/) - Who are you shopping for this month? For this month's gift guide I rounded up a bunch of gifts that we've personally given or received as well as a few things on my own wish list. I hope this inspires a gift for a loved one that deserves a little celebrating for one reason or
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #25: Munchkins and the Military](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/07/saturday-sit-25-munchkins-military.html/) - Hello!! Welcome to the 25th (!) week of the Saturday Sit-Down! This series is officially full until the end of the year, so we're just going to keep on going into 2018. Whoop! I read recently that some bloggers feel like blogging has lots its sense of community, but I beg to differ. There are new writers
- [Running Around Atlanta + "Funny" Travel Stories](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/running-around-atlanta-funny-travel-stories.html/) - Living across the country from our family and friends for 3.5 years has taught us how to do two things relatively well: 1.) knock out as many birds with one stone as you can 2.) accept that traveling with a toddler is almost always going to make you pull your hair out but that the time with loved
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #24: Freeborboleta](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/saturday-sit-24-freeborboleta.html/) - Good morning from Savannah, Georgia! Jamie is a groomsman in a wedding today, so we are enjoying a couple days just the two of us in this beautiful city. (Psst - I'm actually writing this a day early because I want to soak up as much time with Jamie as possible away from the computer!)
- [Harvesters, Summertime Food Insecurity, and the Day My Eyes Were Opened](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/harvesters-summer-food-insecurity-day-eyes-opened.html/) - I shared some random thoughts a couple years about a piece of advice my dad gave me that still rings so loudly in my ears years and years later: No knowledge is ever wasted knowledge. I found this advice particularly applicable recently when I was extended an invitation to be a part of the ambassador
- [Father's Day 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/fathers-day-2017.html/) - We had such a sweet, enjoyable, low key Father's Day weekend celebrating our #1 guy. I love this picture below almost as much as I love the three people in it. They make my heart swell so big. I think it's so fun to see how much they've grown since Father's Day last year. Sadie
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #23: Come Fly With Us](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/saturday-sit-23-come-fly.html/) - This week's featured blogger is an Air Force wife! I'm always curious how other service branches differ from the Army, and Janelle gives great insight into what their lives as a military family looks like. :) She is very candid and "real", and I enjoy her light-hearted content! Meet Janelle! Q: Tell us a little bit
- [Peaks and Valleys of Mothers Day Weekend 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/peaks-valleys-mothers-day-weekend-2017.html/) - Ah, what a weekend. I'm admittedly starting the week feeling a little frazzled and counting down the hours until my mom flies to my rescue Wednesday night (my in-laws follow on Friday and then we get Jamie home on Saturday, hopefully just hours before Hadley steps on stage for her first dance recital - squeal!) While
- [Slice of Life - June 15th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/slice-life-june-15th-2017.html/) - We are totally having one of those weeks where I feel like the exact opposite of "Mom of the Year" simply because we have done a whole lot of nothing! It's been so nice though. I keep telling myself that the girls need to learn skills associated with independent play and that a couple movies a
- [A Game-Changing Stain Remover + A Giveaway!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/a-game-changing-stain-remover-a-giveaway.html/) - This post is sponsored by ESPRO and features a fantastic new household cleaner. Thank you so much for your support of sponsored posts, and keep an eye out for a sweet giveaway and freebie option at the bottom of the post! We have a new verb in our house, and that's that we now daily
- [Slice of Life - June 9th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/slice-life-june-9th-2017.html/) - Hey hey friends, and Happy Friday! After a super busy, nutty week, I'm relieved and excited to hop on a "big blue airplane" (as Hadley says) and head down to Destin today for my best friend Ashley's bachelorette weekend. Hooray! We're so excited for our Ash. There's a great group of girls going, and I'm just
- [Our June 2017 Subscribe and Save Items](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/subscribe-and-save-june-2017.html/) - We got a big "Subscribe and Save" haul this month! Lots of essentials for all four DeSpains, and we saved a healthy chunk of change, too! Keep in mind that when you see the price below for what we paid from Amazon, that that's before tax and includes my 15% discount (because I bought more
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #21: Becoming Bailey](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/saturday-sit-21-becoming-bailey.html/) - Another week and another wonderful person to introduce you to! If you are interested in financial management, are a newlywed, or are a military wife, I truly think you will adore Bailey. I've had the opportunity to email back and forth with Bailey several times, and she is as true blue as they get.
- [Slice of Life - June 2nd, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/slice-life-june-2nd-2017.html/) - Happy Friday, and Happy National Doughnut Day! Ha. A couple girlfriends and I are off this morning to take the kids to indulge in this genius holiday. Click here to read a list of popular doughnut chains offering free doughnuts today. :) Wanting to end the week with a "Slice of Life" and share a little bit
- [Random Favorites on a Thursday](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/06/random-favorites-thursday.html/) - Hey hey! How are you guys today? This week seems to be flying by since Jamie had off on Monday. I'm not complaining though! We have a few fun things going on this weekend that I'm looking forward to, so the week can just keep on moving by quickly. :) Today's post is likely to be a
- [May Gift Guide: Father's Day Edition (Gifts I've Actually Given)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/may-gift-guide-fathers-day-edition-gifts-ive-actually-given.html/) - Happy Hump Day and the last day of May! I'm getting in this month's gift guide just in the nick of time. :) This month's guide is showcasing all things Father's Day related. I sat down to pour through a few items I'd bookmarked, but then I started thinking about how I wasn't sure that
- [24 Hours in Omaha (+ the Henry Doorly Zoo)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/24-hours-omaha-henry-doorly-zoo.html/) - I was surprised a couple of weeks ago when Jamie mentioned wanting to get out of town for Memorial Day weekend; I had assumed he'd want to stay home and relax after just getting home from his training rotation. He wanted to go somewhere close and have fun with the kids, and he suggested either
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #20: Lindsay's Sweet World](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/lindsayssweetworld.html/) - Welcome to the 20th edition of the Saturday Sit-Down! If you regularly follow my blog, I think you will definitely enjoy today's featured blogger. I was telling a couple friends the other day that my favorite blogs are the ones written by people I can see getting along seamlessly with in real life. Lindsay is absolutely one
- [Sunny and 75 in Manhattan, Kansas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/sunny-and-75-in-manhattan-kansas.html/) - Sunday was our last full day with my in-laws, as well as the evening my mom was scheduled to fly back home to Alabama. (If you're catching up, you can read part one of their visit here where I shared pictures from Hadley's dance recital!) We went to church on Sunday morning, heard an incredible
- [Hadley's First Dance Recital + Jamie's Arrival Home from Training](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/hadleys-first-dance-recital-jamies-arrival-home-training.html/) - Please humor me while I share a story that will portray me to be the biggest sap in the world... which I am on occasion. :) When I went to the gender ultrasound to find out if Hadley was a boy or a girl, I really, really did not care either way. I also didn't
- [Travel Link Up: My Favorite Vacations](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/travel-link-favorite-vacations.html/) - Hello hello! How was your weekend? It was oddly cool here for a while, but that didn't put a damper on our happy weekend reuniting with Jamie and watching Hadley dance in her first recital. Excited to share a few pictures tomorrow. :) Today I'm linking up with Momfessional's "Show and Tell Series" (a day
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #19: The Martins & The Marines](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/the-saturday-sit-down-19-the-martins-the-marines.html/) - I'm sitting on the couch putting this together with my mom seated right beside me, and as I was reading through today's featured blogger's answers, I couldn't stop telling my mom how enjoyable it's been to read through these features week after week. She probably thinks I'm silly from how excited I get about this
- [Slice of Life - May 17th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/slice-life-may-17th-2017.html/) - Our big girl is officially on summer break, and we're excited about a summer of fun ahead! On the second to last day of school last week, I pulled out her Oh, the Places You'll Go! book and kindly asked that her two teachers write her a short note inside. :) We did this last year
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #18: Crazy About Expresso](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/saturday-sit-18-crazy-expresso.html/) - Hello hello! What are you up to this weekend? The girls and I are enjoying one last weekend "just us" before company arrives into town for Hadley's dance recital next weekend. Jamie is also scheduled to come home soon too, and we cannot wait to see him! Our plan is to go strawberry picking this
- [Our Upcoming Deals from Amazon's Subscribe and Save - May 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/subscribeandsavemay2017.html/) - I'm an open book with many aspects of my life, but there's something a little odd about sharing what goes in your grocery cart. :) What you're feeding your kids, what you're cleaning your house with, etc... I feel like I'm possibly opening myself up for some extra judgement/scrutiny. Ha! Because we use a budget
- [Slice of Life - May 8th, 2017 (+ a LipSense Giveaway!)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/slice-life-may-8th-2017-lipsense-giveaway.html/) - Hey friends! I hope your week is off to a nice, quiet start. :) I'm typing this up on Sunday night, happy that the house is quiet and the girls are fast asleep. Hadley is in this weird transitional phase where sometimes she naps and sometimes she doesn't, and though the 6-7 p.m. hour is
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #17: Another Year Another City](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/saturday-sit-17-another-year-another-city.html/) - As I was putting together today's feature, I realized that three out of the last four bloggers that I'm featuring live overseas. For some reason this simple idea struck me as really neat. :) Today's blogger is Sarah, and she and her family are currently living in Germany! What stands out the most to me about
- [How To Mow the Lawn When Your Spouse is Away (and You Have Kids) in 57 Easy Steps](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/mow-lawn-spouse-away-57-easy-steps.html/) - It didn't take me long to laugh about this, but yesterday I literally almost had a complete come-apart from mowing the lawn. I'm pretty sure my neighbor was outside when Sadie bonked her head on the playhouse and I shouted in a panic at my mom on the phone "I just have to go because I
- [10 Pretty Dresses for Summer Events](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/10-pretty-dresses-for-summer-events.html/) - Today's post is talking all things pretty dresses for summer events! We are buckling our seat belts (literally) and gearing up for a busier summer than we've had in years. We'll be on the road, in the sky, and running around the country to see our family and friends for weddings, showers, the 4th of July,
- [Three Things Survey](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/05/three-things-survey.html/) - Hi! How was your weekend? It was rainy, cold (in the 40s), and super windy here in Kansas, and while we had a few things on the calendar that we ran around to do, we spent the majority of our weekend hunkered down at home piddling around. No complaining here! Today's post is inspired by my
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #16 with Jewels Wandering, A Travel Blog](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/jewelswanderingtravelblogger.html/) - This weekend we have the first travel blogger to be featured in this series, and I am EXCITED! The blogging community is a neat place because bloggers can really get to know each other while sitting behind a computer or phone and reading/commenting on each others' content. No questions asked, if I ever got the
- [Traveling with Kids By Car or Plane: How We Make it Easier](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/traveling-with-kids.html/) - Today we're talking all things traveling with kids! But first, story time. :) I was pretty honest in detailing what a wild flight we had getting from Kansas City to Orlando last month, but the truth is that the chaos started the second we left the house. We left around 4:45 p.m. to make the
- [Slice of Life - April 26th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/slice-life-april-26th-2017.html/) - Hello hello! I hope you're having a nice week so far! We put my mom on a plane back home to Alabama today after such a relaxed, enjoyable visit. She'll be back in a few weeks for Hadley's dance recital, so knowing that we'll see her again so soon made the goodbye easier. It's been a
- [Kicking Off the Week with a Toddler Stomach Bug (+ pics from a fabulous weekend)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/02/kicking-off-week-with-toddler-stomach.html/) - Well hey! I missed not popping in to say hello yesterday. The last 36 hours have been all about survival - Hadley had (has?) her first stomach bug (too early to tell since she's not awake yet). No one warned me about just how traumatic it would be to watch your helpless 14 month old
- [April Gift Guide: 8 Gifts for $75 or Less for Mother's Day](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/april-gift-guide-8-gifts-75-less-mothers-day.html/) - T-minus 20 days until Mother's Day! My mom has a couple more days here with us in Kansas, so you could say we're celebrating a few weeks early by having fun together while Jamie is away. :) When it comes to gift giving (or receiving), do you enjoy physical gifts or experiences more? I personally love giving and
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #15: Kristin Milner](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/saturday-sit-15-kristin-milner.html/) - Happy Saturday, friends! I hope this post finds you well and that you're enjoying your weekend. My amazing mom is in town visiting, and we are soaking up and thoroughly enjoying every second of her company. Today I'm so glad to share with you the second blogger in this series that I actually know personally (the
- [All About Sadie at 12 Months Old](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/sadie-12-months-old.html/) - Thank you so much for the kindest first birthday wishes for Sadie this week! We had such a wonderful, low key day celebrating as a family on Tuesday (Did you catch the letter I wrote to her?). We put balloons in her crib a few minutes before we expected her to wake up and then
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #14: Wanderlust and Mayhem](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/saturday-sit-14-wanderlust-mayhem.html/) - I've been looking forward to sharing today's featured blogger with you all week! I personally couldn't waited to get her interview questions back and read all that she had to share. Today's blogger is Kathleen from Wanderlust and Mayhem, and she writes one of those blogs that is very easy to get sucked into for
- [Slice of Life - April 14th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/slice-life-april-14th-2017.html/) - Happy Easter weekend! I have a few really sweet memories from Easter growing up. We almost always went to Good Friday service, which I remember, even as a kid, understanding the seriousness of Jesus dying on the cross, even though I didn't comprehend the experience and meaning entirely until I was a bit older. When we were young,
- [My Philosophy for Making & Keeping Social Commitments](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/philosophy-making-keeping-social-commitments.html/) - My mom and I were talking recently when she mentioned that something I said a while back has stayed with her. "You told me that when it comes to keeping social commitments, you'll never regret going, but you may very well regret not going." The truth is that I still think about this constantly. Constantly. I really do have to
- [My Baby Showers - 2013](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/a-throwback-post-my-2013-baby-showers.html/) - For those who've been around for a while, you may know that I took a bit of an unintentional blogging hiatus during my pregnancy back in 2013, and in hindsight I'm a little sad that I didn't document what a wild ride that nine months truly was. One special aspect of my pregnancy that this
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #13: My Little Sunshines](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/saturday-sit-13-little-sunshines.html/) - Britt and I rebranded our blogs and started consistently blogging right around the same time, and because we have kids very close in age, it's fun to keep up with each other. Reading her blog has always felt like a breath of fresh air. Even when she talks about tough subjects, she does so gently with
- [Slice of Life + A Background Story: April 6th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/04/slice-life-background-story-april-6th-2017.html/) - Hello hello! I hope you're having a great week. :) Do you have any Easter/Spring Fling-type events going on this weekend? Our weekend is SLAMMED pack from Saturday morning until Sunday night (with thankfully all really good things!), so we're putting on our seat belts and planning to plow through and enjoy every bit of
- [DeSpains Do Disney Part Three: Epcot & Memories](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/despains-disney-part-three-epcot-memories.html/) - Thanks so much for your positive feedback regarding these Disney recap posts! I'm really glad that so many of you are finding them helpful in planning (or dreaming about planning!) your own Disney trip. If I can document our family memories and help others in the process, that's a total win/win in my book. :)
- [DeSpains Do Disney World Part One: A Midnight Arrival](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/despains-do-disney-part-one.html/) - Somebody pinch me - I cannot believe I'm writing a post about vacationing at Disney World! I'm so beyond grateful for the few days away that we experienced as a family. Taking Hadley to Disney while she's in this really innocent princess-loving stage was something I so deeply wanted to do. Because I like to keep things
- [What's Up Wednesday - March 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/whats-wednesday-march-2017.html/) - Happy Hump Day! This morning we're waking up with a couple of visitors! My in-laws just made it into town from Austin, so we're looking forward to spending the rest of the week and the weekend with them. My mother-in-law's birthday was yesterday, and we're excited to celebrate her day just a tad belated. I'll
- [Five Tips for Maintaining Long-Distance Adults Friendships](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/five-tips-for-maintaining-long-distance-friendships.html/) - My girlfriends are everything to me, and I cherish and protect several of my friendships like they're precious stones. They really are! I heard Jen Hatmaker say once that her husband has no idea how much her girlfriends take off of his plate, and I burst out laughing because I totally agree! I vent to
- [The Last Weekend of Winter with a Summertime Feel](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/last-weekend-winter.html/) - Hello SPRING! Kansas is the first place we've lived where we've truly experienced all four seasons, each for a good length of time! The winters are brutal (that wind!) and the summers sometimes feel like a hairdryer, but I've really loved the spring and fall the last 2.5-3 years we've lived here. Excited to start
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #11: Lost in the Right Direction](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/saturday-sit-11-lost-right-direction.html/) - Hello hello! I'm writing this a few days early since we're on vacation this weekend. Many thanks to today's blogger for being so on top of the game and getting me her interview responses and pictures in a snap! Readers, thank you so much for making this little series a part of your weekend routine and
- [Balancing Working from Home While Being a Stay-At-Home Mom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/balancing-working-from-home-while-being-a-stay-at-home-mom.html/) - I originally titled this post "Tips for Working from Home", and then I thought... I don't have any magic tips for working from home. In fact, I kind of stink at it most of the time. :) I get emails a lot asking about how I balance blogging while also parenting my two kids, and I always try
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #10: The Girl Who Loved to Write](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/the-saturday-sit-down-10-the-girl-who-loved-to-write.html/) - There are a handful of blogs that I type in directly to visit almost every day, and Chelsea's is one of them. I found her blog randomly two or three years ago, and I was captivated by what a great writer she is. I've told her a million times that I hope to see her
- [What Would You Do Differently?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/raise-kids-differently.html/) - I had the most interesting conversation with a loved one months ago that I've given a lot of thought to ever since; I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic! We were casually talking all things parenting, and she mentioned that her only regret from raising her children was that she yelled too much at times. Her
- [Slice of Life: March 16th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/slice-life-march-16th-2017.html/) - What a week! We've been busy around here! Hadley would say that the last few days have gone down as three of her favorite ever - she had her first real sleepover with friends. :) One of my girlfriends went into labor on Monday, so I met her family at the hospital, scooped up her
- [The rollercoaster of being a first-time mom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/02/the-rollercoaster-of-being-first-time.html/) - Yesterday started with a 7 a.m. feeding followed by a two hour nap/snuggle session all cozied up in our comfy bed. Jamie woke up and saw our sweet mama/baby Sunday snooze, and his heart was happy. Hadley and I woke up in a good mood and refreshed. These are the moments I'll want back when she's not little
- [March Gift Guide: 15 Gifts Under $40](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/march-gift-guide-15-gifts-40.html/) - Hellooooo! How was your weekend? Saturday was snowy and gray, so we used the indoor time to knock out FRG work and other various volunteer or event-related tasks while the girls napped, wreaked havoc in their playroom, or watched Netflix. Definitely not my most favorite way to spend a Saturday, but it felt good to
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #9: Amber In Progress](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/saturday-sit-9-amber-progress.html/) - Helloooooo weekend! Thanks for popping in to check out this week's featured blogger, Amber! She is a new(ish) blogger who is so raw, encouraging, and authentic. I've enjoyed her work the last few weeks, and I'm glad that you'll get to meet her as well. Q: In three sentences or less, tell us a little
- [Slice of Life + the End of a Wild Journey: March 9th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/slice-life-end-wild-journey-march-9th-2017.html/) - I didn't think I had much to share in this "Slice of Life" since we haven't been up to anything too exciting, but then I started grabbing pictures from my phone and realized that I have all kinds of things to blab about. :) After hemming and hawing for literally two years over whether or
- [Family, Friends, and Food](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/family-friends-food.html/) - We had a pretty solid weekend around here that was full of friends, family time, and a ton of good food! On Friday, Jamie met the girls and me at the mall after work so that we could switch cars. He took the girls home and I headed out to meet a friend for some
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #8: Adventures of a Young Wife](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/saturday-sit-8-adventures-young-wife.html/) - Happy Saturday everyone! Thanks for popping in for another round of The Saturday Sit-Down. I'm excited to feature Grace from The Adventures of a Young Wife today. She has an attractive, well-organized blog and strong content. You'll enjoy her! Q: Tell us about who you are in three sentences or less. A: Hi! I am
- [Real Parenting Moments #7](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/03/real-parenting-moments-7.html/) - There have been so many solid gold moments lately with my girls filled with such an array of emotions, and I'm always trying to mentally record whatever hilarious, sweet, surprising, or even maddening moment just happened. These are real parenting moments, and they collectively make our lives so full. I'm so smitten with these girls that
- [Slice of Life - February 27th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/slice-life-february-27th-2017.html/) - Hello hello! How was your weekend? We stayed busy but enjoyed nonstop family time, which is always my favorite way to spend our weekends. A little behind-the-scenes for ya: I'm actually writing this at 3:30 a.m. because I'm crazy and can't sleep for the life of me. Sadie woke up randomly at 2, and after letting
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #7: Coffee and Cookie Crumbs](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/7219.html/) - Today's featured blogger is one of those people that I think I would be friends with in real life if we had the chance! She could not be more down to earth and is very relatable. You all will enjoy her!! Meet Erin from Coffee and Cookie Crumbs. :) Q: Introduce yourself in three sentences or
- [Father/Daughter Sweetheart Dance + More Weekend Fun](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/fatherdaughter-sweetheart-dance-weekend-fun.html/) - Sunday was a full day in the very best way. We kicked off the morning with Sadie's baby dedication, came home to regroup, and then Jamie and Hadley got ready to attend a local Father/Daughter Sweetheart Dance. The dance was for girls ages 3+, and I remember last year thinking about how I couldn't wait
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #6: Meet the Shaneyfelts](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/saturday-sit-6-meet-shaneyfelts.html/) - For some reason, typing out the title of this post and writing "#6" took me by surprise. I feel like just yesterday I was sitting around with Jamie brainstorming this little year-long series, and now we're just cruising right along meeting new bloggers right and left. This is FUN and I'm so appreciative of your support
- [On Choosing Joy During Challenging Seasons](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/choosing-joy-challenging-seasons.html/) - The straw almost broke the camel's back today. Teddy's hip severely dislocated again last night, and I managed to wrangle everybody up this morning at 8:30 and get out the door for a 9 a.m. appointment they could squeeze us in to. Side note: You should have seen me trying to get everybody from the car
- [Slice of Life - February 16th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/slice-life-february-16th-2017.html/) - Let's just jump right into another Slice of Life, shall we? First things first. Not pictured in today's post is me standing on top of a mountain jumping up and down screaming and shouting that Sadie Rose DeSpain is officially sleeping 10-12 hours consistently through the night. #HallelujahThankYouJesusAmen It's been a long (and I mean loooooong)
- [Our Dream Home Non-Negotiables](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/dream-home-non-negotiables.html/) - Happy Hump Day! How was your Valentine's Day? I spent the day with my munchkins eating pink donuts for breakfast, burning them off later with a long power walk with Meg and her babes after Hadley and Jack got out of school, and then putting the calories right back in again with Olive Garden take-out for
- [Currently: February 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/currently-february-2017.html/) - Hey guys! I hope you had an enjoyable weekend! "Currently" surveys are all over the blogging world and I thought participating in one would be a fun, light-hearted way to kick off the week. :) Currently Cooking... A lot of meals in bulk! Since Jamie is TDY I don't really have a reason to cook
- [Happy 3rd Birthday Hadley!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/happy-3rd-birthday-hadley.html/) - Today is the happiest day in our home because we have ourselves a birthday girl! The girl who first made me a mom turns three, and I just want to go smother her in a million kisses and celebrate all that she is, all day long. Happiest of birthdays to you, Hadley! You'll never know, dear,
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #5 - Life 'N Legos](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/saturday-sit-5-life-n-legos.html/) - Today's blogger is as real as they come, so if you're looking to read a blog that shares the true ups and downs what she has going on in life, you're going to love Marianna! She and I have been keeping up with each other for probably eight or nine years (that's craaazyyy!) because our
- [Slice of Life - February 9th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/slice-life-february-9th-2017.html/) - Come on, weekend! We are looking forward to some beautiful weather here in Kansas this weekend, so praise the Lord for that because this mama needs some Vitamin D badly! I've been feeling under the weather for a few weeks, but I'm optimistic that some time outside is just what the doctor ordered. I cannot
- [Here's To You, Piggy](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/heres-to-you-piggy.html/) - If you're a regular reader around here, you know about Piggy the pot holder. Piggy has been Hadley's constant companion since she was 20 months old. That silly pot holder has traveled the country and snuck into dozens of pictures. Where Hadley was, there was Piggy also. I came home from a blogging day-trip event in
- [How I Grew My Blog 300% in Seven Months and Started Making $$$$](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/grew-blog-300-seven-months-started-making.html/) - Hello hello and happy Monday! I hope your weekend was a good one! I don't often talk about what goes on behind the scenes to keep this little blogging boat afloat, but today I wanted to give you a little glimpse into something I've worked diligently on throughout the last year or so. Disclaimer: It feels
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #4 - Reaching Beyond Mediocrity](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/saturday-sit-4-reaching-beyond-mediocrity.html/) - I've really enjoyed getting to know today's blogger. She and I started reading each others' blogs a few months ago, and she has great content! She has been such a pleasure to email back and forth with regarding today's feature, and I'm excited for you all to "meet" her. Here's Beth! Q: In three sentences
- [A Day in the Life: January 30th, 2017 (Hadley 3 yrs | Sadie 9 mo)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/02/day-life-january-30th-2017-hadley-3-yrs-sadie-9-mo.html/) - It's time for another semi-annual "Day in the Life" post! Whoop! I picked this day, January 30th, several months ago when I was scheduling some post ideas, and up until that morning I had no idea how the day would play out. Jamie is away training right now, so this post is all about the girls
- [Just a Mom Trying Her Best Here](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/im-trying-best.html/) - Around 6:40 last night, while the girls were splashing away in the bath tub together, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I FORGOT DANCE CLASS! Is it Monday? What time is it? How in the world (!) did I forgot that Hadley had dance tonight? I haven't felt like that big of an
- [Slice of Life - January 30th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/slice-life-january-30th-2017.html/) - Hey hey! I hope this short and sweet "Slice of Life" finds you well this morning. I have my iPhone glued to my hand today as I shoot our semi-annual "Day in the Life" post, so I'm excited to see how the day takes shape and to share our little slice of daily craze with you
- [January Gift Guide: 25 Gifts Under $25](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/january-gift-guide-20-gifts-35.html/) - I love to love on people with gifts. It's whole-heartedly my love language, and keeping my eye out for the perfect gift is kind of like a sport to me. I think it's so fun, and the people who know me best totally know this. :) The fun thing about gifting is that the price
- [29th Birthday Fun + My Sister's Visit](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/29th-birthday-fun-sisters-visit.html/) - Hello hello! I hope you had a great weekend. :) We were all so happy to have Jamie home after his very short time away. He got home in the middle of the night, so when Hadley woke up Sunday morning I asked her to come in my room and snuggle. Jamie hid under the
- [The Saturday Sit-Down #2 - Burke Does](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/saturday-sit-2-burke.html/) - Welcome back to week #2 of the "Saturday Sit-Down"! Thanks for popping in. :) I so adore today's blogger. She and I connected a couple of years ago before she officially launched her blog, and it's been really fun seeing her succeed. She's brilliant and beautiful and someone I would love to meet in person
- [The Saturday Sit-Down with Military Wife & Pug Life](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/saturday-sit-military-wife-pug-life.html/) - Oh hi there SATURDAY! I couldn't be one ounce more stoked that today is here because my Saturday Sit-Down series is officially kicking off! I have over 30 (!!!) incredible women lined up to share with you this year, so I hope that popping onto my site on Saturday will become a part of your
- [Sadie's Nine-Month Update](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/sadies-nine-month-update.html/) - As crazy as it is to wrap my brain around, my Sadie girl is nine months old! I was making her laugh her most infectious baby laugh the other day and then expressed how I was all of a sudden feeling a little melancholy thinking about how I wish I could bottle her up and keep
- [Slice of Life - January 19th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/slice-life-january-19th-2017.html/) - My sister and niece are here in Kansas and I'm just about the happiest girl ever. :) They flew up from Destin, Florida on Tuesday afternoon and will be hanging with us until Saturday. Five girls under one roof equals a darn good time! We found out back in November that in March they're PCSing (moving) to
- [Follow-Up to Brands Featured in 2016 Sponsored Posts](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/follow-brands-featured-2016-sponsored-posts.html/) - Happy Monday friends! How was your weekend?? Winter storm Jupiter was supposed to cripple our area here in Northeast Kansas for days, but we ended up dodging the bullet and only experienced a couple of hours of drizzly freezing rain Sunday morning. My parents were able to hit the road just a few hours after
- [A Look Back at Our Wedding Day Six Years Later](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/look-back-wedding-day-six-years-later.html/) - Jamie and I are celebrating our sixth wedding anniversary on Sunday, and though he's away this weekend with the Army, we had the very best time running around town together last weekend celebrating just a few days early. I'd love to walk down memory lane and share a few pictures from our wedding day, if
- [Slice of Life - January 11th, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/slice-life-january-11th-2017.html/) - Another week, another "Slice of Life", and another opportunity to grab a handful of grainy cell phone pictures to help share a little bit of what we've been up to lately. :) Last week we found a new favorite date spot: McDonald's! Whaaaat?! Seriously, we had the best little lunch date. Hadley had been dying
- [Friday Favorites: Make Up, a New Car Seat, Two Blogging Resources, and More](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/friday-favorites-make-new-car-seat-two-blogging-resources.html/) - Happy Friday! I don't know how this week's been for you guys, but it's been a long one around here. Not a bad one at all (quite the opposite actually); Just looooong. We have an early anniversary date tomorrow since Jamie will be away next weekend for our actual anniversary (I could just scream about
- [Refreshing our Family/Living Room](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/refreshing-familyliving-room.html/) - If you give a girl pretty new canvases... ...she might just paint her fireplace, refinish her end tables, bring in a new love seat, buy a new coffee table, and really just flip her ENTIRE MAIN LEVEL completely upside down. Doesn't everybody do that? Because that's exactly what happened here in our humble abode last week.
- [Slice of Life - January 3rd, 2017](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/slice-life-january-3rd-2017.html/) - Hello hello! First, I just want to say a big thank you for the great response to my new "Saturday Sit-Down" series yesterday. I was a little hesitant that anyone would sign up, but you guys proved I had nothing to worry about. :) Thank you for helping me make this successful. I'm so excited
- [2 0 1 6](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/2-0-1-6.html/) - Years from now, my guess is that I'll likely recall four main events that defined our 2016: the year our second daughter was born, the year that brought Jamie home from another deployment, the year I became an aunt and my sister a mother, and the year that flipped my entire life upside down when we came
- [Slice of Life - January 2nd, 2017 (+ a must-read opportunity for bloggers!)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2017/01/slice-life-january-2nd-2017.html/) - Happy New Year! Whew, it feels good to be back! I haven't taken a nearly two week blogging break in over two years, but it's been nice relaxing more with my munchkins during the holidays, happily entertaining our revolving door of guests, and dreaming of/planning for what 2017 holds. I'm so hopeful that this is going to
- [Slice of Life - December 20th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/slice-life-december-21st-2016.html/) - Unless we're on vacation, I very rarely ever say that I don't want a day to end. But I didn't want Saturday to end. It was the sweetest day. Let me back up. On Friday I had plans to throw a Christmas party with about 15 of my girlfriends here in Kansas. I was pumped,
- [Slice of Life - December 13th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/slice-life-december-13th-2016.html/) - Oh hey December... you know how to bring the party! We've had a really fun month so far, and it's a little hard to believe that we're not even halfway through it. The next couple of weeks hold a bunch of fun events, but I know come New Years Day we four DeSpains will be soaking up
- [Christmas Home Tour 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/christmas-home-tour-2016.html/) - I'm excited to participate in Sarah and Victoria's Christmas home tour link-up today! Sarah is not only a blogger that I enjoy following, but she's also a real-life friend from our education classes in college. :) I didn't decorate our home last year for Christmas since we spent the month of December at my parent's
- [Current Favorite Things](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/current-favorite-things.html/) - I always really enjoy little glimpses into others' lives where they share recommendations for things they're loving, so I thought I'd make a quick list of things around our house that I currently use daily (mostly) and can't say enough good things about. I'd love to hear your recommendations as well for things you're loving
- [Slice of Life - December 4th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/slice-life-december-4th-2016.html/) - Hello hello hello! I hope you're having a nice weekend! Like many of you, our December calendar has filled up fast with various holiday happenings, so I'm really looking forward to a fun (albeit quite busy) month for the fam. My mom inspired me to get all of my Christmas shopping done by December 1st,
- [Shredded Chicken with Sesame Noodles](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/12/shredded-chicken-sesame-noodles.html/) - Like many of you, I had the weirdest jitters all day on Election Day last month. I knew that the meal I was making for dinner that night would produce leftovers, so around 4 p.m., on a whim, I invited a girlfriend and her kids over to jump on the trampoline and eat dinner to help pass
- [Birthday Cake, Turkey, and a Heck of a Time at My Class Reunion](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/birthday-cake-turkey-heck-time-class-reunion.html/) - A little "behind the scenes" for ya: I always upload my pictures to the blog first and then tell the stories. Selecting and uploading the pictures usually takes less than five minutes. Today it took almost 30 minutes because I just uploaded 38 pictures. Friends, we may be here a while. :) Wednesday, Thursday, and
- [Thanksgiving in Alabama Days #1-4](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/thanksgiving-alabama-days-1-5.html/) - Home sweet home! Our trip to Alabama was one of our best ever. So much family. So much time with friends. Lots of yummy food. More time than usual to kick my feet up (since there was lots of family to love on the girls). It was just a really happy trip. But you know what
- [Hello from Alabama!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/hello-from-alabama.html/) - Hey friends! Happy Monday! Popping in today from my parent's house in Madison, Alabama. :) We are so happy to be back for a visit and are really looking forward to a full week of fun with friends and family. We're not able to get down here as often as we used to, so we're planning to
- [Thoughts on Friday + a Baby Gift Idea!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/thoughts-friday-baby-gift-idea.html/) - Oh, what a week. A really good but really nonstop week. It was full of activity - Hadley's birthday surprises, play time with her/my friends, last night's military ball, tons of baking for various occasions, Christmas shopping, you name it. It was busy. A couple times I thought I might go a little crazy from feeling pulled in
- [In the Nick of Time: Cold and Flu Season Essentials + A Giveaway](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/nick-time-cold-flu-season-essentials.html/) - This is a sponsored post written for Vicks Humidifiers. I was compensated and provided complimentary products for this post. All opinions are my own. All of the products I mention today that we use and love will be grouped together in a giveaway at the bottom of this post! Like me, most of my friends
- [Slice of Life - November 14th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/slice-life-november-14th-2016.html/) - Hey party people. :) Happy Monday! I hope you enjoyed your weekend. Besides having our family photos taken, we didn't have any big plans and used our time to be lazy, watch football, Christmas shop online, and catch up on life. Days like this get two thumbs way up in my book! It's funny how
- [Veterans Day Thoughts + A Tool to Say Thank You](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/veterans-day-thoughts-tool-say-thank.html/) - Tomorrow is a day that I'll forget how challenging our military lifestyle has really been. Tomorrow is a day that's filled my little soul to the brim with pride every year since 2011 (the year I truly learned the significance), but when it comes to explaining why I love Veterans Day, I find that I'm somewhat
- [Hadley's & Sadie's First Six Months: How They Contrast](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/11/hadleys-sadies-first-six-months-contrast.html/) - This post was sponsored by Nature Made® as a part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central. One of my dearest friends and I are thankfully walking side-by-side through this season of raising toddlers who are close in age as well as our second babies who are very close in age, and we sigh all the time
- [A Peek Inside My Dream Home Book](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/peek-inside-dream-home-book.html/) - Happy Monday and Happy Halloween! While my social media feeds were flooded on Saturday night with adult party pictures and awesome couples' costumes, Jamie and I were simply doing cartwheels around the house that both girls were passed out by 7:19 p.m. We enjoyed a quiet night in together and a generally relaxing weekend all-around.
- [Real Parenting Moments #6](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/real-parenting-moments-6.html/) - It's bizarre how parenting makes you feel your highest highs and lowest lows, often all in the same day hour. And that's what these posts are all about. What a journey. A few stories from lately - Last week Jamie and I were watching our new favorite show This is Us, and we heard Hadley call
- [Behind the Creation of Our Home Gym (+ a Marriage Win)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/behind-creation-home-gym-marriage-win.html/) - One of the main reasons I'm determined to find a way to put our house on wheels and take it with us when we move is because I feel like we live in a one-story home (which we love) but that we get the perks of a second story space-wise thanks to our basement. Upstairs
- [Slice of Life - October 24th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/slice-life-october-24th-2016.html/) - Hello hello hello! How was your weekend? We had a couple of obligation-free days and totally enjoyed it. We spent a good bit of time outside hanging with our new neighbors, worked around the house, and did some general catching up on life. This weekend last year was my first weekend without Jamie after he left for
- [On Seeking Therapy](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/on-seeking-therapy.html/) - In the days following Hadley's accident I was encouraged by many friends and family members to seek therapy. It was painfully obvious to them that I had a good deal of post-traumatic stress from the whole ordeal, so one day after a good cry-sesh with my sister I picked up the phone and made an appointment for
- [Girlfriend Time & A Rejuvenating Long Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/girlfriend-time-rejuvenating-long-weekend.html/) - Hey friends! I hope you're having a nice week so far. We've been playing a little bit of catch-up around here after putting aside the never-ending to-do list and relishing in a really fabulous weekend. One of my very best and long-time friends Ashley flew in on Friday night to spend a few days with us, and
- [Who She Is: Sadie at Six Months Old](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/sadie-six-months-old.html/) - Getting to the six month mark with Sadie feels equal parts victorious and heart wrenching; Victorious because so many of you surely understand that the first few months of infancy are often about "powering through" in many ways, and heart wrenching because I can feel our time with her as a baby rapidly slipping through our
- [The Cutest At-Home Toddler Activity + Free Advertising Opportunity](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/cutest-home-toddler-activity-free-advertising-opportunity.html/) - Happy Friday! I hope you had a fab week! We're lounging around here this morning after 4,000 back-to-back obligations yesterday, and I think my girls are enjoying the relaxed time just as much as I am. Tonight I'm picking up my best friend Ashley from the airport for a long-weekend visit, and I'm about to burst at
- [Three Reasons You Should Read to Your Kids](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/three-reasons-read-kids.html/) - Hi there! I'm Britt, and I'm grateful to Erica for sharing her space with me today. A bit about me, I live in Idaho, I've been married for 6.5 years to Kyle, and we have two little ones - Abe is 2.5 and Eliza is 10 months. My husband is a professional counselor and runs
- [Our Morning Routine](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/morning-routines.html/) - This post was sponsored by Nature Made® as a part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central. I've always been a morning person. Mornings feel like resets, and I'm always grateful for grace in the form of resets. How well our morning goes is often pretty indicative of how our day will go. I'm more likely to
- [Slice of Life - October 11th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/slice-life-october-11th-2016.html/) - Well hello there Tuesday! I hope this finds you well in your neck of the woods. Popping in today with another "Slice of Life" from the last week or so that's as random as they usually are. :) Hope you enjoy! First things first: I now understand why everyone is wearing lately. In all seriousness, I think
- [Weekend Mood Boosters](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/weekend-mood-boosters.html/) - Happy Monday, loves! I hope you had a nice October weekend and maybe participated in a few fun fall activities. I'm personally feeling really refreshed this morning after a much-needed weekend full of family time and no set plans. On Friday morning Jamie and I were texting back and forth about how we were both
- [Annual Pumpkin Patch Outing + More Weekend Snapshots](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/10/annual-pumpkin-patch-outing-scenes-weekend.html/) - I have always loved the month of October, but I'm extra thrilled this year to see this month roll around. We knew September was going to be a wild month, but Hadley's accident added an extra layer of crazy. Seeing a new month on the calendar makes me feel weirdly refreshed and positive, and I'm
- [Becoming a First-Time Mom vs. Having Additional Babies - Which Was Harder?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/becoming-first-time-mom-vs-additional-babies-harder.html/) - I was having a conversation with a group of moms the other day about which time period was the hardest for each of us - the phase after having your first baby and learning how to be a mom, the phase after adding a second kid and learning how to juggle two tiny people, or
- [The Dreamiest List of Infant/Toddler Girls' Jackets and Coats](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/dreamiest-list-infanttoddler-girl-jackets-coats.html/) - This post was sponsored by Diapers.com as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. As always, thank you for your support of sponsored posts! Stay tuned for a deep discount code at the bottom of the post. Call me crazy, but I always get giddy
- [My Parent's Long-Weekend Visit](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/parents-long-weekend-visit.html/) - Hey there! I hope you had a nice first weekend of Fall! We happily welcomed some cooler temperatures yesterday after a solid storm all afternoon/night on Saturday, and it feels so nice to melt into the couch and do a little bit of blogging with the windows open. As I mentioned in my post last
- [Slice of Life - September 22, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/slice-life-september-22-2016.html/) - Hello hello! Happy Thursday! I hope this finds you well and that you've had a good week. We've been on the move this week juggling a handful of different tasks, and the days just seem to be flying by. My mom and dad made the 12-hour drive from Alabama yesterday to visit us for a long weekend, and
- [Slice of Life - September 14th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/slice-life-september-14th-2016.html/) - Hey friends! The girls and I are having a welcomed lazy morning around here today and are looking forward to seeing Hadley's PAT teacher for her monthly visit shortly. Sadie is bouncing in her jumper (she started really loving it last weekend!) and Hadley is glued to Paw Patrol (also a new favorite for her),
- [A Reintroduction + A Question for You](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/re-introduction-question.html/) - This morning I was briefly browsing some of my favorite blogs and really loved this one from Joanna from Cup of Jo where she asked her readers to introduce themselves. This topic piqued my interested because, similarly, I've become much more interested recently in learning more about you - the real person (imagine that?!) on the other
- [The Gift of a Women's Fellowship Group + Tips for Starting Your Own](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/gift-womens-fellowship-group-tips-starting.html/) - Hi there! My name is Kourtney and I blog over at The Martins and the Marines! An avid Whimsical September reader myself, I am super excited to be here blogging today! To start, a little about me. I was born and raised in good old Kansas (the first thing that drew me to Erica's
- [Thank You](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/thank-you.html/) - We've been really distracted today from our emotions. Hadley had a dentist appointment first thing this morning and then we jetted to her preschool open house. We ran around Target getting last minute essentials to send her to school tomorrow, and now I'm catching my breath as we sit and wait for a realtor to
- [The Story Behind the Title of My Blog](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/09/my-plans-never-work-out-and-im-so-glad.html/) - Though I've been keeping up with this blog on and off since May 2008, I didn't decide to crank things up a bit until some time last year. As a new stay-at-home mom, I was finally getting into my own little groove and was relieved to be more comfortable with our new normal. When Hadley
- [Hello From Texas!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/good-morning-texas.html/) - Happy Friday, friends! Popping in briefly this morning from my in-law's home in Dripping Springs (Austin), Texas! Jamie has a four-day weekend for Labor Day, so we made the decision a couple weeks ago to make the big trip down to spend time with family. We're happy to be here and are looking forward to
- [My New LuLaRoe Pieces + a Giveaway!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/09/new-lularoe-pieces-giveaway.html/) - Note: Today's post is sponsored by a LuLaRoe independent consultant. Big thanks for your continual support of my blog and the brands that support this blog. Look out for a sweet giveaway at the bottom of today's post! I've been hearing quite a bit of obsessive chatter about a company called LuLaRoe for around a year, and
- [Slice of Life - August 31st, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/slice-life-august-31st-2016.html/) - Another week, another slice of our lives. :) Here's what we've been up to lately as we hold our breaths and gear up for a caraaazyyy September! Maybe these pictures of our peanut sleeping in our bed is getting a little repetitive, but oh this sight makes my heart sing. She spontaneously snoozes in our
- [Motherhood Advice That's Helping Me Keep My Cool](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/motherhood-advice-thats-helping-keep-cool-2.html/) - A few months ago I was venting to my mom about another food struggle that I was having with Hadley. She was obsessed with bringing a dozen or more of her favorite little figurines to her table, and she was then way more interested in playing with her toys than eating whatever I had just
- [Slice of Life - August 24th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/slice-life-august-24th-2016.html/) - I cannot believe I just wrote August 24th in the title. How in the world is it already nearly September?! I swear this summer was the fastest of my life. Anyway! :) I hope you're having a nice week so far. The last week and a half has been slammed with daily activities (good activities!), but
- [Slice of Life (+ a Giveaway!) - August 16th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/sliceoflifeaug16.html/) - Popping in today with another slice of life. :) I feel like a broken record, but things around here have continued to be quiet in a good way. I'm starting to get a little antsy and excited for fall, but I know that right behind fall is a brutally cold Kansas winter, so I'm not wishing
- [Real Parenting Moments Vol V](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/real-parenting-moments-3.html/) - When I wrote my last "Real Parenting Moments" post, being a mom felt heavy. It was about three weeks after Jamie had returned home from overseas, and we were failing over and over again at correcting a specific negative attention-seeking behavior from Hadley. Thankfully that storm blew over entirely after a couple weeks that were nothing
- [Real Parenting Moments Vol. IV + Some Real Talk on the Side](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/real-parenting-moments-2.html/) - Blogging through this season of life is humbling, as I currently feel waist deep in a season that's stretching me and challenging me in so many ways. Our daughters are easily the biggest blessings in our lives, but I'm learning that when you love something or someone so much that the difficult times are that
- [Real Parenting Moments: Vol III](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/real-parenting-moments.html/) - Hello hello! I hope you had a nice holiday weekend! We took it easy around here and knocked out a few more things on the to-do list of tasks to accomplish before Jamie comes home soon. The very, very best thing that happened this weekend is that I became a first-time AUNT! My beautiful sister
- [Destin Beach Trip Days 3-5](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/destin-beach-trip-days-3-5.html/) - When we booked our Florida trip a few months ago, I wondered if three full days would be enough time or if it would feel too short. On our way home to Kansas on Friday, Jamie and I both agreed that five days (including two travel days) was the perfect sized bite to chew off
- [Destin Beach Trip - Days 1 & 2](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/08/destin-beach-trip-days-1-2.html/) - After a super chill summer hunkering down here in Kansas, we finally busted out of here last Monday and caught flights to Destin, Florida! Jamie and I planned this trip months ago and were excited to knock out so many birds with one stone: we would get to meet our two-month-old niece (and Hadley and
- [Slice of Life (+ Mom's Visit to KS) - July 29th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/slice-life-moms-visit-ks-july-29th-2016.html/) - Hello and Happy Friday, friends! We have a couple fun things on tap for the weekend, but we're going to try to squeeze in as much rest as we can before we hop a flight to Florida on Monday! Our niece is already two months old and we're so excited to meet her and kiss her cheeks! My sister
- [On Sponsored Posts - Finding Them, Selecting Them, and My Reason for Doing Them](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/on-sponsored-posts.html/) - I started blogging consistently just over two years ago as a hobby while I adjusted to being a stay-at-home mom, and it only took me a hot minute to realize that bloggers all around the world are boosting their bank accounts by building their blogs. The idea of financially contributing to our family simply by doing something
- [Slice of Life - July 21st, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/slice-life-july-21th-2016.html/) - This week has been a good one so far, but it's going to get even better today because I get to see my mom! She's flying in to spend a week with us, and I've been counting down the days. She hasn't been up here since October, so I'm thrilled that she's coming to play with
- [Three Months with Sadie Rose](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/three-months-sadie-rose.html/) - This little girl is pure Heaven, and today she officially hit the three month mark! I'd love to share a little bit about our big girl and how things have been going, if you're interested. :) On eating Come Hell or high water, I was determined to make breastfeeding work for us (lots of very
- [Stitch Fix #9](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/stitch-fix-9.html/) - This fix almost didn't happen because I was thisclose to canceling it; I'd depleted my shopping budget on clothing for BlogHer and have plenty of clothes to get me through summer. I quickly pushed those crazy thoughts aside though because you all know that I love getting this little piece of happy mail every month
- [Hosting a World Market In-Store Event](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/hosting-world-market-store-event.html/) - Happy Monday, friends! I hope your week is off to a nice start. We're attending an award ceremony on post this morning and then later tonight some girlfriends and I are going to slip out after our babies are asleep for some girl time over drinks. Excited! I haven't seen many of them the last few
- [Come see me in Lawrence, Kansas!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/come-see-lawrence-kansas.html/) - I'm hosting an event today and I'm so dang excited about it! If you know me in "real life" you know that talking and mingling are TOTALLY my jam (Helloooo - I used to speak at schools nationwide and LOVED IT.) Anyway, come see me today - Saturday, July 16th - at World Market in
- [Slice of Life - July 13th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/slice-life-july-13th-2016.html/) - This Wednesday morning is a great Wednesday morning! We have nowhere to be today, it's pouring cats and dogs outside, Sadie is knocked out in her swing, Hadley is snuggled on the floor with a pillow and her favorite blanket watching Disney Jr., and I feel totally guilt-free about still being in my pajamas parked
- [A Day in the Life - July 9th, 2016 (Hadley: 2.5 years, Sadie: 2.5 months)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/day-life-july-9th-2016-hadley-2-5-years-sadie-2-5-months.html/) - Hello and Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! Consider today's post a weekend recap ON OVERDRIVE because on Saturday I filmed my bi-annual "Day in the Life" post! For this edition I wanted to showcase and document what a Saturday looks like around here with our two little munchkins. Not only is this Sadie's
- [Slice of Life - July 1st, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/07/slice-life-july-1st-2016.html/) - When Jamie and I were talking about what we wanted to do this summer, it didn't take long to figure out that we both were craving simplicity and a couple of very low-key months. We haven't been on any fancy vacations or done anything worth writing home about, but we're really thankful for these slow days to soak
- [My Fitness Goal](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/my-fitness-goal.html/) - Today's post will be short and sweet and published simply for the sake of accountability! If I share my latest fitness goal with you guys, I obviously can't wimp out, right?! ;) I really enjoy having a goal when it comes to exercise, so I've been racking my brain the last couple of weeks trying to
- [Father's Day Weekend 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/fathers-day-weekend-2016.html/) - What. A. Weekend. A fun, simple, exhausting, comedic weekend! I'm typing this up on Sunday night with Jamie by my side watching the final NBA game (which means The Bachelorette returns tomorrow - wheeeee!), and it feels great to sink into the couch for a bit with my love by my side and do a little bit of
- [Slice of Life - June 17th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/slice-life-june-17th-2016.html/) - Happy Friday, friends! It's been a scorcher of a week here in northeast Kansas, but otherwise things are nice and quiet around here. We have a few things planned for the weekend, but mostly we'll be focused on loving on Jamie for Father's Day and laying low. Here's a little slice of our lives from
- [Balsamic Veggie Hummus Wrap](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/balsamic-veggie-hummus-wrap.html/) - Over the weekend I ordered the veggie wrap from our lunch spot, and it was to die for. When I got home I looked up a copy cat version and found that it was loaded with just as many cheeses and sauces as it was vegetables. For dinner this week I played around with creating
- [On Marriage, Love Tanks, and Listening](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/marriage-love-tanks-listening.html/) - Marriage is a trip sometimes, and I have to share the funniest conversation that Jamie and I had a few weeks ago that maybe some of you can relate to. Recently a package showed up from Amazon that was addressed to Jamie. I handed it to him once it arrived and asked him what he'd
- [Dinner Recipe: Homemade Whole Wheat Mini Pizzas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/03/dinner-recipe-homemade-whole-wheat-mini.html/) - For entertaining, we make pizzas. When we're in the mood for comfort food, we make pizzas. When we want something homemade that doesn't take long to prepare, we make pizzas. I have great memories of making homemade pizzas with my dad when we were younger, and my dad and I still share a love of
- [Slice of Life - June 8th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/sliceoflife.html/) - I know that life doesn't stop during deployment (heck - I've grown two babies during them!), but now that Jamie's home I feel like we've hit the "play" button. Life is good right now. Here's a slice of our lives from the last week-ish before Jamie's homecoming and the couple of days since. :) Because
- [Jamie's Homecoming (Deployment #3)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/06/jamies-homecoming-kuwaitjordan-deployment-3.html/) - On Sunday morning we closed an incredibly wild chapter of our lives and said goodbye to Jamie's third deployment. To say that I'm happy, relieved, and grateful doesn't touch it! In some ways it feels like we just said our tearful goodbyes yesterday, but in other ways I've felt the weight of every single day
- [All About How We Fly For Free and How YOU CAN TOO!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/04/all-about-how-we-fly-for-free-and-how.html/) - Disclaimer: Southwest did not ask me to write this post. I'm genuinely just kind of obsessed with them and want to spread the love! I've done a couple posts in the past about our flying secrets, but I have a little bit more info today to share with you! It's far from a secret that
- [That Time My Toddler Hid My iPhone in the Christmas Tree](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/12/tis-season-for-new-toddler-hiding-places.html/) - If you follow me on Instagram or we're friends on Facebook then you may already know that last week my iPhone took a two foot walk with my 12 month old. This story may be one of those "had to be there" kind of funny stories, but this is one that I absolutely need to have
- [Slice of Life: May 26, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/sliceoflifemay26.html/) - Good morning! One more day until the weekend and we are ready! My father-in-law flies in tomorrow night from Austin (my MIL is already here as you know), and I know Hadley is going to love waking up Saturday morning and seeing him. Here's a slice of our lives from the last week or so!
- [My Post-Pregnancy Skin Care Routine](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/post-pregnancy-skin-care-routine.html/) - This post is sponsored by Pretty in My Pocket and Paula's Choice. All opinions are my own, and as always, thank you for your support surrounding sponsored posts! You'll find a sweet discount code at the bottom of the post. :) ‪#‎PrimpLovesPaula‬ ‪#‎PowerPrimper‬ ‪#‎PaulasChoiceSkinCare Now that I'm in my late 20s I'm starting to pay better
- [Hardest Working Collection Old Spice Giveaway!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/hardest-working-collection-old-spice-giveaway.html/) - Happy Friday party people! Today's post is short and sweet and aimed at giving away one of the fabulous Old Spice toolboxes that I mentioned in my post a few days ago. Do you have a hard working man in your life that you'd love to surprise with this unique gift? I don't know any
- [A Deployment Silver Lining & My Hard Working Man](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/oldspicehardestworkingman.html/) - During deployments it's encouraged (but challenging!) to dig deep and find the silver lining to doing life apart, and one of the most obvious "benefits" (though it seems off to call it that) is finding a renewed appreciation for all that the other does to keep our little family's boat afloat. When Jamie left last October I
- [Six Years in the Army: Lessons Learned](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/six-years-army.html/) - On Saturday my mother-in-law ran across a video of the finale of the USMA class of 2016's graduation ceremony, and it sent sharp goosebumps up and down my arms and a big smile to my face as we watched. I imagined what all of those new officers and their families and friends were feeling, and listening to those
- [Sadie's Newborn + Family Photos](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/sadies-newborn-pictures.html/) - I would love to share Sadie's newborn pictures with you if you're interested. :) The photographer who took our maternity pictures and birth pictures (Sarah Buchanan Photography) also captured these pictures as well. Sarah offered to come out to my parent's home where we were staying to shoot these so that we wouldn't have to
- [Slice of Life: Our Last Week in Alabama (5/16/16)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/slice-life-last-week-alabama.html/) - Good morning and Happy Monday! We are home sweet home in Kansas and are so happy to be back! I'm so glad I made the decision to spend a couple of months at my parent's home in Alabama, but being back in our own beds feels so, so good. Rewinding a few days today to share a
- [Slice of Life: Back to Kansas (5/17/16)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/slice-life-back-kansas-51716.html/) - Well hi! Popping in today with a quick update from the Kansas home front! Tomorrow my baby girl will be a month old, and I'm just over here trying to figure out how time has gone by so fast. My every thought and every move the last 30 days has been solely focused in one
- [Hadley's Adjustment to Being a Big Sister](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/hadley-adjusting-big-sister.html/) - When Hadley is an adult, I can't wait to tell her a million times what an absolute rockstar of a two year old she was around the time that Sadie was born. For the last two months she's been sleeping at Grandma and Grandpa's house in a new room in a bigger bed and going
- [To Three Amazing Moms: A Guest Post by Jamie](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/three-amazing-moms-guest-post-jamie.html/) - Happy Mother's Day weekend! My sweet husband Jamie asked me a few weeks ago if he could do a guest post today, and how could I say no? I knew it was important to him. Take it away, J! Hey y’all. The fact that Erica is letting me write a post is pretty special and well,
- [Military Spouse Appreciation Day Link-Up!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/military-spouse-appreciation-day-link.html/) - Because there is such a thing as Military Spouses Appreciation Day, today I’m raising my glass to the women who I long to call my friends forever. Today celebrates my absolute favorite aspect of our military lifestyle, and that’s the spouses that Jamie’s career has brought into my life. Having close friends all over the
- [Pictures from the Hospital and Sadie's First Two Weeks](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/05/pictures-hospital-sadies-first-two-weeks.html/) - Just like that my littlest love is two weeks old! We're pretty vocal about how we have no clue if we're done having kids or not, so watching Sadie grow and change so quickly makes me a little anxious for time to slow down. I want to soak up every precious thing about this newborn stage
- [The Diaper Bag That Dreams Are Made Of: Meet dapperbag](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/2872.html/) - Disclaimer: I received this high quality bag in exchange for my honest opinion and review. Thank you for your continued support surrounding sponsored posts! Please enjoy and take advantage of free shipping, an exclusive discount code, and a fabulous giveaway at the bottom of this post. I wrote a post several months ago devoted to my
- [Our Last Weekend as a Family of Three](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/last-weekend-family-three.html/) - Good morning and Happy Humpday! We're dragging a bit around here today after sending Jamie back overseas yesterday, but thankfully the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and we are nearing the finish line! I seriously couldn't imagine finishing out the deployment without help from family. Having two little ones is
- [Our Airport Reunion After Six Months Apart](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/airport-reunion-six-months-apart.html/) - The anxious, nervous, excited feelings that I felt last Friday morning while putting on my makeup and curling my hair were feelings all too familiar; I have felt them every single time I've prepared to see Jamie after a lengthy amount of time away from each other due to a deployment. They're right up there with
- [She's Here! Introducing Sadie](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/shes-here.html/) - Yesterday, on April 18th at 12:50 p.m., Sadie Rose was born weighing a precious 6lb 11oz and measuring 19" tall. Thank you for ALL of the love and well-wishes via Instagram and Facebook yesterday! We are so happy, relieved, grateful, and insanely in love. This week I'm taking a break from this site to soak
- [Slice of Life - April 13th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/slice-life-april-13th-2016.html/) - Happy Humpday, party people! We're zeroing in on D-Day (delivery day) and we'll be scooping up Jamie at the airport before we know it. Of course this week is crawling at a snail's pace, but life is good! Crawling or not, I know Friday will get here. Here's a slice of our lives from the last
- [16 Favorites](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/16-favorites.html/) - Good morning! I hope you had a good Monday yesterday! The weather here in north Alabama was drizzly, which worked out well because all I had the energy for was relaxing. It's funny how every day here at the end of pregnancy is different; Some days I feel like Superwoman and almost nearly forget I'm pregnant
- [DIY Refinished Bathroom Vanities with Chalk Paint](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/refinished-bathroom-vanity.html/) - As you guys know, I'm living with my parents in Alabama for a couple months, so last weekend I was itching to work on some kind of project that wasn't too physically strenuous but that would serve as a nice distraction while I wait for Jamie and Sadie. My parents have a pair of well-used vanities
- [Hadley as a Big Sister: Advice I've Received](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/bigsiblingadvice.html/) - As I inch closer and closer to my due date, conversations with friends and family have primarily been focused on Hadley. Everyone seems to be curious how I think she'll adjust, if we're doing anything to make her feel special when she meets Sadie, how I plan to handle any jealousy, and more. The frequency
- [Real Parenting Moments: Vol II](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/04/parenting-moments-vol-ii.html/) - Happy Monday, loves! I hope you had a fun weekend! A few weeks ago I did a post called "Real Parenting Moments" inspired by the constant rollercoaster of big feelings when it comes to motherhood - the good, the bad, the hilarious, the melt your heart, the pull your hair out with frustration types of
- [Five Fitness, Fashion, and Faith Bloggers to Check Out](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/5-new-fitness-fashion-and-faith.html/) - Happy Friday! Today I have part three of a three-post series that I've dedicated to sharing my favorite bloggers with you. If you're interested in finding reading material and/or inspiration in the fitness, fashion, or faith categories of the blogging world, then I think you'll love these sites! In case you missed my first two
- [Travel Day to NYC for BlogHer2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/travel-day-to-nyc-for-blogher2015.html/) - Popping in from New York City today! Ahh. I'm just pinching myself that I'm here and am so looking forward to soaking up every single experience here at the BlogHer conference the next three days. I have SO much to learn and feel fortunate to have the chance to attend this festive event. My hotel/the
- [BlogHer Conference Day One](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/blogher-conference-day-one.html/) - Happy Friday everyone!Saying hello again from NYC! Day two of BlogHer is well underway, so I'm popping in during a quick break before our first keynote speaker of the day.Today's schedule kicked off bright and early with a special breakfast with about 10 wonderful folks from The Today Show and about 10 other contributing writers
- [BlogHer Conference 2015 Day Two: Best Day Ever](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/blogher-conference-2015-day-two-best.html/) - By the time day two of BlogHer was over, I found myself sprawled across my hotel bed at 9:30 p.m. in my pajamas with take-out food, even though it was a Friday night, the weather outside was gorgeous, I was child-free, and my hotel was right in the middle of prime NYC nightlife. I
- [Final Day of BlogHer Recap](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/final-day-of-blogher-recap.html/) - BlogHer Conference Recaps: Travel Day | Day One | Day TwoI got a really good night's sleep on Friday night leading into Saturday; I needed it after such a wild Friday. I headed down to the conference about 9 a.m. to grab some breakfast (all meals were provided) and attended the morning keynote, which was
- [Slice of Life - 3/31/16](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/slice-life-33116.html/) - Two and a half weeks from now we'll have a baby in our arms! Ahh this life is crazy. I just can't wait to hear her cry and see her face. Waiting to see Jamie for the first time in 6.5 months and waiting to meet my littlest daughter all at the same time is
- [When Home Decor Tells a Story: Framing My Grandparent's Telegram](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/when-home-decor-tells-story-framing-my.html/) - When I was visiting my parents in Alabama back in March I was able to also visit with my aunt who flew down to help care for my mom after she broke her ankle. She brought along many old family keepsakes that she'd recently found and wanted to share with my mom. She had things
- [Family Beach Getaway in Panama City, Florida - May 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/family-beach-getaway-in-panama-city.html/) - I know things have been a little quiet around here, but if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you might know that we slipped away to Panama City Beach, Florida for a few days to enjoy some sunshine and family time. On Saturday morning, the three of us made our way over to the
- [Easter Weekend 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/easterweekend2016.html/) - Celebrating Easter was an awesome milestone for us because it was our last big holiday to celebrate without Jamie around to share in the fun. Doing things like Easter egg hunts and attending special church services really magnify Jamie's absence for me, but we're down to less than three months until he's home for good, and that is
- [12 Tips For Your Next Blog Conference](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/12-tips-to-maximize-your-next-blogging.html/) - When I rebranded my blog and started giving it more serious attention a year ago, attending a blogging conference was something I was interested in doing sooner than later. When a ticket to the largest blogging conference in the country (BlogHer) fell in my lap a few months ago, I had to pinch myself that
- [Family Planning & Age Gaps: What's Best?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/09/family-planning-age-gaps-whats-best.html/) - I was recently intrigued by a very active discussion going on in a Facebook group I belong to where a mom posted a question looking for advice about family planning and age gaps between children. Because this is a topic that has been on my mind for a while, I thoroughly enjoyed reading through
- [Woes of Raising a Picky Eater + the Staples We Rely On](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/raisingapickyeater.html/) - Disclaimer: I was hired by The Women Bloggers to participate in this campaign led by Kendal King Group on behalf of Nestle. As usual, all opinions and stories are my own. Thank you for your support! #GerberLilBeanies Jamie and I recognized early on (when she was around seven months old) that Hadley was a picky eater, but
- [How We Knew We Were Ready to Have a Baby](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/01/knew-ready-baby.html/) - I'll never forget sitting around my kitchen table with a good friend several years ago and having a conversation about when is the best time to start a family. It may sound silly, but I remember feeling a little overwhelmed because the planner in me really wanted to have an idea for when to try and
- [Embracing Rest as a Mom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/01/embracing-rest.html/) - Hadley and I had the kind of weekend that a few months ago I actually feared but ended up fully embracing and enjoying. This weekend is normally festive for our family to some extent; Our anniversary was Friday, the 15th and my birthday is tomorrow, the 19th. These events always fall on or
- [Slice of Life - 3/21/16](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/slice-life-32116.html/) - It feels so good to reach March 21st on the calendar. Though I knew this month was going to be so full of good times and seeing so many friends and family, I was also ready to get to the point where our "adventures" were over and I could 100% officially kick my feet up
- [Basic Tips Before You Start Your Blog](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/blogging-tips-for-beginners.html/) - Good morning and Happy Humpday! Today I'm answering a FAQ regarding how and where does one begin with starting their own blog. Though I'm still a very small-scale blogger in comparison to the industry as a whole, I've learned a thing or two the last couple of years about this biz that I enjoy sharing
- [Cruisin' Just the Two of Us](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/09/cruisin-just-two-of-us.html/) - I'm pretty sure I just sat down five hours ago to write my last post about going off the radar, but somehow here we are six days later already back from a wonderful getaway. All we wanted out of a getaway was simplicity and relaxation, and we definitely achieved those things by booking a cruise!
- [Montgomery Marathon Weekend](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/montgomery-marathon-weekend.html/) - Like I mentioned a few days ago, we spent the last few days down in Montgomery, Alabama cheering on my dad and my brother in the Montgomery Marathon. When my dad told us back in December that he wanted to knock out his first marathon before the babies (mine and my sister's) get here, I
- [Baby Prep + the Road Trip](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/roadtrip.html/) - Hello from sweet, sweet home Alabama! My dad, brother, Hadley, and I hit the road around 5:30 Wednesday morning and drove straight through until we pulled into my parent's driveway around 6 that night. I'm so happy to have the trip behind us! My dad and brother David got to my house late Sunday night after
- [Our Weekend Visitor + Delivery Plans](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/our-weekend-visitor-some-delivery-plans.html/) - Oh hi! I hope you've had a good weekend! I rarely put up a Sunday evening post, but Hadley and I have enjoyed a quiet day resting from a fun past few days and a busy next few, so I had a little bit of time to blog. :) The last few days around here were
- [Our List of Winter Daytime Outings for my One Year Old](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/02/our-list-of-winter-daytime-outings-for.html/) - I love a quiet, cozy, lazy day at home as much as the next person, but I find that I'm usually much more pleasant when Jamie gets home from work if Hadley and I got out of the house at least once that day. Something about pulling myself together (even if it's just throwing on
- [Getting back to exercising post-pregnancy](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/05/getting-back-to-exercising-post.html/) - This mama wanted her body back! :) Getting back to an exercise routine post-pregnancy has been an equal parts mental and physical battle, but I've had a number of motivators that have kept me going throughout the last five months. Motivator #1 - Weight loss and getting back into old clothes (November & December) For starters,
- [Struggling Through Breastfeeding, Pumping, and Formula: My Journey](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/07/my-trials-errors-successes-with.html/) - Two days ago, before I started a big grocery shopping trip at Target, I went over to Customer Service and returned a swimsuit that I'd purchased in Tucson last weekend. The 28ish bucks went back on my Target RedCard, and I proceeded straight to the baby section to start my shopping. I picked up a
- [All About MOPS and Why You Should Consider Joining](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/all-about-mops-and-why-you-should.html/) - Moms, have you ever heard of an organization called MOPS? I first heard about it a couple years ago when a few of my girlfriends in Tennessee were active in the local chapter at Fort Campbell. All I really knew about it was that it was a faith-based organization that gave moms a great place to
- [Jamie's Homecoming from Afghanistan](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/02/jamies-homecoming-from-afghanistan.html/) - Jamie came home from Afghanistan on October 30th, 2013. When he left the previous February we were told to expect a 12 month deployment, but then in June rumors started flying around that they were going to let him come home early. Whether he was going to get to stay home in November or have to
- [Great Baby Shower Gifts that She Didn't Register For](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/11/great-baby-shower-gifts-that-she-didnt.html/) - I spent a lot of time researching for and creating my baby registry last summer. I was thankful that our loved ones were throwing us baby showers because I knew that our tiny little human was going to need quite a bit of "stuff" throughout her first year. I would guess that 75% of the gifts I received came
- [Slice of Life - 3/3/16](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/03/slice-of-life-3316.html/) - Hello hello! I am so excited that it's March because I can officially say that NEXT MONTH I'm having a baby! I'll be 33 weeks tomorrow, and though the days often feel like they're crawling, the weeks are flying by. Though the last couple of quiet months were just what the doctor ordered, now I feel
- [When You Feel Like You're Wasting Your Time](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/02/no-knowledge-is-wasted-knowledge.html/) - Do you remember a few weeks ago when I shared in this post how my dad is famously known for his one-liners of wisdom? I want to share another one that's stuck with me for years that's been so applicable to the constantly-changing seasons in my adult life. At the end of my sophomore year
- [Deployment Chit Chat](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/02/deployment-chit-chat.html/) - I read this article last week (during the middle of the night when Sadie was having a dance party in my belly) that compared the middle of a deployment to mile 13.1 of a marathon. You feel so good that so much is behind you, but the weight of how much you still have to go is
- [To Hadley: A Letter about your Dad](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/06/to-hadley-letter-about-your-dad.html/) - Dear Hadley,I want to tell you a little bit about your Dad. You are the luckiest to call him yours!Last night he heard you babbling and whining in your crib 30 minutes after you should have been asleep, so he went upstairs to check on you. A minute later he had you scooped up his
- [A Gallery Wall Creation & Other Updates](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/10/a-gallery-wall-creation-other-updates.html/) - Sloooooowly but surely our living room is taking shape.If I were only allowed to decorate one room, the living room would totally be it based on how much time we spend in it. I talked in a recent post about how much life happens in a living room, so I envision ours to be max comfortable but also well-put
- [Four Years](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/four-years.html/) - Four years ago today we were married on the most beautiful day on the most beautiful beach. We were surrounded by the 100 people who love us the most as we exchanged vows and committed to do the rest of our lives together. Pretty big deal!In four years we've moved three times, bought two houses
- [Update on our Rental Property](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/03/update-on-our-rental-property.html/) - Well, after dabbling with renting out our first little home in Tennessee for 364 days, we're officially under contract to sell it! Woohoo!We got an email out of the blue from our property manager three weeks ago today saying that our tenants were expecting orders to move mid-March. It took Jamie and I approximately two
- [Don't Say No When You Can Say Yes](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/03/dont-say-no-when-you-can-say-yes.html/) - Since the day I told my mom I was pregnant, she and I have had almost daily conversations about how to parent, so I was shocked to find out that after raising three kids of her own, she admitted that she still doesn't really know how to "successfully parent".I initially found this confusing and disappointing
- [Selling Our Tennessee Home: Two Weeks Until Closing](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/04/selling-our-tennessee-home-two-weeks.html/) - Popping in this morning with an update of where we're at with selling our first home/current rental property in Tennessee (Fort Campbell). Things are slowly but surely moving right along!A few weeks ago I let the cat out of the bag that we are under contract to sell the home. Everything up until that point
- [Two Lessons Learned From Owning our First Home + a Chloe & Isabel Giveaway](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/two-lessons-learned-from-owning-our.html/) - Happy May! I've always loved May because it's the summer kick-off month for southerners. School gets out, finals are over, temperatures consistently stay warm, and local pools open up! Even though we're in Kansas now I'm still in a "May = Summer" mindset and don't hate it. :-)May is looking even more cheery this morning
- [What I Wanted to be When I Grew Up](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/what-i-wanted-to-be-when-i-grew-up.html/) - Today I'm linking up with Momfessionals (a.k.a. one of the cutest mom blogs ever) and sharing about what little ol' me wanted to be when I grew up. Oh boy! Here we go. :)I think most little kids have one job in particular that they dream of doing one day, and younger Erica was no exception. For
- [Show & Tell Tuesday: High School Pictures & Memories](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/show-tell-tuesday-high-school-pictures.html/) - When I first saw today's prompt for Momfessionals's "Show and Tell Tuesday", I was skeptical about taking a walk down high school memory lane on the blog, but I'm so glad that I decided to pull out my old albums and take a peek. I've had so much fun the last couple of days browsing
- [A Day in the Life - August 4th, 2015 (20 months old)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/a-day-in-life-august-4th-2015-20-months.html/) - Well hey there friends! I hope you're ready for a long post full of way too many pictures and videos because that's exactly what I have on tap for today's "Day in the Life" post! On Tuesday I had my iPhone on hand from sun up to sun down to capture our entire day. What you'll
- [A Day in the Life of Hadley - Eight Months Old](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/07/a-day-in-life-of-hadley.html/) - When I was around Hadley's age, my parents rented a camcorder and taped me all day long. They put the footage on a VHS and wrote "A Day in the Life of Erica" on the label. They've referred back to how special that video was/is for as long as I can remember. Jamie and I
- [A Day in the Life of Hadley: 15 Months Big](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/02/a-day-in-life-of-hadley-15-months-big.html/) - A few days ago I was looking for a picture of Hadley from last summer and remembered that I uploaded the specific picture to her first "Day in the Life" post from when she was eight months old. I clicked over to that post and spent the next 10 minutes looking through the pictures and
- [Hadley's Roadtrip Review + An Encore from Ted](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/03/hadleys-roadtrip-review-encore-from-ted.html/) - If Hadley could type or even string together more than two words, she'd tell the story of our first "Mother/Daughter + the dog" road trip something like this. Mom & Dad were acting so weird when we were getting ready to go. Mom was throwing things in the car while saying all these weird
- [Stealing My Heart - Birthday Letter #2 (From Jamie to Hadley)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/11/stealing-my-heart-birthday-letter-2.html/) - A letter to you on your first birthday from Dad Hadley, All my life I heard my parents explain how the love of a parent for a child cannot be explained. I never understood how a feeling couldn’t be expressed with words. I didn’t understand, until now. November 17, 2013 was a day that
- [Show & Tell: Where Our Names Come From](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/04/show-tell-where-names-hadley-erica-come.html/) - Today I'm linking up with Andrea over at Momfessionals.com and sharing a little bit behind Hadley's name and my name! I loved this topic when I saw it a few weeks ago because it gives me the perfect opportunity to answer where we came up with Hadley's name. A bunch of people have asked, so I'm
- [For children 0-3: The Parents As Teachers Program](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/for-children-0-3-parents-as-teacher.html/) - When we first moved to Kansas last September I hit the ground running immediately to get plugged in here. Our short time in Arizona was really quiet and boring, and I was ready to find community again. Luckily for our whole family, Manhattan has a thousand and one things to do any day of the
- [Slice of Life 7/9/15](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/slice-of-life-7915.html/) - First things first, I want to wish a very happy 24th birthday to my little brother David! We sure do love you!We're still over here just enjoying a slow paced summer. Jamie's job is shaking things up for us a bit in a few months, so we're enjoying lots of family time while we can
- [Summer Nights + a Savory Dijon Pork Loin Filet Recipe](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/summer-nights-savory-dijon-pork-loin.html/) - This post is part of a social shopping marketing insight campaign with Weave Made Media, Smithfield, but all opinions are my own. #weavemade #SummerSizzling http://my-disclosur.es/RgFrEHThough we were so ready to get out of Arizona last summer and move to our current duty station, there are a number of things we really (really really) miss about
- [Spring & Summer Toddler Staples Worth Every Penny](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/spring-summer-toddler-staples-worth.html/) - Affiliate links are present throughout this post and I may receive a commission for your purchases made through my blog. Thank you!As fall approaches I've started thinking more frequently about what cool weather necessities I need to keep on my radar for Hadley. I had this exact same mindset six months ago, except I couldn't
- [Why We Still Need Friendships That Have Faded](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/01/still-need-friendships-faded.html/) - My siblings and I have always trusted both of our parents to give us very sound advice when we need it (which is often), but my dad is famously known for giving these nuggets of wisdom that are typically only one sentence long that really, really stick. He gave me one of these nuggets a
- [Saying Thank You with Cookies](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/08/saying-thank-you-with-cookies.html/) - One main reason that Jamie and I have continued to go back week after week to the same church here in Sierra Vista is the nursery volunteers in Hadley's infant room. They have been a huge blessing to us! We'd only left Hadley in the nursery once before we moved out here, so needless to say
- [skin cancer scare](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/05/skin-cancer-scare.html/) - At 26 years old I am finally getting some sense about summer time skin care, but it's taken a half dozen doctors appointments and one nice big scar on my stomach for me to get there.Meet my new bffs that Hadley, Jamie, and I are covered in every single day. Since moving to southern Arizona
- [Mom, All I Want is You](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/12/mom-all-i-want-is-you.html/) - Yesterday was one of those days. She had no temperature, a full belly, a clean diaper, and wasn't teething (that I know of). Just cranky. Clingy. All day. Mommas, you know the kind of day I'm talking about. By lunchtime I was already sitting at the kitchen table staring at the clock wondering how many more
- [Review of My First Stitch Fix](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/12/review-of-my-first-stitch-fix.html/) - Merry Christmas Eve! The gang's finally all here and we're looking forward to Christmas Eve festivities tonight and Christmas Day joy tomorrow. My parents are keeping Hadley company right now, so I have a few minutes to share with you my first Stitch Fix! I've been reading other bloggers' reviews for about a year, and about
- [Stitch Fix #2](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/stitch-fix-2.html/) - So I've only received two Stitch Fix boxes so far, and I'm already completely obsessed! I received my January box a few days ago, and I could not wait to see what my stylist Jessi sent me this month!If you're clueless as to what I'm talking about, let me catch you up real quick! Stitch
- [Stitch Fix #3 Review](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/02/stitch-fix-review-military-love-story.html/) - When we got home late Monday night, I bolted straight to the front porch and found my beautiful Stitch Fix box sitting there waiting patiently for me to bring her in from the snow so she could show me all of the goodies she had for me this month. True love.Unfortunately, I didn't go bananas
- [4th Stitch Fix Review - March 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/03/4th-stitch-fix-review-march-2015.html/) - Just because I'm in Alabama this month didn't mean that I was willing to miss out on my monthly Stitch Fix box! I changed the shipping address to my parent's house a few weeks ago and eagerly waited for the doorbell to ring yesterday with my box! I get more and more excited every month
- [Stitch Fix Review #6](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/04/stitch-fix-review-6.html/) - Time for another round of posing for silly pictures for the sake of reviewing my latest Stitch Fix box. Hope you enjoy!I have my closet organized by garment style, and while cleaning out my closet recently I noticed that I do not need a single shirt that has any type of sleeve. On the other
- [Buying Our Home in Kansas: Inspection Report](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/07/buying-our-home-in-kansas-inspection_9.html/) - Though this is not our first rodeo buying a home, this is our first time buying a home that's not a new construction. I hardly remember anything from the inspection process back in 2011 when we bought our first home because the inspection came back clean as a whistle (obviously since it was brand new).The
- [A Seat for Good Eats](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/12/kitchen-seating-selection.html/) - Pop a squat in our kitchen! We finally have all of our seating needs complete.A couple months ago, I wrote a post about our dining chair dilemma. We sold our eight-top marble kitchen table and were trying really hard to stay within our budget for a new farmhouse table and seating for six. After building the table and
- [Let's Just Rip This Band-Aid Off Already Because This is Too Painful](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/the-toughest-goodbye-yet.html/) - It seems like just yesterday I published this post about what would be the best week ever. And it was! Having roommates has been the best. The last six weeks went by so incredibly fast, and this morning before the sun came up my sister took off for their next duty station at Fort Rucker in south
- [Hadley's Nursery Reveal](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/hadleys-nurserytoddler-room-reveal.html/) - Do you remember my little home dream book I mentioned a few months ago? Well I finally have a page in the book with zero tasks left to accomplish, and that page is Hadley's bedroom. With (lots of) help from my mother-in-law, we finally have Hadley's third (!) bedroom exactly as we envisioned. Take a
- [Seven](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/the-blog-turns-seven.html/) - This week marks seven years since I first visited blogger.com and typed up my first blog post. It was the summer after my sophomore year of college at The University of Alabama, and I'd just subleased a one-bedroom apartment for the summer so that I could catch up with credits after changing my major.I remember
- [Getting Started on our Master Bedroom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/getting-started-on-our-master-bedroom.html/) - Hey friends! Happy New Year! Popping in real quick to give our first master bedroom update.For months this is what our bedroom looked like. I've been slow to touch our room because I just couldn't put my finger on what look I wanted to go for.A few weeks ago we were at my friend Meg's
- [Shouting from the Rooftops that the Sunroom Windows are DONE!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/12/shouting-from-rooftops-that-my-sunroom.html/) - I can think of 88 projects that would be more fun than painting 12 sunroom windows. In short, this project was a bear. I am oh so happy it's done though (for now) because we love the finished product!My goal was to have the brown trim, windows, and door frame (to the door on the
- [Guest Bedroom Overhaul Progress](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/guest-bedroom-overhaul-progress.html/) - Usually when I paint a new room, I have to get my mind right to get in there and get it done fast. I've said before that I don't like having lots of messy painting materials hanging around for days and days (is that OCD?!) , so I usually just take advantage of every time
- [Painting Tales from Someone Who Doesn't Know How to Paint](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/09/painting-tales-from-not-so-fabulous.html/) - I've learned a couple things about myself throughout the last couple of weeks: I love painting walls (the trim in particular - I'm a freak!) and I should never DIY anything without someone's help (who knows what they're doing) or very specific, detailed instructions.Before I attacked my first room with paint, my mom was a wreck
- [Stitch Fix #7 - May 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/stitch-fix-7-may-2015.html/) - I wasn't expecting my latest Stitch Fix box until Wednesday, so I was thrilled to see it on my front porch late Monday night when we got back from Indianapolis. As soon as we unloaded the car I got right to ripping open the box and trying everything on. Jamie thought I was a little
- [Buying our Home in Kansas: The First Few Steps](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/07/buying-our-home-in-kansas-first-few.html/) - Two months from right now our hands will surely be hurting from signing a 6" tall stack of papers, but I know that our excitement will be through the roof. We'll be closing on our next home and officially starting our lives in Kansas!There's plenty of work that needs to be done between now and
- [Buying our Home in Kansas: Inspection Follow-up & Loan Finalizing](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/07/buying-our-home-in-kansas-inspection.html/) - After signing a stack of loan paperwork for 30 minutes straight last night, I figure that today is as good a day as any to do a little home-buying update! We're still cruisin' for a September 2nd closing date, so hopefully six weeks from today we'll be welcoming our moving truck (fingers crossed!) and moving in.In
- [Stitch Fix #5 - April 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/04/stitch-fix-5-april-2015.html/) - Another month, another Stitch Fix box! As far as first glances go, this stack of clothes was my favorite. I genuinely was hoping that everything was going to fit perfectly because I really liked each item I pulled out of the box. Here we go!I love everything about this dress - the way it fits,
- [today's foggy brain](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/06/todays-foggy-brain.html/) - So much going on between my ears today.My head is still kind of foggy from finding out our post yesterday, and it's giving me a headache. I so appreciate my army wife friends (thanks Hannah, Noel, and Jess), my mom, and my MIL who have lent me their ears this morning so that I could
- [Saying Goodbyes](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/05/good-food-and-saying-goodbyes.html/) - Goodbyes, goodbyes, and more goodbyes! It seems like that's all we've been saying the last few months.I didn't write a post about my thoughts on leaving Fort Campbell because I'm still just kind of a basket case about it! Okay, not really, but leaving behind the incredible life we'd built there was a lot harder
- [Putting an Offer In](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/06/putting-offer-in.html/) - Hello again from Madison and HAPPY WEDDING WEEK to my beautiful friend Amy! We kick off her wedding festivities Friday morning in Chattanooga, and I cannot wait for all the fun to begin and to see her as a bride on Saturday. Many many many of my very best memories include Amy, and I cannot imagine
- [Peace Out Fort Huachuca](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/08/peace-out-fort-huachuca.html/) - It's no secret that leaving Fort Campbell back in March was one of the hardest things I've had to do, and one piece of advice I received numerous times was to consider myself lucky that saying goodbye was so hard - the pain of leaving it all behind meant that we really enjoyed doing life
- [Girls Weekend in Colorado Springs](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/girls-weekend-in-colorado-springs.html/) - If you follow me over on Instagram, you may have seen that I spent the weekend playing around in Colorado Springs! The weekend was fast and furious and just the mental and physical recharge I desperately needed.My friend Hannah, who I became really close with at Fort Campbell, flew into Colorado from Hawaii last week
- [How we frequently fly for free](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/06/comparing-rewards-credit-cards.html/) - My family spends a lot of time in the air, but our big not-so secret is that we rarely ever pay full price for a flight. We are all big advocates for airline rewards credit cards because they've helped us cut down tremendously on the amount of time we have to spend apart. Here's how we've frequently zipped around
- [An Anniversary Mini-Series: Tackling Long Distance](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/an-anniversary-mini-series-tackling.html/) - Welcome back to day two of this little anniversary week mini-series! Yesterday I spilled our entire "how we met" story, and today I'm talking all things related to our long distance relationship. From February 2008 until May 2010, we lived 1,100 miles apart while we were in college. I was in Alabama and he was
- [St. George Island Valentines Weekend Family Getaway](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/02/st-george-island-valentines-weekend.html/) - Hello from snowy Kansas! Though I do really enjoy how pretty the snow is outside, all of me wishes we could rewind a few days and be waking up in Florida. A few days in the sun with a couple of really great friends was exactly what the doctor ordered after a long week of
- [A Weekend Trip to NYC and a Few Other Updates](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2009/05/oh-finals-little-procrastination.html/) - Haven’t written in a while, and I just feel like I need to update this thing! April was busy to say the least - half with schoolwork and half with fun! The highlight of the month was, hands down, my three-day weekend in NYC with Jamie. I flew up early Friday morning, we met in the city
- [blind date four years ago today](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2012/02/blind-date-four-years-ago-today.html/) - HOLA from 35,000 feet in the air! My guess is that I'm probably somewhere over Texas right now as I make my way home from an awesome trip to Reno. SUPER excited that this is the LAST Rachel's Challenge trip that I'll fly home to nobody. Really, really can't wait to come home to my
- [My Favorite U.S. Travel Destinations + A Bucket List](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/03/my-favorite-us-travel-destinations.html/) - Jamie & I would love to go on a getaway sometime this year before the Army takes him for a while, so we've recently been tossing around destination ideas. We're open to traveling somewhere we've been before as long as the destination includes warm weather, relaxation, and a heck of a lot of fun.All of
- [Buying vs. Renting](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/06/buying-vs-renting.html/) - Though we don't have official orders in our hands yet, Jamie and I are already starting to think through the logistics of our big move to Kansas at the end of August. Scheduling the packers and movers will come at the end of next month, so for now our thoughts are consumed by what physical
- [A sneak peak into our new home!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/03/a-sneak-peak-into-our-new-home.html/) - For all my loyal blog readers out there (yeah, right. HEY MOM! =) ), here's an update on deployment, our new home, and everything in between.First and foremost, Jamie is still in America, and that is fantastic. His entire unit is in Afghanistan, and Jamie has done his pre-deployment training and is ready to go.
- [Goals](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/04/goals.html/) - I've received a lot of advice about how to handle this deployment in a healthy and enjoyable way.The best advice I've gotten:"Pick one big event to look forward to every single month, and the time will go by much faster."So I'm going to do just that, plus some! I have had a word document that
- [One month down... 10 % complete...](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/05/one-month-down-10-complete.html/) - We reached our first milestone yesterday - one month down. We are 10% done with this deployment, and for the most part it's gone by pretty quick. I'd say I've been just a tad bit busy, which has helped like I knew it would. I'll be honest - I really thought I would fall to
- [anxious](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/09/anxious.html/) - 100 days, folks. 100 days. 100 days from right this very moment I very well may be on my way to the Nashville airport to pick up Jamie for his 15-day R&R.I have this weird anxious feeling right now just thinking about it. I find myself daydreaming daily about standing there, knowing that his flight
- [bucketlist rundown](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2012/02/bucketlist-rundown.html/) - We're down to DAYS, party people! Obviously I can't say in writing when or where the big homecoming ceremony will be, but my to-do list is full just like my heart with happiness that this is finally hours from being OVER.I took a peak at my deployment bucketlist a couple days ago and wasn't surprised
- [I'm back after 10 months!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2013/07/i-back-after-10-months.html/) - Well hello there to my old readers and possibly to new ones! I've been missing my blog so much over the last few months, but I just couldn't seem to muster up the creative energy to give it a whirl again. One of the main reasons that I've loved blogging over the last few years
- [Welcome home Josh!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/05/welcome-home-josh.html/) - Last Saturday was a magical day for my sister and a welcomed relief for the rest of her husband's family and ours - my brother-in-law Josh came home from nearly nine months in Afghanistan! He served at a couple different places as an Apache helicopter pilot, and from what I've heard, he saw his fair share
- [Tucson, AZ - Weekend Top Five](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/07/weekend-top-five.html/) - Like last weekend, we spent the last few days in Oro Valley/Tucson with my family. Our long weekend can be summed up in a list of my top five favorite parts of our trip together.(in no particular order)1. Girls' afternoon shopping trip with Mom, Jennifer, Hadley, and me2. Friday morning hike (thanks Mom for babysitting!)We
- [Two Years Since Our Last Big Goodbye + a Little Deployment Encouragement](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/02/two-years-since-our-last-big-goodbye.html/) - Two years ago today, we woke up several hours before the sun came up and headed to an airplane hangar at Fort Campbell to drop off Jamie for what we thought would be a one year deployment in Afghanistan.Two years later I can still feel nearly every emotion I felt that morning. Emotions that strong
- [Since Closing...](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/09/since-closing_17.html/) - Hello hello hello! I'm back! I took an unexpected blogging hiatus for a couple weeks, but in hindsight I should have totally expected it with all that our calendar has had lined up for us this month. Let's play catch up. I have a lot to tell you about, though I'm warning you that it's
- [Home Ownership Round Two Commences!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/09/home-ownership-round-two-commences.html/) - Hello! I usually never blog on Saturdays, but Jamie's sitting next to me watching football and I'm just in the mood to kick back and do a little typing. It feels so good to relax; We've had a busy week around here!Like I mentioned in my last post, we did our walk-through for our new
- [Finding Out That We'll Be PCSing to Fort Riley, Kansas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/06/and-our-next-home-will-be.html/) - Well, we found out this afternoon that Jamie's next duty station will be Fort Riley. We'll be moving to Manhattan, Kansas in September for what looks like two to three years.As I type this, I'm still in a little bit of shock. I need to sort out my thoughts. To be honest, Fort Riley came completely
- [Warm Weather Toddler Girl Essentials Under $30 from Nordstrom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/03/warm-weather-toddler-girl-essentials.html/) - Happy Friday friends! I hope you've had a great first official week of spring and are hopefully enjoying some warmer temperatures. It's going to be a pretty quiet weekend around here, which is a-okay with me! April is shaping up to be a busier month, so I'm going to try my best to soak up
- [Home Improvement Updates: New Carpet, An Oven, and White Blinds](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/home-improvement-updates-new-carpet.html/) - I'm taking a break from conference recaps to bring you up to speed with our basement guest room overhaul. Whoop! I also have a couple other small updates that we've done around the house lately to show you!If you're here from the Momfessionals's "Show Us Your House" link up and you want to go straight
- [Makeup Products I Can't Live Without](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/03/makeup-products-i-cant-live-without.html/) - One of my favorite parts of being a women is being able to experiment with and wear makeup. I've enjoyed playing with makeup since my mom gave me the green light to do so in middle school, and I still thoroughly enjoy discovering new products and giving them a go. A trip with a girlfriend
- [A Vlog: Fav Beauty Products](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/a-vlog-fav-beauty-products.html/) - Today I'm linking up with Momfessionals and sharing my favorite makeup products! I haven't filmed a vlog (video blog) in a while, so I thought this would be a fun way to connect with my
- [A Homemade Valentine Idea for Relatives from Your Baby or Toddler](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/a-homemade-valentine-idea-for-relatives.html/) - Happy Humpday! I usually don't start my posts with mentions of the weather, but the high temps are absolutely blowing my mind this week! It's 70 degrees with bright blue skies and absolutely gorgeous! We had plans to soak up this gorgeous day with some friends today, but Hadley started running a 100.3 degree fever,
- [Deployment Day #2](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/04/deployment-day-2.html/) - So... I'm doing okay! Ask Amy Skridulis. We just hung up the phone after giggling for a solid 30 minutes. I'm sure she expected to call me and hear tears, but believe it or not, I haven't shed a single one since we left Jamie almost 48 hours ago. I have my theories why, but
- [The Move](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/04/the-move.html/) - Our house is definitely becoming a home. Our master bedroom BOX ROOM I have always heard horror stories about entrusting the Army to move your things, but we had about the most pleasant and simple experience we could hope for! We requested a move about two weeks ago to get all of my
- [knock.](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2012/02/knock.html/) - There is something I've been doing this entire deployment that I did for the very last time yesterday.Sitting on my couch reading, watching TV, surfing the web. Random car door shuts loudly. Sounds like it's right in my driveway. Immediately check my phone. Why haven't I heard from him yet today? Jump up. Open the
- [Goodbye deployment](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2012/02/goodbye-deployment-and-goodbye-blog.html/) - Jamie's first deployment is OVER, and we are THRILLED! Jamie was a part of 7-17 Cavalry Regiment, and soldiers from his unit have been returning home since early January. Jamie was on the last flight, so I was oh SO anxious for his butt to get home - FINALLY! I got the official automated call
- [Getting out of a Ticket: Army Wife Style & other Monday Musings](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/05/getting-out-of-ticket-army-wife-style.html/) - A couple days ago, I was on my way to Lowes with Hadley in tow to get some flowers for my front porch pots (that a mystery animal already ate half of, but I digress...), when blue lights started flashing behind.Crap. I don't even know what I did!I put my blinker on to signal that
- [Beauty Product Recommendations by a Few of my Favorite Women](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/08/beauty-product-recommendations-by-few.html/) - Today I'm linking up with Make Me Up Mia!I've always been a self-labeled "product junkie". I couldn't keep my hands out of my mom's makeup and product drawers when I was growing up because I was fascinated with experimenting with all kinds of beauty brands. I'm always interested in what products my friends are loyal to, so recently I reached
- [Old, Ugly 1980s Brown Trim: I'm Comin' for You  (+ an awesome giveaway!)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/12/old-ugly-1980s-brown-trim-im-comin-for.html/) - Let's talk about trim and doors and windows and the near meltdown I almost had right in the middle of my kitchen last Tuesday night.Melt. Down.For whatever reason, I woke up Tuesday feeling extra motivated to finish painting the kitchen trim. Painting just one side of it two weeks ago seemed like a great idea because I
- [My Favorite Blogs: Travel, Home, & Blogging](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/my-favorite-blogs-travel-home-blogging.html/) - A couple weeks ago I shared 10 of my favorite lifestyle blogs (found here in this post), and I hope if you enjoy reading blogs that you found some great new bloggers to connect with and follow!Today I have part two of my favorite blogs from three different categories. If you have a chance, definitely
- [Whimsical September Gets a Makeover](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/whimsical-september-gets-makeover.html/) - I'm so excited to unveil a fresh new blog design for Whimsical September. I hope you like it!Once I found out back in April that I was selected as a BlogHer "Voice of the Year" and would be attending their annual conference, I knew it was time to do a little financial investing in my
- [Stitch Fix #8 - June 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/stitch-fix-8-june-2015.html/) - Welcome to my Stitch Fix review: DRESS EDITION! With the BlogHer conference coming up in just three weeks (insert me squealing!), what I'm going to wear has been on my mind a lot lately. The last time I purchased business-casual non-maternity dresses was three years ago, so I'm officially in search mode for conference-appropriate attire! There
- [Military Spouses Appreciation Day Link Up & Blog Hop](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/military-spouses-appreciation-day-link.html/) - Because there is such a thing as Military Spouses Appreciation Day, today I'm raising my glass to the women who I long to call my friends forever. Today celebrates my absolute favorite aspect of our military lifestyle, and that's the spouses that Jamie's career has brought into my life. Having close friends all over the
- [Waiting to Find Out Our Next Duty Station](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/05/army-on-my-mind.html/) - This morning I've got the military on my mind! Jamie and I got to talking last night on our walk about possible next duty stations, and needless to say we ended up walking twice the distance we'd planned! We are three incredibly long days away from getting our list of 20ish places that we can possibly head to
- [Most Popular Posts of 2014](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/12/most-popular-posts-of-2014.html/) - 1. The Rollercoaster of Being a First-Time Mom2. Our Newborn Baby Necessities3. We're Getting Roommates!4. How We Earned the Southwest Companion Pass5. Jamie's Homecoming From His Second Deployment to Afghanistan6. An Interview: Jennifer & Josh's Trip to Bora Bora7. To Hadley: A Letter about your Dad8. Review of My First Stitch Fix9. A First Birthday
- [My 13 Month Old's Favorite Toys & Books (Great Gift Ideas)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/my-13-month-olds-favorite-toys-books.html/) - Hadley is getting so big, and watching her transition from my sweet baby to a spunky, beautiful little girl is incredibly fun. She's moved on from her rattles and play mats, so a few weeks ago I cleaned and packed up her first-year toys to make room for a new stage of toys.I love that
- [Colorado Springs Part Two + Our Most Brilliant Parenting Hack](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/colorado-springs-part-two-our-most.html/) - I mentioned yesterday that our family spent this past holiday weekend in Colorado Springs with some of our great friends we met while stationed at Fort Campbell. I've always heard that being stationed at Fort Carson (in Colorado Springs) is a real treat for Army families, and after this weekend I'm ready to move there
- [Slice of Life: Hadley through my iPhone (16 months old)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/03/slice-of-life-hadley-through-my-iphone.html/) - My aunt and I were talking about my blog the other day, and she told me that she really enjoys my "slice of life" posts best that just capture our random family happenings. I loved the term "slice of life", so I'm going to run with it and stick that label on casual posts that
- [Slice of Life: Vol 2](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/04/slice-of-life-april-2015.html/) - This springtime weather is definitely making Kansas grow on me a bit. It's been gorgeous here! The humidity is low, the breeze is fabulous, and the temperatures have been perfect with highs sitting anywhere between 60 and 80. We've heard the summers around here are really brutal, so we've been trying to spend as much
- [Slice of Life: Vol III](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/05/slice-of-life-vol-iii.html/) - Jamie and I were having a discussion the other day with some friends about when you stop referring to your kid's age in months, and we've decided that 18 months is the graduating point from months to years for us. Since Hadley will be 18 months on Sunday, we're officially in transition mode to answering
- [Slice of Life - 6/3/15](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/slice-of-life-6315.html/) - Hump Day! This week is flying by! The only "big" thing on our calendar this week is swimming lessons Monday through Thursday, but other than that I am loving the down time to relax.Here's a little slice of our lives the last couple of weeks.Hadley came with me to my recent dental cleaning and did
- [Slice of Life - 6/18/15](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/06/slice-of-life-61815.html/) - Summertime, and the livin' is easy. I think this is my most favorite summer yet. I absolutely love the kid in me that Hadley brings out! We've had so much fun together lately. While I certainly don't capture every bit of our lives with my cell phone, I do make an effort to snap one or
- [Slice of Life - 7/31/15](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/07/slice-of-life-73115.html/) - Happy Friday! After a couple really full weekends, we're looking forward to a blank slate kind of weekend and enjoying some quiet family time. Here's a slice of life from the past three weeks. :-)The weekend before I left for New York we enjoyed a fabulous and spontaneous double date with some of our great
- [Slice of Life - 8/17/15](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/slice-of-life-81715.html/) - When I looked at my calendar at the beginning of August I noticed that it was much more empty than our summer months usually are, and we have really enjoyed having the ability to make last-minute family plans, relax a bit more than usual, and take each day at a time. Here's a short look
- [DIY Wall Art & A Living Room Wish List](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/diy-wall-art-living-room-wish-list.html/) - For almost a year I've been clueless about what to put over my couch. I didn't want to put a mirror because I already have a few of those on nearby walls, but I wasn't sure what I wanted instead. I knew that I wanted it to be some kind of large art, but we're
- [Stitch Fix #10 - August 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/stitch-fix-10-august-2015.html/) - I almost can't believe that I just typed "#10" in the title bar above! Welcome to my TENTH Stitch Fix review! What started as a late-night split-second decision to quickly make a profile and schedule a shipment just for fun has turned into almost a whole year of monthly surprises and new clothing. Here's to my
- [Slice of Life - 8/31/15](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/08/slice-of-life-83115.html/) - Hello! Happy Monday! I hope you had a good weekend. It's currently 6:03 a.m. and I'm trying my best to get back in routine of soaking up my "golden hour" before Hadley wakes up to get my day going. For the longest time I didn't wake up until I heard her crying around 7 a.m.,
- [Kitchen Updates: Light Fixture Shopping (Five Options Under $80)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/09/kitchen-updates-light-fixture-shopping.html/) - My sister and brother-in-law will be packing up soon and leaving today after spending the last few days visiting us in Kansas, so I'm distracting myself from the fact that they're leaving me by doing a little bit of online window shopping for kitchen light fixtures. Yesterday we were hanging around the kitchen and I
- [For Bloggers: Tips For Organically Growing Your Community](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/09/for-bloggers-tips-for-organically.html/) - When I first decided to take a more serious look at my blog last year, one area I wanted to learn more about was this so-called "blogging community" that I'd heard about. Many bloggers cite this community as their favorite part of blogging, so I was intrigued to learn more about how to grow mine
- [A Cool Weather Staple: Freshly Picked Moccs (+ a Giveaway)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/09/a-cool-weather-staple-freshly-picked.html/) - Disclaimer: Thank you Freshly Picked for sponsoring this post. While we did receive product in exchange for a blog post, I genuinely love this product and company and am thrilled to partner with them! Thank you for your support surrounding sponsored posts! Our weather this past weekend was just what the doctor ordered -
- [Slice of Life - 9/21/15](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/09/slice-of-life-92115.html/) - I apologize that it's been a little bit quieter around here than normal the last couple of weeks! In being completely transparent, my creative blogging juices just haven't been flowing like usual, and I'm committed to maintaining this site only if I'm truly enjoying it. :) I don't want this site to ever turn into
- [Slice of Life - 10/5/15](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/10/slice-of-life-10515.html/) - Toddlers are just the funniest little creatures. :) Some days are so full of nothing but smiles and belly laughs and other days with tears and bad behavior that seemingly comes from out of nowhere. Hadley understands so much, and though her communication gets better every single day, she's obviously in a frustrating stage where
- [Life is Beautiful: An Announcement](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/10/life-is-beautiful-an-announcement.html/) - I'm getting butterflies in my stomach just putting this post together! Ahh this life is crazy. Look who is going to be the absolute cutest big sis! We are beyond excited and thankful to be growing our family and to welcome another precious little life in April! I love my family so much, but we've known
- [Baby #2: Finding Out & My Experience With a False Negative Test](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/10/baby-2-finding-out-my-experience-with-a-false-negative-test.html/) - First, thank you so very much for all of your kinds words of congratulations and well wishes! Jamie & I are really, really stoked to be on this journey again and thankfully feel a great sense of peace about handling another pregnancy apart. If you're interested, I want to rewind a bit and share the
- [Slice of Life - 10/16/15](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/10/slice-of-life-101615.html/) - Good morning and Happy Friday! Today is day #1 of figuring out our temporary new normal around here because yesterday this happened... I've struggled really hard on and off the last few weeks with anticipating the big goodbye moment between Hadley and Jamie (and of course between Jamie and me too), but we all did
- [14 Weeks: A Look Back at My First Trimester](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/10/14-weeks-a-look-back-at-my-first-trimester.html/) - Hello second trimester! I'm so very glad to see you today! My mom has always used the phrase "first trimester dreary, second trimester cheery, third trimester weary" to describe pregnancy, and I totally believe it! Today I'm feeling more like myself than I have in a couple months and am really looking forward to everything
- [Mutual Funds: How to Set One Up for Loved One's 1st Birthday](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/10/an-awesome-birthday-gift-idea-for-a-tiny-loved-one.html/) - With Hadley's second birthday around the corner (blows my mind), I've been reminiscing more frequently about her first birthday festivities last year. My sister and brother-in-law gifted Hadley something very unique last year that Jamie and I thought was brilliant, so I figured I'd share their idea in case there's a tiny little love in your
- [Baby #2 is a......! (Plus a Little Guilt on the Side)](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/baby-2-is-a-plus-a-little-guilt-on-the-side.html/) - Good morning and Happy Hump Day! Today is shaping up to be a full one for us, but I wanted to pop in really quick to share some news we found out on Friday. If we're friends on my personal Facebook or you follow me on Instagram then you may have noticed that we know
- [Ready in 30 Minutes: Our Go-To Healthy Dinner](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/01/ready-in-30-minutes-our-go-to-healthy.html/) - When I have to sacrifice taste in order to eat healthy, I'm not a happy camper. I love to enjoy my meals, but I also love how great I feel mentally and physically when I've eaten the right foods for my body. #thestruggleisreal When I can find a dinner combo that put checkmarks in the
- [9 Winter Coats from Nordstrom Under $100](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/02/nordstromwintercoats.html/) - My winter coat situation goes like this every single year: I realize in October that I need a new winter coat, I look at the hefty, full price tags, and decide that I can get by with my older coats until spring when I'll find one on a discount during the end-of-season sales. Spring rolls around,
- [Goodbye Marble Top, Hello Farmhouse!](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/10/goodbye-marble-top-hello-farmhouse.html/) - Good morning from the freeeeezing Midwest! It's rainy and super windy here this morning, and it felt every bit of 46 degrees outside when I let Teddy out. Happy to be enjoying a rare quiet moment on the couch with a blanket while Hadley takes nap numero uno. This week, after eating a month's worth
- [Germany](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/10/germany.html/) - Four weeks ago, I was telling my parents about how excited I was that Jamie and I were about to hit the "single number of weeks until we see each other" countdown. I had NO idea that I was really about to begin the single DAY countdown! Jamie had a golfball-sized lump on the back
- [San Diego in Pictures](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2014/05/san-diego-in-pictures.html/) - The three DeSpain amigos are home from a long-weekend vacation to San Diego feeling refreshed from and thankful for a really awesome getaway. Though the drive from Sierra Vista to San Diego is only about 7.5 hours, we knew we'd have to add some time traveling with a six month old. Back in March I looked
- [Pregnancy News - finding out, telling Jamie, and telling our parents](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2013/07/pregnancy-news-finding-out-telling.html/) - July 26th - Where did this month go? I was so anxious about July because I knew that it would be SO BUSY, and it has been, but I've been able to see a lot of people that I love, start to get back in the swing of work, and knock out a TON of
- [A Note from Jamie in Afghanistan](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2011/07/jamie-loves-afghanistan.html/) - Hey to everybody and hope this finds you well. It's been almost 3.5 months since I left the U.S. and said goodbye to my wife, who is also my best friend, and I can say that I was ready to get back to her the moment I stepped out of that hanger at Fort Campbell. A
- [Four Kitchen Essentials I Can't Live Without](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/02/kitchenproducts.html/) - Though we have all kinds of fun things tucked away in our kitchen, there are really only four items that I would have a hard time living without. Basically, if any of these items happen to break, I would consider replacing them almost immediately. They make my time in the heart of the home happier, simpler,
- [Slice of Life - 11/7/15](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/slice-of-life-11715.html/) - Honestly, things are going so much better around here than I expected. I had no idea what we were going to fill our days (especially our evenings and weekends) with without Jamie, and I really worried about how I was going to handle everything mentally doing it "all" on my own. Thankfully we've managed to
- [Hadley's 2nd Birthday](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/hadleys-2nd-birthday.html/) - On Tuesday my big girl turned two! I was admittedly pretty emotional last year about her first birthday, but this year I was just excited to celebrate her life and make her feel special on her big day! Here's a collage of her on November 17 in 2013, 2014, and 2015. I can't even imagine
- [Girls Night, Pies in a Jar, and a Delicious Homemade Cherry Pie Milkshake](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/girls-night-making-your-own-pies-in-a-jar.html/) - This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are my own. #ShareTheJoyOfPie #CollectiveBias Around this time last year we were still the new kids on the block here in Kansas, and I was struggling to find my community of people to do life with. Fast forward a whole year,
- [Pet-Owner Heartache & Hefty Vet Bills](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/pet-owner-heartache-hefty-vet-bills.html/) - If you've been a reader for a while, you know that we're mildly obsessed with our rescue dog Teddy. You may remember that he's been the star of several blog posts the last few years (most recently when he locked us out of our car again in September and when we celebrated his "Gotcha Day" in
- [On Being a Gracious Thanksgiving Guest](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/on-being-a-gracious-thanksgiving-guest.html/) - Happy Thanksgiving a day early! What do you have planned for tomorrow? Hadley and I will be spending a much-needed day with my family, and I'm really looking forward to it. The last time we spent Thanksgiving with my family was two years ago when Hadley was only 11 days old, and that holiday was
- [Slice of Life - November 29th, 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/11/slice-of-life-november-29th-2015.html/) - November... it's just been wild. At MOPS last month we focused on embracing rest as moms, and I've had to remind myself many times this month that it's okay to let the sink sit with dishes a little longer and to turn down a few invitations for the sake of just resting. When I used to
- [First Day in Destin + Toddler Road Trip Essentials](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/1299.html/) - Popping in from Florida to say hello and good afternoon! My sister and brother-in-law PCSed (moved) down here about three months ago, and Hadley and I couldn't get here fast enough! I know it's really hard for them to live somewhere so beautiful. Yea, right. :) The drive normally takes about 5.5 hours from my
- [20 Week Pregnancy Update + Where I'm Active on Social Media](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/1352.html/) - Good morning and happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! I spent the majority of the weekend making myself comfortable in my parent's living room recliner doing a ton of online Christmas shopping and relaxing after a week of fun on the road. I'm finally feeling caught up with my holiday to-do list and more
- [The Transition from a Crib to a Twin Bed](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/the-transition-from-a-crib-to-a-twin-bed.html/) - One major plus for having another girl is the nursery furniture situation. Hadley's matching crib and dresser set are clearly more girly, so we're excited to get more use out of it and pass it right along to baby #2! Giving this crib to another baby means that it's time to transition Hadley out of
- [The Parenting Issue I'm Not Ready to Handle](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/a-parenting-issue-im-not-ready-to-handle.html/) - {photo cred: Luke & Jessye Gaines} A few days ago I took Hadley to a local playground to run around for about 45 minutes before the sun went down. As soon as we arrived she raced for the entrance, sprinted for the swings, and continued checking out a few of her other favorite areas of
- [Our Trip to Austin + Tips for Flying with Babies/Kids](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/1480.html/) - Good morning from Alabama! Hadley and I got back to my parent's house last night after a whirlwind six days in Austin, Texas visiting my in-laws for the holidays. We caught a flight bright and early (3:30 a.m. wake-up!) Wednesday morning and lucked out with a direct flight. This made round-trip flight #7 for our
- [Slice of Life - December 23, 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/1500.html/) - Today is an extra special day in our house because it's Jamie's birthday! The Army may have caused us separation on other holidays, our anniversary, etc., but this is the very first time in eight years that I haven't been able to give him a big birthday kiss and celebrate with him on his special day. We
- [Christmas Joy (& Deployment Blues) 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/merry-christmas.html/) - Ahhh... we're hoooooome! As in home, I mean Kansas. :) My dad drove back with Hadley and me yesterday, and we were on the road by 5 a.m. to try and beat the 5-8" of expected snow and ice that was supposed to fall last night. This morning we woke up to this. So much
- [Most Popular Blog Posts of 2015](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2015/12/most-popular-posts-of-2015.html/) - Though I've been story telling and oversharing on this silly blog for years, things really took a turn around here this year. I was anonymously nominated and selected for a BlogHer Voices of the Year Award and attended the biggest annual blogging conference in the world, which was hands down one of the most humbling, beneficial,
- [Practical & Attractive Diaper Bag Options](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/01/diaper-bag-search-options.html/) - I know I'm probably in the vast minority, but I've never been much of a purse lover. I could justify buying a zillion pairs of shoes or new tops, but I will rarely shell out money for a new bag. Nearly all of my purses have been gifts because I will seldom ever buy one for
- [Potty Training: Days 3-6](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/01/potty-training-days-3-6.html/) - Today is officially day six of potty training, and I am one super happy mom! In summary, things around here are going really, really well. We've come a long way since Doomsday last Wednesday (day one) where we both spent the entire day locked in the basement crying over pee and poop and eating
- [Slice of Life - January 5th, 2016](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/01/slice-life-january-5th-2016.html/) - Besides potty training and attempting to get back in somewhat of our old routines, things have been pretty quiet around here. Here's what we've been up to the last 10 days or so! The night before we left Alabama my best friend Amberlee and her husband Brandon came to hang with us for a couple
- [Disciplining Children That Aren't Yours: When is it Okay?](http://whimsicalseptember.com/2016/01/when-is-it-okay-to-discipline-someone-elses-child-or-vice-versa.html/) - My husband unintentionally mortified me last summer on the 4th of July, but my embarrassment quickly turned into a lesson that put me in my place. We were at a tiny neighboring town's festival, and my dad, husband, and I all decided to be big kids and go on one of those zero-gravity rides. You

## Pages

- [Privacy Policy](http://whimsicalseptember.com/disclosures/) - This blog is a personal blog written and edited by Erica DeSpain. Whimsical September accepts forms of products and compensation in exchange for an honest review. All images are copyrighted to Erica DeSpain and may not be reposted or used without prior permission. Affiliates: Affiliate links show up on this website from time to time
- [Contact/Press](http://whimsicalseptember.com/contact-partnership/) - Advertising Opportunities I'm currently open to discussing a number of collaboration opportunities, including sponsored posts, Instagram takeovers, sidebar ads, giveaway options, brand ambassadorship, speaking engagements, and more. If you're interested in a Whimsical September media kit, please email me: WhimsicalSeptember@yahoo.com Freelance Opportunities I am also available to do freelance work via by line or ghost writing.
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## Categories

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## Tags

- [Teddy](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/teddy/)
- [Roadtrips](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/roadtrips/)
- [Recipes](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/recipes/)
- [Maternity](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/maternity/)
- [First Trimester](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/first-trimester/)
- [Stitch Fix](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/stitch-fix/)
- [Bathrooms](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/bathrooms/)
- [Flooring](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/flooring/)
- [Real Parenting Moments](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/real-parenting-moments/)
- [Slice of Life](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/slice-of-life/)
- [Guest Bathroom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/guest-bathroom/)
- [Pregnancy](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/pregnancy/)
- [Parenting Struggles](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/parenting-struggles/)
- [DIY Projects](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/diy-projects/)
- [Painting Projects](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/painting-projects/)
- [Laundry Room](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/laundry-room/)
- [Other Rooms](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/other-rooms/)
- [Product Reviews](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/product-reviews/)
- [Registry/Product Favorites](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/registryproduct-favorites/)
- [Bedrooms](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/bedrooms/)
- [Master Bedroom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/master-bedroom/)
- [Deployment #3](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/deployment-3/)
- [Activities/Crafts](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/activitiescrafts/)
- [A Day in the Life](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/a-day-in-the-life/)
- [Potty Training](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/potty-training/)
- [Traveling with Babies/Toddlers](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/traveling-with-babiestoddlers/)
- [Beauty](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/beauty/)
- [Stitch Fix Reviews](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/stitch-fix-reviews/)
- [Beaches](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/beaches/)
- [Friendship](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/friendship/)
- [Hadley's Birthdays](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/hadleys-birthdays/)
- [PCSing](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/pcsing/)
- [Home Ownership](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/home-ownership/)
- [Deployment #1](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/deployment-1/)
- [Deployment #2](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/deployment-2/)
- [West Point Days](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/west-point-days/)
- [Military Other](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/military-other/)
- [Beaches/Tropical](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/beachestropical/)
- [Europe](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/europe/)
- [More Fun Places](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/more-fun-places/)
- [Kitchen](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/kitchen/)
- [Fashion](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/fashion/)
- [Meats](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/meats/)
- [Comfort Food](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/comfort-food/)
- [Pasta](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/pasta/)
- [Desserts](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/desserts/)
- [Side Items](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/side-items/)
- [Healthy](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/healthy/)
- [Holidays](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/holidays/)
- [More About Erica](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/more-about-erica/)
- [Marriage](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/marriage/)
- [Real Moments](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/real-moments/)
- [Sadie's Bdays](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/sadies-bdays/)
- [Breakfast](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/breakfast/)
- [Party Planning](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/party-planning/)
- [Thanksgiving](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/thanksgiving/)
- [Current Favorites](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/current-favorites/)
- [Christmas](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/christmas/)
- [Gift Guides](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/gift-guides/)
- [living room](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/living-room/)
- [Playroom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/playroom/)
- [Valentine's Day](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/valentines-day/)
- [parties](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/parties/)
- [breastfeeding](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/breastfeeding/)
- [Disney World](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/disney-world/)
- [dis](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/dis/)
- [series](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/series/)
- [Easter](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/easter/)
- [Sadie's B-Days](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/sadies-b-days/)
- [birthdays](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/birthdays/)
- [Mothers Day](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/mothers-day/)
- [Dance](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/dance/)
- [Hadley](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/hadley/)
- [Extracurricular Activities](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/extracurricular-activities/)
- [Harvesters](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/harvesters/)
- [Father's Day](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/fathers-day/)
- [Tricare](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/tricare/)
- [weddings](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/weddings/)
- [Home Tour](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/home-tour/)
- [Beauty/Fashion](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/beautyfashion/)
- [Fashion/Beauty](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/fashionbeauty/)
- [Drinks/Cocktails](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/drinkscocktails/)
- [nursing](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/nursing/)
- [Appetizers](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/appetizers/)
- [Deployment #4](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/deployment-4/)
- [Volunteering](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/volunteering/)
- [First Day of School](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/first-day-of-school/)
- [Pizza](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/pizza/)
- [30 Minutes or Less](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/30-minutes-or-less/)
- [Getting out of the Military](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/getting-out-of-the-military/)
- [Sausage](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/sausage/)
- [Book Review](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/book-review/)
- [Veterans Day](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/veterans-day/)
- [Mealtime](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/mealtime/)
- [Organizing](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/organizing/)
- [Casseroles](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/casseroles/)
- [Fort Huachuca](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/fort-huachuca/)
- [Living in Arizona](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/living-in-arizona/)
- [Sierra Vista](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/sierra-vista/)
- [New Years Eve](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/new-years-eve/)
- [paint](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/paint/)
- [ETSing](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/etsing/)
- [New Home](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/new-home/)
- [Front Porch](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/front-porch/)
- [Backyard](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/backyard/)
- [Georgia](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/georgia/)
- [9Round](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/9round/)
- [Orange theory](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/orange-theory/)
- [Appliances](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/appliances/)
- [ISR](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/isr/)
- [4th of July](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/4th-of-july/)
- [Nordstrom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/nordstrom/)
- [Dressing Room](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/dressing-room/)
- [New Alabama Home](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/new-alabama-home/)
- [Army Reserve](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/army-reserve/)
- [Orangetheory](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/orangetheory/)
- [Kitchen Essentials](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/kitchen-essentials/)
- [Germany](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/germany/)
- [Liechtenstein](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/liechtenstein/)
- [Stitch Fix for Men](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/stitch-fix-for-men/)
- [Weight Loss](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/weight-loss/)
- [Switzerland](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/switzerland/)
- [Airbnb](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/airbnb/)
- [Car seat](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/car-seat/)
- [Pizza Dough](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/pizza-dough/)
- [Homemade](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/homemade/)
- [Dinner Recipes](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/dinner-recipes/)
- [trampoline](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/trampoline/)
- [Coach Mark](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/coach-mark/)
- [Baby #3](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/baby-3/)
- [MedExpress](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/medexpress/)
- [Urgent Care](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/urgent-care/)
- [Health](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/health/)
- [1st Trimester](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/1st-trimester/)
- [The Center for Youth Wellness](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/the-center-for-youth-wellness/)
- [Toxic Stress](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/toxic-stress/)
- [Minivan Life](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/minivan-life/)
- [Air Fryer](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/air-fryer/)
- [Sleep Schedules](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/sleep-schedules/)
- [Atlanta](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/atlanta/)
- [Weekend Getaway](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/weekend-getaway/)
- [Tough Topics](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/tough-topics/)
- [Home Office](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/home-office/)
- [Grand Cayman](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/grand-cayman/)
- [Rum Point](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/rum-point/)
- [OTF](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/otf/)
- [Kids Fashion](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/kids-fashion/)
- [Amazon](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/amazon/)
- [summer](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/summer/)
- [DAILY ROUTINE](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/daily-routine/)
- [Dance recital](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/dance-recital/)
- [May](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/may/)
- [End of the school year](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/end-of-the-school-year/)
- [Pre-K](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/pre-k/)
- [Five years old](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/five-years-old/)
- [Reading](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/reading/)
- [Learning to read](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/learning-to-read/)
- [Jillian](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/jillian/)
- [Names](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/names/)
- [Summertime](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/summertime/)
- [Sweets](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/sweets/)
- [nursery](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/nursery/)
- [Home Decor](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/home-decor/)
- [fruit](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/fruit/)
- [potluck](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/potluck/)
- [Dips](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/dips/)
- [Jillian's B-Days](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/jillians-b-days/)
- [Birth Story](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/birth-story/)
- [School Days](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/school-days/)
- [Kindergarten](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/kindergarten/)
- [Back to school](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/back-to-school/)
- [Entertainment](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/entertainment/)
- [Music](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/music/)
- [Kindness](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/kindness/)
- [Games](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/games/)
- [Conversation](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/conversation/)
- [Indiana](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/indiana/)
- [Fall Break](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/fall-break/)
- [Rugs](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/rugs/)
- [Beach](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/beach/)
- [Gulf Shores](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/gulf-shores/)
- [Christmas Eve](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/christmas-eve/)
- [Christmas Day](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/christmas-day/)
- [Huntsville](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/huntsville/)
- [High Point](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/high-point/)
- [rock climbing](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/rock-climbing/)
- [charcuterie](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/charcuterie/)
- [Reintroduction](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/reintroduction/)
- [Destin](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/destin/)
- [Six months](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/six-months/)
- [Milestones](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/milestones/)
- [Baby products](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/baby-products/)
- [Baby gear](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/baby-gear/)
- [Minivan](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/minivan/)
- [Chrysler Pacifica](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/chrysler-pacifica/)
- [Third Baby](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/third-baby/)
- [Pottery Barn](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/pottery-barn/)
- [Sofa](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/sofa/)
- [Statement Wall](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/statement-wall/)
- [Interior Design](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/interior-design/)
- [Grocery Store](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/grocery-store/)
- [Laundry](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/laundry/)
- [Routines](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/routines/)
- [Orlando](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/orlando/)
- [Universal Studios](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/universal-studios/)
- [Florida](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/florida/)
- [Furniture](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/furniture/)
- [Armchair](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/armchair/)
- [coronavirus](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/coronavirus/)
- [BABY SWINGS](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/baby-swings/)
- [Accent Wall](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/accent-wall/)
- [Cousins](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/cousins/)
- [Framed Photos](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/framed-photos/)
- [Quarantine](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/quarantine/)
- [All Things Madison](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/all-things-madison/)
- [Hallway Bathroom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/hallway-bathroom/)
- [Girls Bathroom](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/girls-bathroom/)
- [Panera](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/panera/)
- [Mac and Cheese](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/mac-and-cheese/)
- [Running](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/running/)
- [Boston Marathon](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/boston-marathon/)
- [Bora Bora](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/bora-bora/)
- [Bora Bora Vacation Planning](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/bora-bora-vacation-planning/)
- [Dad](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/dad/)
- [Letter](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/letter/)
- [Honeymoon](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/honeymoon/)
- [Costa Rica](http://whimsicalseptember.com/tag/costa-rica/)

## Courses

- [Dessert](http://whimsicalseptember.com/?course=dessert)
- [Dinner](http://whimsicalseptember.com/?course=dinner)
- [Breakfast](http://whimsicalseptember.com/?course=breakfast)
- [Cocktails](http://whimsicalseptember.com/?course=cocktails)
- [Appetizer](http://whimsicalseptember.com/?course=appetizer)

## Cuisines

- [Dinner](http://whimsicalseptember.com/?cuisine=dinner)
- [Italian](http://whimsicalseptember.com/?cuisine=italian)