It’s fallllllll! (Imagine me saying that in my best Oprah voice.) But that doesn’t mean it’s time to hide inside. It’s the most magical time of the year here in New England, where the days are still warm enough to be by the water but you have to close the windows at night or you can’t feel your nose in the morning. There’s chowder and donuts and cider and wine and oysters to enjoy outdoors. And it’s the perfect time of year to have a backyard campfire, right on our own patio.

You can check out my idea board at the end of this post for links to items (or similar items) from Wayfair. They’ve got just what you need.

Cozy, easy care cotton throws and fun pillows gave our old furniture new life.

Lantern string lights add ambiance and warmth while you’re waiting for the fire to warm up.

Plastic wine glasses = no chance of shattering them on the patio stones.

Same deal with the tray – looks like rattan, but it’s actually plastic for easier clean up and no chance of breaking it.

We’ve had this fire pit for years now and every time we use it we think “Why don’t we do this more often?!” Now that the cool nights are mostly bug-free, I see a lot more s’mores and wine in our future.

This metal wall art makes our outdoor space feel more like a room.

One of the best parts about a backyard campfire is the ability to leave my newborn sleeping in the house while we roast marshmallows. Newborns near the fire pit seem like a poor choice – it’s hard enough controlling a clumsy toddler near the fire pit – so it was nice to be able to relax a little. In previous years, the kids seemed to like the idea of s’mores only in theory, but this year they ate as many as we would allow.

Those blankets are my new favorite thing and I can’t wait to use them for lots of fall photo sessions. I’m sure the wine glasses will find a way to be useful as well. A big thanks to Wayfair for sponsoring this post and encouraging us to get out and enjoy our backyard campfire!

End of Summer Patio Campfire

SuzanneD

Keep Calm And Eat A Smore Textual Art Plaque

Click Wall Art

Spanish Wall Décor

World Source Partners

Outdoor Natural Slate Wood Burning Fire Pit

Pleasant Hearth

10-Light 7.5 ft. Lantern String Lights

DEI

Lone Star Electric Hurricane Lantern

Leigh Country

Leaf Sequenced Decorative Throw Pillow

Artistic Linen

Multi Diamond 100% Cotton Throw (Set of 2)

Amrapur Overseas Inc.

Dongan Stemmed Wine Tumbler (Set of 4)

Varick Gallery

Photoreal Rattan Serving Tray

TarHong

See Idea Board on

Now that I spend 80% of my day sitting on the couch nursing a baby, the bad news my week in iPhone photos is going to be a little repetitive. The good news is it’s almost all pictures of a tiny squishy baby, so it’s not the worst thing in the world.

Sunday:

First time being worn!! In our very most special wrap.

Super windy lake, but at least we made it ONE more time

First baby of mine to ever take a pacifier

Monday:

THAT’S RIGHT

Poor yellow baby (now he’s a blue baby)

When you turn on the jets in the bath you get a LOT of bubbles

Tuesday:

Ready for school!

How he feels about the hospital

Baby’s Second Hanna Jams (lobsters were first)

Wednesday:

Friends don’t let friends have a baby without bringing them their favorite wine

Pretending he’s still a baby too

Working on his thigh rolls

Thursday:

My life is now this…

…and this…

And three times a week this (chasing a toddler during soccer).

Friday:

Helping me make the bed

He looks so pleased with his noodle and his juice

FAAAAACE

Saturday:

Living their best lives

Bzzzzzzzz

Presents from Gymboree as part of a campaign! I’ll have the post up tomorrow!

I’m all caught up! Now I just have to edit a bazillion photos of our weekend so I can get THOSE up before the end of the week and then I might just spend the rest of the week napping instead of blogging. I’m sure you understand.

I took about a zillion pictures of Linc’s face this week, mostly because he refuses to be more than 6 inches away from MY face anymore. The babywearing is coming in handy, although I’m mostly using it in non-picturesque situations, like when I’m wearing pajamas and just need to pee. You don’t need to see a picture of that.

Sunday:

SORCERY!

We are very attractive.

Children at the casino is always classy

Monday:

FACE

Someone was exhausted from having company all weekend

I’m not sure if Leah still even reads my blog, but she’s totally going to kill me for this screenshot. I KNOW HER.

Tuesday:

This is what Caroline thinks I look like. At least my legs are really thin?

Yeah, sure, that whole bed is TOTALLY just for you.

Sister reading time

Wednesday:

Prune face

Warm enough to wait for the bus outside. Almost.

This was probably poor choices, but she had a lot of fun

Thursday:

Trying to catch snowflakes

MORE FACE

Swim face

Friday:

You might be tired of his face but I am not

#NotWhole30

Are these the cutest or are they the cutest? For my Tula.

Saturday:

She put a headband on him and then told him he had to smile and look at the camera. I have no idea where she gets it.

Don’t even try to tell me she’s too big, she loves it.

THAT WEEK WAS REALLY LONG

Soooooo I wrote that huge post about babywearing and literally no one read it so I feel like an idiot. I’ll stick to just talking about it with my real life friends who understand my crazy. Tomorrow the schools have just declared half day, and then Tuesday and Wednesday we’re having a STORMPOCOLYPSE so no one will be going anywhere. Yay snow! As of right now I’m pretty excited, although if we lose power I will be much much less so. Luckily we are all stocked up on milk, bread, toilet paper and wine. And diapers. And Diet Coke. We’re good.

I have a feeling this will be a reoccurring problem in my life now, so let’s just call this Volume 1. These are from the super fun summer music series at Jonathan Edwards Winery. I love places that involve both wine and playdates.

DO ALL THE SUMMER BEFORE IT’S GONE.

Sunday:

I put away the changing pad (that I’ve used maybe twice ever) since I don’t have any babies anymore.

Fresh neighborhood eggs are a game of IS THERE A CHICKEN FETUS IN THIS OR NO?

Best spot ever for senior pictures? Probably.

Monday:

Tired.

Mess.

Tired.

Tuesday:

I WILL MISS YOU WHILE I AM AT SCHOOL BABY SISTER EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GOING TO SAME SCHOOL.

Mommy the donkey is my best friend!

Cloud or portal opened to another dimension by a tesseract?

Wednesday:

Our last gymnastics class. She’ll have to use her super strength somewhere else.

Our duck pond has an endless supply of adorable baby ducks and I cannot stop taking pictures of them.

Waiting patiently for her grilled cheese.

Thursday:

NO PICTURES PLEASE.

Tinker Bell rests in the tasting room of the winery. Being a fairy is hard work.

My sister and her boyfriend are EXCELLENT child watchers. I like them.

Friday:

The princess generously bestows bacon upon her people.

Beach baby

THREE GINGERS.

Saturday:

Yard sale. Most of it’s on the curb now, it was not a smashing success. But at least it’s all out of my house.

Second day of the princess dress. I peeled it off her to wash it because 2 year olds are gross.

Watching more Watch Us Edit videos from Clickin Moms and it’s still blowing my mind.

It was a surprisingly good week, even if I continue to make poor choices in regards to my own bedtime. 11 pm has become midnight has become 1 am, which means I’m getting like 5 hours of sleep which means I am chronically tired which is my OWN FAULT and yet I keep doing it. I am not very good at learning my lesson. I’m also so, so excited about Ginger Snaps Pictures (website! facebook! in progress, so don’t judge too harshly) and the photography classes/workshops/critiques I’ve signed up for I CAN’T go to bed any earlier. I need those post-kid hours. Although I have managed to thoroughly wear them out several days this week so they took naps – NAPS! – and slept a full 12 hours at night.

This week will be almost as full as last week, which is my favorite kind of week. Even if I am tired.