Other

Y’all.

Err’body be so tired around here.

I forget every year that the first couple of weeks of the school year are exhausting. It’s hard to get back into the merciless routine of homework and carpool and cooking real meals and just all around being a grown up.

I left for Clovis, New Mexico last Thursday afternoon. I flew to Dallas and then Amarillo and then drove the hour and a half to Clovis in some sort of little Kia that was actually very sporty. I did get to sleep in a little bit on Friday morning which was glorious and then made a run to The Coffee Bistro for a latte because Clovis has a Starbucks but it’s inside the Albertsons and The Coffee Bistro came highly recommended and I have to say it didn’t disappoint.

As I walked back into my hotel, I happened to see the Clovis Daily Journal sitting on the checkout desk. And look who made the front page.

Yes. Baldy Holly. And also me. It’s not every day that you find yourself sharing a front page with Baldy Holly.

I spoke at Central Baptist Church on Friday night and it was such a sweet group. And then I woke up at 6:30 on Saturday morning so I’d have time to drive through The Coffee Bistro one more time before making my way back to Amarillo. And then Dallas. And, finally, San Antonio. I also need to say here that when I walked outside in Clovis that morning that a cold front had blown through and it was about 55 degrees outside. I had forgotten what it feels like to actually walk outside and feel cool. I’ll tell you what it feels like, HEAVENLY BLISS.

By the time I landed in San Antonio it was almost 5:00 Saturday evening and so I headed straight to a shower and pjs and we picked up Mexican food for dinner and watched college football until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

On Sunday morning, P went to church while Caroline and I drove to Austin for a soccer game. She has to be at the field 45 minutes before game time so he met us there later with Mimi and Bops. After the game we made our way back to San Antonio and it was 4:30 p.m. In short, it was one of those weekends where I kept thinking I couldn’t wait until Monday morning so I could get some rest.

But then Monday morning dawned bright and early and it was time to make breakfast, pack a lunch, and get Caroline to school. Then I remembered that my family likes to eat food and so perhaps I should go to the store. So I went to Smart Barre to work out, ran a few errands, went grocery shopping and then came back to the house to grab something to eat for a late lunch. Meanwhile, Piper and Mabel stared at me like this.

I used to think there might come a day when I wouldn’t have someone staring at me, waiting to be entertained.

Mabel wrote a haiku about it:

Boredom in my soul
I need the wind in my hair
Must maintain sad eyes

Piper also wrote about her feelings:

I AM SO BORED I WANT TO DIE.

So what choice did I have but to take them to the park for a little while? They were able to run and then I picked up Caroline from school, attempted to take her to buy a new pair of cleats but had no success. Then we came home so she could hopefully finish most of her homework before we left for soccer practice.

We left for soccer and I am devastated to report it is 10:15 as of this writing and my child just finished her second dinner about fifteen minutes ago and is finally in bed. Or maybe she’s still in the bathroom flossing her teeth. I don’t even care anymore as long as I can go ahead and go to bed.

Dear Moms of littles, I know the days are exhausting right now. But rejoice and celebrate in the fact that you can put those children to bed at an hour when you’re still coherent enough to watch T.V. or carry on a conversation. At the rate I’m going, I may never be able to watch T.V. in prime time again.

And, let’s be honest, that’s the real tragedy here. I’d have Mabel write a haiku about it but she has no appreciation for prime time T.V. because she and Piper only watch The Outdoor Channel.

So I’m currently sitting in a hotel room in Clovis, New Mexico. I flew into Amarillo late Thursday afternoon and then drove to Clovis, going through small Texas towns like Hereford, Bovina, and Friona. There is nothing like driving through the Texas panhandle that will make you realize there are still some serious wide open spaces in the state. At times it was just a bunch of cattle, the smell of cattle, and Willie Nelson singing “Blue Skies” on the radio to keep me company.

I’m speaking at Central Baptist Church in Clovis tonight at 6:30 and I think they still have a few seats available if you find yourself anywhere nearby. You can find out more information here.

Anyway, I didn’t mean to not write anything here all week but it just ended up being one of those weeks where I’d look up every night and it was suddenly 11:00 p.m. and I had to choose between being in bed before midnight or writing. And bed won every time.

But here are some cute things I found this week:

1. nike free fit training shoe

Nordstrom has a ton of new stuff that’s 40% off right now. Lots of shoes and boots and tops. But I was drawn to these Nikes on sale for $59.98 because I’m on a workout kick and spend most of the day in tennis shoes right now.

2. free people mystery magic tunic top

This comes in several color options, but this is my favorite. It’s very fall to me. And would look great with leggings and boots.

3. gap mix stripe poncho

First of all, this poncho has a ton of great reviews which is always noteworthy for Gap. Second, look how great it looks worn with all denim. I love stuff like this when the weather gets cold because it’s so versatile.

4. sansi pleated tunic

This tunic is on sale for $39.95 at Anthropologie. I like that it’s lightweight cotton, but a good fall color. It’s a perfect transition piece into fall. I personally am loving olive green with white jeans and boots right now.

5. tied hem tee

I have a gray tee like this that I bought from Piperlime (God rest its soul) when they were going out of business and I love it. That tie at the waist is a game changer because it’s a great top to pair with skirts or flare jeans without having to tuck something in.

It’s on sale for $49.95 and also comes in dark orange.

6. papillon flutter top

Is this top pricey? YES. But is it adorable and fabulous? YES. I tried this on in Anthropologie a few weeks ago and haven’t quit thinking about it since. It’s a fall look but perfect for a Texas fall which tends to be a little on the warm side.

7. dv faux leather tote with braid detail

I saw this bag at Target and it stopped me in my tracks. It is so pretty in person and this picture honestly doesn’t do it justice. It’s just $39.99 which is a great price for a fall bag.

8. runaround french terry tunic

I now own two of these tunics and am looking to expand into even more color options. It is the softest, best tunic top ever. Long enough to wear with leggings, lightweight enough that you can wear it now, and available in all these great color options. It’s $33.50 and free shipping. If you see me this fall, there’s a 84% chance I will be wearing this.

And Aggie sisters, it comes in maroon.

9. brilliant boho embroidered dress

How gorgeous is this? And it’s less than $60 plus free shipping. In all fairness, it’s probably more of a tunic than a dress for most of us. But if you have the legs for it, I will not judge. In fact, I will applaud you and say WELL DONE.

10. j.crew schoolboy blazer

Nobody really does a blazer better than J.Crew and this one are on sale for $94.50. It also comes in navy, bright blue, red and camel. I love a blazer because it’s great for work, but also perfect with jeans and a t-shirt.

11. printed quilted puffer vest

Stop it. A checked puffer vest? Love. It’s on sale for $64.50 and also comes in solid colors but why would you want a solid color when you can have navy and white checks?

12. j.crew flannel

This flannel shirt is on sale for $39.50 and comes in several color options, but this blue and orange just looks so fall to me. It makes me want to get a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks except I don’t like pumpkin spice and I need the pumpkin spice public relations team to take it down a notch. Quit pushing your agenda on me and, furthermore, please quit adding yourself to my M&Ms and Oreos because NO SIR.

That’s it for today.

Have a good Friday.

Well. This weekend was one for the books.

The start of college football season is always one of my favorite times of the entire year. All last week I’d been looking forward to sitting in front of the T.V. on Saturday morning with a cup of coffee as I flipped back and forth between ESPN Gameday and SEC Nation. Then we had plans to go over to Gulley’s house and watch the Aggies play UCLA. We were going to get a tray of nuggets from Chick-Fil-A and Gulley was even going to make Captain Rodney’s cheese bake dip.

(I always know college football season is on the horizon when Gulley tells me she’s ordered “The Captain”. It’s hard to find in our local grocery stores but totally worth the trouble of ordering online.)

But then something happened. Late Wednesday afternoon I was in the process of cutting up a rotisserie chicken for dinner (I cannot deal with raw chicken, thus I buy it pre-cooked.) when Sophie texted me and said, “Hey, I just forwarded you an email from someone at ESPN”.

So, you know, that piqued my interest.

I washed the chicken off my hands because SALMONELLA and then checked my phone to see the email. As it turns out, it was a PR person at ESPN that Sophie met this summer at SEC Media days and she was wondering if I might be going to the Texas A&M game on Saturday because she’d love for me to be her behind-the-scenes guest at SEC Nation.

Um. YES PLEASE.

P was sitting at the kitchen island and I said, “So here’s something that just happened.” And because he knows me so well, he immediately said, “You have to go.” And so I began to figure out a new agenda for the weekend and Gulley talked to Honey and Big to let them know they might be having some unexpected house guests for the weekend and a plan totally came together. It’s like we were the A Team.

And here’s the part of it that I really haven’t spoken out loud to many people because it’s almost too much and still so fresh. I’d been thinking a lot about the first Aggie game and knew that it would be one of the moments when I would really miss Jen. Grief is a tricky business and sneaks up on you at unexpected times when all of a sudden you remember all over again that person you loved is gone. No matter what we all had going on in our lives over the years after we graduated from A&M, Jen always tried to meet up with us to either watch or attend the first game of the year. Even last September when she was so sick, she made the trip to San Antonio with Linc so we could all watch an Aggie game together. And the funny thing is Jen wasn’t nearly as intense about the Aggies as Gulley and I are, but she knew it was our love language and it was something we could all get excited about. So to have this fun opportunity pop up at the last minute, right before the first A&M game of the year, felt a little bit like Jen was smiling down on us and worked it out with God to give us a fun surprise. Maybe that sounds weird, but it makes me smile.

Gulley and the boys picked Caroline and me up on Friday afternoon after school and we made our way to College Station. We got there about 8:30 and Honey had brownies and chicken salad waiting on us. After we ate and visited for a while (and tried to figure out our best parking strategy for the next morning), we headed to bed because we were all exhausted after the second week of school and had to be on campus by 9:00 Saturday morning.

As it turns out, it’s much easier to get kids up and excited about a fun day of football than it is for a day of school. All of us were ready to head out the door by 8:30 to SEC Nation at Spence Park. Once we arrived, it was almost too much to take in. We got a tour of the SEC bus, the kids shook hands with Coach Sumlin as he made his way to the set, and then we watched them open the show.

This is Caroline and me in front of the bus.

Coach Sumlin being interviewed.

Matt the Bus Driver doing a yell with the yell leaders.

When the Aggie yell leaders finished their on-air segment with Matt the Bus Driver, they came and found us because we had asked earlier if the kids could get their picture with them. And the whole group of them couldn’t have been nicer as they talked to the kids about Aggie football and gameday.

After the show was over, we were able to walk on the set and meet Marcus Spears, Laura Rutledge, Tim Tebow and Maria Taylor. They were all so friendly and gracious, especially considering they’d just finished a two hour show in the blazing heat and been up since 4:00 a.m.

Please notice in that picture that I’m kind of stooping over in front of Maria Taylor. I actually asked her if we would be able to see her in the picture if I stood in front of her and she assured me it would be fine. P always accuses me of thinking I’m so much taller than I am and we have been so tickled because this photo is proof of that. Maria Taylor is 6 feet 2 inches tall and was wearing heels. (She’s also stunningly gorgeous. If only I had thought to ask her about her skincare regimen.) I am 5 foot 6 inches on a good day and, truthfully, probably closer to 5 foot 5 inches. So, yes, she is clearly seen in this photograph. Bless my heart.

We had three hours to kill before the game actually began so Jackson suggested we go see the horses and Parsons Mounted Calvary.

And we stopped by a booth and got pancake selfies made. Because who wouldn’t want a pancake selfie?

Then we watched the band and the corps march in.

Gulley managed to get herself a beer from some UCLA fans by telling them it’s a Texas tradition to share with the home team fans.

Eventually we made our way into Kyle Field because the kids wanted to watch the team warm up. Our seats were perfect, mainly because we were on a smaller first row that we had all to ourselves which meant we could all get up to get snow cones and water and lemonade and popcorn and go to the bathroom as many times as we wanted without being in anyone’s way.

It has always been my hope to fully indoctrinate Caroline into Aggie culture and the fact that she lost her voice by the end of the game is proof that I have succeeded.

The Aggie band was awesome as always.

In case you are unaware, the game went into overtime and was so tense that I even forgot how hot I was and quit thinking about my plans to burn the dress I was wearing as soon as I got home since there was no way it was ever going to be the same. At one point before halftime I went to the bathroom and when I looked in the mirror, I realized I actually had mascara running down my face because it had melted off my eyelashes. It wasn’t my best look.

The Aggie football team has been taking years off my life for more years than I can even count at this point and I don’t know why I’m even surprised anymore that I need blood pressure medication and a brown paper bag at the end of almost every game. But they pulled out a huge win over a ranked UCLA team in overtime, thanks to Trevor Knight and a stellar defensive stand. And Gulley and the kids and I all agreed that being there live and in person to witness it was so much better than sitting in her living room eating Chick-Fil-A and Captain Rodney dip.

We drove back to Honey and Big’s house to spend the night. The kids played football in the front yard after we got home, but Gulley and I each only wanted a shower and to remember what it felt like to not have a core body temperature that rivaled the surface of the sun. Nena’s best friend, Dorothy Kay, had made us spaghetti for dinner and soon enough we found ourselves in our pjs, eating a delicious dinner with a glass of wine in our hand, toasting what had been a tremendous day and watching more football.

And it confirmed what I have always known, college football season really is the most wonderful time of the year.

That’s right.

I’m sitting here right now watching the Tennessee vs. Appalachian State game and remembering why this is the best time of the year. As of this moment, Tennessee is losing which just goes to prove that anything can happen on any given Saturday. Or Thursday night.

I was entirely prepared to watch the Aggies opener against UCLA on Saturday at Gulley’s house like we usually do, but ALERT! ALERT! plans changed when a producer from ESPN emailed me and asked if we’d like to be behind the scenes guests at SEC Nation (I KNOW. I FREAKED OUT.) and Gulley and the kids and I are now headed to College Station to watch the game live and in person. Yes it will be 104 degrees but WORTH IT.

Now for clothes for those of you who may or may not care about football, but do care about fashion.

1. gap stretch true skinny jeans

I tried these on in Gap this week because I really liked the color of the denim. And I was intrigued by the word “Stretch” in the description. And I will tell you that they lived up to the hype I created in my mind. Super soft, super stretchy and they fit like a dream.

They also come in black which is intriguing to me because I could use a pair of black jeans.

(I’m sure Gap will be offering some kind of online discount over Labor Day weekend so just check the top of their website for the current discount code.)

2. gap soft spun tunic top

I also tried on this top. It came in several different colors in the store and it’s shorter in the front and long in the back and it is so soft. Love this for a great fall and winter throw on top.

3. cottonwood swing dress

I realize this is a summer dress but it’s on sale for $99.95 but they are offering an additional 40% off all sale items at Anthropologie (discount automatically applied at checkout). Just think how happy your 2017 summer self might be at the forward thinking of your 2016 self.

This crochet tunic dress is also on sale for $99.95 with an additional 40% off. I have loved this dress for a long time and think it would look great with everything from wedges to cowboy boots.

4. tencil utility joggers

Y’all. I’ll be honest. I think I love these joggers but I’m conflicted about liking them because I grew up in the 1980s and have lived through elastic at the ankles before. However, they look really cute on and are really comfortable and sometimes the heart wants what it wants, even if that’s elastic at the ankles.

5. cozy skinny joggers

Now these? Are a for sure. I don’t know that I’ll really wear them out of the house other than maybe driving carpool or whatever, but they are so soft and feel like a dream on. Perfect Saturday loungewear. I will say I’d order up a size because they seem to run small.

6. sun catcher kimono

This isn’t the best picture of this, but I love the way it’s styled on this model with just the gray t-shirt and jeans. It’s on sale for $69.95 but an extra 40% off.

7. pavin button-down tunic

Listen. In the spirit of college football season love, I had to share this cute tunic for any of my Longhorn sisters who might need something cute for game day. Think how great it will look with leggings and boots. And it also comes in cream just in case you’re not a burnt orange kind of person.

8. twist front woven shirt

But let’s talk about maroon. Or burgundy as the fashion people like to call it. Because there is a lot of it to be found this year.

This side slit tank

This off the shoulder top (I could never wear an off the shoulder top to a football game because I get way too excited and jump around but maybe you’re calmer than me.)

This voile and lace trapeze slip

This leith long drapey tunic

And this dolman shift dress although it’s only 33 inches long so some of us who aren’t cute college girls might need to wear it with leggings.

9. sateen five pocket leggings

I think these have great potential and they come in several color options. Plus, they are buy one, get one 50% off with no code needed

10. vans classic slip on sneaker

I bought a pair of Vans this spring and they are so comfortable that I can’t even stand it. I really like this neutral pair for a great transition shoe into fall.

That’s it for today.

Have a good Friday.

And BTHO UCLA.

I was sitting here just now and realized I never finished answering all the questions that some of you asked this summer. And, you know, since it’s almost September it felt like maybe it was time to do that. So here you go.

1. Do you get “pressure” to put Caroline in a “Christian” school? We have friends who think we’ve failed as parents because we’ve had ours in public school forever.

We never felt any pressure to put Caroline in a Christian school. P and I are big believers in public school, both attended public school and live in a great school district. I think school is such a personal decision and every family has to do what’s best for their kids.

2. So what are your thoughts and feelings regarding our Aggies this Fall? I just don’t even know what to expect!

You and me both, sister. But the beauty of these days right before the season starts is that I am full of boundless optimism. Right now, I believe Trevor Knight will win the Heisman and the Aggies will be playing for the National Championship in January.

Do I have any legitimate reason to believe this? Not at all. It’s just what I do every year at this time.

I do believe we will be better than people are expecting us to be.

3. Do you make Caroline eat her vegetables at meals? I’m raising toddlers and looking forward to the day when I can say, “screw it; eat whatever you can find.” I think that happens around 12? What do you think?

Caroline has always been a pretty good eater. However, she used to eat about three bites of food at every meal and say she was full. I honestly think there were some years that she survived on half a cheese cube and a chicken nugget for three days straight. My advice is not to stress about it too much. Toddlers are like dogs and sense fear and an ability to control a situation.

Also, when they turn twelve the problem becomes their inability to find any food in the kitchen at all, even if you’ve just been to the grocery store and it’s right in front of their face. They like to stand there with the fridge door open and ask, “MOOOM??? What can I eat? I can’t find anything.”

Insert me rolling my eyes.

4. Is it harder to write a book or do all the editing and such?

Personally, I think it’s so much harder to write a book because you have to come up with all these thoughts and ideas and figure out how you’re going to get them all on paper. That’s always the hardest part for me and it makes my brain hurt, especially now that I’ve been writing for a while now and need to make sure I’m not repeating something I’ve already told.

Editing is different and also makes my head hurt. When I first get edits back from a publisher, I have to take a deep breath and remember that nothing is personal and no one is trying to hurt my feelings. The upside is I have fabulous editors and I’ve learned over time that they make me so much better than I really am and my books so much better than they would be if I just turned in what I originally wrote.

Sometimes it’s hard to go back over the entire thing without hating every word you’ve written, but it’s worth it because it gives me a chance to clean things up, clarify what I’m trying to say and use better examples or stories. I’ve also learned that it helps me to read it out loud because then I really hear it and can decide if a line should stay or go.

5. You never showed us pictures of your outdoor kitchen.

Yes. My follow through on this was terrible but in my defense it has been very hot and I haven’t wanted to stand outside long enough to take pictures. I’m looking forward to the fall because I know we’ll love sitting out there when it isn’t as hot as the surface of the sun.

My friend Holly Mathis of Holly Mathis Interiors helped me a lot in terms of finding the furniture and lighting I wanted. She made an idea board for me that was so helpful.

Perry came up with the overall design of the fire pit and kitchen area and helped his crew put it all together. There are benefits to having a husband who owns a landscape company.

I still need some cute pillows out there but I’m afraid Piper and Mabel will destroy them. They may just have to stay stored in a Rubbermaid tote unless we’re actually out there using them.

(Just in case you’re wondering, the couches and metal chairs are from Restoration Hardware, the dog portraits were painted by my amazing artist friend Heather Gauthier, the galvanized fans are from Amazon, the fiber clay barrel pots are from Terrain, the coffee table was from Overstock, the galvanized lights over the grill and range are from Barn Light Electric, and the hanging chair is from Anthropologie. The end table was built by Caroline and the dining table was built by the same guy who did the shiplap ceiling on the covered part of the porch.)

That’s it for today.

Oh, one more thing that is so random but I have to tell you because it’s too good to keep to myself. Madewell has these amazing flea market flare jeans on sale for $29.99 right now. $29.99! The reviews on them are great. And free shipping and free returns if they don’t work out.