THURSDAY'S THOUGHTS

ILLUSTRATION BY DAHLIA PRESS FOR GREER CHICAGO

THINKING ABOUT: A few weeks ago, I picked up a paper-mache Brontosaurus at Target. I thought it would be the perfect figurine for Max to paint the next time the two of us were feeling crafty. Yesterday morning was overcast and muggy, so after we got home from our walk, I got out the paints and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to reveal my big surprise to Max. Just as I hoped, he ate it up and we were having the BEST time until Tripp heard thunder in the distance and began pacing near the kitchen table. Unfortunately, Mr. Bossy Pants took a cue from his mother's playbook and ordered our anxious pup to sit down. Just as Max finished barking commands to the dog, I watched my overbearing offspring accidentally knock his dino drenched in paint on to the floor and it landed perfectly in Tripp's freshly bathed fur. Prep and clean-up DEFINITELY lasted longer than the painting. Yikes!

THANKFUL FOR: I needed to accomplish a lot of random to-dos this month, and with the help of my visiting in-laws I was able to get my hair and nails done in addition to renewing both my military ID and driver's license. Tantrums and fruit snacks aside, I usually enjoy bringing Max along for most errands, but I think we can all agree it's best if we don't mix toddlers and the DMV. Ever. Now I just need to knock out my trip to the dentist along with a freelance deadline, and I will totally own the month of October. 

WATCHING: Last week Max's dramatic side took an interesting turn when I watched him slowly and intentionally "fall" to the ground, look up to see if I was watching, request that I ask if he's "Oh-tay?", and then extend his arm for some help up. Once these steps occur, he likes to dust himself off and respond with a nonchalant "Yeah." This series of events carried on about a dozen times before I realized we were going to be REALLY late to his two-year wellness exam. With the help of some trash to distract my little guy, we went on our merry way. Unfortunately, this routine has made several encore performances since it first began last Thursday. Because I can only tolerate so many repetitions of Max's latest favorite game, I noticed that he's started throwing his dinosaur and has swapped roles as the concerned witness to another fake fall. Apparently I'm raising the boy who cried wolf...

FEELING: I recently tried Woolite's INSTAclean Stain Remover to tackle a few stains Tripp has created over time on our living room rug. I was blown away by how well it worked to restore discolored spots on the cream wool rug. I almost gave up on a few of the stains, but this did the trick almost instantly. You know how much I love another cleaning success story. 

EATING: Usually I like to share recipes I've tried in this category, but I can already tell this Black Bean Pumpkin Turkey Chili via Ambitious Kitchen is going to be a winner. Why wait to share, right?? I can't remember the last time I experimented with a chili recipe that wasn't this one from Dinner: A Love Story, so I suppose that will be the ultimate test when I whip this up next week.

LISTENING TO: Max is obsessed with ALL the animals. Lately he's taken a real interest in sheep and goats; however, he continues to confuse the two mammals and has opted to combine their names into one hybrid species he lovingly refers to as "Sheet." For the record, yes, it sounds a lot like shit and he likes to shout it loudly with lots of gusto for all to hear. Because of course...

READING: After returning from Houston, I checked the mail and found the sweetest surprise waiting for me in a bubble mailer. I thought it was another birthday gift for Max until I opened the envelope and found the kindest note along with a bright yellow book from a blog reader named Erin (you might remember her from the Beautycounter giveaway). After she heard I was having a particularly rough day via Instagram, she thought I might benefit from one of her favorite books, Jen Sincero's bestseller You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life. How sweet was that? The only thing Erin requested is that once I'm done reading the book, I pass it on to someone else that could benefit from it. Challenge accepted.

LOVING: It's really no surprise I fell hard (again!) for J.Crew's latest batch of new arrivals. I'm not going to ramble about EVERY little item that made me squee and grin (unless you want to go there in the comments section), but I would like to get your opinion on these Embroidered Pointed-Toe Flats. I ordered them in both colors because I couldn't make a decision and wanted to see them in person first. I plan on sending one pair back, but I'm interested in hearing whether you would opt for the Tangelo or Aqua Mist??

Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!