Normal Living in AR

Tripp comes home and we are embracing FALL in NWA to the fullest. It's amazing how your perspective changes through life's experiences. We didn't celebrate fall much last year given Tripp was gone and we were travelling, but this year - time to get our fall groove on again!

For my birthday, Tripp's parents and grandparents gave me fall plates from Pottery Barn and I LOVE them! I immediately decorated with them as soon as I opened them!

True life of a Jazzercise instructor. Date night with a new DVD to learn new routines!
 

I cooked French Toast the first week we were back... peanut butter on top. YUM.
 

The first full weekend Tripp was home, my parents asked if we wanted to meet them at Club Frisco Friday night after work. Club Frisco is in downtown Rogers and my parents go here a lot to grab a drink. It was so fun! We had some cocktails, laughed, ordered some sandwiches and ate dinner together. We tried to limit any obligations/events, so we could enjoy the full weekend.

Club Frisco :)
 

Saturday, I taught Jazzercise and after went to Garden Living to get some fall indoor plants. LOVE this new store. This was outside in the store - can I have this in my backyard?? 

We got pumpkins, hay and mums from Westwood Gardens.

 

 

 Made my heart swell bringing these home and decorating our house. Home feels like home again.

As we were setting stuff up outside, we noticed Reggie wanting to come from the backyard to the front yard ha.
 

"X" in the sky as I pulled in the parking lot at work. 

Cheers to Friday!! 
 

Friday,  Oct 9 - we headed to Helena for the weekend. Tripp hadn't seen his grandparents in almost a year, so as soon as he came home - we planned a trip. 

October in NWA... nothing better.

Friday night, we got to Helena about 9:15pm. Tripp's parents were down at Blues Fest so we unloaded our stuff from the car and met them! I have never been to Blues Fest, so it was really fun to go. We got to stand backstage because of Tripp's Dad - aka the Mayor ;) We spent time with Megan and Drew Fielder (Tripp's childhood best friend) who just moved back to Helena. So fun!

The next morning, it was time to meet the chickens - aka my sisters in law. Mary Ann and Jay got chickens a few months ago, but this was the first time to see them in person (she sends pics all the time haha!). 

This entire area used to be grass only - now it's chicken land and of course festive and decorated to the max. 

There are 8 girl chickens - Olive, Coco, Della, Thelma, Louise, Pearl, Bella, Gertrude.

Tripp holding Olive and Coco - the faves. 

I love this picture haha! He's totally scared right now.

That pink thing in the picture is their pool ;)

After hanging with the chickens, we all went to Pudd's for breakfast. Mary Elizabeth drove over from Ole Miss and the 4 ladies went shopping on Cherry Street. That night, Tripp's Dad cooked steak + baked potato and we watched the AR vs. Alabama game in the Summer House. It was a lazy, perfect night.
 

The next morning, we went to church. Tripp "pulled" his quad when he genuflected in church. He was in so much pain we left mid-way through. This is him on the couch after icing it. I mean... you can't make this stuff up. He was really hoping for a better story for the injury... 
 

We went to the club for lunch and then stopped by Bailee Mae's, the new coffee shop in Helena. It was so cute!! Local art, coffee from CA and a great environment. Proud of Helena!

We took the elevator up and down to load our stuff in the car to avoid the steps for Tripp. I had never ridden in the elevator - had to document it of course :)