Fall Break 2018

October 24, 2018 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

The past week was Fall Break in the school district where my husband and I teach (and our daughter goes to school.) We were extremely busy during this week with traveling, hospital visits, big news, and family time.

Below is a look at all that happened during the past seven days (it’s all out of order, but I wanted to be creative with the word: FALL):

Flu struck the Sisley house! Days before our break began our oldest daughter was taken to the ER with a temperature of 105. I freaked out a little prematurely, but that was the first time I had ever read a number that high on a thermometer. A little hydration and medication went a long way to helping her feel better. The fever hung on for four days, but luckily she started acting back to normal much sooner.

A trip to Niagara Falls, Canada, was the biggest part of our break. My sister moved to Canada to work at Brock University (more on that here) and so we loaded up the car, our passports, and tons of baby supplies and spent three days with her at her apartment. I really enjoyed getting to see her town and touring her campus. We also saw the falls, did the Journey Behind the Falls, and walked through the tourist district at Clifton Hill. The only thing I disliked about the trip was that the morning we drove up I woke to a high temperature myself. I spent the trip nursing the same flu that I caught from my daughter, but I tried not to let that keep me down.

Local tradition has it in my hometown that Pumpkins take over the city streets on the third week of each October. The Circleville Pumpkin Show is the Greatest Free Show on Earth. Before we embarked on our travels we made sure to spend a couple of hours at the festival eating Pumpkin-flavored baked goods and my personal favorite, bourbon chicken and rice.

Love was in the air as my youngest sister got engaged at the beginning of the break. Her boyfriend proposed at Hocking Hills, which is a state park in Ohio. It’s a beautiful time of year there and I am so excited to plan her fall wedding at the same destination. I am also so excited to be gaining such a thoughtful and positive brother-in-law.

Now you are caught up with us after Fall Break 2018!

The Ameri Brit Mom

“Another Opening, Another Show…”

October 20, 2016October 20, 2016 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

The Pumpkin Show is an annual festival held in my hometown of Circleville, Ohio. This is the greatest FREE show on Earth and one of the largest local festivals in the country. Each year, the schools shut down, the roads are closed, and people travel from near and far to enjoy some days indulging in Pumpkin-everything and watching parades. Tuesday night was Local’s Night which means that stalls were opened and people crowded the streets prior to the official opening. The weather was beautiful and the festival was packed. Our church group which normally meets on Tuesdays decided to meet this week at the Pumpkin Show. We spent our Tuesday night with great friends and the locals of Circleville.

On Wednesday, we rode rides, overate, and went through the parade on a float. Every year I pine for a box of bourbon chicken, one of the most popular non-pumpkin items. I also have to get a slice of pumpkin pie, a pumpkin burger, and fried Swiss cheese on a stick. We got a snapshot with the traditional pumpkin pyramid and the locally famous Pumpkin Man. For the first time ever, my daughter was in a parade riding on a float representing her pre-school. It was a late parade and she was almost asleep by the end of the route, but she enjoyed riding through the parade with her teacher and classmate. It was a great opening to another Pumpkin Show!

Family · Uncategorized

German Village

October 10, 2016October 8, 2016 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

Over night the weather went from sunny summertime to cool autumn. Every part of me was itching to get outdoors from the moment the rays of sun poked through the curtains. I poured myself a hot cup of coffee and browsed through events going on in Columbus. After a few minutes of deliberation we decided on a family stroll through German Village, our favorite corner of the Columbus area.

Brick sidewalks, Schiller Park, The Brown Bag deli, and Pistacia Vera all made their way onto our itinerary for the day. This was one of our first long walk outings where we decided not to bring a stroller. It’s been four years, but we may finally have a big girl! I was so proud of my daughter who trekked over 10,000 steps without one complaint (although we did have to stop and add to her ‘acorn collection’ every time we passed one on the brick sidewalks.)

We picnicked in a shady corner of the park as we ate our sandwiches from the Brown Bag. The park was bustling with families, runners, and dogs. From there, we walked several blocks to Pistacia Vera, a french cafe, where we sampled macaroons. They are so delicious and I highly recommend the Mocha Hazelnut flavor. After a little snack we walked back to Schiller Park and of course we couldn’t leave without a few minutes on the playground. It was a perfect day with perfect weather.

Here’s a glimpse at our family adventures through the streets of German Village.

The Ameri Brit Mom

Fashion · Uncategorized

Fall Feels

October 3, 2016October 2, 2016 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

Pumpkin Spice Lattes, crisp air, falling leaves, and all things plaid. This is the epitome of all the fall feels. Fashion-wise fall is my favorite time of the year. I love layering pieces, shoes, scarves, and warm make up trends. Fall truly is a magical time of the year full of outdoor sporting events, apple picking, and decorated porches. And nothing says Happy Monday morning like a cup of hot coffee to-go. I cannot resist the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg. Now that October has begun I’m also in countdown mode for my hometown’s fall festival, The Pumpkin Show. A few more weeks and I’ll be out of school and indulging in the best things fall has to offer.

What do you love most about this time of the year?

The Ameri Brit Mom

Fashion · stitch fix · Uncategorized

Stitch Fix #8

September 20, 2016February 20, 2017 The Ameri Brit Mom6 Comments

A year ago I embarked on a rewarding journey with Stitch Fix. I heard some friends talking about this online service that sends clothes to your front door with no pressure to purchase. I went home and did some research and by the end of the day I was signed up as a Stitch Fix customer. My experience with Stitch Fix has been nothing but positive. I’ve loved nearly every piece shipped to my home. My stylist and I have begun an open dialogue about pieces I’d like to see in my fixes. To top it all off, I became a Stitch Fix Influencer in August.

This is a company that I have loved more with each fix. Every box feels tailored to my style and body type. I’m so excited to share with you my fix #8. This is the first fix where I have purchased EVERY item.

1. Mark Twisted Lead Hinge Bracelet (Romolo)

I’m always on the lookout for gold jewelery. I love the way this hinge bracelet lays and the fact that it pairs well with my Alex and Ani collection.

2. Adorra Skinny Jean (Just Black)

One of the first pairs of skinny jeans to really fit my body well would be these. I’ve always wanted to wear skinny jeans, but because of the proportions of my body they’ve just not fit well. I’ve settled for leggings or jeggings in the past, but this pair of true skinny jeans has me feeling all sorts of good vibes about the size of my hips and thighs.

3. Annaway Cable Knit Sweater (RD Style)

A cute, basic sweater is hard to come by so I knew better than to pass up an opportunity to own this adorable knit sweater. I think the colors make it easy to accessorize. It is fairly versatile as well. I’m so stoked about this piece.

4. Gusta Two Pocket Top (Skies Are Blue)

Plaid is all the rage this season. You can never have too much plaid in the fall so this quality two-pocket, plaid top will get plenty of wear. I can’t wait to pair this top with my new skinny jeans!

5. Ilaria Crochet Trim Tunic (Alice Blue)

I specifically asked my stylist to send me a tunic that I could wear as the seasons transition. This tunic is absolute perfection. With its flowing sleeves and crochet details this top will pair easily with just about any bottoms or accessories one can fathom. I’m looking forward to trying this top out with some patterned leggings, my skinny jeans, and a pair of jeggings.

Which pieces did you love?

Also, don’t forget to use my Stitch Fix Influencer link should you choose to give Stitch Fix a try for yourself. That link gives me credit for sharing the love of all things SF. You can also click on my banners in the margin 🙂

The Ameri Brit Mom

**This post contains affiliate links. I may get compensated as a result of this post.

DIY

Autumn Air

September 19, 2016September 18, 2016 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

Although the Autumn Equinox will not be until Thursday in Ohio there is something in the air that tells my body that autumn has already begun. Maybe it’s the football games, tailgates, pumpkin spice lattes, or sudden appearance of harvested corn everywhere that is informing me of the swift change of season. Whatever it might be I will not complain. Late summer was too hot for me. Five minutes or more in the sun’s blaze meant unpleasant puddles of sweat in all sorts of places. I’m excited for the prospects of autumn like comfortable temperatures, cozy sweaters, and my hometown festival, The Pumpkin Show.

As the morning dew is beginning to appear and the sun sets a little earlier I’m excited to break out my autumn decor. Decorating for the seasons is an annual thing in our family. I try to buy or create something new each year to add to my collection. Here is a look at some of my fall decor for the 2016 season.

Happy fall y’all!

My Harvest door hanger, pumpkin, and hay stack all from Michaels.

The Ameri Brit Mom

Fashion

Fall Flannel

October 7, 2015October 4, 2015 The Ameri Brit Mom2 Comments

I’ve never really been a flannel-girl. That was until I found this perfect ensemble over the weekend at Charlotte Russe. Previously, I would consider myself a closet-fan of flannel. I admire other people who can pull it off and lately I’ve pinned several flannel-inspired outfits on Pinterest, but I had not ever purchased flannel for myself. But all of that ended when I found a flannel perfect for me. I love the mix of navy and burgundy in this top. Those colors seem to be catching my eye lately. This top is thin and could easily become a layered piece as the weather gets cooler paired also with an oversized infinity scarf. Above, I’m pictured wearing my new flannel shirt with new skinny denim jeans and boots I purchased from my mood board last week. All three of the items above were purchased this weekend and I spent approximately $60 on three totally versatile pieces. Gotta love Charlotte Russe.

Fashion

Stalking My Prey: A Narrative on Purchasing a Jacket :)

September 23, 2015September 22, 2015 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

It is officially fall now and so we’re on to one of my favorite fashion seasons of the year. I love everything about fall fashion: boots, leggings, scarves, jackets, sweaters, and cardigans. A few months ago I was thinking about fall jackets and realized that I have neglected to buy myself a jacket in five years and all the ones I own are old and worn out. So I had been on the prowl. As the shops began to put jackets on display I caught myself stalking my prey. Until last weekend I still had not found the perfect jacket for me. All of that ended when I walked into Target.

I gravitated instantly to a cute, unique, black fleece jacket. I imagined how adorable this jacket would look paired with leggings and boots and then I was hooked. I checked the price tag and found out that the cost was $44.99. It was a decent price, but one that I walked away from at the time. I snapped a picture of the jacket tag on my phone for later reference, but convinced myself to return to the original purpose of this shopping trip: diapers.

The next day, I sat reading a book and my mind wandered back to the jacket. I grabbed my laptop and headed over to the Target website and pulled up the jacket using the picture of the tag I had taken. Lo and behold, the jacket was on sale for $30.00! I didn’t need any more convincing that this was destined to be mine. I added the jacket to my online grocery cart and within minutes I had purchased it.

Two days later the anticipated box arrived bearing the jacket I had gifted myself. I tried it on and fell in love all over again. The inside is lined with fleece and is so comfortable and cozy. Now, all I’m waiting on is the weather to cool down a bit so that I can head outside in my new jacket!

Family

Five Minute Friday: Celebrate

September 19, 2015 The Ameri Brit Mom2 Comments

This week the topic for the Five Minute Friday link-up post is celebrate. What is a link-up? Essentially a link-up is when you join other bloggers and write on a similar topic. You share your blog posts with one another and begin conversations via a host site. You can head over to Kate Motaung’s page to check out other entries from inspired bloggers. Here’s my five minutes of uninterrupted, unedited writing on this week’s topic:

This weekend I have a lot to celebrate.

Last night the Teays Valley Vikings defeated our rival school, Circleville, in our first league football game of the year. This is the high school where I work and we defeated the high school that I attended as a student. As a family we had an (American) Football Family Night under the stadium lights and enjoyed watching our boys take the W. Go Vikings!

Next, I am celebrating the beginning of fall. I love all things pumpkin and I’m super stoked to hang out with my friend, Ashley, today and work on some new fall decor crafting ideas. She’s not a big crafter, but I’m trying to convert her. I’m really looking forward to making a new wreath for my front door while sipping on Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Can I get an AMEN!?! Here’s a look at a project I’d like to complete this weekend from my Pinterest board Fall!

Finally, I’m celebrating the weekend. I absolutely love my job and I give 110% every single day and so by the time the weekend rolls around I am in need of some rest and relaxation. This week it seemed like the weekend would never arrive so, hallelujah, it has!

Thanks for stopping by to share in my small celebrations today. I hope every one has a wonderful weekend.