Joyfully Fit and Free: October 2015

With the Fall months comes all things cozy. Cozy clothes, cozy drinks, cozy holidays, and cozy home decorations! I'll admit that while I was counting down last week to the first day of Fall with my students I was secretly hoping that on September 23rd, 2015 a flip would switch and the temperature would magically drop 20-30 degrees. It sadly did not. While my wardrobe hasn't been switched out for pants and sweaters just yet, I am getting a few more weeks of wear out of my dresses and skirts while I can.

While I'm holding off on sweaters and hot coffee for now, I was quick to change some decorations around my home. In fact, around 8pm on September 22nd, I ran upstairs and dug out this beauty that I made last year {a little preemptively before I was married with a new last name...} and switched out my summer wreath for a fall version.

I've slowly made a wreath for each season and now am adding more to my collection. Here's what you will need to make a wreath similar to this one:

-Round branch wreath (pick your size, I believe this one was 8" diameter, @ Michael's or Walmart)
-Burlap fabric/burlap ribbon (I used scraps that I had left over)
-Assorted fake leaves
-Monogramed letter
-Paint for the letter (I used a bronze color)
-Hot glue gun/glue

All of these supplies can be found at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, or even the Dollar Store (seasonally at least).

Now you're ready to assemble!
1. Place leaves on the bottom of your wreath, glue down with the glue gun. You may need to hold them down as they dry.
2. Place pieces of burlap and/or burlap ribbon in varying patterns on top of leaves.
3. Glue more leaves partially over burlap.
4. Paint monogrammed letter.
5. Glue monogrammed letter in the center of your leaf arrangement.

And it's ready to hang!

Friday October 9th, 2015 was Dallas ISD's Fair Day. Yes, we got an entire day off for the Texas State Fair. And No, we do not get Columbus Day off, a national holiday. While I do not agree with this in the slightest, I'm glad we get any semblance of a Fall Break, and therefore I'll stick with my "I'll take what I can get" attitude for the moment.

With DISD's fair day comes free teacher tickets to the fair! As a lover of all things thrifty, that's $30 off the fair that my husband and I did not have to spend! It allowed us to spend a little more on the rides, food, and even a souvenir or two.

Our Fair day actually began at the Dallas Arboretum, not related to the fair at all, but I have been dying to see the Pumpkin Village {since I was a freshman in college} and since we knew it would be packed on the weekends, we figured we would stop by for an hour or so in the morning on my day off! Teacher's get in free for the entire year, and from now October 10-16th they get 3 more people in free! Calling all Texas teachers, go to the Arboretum in the next week with your family! While the pumpkin village was super fun, it sent Daniel's allergies into overdrive. We walked around for a bit, I brought some of my art supplies and we found a spot where I could sit and draw for a while, then after about 50 minutes of watching parents take endless pictures of their kids sitting on hay bales and holding pumpkins, we made a mad dash for the exit.

Texas Pride

UNT pride

SMU pride

While it was still PACKED {to my husband's standards, I have only ever been when it was busy} it was fun to see the fall flowers and decorations and walk around for a bit. And for free!

After spending a few hours relaxing at home...in the middle of the day {I love days off!} we headed out to the fair. Now, we usually take the DART. We should have taken the DART. For some reason, my husband decided we didn't need to {he even admits it was his fault} and we were stuck in Friday afternoon traffic on our way into downtown Dallas. With about a 40 minute drive to the fair and to find parking we were finally walking into the fair, free tickets in hand!

We have been to the fair three times together. The first time before we had even started dating. So, while I don't have as much Texas pride as a true born and raised Texan would, the fair is special to me. And, with its crowds, cigarette smells, and over stimulation at every turn, it does actually get more fun each year we go.

This year, we started off buying SO many tickets, but ended up using them all. After a mini debate on which is cheaper: the fair or Disneyland {guess which one this Californian was rooting for}, and the fair winning, we decided let's blow the rest of our date money in our budget for the month and have some real fun.

With tickets in hand, the first ride we went on was the gigantic slide! The walk up was daunting, but it brought back memories of those bounce house slides that were at all the best birthday parties growing up. About halfway up the climb, there was a little girl in front of my husband who was going up alone. She turned around and said "I don't have anyone to ride with!" My husband being, hands down, the BEST with kids didn't even miss a beat and said "It's ok! You can go down with us!" At one point the little girl even wanted to ride down in his lap, but for some reason the ride attendants frowned upon this. The little girl settled for going down the slide right next to him, which left me three slides over from them. It was totally worth it seeing that little girl have fun on her slide trip and my husband being, yet again, amazing with kids!

Because let's face it, he is just a big kid trapped in an adult's body anyway! :)

After our slide adventure we made our way through the dreaded midway to the shopping tents, car tents, and were even able to see the pig races! We unfortunately missed the parade this year but got to chow down on a turkey leg, cotton candy, caramel apples, and more cotton candy. Our last stop of the perfect fair trip ended with a ride on the ferris wheel at night! Daniel and I have only been on the ferris wheel together, and neither of us had been on the ferris wheel at night! All in all, this was the best fair trip yet and the first time we actually used the DISD fair day for the fair!