Mountain Mode: What I’m Packing for a Cozy Fall Cabin Escape

I blinked, and we were already done with Halloween and our upcoming fall getaway to the mountains is almost here. I can't wait to relax at our cabin with a cup of coffee, go on some hikes, and check out some local events.

I am "Team Decorate for Christmas After Thanksgiving", but have to stand firm in this house - ha! The fall decor is still going strong as is my pumpkin mug. This hasn't stopped me from getting a head start on Christmas shopping and some fun decor items have also found their way to my cart. The holiday season will be here before we know it. Heck, I feel like I was just carving our pumpkin and setting out the Halloween candy. 

Lil' Miss dressed up as Alice in Wonderland this year, but got a lot of people asking if she was Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. We of course then watched it the next evening, and now it looks like she's already chosen next year's costume! 

We had another out of town gymnastics meet, but were able to squeeze in a quick date night at one of our favorite spots before the weather gets much colder. 

Midi Dress {only $36} | Heels

The temps are dropping this week in the sunshine state. Our al fresco dinner over the weekend will feel like a thing of the past when it drops to the 30's overnight. Brrrrr! Good thing I've already been shopping for all the cozy pieces for our trip the mountains next week. 

 

And Lil' Miss has been excited for packages arriving for her too. She only wears pants once in a while when we get a cold front or travel to a cooler climate, so we took out all her jackets and pants to see what still fits from last year. Surprisingly, we were able to save some pieces but a lot needed to be donated because she has grown out of a lot. She's excited for her new hoodies, cozy joggers, long sleeve dresses, and a new water bottle for hiking.

Fall fashion Travel

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A Magical Birthday

Happy Halloween! I almost forgot to recap the magical birthday festivities for Lil' Miss at Universal last week. (A recap of her birthday party making bath bombs at Buff City Soap can be found here.) We finallyyyyyy reactivated our annual passes (they of course expired the week after I was laid off last year), and when we asked Lil' Miss what she wanted to do for her birthday she said "Have some Butterbeer and ride Hagrid's Motorbike". Who can argue with that?! If you're new here, I'm a huge Potterhead. 

I threw on my favorite athletic dress sold by a local friend who started her own business selling the most buttery soft athleisure pieces. Next time you're shopping for activewear, send some love her way instead of to the major retailers. Small business owners do a happy dance every time an order comes in! 

After a ride on The Mummy, we ran into Hashtag the Panda before getting on one of her other favorites: Jimmy Fallon's Race Through New York. Then it was time for a trip on the Hogwarts Express to disembark in Hogsmeade.

A few nights later Lil' Miss had her Halloween party at her gymnastics gym, so we got a quick date night in. I didn't take many pictures including my outfit (what kind of blogger/creator am I?!), but I did snap a quick pic of this beautiful (and delish) drink at Chayote Barrio Kitchen which I had been wanting to try for a few years now. Such a pretty spot!

Then on Sunday, it was off to a Fall Festival with a bunch of her school friends. Several trips down the big slide, a hayride, the bounce pillow, and local food trucks completed the weekend. 

Birthday Fall fashion Orlando Living Universal Studios

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Leading Up to Nine

How is it possible that my baby turns 9 today?! I feel like I just recapped her birth story, and here we are celebrating the last single digit year before she hits a full decade. Whoa.

In-between out of town gymnastics competitions, we celebrated her a few weeks early with her favorite school friends at Buff City Soap. The kiddos got to make their own bath bombs to take home, and enjoyed another delicious custom cake from our former neighbor. The BEST! 

Then it was time to celebrate our friends' twins who were turning 8 with a pool party. It was nice to catch up with some of our favs, and we grabbed pizza after before calling it a night.

The next day we enjoyed brunch at STK Steakhouse in Disney Springs. Their all you can eat brunch menu is delish! Rumor has it, I'm still full. Also always here for a fun photo opp in front of their floral logo. 

Another gymnastics meet for Lil' Miss the following weekend which had us up at 5:30 am, and on the road by 6:00 so she could start stretching at 7:30 on the other side of the state. Multiple coffees later, she earned an additional 2 medals. One for bars and another for the all around.

Today, we are celebrating our sweet girl and I'm sure the day will be filled with LOTS of excitement, treats, and video calls with family up north.

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Let's Catch Up

Tap tap... is this thing on? Has it really been over 2 months since I last hit publish?! Yeesh. I have so much to catch up on. Lots of fall fun, but with a summery flair because Florida living. Hello sunshine! Fall flavors, outdoor fitness, and Lil' Miss is right in the middle of her first gymnastics competition season. Which means lots of time spent walking around convention centers and needing arch support inserts while cheering on my sweet girl. 

Tank Top | Sunnies {similar}

Love a good seasonal iced coffee flight, and the fall flight from NewCity Coffee Co. does not disappoint! I'll take some more Stroopwafel please and thank you! Already excited about what their holiday season flavors will be.

This sweet girl took home 3 medals in her first gymnastics competition for bars, vault, and all around. I was THAT mom whooping it up when her name was called, and we went for a celebratory lunch where she enjoyed a fun mocktail with views of the ocean.

Cropped Tank | Tennis Skirt | Pickleball Bag

More fun games of pickleball? Yes please! And bring on all the comfy arch support. I'm still well... a beginner. But at least a cute outfit and pickleball bag help! 

I was excited to attend a fun outdoor mat pilates event a few weeks ago at The Acre in Orlando hosted by FS8. I don't remember the last time I sweat so much, but it was definitely a burns so good feeling with a mix of yoga, pilates, and toning.

Even though I'm still enjoying warmer weather, I'm ready for all things pumpkin and these press on nails are going to be the belle of the ball the rest of the month. How darling are they?

Another gymnastics competition last weekend, and we decided to take advantage of being on the Gulf coast and booked a room at the Compass Margaritaville Hotel in Anna Maria so we could enjoy the pool and some beach time.

I had packed this cover-up for our Disney Cruise in May (recap can be found here), but it never made it out of my suitcase. So, it was a must-wear on this mini-trip.

Lots of birthday celebrations in August with friends and family, including taking advantage of another day at a resort for a "daycation" with ResortPass. Highly recommend especially for celebrations or just because.

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