I would really like to know how tomorrow is the first day of September, when it was March like 2 days ago.  But truth be told, I’m excited.  I absolutely love Fall!  The weather, the clothing, the activities, all of it!  We’ve recently had some cooler temps that match the changing seasons, and I’m loving every second of it.  Last week was really good and brought me a lot of happiness.  Let’s jump in!

1. Sunday Brunch.  If I had to pick, of all the meal times, brunch is my favorite.  As we all know, I am a big sweets person, but I love the mix of sweet and savory that comes with a brunch menu.  The team at The Ainsworth reached out and invited me to come try their brunch menu, and let me invite some friends along for the trip.  I have a core group of girls in the local blogger/influencer space that I chat and hang with on the reg, so I asked if they would be interested.  I mean, fastest “duh” response ever.  It was so fun to kick off the new week with a long and lazy patio brunch, chatting and catching up on each others lives.  My stomach hurt and my mascara was smudged from laughing so hard.
2. Mid-Week Coffee Date.  Early into quarantine, I was invited to be part of the KC Quarantine Fashion Show.  To date, it is one of the happiest experiences of my life.  It came at a time when I needed some joy and a confidence boost, and I am forever grateful for having been included.  One of the best parts was working with the other models, and getting to meet some new friends.  One of these was local wellness guru, Chioma Atanmo.  She is such a beautiful person, inside and out, and all of our subsequent conversations always leave me feeling at peace.  We’ve been trying to connect in person for weeks, and we finally made it happen this week.  Chioma suggested Rochester Brewing and Roasting , and I was elated, because I’ve had it on my list for months.  I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but I will always take the opportunity to try out a new KC biz.  (Besides, a mocha is basically just a grown up hot cocoa.)  What a special way to start my day, and a joyful connection that was so needed in my life right now.  I am thankful for our friendship, and for her perspective on this crazy world.
3. New Boutique.  Oh my heart, a new small business to shop!  And a clothing one to top it off!  Urban Sunflower opened in August, and it’s dangerously only 10 minutes from my house.  The owner, Krystal, hosted a private event for influencers last week, so I got a chance to sip and shop, while learning more about the owner and the business.  The clothing is adorable, and the price point is fantastic.  I got to see some of my favorite faces, catch up, and add some new Fall pieces to my closet.  I will be shopping there again, and often.
4. Royals Watch Party.  I can’t even tell you how much I miss live sporting events.  By this time in the year, we would have definitely been to the K for a Royals game.  Chad and I have loved going to baseball games together since our early dating days.  Chad has a dream of visiting all of the MLB parks one day, but COVID is kind of setting him back on those plans.  Kansas City Power and Light District has introduced the coolest experience in their KC Live! Block area to help fill the void of no live sporting events: socially-distanced watch parties.  They invited us out to enjoy one as a family, so Saturday’s day game was a great opportunity to take advantage of their generous offer.  We enjoyed the cooler temps while snacking on pizza from Pizza Bar, drinking beers, and watching our boys in blue.  All of this was done in the open air, with tables spread out, servers and staff wearing masks (and patrons masked up when not seated), and with hand sanitizer everywhere.  I felt completely safe and relaxed, and this was the next best thing to being at the ballpark.  (Plus we did the math, and MUCH less expensive!)
5. Neighborhood Movie Night.  When we bought our house, the biggest draw was the neighborhood.  In addition to having neighborhood amenities, like the pools and clubhouse, we knew they had an active HOA that plans and coordinates a lot of events.  This year, Jack is finally old enough to attend and enjoy most of these events, so we’ve been trying to partake as much as possible.  On Saturday night, they coordinated an outdoor movie night.  They set up a massive big screen on the lawn by the clubhouse, they gave out ice cream and popcorn, and the neighborhood sprawled their lawn chairs and blankets across the grass.  Little man got to stay up way past his bedtime, each far too many snacks, and run up and down the lawn until he was drenched in sweat.  Every single bit of it was worth it to see the joy on his face, to hear him talk about it for next 24 hours straight, and for him to sleep in past 9:00 on Sunday morning.

On their own, in a “normal” environment, these things all seem pretty basic and small.  But let it serve as a reminder to all of us that joy can be found in the mundane, every day things.  So this week, let’s seek it out and celebrate it along the way.

XOXO,

Molly B.