Escaping into Shallow Topics: Fall Lovin' 2014

Y'all.  It's Fall!  It's beautiful and bright and my heart has been ugly and dark this week with worry about all my little friends fighting cancer.   

And you know what that means?   I find myself escaping through online shopping.   Not necessarily healthy, but it is what it is.  Time to get shallow here at The View from Behind Home Plate and talk about my favorite things about the fall season of 2014 from food to fashion. 

I think there is at least one person in my household who will be happy to see that I am veering away from deep thoughts and scripture here on the blog for a bit because when I threw out a verse to apply to a fairly insignificant problem recently that person responded with "Ok, Betty Bible Thumper." 

Ha, so funny. Betty responded by saying something along the lines of "if we look to God and His Word to help us with the little things, we won't forget to seek Him for help with the big things"

That Betty can be exactly right and all kinds of annoying at the same time.

Anyway . . . that noise you hear?  That is not a thumping noise.  No, no it's not.  That would be the pitter - patter of Betty Bible Thumper's new . . .

FALL BOOTS!!!!   Which tops the list of my Fall Lovin' 2014 List.   Here we go.

MICHAEL Michael Kors Stockard Two Tone Riding Boots

Betty does not actually have these boots, but I saw an adorable gal wearing them recently and I loved them.  The only problem is that I have never been a huge fan of the big designer medallion screaming "LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!" on my clothes.  If you feel the same, there are lots of other brands (HERE, HERE and HERE) of two tone riding boots in stores right now at many different prices, both screaming their designers' names and also taking it down a notch.  Still, I might have to get over it in this case because these boots are just so pretty.

OPI Gel Polish in I Have a Herring Problem

At Joe's high school back to school night, I found it very difficult to concentrate on his Journalism teacher's presentation because she had this grey color with a teeny-tiny bit of sparkle on her nails.  I care so very deeply about my son's education that I was sure to jot down the teacher's email address because I believe that communication between educators and parents is crucial to the successful academic experience of the student.  And then I went home and emailed her to ask her what the name of the polish was.  She got back to me right away.  I LOVE AMERICA'S TEACHERS.

Chef Ingrid's French Onion and Wild Mushroom Soup
My mom was visiting from Texas last week and I wanted to take her somewhere that was uniquely "Virginian".  There is nothing more beautiful than Virginia in the Fall.  We went to downtown Leesburg and had lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Lightfoot.  If you have a free day (or can call in sick) go to Leesburg and walk along the downtown streets while the leaves fall.  Then go to Lightfoot and get this soup.  It is RIDICULOUS, friends.  I promise.

Burnt Orange Anything
One of my favorite things about fall is college football.  Unfortunately, the Texas Longhorns are not having a stellar season.  But you know what is?  The very fall-ish burnt orange color of my team.  It seems to be EVERYWHERE.  If perhaps your Longhorn shirt is stained with the salty tears of dashed hopes and dreams, just check out these alternatives.

From Nordstrom

From Blue Door Boutique:

From some where on the web and I can't remember where.

A Vest
Here in Virginia, our fall can be anywhere from 40-80 degrees.  So if you're not quite ready for a warm jacket, a cute vest is perfect with a long sleeve top.  Here are a few I like.

From Blue Door Boutique

Also Old Navy has lots of different colors and they're having a crazy sale for their 20th anniversary.

CANDLES
I'm not quite sure what candles have to do with fall, but I love these from Target.  You can choose from Give Love, Choose Happiness, Be Peaceful, Be Joyful and Be Grateful.  It'd be just perfect if a candle could make us be and do all of those things.  I'm willing to give it a shot.

Slip on Tennis Shoes
(or sneakers, I suppose, if you are from anywhere other than Texas.  We physically cannot form the word "sneaker", any more than we can call a coke, a "soda".  Y'all, we just flat out can't do it.  

Anyway, the slip on tennis shoe is the way to go if you have trouble giving up the flip flops like I do.  I will wear my flip-flops in the fall until I am dangerously close to suffering frostbite.  These are adorable and a nice way to ease your way out of your flip flops.  Kinda like a nicotine patch for the feet, if you will.  The ones in the picture are from ShopBop and I think they are so cute, but I can't stomach spending that much for a pair of sneakers/tennis shoes/whatever you want to call them.  So the Skechers Go Walk line has some more reasonably priced shoes in more colors than you can shake a stick at.

Fake Daughter
She and I will be baking all manner of pumpkin spiced goods together because a woman with a fake daughter becomes a woman who is a fake good cook.  Then we will go shopping for all the fall favorites (with fake bank account).  We will be in complete agreement on all matters of fashion.  She will turn her nose up at Claire's, Justice, Forever 21 and the like and mosey right on into JCrew with me.  At lunch we will eat some where that does not serve buffalo wings and we will discuss Little Women which she read over the summer because I suggested it and she agrees with every last thing I utter.  By the way, she is also physically incapable of rolling her eyes.  I will pick out one of these outfits for her and she will say, "Yes, Mom!  These are darling.  You are a fashion genius.  And by the way, your hair highlights are fabulous."
 

Pray without Ceasing
This fall day is stunningly bright and cheerful here in Virginia in stark contrast to the state of many of the hearts in my community which are dark with fear and sadness as our friend Mathias fights cancer.  Fashion and soup and boots are silly matters when compared with what this precious family faces.  I am told in Ecclesiastes that there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.  Please continue to pray for the Giordano family - that they may believe that they will see beauty again, if not in this season, in one to come. Please pray that their hearts will one day be as bright and cheerful as their son's sweet smile again.  Because no matter the season, it is always time to pray.

.   Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12