Happy October! The pumpkin month! It’s finally here. :) I’m sharing some random fall fun today, but first I have an announcement! Sunny Side Up is getting a new look! I’ve been working on updating my website for months and sometime toward the end of this week (hopefully!) my updated website will go live. My goal with the new website is to make it easier for you to find things you are looking for (home decor ideas, home sources, past posts, organizing inspo, new products I’m loving, etc.). It will be a more organized Sunny Side Up! A little organization is always a good thing. :) I hope that you like it! I also hope that I survive this switch because it will be quite a learning curve for me and given my background in tech (there is none.. I hate it) this might not be my favorite week ever. Ha. ;) My website will be down for a couple of days during the transfer so if you try to visit and can’t pull up my blog that’s why! Keep checking back and at some point we will be live again.
Ok.. back to all things pumpkin. I picked up a few for the front porch!
{green handloom with fringe/scatter stripe accent rug/geometric orange rug}
Here’s a look at a few things I’m using for my fall porch. I ordered this orange rug and then found this cute tan rug last time I was at Target so I’ll use one (or maybe layer them both!). The green fringe rug was LOVE at first sight so I immediately bought it for my Christmas porch. Then I got home and went to put it away in my mudroom closet and guess what I found? The exact same rug! I must have bought it a few weeks ago.. ha. Clearly I’m a fan. And now I have one for the side mudroom door too. :)
I’m also using these fun faux maple trees I found on Amazon! So cute. I love that they light up and can’t wait to see them at night. The trunk/base is a little fake looking so I’ll put them in a basket and surround them with pumpkins. Fall porch coming soon!
A couple of weeks ago I hosted a fall friendship night for my church. A few friends of mine took over my kitchen to prepare all of the food while I got the yard ready.
The prep squad. :)
They set up a caramel apple bar with lots of fun toppings. Did you know that if you soak apples in lemon juice it keeps them fresh so they don’t turn brown? Just soak your apples in lemon juice for 3-5 minutes and then take them out and you are good to go! Genius. I didn’t know that so I had to share for anyone else who didn’t!
Katy made the most beautiful charcuterie board! She is a close friend and the master chef behind all of my parties. Thanks goodness for her because without her we would have beautiful tables with no food. Ha. ;)
It was a fun night! I was so grateful for all of the extra outdoor furniture I picked up over the summer so that I had places for everyone to sit.
{santorini urn/faux oversized bleached oak branch/wren serving bowl/fields of gold print/classic taper candles/
lorin taper holders/similar console table/similar seagrass baskets}
My new fall art finally arrived! Isn’t it pretty!? I love the colors and the gold frame.
I also ordered it in a black frame because I wasn’t sure which I would like better, but the gold wins for this console table set up. I might use the black framed art in my bedroom. I wanted to share both options because it’s a good price on a beautiful print that can be used year round. Interesting how the two different frames pull out different colors in the print too isn’t it!? You get a totally different look with a different frame.
{dreary abstract landscape canvas}
This was the art I originally had on my console table. I still love this print too! It just doesn’t scream “fall” as much as the new art and we are all about screaming fall this time of year. ;) Really though both prints work beautifully year round and I’m sure they will rotate through multiple rooms in my home over time.
I was in the mood to bake or cook last weekend and ended up doing both! I’m all or nothing around here and usually when it comes to food prep.. I’m nothing. Ha. But fall always inspires comfort food and good smells so I made my long time favorite banana bread muffins (recipe here).
Then I made Tri-color-pasta.. an easy favorite at my house. I shared it on IG and lots of people wanted the recipe so I’ll post it here for reference. I remembered sharing it on my blog years ago and found the post here. It made me laugh! I originally shared this recipe in 2009. Kenny was teasing me about cooking and I was spilling legal jargon. Some things never change. :) But here it is again because if you haven’t made this you need to! My kids all love it and so do their friends! You just need one pkg of Jimmy Dean pork sausage, an onion, Penne pasta, broccoli (fresh or frozen), tomato sauce and Italian Stewed tomatoes.
Brown one pkg Jimmy Dean pork sausage w/ your chopped onion.
Then in a separate bowl cook your pasta half way and then drain it and set it to the side.
Cook your broccoli half way and drain it.
Then in the pan combine the sausage with onion, pasta, broccoli and add stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook on low for a while finishing the pasta and broccoli. You can also sprinkle with garlic, oregano, and parmesan cheese on top but I’ve made it without and it’s great too! Really you can’t mess this up and can add as much as you want of everything. I always double this because it gets eaten so quickly so I use 2 of everything (2 sausages, 2 boxes of pasta, 2 bags of frozen broccoli, etc.). The recipe is written out better in my last post but it’s just a simple throw it all together meal that tastes so good!
My kids’ friends always eat this and say “I usually don’t like broccoli but I love it in this!” It makes me feel so happy like I’m a real chef. One who gets kids to eat vegetables! The feeling has to last for about 6 months until the mood strikes and I make this or my banana bread muffins again because they are my easy go-to’s on repeat that I know I can win with. :)
We had a fun weekend in my hometown! I flew in with the kids late and we just had one full day there, but Kenny ran a marathon and we got to see Ellie so even though it was short it was so good! I’m so proud of my husband. He has worked so hard to get to a place where he can run these races. He said he is retired after this one but we’ll see. I’ve heard that before!
I on the other hand will never run a marathon. My knees wouldn’t allow that! Plus it’s more fun to be the cheer squad on the sidelines with a diet coke and some chips. Ha. Who wants to join me?
We had the best day all together again! Seeing El was just what we all needed. :)
Kenny and I celebrated 25 years of marriage this September! I can’t believe it. I’m so grateful to be doing life with my favorite person.
Signing off with my front yard flowers because they have really been showing off lately! I love this time of year. I hope your October is off to a good start! I’ll be back soon with a new look for Sunny Side Up just in time to head into the holidays! If I don’t come back soon with a new website just know that I died from too much HTML code and that I love you all very much.
;)
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I love all of your fall decor. Those stems on your console are gorgeous. Glad you got to see El. I can not believe how big Kole is!!
Happy October, Erin. Enjoy.
So big right!? I still can’t believe he is in middle school! Thank you so much Cathy. I hope you are enjoying fall and your darling grandkids! XO
Fun post, Erin. Lots of goodness! Especially that you got to see your sweet daughter. She sure looks happy in the family photo! I’m totally impressed by your husband’s dedication. Not only to run but do sign up to do it in a different state! Wow! My knees wouldn’t allow me to run, either. I’m with you on being a cheerleader. You chose well for you art print. It’s a beauty and adds a lot of warmth to your space. Fun meal idea and I need to start baking! I have a caramel apple cake recipe that I want to try and possibly banana bread muffins. The weather is getting closer to being right for fall baking. ;) Your gathering with friends looked to be a fun one. How nice that you do things like that! Thanks for a fun post. Good luck with the transfer! Look at you getting all techy and stuff. :)
Ha ha.. let’s see if this blog transfer actually works before we label me as too “techy”. ;) Thank you so much Jeanne! Wishing you many happy baking days ahead this month. You are the sweetest. :) XO
I’m sure your new web design will be great!
Also, Happy Anniversary!
Thank you so much Kathy! XO
Happy Anniversary and happy October! I can’t wait for the new website, I’m always coming back to your blog for inspiration on home decor, organization and fashion, so I’m excited for it to be even easier to search! I’m so glad you got to visit with Ellie, I’m sure that was good for everyone’s heart. :)
Oh you made my day Julie! Thank you! I hope you like the new website! And yes.. felt so good to be with El again. :) XO
I’ll be trying that recipe tonight. Looks super easy and tasty. Thank you. Post other tried and true recipes or appi’s if possible.
Oh yea.. I hope you love it! I’ll try to post more of our easy go-to’s! :)
Where are your black pants from in the marathon pictures?
Hi Sarah! I should have linked those! Here you go.. LOVE them. :)
https://rstyle.me/+UHDH60ejnCRouzpvXofcNw
Hi Erin. Trying this recipe tonight! I hope the my kids love this because I need more easy meals in my rotation. Thanks for sharing.
(I noticed we drive the same white car – you have inspired me to put that third row down and fill with pumpkins!).
Ha ha.. who needs car seats right!? ;) Let me know if they like the recipe.. my kids love it! :)
Your yellow and purple flowers are beautiful and gives me some inspiration; do you know what kind they are? I’ve been wanting to re-do our flower beds in a yellow and purple color scheme and currently have purple crepe myrtle trees at the corners of the house.
Oh I love crepe myrtle trees! So beautiful. The yellow flowers are called Allamanda Schottii and the purple flowers are Lantana. Thank you Rebecca!
Thank you!
Erin,
Wonderful post! HA! The pumpkins! A FEW pumpkins!?! That is an “Erin few” ;-D You have a trunk load for Kole to wash! LOVE IT!
TOTALLY YOU! I especially LOVE the light tan and white pumpkins. I want them all!
What fab. friends activities you do! I am jealous, but of course, in a GOOD way! They all look so helpful and well, “friendly”. Friendship is the name of the game, my FRIEND! Just nothing like it and when it comes down to it, its ALL about family and friends. Friends, well, at least for me, are the family members we are allowed to CHOOSE! If you think the same, you have quite a large “family” and in your beautiful OPEN kitchen, a place where so many can work at once! A NO CAN DO for me in this N.E. Federal house, a BIG house w/a smaller closed off kitchen. They used to do that, I guess, to hide the mess! BOO on load bearing walls!
Gold frames are great! So glad gold, brass, copper is back! I never changed (you know, my federal house) so YEA! I am back in style!
Tech stuff!? Erin, we are on the SAME page. Just when I think “I GOT THIS” something changes……
Cheer squad. WHAT? THAT is NOT an ACTUAL sport?? Well, it’s always been MY sport. MY ONLY sport! ;D
Happy belated Anniversary! You have made it to the BIG TIME! I remember 25 years like it was yesterday! It’s the SILVER anniversary and I always wear my casual, silver anniversary bracelet with the little gold ball latch, the one I bought for MYSELF. OOPS! Well, it IS the THOUGHT that counts, right?
Ha ha.. you crack me up Sharon! Always the thought that counts. I so agree.. what is life without friends!? At the end of the day nothing matters but the people we care about. BOO on load bearing walls for sure, but no doubt your house is full of so much charm! I would love to see it. And yes! Totally back in style. It all comes back doesn’t it!? My girls are wearing things I wore in high school. I should have just saved my clothes and shoes for them! Wish I could have you over sweet friend! We could chat all day! And then you could help me unload my not so “few” pumpkin stash for Kole to wash. ;) XO
Can’t wait to see your new website! Congrats to Kenny on the marathon. And also to both of you on your 25th! And it made me smile to see your family picture with El there too :) Have a great day, Erin!
Oh thank you so much Lisa! It felt good to be a family of 5 again. ;) So sweet of you! XO
Do you know what the plants are with yellow flowers? They are so pretty. I doubt they would grow in Indiana but I would love to see if they would work where I need to replace some plants.
Love the newsletter and looks like you had a busy month too.
Thank you so much Jenny! The yellow flowers are “Allamanda Schotti” :)
Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary, Erin & Kenny!! And best wishes for many more happy decades together!! ❤️❤️
Thank you so much Jane! XO
Your front yard hedges with the yellow flowers look gorgeous. I think we used to have a plant like that, but I’ve never seen it as a hedge.
Thank you Debbie!
Apple tip: Soaking sliced apples in Sprite for a few minutes will also keep them from browning, and they won’t take on the little bit of sourness from lemon juice. :)
How did I not know about these smart ideas!? All those years I sent apples in my kids’ lunches and they didn’t each them because the apples went brown. Ha. Sprite! I’m trying that soon. Thank you for letting me know Jessica!
New format is beautiful! Congratulations 🙂 And thanks as always for sharing your life with us!
Jill you are the sweetest and your comment honestly made my day when it popped up! You were the first person I heard from after I put the new website up. It put me in the best mood! :) Thank you so much! xo
Where did you get your cute sweater that you wore for your event and what is the cheese that looks like a slice of layer cake? As always everything looks fabulous!!
Thank you so much Melissa! That top I’m wearing was from Anthro. It’s linked at the very top of this post and is still in stock!
https://www.thesunnysideupblog.com/2022/05/fashion-favorites-and-fun-sale-news/
I’m not sure on the cheese because my friend bought it. :)