Weekend reset in Ogunquit, ME ♥

Hello Friends! Happy Monday!  ♥

Can you believe July 4th is this week?! Holiday work weeks are always a little tough because you're trying to cram 5 days of work into 4 days.  The day off will be lovely, but you work for it.  Especially me this week, because I'm coming off a three-day weekend. On Friday we made a short car journey up to Ogunquit, Maine.  It could possibly be one of my favorite places in the entire world. This is our third year visiting.  It's so beautiful and charming and a little weekend away is all I need for a summer reset.  

We stayed at The Sparhawk Resort right on the ocean (first opened in 1897!).  It's so quaint and from the moment I noticed a rotary phone with a long spiral cord hanging on the wall behind the reception desk, I knew I was in the right place.  They also still use actual keys to enter the rooms which is pretty rare these days.  My kind of place :) 

Click the link to see photos of the interior.  They recently redecorated the breakfast room to a blue and white theme and it's stunning ♥

The landscape is absolutely gorgeous and it's right on the marginal way - a breathtaking walk along the ocean.  

We didn't have much planned, and that was the whole idea.  We slept in, took long walks, shopped, ate out, had ice cream every night, and my favorite part....sat on my balcony and read my book.  

It was blisssss ♥

Sometimes just getting out of the house and having a change of scenery is just what I need to recharge my batteries. 

The smell of roses and the sound of the ocean waves help too! ♥

It was a bit foggy with a chill in the air, but you know me...I didn't mind at all. 

♥

I also had my once a year LOBSTAH ROLL!  It was delicious!!!!  

I'll be thinking about it until next year.  

The weekend was short and sweet but definitely worth it.  We arrived home Sunday afternoon (only an hour and a half ride).  I promptly jumped into clean Pj's, unpacked, put laundry on, and started thinking about dinner.  Back into the routine like nothing ever happened, yet I felt so good and rested.  Hoping that feeling takes me through this busy work week! We'll see :) 

Happy new week, friends! Xx 

I just saw that tonight is the Strawberry Moon! I'll be sure to be outside taking a peek🍓

I love the sentiment of it and it's just how I felt after my little weekend away.  

Also, this is a side note, but is it just me or is there something so cozy about drinking coffee in a hotel room early in the morning?  Rob is always in charge of getting the coffee first thing in the morning (I still drink it in bed like at home) and there is something so very cozy about that, don't you think? hee, hee....:) 

Goodbye Summer, Maine, & John's Birthday! ♥

Hello Friends! ♥

Guess what? I lit my first Fall candle of the season yesterday morning.  Yankee Candle Spiced Pumpkin, which I got on sale at the Yankee Candle outlet in Kittery, ME this past weekend. The smell is still wafting through the house today. It's the scent of the season and tells everyone that enters, it's fall! It's my all-time favorite.  As you well know, there are a lot of pumpkin scented candles out there, but none compared to this one.  It's the best.  

We have been blessed with cooler temps this week (some might say even "chilly" in the mornings) and it's blissful. I can feel the shift happening.  We have arrived.  Finally :) 

But before I go on about THAT I wanted to share a few pictures from our weekend in Ogunquit, ME.  It's quite beautiful there, with its quaint shops, restaurants, and overall Hallmark FEEL if you know what I mean.  The beach and ocean view are stunning. 

 I did not go to the beach, but I did spend my fair share of time sitting on a balcony looking at it and taking it all in. It was very relaxing and I did enjoy being away for a few days.  I could feel the stress leaving my body and peace filling my lungs in the form of sea air. It's funny how the ocean can do that.  

How could I stop taking in this view ♥ 

 

We went with Rob's family (our annual summer trip) so there was 12 of us total.  We separated at times to do our own things but always met up for meals and games at night. Some went to the beach, some the pool, some shopping, and some of us read books while listening to the waves, only getting up to eat. 

It was super fun.  

One highlight was stopping on the way up at Nubble Lighthouse in York, ME for lunch.  We had beautiful weather!

Here is John and his two cousins, Anthony and Julia! 

I had the same delicious lobster roll I had last year (when in Rome..:).  

It's the best I've ever had.  So fresh! 

On Saturday we celebrated John's 18th birthday!  

My father-in-law picked up a tiramisu cake at a local bakery and we surprised John at the hotel.  He loved it!  

I can't believe this boy is 18!!!! ♥

I wish you knew John.  Some of you might.  He's a special kid.  Smart, funny, caring, and kind.  I'm so proud of him. 

Did I say kid? I guess I should say adult now. Wow! 

To be honest, all weekend I was fighting myself not to worry about my Dad at home.  He's been feeling great lately and assured me he'd be fine.  I left him fully stocked with meals and all the essentials he'd need.  He joked me with me I was only going for 2 days, not 2 months, so RELAX!  I called every day and he was as he said - totally fine.  Whew! 

Before heading home we stopped by a candy store (of my dreams!) that sells this yummy black liquorish bridge mix that I remember from last year.  Are you a fan of black liquorish? People either love it or hate it. 

Personally, I love it!  I have to keep the bowl out of my sight, or I will in fact, eat it all.  

We arrived home on Sunday afternoon.  I caught up with my Dad, unpacked, did laundry, sat on my bed and took a rest until dinner.  Why is riding in a car doing nothing so tiring?  Anyway, I'm glad to be home. And now the time has come.  I always use John's birthday as my time meter.  Once we've properly celebrated his summer birthday, I can turn the page to Fall. I'm so excited for the season to change.  I feel myself coming back to life once the air changes.  I love to decorate and craft and especially bake and cook in the fall.  All the things that bring me joy.  

John is in Boston today with some of his friends, still living his summer dreams. He still has a few weeks until his classes start so he's hanging on to summer, not letting one second of it slip through his fingers. A lot of his friends are heading off to college, so this week will be a long week of goodbyes.  

 I know summer's not over just yet, but it is for me! ♥

Have a great day friends!  I'm making chicken pot pie for dinner. 

 This girl isn't messing around! LOL 

Ogunquit, ME (i.e my new favorite place ♥)

 Hello my lovely friends! Happy Labor Day! ♥

It's a slow day around here today and I couldn't be more pleased.  I'm so happy it's finally September.  But before I gush about Fall and how I spent all day Saturday decorating (there will be plenty of time for that) I want to tell you about our mini getaway to Maine last week.  It turns out I love Maine!  Specifically, Ogunquit Maine.  The quaintest little Hallmark movie town I've ever seen.  We stayed at a lovely hotel, ate lobster rolls, visited darling shops, enjoyed ocean views, and had an overall wonderful time.  It was just the vacation I needed and the perfect way to kiss summer goodbye.  

Our first stop was Kittery, Maine for some outlet shopping.  It only took under two hours to get there from Boston.  Kittery is known for its shopping.  There were plenty of stores to browse.  My favorite was the Lindt Chocolate shop because they were giving out samples.  From this moment on I knew it was going to be a good trip! :) 

Is this not beautiful?! ♥

From here we headed to Ogunquit, but first stopped for lunch at Nubble Lighthouse.  

It was a little overcast, but I did not mind at all! 

Of course I had to get a lobster roll (and a cup of lobster bisque).  It was delicious!!! 

Could be the best one I've ever had ♥

We went on this trip with Rob's parents, my sister-in-law and her family.  They booked long before we did so we were in different hotels.  We stopped at theirs first, which was literally on the water.  This is their balcony. 

 

It overlooked Ogunquit beach.  

The views were spectacular, and the grounds were so pretty. 

We had some snacks and then Rob, John, and I headed to our hotel which was just 10 minutes down the road.  

It wasn't ocean front, but we couldn't have been happier.  It was adorable and we were greeted with coffee and fresh baked cookies!

And look what was on our door....they must had known I was coming! Lol! 

For the next few days, we explored the town.  

What I really appreciated was everything was mostly in walking distance, so we were able to visit the shops and restaurants mostly by foot.  

Walking along, everything is so beautiful and cozy....♥

I did see hints of Fall here and there too, which made me very happy!

It made me excited to get home and decorate, which is exactly what I did : ) 

The next day we walked the Marginal Way which was breathtaking! It ends in Perkins Cove for more shopping and iced coffees.  

I'm not an outdoor girlie (at all!) but I was completely obsessed with the scenery here. 

Our hotel included breakfast which was a nice little treat.  The waffles were yummy!

Our final day we stopped in Kennebunkport (another place I've never been to) which was absolutely DARLING! I wish we had more time to explore here. Another time for sure.  

This is the Bush compound.  It was quite something.  I've always wanted to see it. 

We browsed the quaint square for a bit and then hit the road.  Our final stop was the Stonewall Kitchen flagship store in York, ME which I wish I took a picture of, but I didn't.  It was the best! IYKYK! 

Rob and I have decided to go back to Stonewall at Christmastime to do some shopping, because that place really deserves an entire afternoon.  There is a little cafe there so we can have lunch too.  

♥

My overall thoughts of this mini vacation were that I learned I truly love Maine.  I think too I was really ready for a vacation, whereas when we went to NH last month I wasn't as much.  This time I was able to relax and enjoy myself a little more. 

We enjoyed being with our family so much!  At night we gathered in my in-law's room and played games, told stories, and had so much fun. 

Also, it was fun exploring and falling in love with a new place.  We have already decided to go back next summer :) 

And NOW my friends, the time has come.  It's officially a BER month! Sweater weather season is upon us (ignoring that its 80 today....just don't think about it!).  John goes back to school on Friday.  He's ready and so am I!  I need to bake something fall-ish this week...apple or pumpkin? Stay tuned!

After having one of the worst summers of my life...the first without my mom among other things, this trip and the start of Fall are just what I need to feel happy again.  

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend and a beautiful start to September!!  Let's enjoy this season together.  I pray is takes its time so we can truly enjoy it ♥

Love you! xoxoxo 

Creamy Rice Pudding

 

Hello Friends! We just got back from a weekend trip to Maine.  The weather was cool, crisp, and a little drizzly.  I didn't get to see as much foliage as I would have liked (due to fog), but what I did see was still very pretty.  The orange and red leaves are so vibrant against the evergreen and birch trees. Its quintessential Fall. The house we stayed at was about 4 hours from home, way up the top of a mountain in Rangeley, Maine. (click the link to see some beautiful photos of Rangeley Lake) We met my parents up there on Saturday.  Mom greeted us with a pot roast dinner.  Just what we needed after the long journey. We had all the comforts of home ♥

 

 The weekend consisted of lots of R&R.  We played games, watched TV ( I watched a whole season of The Tudors), drank tea, and ate way too much! I was literally in my slippers for three days : ) But isn't that what you are supposed to on vacation??! It was a lovely get-a-way that was much needed and deserved by all of us.  We also stopped at this really neat 50's diner for lunch on the way home.  Let me take you back in time for a minute....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I took more pictures of the inside, but unfortunately they didn't come out very well. It was too dark : ( What you missed was a long counter with red stools, Coke-A-Cola signs, and vintage photos all along the walls.  There was also a punched tin ceiling and a black and white checkered floor. It was a really cool place!  Check out my Instagram for a few more photos that didn't make it onto the blog. PS - The food was great too!! ~

 

 While I was away I was thinking of something yummy to make for us this week.  Rice pudding has been on my mind for a while now.  It's so warm and comforting and it's the kind of treat that makes you feel cozy no matter where you are or what time of day it is.  Perfect! Since I feel a touch of a cold coming on I knew this is exactly what I need. Even better, when I got home I discovered that I had all the ingredients right in the pantry.  Sweet! No need to make an extra trip to the market.  Let's get to work....

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's what you need:

3/4 cup white rice
2 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
 cinnamon for dusting

 

 

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil.  Stir in rice.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and summer for 20 minutes.

 

 

 

♥  waiting is the worst part..... ♥
 

Combine cooked rice with 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar, and salt.  Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 - 20 minutes.  Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk and beaten egg.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter and vanilla. 

 

 

Scoop into individual serving bowls and sprinkle with cinnamon (as much as you like!). 

 

 

 

 

I like to eat my rice pudding warm, but it's also delicious cold.  

 

 

 

I put this creamy rice pudding in the same category as hot cereal, oatmeal, and tapioca.  It's something I love to eat in the early morning hours, when it's cold and dark out.  I don't know why.  I just makes me feel good ♥

Have you been leaf peeping yet this season?  If so, where? I love hearing your stories!