End of October in Missoula, I swear.
I’ve said it here many times, getting out is our family’s reset button. If we are ever funky, agitated, overwhelmed we walk out the door. Sometimes it leads to an actual walk and sometimes, literally, we just walk out the door.
Sometimes I make us do it. It’s not always dreamy and cooperative. Like yesterday when my kids were just plain grumpy, me too. I think we all felt inconsolable and we pushed though, found matching shoes, sorted out who was wearing what hat, had a very long conversation about what dolls, rogue socks and necklaces should join us and stepped on out into…
And poof. Consolable. Thanks, Golden Nature.
My view from where Margot and Ruby buried me in the boulevard.
We are off to really get out in it, down the Big Hole Valley, one of my favorite places to be in fall. We go every year with a group of friends and we always camp but this year, with temps projected to be in the low 20s tonight and one particular Ruby who thinks a sleeping pad makes a better trampoline than bed, we got a dumpy little room. I feel a little lame about it but I think I’ll feel really great about it at 5am when the men take off to stand in frigid water with trout and the girls and I roll out of bed, bundle up and walk a few minutes to the campfire.
Speaking of bundling up, today I bring you a special giveaway from sponsor Melody Joy 1983! You know I love the cowls homegirl makes (seen below) and you, dearest, could win one, or anything that strikes your fancy from her shop. Just leave a comment and a winner will be randomly selected next Tuesday, November 1 (also, free shipping coupon code: DIGSFREESHIPPING).
Two of the 29 photos Margot took of me. Another here.
What are you up to this weekend?
:: :: ::
154 Comments
Wow. Those photos make my heart hurt – so beautiful. I love the cowl. Here in Atlanta it’s only cold enough for scarves/cowls for about 4 weeks a year, but I pile them on when I can!
Great images–such vivid colors. Thank you for sharing your world with us. Love the cowl.
Oh! That cowl looks just lovely with all those leaves. Leaves really are a great accessory. :). I will be catching up on sleep after sewing costumes until 2am, so worth it… Happy weekend!
Her cowls are truly beautiful! So are those leaves!
🙂
Wow! Great photos! Love the colors and that cowl 🙂
Happy weekend!
I am partial to the golden leaves too. Every Fall I thank myself for buying a house by a park! Nature puts on a wonderous show time of year 🙂
Gosh, those leaves are wonderful! I can almost smell the crisp cool air! We actually have NO PLANS this weekend and it couldn’t feel better…my brother got married last weekend and leading up to that has been so busy. We are ready for a break so it should be nice and relaxing!
I was drooling over melodyjoy’s handmades yesterday trying to decide which one. I’m in love with your photos of fall…wow!
It really is so nice in Missoula right now. I love all the golden leaves. Beautiful photos!
I just order one and Im hopping foot to foot and bouncing from side to side with my little twin ladies waiting for the order to arrive. Now to see I could maybe get another?!?!
Well the three of us here will need to come up with another dance dance.
LOVE the photos, looking forward to next fall when my little twins are running around and find the same aw looking at the fall colors here on the Olympic Pennisula as I do. Till then I have one little lady who will do a mad crawl to any dog toy in sight, and her twin who longs to just stand….then bounce.
The cowls are beautiful! Fall and winter are my favorite time of year, I never want to rake up those beautiful leaves.
Beautiful fall! The fall colors were slow to arrive here in Western Washington this year, but man, some of the maples take my breath away!
Beautiful colors! After a couple deep freezes, our leaves are muted brown here in Helena. Amazing what a few miles can do. Enjoy weekend adventures, stay warm!
Very nice cowl! I want one.
I love the cowls!!
Margot’s got some camera skills. Wow, Montana’s Fall colors are amazing. The color around you is incredible. LOVE your cowl, and of course your girls…
Okay, no offense to Melody Joy 1983 but I think the leaves in this post are more beautiful than the cowl. However, the cowl is very complimentary:)
The leaves are gorgeous! Our leaves here in Denver are wet following the 6 inches of snow on Wednesday. Warm weather predicted this weekend so hopefully we can get out and roll around in the leaves too!
“Give me cowls or give me death!” – Col. Mustard…. or was it Custard?
Fall is my favorite time of year. Your pictures (and Margot’s) capture the season perfectly!
I have such warm and wonderful memories of fall in Missoula. Your photos help remind me of why… Golden foliage, frigid post-run dips in Rattlesnake Creek. I always long to return during this season!
love the leaves, love the cowl, and love your blog! 🙂
love the leaves, love the cowl, and love your blog! 🙂
love the leaves, love the cowl, and love your blog! 🙂
love the leaves, love the cowl, and love your blog! 🙂
love the leaves, love the cowl, and love your blog! 🙂
Can you believe the weather this fall? Margot’s shot on Facebook is my favorite!
Yes, please! I went in search of knitting needles after perusing her shop via your recent post. I lost one in the (thrift) store, courtesy of the 2 year old zebra in my cart, but I found a great green skirt, and now, perhaps I shall win a cowl instead!
It looks just like this in MN! This fall has been the most beautiful on record. And I’m certain I say that every year!
Those leaves are beautiful! So vibrant! I agree that just getting the heck outside is the best cure for a grumpy little one. The cowl is lovely – I’d love to snuggle up in one of those!
Those leaves amd colors just make me want to smile and cry at the same time.
The first picture took my breath away. Splendid!
amazing leaves. the trees here have already turned and i live in a big city so no jumping in piles for me, but these pictures made me remember burying my mom in leaves when i was little 🙂
Great picks! Fall is my favorite season.
Awesome pics..I love the ones Margot took. It is always so nice to look at the pis my 3 year old takes, such a different point of view 🙂
Love the cowl! Learned how to crochet some last year, but still can’t figure out the knitting. Some day. Gorgeous fall colors out there in Minnesota. Should’ve enjoyed ours here in New England a bit more now that there’s SNOW on the way tomorrow! So much for jumping in the leaves. Looks like we’ll be jumping in snow instead. 😉
ive always wanted one of melodys cowls! thatd be real nice in these frigid himalayas…
ive always wanted one of melodys cowls! thatd be real nice in these frigid himalayas…
ive always wanted one of melodys cowls! thatd be real nice in these frigid himalayas…
ive always wanted one of melodys cowls! thatd be real nice in these frigid himalayas…
ive always wanted one of melodys cowls! thatd be real nice in these frigid himalayas…
It’s beautiful there, perfect weather of hibernating and baking comfort foods!
We are home visiting Missoula this week! So glad I’m getting to see the fall colors. Love the cowl!
It was raining leaves yesterday. Fall is so spectacular. =) Love it!
ARE YOU FOR REAL?! Those leaves are making me swoon over here! Unbelievable vibrancy!
This weekend we have gymnastics, a Halloween birthday party, and playdates nestled in between some family time. Should be a busy one!
I LOVE your blog~ I live in Bozeman, and I just had my first baby, a little girl named Fern and I read your blog for creative inspiration. I have found I have a hard time coming up with my own creativity these day (thinking its from lack of sleep:)) so I go to your blogs to refresh my mind, Thank you so much for all the inspiration:)
to say i’ve been pining for a cowl would be an understatement. with a baby due in 5 1/2 weeks (um, what?!? holy cow!) a cowl would be a great alternative to trying to finangle a scarf and a newborn at the same time!!
so much yellow!
Those leaves are gorgeous!!! And I’m from the Northeast, so I’m used to lots of colored leaves, but I’ve never seen so many brilliant yellows all together, what beauty! This does motivate me to get out and rake up a pile for my little one though 🙂
Beautiful leaves, beautiful photos, beautiful family. I planned on taking baby-amongst-the-leaves photos today or this weekend but we got snow last night here in upstate NY. Instead I got baby-eating-snow-for-the-first-time shots. They’re pretty nice, too. 😉
Your pictures are beautiful! Love the cowl on you…looks fantastic is all the fall colored leaves. Fingers crossed…
Oh how lovely the colors of your town. Here it has frozen too many times for the leaves to hold any color. All we get is a muddy looking set of leaves. I guess your end of October looks a little like our end of September. A cowl would add some color to our dreary fall.
Oh how I need a cowl!
This weekend includes seeing some plays, securing a new winter coat, and hoarding whatever pumpkin ale I can still get my hands on! I need to start a movement that pumpkin ale should last through Thanksgiving!
Amazing fall foliage! We’re having a pretty kickass fall here, too, in Tennessee. Such a wonderful little piece of time when the outdoors calms you like a warm sweater!
Hosting my dad for the weekend to celebrate! Off to an old fashioned Halloween party/parade downtown. Can’t wait to see a 3 yo bob for an apple!
That carpet of leaves – Alex would want to make a yellow brick road with them. Dreamy.
Happy weekending!
Jennifer
This California girl is missing the colors of fall in Montana (but not the temps!). Love that Cowl, especially the buttons!
What beautiful fall pics! And there’s nothing more fun than playing in a pile of leaves with a couple of kiddos! Love the cowl!
beautiful! you can’t beat fall : )
Hi Nici! Wow looks like you guys are having a gorgeous fall… Fall has been nice here in Oregon too – not much rain at all and I feel like it’s a “perfect game” you know when the commentators don’t talk about it while it’s happening so as not to jinx it. Miss you and thanks for the beautiful images! Cat
love that cowl!!
love your daughter’s photo skills…i’ll need to teach mine soon so there is actually photo documentation of mama!
Fall, truly is the best season! Stunning photos!
My, what beautiful trees you have. Jealous.
The cowl’s are very nice…would be great in the soon-to-be Michigan winter!
Got our first freeze in Ohio- would love one of those cowls!
I was just looking at those cowls from your other post, I love them!!!
I can’t believe how vibrant the leaves are!!
I would love to get my hands on a cowl (or a pile of those leaves!). Keeping my fingers crossed that Tuesday will be my lucky day!
Love what you said about your “reset button” — in my family, when we started to get funky/weird/crabby, we called it “getting house head” and the cure was to go outside, too! To this day, if I don’t get fresh air at some point, I don’t feel like myself.
And thanks so much for the giveaway — I am obsessed with Melody Joy’s shop!
I love the gorgeous leaves and the fact that you were romping in them with your sweet girls. I also love the cowl…here’s hopin’ Tuesday is my lucky day!
XOXO,
Angie from Ohio
neck cowls! oh, i hope it’s me!
also, love the leaves. we just raked all ours up-no more jumping 🙁
The color of those leaves just slays me. And your photography does them great justice.
(those cowls look super cozy too…)
Golden nature looks food on you!
Love, Zamma
No fair! We have leaves, but more brown than beautiful…I’m hoping they dry out enough to play in them soon! I love love your blog. Keep it up!
Beautiful Missoula! It is sweater and scarf season! Love this time 🙂
Those Cowls are just to die for! How stinking cute!
That is awesome and very pretty! I love that the kids bury you in the leaves, what fun.
So beautiful! I love the green cowl.
I sat down to read this… and burnt the shit out of our grilled cheese sandwiches. Today, I could cry over it. Instead I will follow your lead and get out the door instead. I could so use the cowl for the cold and wet walk!
I was thinking of those cowls this morning when I just wanted to bundle up in a warm sweater. Beautiful pictures, too!
So amazing beautiful! Those leaves make me feel happy to be alive!
We are very much the same way! Any type of funk we were in goes away as soon as we step foot outside in the beautiful Colorado landscape we are refreshed! Happy Fall!
Those fall colors!!! So jealous… we live in the rainforest, so there is not much golden around these parts. And although I love the GREEN this rainforest provides us year round, not much variety to scratch the itch this gemeni girl needs to distinguish the CHANGE in seasons.
Oh, and all that rain and damp and cold I live with almost ALL YEAR ROUND… I need me one of those cowls. Here, I can sport it 10 months out of the year:)
One more time! I think that all my comments don’t show up. I never check to see if they do but now I’ve posted two times and don’t see anything (now 3). Oh, well. Guess I’m not meant to get the cowl neck!
THE leaves are GLORIOUS! AS are my granddaughters, you, Alice And the cowls! Have a great weekend sweetie!
xoxo
Oh I was totally going to buy one of these cowls the other day. I actually saw the add on your page a while back and took a peek at her site. I LOVE them. I love this wine color http://www.etsy.com/listing/82109315/claret-cowl-with-tree-buttons and the green one you have! Beauties.
Also, your girls look so lovely with the fall colors. But they look lovely always, so what’s new?
Those trees are AMAZING. We have nice autumn colours here in Toronto, but not THAT good. Also, those cowls look super comfy 🙂
I love fall in Montana. Missoula has been glorious this month! Thanks for the beautiful post! Love the cowl!
We are Midwestern folk, but our outside world is our reset button, too. Thank god for reset buttons with young kids!
Love the cowl!
I am over in Moscow, Idaho so I am loving this Northwest fall as well! Great pictures – this weekend will be a great one full of treats, friends, laughter, and cozying up watching scary movies!
Love the pictures!! What a great day!
I love the pictures! What wonderful Fall leaves. I hope I can win a scarf to go with them!
,,,the sea of yellow, golden and red is beautiful,,,margot did a fine job of taking your portrait,,,being outdoors is the perfect pick.me.up!,,,oh happy weekend!,,,
Mmmmm…love these fall photos! It’s a similar sight on the street where we live 🙂
I wore my first sweater today…a cowl would top it off nicely! They are sooo gorgeous! I took a peek the other day and added several of her items to my Christmas wish list. Love.them.
Looks like you’re wearing a super cute outfit in the last pic :).
Happy End of October,
Kelly
My town, Palouse (WA), puts on Haunted Palouse. We convert our museum and old jail into haunted houses, we also have a haunted hay ride and fortune telling and every half hour zombies come out of the crowd and do the Thriller dance. This started out so small years ago and last year we make 45,000 $. So this weekend I will be trying to scare the bajeezes out of unsuspecting victims… 🙂 Come on over!!
those are some *delicious* colors!
Oh my. What rich, wonderful colors. All of our leaves are gone. Windy, windy! Enjoy!!
Absolutely amazing leaf pictures! Makes me wan to hand the camera over to my 4 yr old once in awhile!
Yay for fall! We love fall in Maine too, wouldn’t change it for the world. Pictures are beautiful, Margot is quite the little photographer!
We just had a hard frost here in Wyoming and the leaves just fell off the trees in one day….So sad to see them go, they were beautiful while they lastes. I love all the bright colors, enjoy your weekend!
Well, here in Calgary, Alberta, we could pretty much wear cowls/scarves twelve months a year. Okay, I’m exaggerating, but not by much!
The leaves in your photos are just like the ones up here in Ontario!! Fall is my favorite season.. the colours, the smells (baking, woodstoves), the freshness, the festivities…
Your photos remind me of my little sister and I when we were little kids in Autumn, right down to the sweaters and smiles!!
Another great post 🙂 HAPPY FALL!!!
Absolutely gorgeous leaves… oh how I miss having FOUR seasons! Silly California has only two… wet & dry. Love the cowls… so cozy… will inspire winter dreams tonight!
Happy weekend.
xo
Kate
What an insanely gorgeous fall out your way! We were robbed of color over here in the Berkshires this season…too much rain. And apparently, we’ll be welcoming a foot of snow tomorrow! Stay warm out there!
Beautiful. every nook and cranny.
Glad you are soaking it up.. the fall goodness.
Man, those yellow leaves… I do love some fall color.
I have a cowl by her left up in a tab that I really want to buy for my sister for Christmas, so getting it as a prize would do me just fine. My poor, battered Christmas budget would be alright with it, too, but either way, I’m taking advantage of that shipping and the fact that I can crochet, but stink at knitting.
Haven’t been on here in a while, envious of your leaves and cowl!
I haven’t seen leaves that consistently yellow for a long time. We tend to get more of the red and burnt orange variety!
seriously, i am OB.SESSED with those cowls.
and those leaves??? ack. feeling like i should move to montana this weekend….
Kidlet Halloween Party! Super excited to see a bunch of one year olds dressed up and playing together. I won’t post photos probably til Wed (its happening tomorrow- YIKES WHY AM I AWAKE)
but if you want to glimpse cute dressed up babies here’s a link: http://www.scottnmary.com
SO wish we had goldeny leaves everywhere to go along with! Alas, its October on the Cali coast (which has it’s own perks, I know) but one side effect is that the temp changes from… 69 to 85 to 73. Ya. Kind of anticlimactic.
These photos make me homesick! I have been missing my Wisconsin autumn’s for the past 4 years (I hate living in the south!) I am lemming to buy one of those lush cowls! One of these and a winter vest and I’m all set for the winter! xx
Beautiful autumn colours and love that cowl – and wow Margot takes great photos too!
The colour in those photos are awesome. Just the other night I told my husband that I want to move from England to Montana.. Just because of your photos lol 🙂
I love your blog Nici, and your girls and our Missoula Fall has been exceptionally amazing this year. xo
A friend turned me on to your blog. I have really been enjoying your posts. There is nothing like Missoula in the fall. Your girls are adorable and your pictures are beautiful. I too am a Montana mother of two who enjoys blogging about the adventures of motherhood! Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Love the trees and the cowl is lovely. Crossing my fingers and my legs!
So gorgeous! I wish I did a better job of photojournalizing.
YOU’RE RIGHT ABOUT STEPPING OUT AND CHANGING THE MOOD. MONTANA IS ALWAYS GLORIOUS. ANY SEASON, ANY DAY..I’M SO GLAD I LIVE HERE.
I love the look of pure joy on your face. Stepping out always works for us too! Have a great weekend.
Love the cowl! It looks so fall and cozy!! However I am currently staring at 9 inches of snow burying my beautiful pumpkins here in NJ. Bye bye fall, it was too short 🙁
I can hear the leaves crunching in these pictures. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful photos, as always, Nici! I am crossing my fingers that I am the lucky cowl winner!
Wow, the cowl is a beauty! Those leaves and Margot’s eye are also wonderful!
Thanks for sharing.
If I don’t win the cowl, I think I’ll have to buy one anyway. One of my favorite things about fall/winter is getting to wear warm hand knit goodies.
Beautiful photos, love the cowl too!
Beautiful photos, love the cowl too!
Beautiful photos, love the cowl too!
Beautiful photos, love the cowl too!
Beautiful photos, love the cowl too!
Wow. Those leaves, and cowls, are amazing. Pick me!!
Any idea what kind that red tree is? My husband likey.
Gorgeous! Seasons, seasons, seasons, the beautiful changes and rhythms. I spent the weekend at my family’s annual “fall fling,” hanging out with all the women in my family, sharing recipes and exchanging gifts.
Great pictures! We have colors just like that here in Western Pennsylvania. Although, those colors were all covered with the white stuff yesterday!
Those cowls are awesome!
GORGEOUS colors!!!
Would love one of those cowls!! So beautiful!
Missoula and Vermont are kindred spirits–the colors soothe my soul. That cowl would be perfect here too. Thanks for the lovely photos.
Those colours are insane… It makes me want visit your gorgeous town to experience a real ‘fall’. So different to what we get here in Australia!
I want to win! I want to win! Pick me! Pick me! Bahaha 🙂 Love your blog, and totally agree that when the going gets tough, the tough go outside. Nature is always so humbling.healing.harmonious.hush now don’t cry. Bliss!
Love the cowl. Have been thinking of trying to make one myself, but this sounds so much better! 🙂
Stacey
Margot really captured you (what I know from reading your blog : )
I think I’d like to pass off the camera to my son (5 yrs) and see what perspective we get!
Love the cowls. perfect for our MN weather for the next 5 months!
Fall days are amazing! Our colors aren’t quite as bright this year in VA because of some ill-timed rain but lovely none-the-less. Hope to win an amazing cowl!
I am so impressed with Margot’s skills. And, yes, getting outside is so good for you! Since getting a dog in July 2010, we get out much more, usually to the gorgeous Minnehaha dog park. It completely transformed winter for us last year. A cowl would be a great way to keep warm in our Minnesota winters!
I LOVE your pictures! Not to mention seeing the cute outfits your littles are always wearing 🙂
Yes please! Love the cowl, it’s perfect for this time of year! xoxo
Gorgeous leaves, and I LOVE the cowl! Pick me pick me!!
Those cowls are awesome. She’s so talented!
Those cowls are awesome. She’s so talented!
Those cowls are awesome. She’s so talented!
Those cowls are awesome. She’s so talented!
Those cowls are awesome. She’s so talented!
Can a 50 something woman wear one of those cowls? I think they are fantastic! As is your blog and beautiful fall pictures!
I can smell the crispness of your fall just by looking at your photos! Beautiful!
P.S. a walk outside shimmies our grumpies away too- and with a nearly two year old who has found her voice…we are outside in cool Wisconsin a lot! Haha love it!
Great pics!
Would love a cowl this winter! Thanks for the opportunity to win. 😉
I can’t believe your leaves are so gorgeous already! Beautiful!
I am waiting and hoping for one of Melody’s slouchy hats!
i live in phx so those leaves look mighty magical to me!!! love the cowls!!!
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