I'm a wife, stay-at-home mom, crafter, and blogger living in rural New England. As seen in Martha Stewart Living, Food Network Magazine, and more! | Tutorials, DIY, crafts, parenting tips, recipes, money saving tips, product reviews, local product features, New England living, intentional living, and more! |
Those iconic L.L. Bean Boots - everybody's wearing them and everybody wants them, but sometimes they can be hard to find! They often go through periods of being backordered so I’d recommend buying early in the season so you don't risk having to wait. But before you order, be sure to read our review because there's some things you should definitely know first! | This post contains affiliate links |
Sizing
The sizing for
L.L. Bean's "Bean Boots" is definitely kind of tricky and I'd highly recommend trying them on in-store before purchasing, even if you're going to order them online (though, L.L. Bean does have a great return/exchange policy if you do end up ordering the wrong size online). Bean Boots only come in whole sizes and run BIG. For example, I typically wear a size 8-8.5 shoe but in Bean Boots I'm a size 7 and they still feel quite roomy. Keep in mind too if you typically wear a very small women's size shoe, you may need to check out the kid's sizes if you're unable to size down anymore in women's. When trying on the boots make sure to wear what kind of socks you're planning on using them with (whether it's regular thin socks or
thick ragg socks ), to get a better idea of the fit.
Women's Bean Boots come in two different rises too - 6" rise or 8" rise. Try both on to see what's more comfortable and what style you like better. I personally prefer the 8" rise - here in New England it's a bit more practical with the deeper snow in the winter and I also feel like it's the more classic style.
During Fall and Winter when there's a big rush on Bean Boots and it may be very difficult to find the exact style and size you want in-store or even online. You may need to shop around a bit to find what you're looking for.. or wait for your backordered item to come in. L.L. Bean Outlet stores can be a great resource too! Boots and other items that were ordered online and returned often end up at the outlets - and at a discount to boot! (Ha, couldn't pass up a boot pun.) In fact, I got my Bean Boots for 40% off at the outlets - now that's a great deal!
One thing to keep in mind about outlet shopping is that they will likely have a large selection of bigger sizes of Bean Boots, and less of the smaller sizes... this is because so many people mistakenly order their normal size without realizing how big they run. When I bought my Bean Boots at the Outlets, they had tons of sizes 8, 9, and 10 - and the ones I bought were literally the very last pair of size 7's.
If you decide to purchase your Bean Boots online, keep in mind that coupons or regular L.L. Bean sales may not apply to them because they're such a popular item - you may have better luck earning some rebate money back on your purchase with a program like
Rakuten (formerly called Ebates). L.L. Bean also has a great return and exchange policy, so if you buy online and it doesn't fit quite right, you should have no trouble exchanging for another size (just make sure to keep your reciept/packing slip for proof of purchase).
Styling
What doesn't go with Bean Boots? Seriously - just about anything goes with them (I've even seen people wear them to their wedding!). But really you can't go wrong with some fitted jeans, ragg socks, and a cozy pullover. I've linked to some of my favorite L.L. Bean looks below and all would look great paired with Bean Boots.
It's almost that time! Are you ready for back to school yet? I've put together a list of some of my favorite Amazon back-to-school finds for all ages and grade levels. | This post contains affiliate links |
The Fryeburg Fair in Fryeburg, Maine has been around since 1851 and while our family hasn't been going quite that long, it is long-standing tradition to go every year and we love it. Why is it so great? Well let me share why we love it so much.
History
In our technology-driven world today, it's easy to take for granted things like power tools, heavy machinery, grocery stores, and easily accessible information. But back in the day, everything you owned and everything you ate came from your own two hands. If you couldn't build it, grow it, or fix it you weren't going to make it. Ingenuity and hard work is what you survived on.
At Fryeburg, they do a wonderful job showcasing and honoring the past with great museums full of old tools, working "one-lunger" engines that can run anything from an apple sauce maker to a wood splitter, Loretta's Kitchen (a working old-fashioned kitchen), blacksmiths, and more.
In the event you see kids carrying around a length of heavy chain at the fair, don't worry - they didn't break out of jail. The blacksmiths have a great tradition of making a chain link for kids when they come to the fair and every year they can add another link to their chain.
Livestock
What's a fair without animals? Well you're in luck, because Fryeburg has lots. Horses, oxen, dairy and meat cows, chickens of all kinds, goats, pigs, rabbits, and more. It's always fun to see all the different types of animals and watch the competitions.
This horse has a better hair than me. So not fair.
Entertainment
Throughout the week, there is always awesome live entertainment scattered throughout the grounds but a great perk of the fair is the headliner shows put on almost every evening. These shows are often big names and admission is included with your entry fee to the fair that day (just get to the show early to claim a good seat).
This year we saw Brothers Osborne play and it was a lot of fun to see a band you hear on the radio in person, just wish my cell phone took better photos from a distance ;)
Brothers Osborne warming up.
Family (of course!)
The biggest thing we love about the fair is spending time with loved ones and seeing our little one enjoy and appreciate the animals, the fun, and the history (even if she might not understand it all just yet). Both of our families come from a long line of farmers and woodsmen and that's a heritage we don't want to forget about.
It may not be Fall right now but that doesn't mean we can't still enjoy yummy apple baked goods! This recipe is for a soft-baked cookie - lightly spiced and not too sweet, just perfect. Besides, it's my Grandma's recipe so you know it has to be good.
Now I never actually met my Grandma Dot - she passed away before I was born. But from the stories I’ve heard she was a hard worker, very outspoken, and feisty. Whenever I make these cookies I think of her and am honored to carry on a piece of her. We make these cookies pretty regularly throughout the year, especially when we get together with family (they are my Dad’s favorite cookies).
Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture. Fold in 1 1/2 cups diced raw, unpeeled apples, coated with 1 tbsp brown sugar. (I usually chop my apples a little on the bigger side.) Dough will be crumbly. Drop by small teaspoons full and BAKE at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
These cookies are best enjoyed the same day you make them; they tend to get soggy the longer they sit because of the moisture in the apples. Usually they're gobbled up fast though, so this generally isn't an issue.
As you know, I'm all for shopping small and shopping local. But sometimes you just gotta be frugal too. These fashionable boot cuffs are crazy-cheap and a great deal wether you're buying one for yourself, a few stocking stuffers for your family and friends, or if you're looking for a little gift to get everyone in your department at work. Please note, prices on Amazon are subject to change. Prices mentioned in this post are what the product was listed at at the time of purchase. | This post contains affiliate links |
So where did I find these super-cute boot cuffs? Believe it or not - Amazon. Since we live over an hour from big box stores, Amazon has become our go-to for paper towels, cereal, and all the other pricey grocery basics. Lately I've also been turning to them for clothing and accessory needs rather then hoping in the car with the little one and making the long trip to the store.
While browsing Amazon for stocking stuffers several weeks ago I came across these amazingly cute (and cheap!) boot cuffs. I decided to order some to check them out in person but underestimated how long it would take to ship and they arrived after Christmas. Since they come directly from the manufacturer/distributor (overseas), it can take up to 1-2 months to arrive - so be sure to plan (way) ahead.
The first pair I tried were these cute knitted grey cuffs with lace and button detail. I loved the look and color of these and thought they looked great with my boots. However, I felt as though they were pretty tight. I have large calves and these just fit over my leggings - they certainly wouldn't fit over my jeans unfortunately.
These cuffs come in 6 colors and most are only $2.30/pair! They are not Prime eligible but shipping is very cheap as well.
The other pair I tried were these pretty white lace cuffs. These were super-stretchy and would fit most people with no problem. Adding this touch of lace is a great way to dress up just about any outfit!
These cuffs come in 12 different colors so you can match every outfit you own and only cost $0.87/pair - yes, really!! They aren't Prime-eligible either but shipping is very inexpensive.
While all the cuffs had some loose strings that needed to be trimmed and they didn't come in any kind of packaging to speak of, I was still really satisfied with the look and the quality of the cuffs. If you were to give them out as gifts, I would just recommend trimming the loose strings first and either wrapping them or rolling them and tying with a ribbon for better presentation.
This is one of my favorite hearty side dishes for anytime of year, though it probably is best suited for Fall. Very quick and easy to put together too! | This post contains affiliate links |
I call it my Harvest Side Dish because it's basis is Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend. I'm a huge fan of this mix, even on it's own. It makes a great side to dinner any night of the week and adding some of my favorite fall foods in there just makes it even more harvest-y (that's a word, right?).
Harvest Side Dish
Prep time 10 mins | Cook time 25 mins | Serves up to 8
Ingredients
1/2 a package of Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend (if not available you can substitute a mix of Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa, totaling 1 1/4 cups)
1 small onion
1 apple
1 package of apple chicken sausage
1/2 tsp sage
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cook Harvest Grains Blend (or your substitution) according to package directions.
While that's cooking, cut up sausage and onion and saute in pan until cooked through, seasoning with sage, salt, and pepper. Add in chopped apples towards the end (I like them soft but not mushy).
Once all your cooked ingredients are finished, mix together in a large bowl and serve hot.
I've just listed these adorable gold-painted acorns in my Etsy Shop! These fallen New England acorns have been washed and oven dried before being painted a luxe gold. They come as a set of a dozen and the possibilities are endless with what you can do with them - vase fillers, adding finishing touches to centerpieces, place settings, crafts, and more!
I think they will look perfect on our Thanksgiving table! What would you use them for?
