10 Things That Happened in October

Well, as usual, I blinked and another month went by. I’m partially feeling incredibly sad because I adore October and I’m not ready to say goodbye, but I’m also thrilled because I get to put up my Christmas tree soon!

I know I sound like a broken record here, but I can’t emphasize enough how much pure, unadulterated joy this time of year brings me. I love every second of it. Although, I’ll be honest, I’d love it a little more if it wasn’t still hitting nearly 90-degrees every day here in Texas. Fall should not be a time for sweating!

But, the weather-people are finally promising cooler temperatures on the horizon, so I’ll just be over here in my sweater with the AC cranked as low as it’ll go until it’s cool enough to venture back outside.

Let’s recap October, shall we?

10 Things That Happened in October

• We went all in on Halloween. We did all the stuff – the pumpkin patch, Pumpkin Nights, the scary movies, decorating Halloween cookies…you name it, we did it. I love that these last few months of the year lend themselves so well to tradition, and I always look forward to doing all of our favorites. Fair warning, I only get more obnoxious about traditions as we approach the end of the year. I’m not even sorry.
• I practiced slowing down. Every year around this time, I start to yearn for a lighter workload. A shorter to-do list. More time focused on the here and now and less time worrying about planning for the future. As an Enneagram 1 who considers my planner one of the few things I’d grab from my house in a fire, this isn’t easy for me. But, every year I get a little better at it and I’m taking it particularly seriously this year. I got this book to help me make a few changes, and I’m really excited to see where it leads me.
• We talked a lot about failure (in a good way!). One thing we’ve been working on a lot lately in my house is being okay with mistakes and failure. My oldest kiddo has a really hard time with this (and, let’s be honest, so do I), so we’ve been practicing making failure less scary. I talked about it quite a bit on Instagram and heard from many of you who said it’s something you struggle with too. Our culture really values perfectionism and making life look like you’ve got it all together all the time. But, none of us do! And, if there was ever a time to be gentle with ourselves, it’s the holiday season.
• I discovered disco balls. I made this disco ball witch cauldron last year, but this year was the first time I set it in a spot where it gets direct sun each day. I don’t even know how to express to you how much joy it brings me to see the sparkles that get thrown all over my living room every day. I shared a video, but honestly it’s so much more magical in person. I think disco balls are a must in my decor moving forward.
• We started to (slowly) think about Christmas. Every year I declare I’m not nearly ready for Christmas in October, and every year the idea sloooooowly gains traction until we get to this week and I’m thinking about it on a daily basis. I started doing some online shopping (I want everything on this list, and I already ordered two of these guys for the porch) and I’m planning a few projects that I can’t wait to dive into. Oh, and I’ve been prepping the gift guides – they’re all getting shared next week for those of you who shop early like me!

• I found a new obsession. During Prime Big Deal Days, I finally pulled the trigger on a walking pad after wanting one for over a year. Honestly, I thought I might use it a few times a week at most and was worried about where I’d store it. But, I quickly became obsessed. It now lives in my bedroom at our desk and I use it every single day for at least 30 minutes or so, but often a lot longer. I think it’s going to be particularly nice to have as we head into the winter months and I’m less inclined to get outside for walks!
• We began the season of traditions. I’ve already touched on this, but it bears repeating: we are huge on traditions in my family this time of year! It starts in October and runs through the end of the year and it brings me an immense amount of joy. If you want to follow along and get inspiration for making the holidays special in your home too, I highly recommend keeping up with my Instagram stories!
• I read a lot of Stephen King. I wanted to lean into some spookier books for the Halloween season, and King is always my go-to! He’s been a favorite of mine since I first read The Shining in high school, and I find myself coming back to him often. I absolutely loved this book that felt like an instant classic, and this collection of short stories was chilling in the best way. This one absolutely broke my heart, and I ended the month with this terrifying book his son wrote.
• We sold our patio furniture! Next week I’m embarking on a FULL OVERHAUL of our back patio, and it’s long overdue. It’s currently sitting mostly empty as I’ve been slowly selling things off. I’m really excited to get started and share more details about this project, but the bottom line is I think it’s going to be a lot more functional for our family.
• We voted. And, perhaps the most important thing that happened this month, we voted. I don’t talk about politics much on any of my platforms because, frankly, the hateful messages that result from those conversations can really disrupt my ability to be a present and joyful mom for my kids. But, this is one of those times where it’s worth speaking up. Please make sure you vote. And when you do, please take a moment to consider what kind of future you want for our country. Is it one where hateful, mean-spirited messages and rhetoric are celebrated? Because that’s what’s at stake here in this particular election. I don’t care what your politics are – we might have different opinions on tax codes, environmental law, or the best way to help improve the economy. And all that’s fine. But what I don’t think is fine is giving power to darkness. When we elect officials who constantly say blatantly racist things, have no respect for women, and whose past administration officials say is a danger to our democracy, we co-sign being okay with all of those things. And I truly and deeply hope that as a country we decide we aren’t okay with those things. Even if it means you have to vote for someone who doesn’t align with your politics. Because at this point, I think we’ve gone beyond politics. There is so much more at stake here.

10 Favorite Things from October

1. This cozy plaid shacket. I have been eyeing it since last fall but I never grabbed it until now. I’ve already worn it a few times and the temperature hasn’t even dipped below 85 yet, so I think it’s safe to say it’ll be used a lot!
2. I snagged these magnetic measuring spoons and I’m in love. With my old set, I could never find what I needed and my spoons were always in chaos. I also love that these are double-sided, and one of the sides is narrow enough to fit into my spice jars!
3. I got this book to have a conversation with Jackson about Santa, and ohhhh boy, it was perfect. I was really nervous that this year he’d have a traumatic moment finding out the truth, so I wanted to take control of things. I’m really glad I did, and this book made the conversation feel really special. It said exactly what I wanted to, in words I couldn’t find on my own.
4. I had been wanting a new purse for a little while, so I grabbed this purse on a whim. I love it. It’s the perfect size, a beautiful color, and I heard from a few people who have had it for years and swear it holds up great!
5. I spent a lot of time looking for the perfect plain black shirt and this is it. It’s fitted without being too tight (so many of the ones I tried were uncomfortable!) and I think it’ll be a staple in my closet for layering this fall and winter. I need to grab it in white, too!
6. We discovered this card game and can’t stop playing it. I love that we can play a round or two between dinner and bath time, and all four of us can play it. It’s hard to find games that Grant understands that are actually fun for the rest of us, but this one fits the bill perfectly.
7. After years of only using Shape Tape concealer, I was starting to feel frustrated with how it was sitting in all of the fine lines starting to form on my face (getting old is fun!). I switched to this one, and it’s a game changer for me!
8. I bought a set of 16 mini bowls because I constantly find myself reaching for a small bowl for sauce or a snack and I didn’t have enough. This is one of those tiny things that makes a big difference in my day-to-day!
9. Apparently, clogs are back and I jumped on the trend. Again, it’s not even cold here yet and I’ve worn them a lot. I used to be a huge fan of these shoes in high school and college so it feels a little silly to be wearing them again, but I’ve gotta admit, I think they’re pretty cute.
10. And finally, I grabbed this set of earrings because I wanted to have a little more variety, and they couldn’t be more perfect. I keep things really simple with my earrings and these are absolutely beautiful and go with anything!

And with that, it’s a wrap on October! Here we come, Christmas season!