What Brought Me Joy in September
Well, I think it’s safe to say that September was by far the best month of the year so far. We had my birthday, Corey’s birthday, we’re fully in the swing of school…
Oh, and we went to Disney World.
When I tell you that was the most magical and joyful week of my life…my goodness. What an experience. We cannot wait to go back – we’ve got our trip for next September booked already, and I’d be lying if I said we weren’t trying to figure out how to squeeze in a second trip next year.
This month definitely flew by – maybe it’s because we were gone for 8 days, but I was shocked at how quickly it went. We watched a ton of football, decorated for Halloween, fell into a really comfortable school rhythm, and just generally had a perfect kickoff to the best time of the year.
Moments + Memories
- Every single moment of our Disney World trip is one I never want to forget. It was genuinely the most wonderful vacation we’ve ever taken, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve poured over the photos and relived the trip. You can click here to see our trip recap, click here for our best tips & tricks, and click here for all the things we packed and wore!
- Corey and I have still been having a ton of fun building LEGO sets together. This month, we built Gringott’s and it was definitely the most elaborate set we’ve done yet! It was a blast, and it’s definitely become our go-to activity to relax together at night.
- We kicked off our Halloween bucket list and started enjoying a ton of seasonal activities. Watched a few scary movies, made some Halloween-themed treats, wore our skeleton pjs, you know, the usual!
- We got to celebrate Corey’s birthday on the first day of our Disney trip (so special!), and on mine, I got to relax all day and then go see a movie with Parisa in the evening. They were both pretty perfect!
Books + Media
Here’s a rundown of everything I read and watched this month:
- The Every by Dave Eggers – This is the sequel to The Circle, which I read in August. It was definitely enjoyable, and I think it was worth reading! Once again, I found myself frustrated (and rolling my eyes a bit) at the chaos that unfolded without anyone being worried at all. But, it’s definitely one I’d recommend!
- The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton – This book was so beautifully-written. It’s heartbreaking and compelling and fascinating. It wasn’t what I expected when I started it, but I went in a little blind, so I was pleasantly surprised. I really, really enjoyed it!
- We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han – This is the third book in the series and at this point I was honestly just reading to be able to say I had finished it. It was my least favorite of the three books and I found myself so annoyed with just about everyone in the book. I know it’s a really beloved series so this might be controversial, but I don’t think I’d recommend it!
- Good As Gone by Amy Gentry – I had high hopes for this book because it sounded right up my alley, but in the end it was just okay. The main character is really not very likable (in fact, I downright didn’t like her for most of the book), and it wasn’t as compelling or exciting as many other books I’ve read in this genre.
- A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas – After not loving several of the books I read this month, this was like a little balm for my soul. I’ve been re-reading this series for a few months now and this is the last book in the series (so far). I had only read this one once when it first came out, so it was really fun to read it a second time. It’s a lot, um, spicier than I remembered, though! The story is so great, and I love basically everything Sarah J. Maas writes!
In terms of television, Corey and I have been watching (and loving!) New Amsterdam, along with a few classic Halloween movies. I went to see A Haunting in Venice for my birthday (it was good!), and have been having a blast re-watching the Final Destination movies. I also started the newest season of American Horror Story and so far I’m LOVING it.
Mine + Jackson’s Pajamas | Grant’s Pajamas
Games
I’m a little shocked to say we hardly played any games this month! Between our big trip, getting back into the swing of school, and adjusting to the school year schedules, it just didn’t happen.
Here’s what we did play:
- Mexican Train Dominos – we pull this out regularly when my parents are over and it’s always a blast.
- Draftosaurus – I played this with the boys one day after school and we had so much fun. It’s one that Grant can keep up with, and he even beat me!
Products
- I ordered these sneakers at the last minute for our Disney trip and I was so (SO!) glad I did. They were incredible comfortable and cute, and I’ve been wearing them a ton at home, too. The price can’t be beat!
- Speaking of sneakers – Parisa got me these for my birthday after finding out I’ve wanted some for over a year. They make me so happy, and I’ve worn them almost every day since I got them.
- I saw this fidget ring on a friend on Instagram and I immediately hit order. I have worn it every single day since I got it, and it’s so great. I mess with it a lot when I’m feeling fidgety or anxious, and it’s nice to have somewhere to channel the energy. It’s really cute, too!
- I’ve been looking for some good, classic button downs to add to my closet for fall. I love how versatile they are – they look great layered over a dress or tank, but I also love them alone. I grabbed this plain white one and this striped one. They’re both perfect and I can already tell they’ll be some of my most frequently-worn pieces this fall. A note: I went up a size in both for a more oversized fit!
- I spent a lot of time last year searching for the perfect comfy mules. I never landed on anything great…until this month! I got these and I am in love. They’re comfortable, just the right balance between casual and dressy, and they’ll go with anything.
- And finally, I ordered these faux mums for our front porch because I love the look of mums but I always kill them immediately. These look SO realistic and beautiful. One set was perfect for a large planter, and I’ll never have to kill a mum again.
And that’s a wrap on September. Spooky season is REALLY starting now, and I’m so excited!
Want to catch up? Here’s what’s been bringing me joy all year long.