If You Say Pumpkin Spice Three Times...

Ah, the first day of fall. (Or Autumn, whichever word you prefer to use.)

While the pumpkin spice latte has been here for a couple of weeks now, today is the official start of fall. 

And I'll admit it, I'm your basic white girl when it comes to fall. 

Yes, I love pumpkin spice lattes (and the salted caramel mocha! Seriously, you could argue it's even better then the PSL), scarves, boots, hoodies, warm leggings, and crunchy leaves. This has become a bit of a trope in the blog world, and on the Internet in general. We white girls in the suburbs love fall. 

Poke fun at it all you want, but all things fall are my guilty/not guilty pleasure. And why shouldn't they be? 

This is all of the awesome fall brings to the world:

- The extreme heat is gone. I HATE long summers and extreme heat. Having a bit of summer is fine where the temperatures get really high and you can wear tank tops and hit the pool/lake/beach a couple of times. But after that, I'm done. Heat is uncomfortable, sticky, gross, and you can only take off so many pieces of clothing to make yourself feel relief. In the fall? Just throw on a sweater and you're good. It's awesome being able to step outside and feel a crisp breeze instead of choking on humidity. 

- The clothes. I always love the idea of spring and summer clothing. The light colors and flowy tank tops and such. But in reality? I just look better in fall clothing. Bring on the rich dark colors, blue jeans, and scarves. I can rock those. And don't even get me started on how much I love my boots. 

- Fall means all of the best holidays and seasons are coming! (At least here... sorry Australia and the rest of the southern hemisphere. Spring brings the best holidays and seasons for you!) You got Halloween, NaNoWriMo, Thanksgiving, NaNoWriMo, Christmas is just around the corner, NaNoWriMo...

- Food. Along with the awesome holidays and such, you get great food. (Other than the drinks at Starbucks.) Also, soup! I love me some soup. Yeah, I know, I can eat soup whenever I want. But, I always feel weird going to Panera Bread and ordering a hot soup when it's sunny and 95 degrees out in the middle of July. I just do. Maybe it's just me. IDK IDK. Besides, now all of the Halloween candy is out. Who doesn't love Halloween candy? And since I'm an adult, I can go and buy some bags and Mom can't tell me I have to save it for Halloween. 

- Fall TV shows! Need I say more?

So, yeah. I love me some fall, and I don't even feel bad about it. Tease me, call me basic, and make all of the memes you want. (Because they're true.) I don't mind! I'll just be over here, drinking my Starbucks, searching for Halloween/vampire themed things, wearing a scarf, pretending this is me:

Calm Before the Storm

Weather- wise, I think nearly everyone in the country can agree that it was wacky this weekend. 

At least for the mid-west. In the 70s and tornadoes in mid-November? That's crazy talk, yo.

However, before it got too crazy, Saturday morning was wonderful. The calm before the storm if you will. 

There's something beautiful about a melancholy autumn day. There was a bleak wetness in the air and gray clouds covered the sky signaling that rain was coming soon. All of the colors were muted. The bright reds and purples and oranges the leaves had only a few days ago were gone and had fallen to the ground. 

The trees now have hardly any leaves on them. Some are hanging on for dear life, avoiding falling to the ground at all costs. 

Yet, it's oddly beautiful in it's quiet, sad, and muted way. It's that odd transition time between fall and winter. The time between the crazy of Halloween and the crazy of Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's the perfect time to catch your breath, read a book, (or write one in my case), and take in the last few moments before the storm hits.

 Maybe I like it so much because it fits the mood of my NaNoWriMo project so well and it feeds into the feel I want for my story. Maybe I like it because it's the signs of change coming and we all know my life is in for some huge changes the next few weeks. Maybe because it's calm and I can catch a breath. Maybe I just read too many books and find romance in weird things.

Maybe it's all of the above.

But it won't last. Eventually all of the leaves will fall to the ground and the branches will be covered with snow. The winds will howl and people will hide in the basement and wait for the weather man to tell them it's okay to come out again. Crunch time for NaNoWriMo will arrive before we know it and writers everywhere will lose sleep trying to get their word counts in. Thanksgiving will be here complete with traffic, family, and food. Then right behind it we'll be at Christmas and  before you know it none of us will know where the weeks went.

Change is coming. But for now, enjoy the beautiful and melancholy calm.

The Happy List

This week I am happy because...

The cast and crew of Night of the Living Dead is amazing. I'm so happy I was able to be part of Acting Out's first season

I can listen to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban while in my car and at work

NaNoWriMo begins in 1 week

My pumpkin spice latte was free this morning

After a performance in the cold I can go home to a heated blanket

This week I'll have had great catch up time with three of my friends

Everyone has been incredibly understanding of my scratchy voice and runny nose

I have all day tomorrow to work on old writing projects

It finally feels like fall down here in Missouri

Because of technology issues, I was able to get high school students to act out the opening scene of Hocus Pocus during chapel this morning

Source

What has made you happy this week?

Linking up with The Happy List today.

The Autumn Tag

My friend, Angie, posted this on her blog awhile back, and it's always fun to have something extra in my back pocket for those days when I have writers block. Besides, I'm heading to a retreat with my jr. high youth today, and don't have a whole lot of time to think of a blog post. 

Also - fall is my favorite. So why not?

1. Favorite thing about it?

I love the clothes! The minute it's socially acceptable, I pull out my scarves, boots, sweaters, sweatshirts, and leggings under tights. I love the crisp morning air and the fog that falls each morning, making the streetlights glow like jack-o-lanterns. I love the pretty leaves on the trees and making them crunch under my feet when they fall to the ground. So... everything. 

2. Favorite drink? 

Because I'm your typcial-middle class-white chick-blogger... the Pumpkin Spice Latte. However, I do LOVE LOVE LOVE the salted caramel mocha and chai.

3. Favorite scent/candle? 

Right now I have "Autumn" from Bath and Body Works in my apartment and it's fabulous. When people walk into my place they are always like "it smells so good in here!" 

4. Best lipstick? 

I actually just got the Evil Queen makeup set from E.L.F. and it has a wonderful red lipstick. It's perfect for Halloween.

5. Go to moisturizer?

I don't know what this has to do with autumn... but whatever. I use Mary Kay products when I can afford it.

6. Go to colors for the eyes?

It looks like the remainder of these questions have nothing to do with fall... oh well. 


Lately I've been wearing a lot of neutrals for my eyes with a brown eyeliner.This Sephora pallet is my favorite right now and it's beautiful! I also really like to use silver or grey eyeliner sometimes because it makes the blue in my eyes pop.

7. Favorite music or band/singer to listen to?

Currently, I can't stop listening to Imagine Dragons, Vampire Weekend, and the Legally Blonde Musical soundtrack.

8. Favorite outfit to wear (i.e. boots & a scarf combo)? 

Oh hey! Back to autumn questions. That's nice.

My basic fall/winter "uniform" is a skirt, tights/leggings, boots, scarf, and a sweater or jacket over a basic top.  If I'm feeling super casual, I'll trade the skirt for blue jeans and the basic top/sweater/jacket with a hoodie.

9. Autumn treat?

ALL OF THE CANDY because it's on sale! But I also am a fan of caramel apples. 

10. Favorite place to be? 

Some of my favorite fall memories are from sitting with my friends outside Kaldis Coffee Shop in Clayton, MO (St. Louis) and then hanging out in Forest Park. I'm also really excited for this Jr. High Retreat I'm going to today. I get one last hurrah with some of the youth, and the camp we go to is beautiful this time of year.

Fridays Letters

Dear Jr. High Youth (and high school & adult counselors)- We leave for the Jr. High Retreat this weekend! I'm so excited. This is my favorite part of the fall when it comes to youth ministry. We're going to have A BLAST.

Dear NaNoWriMo Forums- Thank you for existing so I can be inspired and get ideas for my novel next month.

Dear Ginny- Thank you for apartment/dog sitting for me this weekend. I know Bandit will love the company!

Dear Nate- I'm sorry that I've been failing on our project. I'm the worst leader of this ever. I will work on it - I PROMISE. Also, ::internet hug::. You're awesome.

Dear Kirstie, Alice, and Lor- I'M GOING TO SEE YOU ALL IN JANUARY AHHHHHH!!!!!! Best week EVER!

What letters do you all have this week?

Your Yearly Fall Overdose

On top of having an awesome weekend if some of my old college friends, even more awesome stuff happened.

I got presents!!!!!

For the second year in a row, Meg from Megnificent Life, hosted a fall gift swap!

Basically, you enter the swap, leave ideas of things you want, get paired up with another blogger, and you exchange gifts! It's really fun.

This year, Meg added a link-up so all of us could share what we received in the mail.

Let me tell you - the girl I got paired up with (Lisa from Something Infinitely Interesting) is AMAZING! Getting this gift package from her has been the highlight of my week so far. There was just wonderful gift after wonderful gift. It was like Christmas!

Only... in October.

Christmas in October, anyone? You know - like Nightmare Before Christmas. Kinda.

Source

Here's a peek at what I got (prepare for some major girl moments. If this doesn't interest you, I won't be offended if you run off to do something else.):

Where Did You Go?

It's only October 10 - and I'm already freaking out wondering where October went.

I Don't Care if it's 95 Degrees- September is Here and I Say it's Fall!

One of the blogs I follow is Life of Meg - and she has the cutest ideas for creating community on her blog and getting people interacting with each other. The most popular one is Mingle Monday where people can leave encouraging comments on other people's blogs as well as leaving the link to their own personal blog.

Her latest idea I could help but share! It's so cute and fun. I hope you follow her blog so you can participate!

It's called: Fall Frenzy!