The Swing Forward Camp.

In case you're new around here, I'll let you in on a very important fact about me: I start celebrating fall on September first. I love summer. Pool days and fruit and slower days...it's the best. I'm a Florida girl, a summer girl, but fall is the season that holds my heart. 
I love this quote, because I really feel that way about August. It's still bright and sunny and hot, but with the back-to-school supplies filling the shelves and the boots and scarfs that start appearing in stores, you can't deny that fall is on it's way. 
I'm in the swing forward camp all day long. It's easy for me to say that, of course, because I live in Florida. Summer really only leaves for a few months out of the year. Last year, my mom and I were planning a Halloween party, and we went over our to-do list the day before while laying out in the sun. I wore a sweater to the party and had to change halfway through because I thought it probably wasn't the best if I passed out from overheating while I was pregnant.
So to me, saying hi to fall doesn't really mean saying bye to my favorite things about summer. But if we have to swing, I want to swing forward. To apple cider and boots and pumpkin spice everything. I want to swing to (slightly) cooler weather, to pumpkin carving, to oversized sweaters and hats. 
I'm always so excited to welcome fall, but this year I have an extra special reason: Jack.
The thought of getting to do all of my favorite fall things with my tiny little love just makes my heart want to explode. Taking him to a pumpkin patch? Dressing him up in (way too many) costumes? SWOON. 

I remember taking this picture so clearly. I was about six months pregnant and we left there talking about how crazy it was that next October, we'd have a real, live baby who was a part of our family. 
It is crazy. And perfect and weird and exciting and different and something that's going to make fall a thousand times better.
Summer is wonderful. August is lovely. But if we have to swing? Swing forward, baby. Right into fall. 
Which camp are you in?

Nothing Inspires Me Quite Like Fall & Winter.

If I had to choose a way to describe life right now, I think I'd say in love. Or maybe enjoyed. Or I'd choose content. Or savor. Or possibly inspired. 

I am just so in love with life right now. I'm in love with Chris being home, and I'm in love with getting to spend so much time with him.

I'm so enjoying how the weather is, how I've been able to break out the boots and sweaters. Only for like an hour in the morning, but still...I'll take what I can get.

I'm so content with where I am. There's so much up in the air right now, like: Where will we match? Will we be happy with it? When will the baby come? What will life be like once he gets here? Will we be able to make everything work? Regardless of the uncertainty, I'm still so perfectly content with this stage. It's unlike me, but even though I have zero of the answers, I have so much peace.

I'm savoring every moment. After spending so much time away from Chris, I'm soaking up even the normal moments as if they might be snatched away from me at any time. And really-isn't that how we should always live? I'm savoring the mugs of pumpkin spiced coffee, the early mornings snuggled under the covers, the nights spent watching movies and feeling the babe move all around, knowing that pretty soon, he'll be moving out in the world with the rest of us.

Being pregnant is hard-for real, it's really freaking hard work-but I'm still savoring this season so very much.

And absolutely nothing makes me feel inspired quite like fall and winter. The scents, the weather, the tastes, the colors, the coziness. The happiness of all that this fall means to me. I just wake up every day feeling so thankful, and so inspired to just live. Sure, sometimes I wake up in pain, or on the verge of throwing up, but even then-I'm still so inspired by this beautiful season.

What's inspiring you lately? 

H A P P Y S E P T E M B E R .

h e l l o   f a l l .

hello to sipping on something pumpkin or apple flavored every morning.

hello to celebrating a new season.

hello to oranges and reds and yellows.

hello to spending more time outside.

hello to decorating my tiny little home with scarecrows and owls.

hello to pumpkin candles, coffee, and cakes galore.

hello to a season of new dreams and new adventures.

hello to feeling extra inspired, organized, and in love with life.

What are you saying hello to today?

Goodbye, October.

Goodbye, October.

Goodbye to the start of my favorite time of the year.

Goodbye to pumpkin spice coffee.  (Haha, that's a funny joke.)

Goodbye to making way too much candy in honor of Halloween.  (Again, maybe a joke.  Stay tuned.)

Goodbye to carving pumpkins.

Goodbye to bad things, too.  Like outrageous surprise medical bills.  And random car expenses.  And being sick all the time.  Good riddance to that.



Hello, November.

Hello to a month so full of thankfulness.

Hello to Thanksgiving.

Hello to Christmas gift planning.

Hello to Black Friday shopping.

Hello to colder weather and apple cider.

Hello to buying my first Christmas tree with my husband.

Hello to a fresh start with endless possibilities. New dreams and new plans.

November, I'm ready for you.

This Summer.

This Summer, I adventured.  A lot.  

We went on a cruise. 

We went on lots of Universal dates. 

We went to Italy. 

Just kidding.  But we went to Orlando's version of Italy, and for the weekend, it was almost just as good.

I got to have lots of date nights with this guy. 

I went to Haiti and fell in love. 

I got to witness Chris and Goose slowly become best friends.  

{And dance partners.} 

I got some lunch dates with my partner in crime. 

Celebrated the Fourth of July with the best there is. Including this one:

We went to New York and saw The Lion King on Broadway.  I can now die happy. 

This summer was wonderful.  Fall, you've got a lot to live up to.

"August feels like a hinge in the year.  Swing backwards and summer is there, swing forward and fall is waiting.  I'm in the swing forward camp.  I'm never sorry to see summer end, although I'll miss the peaches.  I'm ready for sweaters and socks and new suede shoes."  -Stephanie Madewell

I love this quote, except that I am usually a little sorry to see summer end.  Especially one like this one, where I got to spend every single day with my husband--which has never happened before now. 

Summer ending means he goes back to school, we go back to a schedule and trying to squeeze in time to hang out. 

Summer ending also means pumpkins and apples and crafts and baked goods galore. 

I'll take it. 

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