It’s October y'all! Now, I am no stranger to expressing my obsession with Fall. It is truly the most magical of the seasons closely followed by the glittering coat of winter. It is almost like a two-in-one how Fall holds hands so tightly with the fire-roaring, icicle-forming, carol-singing season of winter. Every change of the year bleeds together, they overlap and pass the baton to the next while the sun chooses to light up different sides of the earth. But, there is something exceptional about this switch of the weather and how the air cracks as we walk through it, ever so slightly taking claim of our cheeks, drawing out a red hew that only grows as the months deepen. Like the apples that decorate their trees. The way the leaves wave goodbye, but not without setting fire to the sky before they leave us behind. October sits nestled among it all, highlighting every decoration for us all. From the garden produce to the movie nights cuddled in our favorite blanket with a pot of warm apple cider serenading the air. In addition to all those, it holds some of the best birthdays and one of those just happens to be mine. With birthday week among us, it calls for a switch in the pattern. And to grow a tradition that began last year with “My Random 23…”. Hang on, like the last whisper of summer, to read about things I am excited about, things I’ve observed, and some other random things mixed along in there for good measure. This past year has been probably one of the most growing years in terms of both mental and physical. And although I said that last year, I stand behind the evolution that rose from the growth grown in years past.
The 24 for 24
So, my therapist moved to England and then I moved to Washington, but I have yet to sign back up to find a new one. It is on my to-do list. But, 10/10 would not recommend quitting therapy and moving at the same time. It's a growing experience.
There is a guy who works at my Trader Joe’s who is deaf and every time I interact with him it makes me wish that I had paid more attention to my ASL class I took in high school. Never too late to learn.
I am a shower-before-bed person. I love going to bed feeling clean, but my sister and I were talking and both decided there is something so luxurious about taking a shower in the morning.
Speaking of Trader Joe’s, I got their whipped maple syrup and I am so excited to try it out on some pumpkin waffles. Gosh, doesn’t that sound so good? It just tastes like fall.
I’ve observed that I have gotten very bad about talking in a more negative light rather than a positive one and that is something that in the next year I really want to fight against. I have already written a post on it, but apparently, I need to continue working on it. Maybe we’ll touch base on my progress in my New Year's post.
This is the easiest pumpkin pie recipe that I use every year! Pumpkin pie is my favorite. And you either love it or hate it, but this recipe is so good!
So I didn’t eat dairy for almost four years hoping and thinking that it was going to help my acne, but I started eating it again in July and have concluded that that was not my issue. And I have rediscovered that I love Greek yogurt.
On the topic of my skin, I am affected a lot by stress and hormones so I have switched my skin care to be as clean as possible. I try to not use a bunch of things and started using Primally Pure. I love using their oil cleanser and lotion. I also love this serum by ELA Skin Co.
I am currently eating an apple and Gus (my cat) is staring at me making me feel guilty even though his automatic food bowl is going to give him dinner in 15 minutes. So much for puppy dog eyes.
In last year's random 23 post, I talked about my desire to walk in the fall season and do all the things that come with it instead of simply watching from my phone as the green of the palm trees never faltered. And it is so fun that this year I am able to experience it! And man I missed my sweaters.
Every year for my birthday growing up we would go on a field trip to the Zoo and when I was little I wanted to work there just so I could be friends with all of the elephants.
I am always here for knock-offs. These shoes are some of my favorites that look like Birkenstocks. They are so cozy and my nephew has a baby pair and it is the cutest thing ever. Cute Fall shoes!
Both my sister and my sister-in-law are pregnant right now, so I will go from one nephew to three in a matter of two months and I am so excited!
I have recently realized I am a huge planner. However, I am very good at adapting to plans on a whim. I used to be very good at winging things, but now I really like to have things planned out, on lists, and things written into my calendar.
Another thing I always wanted to be when I was little was a cowgirl. I used to wear my mom's old cowboy hat everywhere and I begged for a sparkly belt buckle for Christmas one year. I wore the two together all the time.
I Painted pumpkins last fall and we are doing it again this year. I think that painting pumpkins is far more fun than carving them. Pumpkin ideas!
There is a tree outside my window that has slowly been turning pink and it is my favorite thing about my view.
This past year is the longest I have not been depressed for as long as I can remember, and it is so crazy to look back to when I thought the light at the end of the tunnel was a joke. I want to encourage you that it’s not our timing, but God’s, and we all walk through things, but do we let it take us down or make us more resilient?
Today is Amazon Prime Day and if you know me, Amazon and I are good friends. My list keeps extending which causes me to have anxiety, but that doesn’t stop me from continuing to look between writing this.
We went apple picking last weekend and it was the first time I’ve done that, but the best was watching my nephew eat about 10 apples.
I’ve been making wraps for lunch lately using the Ezekiel wraps and have been adding roasted acorn squash to them and they are so yummy!
I am currently in the middle of watching two shows, but now that it is fall, Friends, Gilmore Girls, and Harry Potter are all screaming at me.
When Gus and I moved to Washington, I moved into a house with a few other girls and it took a hot minute, but he has finally decided that they are his fun aunts. It’s really cute.
Looking back on last year's post I talked about how I was anxious for all the things that I knew were coming, like moving. In a moment it is hard to see how or when God will answer our prayers, but it’s cool to see how he has for me over this last year. I have no idea what this year holds, but I am excited to see what is before me, and to try my hand at knowing it is under control and my stress doesn’t add to anything.
Glad You Stayed
You made it through! I am so proud! I am so blessed by writing these. It is crazy to look back on them and to be able to observe the growth of where I am in life, how I am able to view things, and how much writing has taught me. Oftentimes we go into a new year anticipating the way life might change around us, but we typically have a hard time looking back and finding all those moments where we changed. We might remember random big events but, at least for me, it is usually the small ones that don’t stick in our memories like the others did that helped us grow the most. I’ve been working all year on being confident in who God made me to be. And although I am still working on that, I can already tell that by reading last year's post I have come a long way. Life is never stagnant, even if we finally reach our goals and especially once life becomes comfortable. We are always evolving, learning, growing, and hopefully striving to be the best we can be!
Now that I have this written, all that is left for me is to sit and wait until I get to eat my chocolate cake that my sister has in the oven as I type this. I look forward to it every year! Thanks for sticking around! I hope that you don’t become discouraged if you observe someone else and feel like their life is evolving, but yours isn’t. It’s that expression about a fence and one side always being greener. A reminder I tell myself often! Anyway… have an amazing weekend and don’t forget to follow on Instagram, share the blog with someone, add your email to subscribe, and let me know what you thought of this one in the comments! Thanks for reading Allie-cats!
Dru Allie
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