There's nothing I love more than a fall getaway up north. Especially if it means getting away from Halloweekend shenanigans. I'm sorry not sorry, but the holiday just isn't my jam. If there's anything I've learned from experiencing it through the years—I would much rather be snuggled up, watching Halloween movies, drinking a glass of wine. And so we did. Ben and I made our way up north for a cozy cabin we found in Narrow Lake on Airbnb. With the colors still lasting, the smell of wet and burning leaves, and anticipating that lake view we obsess over—we knew we had to squeeze the last bit of fall this month before winter comes.
Day 1
The cabin itself was quaint and newly renovated. I always envision wood—just lots and lots of wood. For optimal cozy fall vibes, there's nothing better than a log cabin. Perfect for two of us.
We definitely wanted to cook while we were there and make the most of the fully stocked kitchen—we brought wine, steaks, and made french toast and coffee for breakfast. But Friday night, we opted to go downtown Lake Geneva to eat some wood fired pizza at Oakfire along with some beer and a deliciously warm hazelnut old fashioned which is the perfect warm cocktail for me!
Day 2
Saturday we had an easy morning and decided to walk the Lake Shore trail around the water. The trail lines the lake and mansions around the perimeter.
With intricate pavings, disassembled boat docks, and stone bridges, we enjoyed the morning before heading to Barrique for a quick wine tasting and walk around downtown.
I crave weekends like these all the time. But the reality is, we can't always pack up our things and escape when we want to. I cherish times like these and moments where everything just slows down. It's already the end of October and the holidays are creeping up on me.
Finding time to be still and recharge is essential for me. Even without getaways like this, I make the time to let myself decompress—get away from the hustle and bustle. And what I've learned is that life up north ain't too scary...
Wishing that everyone had a safe and spooky Halloween!
These beautiful fall weeks have been holding out on us this month. With sunny skies, vibrant colors, and the smell of crunching leaves. I have been making the most of calmer days, cooler nights, and wanted to give you all an update on what I've been up to.
Cooper Update...
Life at home has been somewhat slow—Cooper has been cuddling up on the couch, reading the daily news, barking at falling leaves, and eager for me to take him on his mid morning walk. He's 5 years old and still acting like a puppy yet he makes a great colleague.
Fall Walks
Fall walks and hikes have been my go-to. Before the weather falls grim and cold, I want to make the most of the sunshine. This is probably my favorite time of year and I wish it lasted longer than a month. Ben and I have been taking advantage of our weekends to be outside as much as we can. This past weekend we hiked the falls and canyons of Starved Rock. Cozy Evenings
Like most this time of year, I've been embracing cozier evenings by starting the Game of Thrones series, lighting a Trader Joe's pumpkin vanilla candle, eating some chocolate truffles, painting my nails a pretty wine color, and snuggling up in my TJ Maxx woodland plush blanket. Pure bliss.
Holiday Shopping
October is the month where I gather my lists of things I need to get people for the holidays. I've always been two months ahead of the game so I can allot for last minute gift shopping for people just in case. My sisters and I always go in on gift giving for each other—I think we all just get joy from the excitement and easily enough, we all just provide hints or our own wishlists so I can mark them off and focus on my parents' gifts a bit more. In recent years, I haven't been too keen on receiving gifts as I have giving them—it just makes me feel good and this year I want to be a bit more personal with the gifts I give.
Giving Myself Grace
This month has been all about giving myself grace. Time. Pause. Patience. And allowing myself to just be. I get very caught up in plans, feeling a great sense of overwhelm about my goals and where I want to be. For example, my ongoing wellness journey. Waking up early has never been easy for me, and on days when my body tells me I want to sleep—I let it. Instead of kicking myself, ashamed about not making the most of my morning or getting a workout, I just need to let myself make it through the four "quarters" of my day. Knowing each quarter (morning, mid morning, afternoon, and evening) I can improve or do something else to make progress.
As it gets colder and we move forward into winter...coming...I'm looking forward to the warmth the holiday season brings as people gather. I want to move forward in gratitude for peace, family, friends, and loved ones. And take on each day with a new and better mindset.
I write this on the first day of fall. And satisfyingly enough, the weather finally feels like it too. Crisp air, wet leaves, cozier evenings in--and the occasional scent of campfire or burning leaves. I love these months because things just start to settle down.
Many tend to dread what comes after fall, but I see it as a time to reset. Pause and reflect. From the business and constant that summer brings, I'm looking forward to the release of fall.
01. I am going apple picking this weekend with my boyfriend and as much as I prefer going pumpkin picking--which we will definitely be doing--I just couldn't help but plan a fall outing as soon as possible. I'm not even that big on apples, but just the act of going out to an orchard gives me all the fall feels. Last week I made an apple crisp, watched Twitches, and made apple cider mimosas...so I take that back. But what do you do with half a peck of apples? Make another apple crisp I suppose.
02. Re-engaging with my creative habits has always been a motivational and inspirational challenge for me. But after traveling to Europe this summer, I came back with a fresher mindset--and it helped that I was transitioning into a more creative position at work, too.
I find myself to be creative in other ways, like my constant love of rearranging or decorating my room...I don't think I can resist myself. Or the fact that there are new autumnal throws at TJ Maxx that I just simply cannot live without.
03. Working on my mental health journey has been a constant. And with the sentiment of letting go during fall, in addition to my realization that it's okay to seek help when you need it, I have contemplated going to therapy which I think would be a healthy step of gaining an unbiased perspective of the things that go on in this 'ol little brain of mine. Even as a routinely practice of just checking in and not feeling like I have to carry the brunt of my own thought bubbles.
04. Speaking of health, this month I've learned to just listen to what my body needs. Not punishing myself for missing a gym day or a yoga class, but rewarding myself for getting my heart rate up, moving my body, or just knowing that I'm taking the necessary steps to feeling better in my body. Feeling more energized and making conscious decisions each day. That's all I can do. And to live a healthy and balanced life, I need to take care of myself the way I know best.
05. Goal setting has been the theme of the month for me. Paired with confliction of taking next steps in my life and where I'm headed. Things got a little too comfortable a little too fast, and what traveling taught me this summer is that I don't want to be static. I want to be moving. I want to be progressing. I want to be growing. I want to be certain about the choices that I make.
But that comes with giving myself grace and realizing just how far I've come. Being grateful for the things I DO have. And having trust in the process that things will work out as they're supposed to. Letting go.
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