Tuesday, September 6, 2016

10 simple ways to welcome fall

The time has come to say goodbye to summer and hello to fall.  I’ll be honest, I’m more ready than ever for this transition!  I’m now 35 weeks pregnant and so over the hot weather and summer season.  I mean, summer isn’t quite the same around here if you can’t lounge in a bikini with beers in hand!  Fall has always been my favorite for multiple reasons… the weather cooling down, football seasons starting up and the holidays like my birthday, Halloween and Thanksgiving.  And this year our little baby girl will be arriving, so that makes fall even more special!!

Since it’s still pretty hot outside in Texas, it can be a little tricky transitioning into fall and getting into the spirit.  We’ve had a couple of cooler nights where the humidity hasn’t been so bad, so that starts to get me excited.  And of course since I’m still in my nesting phase, all I’ve wanted lately is to hurry along cooler temps and comfy, fall clothes (I will definitely be timing the next pregnancy a little later in the year!!)

I haven’t had the time or energy to make a ton of changes around the house or in my wardrobe… and let’s be honest, it’s not like I can go try on clothing right now and pick out new things for fall and winter when I have no clue what my size will be after baby girl arrives (sadly I greatly missed out on the NSale this year because I was too afraid to buy anything!).  BUT there are a few simple things I’ve been doing to get ready for fall so I wanted to share those with you today!

1.    Stock up on fall candles – Chris and I hit up Bath and Body Works last weekend and stocked up on some great candles.  Their candles are seriously the best!  The burn evenly, last a long time and have a nice strong fragrance.  Cranking down the AC and having a candle burning all day long gives me a little feeling of fall, despite the temperatures outside.  We’ve been burning “leaves” nonstop and it makes the whole house smell so good!  The scent even lingers after we blow it out.  We also purchased Pumpkin Pecan Waffles and Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin
2.    Change out your hand soaps – Another purchase from B&BW… we bought some “Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte” hand soap and I swear it’s the best smelling soap that ever existed.  It’s a super simple change but it makes a big impact to have a different scent in the bathroom.

3.    Start pulling out the crock pot recipes – I guess scent is one of the biggest things when it comes to the fall transition because just like candles and soap, what you’re cooking can also make a huge difference around the house.  I love making chili, beef stew and different spicy soups during the colder months.  There’s something really comforting about prepping a meal early in the day and then letting it simmer in the crock pot all day long.  And with the baby coming along so soon, my energy level being so low and Chris’ work schedule being crazy busy (and therefore our meals not always being together), it’s the perfect time to bust out the crock pot and let it do the work for me.  I plan on doing even more crock pot cooking this year since I’ll be going on not much sleep and will need quick, easy meals in between breastfeeding sessions.  I also stocked up on microwave-safe/freezer-safe plastic food storage at Dollar Tree the other day.  This is perfect for leftovers and for Chris to take to work so he can reheat meals on the railroad and have a filling meal while he travels.

4.    Wear sweatshirts and sweaters around the house – During the summer I usually wear lightweight robes around the house.  This year there have definitely been days when I haven’t even gotten dressed or left the house because I’m so exhausted from growing this human J And even though the weather outside isn’t cooperating, it’s still nice to throw on my favorites like my TCU sweatshirts or hand-me-down Wisconsin sweatshirts and lounge around the house.  The ultimate in loungewear is borrowing my husband’s sweatshirts… which aren’t quite as oversized on me currently lol… and plus he always tells me I look adorable in his clothes

5.    Flavored coffee or tea -  Ok I love this suggestion for others but it’s not so much for me.  I drink my coffee black and pretty much always have.   It’s once in a blue moon that I’ll order something flavored at Starbucks and confession… I don’t think I’ve ever had a PSL in my life!  I love black coffee and flavored stuff just really isn’t my thing, but we all know how popular these drinks are and so it has to be on my list!  I will drink flavored tea every once in awhile, but I’m not currently because you have to watch what you drink when you’re pregnant.  But lounging around the house and sipping on something tasty is a perfect way to welcome fall.

6.    Wearing booties – I love this suggestion because it isn’t so dependent on the weather!  Booties can be worn starting immediately and I actually love the fashion trend of booties and shorts!  Even if you live in Texas like me, or some other warm place, you can jump on this right away.  Booties are perfect with denim shorts (especially cute with cut-offs in my opinion) and dresses, so even if you need to keep the rest of your outfit cool and breezy, you can still wear some fall on your feet!  I love denim cut-offs, a cute plaid shirt and booties!  I bought these adorable burgundy booties last year and they are still one of my favorite go-to shoes!  I’ll link them below!


7.    Start planning football games – whether this means buying tickets to games or planning watching parties, there’s nothing like football season in the south!!  Chris and I are trying to figure out if we’ll be able to make a TCU game before our little peanut arrives.  We’ll be cutting it close but I’d love to go!  It’s been a few years since we went and it’s always a blast.  And of course football season always makes the two of us nostalgic for high school… that’s where Chris and I met and we used to bet on the Bears vs. Packers games.  Our rivalry is still super strong and now that we have a child on the way, it’ll be really fun fighting over what kind of outfits she’ll be wearing! (Packers, duh!!)  Even if we don’t make a game in person, I can’t wait to huddle around the TV and watch football all weekend with my little baby girl and our families!  I doubt we’ll host any watching parties this year, but it’s something that I'm really looking forward to next year since we’re in a bigger house now and actually have the space to entertain!  I can’t wait for big food spreads and friends and family on our giant sectional sofa!

8.    Pumpkin décor – Well, stores have been selling fall décor since like the end of June so this is an easy one.  Putting out a few decorative pumpkins around the house, or putting up a new fall sign on your door or changing out your welcome mat are simple ways to show that you’re ready for fall.  I love to DIY décor or find really affordable options.  This year I picked up a cute welcome sign for our front door and a little scarecrow for our yard at Dollar Tree.  Every time I come home or just go sit on the front porch they make me a little more excited for fall.
 
9.    Wear a darker lip color – Just like clothing, makeup should transition with the seasons.  I usually keep my makeup mostly the same, but lip color is something I definitely change out.  In the summer my go-to is a bright pink.  In the fall, I love wearing darker reds and berries.  Last week I wore a really dark color to church and received multiple compliments… I even got a Mary Kay order out of it because a lady loved my look and wanted to buy the lipstick I used!  So, it’s a lot of fun to step outside your comfort zone and wear something different every once in awhile.  If you don’t normally wear much lipstick, I highly recommend layering a darker color over a Lip Pencil or a Lip Primer.  This will help keep the color on your lips (prevent feathering) and help the color last longer.  I’ll link my favorite products below!

10.  Change your fragrance – This is another very simple beauty tip… change out the perfume or fragrance you’re wearing.  I like to wear lighter more floral scents in the summer and I usually transition to more musky scents in the fall and winter.  Musk perfumes are actually my favorite so I do wear them year-round depending on my mood that day, but I wear them a lot more in the cooler months.  Chanel no. 5 is always a go-to for me… simple and classic.  My all time favorite is a Mary Kay perfume that actually was discontinued (booo!!!) but I’ve managed to hoard multiple bottles so that’s what I mostly wear.  It’s called Affection and I keep hoping and praying that they’ll bring it back one of these days!

I absolutely love fall and I can’t wait until the temperatures start to drop in Texas.  I’m definitely jealous of those states that experience more of a fall season than we do… but even without the weather being perfect, my mood is still elevated with these simple changes in my home and personal routine.  What’s your favorite way to get ready for fall / fall tradition??  I’d love to hear!

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