Pumpkin ice cream…literally the most September thing. It’s still hot so I want ice cream but my body is also like “hey, it’s September which is almost fall so gimme the best things of Fall”
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I’m just prefacing this with….this has been one of the worst months I’ve had all year. By far. Which makes me realize how great the rest of this year really has been! And oh man have I been thankful for my group of ladies IRL as well as on here — so much support and checking in and made me so thankful for the support system I’ve built.
1. We had a really scary health situation with Finn: September was brutal. It started out great and then two weeks into the month we had literally the most scary thing happen with him. You can read it extensively here but he’s doing a lot better but it’s definitely going to be a long-term treatment and we are already dealing with some of the side effects of him being on such high doses of meds. It’s been…emotionally draining and hard this month. And really that was much of our month…taking care of him and monitoring him.
2. In other September suckiness, I found out something sad family related — If September wasn’t hard enough, I got another shocker last week….that my dad and my stepmom are getting a divorce. My mom and my dad divorced when I was like 5 so I grew up with divorced parents but my dad and my stepmom have been together for the past 22 years and it was SO SHOCKING to my sisters and I. Just felt out of nowhere. They have always been my #marriagegoals so it’s been an emotional and weird past week and makes me feel shaky because it always felt like something that was so rock solid in my life.
3. We celebrated Finn’s 1 year adoption date: Literally a week before his whole health scare we had just celebrated his “gotcha” day! I talked a lot in this post what the past year with him has meant to me but man I can’t tell you how much this goofball means to me. I got him a gourmet doggie treat to celebrate because I am that ridiculous person.
4. I got a surge of blogging mojo but then it plummeted quickly: After being a little more sporadic this summer on here I came into September just writing blog posts like a champ. I was motivated and energized and then everything happened with Finn and I lost all motivation and still haven’t found it. It is what it is…but ugh I was REALLY feeling that surge of motivation.
5. My Fall TV is off to a good start: I was happy for some of my shows to come back in September — Poldark, Grey’s, How To Get Away With Murder and Survivor. But I’ve been REALLY happy with the Fall shows I decided to pick up that started in September — This Is Us, Queen Sugar & Designated Survivor. Hoping that my shows that come back in October (The Walking Dead, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend & Fresh Off the Boat) and my new shows (Westworld, No Tomorrow, Frequency, Conviction) are just as promising.
I put all my Monthly Rewinds in a Spotify playlist so you can listen to them here !
1. Be Your Love — Bishop Briggs
2. Into The Storm — BANNERS
3. Somebody Else — VERITE
4. Knuckles — Moose Blood
5. We Don’t Know — The Strumbellas
6. Pulling Teeth — Lucius
Honorable Mentions: WALLS by Kings of Leon, If You Go by Passenger, Into the Wilderness by Early Hours, Older and Taller by Regina Spektor
Check out the rest of my September playlist for more of what I was listening to this month!
I read 8 books — which was amazing since the first half of the month was horrendous as far as me reading.
1. This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills — Ahhhh so smile-inducing and exactly what I needed during this rough month.
2. Kids of Appetite by David Arnold: Another great book from David and I think I may love it even more than his debut! You should check out this interview I did with him!
3. Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum: Ooooh I just adored this book so so much!!! So ridiculously cute!
Wellllll…I didn’t do any book talks or even mini book talks this month. OOPS. My brain was just NOT THERE with everything I had going on. Expect a backlog in October!
“Just because you’re strong doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask for help sometimes. Remember that.” — Tell Me Three Things
1. 8 Ways I Used My Bullet Journal As A Book Blogger — I loved sharing all the bookish ways I use my bullet journal and hearing how you all do.
2. Must Watch New Shows For Fall 2016: I loved sharing with you the shows that are on my “must watch list” for this Fall! So far the lineup I picked has done well for me!!
3. Do Your Reading Habits Fluctuate By Season?: Loved hearing all about your reading habits too as I shared a new realization I had about my own reading habits.
4. 4 Series To Catch Up On Before The Next Book Is Out Soon-ish: Are you guys all caught up???
5. Why I’ve Been MIA Lately: I really appreciated all the love on this one in a time when I really needed it!!
Maybe my interview with David Arnold….I rarely do interviews these days but I genuinely like to do them with authors I love when I can and try to make them interesting for readers…but I kind of feel like maybe they aren’t the thing people like reading anymore? Or maybe just not mine haha
1. Pumpkin Cake With White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Making this 10000% aka will beg Will to make this for me.
2. Just Do What You Love’ Is Bad Career Advice: Interesting read!
3. You Don’t Always Have To Do Things The Way You’ve Always Done Them: My girl Jess always writes posts when I need to hear them the most. It’s a principle I know and have told myself at so many points in my life (like HEY SELF..it’s okay to change or stop doing something) but like sometimes it’s easy for me to forget that I KNOW THAT. So I read this post and was like YES DUH YOU KNOW THIS COME ON. Time for me to get honest with myself about some things and think about it specifically in relation to changes and things I’ve done for a long time.
4. Why We Resist Doing Things That Will Make Us Happy + What To DO About It: This is me. I resist. These are def a lot of my reasons why when I think about it.
5. How To Reclaim Your Magic: I liked thinking about the questions she posed!
1. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend : Oh my gosh you guys!!! This was the ONLY THING that got me through the whole awful few days while Finn was in the hospital. Will and I binged season 1 on Netflix and just cackled (through tears for ME lol). This show is so smart and hilarious. HIGHLY rec and I *rarely* (much to Will’s dismay) pick funny shows for us to watch because I’m all about the sad and intense shows.
2. Queen Sugar– I mentioned that I was watching this but I feel like I need to talk about this show further because MORE PEOPLE NEED TO BE WATCHING IT. It just premiered in September and it’s on OWN network and it is honestly the family drama I have been hoping for. If you loved Parenthood, watch this show (and also This Is Us but people are actually watching and talking about that one). It’s SO SOSOSOOSOSO good and compelling. I have fallen in love with these characters already.
3. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Ice Cream: okay it’s not really a NEW obsession because every Fall that it’s been out I have devoured it but IT’S BACK and I’m ~newly~ obsessed with it all over again. It is one of my FAVE pumpkin ice creams.
1. October tv shows: Looking forward to my shows returning and the new ones on my list!
What’s one good thing that happened to you this past month??
(I feel like I need to end on a positive note because my month was largely awful).
Pick a category (or 5… or all of them) and tell me what went on in YOUR life this month!! What sort of things were noteworthy for you this month? New obsessions? Any new song recs?? Best books you read this month? Great posts I missed on your blog? Answer to my question of the month?
Emmah says
Mmm, pumpkin ice cream! My local ice cream stand closed for the season without even posting about it, so I couldn’t go for one last trip of the season 🙁
I’m glad Finn is doing better! I hope he continues to keep improving *hugs*.
Sorry to hear about your dad and step-mom!
I’m very happy Andrew is okay on Grey’s!! I was so sad when Alex beat him up. Yay for Survivor finally being back on! Can’t wait for The Amazing Race to return too.
I’m hoping Conviction is just as promising too! Don’t let me down, Hayley Atwell!!
We both read Tell Me Three Things in September!! I loved that one 🙂 I read it right after reading EoS! That was one of my favorite quotes from Tell Me Three Things, too 🙂
Happy Early Birthday! I’ll try my best to say it to you on the actual day! I have it written down on my calendar, so it shouldn’t be hard to do!
What’s your favorite type of apple? I love McIntosh and Paula Red!
My September wasn’t that great either :/ At the very beginning of the month, the cyst I had on my chest got super infected (I’d had the cyst for like… 6 years) and I had to have it removed. Still recovering, but I’m proud of myself for being brave and getting it all done with! I was awake for the surgery, so haha. Positive thing though? I had a REALLY good book month!
New obsession? White chocolate peppermint M&M’s!! SOOOO yummy!
You gotta check out Kelsea Ballerini’s album. It’s SO good!!
I read like… 8 books in September haha. I really loved EoS. But my top 3 favorites were all contemporary!! “Tell Me Three Things”, “Love & Gelato”, and “Emmy & Oliver”! And now I’m just re-reading the Just One Day duology!
Emmah says
Also another recent obsession: wax sealing! I’ve ordered a few stamps and wax sticks and it’s SO awesome!!
hillary roberts says
The best thing that happened to me was that I heard 60 percent of my hearing test. I was born profoundly Deaf and just got a CI Implant in April. At first I was ready to throw the damn thing in the trash but then….it was like my brain clicked and I started UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE!! I haven’t been able to do this EVAR. I use ASL as my primary mode of communication but now I feel as if my world is expanding and I have made SO MANY new friends.
Lorraine says
I’m sorry to hear that September was such a tough month for you. Fingers crossed that October is much better.
looloolooweez says
I’m so glad that Finn is pulling through, even though it’s been a rocky month for him/y’all. He’s so lucky to have awesome caregivers like you in his life.
And I’m terribly sorry to hear about your dad’s divorce. When little kids are involved everyone worries about how they’ll handle it — but adult children have their own issues to deal with. I’m so glad that you have a great support system!
Also, thank you for sharing that link to your bullet journal post. I somehow missed it in my RSS feed. But I’ve recently started bujo’ing and I need all the advice I can get!
What’s 1 good thing that happened to me this month…? WELL, we adopted a couple of cats. Teenager kittens, actually, which is just as ridiculous as it sounds. They’re simultaneously needy babies and naughty rebels, they actually get along with our dog (!), and they’ve completely taken over my Instagram/Facebook.
Lauren @ Bookmark Lit says
I’m so sorry you had a rough September! I’m glad that things with Finn are more manageable now. I hope all good things are ahead for you guys!!
September is generally my favorite month of the year because football is back, my birthday, and my anniversary. It was a good month 🙂
Ceillie @ CandidCeillie says
There was a place near my college that made their own pumpkin ice cream and it was SO GOOD. I miss it a lot.
I’m so glad Finn is doing better now! Pet illnesses are the absolute worst and what happened with him must have been terrifying. Hugs and prayers for a better October for your family.
Jessica Lawlor says
So glad my post resonated with you, girl! It’s a reminder I give myself now on a daily basis! <3
Mel@thedailyprophecy says
I’ve never had Pumpkin ice cream, but I love both of them, so I think I would love it!
The whole situation around your dog and family are so shitty and I just want to give you a big virtual hug *hugs*
Lea says
Thanks for the mini update on Finn. Been wondering about him and keeping him in my thoughts.
Kari says
I’ve very sorry for your familial situation this month. Sending well wishes for things to work out <3
I usually love September because it's like a slow down month for me. Everything during the summer has been going at break-neck speed and when September comes around and the city empties and all the young ones go back to school, it's like this quiet descends. It's…peaceful for lack of a better word.
Lisa @ Reading, Writing, and Random Musings says
Glad to hear that your puppy is doing better! I’ve been thinking of him and you!
kristen says
i am glad finn is doing better! i am sorry about your dad and stepmom. i’ll add tell me three things to my list, but the emma mills book is on there because i really liked first & then, so adorable.
also, i blame you for my lack of reading the last 2 weeks. why, you ask? because i binge watched miss fisher. i couldn’t help it. i haven’t binged a show like that in like 5 years. sometimes i kind of binge but then get over it, but this, i was like thinking about it like how can i get home earlier to watch more of it. i haven’t picked up a book or done anything productive. i wanted to savour it like you did but no dice. i adored it. i *might* have already re-started it immediately after finishing season 3. now, how do we get a season 4?!
Kyra Morris says
I’m so sorry that September was such a difficult month. *hugs* I’m really glad to hear that Finn is doing better, I’ll keep the little guy in my prayers! <3 A good thing that happened to me in September is we moved house and I'm LOVING our new home. It's in a gorgeous town, the library is a fifteen minute walk away, they have an awesome selection, I've been getting fabulous books…it's wonderful! 🙂
Holly J says
I hope October has been going better for you, Jamie! After the month you’ve had, you deserve it. *hugs* I’m glad that Finn is doing better and that he’s fit in well with you guys. Dogs are seriously the best and can make life so fulfilling! I’ve kiiinda given up on fall TV. Haha. I’m so spoiled with Netflix, and I just have not kept up with any that I started, and I didn’t start some that I had wanted to. But I really loved the first couple episodes of This Is Us and hope to keep up with it. And I’m determined to also keep up with Quantico. I binge-watched the first season of that and loved it and neeeed more. I’ve heard SUCH good things about Queen Sugar, and Westworld sounds so intriguing. lbr, I’ll probably watch them when they’re on Netflix, but they’re on my radar! :p
I loooved This Adventure Ends, and I’m glad you did too! What a heartwarming and fun read. I especially loved the friendship aspect of it! Also had to check out the articles you shared, and loved them! And I so relate and agree with the one about not doing things the way you’ve always done them. It’s definitely something to think about, because it’s so true that as you grow and change, your focuses will too. So it’s okay to let those changes happen. Something I need to remind myself about for sure.
One good thing that happened to me is that I got a new job! It’s not exactly an ideal situation because it’s temporary and so far away. But I work with four of my cousins, so it’s been a lot better already than my last job. 😀