the last week of october. how can it be?

The weekend - and not to mention the entire month - has defined everything October means to me.

the smoke from a bonfire, the GORGEOUS dusty purple sunsets,

the tailgates and homecomings,

the football games, the dark roast coffee, 

the oranges and yellows, 

the pumpkin and apple overload, the smell of roasting leaves,

piles of pumpkins and gourds, and

the most vivid and stunningly crisp afternoons.

I'm scared of November. Honest.

I don't want October to go...

and the next month brings a lot of busy.

Out of the 6 people in my family, there are four birthdays.

The slip-n-slide of holiday shopping becomes more and more real.

I'm fearful of the amount of money that I will have to spend..ughhhhh. Dreading it.

One good thing will be S's homecoming! And that I can't wait for.

But until then... I'm seeking one last cozy week, 

a bastion of solace and peace, in these very autumn-y photos taken over the course of the month.

I wrote about my october goals at the beginning of the month. What did I cross off?

Not much. But what I did cross off, I am pleased with.

More 'me' time at the end of the day - getting all work done at work, not at home.

Spending quality time with mama (ok, not a dinner date, but does breakfast count?)

Maybe one too many octoberfest brews. A haunted hayride that made me scream like a 5 year old!

I'm kind of eating cleaner - definitely at lunch, but dinners are a struggle.

I'm going to introduce some new goals for November soon. 

Going to soak in this glorious feeling for the rest of the week!

ciao, xo