My Top 8 - Fall Edition

Thought I would share something a little more light-hearted for this week’s blog post. To be entirely honest, I wanted to post something that required little to absolutely zero thought, as I have been suffering from post-wedding stress disorder – trust me, it’s a very real thing, just ask my victim…I mean, husband.

Fall is my most favorite time of the year.  There are certain things (sights, sounds, smells etc.) about it that just make me innately, inexplicably content and thankful to be alive. Here is a list of my top eight fall-errific things:

1.       Pumpkin-flavored things. It doesn’t matter what it is; if it’s pumpkin flavored, I’m going to try it. My most beloved pumpkin-flavored treat this fall is Cherry Berry’s Pumpkin Pie frozen yogurt. The 71^st & Garnett location has the treat and I highly recommend it. Like them on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/cherryberry71standgarnett?sk=wall

2.       The OMG-is-something-burning-smell?!?! when the heater is turned on for the first time for the season. It’s slightly alarming and unnerving; yet, entirely delightful at the same time.

3.       Crunchy leaves. I will wander into oncoming traffic in order to step on a ridiculously crunchy-looking leaf and hear that satisfying sound.
4.        Halloween festivities. I adore Halloween, but the kid-version. I hate scary movies. I am already paranoid enough. I have also been known to – inadvertently – physically retaliate when someone in a haunted house infiltrates my personal space. Therefore, I steer clear of adult-themed Halloween activities and opt for more demure – albeit, childish – ones. You can find me cruising through the hay bale maze at the local pumpkin patch and kicking it with the kiddos at Hallow-Zoo-een (the Tulsa Zoo’s perfectly safe and only mildly frightening trick-or-treating festival). Learn more about it at http://www.tulsazoo.org/

5.       Craft shows. Dear God, I love craft shows. I love them even more if instead of “show” they use the word “fair” or “bazaar” in the name – I mean, who doesn’t love a good bazaar?

6.       Candles that smell like desserts. Bath and Body Works has awesome food-inspired scents this year. I can fool guests (and my new husband) into thinking I baked.  You can fake-bake too! http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/family/index.jsp?page=1&cm_sp=LN-_-VIEW+MORE-_-+Candles&cp=4090262.4090363&categoryId=11323030

7.       The return of the flu and other related illnesses. Hold on, let me explain. Getting and having the flu or any other illness is no fun and I am not saying I enjoy being sick or my loved ones being sick. HOWEVER, I enjoy the presence of these infectious problems for multiple reasons. The first being that they provide an exceptionally legitimate excuse for taking sick leave, when perhaps, one is not as sick as one may indicate to one’s boss (Disclaimer: I would never in a ba-jallion years ever do this). It’s only courteous to stay home if you might be feeling something coming on. It is irrelevant if it ever actually does “come on.” The second reason to love the flu season is my most obnoxious co-worker is highly sensitive to getting sick, which equals less time in this person’s annoying presence. (This is a joke...of course, I mean I love ALL my co-workers...equally...and would never wish them harm...ever. What?! I promise!)

8.    The cheap decorations in the “$1 bins” at Target. I’m not sure of the actual name of these “bins,” but I like to refer to them as such because the majority of the items in them are only one dollar. They are located, at least at the Targets I frequent, immediately as you walk in – the perfect location for maximum enticement. This year, I bought adorable Halloween-themed kitchen towels and even cuter socks, which I may or may not be wearing right now.

May you all have the fortune to enjoy these fall things this season!