I was not a big fan of Halloween growing up. I can count on maybe one hand how many times I went trick or treating. I usually spent the evening at home handing out candy to other kids, and I was okay with that. After a few years though, even that got a little old, so we’d be that family with their porch lights turned off.

I love Fall, so any excuse to celebrate that? I am in!

Here is my recipe for a perfect (adult) Halloween night!

1. ANYTHING Pumpkin!
Carving pumpkins, roasting pumpkin seeds, making pumpkin pies, drinking pumpkin coffee, just include ALL the pumpkin!

2. Bake Halloween cookies!
Include icing, sprinkles, candy - just go crazy!

3. Make a slow-cooker meal!
Any excuse to eat that hearty chili or soup, or maybe some barbecue pork.

4. Have friends over for a toasty bonfire!
Now, we have had the temps in the 80s, so I won’t be doing this one, but if you can stand the heat, do it!

via

5. Watch all of the Halloween movies!
I am not a big horror movie fan, but I will watch those that aren’t really scary. Let’s be honest, there are a lot that aren’t!

How will you spend your Halloween?

COFFEE TALK - OCTOBER 27

I haven’t done a Coffee Talk post in a while, so I thought I’d go ahead and share. LET’S DO THIS!

Thankful For: I am thankful for true friends, pumpkin spice coffee, and cooler weather. I know all of that sounds so cliche or insignificant, but all of these things are making my life right now. I also love the weekend, and lookie there, here it is!

Thinking About: All of the course work I have to do, but also how fast this term is going. I am really liking my classes and learning something new everyday. I am also thinking about the holidays and whether or not it’s too soon to Christmas shop.

Feeling: I have been feeling kinda down lately. I have talked about my struggle with anxiety and depression before. I think there are seasons where things are easier and things are more difficult. I won’t say things are easy or difficult, because there is always the undercurrent of struggle, but I do fight hard everyday. I fight hard to not sink when I feel like just giving up and I also fight hard to calm down and rest when I am overly anxious. I think it’s all within a healthy balance though. I understand how ironic that sounds, but I do think I manage and cope with these times better than I have in the past. It’s amazing how much counseling can really instill in me the tools I need to make healthier choices and cope in healthier ways.

Listening To: I have been listening to a lot of Jazz at work to help me focus, but I have also been keeping it country with the country playlists on Spotify. I have yet to listen to the new Christmas albums that have come out, but the time is soon approaching! I cannot wait! I always listen to my Bobby Bones Show in the morning, of course!

Eating: I have been eating better the last couple of weeks. I had been having some pain on my right side, and it was worrying me, so I headed to the doctor. I was convinced I had a problem with my gall bladder, but nothing has shown on the tests. I do think it could be my posture...I know that sounds silly, but I have horrible posture. I did have a kidney stone discovered however, so bring on the water!

Reading: I finished Girl on the Train and saw the movie, so I am ready for my next book! I am reading a lot for my classes, so leisure reading has been happening less. I would like another thriller though. Any recommendations??

Loving: I have been loving sleep lately. I know that sounds weird, but at night I have really been working to get a good night’s sleep, and it’s been going well. I do need to get to bed earlier though. I have also been loving the cooler temps in the morning and evening. My favorite thing now is to open my windows for a little while before bed. I find the open fresh air helps me sleep more soundly, plus it’s just the right temperature!

WEEKEND RECAP

This weekend was filled with fun and delicious food. My mom came down to see me Friday night, and I wanted to take her to 11th and Bay Southern Table. It’s a restaurant right next to the river and it has an awesome atmosphere. The meals are a little pricey, but we split our meal, so it ended up not being so bad. I don’t know if you heard or not, but Cole Swindell was in Phenix City, AL on Friday night. He was right across the river, so my mom and I walked down a took in the last little bit of his show. Didn’t even have to purchase tickets!

Before dinner we had quite a wait, so we went outside with our drinks and took in the cooler temps and amazing lounge area. Perfect for people watching and listening to the guy playing the tambourine and singing albeit painfully.

My mom and I love to take silly photos and I must have said something funny here...That’s so like me. 

After a late night, we slept in and went to brunch at First Watch. I haven’t tried it since it was the Egg and I, so I thought we’d give it a shot. My breakfast was below. It’s called the Tri-athelete. Its an egg-white omelet with mushrooms, onions, and peppers, served with fresh pico de gallo, fruit, and brioche toast with preserves. It was YUM!

Sunday is my day to relax, get household chores done, and work on some homework that is due. Before I got started I made me a hearty serving of french toast. I opened the windows, let the fresh air in, and enjoyed my breakfast. Of course, there was coffee (not pictured).

So, how was your weekend? Anything fun happen?