Happy Friday, loves. I do hope you've all had a wonderful week. I, for one, am looking forward to the weekend. So long as the weather cooperates, we'll finally be visiting the area's best (in my opinion, at least) pumpkin patch.

I can't believe there's only a week left in this month. The holidays will be here before you know it, and then poof! 2021 will be over.

This month has been kind of a mixed bag in terms of everything. There was a lot going on, and then there was a lot of catching up to do, and then I finally got to rest. There were some exciting moments, too, especially when it comes to finding some products to make life just a little bit better, and I'm sharing those with you today!

Mellow Brow Powder Duo in Auburn - This is the perfect shade for my brows. Everything I've used before is either too light or too dark, and you can always tell I'm wearing it. This, however, blends so naturally and matches my natural shade, so my brows are fuller and more distinct but don't look obviously filled in. Another thing I love about Mellow is that all their products are Vegan!

Neutrogena Flawless Matte CC Cream - I've always liked the idea of a CC cream but they've never worked for me. Then, I saw an ad for this one, which is formulated with acne-prone skin in mind, and had to try it. I love that it has a matte finish, which leaves my skin looking like just my skin. It doesn't clog my pores or irritate any blemishes I might have, and it lasts all day. It comes in 34 shades. I use the lightest, Shell.

Monat Rejuvenique Oil - Did you guys know that I'm lactose intolerant? I'm so sensitive to dairy, that if I eat too much of it (because let's be honest, I'm not giving up cheese 100%) I get really bad breakouts. They're like a cross between a hive and a zit, painful and super itchy, and they can take up to a month to fully heal. I've been dealing with one of these breakouts recently and decided to put this so-called miracle oil with 100+ uses to the test, since people swear that it works on skin issues. Honestly, I've been blown away by the results. After the initial test run, my dairy breakout was less inflamed, less itchy, and noticeably smaller. After three uses, they're almost cleared up completely. Miracle oil, indeed. (If you'd like to try it, let me know, and I can get you a sample.)

Levi's Straight Leg Jeans - I randomly found these at Walmart for $23, and I've been wearing them almost non-stop. They are so soft and stretchy, and surprisingly the rips are right at my knees (that never happens because I'm so short). I got them in a size 6 but I'm fairly certain the 4 would have worked, as well.

Cross Logic Mobile Game - This game makes me think. You get a series of clues to figure out what matches up with what.

I got my first pair several years ago off a $5 clearance rack at Forever 21 just to see what all the fuss was about. I wore those things until they literally fell apart. Then I went a few years without a pair because I just couldn't bring myself to pay close to $100 for a pair, especially since we get maybe two months a year that it's actually cold enough to wear them.

Then last year, I found a pair of faux leather pants on major sale at Express that I just had to have, and last month I ordered these under $20 faux leather leggings from Amazon. The leggings are decent quality and have nice compression. The only issues I have with them is that they're made for tall people so I have to roll the legs under, they do not breathe at all, and they make a weird rustling noise if you move around too much (My husband says they sound like a garbage bag). But for the purpose of this post, they work.

Okay, so there are some key distinctions between leggings and pants. For one thing, the pants have a button and zipper and pockets. They're also a thicker material than the leggings and in my opinion look a little more dressed up.

The biggest difference, though, is in how you pair them with tops. Leggings should be paired with tops that cover your butt, while leather pants can be paired with shorter tops.

Let's break down some outfit formulas for both!

*This post contains affiliate links.

This outfit feels so edgy, but it's so simple. All you need is a solid-colored sweater in a bold color like rust, which is very trendy this year. You want it to be a more fitted style that doesn't go over your hips. The goal is to be able to see the button of the pants to elongate your leg line. Then add in some clunky boots, like my buckle moto boots (that my mom hates), and you've got a chic outfit with a little bit of bite to it.

I love a good graphic sweatshirt (this is one of my faves from last year). They are so versatile and easily add a laid-back vibe to your outfit. The leather pants keep everything elevated so it feels intentional instead of sloppy, but the skate shoes keep that casual vibe going strong.

A structured blouse paired with a pair of classic black flats instantly creates a stylish outfit that you can wear to the office, date night, brunch with the girls, etc. I love the chicness of a black and white ensemble.

Let's keep that polish going with a girly plaid blouse. The key is to look for something that isn't a button-up. Take my blouse for example: it's got a peplum hem and trumpet sleeves. Those girly, almost fancy details keep the outfit feeling polished, especially when you finish it off with a pair of colored flats.

This is absolutely my favorite sweater from last year. It instantly elevates any outfit it's a part of, especially leather pants. Paired with classic black heels, and this outfit is ready for the office or your next holiday party.

An oversized thermal is the perfect in-between top when you're wanting to be comfy but not too casual. It's got enough structure to look purposeful, but it's comfortable enough to pretend you're in loungewear. I like the 90s vibe these skate shoes give the outfit.

This is one of my favorite way to wear leggings, period - underneath a short dress or tunic. Case in point: this was a dress that shrunk in the wash. True to my love of 90s era grunge, I had to finish this out with sneakers.

This is the ultimate basic outfit, am I right? Just swap out your regular leggings for a pair of faux leather ones, grab your favorite chunky sweater (I love this green leopard print), and finish it out with some statement boots.

Is it just me or does this outfit have a 50s vibe to it? Maybe it's just me... Anyway, I would absolutely wear this to an office job. It feels so polished to me. You can pull this off with any oversized button-down, really, but there's just something about this barely-there pink paired with all black everything else.

This is a modified work-at-home momiform. This entire outfit is all about comfort and movability. You can wear it while working in your home office, running errands, or just hanging out. The long cardigan makes up for fact that my graphic tee doesn't fully cover my rear. 

Do you guys like reading spooky books? I'm not really one for scary, nightmare-inducing stories, but I am down for a good mystery or thriller. Since Halloween is coming up fast, I thought it'd be fun to share some of my favorite spooky-ish reads plus some others that are on my TBR list.

Ghosts of Gotham - This is still one of the best books I've ever read. Lionel Page is an investigative journalist who's built his career on debunking the supernatural. But when he's hired to authenticate a never-before-seen Edgar Allan Poe manuscript, things quickly take a turn for the irrefutable. This book has witches and, as the title suggests, ghosts. It's not scary, but I feel like I should warn you about one particularly gory scene that may get readers with weak stomachs.

Verity - This is a book I keep revisiting, especially the ending, and I still don't know which version of the truths presented is the right one! A semi-successful author, Lowen, is hired to finish writing a mega successful series when that author, Verity, is gravely injured in a car accident. While going through Verity's office, Lowen discovers an autobiography that reveals some very dark family secrets. When she witnesses the supposedly comatose Verity up and about, Lowen decides to present her evidence to Verity's husband, and things take a wild turn.

All the Pretty Monsters series - This is such an interesting series. It's about half a dozen old-blood Gypsy families who traded their humanity for immortality, becoming the world's first monsters. Idun is the worst of them all, but she and her family, who somehow give her her power, have been trapped underground for a thousand years. Then, Violet comes along and shakes the very foundation of these monsters' society.

The Seventh Bride - Fifteen-year-old Rhea finds herself the unwilling fiancé of a mysterious nobleman. When Lord Crevan summons her to his home before the wedding, Rhea learns she will be his seventh bride, and that all the others are trapped. Lord Crevan is a sorcerer who has managed to corrupt marriage contracts so that in exchange for marriage, he receives something from his wives - their magic, their sight, their voice, even their life or death. Sometimes he keeps the "gift" for himself, other times he gives it away. Now, he's got his eyes set on Rhea's youth, but she won't be easy prey.

Haunts & Hotels - First, let me start off by saying that this was surprisingly more intense than I was prepared for, especially since I decided to read it before going to sleep. I won't say that it's scary, but it was super creepy and ghosts rank very high on my scare meter. Anyway, Brea is a successful, semi-famous ghost hunter. She, along with three other teams, are invited to a competition at a haunted hotel that was once owned a serial killer. The serial killer, whose name is Dudley by the way, along with the spirits of his victims are still on the grounds. There is a LOT of creepy ghost interaction. Think those ghost hunter shows but multiple it by 10.

Circus of the Dead series - This book has voodoo and zombies and is set in the Louisiana bayou. Of course it's going to be spooky! Callie is sent to spent the summer with her uncle at the circus where he works, but this is no ordinary circus. All the workers are trapped, even those who are dead. Now, Callie's trapped, too, but she's not one to just accept it.

The Haunting of H.G. Wells - Famous author H.G. Wells works as a field journalist during World War I. When he's sent to the front, he discovers a no-man's land that's filled with the living, the dead, and those stuck in between. When he returns home to London, some of those ghosts follow and help Wells and a female journalist unravel a plot that could turn the tide of the war.

The Girl in Cabin 13 - Emma Griffin is an FBI agent who's been assigned to investigate a string of disappearances and murders in a rural community.  Not long after she arrives, a body is left on the front porch of the cabin she's renting, letting her know the killer knows she's there, and he's a lot closer than she thinks.

Kings of Miskatonic Prep series - So this series was crazy. Hazel thinks her life is finally looking up when she's accepted into the prestigious Miskatonic Prep school, but things at the academy are definitely not what they appear. Scholarship students like Hazel are handpicked to sacrifice to the monster that lives under the school, and the other students have been stuck there since their parents sacrificed them years before.

Echoes - Hannah thinks she's losing her mind when the man she ran over and killed vanishes without a trace. So she desperately searches until she finds him alive and well. Then she learns he's part of an ancient race of immortals, but so is his sister who murders every person who learns his secret.

Mrs. Rochester's Ghost - Jane has lost her job, her mother, her relationship, and her home. At the end of her rope, she accepts an unusual deal from a friend - a cottage in which to live so long as she tutors Evan Rochester's daughter. Evan stands accused of murdering his wife. He claims she committed suicide, and although Jane is skeptical, she begins to fall for him anyway. When Mrs. Rochester's ghost begins appearing, Jane begins searching for the truth.

Bacchanal - Eliza can communicate with animals...most of the time. The residents of Baton Rouge fear her until they need help with their livestock. When the Bacchanal Carnival offers her a job, Eliza eagerly accepts. But this carnival is more than meets the eye. It's home to an ancient demon that feeds on souls.

The Curse of Jenny Greene - On the night Sophie's grandmother was supposed to die, her little brother disappears. Sophie believes he's at the bottom of the pond on Grimm Road and goes looking. Instead of finding Sam, Sophie finds herself face-to-face with a centuries-old witch. If Foster Grimm didn't pull her from the water, Sophie would be lost as well. Now, she's caught Foster's attention and he's caught the attention of the witch.

Girls of Brackenhill - When Hannah Maloney returns to her family's Catskills castle, she's compelled to investigate her sister's unsolved disappearance. Strange things keep happening in the castle, and Hannah uncovers disturbing details about her past. By the time she realizes some mysteries are best left buried, it's too late.

The Wicked Deep - Two hundred years ago, three witch sisters were drowned in the waters surrounding the town of Sparrow. Every summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of weak-hearted girls to lure boys to their deaths. This year, there's a new boy in town who has no idea of the danger he's stumbled into.

The countdown to Christmas is officially on! There are less than 10 weekends left before the big day. If you guys know me, then you'll know that I am the last of the last-minute shoppers, which could prove problematic this year with all the shipping shortages we've got going on. But I also know that it doesn't take a mountain of presents to make Christmas special.

It's all about the moments leading up to and on the day itself. The holidays season has always been my favorite time of year because my family does so much together. We have a ton of little traditions that make the season a little extra bright, and this year I'm excited about adding this one to the group.

Santa's Letter Factory is your direct connection to Santa Claus this Christmas. What child wouldn't be thrilled to receive a personalized letter and bag of goodies from Santa?

Happy Monday, friends! We had a full weekend of fall activities. We visited with the scarecrows at our local Botanical Gardens and did a simple fall/Halloween craft.

Our temperatures have finally turned more fall-like with our overnight lows being consistently cooler. It's still not quite sweater weather, but I'll take it!

Alexis is on Fall Break for a couple more days. The school system did it differently this year. Instead of a full week, they wrapped three days around a weekend to give the illusion of having a week off. It's a trick I know well from my tv days when I would do the same thing to get the most out of my vacation time.

This is deadline week so I'll be fairly busy, especially here at the start of the week. I've got several things I'm working on for the blog and holiday gift sets just dropped for Monat so I'll be doing some stuff with that.

I hope all have a wonderful week!

Pasta is my favorite food group, and what better way to celebrate National Pasta Day than by rounding up some of my family's favorite pasta dishes! The best part? All of these are really easy to make and super delicious.

In on particular order, here are 12 Pasta Recipes to Try.

Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi - This recipe literally takes 15 minutes to make. The most difficult part is finding the scampi seasoning.

Italian Pasta Skillet - This is like Hamburger Helper but so much better.

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo - This is probably the simplest recipe you'll ever find for this. I love a good shortcut and this one is nothing but shortcuts!

Instant Pot Stuffed Shells - Don't expect yours to turn out looking anything like the photo included with the recipe, but man are these yummy!

Instant Pot Tortellini Soup - This is one of those recipes you can make in the Instant Pot or Crockpot. I've done it both ways and both times it was delicious!

Meatball Pasta Bake - This is one of my family's favorite casseroles. You literally just dump the ingredients into the pan and bake.

Baked Tortellini - Tortellini might be the most versatile pasta on the market. This recipe is so cheesy and ooey-gooey good.

Instant Pot Tuna Noodle Casserole - This is the most popular recipe on my blog, hands down, and for good reason! This is my go-to "I don't know what to make" meal, and it's always a favorite.

Instant Pot Chili Mac - Whether you call it chili mac or goulash, this recipe is perfect for kids.

Instant Pot Ham & Cheese Macaroni - This is such a good mac-n-cheese recipe, y'all.

Instant Pot Meatball Lasagna - This was another hit in our house, although I used whatever noodles I happened to have in the pantry to make it.

Instant Pot Taco Casserole - This is a fun alternative to tacos. Serve with sour cream and your other favorite taco toppings.