The first full week of the month was fall break for us. We didn't have any real plans for the week this year, but we did make it out to our local botanical garden for their annual Scarecrows in the Garden event. It didn't feel as big or impressive as in years past, but we still enjoyed our stroll through the grounds. Alexis spent a few days camping with my parents, and I used that time to have some time just for me, which I spent mostly sleeping.
We spent lots of time at the barn this month. In addition to working with Bonnie and Clyde, we welcomed new baby goats and continued making friends with Frank the Donkey. I regularly post about our adventures at the farm on my TikTok, so follow me there to see all the cute animal videos.
We did three different trick-or-treat events this year. First, we checked out BooFest in downtown (I have no pictures from this one) and were pleasantly surprised; we've been let down by downtown events in the past. Then we did our annual campground trick or treat which hasn't disappointed yet. Finally, on Halloween we headed to our old neighborhood for some after dark trick-or-treating. This was our first year going door-to-door after sundown, but it was worth it for some of the over-the-top decorated yards.
In my classroom, we're diving deeper into writing. We started the quarter with descriptive writing. Students designed haunted houses, then they had to write a descriptive real estate listing for their house. We're currently working on research, which is going a bit slower than I anticipated (thanks for the added headache, Google AI Overview). Students have been learning about different monsters throughout history and are creating infographics. They're having fun with this, but I'm learning that although they're on their devices all the time, they really don't know how to use them. As a result, I've had to slow this process down and have spent a lot of one-on-one time with nearly every student I teach ensuring that they're searching for information the right way.
Whew! I think that's got you caught up on this truly exhausting month that's gone by. Now, let's focus on the good stuff. Here are the top 10 things I loved this month (it was surprisingly hard to narrow it down this month), plus the top 10 things I shared that y'all loved.
My Favorites (in no particular order)
The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark - This book! It was a great read for October and is a contender for my best books of 2025 list. It completely sucked me in and had me second-guessing everything. It's a murder mystery but also a story of self-discovery and forgiveness. Also, I now want to be a ghostwriter.
Continuous Spray Bottle - I finally bought one of these for myself, and I get it. I've known about them for a long time but always thought they were over-hyped. Also, I really couldn't bring myself to spend $10 on a spray bottle. You know what I'm saying? On a random trip to Five Below, I saw this exact one for, you guessed it, $5. I use this pretty much every day, y'all. It's so much better than my old, not-continuous spray bottle. So if you're like me and been snubbing your nose at these, do yourself a favor and buy one.
Function of Beauty Wavy Hair Shampoo & Conditioner - I talked about this shampoo and conditioner a few weeks ago when I shared my current wavy hair routine. I've been using them for a little over a month now, and the results really are worth sharing. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this shampoo and conditioner are saving my hair sanity right now. Seriously, I'm getting very similar results to when I was using Monat's products a few years ago. Best part? You can get both the shampoo and conditioner for about $20 total.
Dr. Teal's Black Cherry & Vanilla Foaming Bath - Y'all already know I love me some Dr. Teal's bubble bath. It's an integral part of my self-care routine. This cherry-scented one is a new flavor that will sadly not be available for all time, but it should be. It smells so good.
Publix Rich & Creamy Premium Chocolate Cherish Passion Ice Cream - I guess cherry is just my flavor this month. But this ice cream is amazing. It tastes just like a chocolate-covered cherry. Does it make my lactose-intolerant stomach hurt? Yes. Is it worth it? Also yes.
Yellow Pants & Striped Sweater Outfit - This is one of my favorite looks top-to-bottom from this past month. It all just worked so nicely together. I do feel the need to tell you that I'm going to have to replace the button on the pants; it was not sewn on very well, so by the end of the day it was gone, but it will be a simple fix. Otherwise, these pants are everything I hoped they would be, and I'm seriously considering buying them in multiple colors. I wear my regular size in these (29). This short-sleeve sweater is great quality, by the way. Nice and thick and a good length. The colors are beautiful in person.
Rust Colored Long-Sleeve Knit Dress - This dress was like wearing a blanket all day long. It is so soft! It's the outfit I got the most compliments on this month, including from my students, which is a big deal considering they're middle schoolers who generally don't like anything. I ordered this in a medium. It's a bit more fitted than I was anticipating, so I'm not going to dry it.
Red Sweater Vest Outfit - I think this might be my favorite outfit from the month. I didn't get a single comment or compliment for it, but I just felt so comfortable in it all day long. This vest is really amazing, y'all, and comes in quite a few colors. I really like the light blue.
The Weather by All Time Low - This is one of my favorite bands from when I was in college, and I love the new music they're putting out. This song has been playing on repeat in my head for weeks now.
Dang by Rainbow Kitten Surprise - This song is so much fun. It's got this level of nonsense and whimsy to it that I just love.
Your Favorites
Skeleton Earrings - These definitely make sense for the month, and they really are so cute. They're also surprisingly light and did not irritate my ears.
Mesh Tops - It seems y'all are following my advice when it comes to layering tops. Mesh tops help create seasonal looks without heating you up. These are the ones you liked best: Brown and Black Floral Mesh Top, Green Leafy Butterfly Mesh Top, and Dark Floral. I own the dark floral one, which has been really popular on social media lately. You can see how I styled it earlier this month here.
Taupe Sandals - This one baffles me a little bit since October doesn't seem like the time of year to be sandal shopping, but here ya go.
Yellow Cropped Pants - I guess y'all like these cropped pants, too.
Time & True Short Sleeve Green Cardigan - This is such a cute half-sleeve cardigan, and it's really good quality. It sold out really fast, but it's still listed on the website so maybe they'll restock? At any rate, here's one that's similar for you.
Ankle Boots - These are a nice pair of neutral ankle boots by a shoe brand that I generally trust. I have several pairs of their shoes in my own closet.
Blue Striped Pants - I can't personally vouch for these pants, but they are a decent alternative to my favorite pair from Old Navy. They come in several color options, too.
Halloween Tulle Skirt - This is another one that makes sense for October, and one that I can vouch for. This skirt is so cute and was a lot of fun to wear. See how I styled it for Halloween here.
Long-Sleeve Knit Dress - This is the same dress I shared in my favorites. It really is very good, and it comes in several colors.
Cream Floral Chiffon Maxi Skirt - It's not really any wonder that this skirt made the list. Its darker floral alternative went viral on social media not too long ago, and this one is just as pretty...and can be worn all year long. See how I wore it earlier this month here.
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