
I’m finally starting to accept that the holidays are upon us. I really love to enjoy the fall season and I can’t bring myself to fully switch to holiday mode immediately after Halloween because we still have weeks of autumn left and a harvest-related holiday coming up! I always feel a bit conflicted about it because I adore the holiday season, and that goes by way too quickly as well, but most years I can’t just switch to holiday mode as soon as the Halloween costumes are put away. That said, there have been years past where I just need the extra sparkly holiday spirit (thinking specifically about our first year of quarantine), but generally I like to ease into the holiday season and I try to give Thanksgiving it’s due.
Today I’m sharing five things that have piqued my interest or things that have been on my mind / going on in my life recently!

Holiday Coffees
My pumpkin spice coffee creamer is running out and it’s time to make the switch to another festive alternative! What’s your favorite at-home coffee creamer flavor? Hazelnut? White Mocha? Peppermint Mocha? Cinnamon Dolce? Gingerbread?
When I’m out of the house I LOVE grabbing an Irish Cream Cold Brew at Starbucks. It’s a newer flavor to the lineup (like, within the last few years — not brand new), but it’s absolutely delicious and a holiday coffee option that I look most forward to! (Yes, I know — I’m a psycho for preferring cold coffee year-round 🙈). A non-alcoholic Irish Cream creamer is actually harder to find than you would expect, especially since Bailey’s shut down their coffee creamer production in 2019. 😩 If you find a good grocery store brand, please let me know in the comments!

Thanksgiving Menu
We’re less than a week out from Thanksgiving now, which feels a bit unbelievable. Every year seems to pass too quickly, but the final few months just move at the speed of light.
We’re having a Micro Thanksgiving at home this year, just the three of us — if you’re looking for some menu inspiration, I shared the dishes we’ll be having in yesterday’s blog post.

Slim Straight Mom Jeans
As a Millennial I have struggled to let go of my skinny jeans, but I finally gave in and tried a different style. I’m taking BABY STEPS because I am absolutely not ready (or willing!) to wear wide leg or flare styles. Jeans are also my least favorite thing to shop for… it always feels like such a daunting task to find a pair that fits well. Miraculously, I found my new favorites on the first try — that literally NEVER happens. 😳 Abercrombie came through for me yet again!
I adore the cut on these jeans because they’re kind of a slim straight, so they’re definitely a lot closer to a skinny jean than something like a boot cut style. They’re a straight leg without being too wide and loose in the lower portion, which I absolutely love. The denim has minimal stretch and because I am in-between two sizes right now I went with my larger size for these jeans. I decided to do this because of the fabric content and also wanting this style to fit a bit more relaxed than my skinnies. Additionally, I am 5’8” and found the inseam on the regular length to be wayyyy too cropped for how I plan to wear them. I took a gamble and got the regular length to start, but ended up ordering the tall and it’s exactly the perfect length for me (for my height I prefer an inseam of 29″ and the regulars were a 27″ inseam in this style; always consult the size guide for each product!).
I highly recommend giving these a try if you’re thinking about deviating from skinny jeans!

Feminine Chelsea Boots
I’m so excited to finally be able to adopt this style of boot into my wardrobe in a design that fits with my aesthetic! I recently shared a post dedicated to these boots if you’re looking for more details and some styling inspiration, but if you don’t have time to read it I can summarize by simply saying: absolutely adore them. They’re waterproof and I love the feminine flair of the bow in the heel! Extremely pleased with this purchase.

Routine Wellness Reminder
This is a gentle reminder to prioritize yourself and be sure to make your personal wellness appointments! I know it’s hard to find the time… even as a SAHM, it’s not easy because I am the childcare in our house. That means that for me to make any kind of appt my husband also has to have the availability so that he can watch Sophie while I’m away. We always do our annual wellness checkups with our general physician, and our twice-yearly dental cleanings. I also have my routine OB/GYN appts. This year my husband and I both added dermatology appointments to our routine care (which we should have done YEARS ago, but at least we’re starting now) and we always make sure to get our vaccinations as needed (COVID-19, flu, etc.). We’ve been pretty good about keeping up with our routine healthcare checkups, but it’s even more important to us now that we have a dependent.
I know it can be challenging to make the time for yourself, but preventative care is simply an investment in your future self. Make the appointments — and not just when you have an issue you want to resolve, but routine, annual exams. 🤍
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, friends!
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie
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