A Few of My Favorite Things: October Edition

October is the best month. I realize that’s an opinion, but it’s my birthday month, so I feel qualified to make that statement.

The weather starts cooling off, the leaves turn, and the holidays are close enough to look forward to without the pressure of getting the Thanksgiving meal on the table just yet. What’s not to love?

Most of the time, this blog is about running a business. But there’s more to me than spreadsheets, so this month I’m sharing a few of my favorite things outside the office. The picture below gives you a pretty good idea. (Don’t worry—no actual officers were involved. More on that at the end.)

The evidence, explained

Every good search comes with an inventory. Here’s what got bagged and tagged:

1. Ledgers, a calculator, and binders for payroll and taxes. I said this post wasn’t about work. Apparently, the officers didn’t get the memo.
2. A bag of receipts and a “Balanced Books, Happier Homes” mug. Also technically work. Moving on.
3. The baking station: stand mixer, flour, brownies, homemade marshmallows, and a few jars of Sunday sauce.
4. Walking shoes.
5. A “Walk More, Worry Less” tumbler next to a backpack tagged with a 1,000-mile goal.
6. Travel plans, including a passport, maps, guidebooks for Rome and Williamsburg, and a family travel planner.
7. A Mississippi State football and a cowbell. Hail State!
8. Homeschool books—science, history, English, and a notebook full of square roots.
9. A stack of books labeled family, homeschool, meal plans, fitness, travel, and big dreams. Fair.
10. A Bible and a mug that says “Same Girl, Different Day, Still Balanced.”

Not tagged: the stack of Amazon boxes in the background. No comment. And I like to think the officer in the middle is trying not to laugh because she just read the marshmallow label.

Weather that makes you want to go outside

I walk regularly, and cooler weather makes those miles a whole lot more enjoyable. I’m ready for more mornings when going outside doesn’t immediately feel like stepping into an oven. Here in the South, October may still throw in a few hot days, but I’ll take the cooler ones without complaint. I’m chipping away at a 1,000-mile goal this year, and every cool morning helps.

Something baking in the kitchen

I love to bake. Bread, brownies, cookies, marshmallows (although that is technically cooking)—there are plenty of things I’d happily spend time making. Fall feels like a good excuse to turn on the oven and make something to share. And since it’s my birthday month, cake certainly belongs on the list. Or cinnamon rolls.

Then there’s Sunday sauce (spaghetti sauce in our home). That one is definitely cooking, but a pot simmering on the stove all afternoon smells like fall to me. Or any day of the week.

Football and a good book

I’m a Mississippi State fan, so football season comes with a little excitement and sometimes a little lot of stress. If you’re a State fan, you understand. Go Dawgs!

I also love to read. Give me a good book or audiobook and some time to enjoy it, and I’m happy. There doesn’t have to be a big event on the calendar for it to be a good day.

Where we’re headed next

Fall is when I start daydreaming about the next trip. The picture got this one right: there’s a binder for Italy, one for Williamsburg, one for a Louisville and Cincinnati road trip, and a sign that says “More Trips in the Works.” Half the fun is the planning. (Spreadsheets come in handy outside the office, too.)

Looking forward to the holidays

One of my favorite things about October is knowing what’s coming next. Thanksgiving, girls’ trip, Christmas, time with family, and all the food that goes with it. I love having those things to look forward to.

There’s also something about the changing leaves that makes me stop and notice how beautiful God’s creation is. Even on a busy day, it’s worth taking a few minutes to enjoy it.

And yes, my birthday

Would October still be my favorite month if my birthday were somewhere else on the calendar? Probably. But we don’t need to test that theory.

For now, I’m happy to enjoy the cooler days, bake something good, and appreciate this pretty month before the holiday rush gets here.

What’s your favorite thing about October? And if you think another month is better, I’ll hear you out—but I can’t promise you’ll change my mind.

Try it yourself

Want to see what your own “seized items” would look like? Thanks to Kim Komando’s blog for the idea behind this picture. If you use an AI assistant that can create images (ChatGPT is one), copy and paste this prompt:

Generate a fictional image of police officers standing in front of the items seized during a recent house search. Base the seized items on everything you know about me.

The more the tool already knows about you from past conversations, the funnier the results. If you try it, I’d love to see what ends up in your evidence pile.