When most people think of October, they picture cool days, fall leaves, hayrides and apple cider, scarves and boots, and, of course, pumpkins! In the South, however, it stays 90 degrees and humid throughout most of the month. But that doesn’t stop us from sweating in our scarves as we roam the pumpkin patch, looking for the perfect gourd.

That’s exactly what we did this weekend! It was hot and humid, and we spent a good amount of time fighting the mosquitoes, but I was determined for Sebastian to paint a pumpkin at one of our local produce stands, Perkins Orchard. [Side note: we bought our Christmas tree here last year and it stayed green and fresh for so much longer than our friends’ trees that ended up getting dry and brittle really early] Despite the heat, we had a good time and got some cute pictures. And I purchased a bag full of produce (apples, avocados, strawberries, peppers, beets, and plums) and a small mum for $20! That’s a sweet deal.

As part of my attempt to update my closet so that it reflects my current life and the person I am now instead the person I was four+ years ago, I’m wearing certain pieces one last time to determine if they have a place in my new lifestyle. This navy and white polka dot skirt is one of those pieces that I liked but I wasn’t wearing; it hung in my closet for several years, every day getting passed over. So, it’s on the chopping block; I’m wearing it today to decide whether I keep it or donate it, and I decided to recreate/update an outfit I’ve worn before with this skirt.

I mentioned in my last Instagram Outfit Roundup that I’ve started documenting my daily outfits on Instagram & Facebook thanks to a big mirror in the restroom at work. While I hate that it’s the only way I can get a halfway-decent picture these days, in a bathroom with poor angles and harsh lighting, it’s kind of working for now, until I figure out this whole adulting thing and can take better photos. I hope you don’t mind. In some way, I actually like it because my life isn’t curated so why should my photos be? It’s real life, folks. My life. You’re welcome 😉

Yesterday was my seventh wedding anniversary and I was going to take a look back on the day by posting photos and little stories about the day. My plan was to write it up and post it while on a break at work. However, my mind and body had other plans.

The past few weeks have been really rough. I was in charge of a week-long work retreat that was cut short by Hurricane Florence and we were left scrambling to figure out how to reschedule several days worth of work. I also had to navigate a major transition at the office as our CEO prepared to leave, all while worrying about preparing my home and family for the storm on top these regular work responsibilities. On top of that, in the last week or so, Sebastian decided to go ahead and have his 18-month sleep regression, waking us up several times a night. As you can imagine, I was one tired woman. You can see how not enough sleep and too much caffeine became the norm.

Unfortunately, it all culminated yesterday in a small panic attack at work where I spent about 20 minutes in my office with the door closed, crying and trying to ground myself. My anxiety is mostly post-traumatic, really starting after I experienced a heart attack last year, and it’s exacerbated by lack of sleep and too much caffeine, the two constants in my life for the past three-ish weeks. So, instead of blogging, I focused on breathing and making it through meetings without completely breaking down.

I’ve been blogging for several years now — even thought it certainly doesn’t feel like it’s been that long — and I was curious as to just how much my style has changed over those years. It’s always interesting to go back through the blog to see my outfits and the way I’ve evolved from year to year.