the autumn lull

There's amazing things about this season - the leaves changing colours, the pumpkin spice lattes and hot chocolate, season premieres every week, putting on cozy clothes, not having to worry about breaking into a sweat three minutes after leaving your door, the smells of cinnamon and apple pie. 

But I find that every time September rolls around, I hit a lull ... that lull where I barely take any photos (compared to the spring and summer), feel tired at 6P.M. because the sun goes down earlier, and any plans to enjoy the fall weather - be it a fair or a hike - either gets ruined by rain or the to-do list that is slowly taking over my life. 

September is ending, though, and I've resolved to make October a month to enjoy by making New Season/Month's Resolutions. Take my camera out more; bake lots when it's miserable outside; take time to spend outdoors or indoors, solo or with friends; and, blog more. About the everyday things, not just recaps. And to restart that, I'm adopting a little blog challenge I first saw from Leesh from After 'I Do' - it's a ten day you challenge (though it'll probably span over twenty days hehe).

one picture of yourself

This photo was taken a little over a month ago in The Boy's hometown in Hungary. It might just seem like a silly photo of a girl riding a bike through a village, but it means so much more to me (that whole picture is worth a thousand words thing definitely applies here). Earlier that day, I was hospitalized from dehydration due to food poisoning. It was a scary thing for me, since (thankfully) I'm not too used to being in a hospital. The Boy was right there with me translating everything to the doctors and staying there as I got examined time and time again, had an ultrasound done to make sure my stomach and kidneys were OK, and sat next to me as I had water put into my body via a tube.

When we got back to his grandparents' house, his grandmother came by with mashed potatoes and bread while I watched Chasing Liberty on my laptop (cheesy movies, and Matthew Goode, definitely cheer me up) while The Boy went off again to the main part of town to get me medicine. 

That evening, I was up for going outside to get fresh air, and we decided to head off to his uncle's house (that had Internet connection) with a bike ride. I was honestly so thankful that I was feeling better, that the food poisoning didn't lead to something incredibly horrible, and was just stoked to be able to go on a bike. When The Boy took this photo, I was euphoric. And it reminds me that I need to find joy in the simple things all the time.

So, now I have to ask:

What do you do to spruce up your autumn months?

What are you looking forward to most in October?

Hope you have a great weekend!

autumn has fall[en]

It's that time of year again; even though my weather forecast calls for warmer days next week, fall is officially arriving in a few days. This meant waiting in a 3-walled phone booth for The Boy yesterday at the bus stop at the mall, to keep myself sheltered from the cooler winds.

Then this situation happened:
17-YEAR OLD BOY WITH GREY & PURPLE SWEATER APPROACHES:
Excuse me, do you know what time it is?
ME: (completely forgetting I have a watch on)
Um ... (looks at the time on the payphone) ... it's 7:34pm.
17-YEAR OLD BOY: Thanks.
By the way, I just wanted to say that you are very beautiful.
ME: (thinking that if this boy knew what age I really was, he would NOT be saying these things) Oh, thank you.
17-YEAR OLD BOY: (smiles)
ME: I'm waiting for my boyfriend, by the way.
17-YEAR OLD BOY: OH, SHIT!
(starts walking away hurriedly back to his friends) THANKS FOR THE INFO!

Ah, at least he had the balls to approach me, right? Haha. But after that came a good time with The Boy, getting a sweater for himself and skinny jeans for me with zipper details on the bottom (trend-follower alert!). Nevertheless, the whole waiting in the cold yesterday got me thinking about the finer and not-so-finer things of fall, comprised in a little list!

1) The Changes
I dyed my hair (which you can kinda see in that picture) to a bronzed brown with a reddish hue, in my excitement for all the changes this fall. This fall brings mine and The Boy's 1 year 1/2 anniversary, which is pretty exciting! The leaves also change, the hours of daylight change. As well, my sister and my niece are moving away in a short time, which is a big change. It's saddening, but I'm really excited for them!



2) The Fairs
In September and October, the southern part of Ontario erupts into 'fair' fever. Every weekend there's a fair in a different location, complete with demolition derbies, elephant ears, carnival rides, and the like. It's usually a tradition for me to go to one of these fairs each year, and we'll hopefully be going next weekend!



3) The Coffee
No more Iced Cappuccino's for this girl; now, it's all about caffeine to warm the body and the soul. Since the weather calls for more indoor activities (though hiking is one of my favourite things to do in the autumn!) it also calls for a lot more coffee dates with friends. And, I tried out the Old Town White Coffee that Adele and Becks got me, and OH MY GOODNESS, it is delicious. I'm trying to ration it out so I can keep the yummy-ness as long as possible.



4) The Fall Fashion
I love jackets and sweaters, and fall means exactly that. Plus adorable shoes and boots. I confess, during the summer I turn into a flip-flop-wearing, shorts-and-a-shirt kind of girl. But the fall means tons of accessories (hats, gloves, big bags for storing school-books into) and a heap of different trends - whether it's animal print, plaid, solid colours, or lovely lace details and sequins.



5) The Holidays
Hallowe'en is on a Saturday this year, so it's technically a holiday haha. Sugar highs and costumes galore! And of course, there's Thanksgiving (which is in October in good ol' Canada) which means tons of turkey, thankfulness, and ... tea? (Alliteration fail!) The latter half of the year is always filled with events!



6) The Scents
Apple cider, warm in your cup. Pumpkin pie, devoured with whipped cream on top. Ginger and cinnamon filling up the kitchen. Everything is so warm, even if the weather is getting cooler. And if you can't get enough of these delicious aromas, there's always scented candles and body sprays to make your day that much more fragrant.



7) The Snuggling
While it's not winter-time, cooler weather provides many opportunities to snuggle together, whether it's in a bed or on a bench waiting for a bus. Hand-holding is no longer a PDA - it's also a necessity to keep your fingers warmer. There's nothing like a little snuggle-time!

What are your favourite things about autumn?
Hope you all have a great weekend!

*Photos are either mine are found through Google, MarthaStewart.com, and Flickr.