How is Fall (and the year??) over already?! It is time once again to go through some of my favorites from the past season and get ready for Winter! I have added some paid Amazon links to all of these products if you are interested in getting any yourself. Let me know if you have used any of these products or have any to recommend!
Kindle
I know I have talked about my Kindle in the past, but I am here to do it again! I have always been a physical book gal myself, but I truly have been able to read more because of the Kindle. I just have a clear case on mine with a popsocket, so I get little stickers everywhere I go to decorate the case.
I love that I can just bring it with me everywhere on the go, and it really helps me limit my phone time. It has been really great to (almost!) complete my reading goal for the year and then interact with people who have read the same books. It feels like a huge accomplishment to have read this much this year, and I plan to do it again next year!
Truly the Kindle has changed how I read. I was always an avid reader, but now that I can essentially take a library of books with me everywhere I go, it has made reading that much more fun and accessible. Add me on Goodreads!
Notion
If you know me, you know I am pure organized chaos. When I first got engaged, I often referred to the planning process as “the olympics of planning”: my whole life had been preparing me for this planning behemoth!
I literally use Notion and my digital planners to plan everything in my life (I have used Fourish Planner and Hous of Planner), from my Purchasing Agenda, to Weekly/Quarterly/Yearly Goals, to literally packing lists for nearly every trip I’ve been on in the last two years. I feel like since I have been using it for the last two years, I have gotten into a groove of what I like to plan and how to lay everything out.
I probably have Notion open every day, and use it for Weekly planning as well as having my whole library on there of books I want to read. It helps me organize my backlog of books; my reading lists are constructed to organize my books by the date I was interested in them, that way I don’t forget books that have been on my list for a while.
I love this time of year because I get to copy my whole Notion hub and change it for the next year! I have been spending time changing the colors, quotes, photos, and layout so that I can really feel like its a fresh new year.
Prose
I have recently been struggling with my hair and getting frustrated that it looks dirty at the roots only a day or two after it’s been washed. I have tried various different dry shampoos (here is my favorite so far), hair treatments, blow drying, but nothing has really helped keep it clean right off the bat.
I decided it was time to try Prose. I kept seeing this advertised all over the internet, and was really drawn to the idea that they custom build a formula curated to your hair after a quiz. I have been using it for a few weeks now, and have been enjoying it so far! My hair definitely feels cleaner and shinier. I think I’ll need some more washes to see if I can really notice a difference in the oily n-ness of my hair, but I am going to keep trying!
Brown Mascara
This fall, I wanted to give brown mascara a try. I feel like it gives my eyes and face a much lighter look than just black. It looks so soft and cozy and warm, perfect for fall. I have really enjoyed using this color, and it is giving me more confidence to try other colors of mascara as well. I really embraced the color brown this fall, with sweaters, scarves, nails, and now, mascara too.
Perfume
Since the spring, I decided I wanted to become a perfume girlie. I bought two on Amazon at the beginning of Fall (shoutout Mary Skinner). The two I bought were OUAI – North Bondi and Dime Beauty – 7 Summers.
I tend to use the OUAI when I want to feel more adult and work focused, sort of an “It Girl”. It makes me feel fresh and confident and also focused. I tend to use this for my workdays or put together errand days. I like to use the Dime perfume when I am feeling more girly. It has this pretty floral scent and makes me feel like I am having fun and being more carefree.
It’s so hard to explain these different vibes, but both scents are beautiful and I am so happy I trusted my gut and bought them!
Coffee Shops
One of my fall goals (and truthfully 2024 goals) is to park myself at a coffee shop for a few hours on a weekend. I have found that these few hours on a weekend really help keep me grounded and slow my nervous system down. They bring such a sense of calm to my brain that, obviously, I need. It’s nice to get to spend that time with Kevin, both in our own worlds, working on our own things. I will typically order an iced vanilla oat milk latte and will tend to also get an almond croissant or crumb cake.
I usually take this time to read, work in my planner, or send out emails. Lately, I have been using the time for wedding planning too! Here is a list of the coffee shops we have found ourselves in the last few months, as well as our favorites.
First Village Coffee, Ossining NY
UV Gel Manicures
I have been such a big fan of getting my nails done lately. I am a firm believer of paying the money to have someone who knows what they’re doing do a good job on a manicure. It’s a nice time for me to step away during my weekend and not be on my phone too. I have been getting UVGel manicures and for the most part, they have been holding up super well. I used to do dip powder, but then my year started with getting french manicures, which required the UV gel.
I go pretty routinely every 3-4 weeks depending on my schedule, and have been trying to make that day of my weekend a “me day”. So I’ll treat myself to coffee, go for a walk, get my manicure, be outside, etc. The gel manicures have also helped me take better care of my nails. I used to have to get acrylic tips, but now my nails are long and healthy enough to be all natural! It has been so wonderful to pamper myself in this way once a month.
Sweaters
When I am getting dressed for work, most days, I have been throwing on a comfy sweater. They really have helped me keep warm in my office and can really be worn in any number of ways with outfits. This fall, I have really been enjoying this brown sweater as well as my knit Aran Islands Wool Sweater (here’s a similar one). I feel like both of these really keep me cozy and are perfect fall sweater attire.
I hope you enjoyed my favorites from this summer! I have loved doing these recap’s seasonally. Up next: Winter!
Caroline's Path of Grace 
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