September 2021 // A List

September was a month of conflicting emotions.

September was a month of celebrations.

September was full of laughter.

September was full of wonder.

September was all about creating.

September had me full of dreams.

September brought a lot of hope and comfort.

September was a month of transitioning seasons.

September was a good month to read.

September was a month of discovering good music and musicians. 

September was a light month yet a hearty month.

I found myself losing myself in nature...in a good way.

September was a month of remembrance.

September felt like a nice cleanse that left me feeling peaceful and at ease.

Oh, September, what a month you were.

October, I'm so ready for you, and I'm feeling good things about you.

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their monthly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Fall is finally here!

2. Chilly mornings!

3. Starting a new book challenge

4. Planning things to do for our staycation

5. Cuddles from John

6. My boys

7. Hot Chocolate on a chilly morning

8. Target Circle Deals (So many great deals this week!)

9. Warm blankets

10. Quiet evenings

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Fall 2021 Bucket List

Happy Wednesday and Happy First Day of Fall! It's my favorite time of year! We are still kind of in that weird seasonal change, where summer is still clinging on, yet there are still subtle hints that fall is really here. The leaves are changing color, the weather is getting cooler in the mornings, and I'm starting to consume all the seasonal baked goods and drinks. 

• Drink apple cider

• Try pumpkin spice hot chocolate

• Go to the Farmer's Market

• Go somewhere new

• Go to a pumpkin patch

• Go to an apple orchard

• Go to the Silver Comet Trail

• Watch 1 scary movie, TV show, documentary, etc. a week

• Read 5 Fall/Halloween books

• Bake a pumpkin pie

• Make pumpkin bread

• Carve pumpkins

• Make 3 Fall/Halloween art projects

• Document Fall in my journal, traveler's notebook, etc.

• Toast pumpkin seeds

• Make Fall and Halloween arts and crafts with the boys

• Go to a corn maze

• Try 1 new seasonal drink

• Go on a hayride

• Visit a cemetery

• Take a walking tour of the Marietta Square

• Buy Halloween candy

• Complete at least 3 e-courses

• Complete at least 2 projects

• Declutter and donate clothing, shoes, etc.

• Make s'mores

• Go on a staycation

What is on your Fall bucket list?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

Atlanta Mom Blog

Happy Monday! Today I'm over at Atlanta Mom with a new post. I'm sharing 10 ways to celebrate the first day of Fall. Feel free to check out my post and tell me what you think.

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their monthly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Cookie Bonbites from Cinnabon

2. Working in my memoir art journal

3. Celebrating John's birthday

4. Hit Me Baby One More Time cover by J2

5. This mini pocket page by Nathalie

6. Decluttering my email inbox

7. This message and journal page by Katie Licht

8. Rainy days

9. Completing work right before the deadline (What a rush!)

10. Wolf by Skott

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

If You and I Had Coffee

If you and I had coffee...

We'd meet up at a local coffee shop and get some seasonal drinks. I'll most likely get a pumpkin spice latte, hot, of course, and some apple-flavored pastries. The weather is getting cooler, but it's such a welcome change. We would probably take our treats and go for a walk.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I am so grateful that John and Raphael do not have Covid. It still sucks that they are sick, but we are so grateful that it wasn't Covid. I was so anxious while waiting for the results of their tests. They are both starting to feel a bit better, and I'm so glad. It was a very stressful week. Michael, Gabriel, and I are doing well, and we did not get sick. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I have so many projects that I want to work on. I really need to finish some projects that I haven't finished. I still have to work on my 2020 December traveler's notebook. Hopefully, that will be done by the end of November. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I received some terrible news about an artist and journaler I follow on Instagram. Sunny (@miavibes) passed away, and learning about her passing really made me sad. I really enjoyed her work and will continue to visit her page. 

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I recently made a mini album that I'm excited to work on. I also have another mini-project that I want to get started on. The mini-album was inspired by recent events that took place in my life. The mini-project randomly came to me after midnight a few weeks ago. It always amazes me how I get random ideas at random times and in random places. Does that ever happen to you?

What would you tell me?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Billy Kwok on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their monthly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Lost by Maroon 5 

2. Need to Know by Doja Cat

3. Studio Calico's Project Gallery

4. Making a new mini-album

5. Naps

6. Pumpkin flavored treats

7. Finding new-to-me artists on Instagram (I really love @shialynnvictor's work)

8. Cooler mornings

9. All the Fall vibes

10. Finding Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Espresso drinks at Target (I only found the small size, but it'll do.)

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Target Finds

Happy Wednesday! It's time for another edition of Target Finds! Although we are still in that strange seasonal transition, it's been so fun seeing the fall and Halloween displays at Target. It will be fall soon, so most of my items are fall-related, and I'm so excited. The items are also school-related as well. 

Let's check out what I found and bought at Target. 

Mott's Hot Apple Cider K-Cup Pods

When I saw these k-cups, I knew I just had to have them. I was (and still am) excited for fall. Seeing the display of apple cider and these new k-cups made me wish that it was already autumn. I haven't tried them yet, but I can't wait. 

Giant Lunch Bags

I love that you can use these bags for all sorts of things. I mainly use them to pack the boys' school snacks. These bags are not too thick, but they get the job done. I accidentally got the larger size, so if you want to use the giant bags for lunches, then these are perfect. 

Favorite Day Scarecrow Crunch Trail Mix

I am a sucker for Target's trail mixes. There are so many varieties, and I haven't tried one yet that I didn't like. Target currently has many fall-related snacks, including this trail mix, so I had to get some of these. I highly recommend the Scarecrow Crunch trail mix and also the S'mores trail mix.

Best Nerds Forever by James Patterson

The cover and the synopsis/blurb of this book got my attention. As soon as I saw that it mentioned ghosts, I was all in. I mean, it is almost fall, and Halloween will be here before you know it, so this book sounds perfect. I also think my boys are going to really enjoy this book. 

Overall, I found some great things at Target. As usual, I saved on all of my Target Finds by using the Cartwheel app and buying items on sale. 

What are some of your favorite Target Finds?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their monthly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Miniature bundtlets from Nothing Bundt Cakes (The red velvet bundtlet is delicious!)

2. Falling by Léon (I randomly heard it at Marshalls and loved it.)

3. Mari Andrew's Skillshare class, Creative Transformation: 9 Exercises to Draw, Write and Discover Your Future

4. The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez

5. Target

6. Running errands by myself

7. New beauty case that I will be using to hold my sketchbook/journal and some art supplies

8. Lazy days

9. Shipping notifications (Hooray for happy mail!)

10. This Daily Page idea from Kristin (@the_awesome_ladies_project)

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

*Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links. Clicking and completing a purchase helps The Emi Times run.*

September Goals

Happy Wednesday and Happy September! I'm so excited that it's finally September! Fall is coming, and I'm so excited. 

Last month was an emotional month. I think I went through a ton of emotions, and some just came right after another. I found myself feeling so anxious about sending my sons to school during a pandemic. I kept questioning whether I was a good mom for sending them back to school in person. Before school was over last year, our school district informed parents that we would have to select whether we wanted our kids to go back to school or continue virtual learning. Since the number of Covid cases was going down, most parents opted to send their kids to school for in-person learning. Now the numbers are rising, and parents no longer have the option of letting their children go back to virtual learning until after December. It's a bit frustrating, and it is nerve-wracking to receive notifications of positive Covid cases among students, faculty, and staff. 

Last month was a month of letting go of toxic people, and unfortunately, that meant a few family members. It is unfortunate when you try to be the bigger person and are thrown in the middle of a feud that you have nothing to do with. I am at a point in my life where I am content and happy. I am not here to take sides or indulge in drama. Sometimes people do not want to understand that, and I guess that's ok, but I am moving along.  

Last month I went to the Silver Comet Trail a few times by myself. And it was glorious. It was definitely what I needed to cheer up. I felt so at peace and have noticed that I feel so much better whenever I am in nature. Everything seems so much clearer, and the sense of peace is beautiful and so comforting. 

This month, I am looking forward to celebrating John's birthday and enjoying a staycation. Fall will be here soon, and I've already enjoyed some Pumpkin Spice lattes and Starbucks' new Apple Crisp Macchiato. Fall break will be here soon, and I can't wait to spend time with my family doing some fun fall activities.

Recap of August Goals

• Read 5 books: I read a lot in August and exceeded my goal of reading five books. I read a mix of graphic novels, nonfiction, fiction, and of course, romance. My favorite books for the month are Cross by Shantel Tessier and Pack Darling - Part One by Lola Rock.

• Read 3 books that I need to review soon: I accomplished this goal, and I am happy to say that I am finally getting through my long list of Netgalley books. I read and reviewed The Smallest of Bones by Holly Lyn Walrath, On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century Timothy Snyder, Promise That You Will Sing About Me: The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar by Miles Marshall Lewis, and I Am a Force of Nature by Carolyn Kanjuro. I will have to take some time to post my reviews on the blog as well. 

• Try 1 new recipe: So I didn't try a new recipe, and I don't really have a good excuse for why. I honestly just forgot about this goal. 

• Complete One Little Word prompt for August: I didn't complete the One Little Word prompt for August, but I did get started on it. I was waiting for some supplies to be mailed, which took a little while, but I did get to work on some of the prompts.

• Complete 1 Skillshare class: I didn't complete a Skillshare class, but I am still working on the class. I'm currently taking Mari Andrew's Creative Transformation: 9 Exercises to Draw, Write and Discover Your Future class.

• Post 1 personal piece on the blog: I did share a personal piece (or at least I'm considering it a personal piece). You can check out that post here. 

• Exercise 3 times a week: I'm considering this goal as a pass. I went to the Silver Comet Trail (hooray!) a few times, walked around my neighborhood, and got many steps in during the month. 

• Drink more water: I'm also considering this to be a pass. I didn't drink as much water as I'd like (or probably should), but it was definitely an improvement. 

September Goals

• Read 6 books

• Read 2 books that I need to review soon

• Try 1 new recipe

• Complete One Little Word prompt for September

• Complete 2 Skillshare classes

• Post 2 personal pieces on the blog

• Exercise 3 times a week

• Drink more water

• Go to the Silver Comet Trail

What are your goals for September? How did you do in August?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Bookblock on Unsplash