So, I’m going to start this off with this song by Mary Lambert. Maybe just keep it playing in the background so that it can color the tone of the rest of this post and every post that I ever write for the rest of my life. Yeah?
“They tell us from the time we’re young to hide the things that we don’t like about ourselves inside ourselves. I know I’m not the only one who spent so long attempting to be someone else. Well, I’m over it. I don’t care if the world knows what my secrets are.”

Oh wow did September just fly by? I know it feels like we say that all the time but this time it feels exceptionally true. I think it’s because, as I type this, currently, Sept 22 (the first day of Autumn) it’s still 90 degrees outside. But after this weekend, Kansas should be in the solid 70’s for a while. I’m excited for that.

Autumn is my favorite time of year. Which, okay, is super obvious. It’s like saying, “You know what is really good? Pizza.” But October is my birthday month and I have a tendency to just claim all of Autumn as a gift from the world to me. I take it very personally. Autumn is a very short-lived season where I live so I don’t think it’s unreasonable.

With the promise of Autumn upon us, I bought this dress (which I wore for family photos) and these boots (which make me feel significantly more bad ass than my flip flops do). These look great together, by the way, when I wear the dress unbuttoned over a tank and my leather-paneled leggings.
And I can’t wait to see what comes in my Dia & Co. box! PS If you want to try Dia & Co., it’s totally fun and totally worth it and if you use this link you get $10 off your first box I think? Gosh, I’m not really sure if that’s completely true. Though, I am at least, 50%  sure.

This article on Wit & Delight about the Therapeutic Power of Writing is full of truths that I’ve known to be true. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative, having a writing practice can be super beneficial to processing.

As someone who has used her art in the past to benefit different charitable organizations (and has plans to do so in the future as well, stay tuned) this article about radical female artists sang to my soul!

Ryan and I went to the Kansas State Fair like we do every year. In 2011, we went there for our very first date. It was the first time that someone had ever held my hand in public and I was happy, cheesing and thrilled. Anyway, ever since then, we make a point to go every year. Usually we go after work when it’s getting darker. This year we went in the middle of the day. I gotta tell you–the fair in the daytime is not really that fun for us. It’s hot. And there are four billion more people there in the day time. The lines for everything are so long! After walking around for an hour, we sat down on a bench and looked at each other and said, “Are you having fun?” and “You know, I’m really not having any fun at all!” So we left and went to Carl’s Bar with some friends and that was great. We didn’t have fun at the fair but we did bond over how much fun we weren’t having and that was the fun part.

Our Virtual Book Club selected NOTHING to read this month and that has been so beautifully satisfying. I was so excited to get to read all the books that I wanted to in September but instead I selected a 700 page book and I still haven’t even gotten through half of it. It’s good. I’m enjoying it. But I’m kind of thinking about putting it down for a while.

Here’s a recipe that I’m going to keep in an open tab on my browser all autumn long, trying to convince myself that I’ll make them but I know I won’t. But maybe you will. And if you do, maybe invite me over.

I’m obsessed with the velvet trend lately you guys. I almost bought these shoes. Still might. Did you see Corissa in this pink velvet dress on her instagram? What do you prefer, crushed velvet or standard velvet (somebody, please, somebody buy those pants)?

We work so hard to find out the best way to love our partners but what about using the Love Languages to love yourself well? Kellory wrote this super informative article to teach us how.

Finally, I was so excited that Bobbi at Wise Women Rising asked to feature my work on her website. Go take a look and bookmark it if you’re looking for encouragement and wisdom from Wise Women.

What was your favorite part of September?

XOXO, Lib