So a dear friend of mine emailed me last week and so graciously and gently said she loved the new format of my Thanksdays but really misses the lists. And you know, I kinda miss them too. So just for Schtefanya, today’s post is going to be a random collection of thoughts in list format.

You are soooooo welcome.

In no order whatsoever or any semblance of logic, here is a list simply for lists’ sake:

1. I Heart October. I love you, October. You bring hopes and dreams of pumpkins and spices like clove and candles and boots and velour lounge pants that my husband calls “Canastas.” You make me want to change all my throw pillows to orange and yellow colors to pop off the shades of gray (but just three, not 50) and strangely I get the urge to bake which makes my family apprehensively happy. And by a stroke of heavenly intervention, all the UGA football games area way this month so we get to spend Saturdays with Greg. So thank you for all the joy you bring. You’re a good month, you.

2. My Girl. All y’all out there that see us face to face have no idea the wild and crazy and kooky side that Jaana has, but I assure you, her meek and mild and timid demeanor is just. an. act. Take this picture, for example. This weekend she proceeded to pose in this exact succession (with my sunglasses, no less) while saying, “Take another picture of me.” Meek? Timid? Mild? Um, NO. (And no, I have no idea what’s going on with the LL Cool Sleeve.)

3. The Season for Old Music. Listen, I could come up with a million rationalizations for this, but there is no real reason other than I love channeling my inner new-wave-punk girl. Because, admittedly, I always revert to my 80’s-new-wave-my-mom-didn’t-let-me-get-the-assymetrical-haircut-phase-of-life each fall. The first cloudy fall day and I’m suddenly a total sucker for Crowded House, Erasure, OMD, Depesche Mode, Yaz and The Cure. My kids die a little inside each time I play something that’s highly synthesized with men singing like sopranos…but to me, it’s just like heaven. (See how I did that?)

4. Fryes. I have really, really good taste (not counting my love of “Cotton-Eyed Joe,” natch). Because I have been devouring boots online since September 1 and have become obsessed with these.

Then I noticed the price tag. Man I’m good.

(And do not be fooled — the “Similar Items” are not similar in the least.)

5. Current Food Habit. My favorite snack/lunch right now is Ingles Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers, original flavor. (It would be Publix Savory Tarragon Chicken Salad, but it’s hours to the closest Publix.) Please don’t talk to me about the amount of mayonnaise in chicken salad, for ignorance is indeed bliss.

6. Simple Raises. Paxton is totally and completely potty-trained now, with maybe one accident every other week (compared to Jaana who wasn’t potty-trained until 3 1/2 years old). (#MomShame) So we just got a small monthly raise not having to buy diapers all the time. I’ll take what I can get to finance my coffee habits, peeps.

7. Revolution. I need to talk about this new show. Because just as Lost got a wee bit too cuckoo for me (talking to you, Dharma), I was completely turned off after just the pilot episode of Revolution. Why? Because after no power of any kind for FIFTEEN YEARS, you mean to tell me little miss young adult thang can have strappy Frye ankle boots, skinny jeans and midriff-baring tops?!! I think not. 

8. Umbrella Invention. You know what all cars need to have as a standard feature? A plastic tube-like umbrella holder next to the driver’s seat by the door. Because if you’re like me and live in a temperate rain forest without a carport or garage, you use the umbrella frequently. And I’d much rather have an umbrella tube by the door than having sections of the umbrella hanging out of the door while I drive. So Honda, Volvo and BMW — if you could get on that and give me credit in the form of a surprise royalty check, that’d be AWESOME.

9. Christmas is in 12 Weeks. Just thought I’d freak us all out a wee bit.

10. You Know What Feels Amazing? Putting on sneakers after 5 hours wearing 4” heels, that’s what. Literally my feet exhaled. Them dogs weren’t barkin’ — they was sighin’. Fo’ reals, yo.

And that, my friends, concludes the list. Schtefanya, I hope you enjoyed it. (Grin.)

Any random/happy/thankful thoughts y’all want to share?

p.s. (in)courage has launched some pretty amazing community groups today, as a way to connect women to each other in real life. This is the first time they’ve done this, and there are groups for any and every season of life you might be in. If you’re dying for some community and fellowship with women who get where you are, please check out the groups and plug in where God leads you. He is all over this and is going to do a mighty work through this effort! Check it out here.