Happy Fall Y'all!!

It's been getting to look a lot like fall.... and I cannot be more excited!! I don't know about y'all but Fall is one my absolute favorite seasons! There are just so many things to do, food and drinks to eat and holidays to celebrate! I am a bit of an overachiever so I created a bucket list of things I want to do this fall... it's a bit extensive but I am so excited to start checking things off. I thought I'd share my top 25 things to do in the fall!

The Blue Ridge Mountains... practically in my backyard. Living in the Foothills has some definite perks!

1. drive up to the mountains and go for a hike
2. go to a pumpkin patch
3. have a bonfire and enjoy some s'mores
4. go on a hayride (maybe even jump in the haystack this year!)
5. APPLE PICKING (LOVE THIS!!)
6. bake apple pie (DUH! see above!)
7. make caramel apples (AGAIN, obvious right??)
8. decorate some pumpkins (carve, paint, glitter-fy!)
9. drink lots of fancy fall tasting coffee drinks
10. go on a picnic.... under the fall trees, of course!
11. bake some fall cookies (the decorating is the best part!)
12. jump in a leaf pile (bring the camera!)
13. CORN MAZE, PUHLEASE! (it's corn-mazing! haha how corny! whoops did it again!)
14. eat pumpkin pie, ham, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole... etc etc until I pop
15. enjoy some Thanksgiving leftovers **ESPECIALLY THE POST HOLIDAY TURKEY SAMMIES... yum! I drool!
16. take some photos in the fall amazingness
17. wear some adorable fall outfits with my amazing new boots! oh, how I love a good pair of boots!
18. watch lots of Clemson football (and see them beat Carolina in November!)
19. try a new fall trend... especially the cute nail polishes
20. decorate the house in fall decor
21. make a fall craft, or 2 or 3 or....
22. have the best fall break yet ever!!!!
23. go to Denver with the boyfriend to see where we might be living in a few years (CRAZY!!)
24. FALL CRAWL! South Carolina's biggest bar crawl and a day of absolute fun! Plus it falls on one of my best friends, Monique's, birthday this year! Even better!
and last but not least....
25. drink lots and lots of spiced apple cider (maybe even drink the hard stuff this year!)

That's it y'all!! Is there anything I'm forgetting?? There's so many things I want to must do@ I can already  cross of make a fall craft (get excited for a craft tutorial post next week!), drink fall tasting coffee and go on a hike off the list! Now to get cracking on all the rest.... Happy Fall Y'all!




P.S. Daniel and I went on a hike two weeks ago and it was insanity! What was supposed to be a very easy and simple 1 hour, mile and a half hike turned into a 6 hour, 15 mile hike ending with both of us being dehydrated and exhausted! Luckily we eventually found a random dirt road in the middle of the woods and managed to make it back to the main road and our car! I get tired just remembering it!  Next time, time I'm making like a boy scout and be PREPARED. I am definitely going to bring a survival kit, compass, map, extra food and PLENTY of water! Word to the wise, never, ever, venture off trail. Even if you are an experienced hiker!

What's good?

I know I know... it's been awhile since I've last posted and I know I promised a new craft post but it's been so crazy busy I just haven't had the time... plus I mysteriously misplaced my camera charger so it's kinda silly of me to post a craft how to without PICTURES! I mean seriously... I don't even order off a menu without pictures... I doubt you'd want to read on how to make a craft without the pictures of the final product! I promise to get a new charger soon  tomorrow and you can expect a new post on one of my favorite new crafts next week!

Any who... a lot of good things have been going on in my life and I thought I should share them with you. As most of you know I recently started a nursing program that I love. love. My aced my first round of tests which was a major achievement! Then it was on to clinical check-offs. Check offs are a series of skills you must be able to perform prior to being allowed to go to clinicals this included: how to insert a nasogastric tube, tracheostomy care, wet and dry wound care, sterile gloving and field, how to give insert a male and female catheter, enemas, parenteral drug administration and transferring and ambulation. It was a lot of work learning all of that but I rocked it! My first clinical rotation began last week and it was AH-MAZING! I have the best instructor who is so helpful and encouraging! My first patient was such a sweetheart. She told me and my partner Mary that we were going to be the best two nurses ever and gave us a huge hug before we left. She had just been in surgery the day before and was such a trooper. I can't wait for my next round this week.

I also have been blessed with the ability to go visit my parents' new home in Florida for the first time this weekend! Not only do I get to see my amazingly supportive parents but all FOUR daughters will be there, my precious nephews, and the  husband and boyfriends. This is a rare moment in the Mason family. It's hard for us all to be in one place with our various busy schedules. As if that wasn't enough, I get to see my sweet grandparents and lots and lots of aunts, uncles and COUSINS!! (GET READY MONDO GIRLS!! I can't wait to see yall!!) I'm hoping to see my Staats/Rogers family too (HINT HINT). The moment I land I'll be greeted by my sweet boyfriend who is making the trip with me and then heading straight to Munchies to see one of oldest and dearest friends Emily. I'm just bursting at the seams with excitement!!

Did I mention that my football teams (well, most of them) both college and NFL are doing awesomely?! I'm hoping for my Clemson Tigers and Wisconsin Badgers will both win their conferences this year (and maybe then some!)  and that my Packers will bring home another Super Bowl win! (FINGERS CROSSED XX)

Seriously, how did I get so blessed? It might have something to do with hard work and good energy and all of that but I think the one I really should be pointing fingers at is the One who gave me all of these many blessings and that's the man upstairs. So I would just like to say thank you God, for giving me a loving family, a wonderful boyfriend, great friends, a career that makes me happy and feel fulfilled, a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food in my belly, among all the other things I have to be grateful for (like this gorgeous fall weather!). May you all have a blessed week and I will put up a new craft post ASAP. That's a promise!

All my love,
Jess