Things I Like - September

1. Fall

I recently decided that September is my third favorite month.  I used to dread the end of summer but now, while I still love summer, look forward to all the wonderful things about fall.  It's refreshing to wear jeans regularly again and pull out boots.  The air is so crisp and fresh; we can open up the house.  The trees are just gorgeous (whenever they start to change), there is a feeling of a fresh start even though we don't follow a school schedule anymore.  I want to pick apples and jump in leaf piles.  Football is back and being outside on cool evenings after dark reminds me of my years of high school band practice (I can hear a gock block from our house even).  

Fall might not be here yet (3 days of 90+ degrees??) but it's coming and it'll be glorious when it is. 

2. The fact that my baby is now doing this:

He just came home from the hospital like last month...right???

3.Target storage ottoman

 

We recently purchased this ottoman on clearance from Target.  We wanted somewhere to put Luke's diapers/wipes/blankets/etc. downstairs that wouldn't be ugly.  That led to me searching storage ottomans on Target.com and ordering this less than 24 hours later.  It's a really good size and pretty sturdy (says it holds 200lbs).  There is plenty of room for all of Luke's things we need to store and looks much better than the pack n play that has been set up the last 5 months!  Plus, since it was on clearance it was 50% off.  I think it'll fit in nicely with whatever new furniture we end up with (years away) at our next house (years away). 

4.  Target's return policy & free shipping with Redcard

Everyone knows I like Target.  I kinda shop there a lot (we don't need to talk about the number of stops in the past 10 days).   My two current favorite things about Target are their super nice return policy and the fact that you get free shipping when you use your Redcard (Target's credit card). 

We purchased the above ottoman online and got free shipping (and 5% off) because I paid with our Redcard.  That meant this 20+ pound ottoman that would have been $20 to ship got here for free.  The box was huge, took up most of our mudroom.  But we didn't pay a penny for shipping.  I really like that.

The free shipping was also nice when I ordered some shoes (also on clearance) 2 weeks ago.  When they got here one pair seemed too big.  I immediately went online to reorder in the next size down.  The best part of that, besides getting free shipping again, was that the price had been even more reduced in the week since I had ordered so they were even cheaper ($6 shoes!).  Free shipping meant I didn't have to worry about how the sizes fit, if they didn't I could just order a new pair, no problem.

And the return policy...I return things to Target almost every time I go.  I think every thing I've ever bought from their website can be returned in the store.  That plus free shipping makes it very easy (too easy?) to buy things, figure out if you like them, and then return if something doesn't work.  I do this at the store all the time too.  I buy it, see how it works/fits at home, and then return it if it doesn't.  I bought boy & girl presents to have on hand when my sister had her baby, then just returned the girl one when she had a boy.  We bought formula on sale and then returned it when Luke reacted badly to the first container.  I buy clothes and try them on at home, returning them if I don't like them.  I return a lot.  And it's awesome.

(I wish Target was paying me to say all this but I really just like them right now.)

5. (500) Days of Summer

Matt & I saw this at an actual theater the last weekend of August 2009 and loved it.  It was also one of the best theater going experiences I've had (probably only topped by seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 2 at midnight on opening night) because it was a late showing (after 9pm) and the packed theater was responsive, laughed a lot, etc.  When I rewatch it every few months I still remember parts where the audience laughed especially loud.  Anyways, it is a very good movie but I probably like it best because of the time in life of which it reminds me.  That was right before we started trying to get pregnant and Matt had just gotten his 1st shift job.  It was a very positive and hopeful time.  I have the soundtrack in my iTunes and the songs remind me of that fall too, our first family camping trip, a Kings Island trip (miss those), I was starting to bake more and try out new recipes, it was just a very optimistic and happy time in our lives.  And watching this movie reminds me of that.