Fall Essentials 2016

fFall is in the air! A time for thanksgiving, colorful leaves, cozy sweaters, and everyone's favorite foods. Fall is by far my favorite season. I wait all year for fall to arrive, and once it's here I want to savor each and every day of pumpkin spice goodness. Here are my fall essentials to quick start your season!

1. Fall Decor

The best way to get into the fall spirit is to bring touches of the season into your home. Hobby Lobby currently has a 40 percent off sale on all of their fall decor. I stopped by and purchased some artificial leaves, wooden signs, pumpkin tea lights, and of course, candy corn! I also went to Walmart and purchased a super festive pumpkin plate and a matching coffee mug. If you're like me you want Fall in every single corner of your home, but don't go overboard with decor, because it will probably overwhelm the people that you live with. Sigh.

Another great decor option is festive candles. And everyone knows the place to go for all your candle needs is none other than Bath and Body Works. My favorite fall scent is hands down their Leaves candle. It smells like everything that is fall. I will probably have this candle burned all the way down before the leaves even change. Oh well...

Embellish your home with colorful, festive decor that makes you happy and helps you to appreciate the beautiful season of fall. Remember to be thankful for all the many blessings that have been placed into your life.

2. Books

Fall is the perfect time to cozy up with the book you've been dying to read. Now that the year is coming to a close, you can look back at all the amazing books that have been released this year. Or you can grab that book that's been out for a while that everyone's read that you haven't had the time to devour yet. No matter how busy you are during the fall season, there's always a break in your schedule to step outside with a cup of coffee, get lost in the pages of a best seller, and breathe in the fresh, crisp fall air.

This fall season I cannot wait to dive into "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." This book has been out for a while now, but my schedule just hasn't allowed me to sit down and enjoy this book. I wanted to be able to devote hours to this book so that I can soak up every word. I will also be jumping on the bandwagon and reading "The Girl on the Train" and "Gone Girl." So many people rave over these two books, and I'm so excited to see what the excitement's about.

3. Coffee and Tea

OK, I love coffee and tea every season of the year, but especially during fall. Here in Georgia, it is just way too hot to drink hot beverages throughout the day, but now the weather's getting the slightest bit cooler, and I am fully prepared to spend my entire paycheck at Jittery Joe's and Starbucks. Starbucks has already debuted their ever so famous Pumpkin Spice Latte, and my excitement is uncontainable!

You may not be able to spend every waking second in a coffee cafe. If this is the case, have no fear, pumpkin spice creamer is here. I drink coffee every single morning. I can't start my day without it. This means that when pumpkin spice creamer hits the shelves I stock up! It just makes my heart my happy.

If you're not a coffee fan, there's hope for you, and I am definitely not silently judging you. I love tea during fall. It tastes so clean and always puts me in a calm, cozy state of mind. My favorite teas are Tazo teas. I really enjoy Zen, Chamomile, and Passion. I also recently discovered a brand at Marshall's called Higher Living, and their White Tea is to die for. The best thing about tea is that it tastes good without sugar and creamer, making it much healthier. Caffeinated or decaf, black, green, or white, tea is without a doubt a Fall staple.

4. Clothing

If you like sweaters, boots, scarves, and layers, fall is your season. I am patiently waiting for the first cool day of fall so that I can break out my boots and scarves. Fall fashion is the best. The best colors appear in my wardrobe: burnt yellow, orange, brown, burgundy, and charcoal gray. My closet is probably 75 percent fall and winter clothes, and the rest is spring and summer. I get carried away when cold weather sweeps in, and I indulge in clothing items that I could probably live without. It's worth it. I'm a sucker for oversized sweaters, boots of all shades, and colorful, cozy scarves.

Here in the South, Pikos are the latest fall phenomenon. They've been around for a few years now, but they are still the clothing item that most girls reach for in the small town boutiques. They are made 95 percent from bamboo, making the quality of fabric unimaginably soft and stretchy. Pikos are fitted to your arms and perfectly loose everywhere else. They pair perfectly with chunky blanket scarves, your favorite jeans, and booties.

Whatever your fall essentials may be, be sure to welcome the season of thanks and family with open and grateful arms. Cheers to the blessings in our lives and happy fall!

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall. --F. Scott Fitzgerald