The Catch Up, Vol 9✿
My monthly note, September🍂✨ a cozy roundup of books, shows, rhythms, and fall things I’m loving right now!
Welcome back to “The Catch Up”! This is my one a month post with all-the-things we would talk about over Marco Polo or coffee if we were IRL! Books I’d beg you to read, tech tips I’ve learned, show's I’ve watched, new obsessions, and something to love about the current season.
September was one for the books 🤟🏼
As I flipped through my memories while making my monthly chatbook, I was filled with such deep gratitude. Yes, there are a lot of hard things happening in the world—and even in the lives of some close friends. For a while, I let the enemy whisper guilt and shame into my heart for enjoying these sweet days while others are suffering.
But God. He reminded me so clearly this month: Jesus changes everything. 🤍 I can bring Him my burdens—and the burdens of those I love—and none of it is too much for Him.
Another thing He’s been teaching me is the simple but powerful practice of receiving with joy. So even as an act of obedience, I want to share some of that joy with you here.
Typically, I write a longer personal intro on these posts - but this month I did the posts seperetly. Here’s more of a personal essay from my heart.
I can’t believe I still haven’t shared much about the 13th birthday trip I took my oldest daughter, Asher, earlier this month. It truly felt like a milestone—one of those once-in-a-lifetime trips overflowing with memories I’ll carry forever.
I posted bits and pieces on Instagram stories while we were in the moment, but there’s so much more I could say in its own post—how I made it feel special, what we wore, the Disney activities we loved most, and the little things we did differently than when we go as a big family.
And honestly, the more I reflect on it, the more I realize…
I keep seeing simple polls on other Substacks and thought it would be fun, and I always welcome your feedback and comments! Thanks for being here. Lets get into the September Catch-Up!
Let’s start this email by talking about BOOKS! Reading is probably my very favorite hobby. So much so that, around this time last year, I started a book club in my town. We just kicked off season two this past week, and I’m more excited than ever to gather with friends and talk about what we’re reading.
Being part of a book club has stretched me to read genres I might not have picked up on my own—and surprisingly, it has also made me more comfortable with DNF’ing (did not finish) books.
Shocking, I know. Especially for a firstborn, type-A personality like mine. But as my friend Jacci says, “Life is too short, so I can’t afford bad books.” Over the past two months alone, I’ve started and set aside more than five books. My rule of thumb is to give a book about 25%. If it hasn’t grabbed me by then, I put it down. Because really—why suffer through a book you don’t look forward to picking up?
Sometimes, though, I don’t think it’s the book—it’s the timing. Do you ever feel that too?
Each month this year, I’ve been sharing the books I’ve read along with the rating I gave them. Honestly, I started this for myself—at the end of the year, I love looking back and pulling together my favorite reads by genre and all my five-star books. (It makes my brain happy to track along the way.)
I used to give almost every book I enjoyed five stars. But now, a book only earns five stars if it truly moves me—if it makes me laugh out loud, cry, or keeps me thinking about the characters long after the last page.
✿Obsessed with ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✿L-O-V-E-D⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Camp and I did a read-aloud of this classic over the past few months, and we finally finished it! It brought back so many memories of my own first read-through in high school. I’ll never forget—on a Friday night, the movie was coming out, and I was determined to finish the book before we went to see it (after the basketball game, still in my cheer uniform). I was literally sneaking in pages between classes and even during the previews at the theater. 😂 So nostalgic!
✿Liked⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Love Haters by Katherine Center - It’s on Kindle Unlimited right now! I love Katherine Center—she’s one of my all-time favorites in this genre, and usually her books are instant wins for me. This one, though, was just okay. I didn’t dislike it, but it also didn’t blow me away.
✿Learned something / from someone 🤍
Resilient by John Eldridge I’m not finished with this one yet, but I’ve been making my way through slowly—usually one chapter at a time on drives without the kids or while getting ready in the morning. It’s been on my list for a long time, and since the word resilient has kept coming up for me personally, I decided to dive in. It’s thoughtful, reflective, and my favorite part is the prayers at the end of each chapter that he gently walks you through.
Sister Wife by Christine Brown Wooley - I LOVE A GOOD MEMOIR!! and I love all things Utah/polygomy/sister wives….I know, it’s strange but it’s so fascinating to me. As a long time Sister Wive viewer, I enjoyed hearing more “behind the scenes” of what was going on through the episodes I remember watching. Christine is brave to tell her story!
✿Didn’t finish 😜
Other Peoples Summers by Sarah Morgan- Honestly, I just couldn’t. It was sorta boring, and even only a week of so after deciding not to read it, I can’t even remember what it was about. so there ya go.
The Days I Loved you Most by Amy Neff - this one started off very interesting plot. It’s a Jenna Book Club *which I often enjoy! but it got dark and depressing. About an older couple that had plans to end their lives on a specific day, because of illness. I just wasn’t in the mood.
✿What’s on my TBR
Parents Weekend is our October book club pick. We like to do something a little “thriller-y” or spooky, and this one looks like a good page turner. It’s also on Kindle Unlimited right now. Our November pick is a memoir, I’m Glad my Mom Died. It’s intruuiged me a long time, and this is the push I need to read it. I’m also currently listening to Jen Hatmakers memoir, Awake. I always, always, always LISTEN to memoirs. It’s about the time of year I put away the summer/beach-y romances and pick up some cozier stories. I’d love to hear what you are reading!
✿Shows I Watched and Loved this Month
The Summer I Turned Pretty - Prime- I finally finished this beloved series! Honestly, one of the best parts was the camaraderie with other millennial mamas who were just as hooked as I was. It sparked so many conversations about our own 90s crushes. 😅 I also loved that it was released one episode at a time—such a throwback to waiting and wondering what would happen next each week.
Gilmore Girls (rewatch) - Netflix- Last year my husband and I watched the entire GG series for the first time ever. We were hooked! Now we are in our re watch era! Happy little show to fall asleep to, or finish date night with.
Leanne - Netflix- My bff Lesley has been watching this during a period of grief in her life, and I honestly started watching it so I could know what she was finding laughter and relief in. I’m not typically a sitcom type of person, but this was up my alley. I still have a few episodes to go, but it’s a feel good background type of show.
The Wrong Paris- Netflix- this was a really cute /cheesy netflix movie that reminded me of the Bachelor. but on a Texas ranch. If you want Hallmark feel good vibes, this is it.
Friday Night Lights - Prime - One of my all-time favorite TV series! Every fall I tell myself I’ll start a rewatch, and this year I finally did. It’s been at least 10–15 years since I last watched, but diving back in has me hooked all over again.
The nostalgia runs deep with this one. When we lived in Austin during our newlywed days, they were filming nearby, so we’d see some of the cast out and about. (Even though it was portrayed as a West Texas town, which we later moved to in the middle of the series.) It just holds so many memories for me.
Coach and Tammy Taylor forever. 🫶 And I’ll never forget the night we saw “Tim Riggins” leaving Matt’s El Rancho, and my friends hollered, pointing at me: “Hey Riggins, my friend thinks you’re hot!” Bless it all. 😂
✿Seasonal family rhythm list
If you read my “Family Binder” post, you saw this idea to create a google doc for monthly to-do’s that are specific to each month. This helps with my mental load sooooo much! It’s a “decide once” (thank you, Lazy Genius) type of principal. So each month I’ll give you a peak into what’s on my monthly list. I hope it encourages you to think about and start building your own!
Halloween decor out, October 1
Halloween costumes
Secret Santa Sibling drawing
Pumpkin patch family date + photos
Ever Joy birthday: cake + presents
Order Christmas Jammies
Delete, Sort, Organize monthly pics on google photos
Order monthly Chatbook
Honestly, most of my October monthly things are holiday related. We’ll go deeper into that in my membership, The Table!
✿Phone note to start
If I haven’t said it enough, I am obsessed with iPhone “Notes”. I want to share an idea with you every month of a note you can start!
This is a “pinned” note I have in my phone called MONTHLY RHYTHMS. Every single month I uncheck and then check all the tasks that I like to do each month. “The Table” is going to be all about this this month!!! I would love for you to join us and learn more about how you can streamline all the things you don’t-want-to-forget!!! This system has saved my butt so many times the past few years, and gives me such a vision for where I want to focus on my time and energy as we end and also start a new month. Game changer, especially for mamas!!!
✿Newly obsessed with….
It’s so funny, every time I go to write this part, I think “what am I obsessed with?”
Honestly, I am not really in a season of purchasing a lot of things that aren’t necessities. I did get a new cleanser, as I ran out of both mine at the same time. I am really enjoying it. Especially since my teen daughter is always asking me to go to Sephora with her.
When I was in 30A last month with friends, we were all influencing each other on a variety of products. It inspired me to make a list of all my fall faves in one spot. This is the season of all the fall smell goods in every single room of my house pretty much. HAPPY!
✿Things to love about the fall season!!!
I am obsessed with the seasons, and I thought it would be encouraging to share some things to love about whichever season we are in. There ARE things to love about each and every season. Even in these "in between” seasons.
But fall? What’s not to love? It might just be the very best. 🍂✨
Crisp mornings with sweatshirts and hot coffee
Football: pep rallies, friday night lights, tailgating, Aggie games
Fall Break - a week off of school to just be with our family and enjoy the slowness
All things Pumpkin - in your coffee, on your porch, in your muffins
Long walks where the air is just right (not too hot, not too cold)
All the cozy layers, diffuser oils, and vibes
✿Substacks’ I’ve been loving
Fellow Texas mom of 4 (FTW) and just found your Substack! Enjoyed reading this so much!
Friday Night Lights is one of my all-time favorites as well. And all the love for weekly episodic TV shows. All the Summer I Turned Pretty memes and Threads posts (only time I use Threads, LOL) were incredibly fun. We watch a couple of shows that are released weekly and love them. I'm glad more streaming services are moving in that direction.
Thanks always for the book recommendations.