Monthly Recap – September 2026

Good morning! I hope you all had a great weekend! Here’s a bit of what we did during the month of September.

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Home Projects & Updates

I’ve been clipping fresh palms like a mad woman lately, and loving it! I basically have some in nearly every room in our home at this point.

We were able to crank out a bunch of projects throughout the month, including wrapping up the carriage house and getting our living room all finished!

I had originally only planned to use these woven roman shades in my office, but the transom windows have been a challenge most mornings, allowing the sun to shine directly onto my monitor. The same day we hung the drapes, my cabinet also got delivered (hence the reason the desk is moved out of the way). Isn’t it crazy how much taller the room looks with the drapes? These are the same ones I used in this post, but this time around I did the snow white (and used these rods).

OFFICE SOURCES: Buffet Table | Palm Art | Bead Chandelier | Rug | Drapes | Curtain Rods | Bookcase

Now that it’s already getting dark so much earlier, I love having most of our lamps on timers around the house. We have them set to turn on 15 minutes before sunset and I much prefer the lamp light over using the overhead lights in the evenings! We still use this system since we’ve collected so many of the lamp dimmers over the years, but there are tons of similar options now.

SOURCES: Vase | Coral Mirror | Buffet Table | Lamps | Dining Table | Dining Chairs

If you missed it, last week I shared our full living room tour. I also recently measured for a new Christmas tree. With our 12′ ceilings, I decided a larger tree was in order. Unfortunately, the taller you go, the wider they get so Kurtis may be in for a surprise with the beast I ordered while it was on sale 😉 I got this tree in the 10′ size, but they also offer a 7′ and 9′ tree as well. I’m obsessed with the little micro lights.

I mentioned in a Wednesday Watch List a few weeks back that I was going to try these maple stems. I like that they give fall vibes without being full-blown orange or red foliage. As is the case with most Amazon faux florals, they arrive bundled super tight and bent. With a few quick tweaks, they’re easy to fix so never panic when they arrive like this! I filmed a quick video of me adjusting them that I’ll try and post on my Instagram later today!

SOURCES: Faux Maple Leaves | Vase | Coral Mirror | Buffet Table | Lamps

The best home news of all? Our bed is finally getting delivered this week! No more sleeping with our mattress on the floor any more!

Around Town & For Fun

My birthday fell over Labor Day weekend this year and I told Kurtis the only gift I wanted was to cross off a few items on my to-do list. He was a good sport about it, and with the longer weekend, we got most of it accomplished!

First up was finding planters for our porch and backyard. We hit Maison 30A right when they opened one morning before it got too hot out. They have such a great selection and they were also hosting a sale for the holiday weekend! We got one for the porch and four for the backyard and they delivered them about a week later. Only one has been planted so far, so I’ll probably wait on the rest until next spring.

We’ve continued our morning golf cart rides to Starbucks, on days it hasn’t been raining. We found this cute little guy waiting to cross the path one day.

On the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, we rented a pontoon boat and went to Crab Island again. We got rained on a few times, but overall it was still a really beautiful day! The boys did some fishing, we swam and mostly just hung out and chatted.

While we were away, I missed this cute little delivery boy bringing me birthday flowers clipped from his yard. He (and his mom) are both so sweet!

On my actual birthday, we made reservations at O-Ku in Alys beach. We did a little shopping beforehand, and as always, really enjoyed our meal! This was the best photo my photographer got to document the event 😉 I’m wearing this dress in XL.

Birthday weekend continued with some sweet handmade cards and donut delivery. Kurtis and I also went to Studio Gallery 30A to look at art, another item on my to-do list for the weekend.

We wrapped up the weekend with a sunset golf cart ride with Chris and Rachel. Our neighborhood is growing like crazy so we always like to explore the new progress.

We had lots of fun dinners with friends, new and old, including a girls’ dinner to celebrate my birthday.

It’s no secret that I’m a plant lover, and I feel like I was getting pretty good at identifying most plants in Utah and Omaha after spending 21+ years in each. But I literally know nothing in Florida and it’s something I want to change quickly! I’ve been seeing these pretty tiny daisy-like plants popping up everywhere this fall. I thought it was something like chamomile. But my Google plant search said it’s Hairy Beggarticks aka Spanish Needles, neither of which I had ever heard of. So please now consider me an official local botanist, as I research every single native plant and weed because I hate not knowing what they are.

Now that the busy season has come and gone, we’re trying to be better about hitting the pool or beach.

Kurtis got his gym fully put together, and we’re almost at the point he can leave the back door open for fresh air!

We had a neighbor on our old street that was building the same time we were. She hosted a fun ladies night to see the new house. It was fun to catch up with so many neighbors and meet some of her new ones! I bought my top locally and I can’t find it online, but the brand is THML which I know a lot of shop carry.

How fabulous is this charcuterie spread she had?! Her friend that made it for her was also there that evening, and Rachel and I instantly connected with her. She’s going to be helping us with various tasks now too and we’re so glad we met!

The gulf has been very calm the past few weeks (outside of a few recent storms) and the water has been extra beautiful!

I was finally able to gather some more seashells. They’ve been difficult to find this year!

By mid-September, I made my first soup for the season. I’m pretty sure I could eat tomato soup and grilled cheese (on my sourdough) every day of the week! I use this tomato bisque recipe, and usually double it so we have leftovers for lunch throughout the week.

We’ve had some pretty intense storms, especially in the evenings, with a lot of lightning. Our friend, Chris, captured this one night from their living room.

Have you literally ever seen cuter faces? This is when Kurtis was out of town for work and my bad Door Dash habit kicked in. The cats are very interested in all the new food. They’re usually more excited than I am! I was also going to say “don’t worry, I trimmed that too large rug pad.” But I looked over just now, and realized I only did half of it, and it’s literally still there. Adding it to this week’s to-do list 😉

We have white drift roses all over our yard and I recently noticed this rogue pink rose on one of the plants. There ended up being two a few days later. So funny how that can happen!

Rachel and I started golf lessons again. I’m sure our coach was so excited to see our names pop up again for the third time, with zero practice in between any of our sessions over the past several years 😉 Our friend Katie is also playing this year with one of her friends and I’m sure we’ll meet a fun new crowd. It always ends up being a great time and we do actually learn quite a bit!

My friend Kelley Nan and her family came to town last weekend. I had a small window of time before I left town so we got together for lunch and it’s always so fun to catch up! If you’ve been around awhile, you know she is one of my very first blogging buddies. I’m wearing this favorite necklace – which is now under $7!!

Kurtis had his first college gameday out on the back porch and he was pretty excited about it! Since this time, our outdoor dining table also finally got delivered! It’s pretty crazy how much the trees have already started dropping leaves out back. About half of them will go fully bare for the winter, and it really starts to change our view.

SOURCES: Rope Chandeliers | Outdoor Dining Chairs | Outdoor Sofa | Outdoor Swivel Chairs

Last Sunday, Rachel and I flew to Scottsdale, AZ for the Amazon Creator Summit. We arrived to a lot of rain, which meant the humidity in Arizona was higher than at home in Florida which was pretty weird.

The conference was all day Monday and Tuesday and it makes for some pretty long, but fun days. I built my outfit the first day around these shoes with items I already owned. The cardigan and pants are old from J. Crew and I paired them with this button-down.

The theme for the party that evening was “boho ease”. I really had no idea what that meant, but I found this brown corduroy dress and loved it. I figured I could throw in a braid to make it more boho. I’m wearing the XL – it was probably my favorite outfit find from the trip! I’m wearing it with this necklace and old Tuckernuck shoes. The craziest part of the week was that the day after I saw Kelley Nan, I also got to see Kris. The three of us used to try to meet up annually somewhere and we need to get back to it! Kris and I literally text daily about work or new build items so it’s always fun to catch up in person. This was the first time I’ve ever met her husband, too, because he travels for work so much!

On Day 2, I wore this sweater cardigan with these jeans and this tee from Target. The day was a bit of a blur because I woke up to find that rain water had gotten in my room from the attached balcony, and was quickly spreading. I had to pack up and the hotel had me switch rooms because they weren’t going to be able to dry it out. I ordered XL in the cardigan and it was generously sized so I probably could have gone with the Large.

That evening, the party theme was holiday cocktail attire. Rachel had found this dress and suggested I order the red so we could twin. Last year was a Halloween costume party and we went as tequila and a lime so it felt fitting that we twin again this year. Rachel wore size Small and I’m in the XL.

This is a bit blurry because it’s a screenshot of a video, but they literally brought snow (and Christmas trees) to the desert! And, as you can imagine since there were influencers everywhere, there were also phones capturing every single moment everywhere. But it was pretty magical!

The biggest surprise of all: they flew in Joe Jonas for a private mini concert and it was so much fun! Fun fact: I found out about a decade ago via a random app that Kevin Jonas, his older brother, follows me on Instagram (along with a few other home accounts I’m also a fan of) and he has the most followers of anyone that follows me. Needless to say, I’m a Jonas Brothers fan! I’m also a fan of the short-lived show Songland, and that made me love them even more.

We had some flight delays and rebookings, but overall, travel home was pretty easy. And suddenly it was the first day of October (and also my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday)!

I’m not really sure how it’s October already. My parents are flying into town in two and half weeks to help me decorate for Christmas which is even crazier to think about. The holidays will be here before we know it!

One last thing to note: if you tried shopping either the Studio McGee or Hearth & Hand Christmas collections at Target yesterday morning and all the items showed “coming soon” they finally fixed that glitch late yesterday afternoon and most items were all still available! I’ll be back tomorrow to share all of my top Prime Day deals too!

Recent Buys & Sales

Following are some sales from the weekend that have carried over and are still going strong!

• AFLORAL is offering 30% off fall favorites with code LASTCALL. You can shop their site here.
• AMAZON has a number of daily deals sitewide. You can shop their site here.
• AMERICAN EAGLE is offering 30-40% off all AE and Aerie. You can shop their site here.
• ANN TAYLOR is offering 40% off fresh fall styles. You can shop their site here.
• ANTHROPOLOGIE is offering up to 50% off select furniture and decor, and has added a number of new sale items. You can shop their site here.
• ATHLETA is offering 30% off everything and an extra 10% off at checkout with code EXTRA10. You can shop their site here.
• BALLARD DESIGNS is offering 30-40% off kitchen and dining furniture, serveware and tabletop. You can shop their site here.
• BANANA REPUBLIC has a number of new items in their sale section. You can shop their site here.
• BAUBLE BAR is offering 20% off sitewide for Prime Day. You can shop their site here.
• BEEK has a number of styles currently marked down, including select shoes at 25-40% off, and you can also use my code LIFEONVIRGINIASTREET10 for 10% off eligible purchases. You can shop their site here.
• BIRCH LANE is offering up to 60% off during their Friends & Family Sale. You can shop their site here.
• BODEN is offering 10% off womenswear with code VQCT. You can shop their site here.
• CAMP SNAP CAMERAS has a number of bundles and offers available, and you can use code LIFEONVIRGINIASTREET for an additional 7% off eligible purchases. You can shop their site here.
• CHICO’S is offering 40% off everything and free shipping. You can shop their site here.
• CRATE & BARREL is offering up to 20% sofas and sectionals, up to 30% off pillows, lighting, rugs and more, and up to 60% off clearance. You can shop their site here.
• CURRENTBODY is offering 10% off eligible purchases with code CBSAST. You can shop their site here.
• DUFFIELD LANE has a large selection of sale styles, with many pieces currently 30% off. You can shop their site here.
• FAHERTY has a number of new items in their sale section. You can shop their site here.
• FRANK & EILEEN has a number of new items in their sale section, including select styles currently 50% off. You can shop their site here.
• FRONTGATE is offering up to 30% off sitewide. Plus get up to 50% off Halloween, and an extra 10% off outdoor furniture sets. They’re also offering free shipping on everything (including furniture) with code FREESHIP1026. You can shop their site here.
• GAP is offering 50% off your purchase, including sale items. You can shop their sale here.
• GEOMETRY is offering 15% off your purchase with my code VIRGINIASTREET. We love their quick-dry dish towels! They are also offering free shipping on orders $85+. You can shop their site here.
• J CREW is offering 30% off your purchase for members and cardholders (log in for discount). Plus cardholders can save an extra 20% off their purchase with code CARDLOVE. You can shop their sale here.
• J CREW FACTORY is offering 40-70% off everything. Plus save an extra 15% off two styles or 20% off 3+ styles with code GOEXTRA. Cardmembers can get an extra 20% off any amount with code CARDLOVE. You can shop their sale here.
• J MCLAUGHLIN has more than 200 styles currently in their sale section, with significant markdowns on dresses, sweaters, pants and more. You can shop their site here.
• LANDS’ END is offering 40% off sitewide plus up to 70% off sale and clearance with code MALLARDS. You can shop their site here.
• LEESA is currently offering up to 30% off mattresses. You can also use my code LIFEONVIRGINIASTREET75 for $75 off eligible purchases. We have this mattress in our bedroom and love it! You can shop their site here.
• LINEAGE PROVISIONS is offering 15% off eligible purchases with my code LIFEONVIRGINIASTREET15. You can shop their site here.
• LOFT is offering 50% off your full-priced purchase and 75% off all sale styles. You can shop their sale here.
• LULULEMON has a bunch of new sale finds in their We Made Too Much section. You can shop their site here.
• M. GEMI is offering 20% off your purchase with code FF2026. You can shop their site here.
• MADEWELL has a number of new items in their sale section. You can shop their site here.
• MARK & GRAHAM is offering up to 50% off select fall styles and free shipping on $150+ with code SHIPFREE. You can shop their site here.
• MARSHALLS has a number of new arrivals and deals sitewide and free shipping on $89+ with code SHIP89. You can shop their site here.
• MCGEE & CO. is offering up to 70% off in their clearance section and are also offering free shipping on $3,000+. You can shop their site here.
• NORDSTROM is offering an additional 20% off clearance styles. You can shop their site here.
• NORDSTROM RACK has a number of designer fashion, shoes, accessories and home finds marked down in their sale and clearance sections. You can shop their site here.
• OLD NAVY is offering an extra 20% off your purchase online only. You can shop their sale here.
• POTTERY BARN is offering up to 60% off sale styles, plus free shipping on thousands of items sitewide. You can shop their sale here.
• REJUVENATION is offering up to 50% off during their fall home sale. You can shop their site here.
• RUGGABLE is offering 10% off your purchase with code LIFEONVIRGINIASTREET10. We bought this rug for our back porch and love it so much! You can shop their site here.
• SALTYFACE offers 10% off for first-time customers who sign up for their newsletter, plus savings on select sets. You can shop their site here.
• SERENA & LILY is hosting their Fall Design Event with 20% off everything, or 25% off + free shipping on orders of $2,500+. I have a review of most of the products we’ve owned over the years in this post. You can shop their sale here.
• SPANX has a number of new markdowns in their sale section, including leggings, pants, swim and active styles. You can shop their site here.
• SUMMERSALT is offering 50% Sidestrokes, one of my favorite swimsuits ever, with code SWIM50! You can shop their site here.
• TALBOTS is offering 40% off one item and 30% off everything else. You can shop their site here.
• TARGET has a number of home deals, including up to 45% off select rugs, up to 60% off select furniture, and more. You can shop their site here.
• TJ MAXX has a number of new arrivals and deals available online and free shipping on $89+ with code SHIP89. You can shop their site here.
• TORY BURCH has a number of new sale items in their sale section. You can shop their site here.
• TUCKERNUCK has added a number of cute new items to their sale section. You can shop their site here.
• U BEAUTY is offering 20% off most items sitewide to new customers with my code LIFEONVIRGINIASTREET20. You can shop their site here.
• VISUAL COMFORT has a number of Open Box lighting styles significantly marked down, including select pieces at 40%+ off. You can shop their site here.
• WALMART has a number of Flash Deals and markdowns sitewide across fashion, home, outdoor and more. You can shop their site here.
• WAYFAIR is offering up to 60% off during their 72-hour Clearance Sale. You can shop their site here.
• WEST ELM is offering up to 60% off sale and clearance across furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, decor and more. You can shop their site here.
• WILLIAMS SONOMA has a number of limited-time deals, including up to 40% off Le Creuset, 30% off All-Clad, 50% off SCANPAN, 45% off Staub and Zwilling, and more. Plus get up to 75% off clearance styles. You can shop their site here.
• WILLIAMS SONOMA HOME has a number of furniture, decor and home styles currently included in their sale and clearance sections. You can shop their site here.
• ZIIP is offering 10% off your purchase with my code SARAHXZIIP. You can shop their site here.

I hope you all have a great week!

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