I finally embraced fall this weekend.

The weather here in Charlotte has been incredible with temperatures in the 60s, sunshine and Carolina blue skies. I kept my weekend really, really low-key and stayed home as much as possible to continue this “nesting/grounding” phase I’m in. It was perfect.

I always consider Friday the start of the weekend and I had a really great day. I trained two clients early at Metro and then taught a yoga private for a bride and her bridesmaids. The bride has been reading my blog for several years so it was special to meet her and be a part of her wedding weekend! The highlight of the private was getting her into a headstand! Nothing like getting out of your comfort zone and upside down to shake off pre-wedding jitters! 🙂

After the private I sat outside at Starbucks to soak up the fall weather and knock out some work for Metro before I had to my lunch class at Om. I ate a second breakfast of a spinach feta wrap while I was there.

One of my clients had to reschedule her Friday afternoon session and it gave me the gift of practicing yoga. After a crazy, nonstop week all I wanted to do was slow down. I decided to take a class at Yoga One. It’s a Baptiste studio here in town. I haven’t practiced there in years because a) it’s on the other side of town and b) I am able to practice for free at the places where I teach. I can’t really explain it but on Friday I HAD to practice there. Baptiste studios don’t play music and I was seriously craving quiet. Also, I wanted to practice and feel somewhat anonymous. The 75-minute class was exactly what I needed and I left feeling completely empty and full all at the same time…if that makes any sense.

I stopped by the grocery on my way home and then cooked dinner. Seared tuna steak, roasted brussels sprouts and a roasted portobello mushroom.

After Saturday’s long run I made myself this big bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal. Don’t you just want to dive right in? If this isn’t fall in a bowl, I don’t know what is. So delicious!

I taught my Saturday morning hot vinyasa class at Om Yoga. One of my sweet students brought me pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. She made them with almond meal, whole wheat flour and honey and they are so good. I am spoiled by my thoughtful students!

Are you ready for this? The rest of my exciting Saturday consisted of the farmers market, training a client, lunch, cleaning the house, mowing and blowing the yard, a car wash and a trip to Home Depot for mums and a pumpkin.

I cooked a simple but delicious dinner. I bought a whole chicken breast at the farmers market from my friend at Windy Hill and decided to make spiced chicken. It’s one of my all-time favorite chicken recipes and perfect for fall with all of its warm spices. Check out the recipe in this post and make it ASAP. So good. I can honestly say that this might be the best chicken I have ever made in my life. I think this is due to a couple of factors including using a really fresh chicken breast that was bone in and skin on (adds SO much flavor) + the recipe + cooking it to just the right doneness. It was melt in your mouth good. Roasted butternut squash and broccoli on the side.

I slept a life-changing 9 hours on Saturday night and woke up feeling great this morning. I taught my yoga church class (message: fearlessness…separate post to come) and then met with a big group at Fern for a send-off brunch for a friend and fellow yoga teacher. I had the zucchini fritter benedict with sauteed spinach. And TONS of coffee.

Sunday afternoon is looking like catching up on work and a yoga practice. There is SO MUCH happening right now but in the midst of all of it I feel grateful, hopeful and clear on my path.

Have you embraced fall yet? Done any fall decorating? What was the best part of your weekend?