September is the month my first child was born (a decade ago!), so it has a special place in my heart. I feel like I JUST ripped off August on my wall calendar, and here I am ripping off September.

I usually get into a fall mindset in September, but technically it’s still summer until the end of the month. This September definitely felt like summer, so I’m ready for some fall weather! How about you?

I have some fun shares for you this month, so I hope you enjoy!

Please note that links to products are affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Happy Healthy Mama!

Favorite Products

Every month I share the latest and greats products I’ve found and loved that I think you will like, also. Here’s what I was loving this September!

ZYIA Activewear

Early this month I discovered a new activewear line, ZYIA Activewear. My first purchase was the Grey Camo Light n’ Tight Leggings and White Split Back Tank you see in the picture below, taken on a girls’ trip to Denver over Labor Day weekend.I LOVED the leggings so much (can you see the pockets?!) that I ordered another pair soon after, the striped ones you see in the pic below. I am kind of obsessed with stripes so I had to have these and they are perfect. The white bomber jacket here is also ZYIA. 

ZYIA products are Lululemon and Athleta quality at a lower price point. It didn’t take me long to realize that I needed to share this activewear line with you all, so I signed up to be a rep! Because this blog doesn’t take up too much of my time and I really have so much time to take on new ventures…. *Insert Sarcastic Voice*

Seriously, though, when I find product lines I love this much, I have to share! I’m doing a Launch Party on Facebook Monday, October 1st through Wednesday, October 3rd and you are all invited! **I’m going to be giving away $150 worth of FREE product plus more great discounts and prizes, so you definitely want to join during the Launch Party**

Click here to join my group on Facebook.

Type: A Deodorant

Admittedly, I have tried A LOT of natural deodorants. The list includes Tom’s, Primal Pit Paste, and most recently, Soapwalla. I was happy with Soapwalla until they were out of stock for a month. And then when they restocked, the product seemed different. It was not as smooth and it was difficult to apply. 

When Type: A reached out asking if I’d like to try their deodorant, I was ready to try something new. I’ve been loving Type: A!

The deodorant is aluminum and paraben-free. I’ve found it to be long-lasting and even works on non-shower days. 😉 Another big selling point is that it’s formulated to be non-irritating. I haven’t had issues with natural deodorant being irritating, but Tim has and I know many of you have. Try Type: A if other natural deodorants have been irritating!

My favorite part about Type: A is that even though it’s a cream, it comes in a tube that you apply like solid deodorants. I got used to applying with my fingers, but now that I don’t have to, I’m really happy! You can read more about Type: A here.

Favorite Books

I read two books this both, and I recommend them both to certain people. Not everyone will love this, but maybe you will.

I was Anastasia

If you like historical fiction, you’ll like this one. The story is told in dual narrative and it imagines what led up to the execution of Russia’s royal family in 1918, including the youngest daughter Anastasia, and another woman known as Anna Anderson, who threw herself off a bridge in Berlin in 1920, survived, and convinced many people that she was the surviving Romanov daughter. It’s told in chronological order from Anastasia’s perspective and reverse chronological order from Anna’s perspective. This makes it a bit hard to follow, yet interesting at the same time because you know you’re going to get some answers once the stories meet in the middle. 

I really enjoyed this one, and, again, I recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction.

Finish

“Starting is the hardest part.”

“The secret to getting ahead is getting started.”

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.”

So many quotes about getting started. Like getting started is the hardest thing in the world. Except, in my mind, starting is the easy part. Starting is exciting. I can tell you about 15,000 things I’ve started in my lifetime and almost as many that I didn’t finish. Including putting away the laundry, cleaning out the garage, and at least three half-written books.

You, too? You’ll like this book. Jon Acuff is funny, down-to-earth, honest, and likable. His advice is solid, if not predictable. Nonetheless, I found this book motivating and helpful. I’ll let you know if I finish more than I start now that I’ve read it. 😉

Favorite Moments

As I mentioned, September is Meghan’s birthday month. We celebrated with a small family party on her actual birthday. We let her choose a restaurant for dinner and she picked Brio. 

Then she chose to have a night at Great Wolf Lodge in lieu of a birthday party, which we did the day after her birthday. (Great Wolf Lodge is an indoor water park/hotel that is only 20 minutes from our house.) As you can see, she also requested a unicorn cake, which I tried my best to replicate after watching this Youtube video about 27 times. I was so surprised that it actually looked like a unicorn when I finished! Cake decorating is 100% NOT my thing, but the step-by-step video helped me along!

It was such a great weekend celebrating our girl.

Girls’ Weekend in Denver

I already mentioned this, too, but I can’t talk about my favorite moments from September and not mention my weekend away. 

I spent two glorious nights at an AirBnB in Denver with these five ladies and it was amazing. We hiked, shopped, ate great food, drank, and danced.

All I can say is that if you can make a girls’ weekend happen, do it. It definitely will make you a better mom and wife when you return. It’s like magic.

Favorite Recipes

My two favorite recipes this month were both sweets! You won’t go wrong with either of these healthy desserts!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie (Vegan and Gluten Free)

Easy Chocolate Fudge (Vegan, Gluten Free, Low Carb, Keto)

Well, guys, that’s over 1,000 words that sum up my September! How was your September? Fill me in!