life lately (zoo, jesse mccartney concert, and shopping trip)

It's funny how things change. Back in my twenties, having concerts, vacations, and nights out with friends on my calendar made life feel special and exciting. These days, the best thing to see on my calendar is absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. It gives me a sense of peace and ease to know that my sleep schedule won't be interrupted, I won't have to be "on," and I can just relax into the regular routine for a little bit. Despite enjoying days where there is nothing different planned...special plans do arise from time to time. They can be a lot of fun, even though their presence on my calendar can stress me out a little bit, too. Since there have been a handful of such events in the last while, I though I would share some of the highlights. Though I want to be a hermit a lot of the time, my loved ones insist I need to be out and about. Here is to being out and about! 

A Day at the Zoo. For my birthday, my husband, his mom (who also has the same birthday as me) and I all went to the zoo. We thought it would be a chilly fall day, but it was uncharacteristically warm for late October. Despite the warm weather, we were able to walk around and see all sorts of animals. The leaves had started to change colours, so the views were spectacular. At the time of our visit, there were also Halloween decorations everywhere. Since I didn't do too much for Halloween this year, it was nice to see all of the seasonal decorations and walkthroughs. There were lots of wonderful animals to see, but the standout was the giraffe. I just love seeing giraffes in real life. It was a long day (so much walking) but a fun one, too. 

Jesse McCartney Concert. This next outing was one that I chose. Because I cannot resist Jesse McCartney. I've seen him a few times over the years (Once was at a mall food court. Remember the old days when musicians would do mall appearances?) and it is always a good time. He performed a show in mid-October and it was so much fun. Though the venue itself left a lot to be desired, the actual show was wonderful. Jesse performed a nice variety of songs from each album. The standout moment for me? When he sang "Just So You Know," off of my favourite album, Right Where You Want Me. It was such a thrill to hear that song performed live. Jesse was so charismatic and there was a really enthusiastic crowd. Definitely a fun show! 

Shopping in the US. Though I hope to not cross the border again any time soon given the state of things, there was a short US shopping trip recently with my mom. We went to all sorts of stores, including Target, Walmart, Ulta, Five Below, Forever 21, and a lot of different outlet stores. Despite spending time browsing places like Kate Spade and Michael Kors, my money was spent on far less glamorous items. Some examples? Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, Dolly Parton holiday decor items, Christmas DVDs, Martha on the Mantle, and a few gifts for loved ones. Truth be told, I spent most of my money in Walmart. There was all sorts of holiday decor to ooh and ahh over. The time was loaded with all sorts of seasonal goodness. 

Have you done anything special lately? Do you prefer to have plans or a clear schedule?