Seasonal Sentiments September 2026 Rewind

September always feels like a month caught between two seasons.

Summer is winding down, fall is officially here, but here in Florida, the temperatures certainly haven’t gotten the memo!

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It still feels hot outside, and we can’t wait to say goodbye to 90-degree days!

As most of you know, it’s been a very different kind of summer for our family, so we’re looking forward to the season ahead.

If you’ve been following along with my broken-foot saga, I have some good news to share, but I’m saving that update for the end.

Now let’s rewind September together!

Table of Contents

WHAT WE DID BEHIND THE SCENES IN September

After Rich spent seven weeks going through radiation and I spent seven weeks staying off my broken foot, we were both having some serious Disney Park withdrawal!

Back to Disney—With a New Set of Wheels!

Epcot Food and Wine Festival

A man stands behind a woman in a wheelchair in front of Epcot’s Spaceship Earth at Disney World, surrounded by colorful Food & Wine Festival decorations on a sunny day.

With the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival underway, we were especially eager to get back and try this year’s offerings.

Since I still couldn’t do all that walking, Rich rented a wheelchair for me—and then made it extra special!

A woman with long blonde hair and sunglasses sits outside in a wheelchair on green grass, facing away from the camera. Plants, playground equipment, and blue sunshades are visible under a sunny sky.

He created and laminated a sign for the back featuring Cinderella’s carriage with the words “Donna’s Carriage.”

I couldn’t have asked for a more fitting ride!

We had such a fun day eating our way around EPCOT.

A baked potato, bell pepper strips, and a slice of beef topped with green pesto are served on a white square plate outdoors, with greenery in the background..

Our favorite new dish was the Rodizio-style grilled beef skewer served with marble potatoes, charred shallots, roasted baby peppers, and chimichurri.

The beef was perfectly tender, and the chimichurri was fabulous!

Three saucy chicken wings topped with sesame seeds in a paper tray, with two cups of beer and a Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey sign in the background.

I also tried the Korean barbecue chicken wings covered in Gochujang barbecue sauce and toasted sesame.

They were delicious but incredibly messy—which I guess is part of the fun of eating wings!

A paper tray holds crispy chips topped with shredded meat, crumbled cheese, and chopped chives, placed outdoors on a stone surface with green plants in the background.

Rich went back to an old favorite: smoked corned beef served with house-made potato chips, cheese curds, pickled onions, and beer cheese fondue.

He said it was wonderful, but with both gluten and dairy, that one was definitely off-limits for me.

Besides eating, we rode a few attractions and experienced Disney from a different perspective, since we sometimes used accessible entrances or sat in designated areas.

I knew I was having a great time, but I wondered how Rich felt about pushing me around all day.

Turns out he discovered an unexpected perk—he could put his backpack on the back of my wheelchair instead of carrying it!

He decided pushing me was much easier than lugging around that heavy backpack all day, lol!

We enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided to head to Hollywood Studios the very next day.

Hollywood Studios

A retro Disney TV on a vintage kitchen counter displays Prime Time Cafe in a scene that radiates Seasonal Sentiments. Nearby are a notebook, salt and pepper shakers, a napkin holder, a clock, and nostalgic kitchen decor.

We were thrilled to snag a last-minute lunch reservation at 50’s Prime Time Café, one of our regular favorites.

They sat us at a great table where we could watch segments of old TV series while we ate.

A plate with three pieces of fried chicken, a serving of green beans, and a scoop of mashed potatoes on a white plate.

We eat there several times a year because it’s my favorite place to get my gluten- and dairy-free fried chicken fix!

Typically, I don’t eat that much in one sitting, but that chicken was so good I managed to eat it all!

After lunch, we took things easy and enjoyed several shows.

A person in a sparkling blue dress and white wig stands in front of an icy archway, surrounded by mist and artificial snow, with a frosty tree and rocks nearby, all illuminated by blue and purple lights.

Being in the wheelchair landed us in the front row for a few of them, giving Rich the perfect opportunity to take some up-close pictures.

It felt so good to be back doing something we love after spending so much of the summer dealing with radiation treatments and my broken foot.

The wheelchair certainly wasn’t how I pictured our first trip back to the parks, but “Donna’s Carriage” did the job—and we made some wonderful memories along the way!

WHAT WE DID ON THE BLOG IN September

Wall art featuring a pumpkin shape made from vertical sticks, with a twine-wrapped stem, mounted on a light background and framed in white. A decorative cutout pattern surrounds the framed piece, evoking Seasonal Sentiments perfect for September 2026 Rewind.

Fall was definitely on our minds this month!

We shared a new nature-inspired DIY along with plenty of ideas from the archives to help you get creative and decorate your home for the season.

DIY Twig Pumpkin

There’s something extra satisfying about creating seasonal decor with materials you already have! For this month’s Handcrafted Society challenge, we turned twigs from our yard into a rustic DIY pumpkin you can display in so many different ways around the house. If you enjoy bringing natural elements into your fall decor, you’ll want to see how this project came together—especially since my first attempt didn’t exactly go according to plan!

Creative Pumpkin DIY Ideas for Fall

If you’ve been around here for a while, you probably know I have a bit of a thing for pumpkins! Over the years, we’ve made them from yarn, twine, rope, velvet, placemats, and more. We gathered some of our favorite pumpkin projects into one post so you can find plenty of inspiration for your fall decor.

Decorating for Fall With Natural Elements

Nature provides some of the prettiest inspiration for fall decorating. We looked back at some of our favorite ways we’ve used organic elements throughout our home. If you love a collected, seasonal look, you can recreate it with natural finds, inexpensive faux stems, or decor you may already own. See our nature-inspired fall decor ideas here.

INSPIRATION FROM AROUND THE WEB

Here are a few inspiring ideas I discovered around the web this month.

From beautiful fall decorating and clever DIYs to Halloween fun and a little autumn wanderlust, there’s something for everyone!

A festive mantle decorated with autumn leaves, white and orange pumpkins, gold candlesticks, paper bats, and a large oval sign featuring a winking moon face. — Photo courtesy of Life On Summer Hill

How to Decorate for Fall and Halloween Together — You don’t have to choose between pretty fall decor and spooky Halloween decorations! See how to blend the two for a festive look that can carry your home through the season.
20 Non-Floral Fall Centerpiece Ideas — Who says a beautiful fall centerpiece needs flowers? Get inspired by creative arrangements using pumpkins, gourds, pinecones, candles, thrifted finds, and other natural elements.
The 16 Best Southern Mountain Towns to Visit This Fall — Dreaming of a fall getaway? Take a virtual trip through these charming Southern mountain towns filled with gorgeous scenery, colorful foliage, quaint downtowns, and plenty of autumn activities.
Fall Fig Branch DIY — Have you noticed how expensive realistic faux branches can be? Learn how to create beautiful fig branches for fall and get a high-end look without the high-end price tag.
Boo Baskets for Halloween — Looking for a fun way to surprise someone this Halloween? These adorable Boo Baskets are packed with festive goodies and would make a sweet gift for friends, family, neighbors, or someone who could use a little seasonal cheer.

FAVORITE SEASONAL FINDS

Halloween will be here before we know it, so this month I’m sharing some fun seasonal finds from Target!

I spotted lots of adorable decor in classic black, white, and orange that can add a little festive style to your home.

Take a peek at some of my favorites below!

Click the blue links below the photo to learn more about each product.

A grid of Halloween-themed decor: haunted house, ghost, pumpkin stack, jack-o-lantern mug, orange pumpkin, black cat, pumpkin string lights, black pumpkin, skull, evil pumpkin, pumpkin wreath, and jack-o-lantern faces—perfect for capturing the Seasonal Sentiments September 2026 Rewind spirit.

Black metal house | Ceramic ghost | Stacked pumpkins

Pumpkin mug | Jack O’ lantern pillow | Black cat pillow

Pumpkin string lights | Black Jack O’ lantern | 6″ white skull

White Jack O’ lantern | Halloween wreath | Halloween door mat

HOME ORGANIZATION WEEKLY TASK

A stack of assorted board games, including Life, Clue, Connect 4, Sorry!, Battleship, and Scrabble, sit on a carpeted floor next to playing cards, dominoes, Jenga, and other game pieces.

October is a great month to tackle a few spaces that will help your home feel more organized before the holiday season gets underway.

Here’s what we’ll be working on each week:

Week 40- Toys and board games. Sort through toys, games, puzzles, and other family favorites. Donate anything you or your family have outgrown or no longer use, toss broken items, and organize what you want to keep.
Week 41-Transition seasonal clothes. Make the seasonal wardrobe switch! Put away clothing you won’t need for the coming months, pull out weather-appropriate pieces, and use the opportunity to donate anything that no longer fits or gets worn.
Week 42- Guest room. Get your guest room ready for holiday visitors by clearing clutter, freshening the bedding, and making sure guests have space to unpack and feel at home.
Week 43- Guest bathroom. Give the guest bathroom a little attention by decluttering cabinets and drawers, checking toiletries and supplies, and stocking anything overnight guests might need.
Week 44- Prepare for and enjoy Halloween. Finish any last-minute Halloween preparations, stock up on candy, and make sure costumes and other essentials are ready. Then, take a break from organizing and enjoy the holiday!

POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE FROM OUR ARCHIVES

Ready for a little more fall inspiration?

This month, we’re reaching into the archives for a fun Halloween DIY, festive porch decorating ideas, and an organized fall coffee bar that will make those cozy seasonal drinks even more enjoyable!

DIY

A small ghost figurine with black eyes, draped in lace, stands under a glass dome. It holds dried flowers and is surrounded by more dried floral arrangements on a rustic wooden pedestal.

DIY Ghost in a Cloche — Have an old sweater hiding in your closet? Turn it into an adorable ghost with a vintage-inspired look! Display her under a glass cloche or let her make a statement all on her own.

Decor

Halloween Porch Decor Trick-or-Treaters Will Love — Create a festive welcome for all the little ghosts and goblins headed your way! See how we combined pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns, Spanish moss, a crow, and a cute light-up ghost to decorate our porch without making it too scary.

Organize

A black Keurig coffee maker sits on a countertop with black and white mugs, buffalo plaid pumpkins, a milk jug, jars, and four black-and-white checkered muffins, all in a black and white themed coffee station decor.

Organize a Fall Coffee Bar — Make your morning coffee routine a little cozier this season! Follow six steps to choose the perfect spot, organize and stock your essentials, and add festive fall touches to create a coffee bar that’s both functional and fun.

Closing Thoughts

I have one last bit of good news to share before we say goodbye to September!

When I went back to the foot and ankle specialist, the X-ray showed my broken foot is about 80% healed!

I can finally start weaning out of the boot and transitioning into a tennis shoe, which feels like a huge step in the right direction.

After so many weeks of getting around on a knee scooter, I’m very thankful to be moving forward!

And you know what that means—the fall decor bins can finally come out of storage!

I’m more than ready to decorate our home, enjoy October, and get back to doing some of the things I’ve missed.

Thank you so much for spending a little part of your day with us and for all the kind words and encouragement you’ve sent our way.

We appreciate you more than you know, and we hope you have a wonderful start to October!

Blessings, Donna and Rich