SO in the KNOW August | What I’m Learning & Loving in my Empty Nest This Month

August has been FULL, and apparently so has my list of things I want to tell you about! This month’s SO in the KNOW has a little bit of everything: something new I’m learning about this empty-nester stage of life, what Bob and I are watching, a fall organization reset, and FIFTEEN things I’m loving enough to tell my friends about. 😂

As always, these are the things that have genuinely caught my attention, made life easier, brought me joy, or earned a spot in my own routine. Consider this your monthly catch-up from one empty nester to another. Let’s get into it!

What I’m Learning

It’s Shoulder Season! (And I’m Not Talking About Tops!)

Nope, this has nothing to do with an off-the-shoulder neckline! “Shoulder season” is that lovely stretch between peak and off-season travel—and I happen to think it’s one of the BEST perks of the empty nest. Think fewer crowds, lower prices, and often much more pleasant weather.

In my book, Empty Nest Blessed: 60 Days to Finding Joy in the Empty Nest, one of the things I encourage empty nesters to take advantage of the freedom that comes with no longer being tied to school calendars and schedules. We can travel when everyone else heads home! And this new Travel + Leisure list, 12 Breathtaking Natural Wonders in the U.S. You Should Visit at Least Once, has me ready to start planning. From the Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyon to the Nāpali Coast and beyond, consider this your invitation to put that empty nest flexibility to very good use!

What We’re Streaming

I don’t know about you, but for us, finding something to stream that we’ll both enjoy is kind of the holy grail! Bob loves grittier shows than his wife! (Read that: adventure, crime dramas and procedurals, and sports-related content.) Suzy prefers sweet, romantic, personal interest-type shows. (Read that: Hallmark movies, small-town dramas, historical romances, and other sugary-sweet content.) One thing we’ve agreed upon lately: The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls.

In each episode, Bear, an outspoken Christian who has long said his faith in Christ anchors him through life’s toughest challenges, takes a different cast member from The Chosen on a rugged outdoor adventure that pushes them physically and leads to deeper conversations. Along the way, they talk candidly about faith, their personal journeys, and the stories behind their roles on the series. It’s part adventure show, part faith conversation, and part behind-the-scenes look at the people who bring The Chosen to life. Highly recommend!

In June’s SO in the KNOW, I shared THIS necklace with you, inspired by The Chosen. It’s become one I reach for again and again! I love the way its four sides quietly capture so much of the heart of the series: “Redeemed,” “I am His,” “Called by Name,” and that instantly recognizable three-fish logo. It’s such a meaningful reminder of my identity in Christ, and I love that every purchase also supports Starfish Project and its work helping women build new lives after human trafficking.

Fall Feels Like a Fresh Start

Even when your life isn’t tied to the school calendar anymore, there’s something about fall that still makes you want to regroup, reset, and get organized! I participate in the FREE Get Organized HQ Virtual Conference every year, sometimes as a speaker, but always as a viewer and a learner. It runs September 14-19 and includes 100+ online sessions on everything from home organization and decluttering to digital organization, cleaning, and saving money. Each session is available free for 24 hours, so you can pick and choose the topics that are most useful to you. I love the timing, too, because fall is such a good season to get your home and routines in order before the holidays come barreling in!

What I’m Loving

Okay, I usually try to keep this list to 13 things, but apparently August had other plans! 😂 I found 15 things that were simply TOO GOOD not to share, and there’s a little bit of everything this month, from fall fashion and beauty finds to great gifts, home favorites, and a few things that just make life better. Let’s get into it!

1. The Blazer I Own in FOUR Colors

If you’ve been eyeing a J.Crew blazer for fall but don’t love the price tag, take a look at THIS one first! I own THIS Gibsonlook Notch Collar blazer in FOUR colors because it gives you that same polished, pulled-together look, but in a soft, stretchy knit that’s much more comfortable to wear, and it’s $99. It currently comes in 18 color and pattern options, so there’s truly something for everyone. And if you prefer a more classic buttoned blazer, Gibsonlook has those styles too, including a double-breasted version with gold buttons. This is one of those wardrobe pieces that can take jeans and a tee from basic to DONE in about two seconds. I love asking brands for discount codes you all can use! Gibsonlook kindly agreed to give us one! Use ENB15 for 15% off (sitewide) through September 10.

2. Loafers, But Make Them Cute

Loafers are everywhere for fall, but you know I’m always going to vote for the version with a bow! These taupe leather TOMS have the chunky lug sole that makes a loafer feel modern, but the little bow adds just enough femininity for me. They are unbelievably comfy, with a cushioned CloudBound insole and a padded heel, so these aren’t shoes you’ll be dying to kick off by lunchtime. Wear them with jeans, ankle pants, skirts, or dresses now and straight through fall.

3. Your Skin, Only Better

I’m a firm believer that too much makeup can make you look older. At the same time, we all want some coverage! If full foundation feels like too much but bare skin feels like not quite enough, THIS is the happy medium! ILIA’s Super Serum Skin Tint gives you sheer, buildable coverage with a pretty dewy finish, plus skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and squalane and broad-spectrum mineral SPF 40. I especially love the idea of one product doing several jobs at once, and the lightweight, skin-like finish is exactly what I want at this stage. There are 30 shades, too, which makes finding a good match much easier. Worried about finding the right shade? Click HERE.

4. Let’s Get Organized

Fall always makes me want to get my act together a little bit, and apparently I’m much more motivated to do that when the to-do list itself is cute. 😂 Joy Creative Shop has the BEST assortment of colorful notepads for keeping all those swirling thoughts, errands, appointments, grocery lists, and holiday plans in one place. I especially love THIS weekly planner, but be sure to look around because they also have to-do list pads, personalized task lists, grocery pads, and more. Practical AND pretty is pretty much my favorite combination! Haha! Take 10% off your entire order at Joy Creative Shop with the code ENB10.

5. The Braces I Actually Use

I first discovered Incrediwear when I was in physical therapy for a torn tendon in my ankle, and my physical therapist recommended one of their braces. Since then, as an active 61-year-old, I’ve used Incrediwear braces on my knees, elbows, and ankles, and I keep coming back to them because they make a noticeable difference in how I feel and recover. I’ve used them for tendonitis, lupus-related joint pain, sprains, pre- and post-surgery recovery, and even arthritis in my feet from my ballet days.

Incrediwear’s patented, element-infused fabric is activated by body heat to emit infrared waves that increase circulation. According to the brand’s studies, the technology has been shown to increase circulation by 22%, ease pain by 51%, and speed recovery by 31%. You can read more about the technology and studies on their website. They’ve helped me so much that I actually reached out to the company to ask if they would consider giving my followers an exclusive discount code. My followers get an exclusive 10% off with code SUZYMIGHELL.

6. A Little Preview of Fall

Beth and I are working on a whole post for early September about candles, including how to make them burn longer and better, plus our favorite scents for fall. (Fun! Right?) Consider this a little sneak peek because this Spicy Apple botanical candle is sitting right at the top of the list! Each candle is made by hand over several days, with real botanical elements like apple and pear slices, cinnamon sticks, rose petals, and berries carefully placed right into the wax! (What?!)

Y’all, it smells just as good as it looks, with McIntosh apple, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cardamom, and vanilla, and it has an impressive 120-hour burn time. (Think hostess gifts for the fall holidays!) I liked it enough to ask the brand for an exclusive discount code for y’all, and they agreed! You can take 15% off (sitewide) with code SUZY15. It’s such a beautiful way to bring a little fall feeling indoors, even when the weather outside is still very much committed to summer. (It’s 104 in Dallas as I write this!🥵)

7. When Your Hair Needs a Little Help

If you read my recent post about women’s hair loss, you know I shared my own journey, some of the reasons women lose hair, and what we can actually do about it. While a volumizing spray obviously isn’t going to solve hair loss, it CAN make the hair we have look fuller right now, and this K18 AstroLift spray is the one I love. It’s lightweight and non-sticky, is specifically formulated with fine, fragile, and aging hair in mind, and adds touchable volume and bounce without that stiff, crunchy feeling. Sometimes a little instant gratification is very welcome! Right?

8. Beautiful Brow Twofer

Our brows have a funny way of getting a little more sparse and unruly as we get older, which is why I LOVE a product that makes fixing them simple! Laura Geller’s Sculpt-n-Stay (on sale right now!) gives you a precision brow pencil on one end to fill in sparse spots and a waterproof brow gel on the other to add definition and hold everything in place. (Brilliant!) One product, two steps, prettier brows. DONE.

9. Step Away From the Flosser

This one made SO in the KNOW after a friend casually told me she was using the POINTY END OF A FLOSSER to separate her lashes after applying mascara.😳That was all I needed to hear to share this better option! This inexpensive folding eyelash comb is actually designed to separate clumps and define lashes after mascara, and it does the job beautifully without requiring any creative use of dental tools. 😂 Tiny, inexpensive, and surprisingly useful.

10. Fall Shoes, Summer Weather

You know that funny stretch when your HEAD says fall but the WEATHER says absolutely not? These mesh Mary Janes were made for it. The leopard print and Mary Jane shape give you that fall feeling we’re all craving, while the breathable mesh keeps them light enough to wear right now. They’re an easy way to start nudging your wardrobe toward fall without sweating through a sweater. (Click HERE for other color and pattern options!)

11. The Under-$17 Viral Pants Are BACK!

If you missed these unbelievably-priced viral Walmart pants last year, you get another chance, and this time they’re back in even MORE colors and patterns! (I own them in this camo, and also in the cheetah print!) They have a relaxed wide-leg fit, lots of pockets, and, most importantly, a half-elastic waistband in the back. Hello, comfort! They’re made from a cotton-spandex blend with a little give, and at under $17, they’re the kind of fun fall find that makes you wonder how they can possibly cost less than lunch.

12. An “I Love You” Gift for Your Girls

If you have a young mama in your family, whether she’s your daughter or daughter-in-law, here’s such an easy and thoughtful way to say, “I see you, and I’m cheering you on.” After hearing author Andrea Fortenberry on a podcast, I got on Amazon and sent Two-Minute Timeouts for New Moms straight to my DIL! She told me she’s finding it “so encouraging,” which made me love the gift even more. It contains 100 short Christian devotions written specifically for the weary AND wonderful days of young motherhood, which makes it especially doable for a woman whose quiet time may currently be measured in minutes. Such a sweet little “I love you” gift, and Amazon can deliver the hug for you.

13. The Bag Shape of the Season

If you’ve been seeing long, narrow handbags everywhere lately, there’s a name for them! They’re called east-west bags because the silhouette runs horizontally instead of vertically, and they’re one of 2026’s biggest handbag trends. I love THIS brown textured faux-leather version because you get the current shape in a neutral that will play nicely with everything in your fall closet. It feels fresh and updated without looking like you’re trying to wear every trend that wandered down the runway.

14. Get Ahead on Gifting

Mark your calendar and fill your cart NOW! From Wednesday, September 2 through Tuesday, September 8, Rifle Paper Co. is offering 20% off, which makes this a great opportunity to get a jump on gifting before holiday shopping gets CRAZY. Their darling Book Club mug is an Empty Nest Blessed bestseller every holiday season, but don’t stop there. They have seasonal gifts, gifts for book lovers, dog parents, hostesses, friends, and those people on your list who are notoriously hard to buy for. Rifle Paper Co. has earned a permanent spot on my “check here first” gift list, and a sale makes getting ahead feel even better. The Book Club mug itself is porcelain and has a gorgeous gilded rim, so it feels much more special than your average coffee mug.

15. A Little Woo-Woo, A Lot Relaxing

A friend turned me on to this OSEA Vagus Nerve Oil, and yes, it sounds a little woo-woo. 😂 But I’m telling you, the scent alone makes me feel calmer almost instantly! My Oura Ring has made me much more aware of my body’s stress signals, like tense shoulders, clenched teeth, and that general feeling of everything tightening up. So when I notice my stress meter rising during the day, I’ll warm a few drops between my hands, breathe it in, and massage it around my neck and behind my ears. I also love using it in the evening as part of my wind-down routine, almost like a little signal to my body that the day is over. With chamomile, juniper berry, lavender, lemon tea tree, and Moroccan rosemary, it smells AMAZING, and this slightly woo-woo little ritual has absolutely earned a spot in my stress-management toolbox.

That’s What I Know!

If you made it all the way to the end, you are officially VERY in the know this month! 😂 I hope you discovered something useful, something fun, or maybe even something you didn’t know you needed until five minutes ago.

That’s really what I love about sharing these monthly roundups with you. Life in the empty nest is still full of things to learn, discover, try, enjoy, and pass along to a friend. Thanks for being one of the friends I get to share them with! xoxo

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