Spending October: A To-Do List For Adventuring Through the Month.

1. Make a fall bucket list. The next three months fly by faster than any other time of the year, so if there's something you know you for sure want to do, write it down!
2. Treat yourself to a pumpkin spice latte.
3. Then try to copy the recipe at home. 
4. Watch the sunrise with a pumpkin coffee (or tea!). 
5. Make an Autumn in New York station. There's something so nostalgically October about this one. 
6. Have a bonfire. S'mores are strongly encouraged. 
7. Make caramel apples. 
8. Go to a fair or festival in your town. Fall is prime time for these! 
9. Make an effort to be more positive in the way you speak. Especially when you're speaking about yourself. No more putting yourself down!
10. Read a thriller. 
11. Make it a priority to reach out to your people. 
12. Go apple picking. 
13. Host a dinner party. Fancy or casual, you choose! 
14. Work on being present. These months may fly by, but you can choose to be present and enjoy every moment, no matter where you are or what you're doing. 
15. Visit a pumpkin patch. I cannot wait to take Jack back to the pumpkin patch this year. 
16. Buy your pet a costume. Or at least go look at the pet costume section at Target. 
17. Go thrifting and find the perfect chunky sweater. 
18. Drive somewhere that really shows off in the fall. Colors colors colors! 
19. Carve pumpkins. 
20. Throw out all the weird bathroom stuff you keep, but don't use. Examples: halfway used old soap, old nail polish, the toothpaste that wasn't all the way gone, but you bought a new tube, etc. 
21. Go to Trader Joe's. Always a favorite, but they seriously shine in the fall. 
22. Listen to You Are a Bada** by Jen Sincero. It's like a pep-talk in your car. If you use this link you get two free books. 
23. Spend an afternoon baking all the fall treats. 
24. Try meditating. 
25. Make a pumpkin pie smoothie. 
26. Try some crockpot dinners. 
27. Start thinking about resolutions/goals. What are some things you wish you were doing better at / were different right now?
28. Buy Halloween candy.
29. Make soup. I could live off of soup all fall long. 
30. Bring someone a trick-or-treat basket filled with their favorite candy. 
31. Celebrate Halloween!
How will you be spending your October?

Spending Your October: A To-Do List for Adventuring Through the Month.

Happy October! It's one of the best months of the year, and it's definitely one of my favorite months to spend. We get thirty-one days of October magic, so make sure you spend them well! Here are some ideas to get you started. 

1. Go to a pumpkin patch! The best location for cute pictures, ever.

2. Carve pumpkins. Quick story: One time, we were carving pumpkins outside (in the dark), and Chris was throwing pumpkin slime at me. Some of it hit my face, but I was really focused on what I was doing, so I left it there for a second while I finished what I was carving. But then it started sliding down my neck. Except it wasn't sliding, it was crawling. And making noise. Because it wasn't pumpkin slime, it was a frog. 

A frog landed on my face and I just left it there because I thought it was pumpkin. 

Moving on. 

3. Make hot apple cider. Put this on the stove (or in the crockpot!) in the morning, and your house will smell amazing all day.

4. Look up fairs around you! It's the time of the year where fairs and festivals pop up all over!

5. Read a thriller. Last October I read Gone Girl...stay tuned for this year's choice. 

6. Bake something with pumpkin. 

7. Watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

8. Have a make-your-own-candy party!

9. Make caramel apples! Pro tip: After you make them and cover them in whatever your heart desires, use an apple cutter to cut them into slices that you can actually eat, as opposed to getting 90% caramel on your face and 10% actually in your mouth.

10. Go thrifting for oversized sweaters and baggy sweatshirts.

11. Each time you feel thankful for something, say so out loud. Work on voicing your gratitude instead of your complaints.

12. Check out Bath & Body Works' fall line. Smell like a pumpkin, or an apple. Up to you!

13. Watch the Friday Night Lights Pilot. I was shocked by how many of you told me you'd never seen this show!

14. Go on a fall date. With your boyfriend or your husband or your best friend or your sibling...just have a night of your favorite fall things!

15. Go to Target, grab a pumpkin spice latte, and browse the halloween costume section. Once you've had your laughs at the adult costumes (the best), then move on to the pet section. 

16. Get the Sephora Play! Box. It blows Birchbox out of the water, let me tell you!

17. Make an effort to love out loud. I think that so often, I just assume that the people I love know I love them. This month, make an effort to say so more, both with words and actions.

18. Pop some popcorn and celebrate the return of fall television! Scandal! Blacklist! Welcome back!

19. Make a list of some fall traditions you want to start! You know I will have some suggestions for this.

20. Bake something with apples.

21. Decorate your house for fall. 

22. If you have a dog, buy them a pumpkin. Gatsby got his own tiny pumpkin last year and I really don't know who it brought more joy to: Me or him. 

23. Drive somewhere the leaves are turning colors. Just enjoy how pretty everything is in October!

24. Have a picnic. October is prime picnic season.

25. Spend a morning outside, reading a good book.

26. Have a bon-fire. Bonus points for s'mores!

27. Go stargazing. Grab a blanket and go lay in the grass or on a roof and just watch the stars. 

28. Go for a walk. Pour yourself a hot drink and just go for a walk without the intention of really getting anywhere, but just to enjoy it.

29. Surprise your co-workers or roommates with Halloween candy.

30. Dress your pet up for Halloween. You know you want to.

31. Celebrate Halloween however you want to!

Spending your October: A To-Do List.

October is my favorite. Really, today is one of my favorite days of the entire year, because it kicks off my three favorite months. Nothing makes me happier than October, November, and December. 

There are thirty-one days in October. Thirty-one glorious, pumpkin-filled days that are going to zoom right by you if you don't decide how you want to spend them. So how should you spend them?

I have some suggestions. 

1. Listen to the Autumn in New York Pandora station.

2. Make hot apple cider and drink it under a blanket outside.

3. Read a thriller. (I suggest Gone Girl--I just read this and it shocked me so much that I dropped my phone in my coffee cup.)

4. Bake something that's been on your Pinterest forever.

5. Take a picture every single day of something that makes you happy, so you'll always be able to remember October 2014.

6. Make a list of ten things you're thankful for. 

7. Make caramel apples.

8. Buy someone sunflowers.

9. Look up fall fairs or festivals in your town and make plans to go!

10. Take a day off completely off. No to-do lists or work. Just a real day off.

11. Start writing down Christmas gift ideas.

12. Watch a movie set in the fall--like Remember the Titans.

13. Throw a "make your own Halloween candy" party.

14. Write down all the reasons you love October.

15. Go for a walk with a pumpkin coffee. 

16. Buy a hat, or some headbands. Fall is the season of not having to do your hair.

17. Go look at all of the terrible and hilarious Halloween costumes at Target. Bonus points: The dog costume section.

18. Go to Bath & Body Works and pick out something pumpkin or apple scented.

19. Eat dinner outside.

20. Go on at least one spontaneous adventure.

21. Say yes to something when your first instinct is to say no.

22. Write someone a thank you note.

23. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone at least once. 

24. Read a book you normally wouldn't pick up. I can help recommend a few!

25. Surprise someone with cookies.

26. Stay up too late talking about your dreams with someone you love.

27. Rock some red lipstick.

28. Set a goal for yourself. It's a brand new month, you have thirty-one fresh, new days to achieve it.

29. Listen to this song and turn it up as loud as it will go. "I hope that you spend your days, but they all add up. And when the sun goes down, I hope you raise your cup." 

30. Carve pumpkins.

31. Celebrate Halloween however you want to. Dress up and go out or stay at home and handout candy or have a movie marathon or go to dinner. Just celebrate.

How are you planning on spending your October?

Thankful Fridays!

HAPPY NOVEMBER!

This week, I am thankful for:

1.  November.

Because October was just not very nice to me this year!  And my phone broke last night, like October just had to pull on last thing over on me.  Well adios, muchaho.  You think about your actions and I will see you next year.

2.  Being able to organize my life.

On Tuesday at 6:30 PM, I was not even halfway done with my to-do list for the day.  I took that as a sign that I needed to change some things.  So I redid my binder and made a section for each area of my life, and then I wrote down every single thing I need to do before 2014.  It was quite the list, but I felt so dang accomplished, because I know that there's two months left of 2013 and I want to finish strong.  So if something comes up that's not on my list, it's getting a big heck no from me until 2014.

Also, I would put a picture here of my binder for you to enjoy, but my iphone is broken.  I'll just give you a hint and tell you that the front says "good things come to those who hustle."  You're welcome.

3.  This weekend.

My husband is in medical school, if you didn't know.  Med school is pretty much the busiest thing on the face of the earth.  He has a test today, which means this weekend will be free.  Which means I am a very happy wife.

This picture has nothing to do with this weekend, but it's going here anyway.  

4.  Cyber non-bullies.

I was so encouraged by the comments and emails I received on my post about Halloween.  The internet is full of some mean people, but it's also full of some nice people.  It's great to be able to disagree about an issue without being a jerk, so thank you!

I hope you guys had such a fun night last night!  Since there was a test today, everyone here is celebrating Halloween tonight.  Which is a little weird, but I'm going with it.

What are you thankful for this week?

Happy Friday!!

Goodbye, October.

Goodbye, October.

Goodbye to the start of my favorite time of the year.

Goodbye to pumpkin spice coffee.  (Haha, that's a funny joke.)

Goodbye to making way too much candy in honor of Halloween.  (Again, maybe a joke.  Stay tuned.)

Goodbye to carving pumpkins.

Goodbye to bad things, too.  Like outrageous surprise medical bills.  And random car expenses.  And being sick all the time.  Good riddance to that.



Hello, November.

Hello to a month so full of thankfulness.

Hello to Thanksgiving.

Hello to Christmas gift planning.

Hello to Black Friday shopping.

Hello to colder weather and apple cider.

Hello to buying my first Christmas tree with my husband.

Hello to a fresh start with endless possibilities. New dreams and new plans.

November, I'm ready for you.

Thankful Fridays.

The last Thankful Friday of October!  Crazy!

I am usually so sad to see October come to an end, but this one has really been a doozy.  We've had SO much sickness and a fair share of bad news.  The good far outweighs the bad and we have made tons of amazing memories this October, but I'm looking forward to the fresh start of November.

Also, let me tell you this:  constantly recounting all I have to be grateful for has helped counteract anything negative by far.  I highly recommend it.

This week, I'm thankful for:

1.  Our candy party last night.  SO much fun!

That's Goose.  He's doing his best Miley Cyrus impression. 

2.  It was 56 degrees when I woke up today.  56 degrees in sunny Florida does not happen, people!  It was perfect, even if it was 75 two hours later.

3.  Family.

4.  That the Cardinals are going to win the World Series.  Obviously.

5.  Creative writers on TV shows.  I love when I find a series that can draw me in as much as a book can.  Does anyone else watch The Mentalist?  I'm dying.

What are you thankful for this week?  Happy weekending!

Being Intentional.

HAPPY OCTOBER!

It is officially the start to my favorite three months EVER.  The most wonderful time of the year starts today, y'all.  I'm pretty happy about it.

The first day of a new month always holds so much potential and leaves me drawing up a to-do list and creating new goals.  Today is no different.  And while I'm drinking my coffee and journaling and trying to decide what I want to get out of this month, I can't help but think of past months where I've had such high expectations that I did not even come close to reaching.

And I can't help but think it was because I wasn't intentional.

It's easy to say I want to be a good wife, or a good blogger, or a good etsy-er. {Is there an official name for that yet??}  It's easy to say I want to read my Bible more or be outside more or make more time for whatever I need to make more time for.  But actually doing it is a completely different story.

Sometimes I feel like getting excited about life and making new goals and dreaming new dreams and writing them all down is enough.

But it's not.

It's easy to have dreams.

It's hard to follow them.

This October, I'm going to be intentional.

I'm going to be intentional about living my life.  I'm going to be intentional about following my dreams and goals.  I am going to wake up with a purpose and follow that purpose all throughout the day, so that the thirty-first of October looks a lot like the I hoped it would on the first of October.

So, what do you say?  Will you join me in living intentionally this month?  If so, the possibilities are endless.

Have a great first day of October, friends!

{Also:  The Handmade Fair is right around the corner!  I'll be posting the link Thursday at midnight--I'm so excited about it!}

Check out this month's featured sponsor: