November 2026 Goals

Happy Monday! How is it already the second week of November?! Next thing you know, it'll be December. This year is going by so fast. 

As expected, October was very busy. We had a lot of appointments, and we went to several local events. Work was also very busy, and there were so many events.

In October, we went to our town's spooky festival and our town's birthday festival. I also went to our local farmer's market and was so sad that the final day of market season was mid-October. 

Of course, we celebrated Halloween. This year, Halloween looked a bit different for us. My older sons (they're teens) didn't want to trick-or-treat. Instead, they wanted to hand out the candies while John and I took our youngest out to trick-or-treat. 

I bought Raphael a couple of books from the school book fair. I bought some sourdough cinnamon rolls from one of my favorite pizza shops, and they were amazing! John and I went on a few dates. Overall, October was wonderful.

So far, November has already been full of surprises, and it's only the ninth day of November! I'm still adjusting to the time change and am currently getting over a really nasty cold. However, I received good news from my doctor's appointments, which left me feeling hopeful. The elections surprised me in the best way.

This month, I'm looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving. Surprisingly, we don't have any big plans and aren't sure how we'll celebrate this year. I'm looking forward to watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. My little sister might come into town, so I'm looking forward to seeing her and the kids. 

I'm looking forward to preparing for winter and Christmas. I've already started making lists, and I'm figuring out how I want to decorate our home.

This month, I'm going to give myself grace when it comes to my monthly goals. I still made some goals for this month, but I won't stress about them. Since I mentioned my monthly goals, let's quickly recap my October goals and check out my November goals.

Recap of October Goals

• Read 3 books I borrowed from the library: Raphael and I read a lot of books together this month. We've been on a Millie Fleur kick and read a bunch of books from the series. We really love Millie Fleur's Poison Garden by Christy Mandin. We also read Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett. I finally finished reading I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron.

• Read 1 fall/Halloween themed book: Raphael and I read A Haunted Ghost Tour in Georgia by Louise Martin and The Pumpkin Thief by Alice Hemming.

• Read 2 books I received from NetGalley: I read You Deserve a Crown, Mama by Liz Swenson, and I Wonder If I'm Growing by Raffi.

• Watch or stream a new-to-me movie and a show: Surprisingly, I did not do this. However, I plan to catch up on a few shows in November while we are on Thanksgiving break.

• Work in my journal: Once again, I did not work in my journal. There were a couple of times where I thought about it, but couldn't figure out where to even start. However, I have to admit that for most of the month, I simply did not make time to work in my journal.

November Goals

• Read 2 books I borrowed from the library
• Read 2 books I received from NetGalley
• Watch or stream a new-to-me movie or show
• Work in my journal
• Declutter and donate clothes
• Try two new-to-me recipes

What are your goals for November? How did you do in November?

Thanks for visiting! 

Until next time...

Photo by Anya Chernykh on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Saturday! This past week was full of surprises! The elections completely surprised me in the best way possible. John and I stayed up way too late checking on the results. We had a short work week because of the elections, and I was grateful for an extra day off work. Although I was sick for most of the week, I was and still am in good spirits. We don't have much planned for this weekend, so I plan to rest as much as I can and get over this awful cold.

1. I can't even begin to describe how excited and hopeful I am after Tuesday's election results. I was so excited to watch for Georgia's election results. I was blown away by how many states flipped, especially Texas!

2. I love that my feed has been full of heartwarming videos from the New York City marathon. I've also been enjoying the funny memes too.

3. I'm still trying to get used to the time change. I hate that it gets dark early, but I've been enjoying lighting candles throughout our home.

4. This poem about waking up and hope scrolling by Megan Minutillo.

5. On repeat: Champagne by Remi Wolf

6. I had a follow-up appointment that went well, and I'm feeling so much more hopeful. 

7. This gorgeous mixed media painting.  

8. Currently Reading: Lost Evangeline by Kate DiCamillo

9. We stopped by Trader Joe's and found so many great new holiday products. We stocked up on our favorite trail mix for the boys' lunches, The Jammy Egg (one of John's favorites), sparkling pomegranate punch and sparkling honeycrisp apple juice, and a few other things.  

10. We've slowly started to take down our Halloween decor. I'm going to be a little sad when we take down our floating witch hats and candles that are hanging in our bay window. They are my favorite Halloween decor. However, I'm excited to decorate the space with some winter/Christmas decor. It's been fun coming up with new ideas on how I want to decorate our home this year. 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

October 2026 // A List

1. October was an absolute blur. So many events, appointments, meetings, phone calls, and emails.

2. October is my little sister's birthday month. Since she lives out of state, we didn't get to see each other on her birthday, but she did come to visit a few days after for a quick visit. I also got to see my adorable nephew. 

3. Halloween felt (and was) different this year. My older sons were not interested in trick-or-treating this year. They are teens and preferred to help hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. My heart broke a little because it was another sign that my boys are getting older. 

4. John and I took our youngest son to trick-or-treat and had fun. I dressed up as Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and John dressed up as Jack Skellington. Raphael dressed up as Shadow from Sonic. While trick-or-treating, we walked for a long time, which was a great workout and really helped with my physical therapy.

5. Speaking of physical therapy, it's been going well. I'm happy with the progress I'm making. I'm proud  I'm taking my health seriously, and I'm so glad I've made this a priority.

6. I had an appointment with my dermatologist for a skin check, and this is your friendly reminder to wear sunscreen and get an annual checkup.

7. I understand the hype of Trader Joe's. We went to Trader Joe's a few times in October, and I'm now a fan. I only wish there was one closer to where we live.

8. This month was the month of treats and baked goods. I had the best sourdough cinnamon rolls ever and can't wait to buy some again. I've also been obsessed with Sockerbit Halloween gummies.

9. Chicken tortilla soup is the best soup ever. That is all. I used a different recipe, and it turned out well.

10. I've wanted to work on some creative projects and have been inspired by so many things, but I'm still having a hard time actually starting. It's really frustrating, and I'm tired of feeling stuck.

11. The elections were on my mind, and honestly, I was preparing for the worst. And yet, I was still hoping for the best. 

12. Although winter is my least favorite season, I am actually excited this year for winter's arrival. I'm not sure why, but I'm looking forward to welcoming winter's arrival on December 21.

13. October was such a magical month. Full of lessons, hope, joy, and wonder. There were good days and not-so-great days, but I'm thankful for all the lessons I learned this month. I'm grateful for my family and being able to see my sons grow. 

14. Oh, November. I'm anticipating a busy month ('Tis the season, after all), but I hope it's a month full of gratitude, rest, and finding ways to simply slow down. 

Photo by Kerstin Wrba on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! This was a somewhat busy and rough week. I had a few appointments this week and have been really happy with my physical therapy sessions. The exercises are getting a bit intense, but it's a good thing. With work being so hectic, I was definitely looking forward to the weekend. We didn't have any major plans besides going to a local festival.

1. John and I tried Starbucks' Black Cat Frappuccino. It was okay, but very sweet. We both agreed that the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino is better.

2. I finally tried the Lakes bath bomb (it's currently unavailable/out-of-stock) from Lush and really liked the scent. 

3. The Many Lives of Cardi B was an interesting read. (NYTimes gift link) Cardi B's Tiny Desk Concert was fantastic. The band was great, and I loved Cardi's hairstyle. 

4. I made a homemade pumpkin maple iced latte, and it turned out fantastic. Do yourself a favor and buy Trader Joe's Organic Maple Butter. It tastes amazing in lattes. I'm not sure what else I'll use this maple butter in, but I'm excited to try it in some recipes.

5. On repeat: Soul on Fire by Chris Grey and Neoni

6. We went to my town's Crafts and Drafts festival. I always love checking out all the handmade arts-and-crafts booths. I was also excited to buy some fried Oreos, a must every time we go to a fall festival.

7. 15 tips to help you just draw. 

8. I cleaned out my pantry, especially since the holiday season is coming up, and added a few things to my grocery list. 

9. This was a fantastic read, and now I want to take Deborah Stein's Imagining Watercolor workshop.

10. Halloween is this week, and I'm so excited! I love that Halloween is on a Saturday this year. We still have to buy a bag or two of Halloween candy for trick-or-treaters. 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday. It was a busy work week, and I was really looking forward to the weekend. It's been a while since we had a weekend full of events and places to go. I was really looking forward to the Spooky Festival on Friday, a date with John on Saturday, and going to the last day of market season today.

1. I took Raphael to the school Book Fair and had so much fun checking out all the books. We bought two books and a couple of pens. 

2. John and I voted. This was at the top of my to-do list for the week. When I went, the wait wasn't long at all. Please, please, please remember to go vote.  

3. Costco Lady Offers Patron Much Needed Perspective.

4. After hearing so many good reviews on Barebells Cookies & Cream protein bar, I decided to try it. I was surprised that they tasted pretty good. It didn't taste like other protein bars I've tried. It wasn't overly sweet and didn't taste dry or chalky.

5. On repeat: Last Love by Allegra Jordyn

6. I was so excited when I received a notification from my library that a copy of Mestra by Madeline Miller was finally available for pickup. I can't wait to read it. 

7. I was finally able to try Ruby's sourdough cinnamon rolls, and oh my goodness, they were delicious!

8. We went to the Spooky Festival and were delighted to see so many vendors. The event was definitely bigger than last year, which was a nice surprise. Raphael wore his costume, but the rest of us wore Halloween-themed T-shirts.

9. On Saturday, John and I went on a date. We went to The Corner Taqueria, then to Sincerely Yours Bookstore. On our way home, we made a quick stop at the grocery store and stopped by Mami's house.

10. It definitely felt like fall this weekend, and I'm so excited that we will continue to have cooler weather for the next week. It's still wild how we went from almost 90-degree weather to upper 40-degree weather. We will have to go through our fall and winter coats and sweaters because I'm pretty sure the boys have outgrown some of their outerwear.

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! This week felt like it went by both fast and slowly. Some days were busier than others, but I was thankful when Friday finally arrived. Because of the storm and the weather forecast, we decided to stay home. We didn't have any major plans for the weekend, so at least we didn't have to cancel anything. Honestly, it was the perfect fall weekend. Cooler weather, rain, and lots of candles. It was perfect.

1. Physical therapy is still going well. I still can't believe I waited so long to go. I also went to an important doctor's appointment. I can't believe how much I had neglected my health over the past few years. 

2. A wonderful reminder that small things and wins absolutely count. 

3. This story about two best friends was incredibly heartwarming. I'm so glad they got the chance to travel to France together.

4. I finally finished reading I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron. This is the second book I've read by Ephron. The first was I Remember Nothing, and I read it in 2025. In fact, it made my 12 Favorite Books of 2025 list.

5. On repeat: Kiss It Better by Rihanna

6. These tips and thoughts on returning to reading.

7. How cute are these colorful gourds?

8. I mentioned last week that John and I went to Trader Joe's and found so many good things. Well, we tried several of the stuff we bought and loved them. Will definitely add them to our grocery list again.

9. I made a langostino pasta recipe and used a Cajun Alfredo sauce that was fantastic. It was so filling and delicious. It was so easy to make, and I'm going to add it to our list of go-to recipes.

10. I'm looking forward to the upcoming week. We are planning to go to the Spooky festival and a few other fun places over the weekend.

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Ekaterina Kasimova on Unsplash

October 2026 Goals

Happy Monday! It's finally October, and I'm so excited for this month! As you may know, October is one of my favorite months. September was an absolute whirlwind of a month, which was a little surprising because I thought we would only have a week or two of busy days. The second half of the month was especially busy, which really caught me off guard.

Although we were very busy in September, we did have fun. We celebrated John's birthday, and it was fun celebrating all month long. We celebrated early and went to the Smyrna Market Village. We stopped by Ruby's Sourdough Pizza for some different slices of pizza. We also tried some of their treats and coffee. 

In September, I tried the Little Debbie X Crumbl cookies and loved them. I also tried RYZE's Pumpkin Spice latte sticks, which are a new current fall favorite. I visited the farmer's market almost every week and even went to the Upper West Market, which one of my favorite vendors recommended. 

We all went to Spirit Halloween to check out the animatronics and costumes. We're still unsure what we're going to dress up as, and this year Halloween may look a little different for us, especially since I have two teenagers. I started making a list of spooky movies and shows I want to watch in October. 

This month, I'm looking forward to all things cozy and spooky. I plan to make a lot of hot chocolate topped with Dandies marshmallows (a new favorite). I'm looking forward to movie nights with John and the boys. I'm looking forward to a spooky festival with my family and, of course, Halloween.

Since September was such a busy month, I'm surprised that I actually remembered some of my goals. I'm anticipating October to be another busy but fun-filled month. However, I do hope to work on a couple of goals and cross off a few things on my Fall Bucket List. Since I mentioned goals, let's quickly recap my September goals and look at my new goals for October.

Recap of September Goals

• Read 2 books I borrowed from the library: Raphael and I read a lot of fall and Halloween themed books in September. I also read Love, Creekwood by Becky Albertalli and Address Unknown by Kathrine Kressman Taylor. For such a slim and quick read, Address Unknown was absolutely fantastic.

• Read 2 books I received from NetGalley: I did read several books I received from NetGalley, but only finished one of the books. I read Love and Frida Kahlo: an anthology of art and poetry edited by Cheryl Robson. This was an amazing biography and anthology. 10/10 highly recommend.

• Try 1 new-to-me recipe: I made a delicious rice bowl using pork loin strips. I'll definitely make this again. It was seriously so good. 

• Watch or stream a movie and a show: So I didn't watch anything new in September. I just didn't make any time and still couldn't decide on what to watch.

• Work in my journal: I didn't work in my journal. I really hope that I make time to work in journal in October. Most importantly, I really hope that I get over this fear of messing up my journal/sketchbook and perfectionism.

October Goals

• Read 3 books I borrowed from the library
• Read 1 fall/Halloween themed book
• Read 2 books I received from NetGalley
• Watch or stream a new-to-me movie and a show
• Work in my journal

What are your goals for October? How did you do in September?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by erica steeves on Unsplash