Fall Porch Vibes
I’m obsessed with the colors on our porch this year – leaves included.
November Goals
It’s been nearly two years since I’ve shared my monthly goals, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been putting my PowerSheets to work each month. Goals with a toddler look a lot different and feel a lot more functional than they have in the past. I think there’s something to be said for priorities and being more intentional about how I spend my free time these days. When it comes to goals this month, a lot of this has been on my radar and circles back to the big picture of my word of the year, engage. I’m thinking of November as the prep work for the holiday season in order to really be able to slow down and spend as much time as possible with family during December.
- Write 10+ Blog Posts – I’ve been hoping to figure out a balance of what I want to share in this space and I think that having a goal will help me do that. One of my favorite things to do in years past was Blog-tember – where a group of us shared a blog post every single day of September based on a list of prompts. Leading up to November, I wrote down a list of things that have been on my mind to share, so I’m going to start there.
- Finish Christmas shopping – I really want to set the pace for the holiday season by having a plan ahead of time and focusing on family and experiences this holiday season (vs stressing last minute about gifts). I already have quite a few ideas so it’s just a matter of getting a few more and making the selections.
- Have Family Photos Taken – This one may be cheating, because it’s already scheduled, but it’s my goal to have family photos taken at least twice a year. I’m hoping this lines up perfectly for Christmas cards.
- Decorate for Christmas – I normally wait to put Christmas decorations up until the beginning of December, but with celebrating Christmas out of town (and knowing I’ll take everything down the moment I get home), I really want to enjoy the decorations in our home more than ever. I cannot wait to see Callahan’s delight at the lights this year.
- Walk – I am hoping to get outside to walk with Callahan every day when the weather is nice! Let’s say 45 degrees or warmer.
- Sabbath – I haven’t been great this year about prioritizing a day of rest. I feel like I go-go with work through the week and then the weekends are my time to focus on errands and around the house chores. I’d really like to take a look at my normal rhythms to see if I can’t adjust that for a whole day of no commitments and to do list items.
- Four Books – I want to keep up the pace of reading/listening to four books in November. I’m already at 32 for the year and hope to finish at about 40!
- Paint the Upstairs Trim – A project that I’m not looking forward to that will pay dividends in terms of enjoying how my home looks and feels. The ideal situation would be to take a day off work to do it.
What goals are you setting for November?
Halloween
Proud of our last minute costumes this year! This is the first time since 2019 that we’ve gotten together with our friends Casey and Tanner for their annual Halloween party. In the past, we’ve dressed up as Forrest and Jenny, PB&J, and banana pancakes. It’s fair to say that this was our best one yet. Not pictured is Kevin’s scary real-looking parrot.
Engage – 30 Simple Joys
- Callahan looking proud – of his artwork, walking, or finishing his meal.
- Waking up with both dogs in our bed (especially on cool nights).
- The next book in a good series.
- Talking about life and politics in bed with Kevin before we fall asleep.
- Pumkin chai lattes.
- Callahan’s smile and excitement when we pick him up from daycare.
- Sunsets.
- Cozy fall sweaters.
- Having all the windows open in the evenings to let in the crisp fall air.
- Days and days in a row of 60-70 degree temperatures.
- Evening walks full of giggling, blathering, and talking with my boy.
- Memes and quotes I relate to.
- The familiarity of regular hangs with friends as well as the conversations and accountability that come with them.
- Rhythms.
- Habit stacking and productivity.
- Packages in the mail.
- The creative “flow” of mini books and other hobby projects.
- Saying “no” to something not meant for me and the feeling that comes afterwards.
- All the people who love and care for our boy. Our village.
- Leaves changing colors.
- Anything jewel-tone.
- Coming together for a cause.
- Drifting off to sleep after a full day.
- Texts from college friends just to check in.
- Hitting snooze and sleeping five more minutes.
- Feeling “in the loop”.
- Pretty and inspiring outdoor spaces.
- A stack of “TBR” books on my nightstand.
- Cold water (to drink), hot water (for showers).
- Fountain sodas, light ice. ALWAYS.
Glimpses of Autumn
Each new season and experience has become my new favorite as Callahan begins to find delight in the world around him. Getting to enjoy all the beauty and color that nature has to behold in this season is even sweeter through his eyes. He was obsessed with the pumpkins (and price stickers), loves pointing out deer on our walks, and carries leaves around like prized possessions. It’s everything.
We’ve been lucky to have such lovely weather so far. I was ahead of the curve this year (normally I’m in denial – I love summer) on buying pumpkins and bringing in bits of autumn around the house. The trees in our yard just started dropping their leaves and we are already rolling our eyes at the naïvety of new homeowners Jacqueline and Kevin who bought this house with well established trees six years ago.
In addition to more work around the house, the fall also holds a lot of fun we are looking forward to: dressing up for Halloween, Mizzou’s homecoming, and Thanksgiving. Not to mention getting to wear the boots and sweaters just waiting in my closet for temps to drop a liiiiittle bit lower. It’s all here and we’re just trying to slow time down so we can savor it even more.
About
Hi, I'm Jacqueline - believer, learner, and all around hobby enthusiast. I'm married to my highschool sweetheart, Kevin, and we live in the midwest with our sweet pup.
On this blog I share all kinds of things about my life - from my faith journey to the garden in my neighbors backyard. I've been blogging for almost eight years and use this space as a way to document my daily life.
Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the internet.