Happy October! It still hasn’t cooled down much here and doesn’t feel like fall yet, but maybe soon.
As far as this quote goes: I’ve already gone over-the-top with fall decorations (soon to be Halloween decorations), love to indulge in pumpkin spice everything, but just am not a fan of Harry Potter (shhh, don’t tell my stepdaughter!). How about some Nightmare Before Christmas instead?
Blame it on the most wonderful, beautiful time of year being right around the corner (fall!) Or blame it on me just being in a seriously good mood today. But I simply can’t concentrate at work today, so I am taking a break to do anything but concentrate on work. Take a break with me, you lawless rebel!
I have so much bouncing around in my head. I adore fall and then all the holiday seasons, so I have started checking out some festivals and events for the rest of the year, and jotting them down on my calendar so I don’t overbook us like I have done in the past (sorry, Husband Guy). I want to strike a balance between quiet, cozy time at home but celebrating all the seasons too.
I also have Christmas shopping on my mind. I start very early, over the summer, so a lot of my shopping is finished already, but I don’t have much for my husband yet. I have some ideas scribbled down, though, and I will pay attention to things he looks at while we are shopping or things that he mentions between now and Christmas.
One of the most rewarding personal changes for me this year has been shifting my mindset to stay laser-focused on what really matters to me: my husband, my home, the kids, my peace, our happiness. I have a limited number of days on Earth and don’t want to waste a single moment on anything or anyone that does not add value, peace, or joy to my life. It’s amazing how much more you can get done, and how much happier you can be, when you slam the door on all the rubbish and leave it outside to be miserable on its own.
Well, there are about 140 days left in this year. Sure, the larger part of this year is behind us, but there are 19 weeks and 6 days stretched out ahead of us. What do you intend to do with them?
I can’t believe we are not only into October, but almost halfway through already. Weren’t we just celebrating the new year yesterday? I don’t believe a year has ever gone by as quickly as this one.
This morning was a touch cooler than it has been, and I am enjoying it immensely. Not chilly yet, but at least not hot and humid. I’ll take it.
I definitely took to heart the “go over-the-top with fall decorations” part of this quote. From our front porch railings to our door wreath, from our living room to our kitchen and even bathrooms, our home has been dripping with colorful leaves, pumpkin scents, and autumn-colored flowers. My younger stepson joked that all I need is a sign that says “Happy fall, y’all”, but thankfully, I am not quite that far gone yet (that saying makes me cringe so hard!)
Hurricanes have held up our Halloween decorating. If the weather is ready to cooperate, we might get started on that over the weekend. I leave most of the outdoor Halloween display to my husband, though. He has an impressive collection of life-size skeletons, tombstones of all sizes, ghouls and ghosts, and he rigs up a different display every year. People stop to take pictures of it, and our neighbors have actually asked in the past when he will do it again, if they feel he is tardy in entertaining them.
Soon we will be unpacking all the Thanksgiving decorations, then the red and green, the gold, the sparkle of Christmas. I am 99% done with my Christmas shopping, since I start so early, but it still feels unreal that it is rapidly approaching.
But first…let’s not drift too far from one of my favorite holidays: twenty days to Halloween!
Sweat & Sparkle 