It’s November!

Is anyone else’s life flashing before their eyes? Where has this year gone?

Now that we have Halloween under our belts it’s officially the holiday season. I will admit that I often lose track of the meaning of the holidays and just end up broke, tired, and in need of sweatpants. I’m going to try to avoid being bitter and bloated, and instead focus on the positives this year. Positives like time with my friends and family, cozy sweaters, a city decked out in holiday lights, and hot cocoa. In between weddingpalooza and turkey themed festivities November will be business as usual.

But first, here’s a look at October’s recap:

1. Have the most awesometastic Halloween costume ever! Mission accomplished. Halloween weekend was chocked full of parties and my puppet costume was a big hit.
2. More book work.
   I finished my book proposal! There will be more editing on the horizon when I get notes back from my agent, but I consider that a huge milestone!
3. Be patient and helpful to my parents. This resolution is still underway. So far I’m doing a pretty poor job of being helpful.
   
4. BUDGET. Lordy, I’m trying, but with holiday planning and bridal party duty I’m just bleeding money.
   
5. Bring Operation Hot Bridesmaid on home. I’m within a pound of my goal weight, but right now I’m mainly focusing on maintenance. My bridesmaid dress has been taken in twice and now my goal is for it to fit perfectly come wedding day.
   

October is old news J. Here’s what I’m planning for November…

1. Maintain and Strongify. In the last few months I’ve dropped almost twenty pounds and gotten serious about strength training. While I’m no longer focused on the number on the scale, I am really proud of myself and my body and want to continue getting stronger. I have to say, strength training is kind of addictive. While I’ve always been really into exercise (I think it’s the endorphins), up until recently I was still pretty timid about doing the serious stuff in the weight room. Thanks to a few sessions with a personal trainer I feel like much more knowledgeable. I can’t afford to keep my trainer on board, but I plan on continuing the training challenge on my own.
2. Get Greener. I like to think of myself as a fairly environmentally friendly person, but I’ll admit to not always paying as much attention as I should. This month I vow to unplug unused electronics, carry a cloth bag in my purse for impromptu purchases and try my hand at making my own cleaning supplies.
3. Be more photo-friendly. A few months ago I invested in good camera for the purposes of food blogging, but I never really learned how to use it. Months ago I bought a “Dummies” book on my particular model, and recently I found a digital photography class as part of a Living Social deal. I’ve decided that November is the month to start honing my photography skills.
4. Home mani-pedi salon. As part of my budgeting efforts I’ve decided to give up my bi-monthly manicures and pedicures. Lucky for me I have a foot bath and a fair amount of nail polish at my disposal.
5. Be more consistent about moisturizing. I get emails every once and a while about my skin, what I do for it and what products I use. The truth is: I just use whatever is around (although I have to admit that I prefer Clinique’s SuperDefense moisturizer with SPF 25 for daytime wear, and Neutrogena Ageless Restoratives Anti-Oxidant Moisture Night Cream for nighttime). I’m terrible about moisturizing consistently. I would estimate that I remember to use moisturizer 3-4 times a week and probably only once a day. This month I’m making skin care a priority.

What are you resolving for November?

Kim