Welcome to Blogtober: A Month of Creativity, Inspiration, and Fun!

Happy October! 🍁 As the leaves turn vibrant shades of orange and the crisp autumn air fills our lungs, many of us begin to embrace the cozy vibes and the excitement that this season brings. But for bloggers, October has another exciting tradition—Blogtober! Whether you’re new to this or a seasoned pro, Blogtober is an amazing opportunity to connect with readers, boost creativity, and most importantly, have fun.

 What is Blogtober?

Simply put, Blogtober is a month-long blogging challenge where creators aim to post new content every single day throughout October. Yes, that’s 31 days of fresh blog posts! It’s an opportunity to push creative boundaries, plan content around autumnal themes, and engage with a vibrant blogging community that’s equally motivated to create.

The beauty of Blogtober is that it’s incredibly flexible. Whether you focus on a specific niche like planning, organization, lifestyle, or family, or you branch out into seasonal content, you can tailor this challenge to fit your unique voice and goals.

Why Participate in Blogtober? 

Boost Your Creativity: Posting every day might sound daunting, but it’s a great way to get your creative juices flowing. It encourages you to brainstorm new ideas and think outside the box.

Build a Blogging Habit: Consistency is key in blogging. Participating in Blogtober helps you build a daily writing habit, which can carry over into the months ahead.

Grow Your Audience: Posting daily gives readers more reasons to visit your blog and share your content. Plus, Blogtober is a community event, so it's a great opportunity to collaborate with other bloggers and gain new followers.

Seasonal Fun: Fall is filled with so much inspiration—from cozy home decor to Halloween fun, there’s no shortage of seasonal topics to explore.

How to Succeed at Blogtober

If the idea of posting every day sounds overwhelming, don’t worry! Here are a few tips to help you stay on track:

Plan Ahead: Take some time before October starts to brainstorm blog post ideas and create a content calendar. Having topics lined up will make the month go much smoother.

Batch Your Work: Write several posts in one sitting and schedule them out. This is especially helpful if you have busy days when writing daily just isn’t feasible.

Stay Authentic: While it’s tempting to churn out content for the sake of keeping up, remember that quality always beats quantity. Focus on creating posts that reflect your voice and offer value to your readers.

Join the Community: Blogtober is all about engagement! Comment on other bloggers' posts, join social media discussions, and build connections with others who are taking part in the challenge.

What to Expect from My Blog This Blogtober

This Blogtober, I’ll be sharing a mix of tips, ideas, and inspiration centered around planning, organizing, and embracing the season. From fun fall bucket lists to productivity hacks for staying on top of your goals, there’s something for everyone!

So grab your favorite pumpkin-spiced beverage, cozy up with a blanket, and get ready to dive into a month full of creativity, productivity, and fall vibes. Let’s make this Blogtober one to remember!

Happy Blogtober! 🍂

 

How To Implement A Morning Routine

I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing Sunday! We just hung out at home, played outside (when it wasn't raining), fixed some yummy meals and snacks and just had a good time.  This weekend I decided to implement a morning rountine and it seemed to help quite a bit. I noticed that my mornings were not as rushed and I was much more relaxed. 

So, today's blog post is all about how to set up a morning routine that works for you. 

How To Implement A Morning Routine:

 (1) Wake up

Take 15 -30 minutes to wake up, enjoy your coffee, check out the news, or read. 

(2) Review your daily tasks (to do list)

Review your to-do list for things that have to be done that day. I usually spend 1-2 minutes reviewing my list in the morning to metally prepare me for the day and to adjust my schedule if needed.  I also prepare my to-do list the night before as part of my night time routine ( I also use as sort of a "brain dump").

(3) Make your bed

Beds take up a lot of space and when they aren't made they tend to look like a whole lot clutter. Here's a simple solution: take 5 minutes to make your bed and I promise that your room will look cleaner and you will feel more relaxed.

(4) Prepare for dinner

Make sure all of your food items are defrosted and that you have all the necessary ingredients for the evening’s dinner.  Also you should consider how long it will take for you to make dinner and adjust your schedule if need be.  I usually take this opportunity to refer to my meal plan for the following night to see if I need to take anything out of the freezer to defrost or if I’ll need to stop at the grocery store.  This is also a good time to prepare your crockpot meal which is another easy way to streamline your dinner prep.

(5) Empty dishwasher or dish drainer

 Put your dishes away first thing in the morning so that you and your family can fill it up after breakfast and throughout the day instead of waiting to do all of it after dinner.  This is another task that takes all of 5 minutes to complete, and when it's done, you will feel better. 

(6) Workout, shower, and dress

After you shower and get dressed be sure to put dirty clothes in the laundry, put away your toiletries and makeup, wipe down the sinks and hang up your towel.

(7) Make breakfast and clean up afterwards

Return all food items in the fridge, pantry or cupboards. Scrape leftover food in the trash and put your dishes in the sink or dishwasher.  Wipe down all of the counters, sink, stove and microwave.  Like your bed, the kitchen has a lot of counter space and when one counter is cluttered the whole kitchen looks messy.  Take just a couple of minutes everyday to wipe down those counters and appliances…you’ll be amazed at how refreshing it is to come home to a clean kitchen after a busy day at work.

(8) Get on with your day

Now that you’ve got your morning routine complete you can head off to work (on time of course), or to your home office if you work from home, spend time with your kids or take care of your priority tasks and errands.

So, my question is, do you have a morning routine? And how is it working for you?

 

Jake Ryan, Electric Youth, and Sweet Valley High: A Trip Through the 80s

 Hi Friends and welcome to day #6 of Blogtober!

I have been taking a trip down memory lane and loving every minute of it! As some of you know I am an 80s baby through and through. It was a time of mismatched socks, scrunchies, feuds between pop princesses, and of course the ultimate boy band, New Kids on the Block. Those were some of the best days. So, today's post is dedicate to some of my favorite 80s memories. 

(1) Putting plastic charms on every possible accessory and knowing that each charm had its own special meaning.

(2) You knew being a rock star with a secret identity was the best job ever!

 Also, the life lessons Jem taught you:

 

1. It’s OK if your man cheats on you, as long as it’s with your secret alter ego.

2. Sometimes it’s way more fun to be the villain (looking at you, Pizzazz).

3. That anything can be solved by pressing down on your earring and saying, “Showtime, Synergy!”

 

(3) The importance of always nailing the perfect sideways ponytail.

(4) The smell of Electric Youth.

(5) How Jake Ryan is still your perfect man.

(6) Knowing that Over Our Heads was the best fictional store to ever exist.

(7) Watching these movies over and over again.

(8)  You went through, like, one Sweet Valley High book a day.

(9) You needed to a SWATCH watch to match every outfit.

(10) Making something in your Easy-Bake Oven was your favorite way to spend a Friday night.

(11)  The style icon that was Denise Huxtable.

(12)  Wanting to paint your room like Punky Brewster’s

(13)  And totally wanting that badass sofa chair from My Two Dads.

(14)  The horrible smell jelly bracelets left after you wore them all day…

(15)  …but knowing that these smelled way worse:

(16)  Drooling in front of your TV on 21 Jump Street night. 

(17) You looked forward to ABC Afterschool Specials and felt sort of edgy watching them.

(18)  Sitting in your room for hours poring over Teen Beat, SuperTeen, Bop, and Tiger Beat.

(19)  You loved NKOTB and had memorabilia mostly of your favorite one in the group.

(20)  The importance of the Slam book.

1. 

 

6 Ways To Relax Before Bed

Every body craves sleep. So why do most people struggle with it periodically? You've tried to do it the right way--- you skip the late night caffeine, you don't eat a heavy meal right before bed, you make sure the lights are off and you follow a consistent bedtime schedule each night. However, as you lay in bed tossing and turning, frustration begins to creep in and none of this seems to matter. When insomnia hits you ultimately spend hours stressing instead of doing a few easy things to gently slip into a peaceful sleep.

 

6 Ways to Relax Before Bed

Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep is a common problem, and it is a valuable commodity. Here are a few steps to follow every night that will encourage a more rapid appearance by Mr. Sandman.

1. Soak in the tub

Relax in the bathtub. This soothes both mind and body. Adding some sleep inducing scents such as lavender oil which helps calm the mind and body, A word of warning though, don't take a shower as this can awaken your body, instead opt for a warm bath.

2. The old wives tale work

 Have a glass of warn milk. Trust me from experience, it works wonders. If you can't stand the idea of warm milk try some chamomile tea. It works the same way as the warm milk and it does make you sleepy.

3. Find an activity

Do something that relaxes you right before bed. Try reading, watching something boring on television. You could even sew, scrapbook, or even write a letter. This activity should be easy and it should be nothing that will key your nerves back up. Once your eyes get droopy, it's time to hit the sack.

4. De-stress

One of the worst things that you can do is lay in bed and think about what you didn't get done that day, and all of the work waiting for you tomorrow. Worrying about it won't get it done. What I do is make a to do list  and then I forget about it. I have found that this relieves so much of my stress at the end of the day.

5. Add some noise

What i mean by this is white noise. Adding white noise can help you sleep. Another thing you could do is add a fan because a cool bedroom can also help with sleep.

6. Listen to your body

Is your body to tense to sleep? Try a relaxation tape that guides you through loosening up and relaxing each muscle group. Work on some deep breathing exercises which mimic your respiration pattern while you sleep.

Make going to bed a routine. Around the same time every night, even on weekends, start your routine. This could mean taking a bath and some light reading. It could also mean changing into your pajamas and brushing your teeth. Do something consistently so that your body will learn the signals to settle down for the

night and to wake up refreshed the next day.

What are some ways that you relax before bed?

How To Create Healthy Habits

Figuring out how to create healthy habits is not something that came to me naturally. It's always been difficult for me to stick to any kind of healthy habit. I love my sweets and they are definitely a weakness of mine.  Also I should probably tell you that I rarely workout out and didn’t take vitamins. Last year, I decided that needed to work on myself and develop healthier habits. Now at 50 years old my life looks completely different and so do my habits. This is how I did it.

 

 

How To Create Healthy Habits

Set goals: Before you create healthy habits you have to decide WHICH healthy habits you want to have. Do you want to eat healthy foods more? Do you want to exercise 4-5 days a week? Do you want to drink more water? Etc. So decide what your personal healthy habit goals are.

Be realistic: You can’t DO ALL THE THINGS so be realistic. Don’t say my goal is to lose 50 lbs in 2 months. Maybe say I want to lose 50 lbs and I am going to be healthy and do that in however long it takes. I lost 30 lbs after A was born and 25 after C. It took me nearly a year both times. Don’t force yourself to go to the gym every day if you haven’t ever worked out before. Just ease into it.

 
Don’t do everything at once: You can’t do all the things right away. Maybe focus on 1-2 healthy habits at a time.

 
Start slow: If you want to work out more just start by going. Then go the next day or maybe for a beginner go every other day. Do a little cardio and experiment with weights. Or try a new class. Maybe you will find that Zumba or Barre is your thing and you will want to go every day! If you want to drink more water see what you naturally drink in a day and gradually increase it.

 
Introduce One Thing At A Time: Like I have said don’t try doing everything at once. I remember when I started my healthy living journey I started by switching out a lot of crap processed foods for whole foods. Then I started working out more, then I started drinking green smoothies. Then I got really into my water intake. Then meditating. Then I switched to clean beauty and clean products.  It can’t all happen at once.

 
Decide what makes sense for you: Not everything will make sense for YOUR life. So you have to decide what makes sense for you, what you want etc. This goes back to goals. Not everyone wants to use only clean beauty and not everyone wants to follow an 80/20 rule for eating.

 
Prioritize Healthy Living: If you want to create healthy habits you have to prioritize it. You have to prioritize a healthy life. That may mean scheduling workouts, not going out and eating a huge dinner with friends, not having that drink every night, etc. You have to prioritize the things you want.

I would love to know how you create healthy habits.

October 2023 Goals

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog!
 

October is one of my favorite months. Between Halloween, the cooler weather, and all things pumpkin it's just a fun month. Today's post is all about my goals for October.

Now that all of our routines are established, I am excited about setting some goals and I am really going to push myself this month. There are a lot of things that I would like accomplish so hopefully by the end of the month I will feel good about things. Here we go!

 

 

Personal Goals

• drink more water
• meditate for 10 minutes
• stretch for a few minutes before getting up
• get better quality sleep by going to bed earlier
• workout consistently
• read 2 books

 

Family Goals

•  keep adapting to our Fall schedule. Continue to work on morning, afternoon, and evening routines
• celebrate Halloween
• Cross off items from our Fall bucket list

 

Blog Goals

•  post once per day during the month of October
• make a new list of blog post ideas
• schedule posts until the end of Ocotber
• create an editorial calendar for the rest of the year

I hope your October has started out as a fantastic month! Have you set any goals yet? Any fun Fall plans? Have you started crossing things off of your Fall Bucket list?

 

Beating the Sunday Scaries: 7 Strategies for a Stress-Free Weekend

The Sunday Scaries refer to that overwhelming feeling of anxiety and dread that often sets in on Sunday evenings as the weekend comes to an end and the workweek looms ahead. It's a common experience for many people, but luckily, there are strategies to help combat these Sunday blues. In this blog post, we will explore seven effective strategies to beat the Sunday Scaries and make the most out of your weekends. 

1. Plan Ahead

One of the main causes of the Sunday Scaries is the fear of the unknown and the feeling of being unprepared for the upcoming week. Take some time on Sunday to plan your week ahead. Create a to-do list, prioritize tasks, and schedule your time efficiently. By having a clear plan, you can alleviate some of the anxiety associated with the unknown.

 

2. Practice Self-Care

Make self-care a priority on Sundays. Engage in activities that help you relax and recharge. Whether it's taking a long bath, reading a book, going for a walk, or practicing mindfulness exercises, find what works best for you and dedicate time to it. Taking care of your mental and physical well-being can significantly reduce the Sunday Scaries.

 

3. Reflect on the Positive

Instead of focusing on the negatives, reflect on the positive aspects of your weekend and the upcoming week. Write down or mentally acknowledge the highlights of your weekend, grateful moments, and things you are looking forward to in the coming days. Shifting your mindset towards positivity can help alleviate the Sunday Scaries.

4. Get Organized

Use Sunday as a day to get organized for the week ahead. Set aside time to tidy up your living space, do laundry, and organize your belongings. A clean and organized environment can help create a sense of calm and control, which can reduce anxiety and stress.

5. Make Time for Pleasure

Ensure you include activities you enjoy in your Sunday routine. Whether it's spending time with loved ones, pursuing a hobby, or indulging in your favorite leisure activities, making time for pleasure can create joyful moments that counteract the Sunday Scaries. Plan something fun or rewarding to look forward to on Sundays.

6. Establish Work-Life Boundaries

Boundaries between work and personal life are vital. Avoid checking work emails or doing work-related tasks on Sundays. Instead, dedicate this day solely to personal matters, relaxation, and leisure. By setting clear boundaries, you can prevent work-related stress from encroaching on your weekends and contributing to the Sunday Scaries.

7. Cultivate a Positive Sunday Night Routine

Create a Sunday night routine that is calming and promotes relaxation. This routine could involve activities such as journaling, meditating, enjoying a comforting tea, or taking a relaxing bath. Establishing a consistent routine can signal to your brain that it's time to wind down and helps prepare you for a restful night's sleep, paving the way for a stress-free week ahead.

 

By implementing these seven strategies, you can beat the Sunday Scaries and make your weekends more enjoyable and peaceful. Remember, everyone experiences the Sunday blues to some extent, but with a proactive approach and a bit of intentional planning, you can overcome them and start your week with a positive mindset. Embrace the weekend fully, take care of yourself, and ensure you have a smooth transition into the coming week.

 

Welcome to Blogtober 2023

Hello and welcome to Blogtober where we begin the first of 31 back to back posts in October! I am so excited to be participating again this year.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself.  I have been blogging off and on for a few years now as a hobby, but I am hoping to turn it into a full time job (which I know will take awhile to accomplish. I am married to my college sweetheart and we have known each other since elementary school (that's a story for another day). We have two beautiful girls, our oldest is in the 8th grade and our youngest is in the 3rd grade. We also homeschool them. My husband is a Psychology professor while I am a stay at home mom. We are in the process of launching our new businesses soon (more details soon).

I love to read (Stephen King and Mary Higgins Clark are my favorites) and I love being in the kitchen creating delicious meals for my family.

I am looking forward to the rest of Blogtober and to see what other bloggers post this month.

Tomorrow's post will be all about overcoming the Sunday Scaries!

Are you participating in Blogotber?

 

Blogtober 2022- Day #10- Productivity Tips For Working Moms

Being a mom is hard. Working is hard. Being a working mom is HARD! I had someone recently tell me they felt like I always had it together and got everything done. Oh gosh that's not true AT ALL! I feel like most of the time I barely have it together and I never get everything done. But I do think I have a good grasp on productivity tips for working moms, so today I am sharing mine.

Productivity Tips For Working Moms

1. Make lists: I swear I will mention this a million times because I think lists are very important in staying productive. I truly don’t know how people know what to do each day or remember tasks without them. Especially moms. We are SO BUSY. Trying to make sure everyone’s stuff is taken care of requires lists.

2. Talk to your partner: I think communicating with your partner about daily/weekly expectations, things coming up, things you need help with etc is so important for productivity.

3. Schedule EVERYTHING: I mean EVERYTHING! I schedule everything we do, anything I need to do, workouts, etc. It’s just so helpful to see it in a calendar. Especially during this time of lockdowns and quarantines. Making a schedule of our days keeps me sane and on track.

4.  Time block: I do this specifically for work. For example when I need to work on scheduling social media I will block out 45 minutes to find articles and schedule tweets. Then 30 minutes to pin, then another hour to write a blog post. etc. This is also helpful if you have a lot of household tasks that need to get done as well.

5.  Give yourself a break at some point: At some point you will you need a break. You have to fill your cup too. So this may mean a workout class, a walk around the neighborhood, sitting with a coffee and reading for 30 minutes. Whatever it is take a little break for yourself.

6.  Meal Prep/plan: I personally find that meal prepping and planning saves us SO MUCH time and arguments about what to have, what we need etc. We plan each Sunday night for the next week. Then on Mondays we grocery shop so we have our staples, and anything we need for meals. This also saves us a ton of money because since we aren’t wasting food.

7.  Delegate: This is something I am not great with. Usually I melt down and Amy husband is like “why didn’t you ask for help?” So I am trying to be better about telling him what I need help with, hiring a babysitter when I need a few hours to get stuff done, etc. Delegating is crucial to staying productive throughout your day.

I would love to know what productivity tips for working moms you have! Share below!

 

Blogtober 2022 - Day #8- My Fall Skin Care Routine

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! I have missed a few days of Blogtober due to our internet being off for repaired. Everything has been fixed so my plan is to continue from today and just go forward with Blogtober. So without further ado.... let's go back into it with Day #8 of Blogtober 2022!

 Okay, so this post is about my skin care routine. The only thing is that I really don't follow a routine. Yes, I wash my face, I use toner, and sometime a moisturizer.... but that's about it.

I have oily skin, always have. I have tried several different types of cleansers, masks, toners, and moisturizers. Some have been expensive while others have been on the cheap side. Through the years, I have found that my skin responds better to the cheaper skin care products.

As of right now, my skin care routine revolves around two of the cheaper products and one moderately expensive of product. So, I am going to share with you a breakdown of skin care routine.

1. Cleanser

I use Cetaphil. It's very light and makes my face feel clean. I use this once in the morning and once in the evening.

2. Toner. After cleansing my face I use witch hazel as a toner.  I use this because it's very gentle on my skin and it makes it feel and look amazing.

 3. Moisturize. I use a moisturizer made by Cetaphil. Again, this is very gentle on my skin and doesn't cause break outs like most other moisturizers that I have used in the past.

What is your skin care routine? Please share in the comments below!

 

Ocotber 2022 Goals

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog!
 

October is one of my favorite months. Between Halloween, the cooler weather, and all things pumpkin it's just a fun month. Today's post is all about my goals for October.

Now that all of our routines are established, I am excited about setting some goals and I am really going to push myself this month. There are a lot of things that I would like accomplish so hopefully by the end of the month I will feel good about things. Here we go!

Personal Goals

• drink more water
• meditate for 10 minutes
• stretch for a few minutes before getting up
• get better quality sleep by going to bed earlier
• workout consistently
• read 2 books

Family Goals

•  keep adapting to our Fall schedule. Continue to work on morning, afternoon, and evening routines
• celebrate Halloween
• Cross off items from our Fall bucket list

Blog Goals

•  post once per day during the month of October
• make a new list of blog post ideas
• schedule posts until the end of Ocotber
• create an editorial calendar for the rest of the year

I hope your October has started out as a fantastic month! Have you set any goals yet? Any fun Fall plans? Have you started crossing things off of your Fall Bucket list?

 

Welcome to Blogtober 2022!

Hello and welcome to Blogctober where we begin the first of 31 back to back posts in October! I am so excited to be participating again this year.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself.  I have been blogging off and on for a few years now as a hobby, but I am hoping to turn it into a full time job (which I know will take awhile to accomplish. I am married to my college sweetheart and we have known each other since elementary school (that's a story for another day). We have two beautiful girls, our oldest is in the 7th grade and our youngest is in the 2nd grade. We also homeschool them. My husband is a Psychology professor while I am a stay at home mom. We are in the process of launching our new businesses soon (more details soon).

I love to read (Stephen King and Mary Higgins Clark are my favorites) and I love being in the kitchen creating delicious meals for my family.

I am looking forward to the rest of Blogotber and to see what other bloggers post this month.

Tomorrow's post will be all about my goals for October!

Are you participating in Blogotber?