Looking back at the month, I met many of my intentions and some things worked out differently then I planned.
*My biggest hope-to for the month was having a nice family trip to Philly, which we did! We really focused a lot on hanging out with family rather than doing a bunch of big outings, and it ended up being really nice.
*I’m hoping to reschedule the camping trip to Agua Caliente--it still seems like a really cool destination and a lot of fun. That said, having a little extra room in the calendar ended up being a good thing, and I am glad the kids were sick at home instead of Thanksgiving week with Joel’s family.
*I stuck with my goal of strength training 3x weekly (except while in Philly) and actually got in 2 workouts in Philly too. I focused a lot on short daily exercise, which I think helped me have the energy to enjoy the extra time with kids out of school more than I would have without this routine.
*I haven’t yet set up a recurring donation to Feeding San Diego and our local library, but I may get this done tonight. I need to talk to Joel and figure out how much we are comfortable donating, but I’d like to set this up today or tomorrow.
*On my list of “hope tos,” I listed wanting to live by the phrase “slow down to the speed of love.” This was sort of a nebulous intention, but I do like the phrase and appreciated keeping it in mind. It was a particularly helpful reminder when I had a melting down toddler, was hangry, tired, or frustrated by cleaning up the same mess over and over. It helped orient me towards connection and silliness with my kids, or putting on a mug of tea, or snuggling under a warm blanket.
*Another “hope-to” was to have a great reading month, and it was so much better than in October. I really appreciated other people’s reading recaps, and Suzanne’s questionnaires on A Novel Project really helped me to think about my tastes and experiences as a reader. I’ll write more about my November reads next week!
*I blogged 30 times this month, which was wild after a 3 year hiatus. Looking forward to continuing this habit albeit on a more manageable schedule (I think 3-ish times a week). The accountability of this challenge did really help me to stick with something new, and I’m so glad I did it.
Hope you all had a great November! Did you have any specific intentions, and if so, how did they work out?
I don't think I was aware that you had a 3 year hiatus before NaBloPoMo - although a lot is jumbled together in such a busy blogging month, I may have forgotten. It was exactly the same for me. I left for 3 years after my husband passed away. I'm glad we are both back with the help of NaBloPoMo this year. I'm happy I was able to get to know you a little bit during this month - We did it!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on finishing, Martha!
DeleteI’m glad you had a lovely visit to Philly for Thanksgiving. Family vacations can be so full of hopes that don’t come true, and travel during the holidays can really suck. And of course they can be great, especially if you have the right mix for your family’s needs. Some families need to be go go go, some need more quiet time. Some do better if they don’t have too many conversations (like if they have different values, etc.) and some make great connections. Anyway, I’m glad yours was great.
ReplyDeleteFamily visits are always tricky, but for the most part, this one went smoothly and I am grateful.
DeleteCongrats on finishing NaBloPoMo!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nicole!
DeleteI loved "meeting" you this month and look forward to more of your posts! Thanks for the shoutout. :-) I am very nosy about people's reading habits and love when I get all the juicy details.
ReplyDeleteYour point about slowing down to the speed of love made me think of this mom I follow on Instagram -- her whole schtick is that she never says no, and I followed her kind of incredulously. But she is not permissive -- she is very good at holding boundaries and creating connections with her kids. Anyway, thought it might resonate with you: https://www.instagram.com/tessaromero_/
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DeleteI will check out her podcast since I don't have an Instagram account. I've loved "meeting" you too!
DeleteYay on completing NaBloPoMo! It's fun to see new people participating every year. I can't wait to read more about your adventures from here on out.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm enjoying reading about your adventures too!
DeleteI'm so glad you joined NaBloPoMo this year! I hope you keep up your blogging routine because I really enjoy your writing and posts. :)
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