October Favorites

Happy Halloween Eve! No costumes or carved pumpkins for us this year (THE HORROR), but here’s a picture of the pineapple I carved last year that I was quite proud of.

Despite the fact we’re not being very festive this year, it’s fun to be surrounded by the Halloween spirit. Is anyone dressing up this year, maybe putting together a work costume? I’ll be living vicariously through you.

For now, feel free to browse through some of my favorite things from the past month!

October Favorites

Chopping My Hair Off – I get my haircut once every year if I’m lucky (read: if I’m not lazy). So I go through this cycle of growing my hair excessively long, then chopping it off, then having it grow out for several months before I chop it off again. Well I think it’s been maybe two years since I’ve gotten a haircut this time? So chopping my hair off this last time felt amazing (I’m assuming at least 6 inches?). This picture is legit the only one I have of myself from the past month, so although it doesn’t do the new ‘do justice, it gets the job done.

10-Year Dating Anniversary – Earlier this month, Matt and I realized it we had been dating for a full decade! And on our actual dating anniversary, we just so happened to be at our alma mater where we first met, which was pretty cool.

Hocus Pocus Workout – I still need to watch this movie this year, and just in case you end up watching it, too, I encourage you to try my Hocus Pocus Workout!

Treat Yoself Day – Thank you, Parks & Rec, for this glorious holiday that lands on October 13th every year. Although it was a bit delayed, my sister and I went on a sister outing to celebrate with some shopping and brunch. Clothes? Treat yoself. Mimosas? Treat yoself. Fine leather goods? Treat yoself.

Big Bag of Baking Soda for Cleaning – I’ve been trying to use more natural products in several areas of my life, and cleaning is one of them. Baking soda is such a versatile product that works so well for a variety of cleaning needs. I use it when doing laundry sometimes, but it also works well as a mild abrasive product for dishes and general household cleaning. I found this economy-sized baking soda a few years ago and always make sure we have one hand so I don’t use up all my small box of baking soda I use for baking. (This also comes in handy when I need 1/2 cup for making Soft Pretzel Bites.)

Blur (feat. Foster the People) by MO – I randomly go on pop music kicks, and this was a discovery from a recent one (if you’d even categorize this as pop music?). I think I like it because it reminds me of two songs I enjoy: Where Is My Mind by the Pixies and Close to Me by Ellie Goulding.

Home Improvement Shows – I don’t regularly watch HGTV, but now that we’re close to starting the hunt for a house, I’m obviously much more interested in anything house-related. While I know a lot of these shows aren’t realistic, they can be inspiring or even educational at times (especially when you’re like me and know little to nothing about home renovations/maintenance/etc). Although I don’t think it’s on the air anymore, Flip or Flop has always been one of my go-tos, and Hulu has a handful of the seasons available. Don’t mind if I do!

Explained on Netflix – I found this show on Netflix recently and really liked it. The episodes are focused on a wide range of topics—like the stock market, K-pop, why diets fail, astrology—and use research and expert interviews to provide a clear explanation of the episode focus. They aren’t too long, but it’s an interesting and informational show!

Thank You by Alanis Morissette – If I wasn’t so young in the 90s, I think I would have been obsessed with Alanis Morissette’s music. Because once I hit my 20s, I started really appreciating her angsty songs. Since I randomly hear this song pop up in a playlist I created awhile ago, I felt the need to share it, because it’s one of my favorites from her.