October Recap and November Goals!

Hey, everyone! I can't believe that we're almost at November already! Where has this year gone?

Anyway, I had set some goals for October, and here's a quick recap of what they were:

Here's how I did:

1) One new recipe a week. Three out of four weeks I did! I found some new ways to cook oatmeal and made an AWESOME pulled pork! Not perfect, but I'm finding my way into the kitchen again!

2) Place $30 into savings! NAILED it! I think this will stick long-term. $15 a paycheck is totally doable, and a little bit can go a long way!

3) Three days of core work a week. FAIL! Thinking back, I probably should not have made this a goal of mine. I wound up running two 5K's this month, and more of my time was spent on running. I did accomplish this one week though, so it's not a total loss.

4) Blog once a week. Done! I wrote two race recaps, two "fluff" posts, and this one. Not too shabby.

5) Empty inbox once a week. Done as well! I actually did this about twice a week. Winning!

I didn't quite earn my cookbook, so I will be trying again for it in November!

Speaking of November, here are my goals for next month!

1) Two spin classes a week. I'm not running anymore until sometime in March (except for one virtual 5K Thanksgiving week), so this is totally doable. I have options every day except for Wednesday and Friday, so no excuses! I need to get back on the bike! 

2) Write a "To-Do" list weekly. I never seem to do this, although I know it would help me get a lot done. Originally, this was going to be a daily goal, but given my work schedule, it won't happen. Once a week is realistic for me though.

3) Plan holiday shopping and budget. It's that time of year already? Damn it! Seriously, I need to get the ball going. I already started (Let's Imagine Elmo for the nephew), but need to think about the rest of the family and a few other people, plus a Secret Santa or two. Oh, and those damn things called cards and gift wrap. 

4) Complete a "Photo-A-Day" challenge. I'm the queen of starting these, but never finishing them. This will change in November! I found one that looks awesome, but easy enough. Plus, it's an excuse to post to Instagram more! ;-)

5) Clean and organize my storage room. This. Needs. To. Happen. My family and I moved into this place in January and the fourth room in my third floor (the other three are my bedroom, exercise/gaming room, and walk-in closet) is a storage room, but looks like a tornado went through. With the changing of seasons, it's time to bring out the winter clothes, put away the summer, and finally unpack the rest of the cardboard boxes!

There you have it! November is looking to be setting the foundation for a solid holiday season! Get in the habits now, be merry and bright later! Yes, I know I stole that from a Christmas song and it sounds cheesy, but it suits me. ;-)

Happy Halloween tomorrow, everyone!