what i want from september.

Labor Day Weekend has already come and gone, but I have a feeling that summer is here to stay for awhile. Despite the fall and Halloween dedicated aisles I observed in Target and Michael's this weekend, I've hardly had a spare moment to take in all the hoopla the way I normally do this time of year. Having said that, we're easing into one of my favorite parts of the year, so I'm making an effort to slow down this month and make time for the big things, the small things, and myself.

In September, I want to...

Say "no." 

My plate is super full right now, so between school work + externship + regular work + social engagements & obligations, I've hardly had a second to just sit and catch up with myself. It's easy to fall into the trap of "I'm so busy, so if I have a free afternoon, I must fill it with XYZ." Instead, I plan to start saying, "I'm so busy, so if I have a free afternoon, I'm going to keep it free." I also plan to not feel guilty about it.

Buy pumpkin creamer, festive flavored coffee, and apple cider.

Because nothing makes me feel more fall festive than pumpkin everything. And even if fall can't really happen in Florida, at least my coffee will transport me some place with colored leaves and crisp air...right? Don't even get me started on apple cider. One sip and suddenly I'm in a wood cabin in the mountains with a crackling fire and flannel blankets. Okay, not really. But really.

Get back on the "health train."

Between my two week trip to Europe, the start of a crazy semester, and attending a bachelorette party, it's safe to say that I have been way out of my usual(ish) go-to-the-gym-and-eat-all-the-healthy-things routine. This month, I intend to plan out my workouts, meal prep for externship days, and cut back on social drinking to just a glass of wine or two on the weekends. As busy as I've been, I know that making time to improve my health is so important, so I need to get back to doing just that.

Embrace every last bit of summer.

Sip sangria on the porch, dip my toes in the gulf while it's still warm, read a book by the pool, survive a hurricane (hey Irma, slow your roll, will ya?). I love September and everything that comes with it, but I'm not entirely sure that I'm ready to say goodbye to summertime just yet. 

What do you want to do this month?

Hello, November: A To-Do List for the Month.

Here we are, a whopping three days into one of my favorite months of the year: November! I'm just a month out from my first finals week of graduate school, and 35 days away from our recently booked vacation to NYC! Ryan's 30th birthday is just around the corner, and before we know it, it will be Christmas. As they say, it's the most wonderful time of the year, and I'm not afraid to say that I plan to enjoy every moment of this holiday season. But before anything Christmas related begins, I could not be more excited to celebrate Thanksgiving! GIVE ME ALL THE HAM & TURKEY.

With a new month comes a new to-do list, so let's get the ball rolling here:

1. Have a Friendsgiving. Our downstairs neighbors invited us down for a little pre-Thanksgiving soiree later in the month, and I'm so excited! Any excuse to stuff myself with more stuffing, ya know?
2. Plan out a baking day. Wake up late one Saturday morning, find the nearest blanket + a mug of coffee, sift through holiday magazines (and of course Pinterest!) and pick out new dessert recipes to try this season...and then designate a day to actually make them all.
3. Make working out a part of my daily routine...again. Grad school is no joke, guys. Classes + group clinic + my individual client + SOAP note writing + treatment planning + homework, readings, video lectures, and papers...and clocking at least seven hours sleep? Working out has unfortunately fallen to the wayside, but I'd like to be back into the BBG swing of things this month...or at least running a couple miles x3 a week. With all the eating and drinking I plan to do in the next few months, it's all I can do to stay on track!
4. Read at least three "fun" books. I'm in the midst of Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler, and then onto The Husband's Secret by Lianne Moriarty. Once I finish those, I plan to delve back into Harry Potter, because what else screams "holiday season" besides Harry Potter?
5. Start creating Christmas gifts. It's safe to say that I've been semi-successfully "ballin' on a budget" the last few months. Thus, I'll be working on homemade gifts throughout the next few weeks. Simple stretch bracelets, watercolor prints, etc. Just two more years until I can have a real life and real money again, right?!
6. Organize our 815 square feet of craziness...and then add holiday decor! For some reason, breaking out the holiday decor makes me want to binge clean. Maybe it's the idea of adding more clutter to existing clutter that's giving me anxiety? Regardless, I want everything in every closet and every drawer to have a place, and in that place I want it all to stay.
7. Make an apple cider inspired drink. Spiked hot apple cider with caramel vodka, apple cider sangria, apple cider mimosas...these are all ideas I'm more than willing to get behind.
8. Plan a few date days/nights. This semester "just got real," and it's not slowing down any time soon. Spending quality time with Ryan when I can is so important to me.
9. Binge watch Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life! INSERT HEART EYE EMOJIS HERE.

What are your plans for the month?

Finally...Summer 2016!

Hellloooo and happy Friday!

It's been just over 48 hours since I walked out of my neuroanatomy final and it feels so, so good to finally be done with summer classes. You better believe I knocked out my last two assignments for conceptual physics online that very night so that Thursday morning I could wake up a new woman...AKA a woman with no academic ties until the end of August.

With that said, I have no idea what to do with all this free mental space. Yesterday, I felt so overwhelmed by all of the things I "could do" now that I have time, that I fell on the couch and never got back up. I'm determined to make sure that doesn't happen every day for the rest of the summer, so I'm in the process of creating a fun little to-do list for myself before the craziness of graduate school ensues. Here's what I have so far:

Learn new makeup tips and tricks from my good old friend, Youtube. 

I don't like caking a lot of makeup on for every day wear, but I do have a lot of nice makeup that I'd like to get better at applying. Obviously I'll be all up on Jaclyn Hill's videos (what up, Tampa girl!). I also follow Casey Holmes and recently Samantha Schuerman. Any other makeup guru suggestions?

Put my library card to good use.

I just got a new library card last month, and was so excited that I took out two books right away. Bad decision. Between my birthday, 4th of July, getting a new car, and two neuro exams in the last month, I made zero time to read and ended up returning the books before I could even get halfway through one of them. Any suggestions for a new read?

Day drink by the pool...or at the beach...or wherever the hell I want.

Because what screams "I have no responsibilities for a month" like having a mimosa induced headache by 5 p.m.? Not much.

Get creative.

Finish a DIY project, bake a few new recipes, make a fancy dinner for Ryan, work on my watercolor skills, make some bracelets, color in one of my "adult" coloring books. I feel like I rarely make time for this kind of stuff anymore. I'm in desperate need of a creative outlet.

Spend some extra time with my friends and family.

Enough said. Nothing tops quality time with the people you love.

Get back into a regular workout routine.

I've been working out consistently since last November, but ever since life got a little hectic around my birthday last month, my schedule has been a little out of whack. I miss looking forward to getting a good sweat in!

Have a "sloth" day.

Spend one entire day in pajamas, bring our comforter and pillows out to the couch, order a pizza, and watch movies all day long. No work, no responsibility, no feeling guilty about being a lazy bag of bones. OOOO, I definitely need to plan this one ASAP.

Any other suggestions for indulging in my free time before starting graduate school next month?

Monthly To-Do List: February 2016.

January felt like a slow month for me. Now that I have classes four days a week instead of two like last semester, I feel like the weeks drag on just a little longer than they did before. That being said, I think I put a lot of life into my days. I went to Busch Gardens for the first time in years, paid a visit to my very first doughnut factory (post will be up soon!), spent some time with my sister and brother-in-law while they were in town, and celebrated Tampa's pirate invasion at Gasparilla! Between all that and submitting my grad school applications, I think it is safe to say that January was a success.

Now, it's the month of luuuurrrve. I love love, and I couldn't care less about the inevitable eye roll that follows that statement. Maybe it's because I'm very lucky to be in love, to have two pups to love, to have a whole family and group of friends I get to love on, but I see no issue with February and Valentine's Day. So what if Hallmark wants to make a few extra bucks? Throw me a box of Godiva's and a romcom and I am set.

• Start watching The Bachelor. There's still time to catch up! This is my first season ever watching and it's awful...but so good. Will Ben Higgins ever find luv?!?
• Make Oreo truffles with Valentine's Day inspired sprinkles. Give them to a special someone. Give them to a homeless person. Give them to yourself. Whoever you give them to, just know they won't be around for long...this recipe is too good.
• Make Movie Monday a thing. Watch one romantic comedy you've been meaning to watch forever every Monday in February. Tis the season! Silver Linings Playbook is an all-time favorite of mine, and it just so happens to be on Netflix. 10 Things I Hate About You is also on HBO Go...you're welcome.
• Commit yourself to a new (or old) workout routine. Just because it isn't January doesn't mean your health and fitness goals should fall to the wayside.
• Plan a Galentine's Day. Throw a whole party or dress up in pink and red and go to brunch with the whole motley crew. Love is love is love...February doesn't have to be all about having a significant other.
• Make time for something you always say you should start making time for. Read a book, start a blog, exercise more, catch up on a show, learn a new craft. Life will never stop "passing you by," so make the time to live it the way you want.

What will you be up to this February?