Monthly Favorites is new here at A Life of Seasons. It’s a way for me to share what I’m into each month and hopefully inspire you to try something new, finish a project, and/or branch out from your norm.
I also look forward to the great conversations this segment of the blog will spark!
A lot of ALoS is very practical in nature, and I love that, however there are times when I wish I could get a little more personal with you.
So this is me, Jennifer, giving you not another list of things to do, but a list of favorites I am already loving this September.
Monthly Favorites: September
Loving
Time with my kids after school
My kids put in a full eight hour day at school and by 3:00 I miss them! I cannot wait to hug their necks and find out how their day went.
Unfortunately, when school started I was not prepared for how much my kids would miss each other during the school day. I had to adjust to them being so excited to catch up with one another that they completely ignored me.
No biggie. I’ll just be eating this bag of cookies in the pantry while I cry my eyes out.
Okay not really. I don’t cry in the pantry. Those cookies were delish though.
Seriously, though I have enjoyed hearing about their day and asking questions that spur on conversation among the whole family. For ideas on open-ended questions to ask after school, you can download a copy HERE, print it out and keep it in the car, kitchen drawer or at the table for easy access!
Reading
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
This book is not new. In fact, it was originally published over 25 years ago and has sold over 25 million copies!
7 Habits takes a highly introspective approach to what it means to be highly effective in every area of life. There is so much valuable information here for anyone seeking personal improvement.
Currently, I am on Habit 2: “Begin with the End in Mind,” and realizing I need to rearrange some areas of my life that have received more of my focus than they deserve. Good stuff!
Implementing change is hard sometimes, but the rewards are more than worth it, which is why this book made it to Monthly Favorites this month.
Listening
Ruth Soukup’s Podcast, Do It Scared
Ruth is the founder of Living Well, Spending Less, Elite Blog Academy, and the New York Time’s Best Selling Author of 5 books. She is an inspiration to many in the blogosphere (including me) and a true entrepreneur.
On her podcast, Ruth interviews fellow entrepreneurs who have overcome great hardships, beat the odds, and/or achieved much from their pursuits in the business world. It’s a great podcast when you are seeking encouragement and business advice from people who are a few steps ahead of you.
Saving
…by eating a little less meat
What?! August and September are financially stretching at our house due to school starting and about 15 birthdays.
Meat is expensive and unnecessary to have at every meal, so we are cutting back to save money.
Did you know that forgoing meat one dinner a week could save you $10-15 a week…that’s a monthly savings of $40-60(!) depending on the cut of meat you eliminate. Um, can you think of anything to spend $40-60 on this month?? A date night? Savings? Extra debt payment?? 4,000 other things?
Yeah, let your imagination run wild with that one…
Making
French Macaroons
And oh my word, I am in love!!! And in big trouble!! If you have ever had a macaron, there is no wonder why they made my favorites list. There a lots of recipes available online now, and each one makes quite a few from what I’ve seen.
The trouble is that there are rarely any macarons left the next day which means we are eating an exorbitant amount of sugar! But it’s so good.
In case you are new to French macaroons, they are (obviously) a French treat with an almond flour (and sugar) base. They are not difficult to make, but there is a process that begs for some practice.
Honestly, though I have made some ugly macarons that didn’t form just right and – FYI – they still taste delish and we still eat them all.
Wearing
LimeLife Macaroon Lip Color
In fact, I need another tube. This is my go-to lip color that goes with everything and makes a subtle, sophisticated statement. It typically stays on most of the day without needing to be reapplied and I am 100% for low maintenance cosmetics!
What I like about LimeLife’s enduring Lip Color is that it’s not loaded with chemicals that look and feel a lot like paint when applied. I’m not a big fan of chemical laden anything so anything I promote here will likely lean towards the more natural, simplistic side of the ingredient spectrum.
You can purchase LimeLife Lip Color HERE and see what all the hype is about.
Writing
organization hacks for fall
This time of year gets especially nutty and I’m not talking about an extra pump of hazelnut in your latte (although that sounds nice). All too often when life picks up the pace, we are left putting out fires left and right and never looking up to take stock of what’s going on around us.
I want to help ease that chaos by focusing my content on practical and personal ways to stay organized during the fall semester while making the most of your time each day.
The great thing is I’m using these tools and tips in my own daily life so I’m bringing at least some level of experience to the table. The bad thing is that I’m not super good at all of it so we are going to learn and try and fail and try again together. But I really like the idea of living life together, successes and failures and all.
Learning
how to take breaks to avoid burnout
Remember what I was just saying about being organized? Blogging has taught me that taking breaks is imperative to productivity. Sounds crazy, right?
But it’s not.
Taking breaks give us a chance to chill the heck out for a second. Catch our breath. Think our thoughts.
Dreamy, right?
I have found taking breaks to be especially rewarding when I use my break time to get up and move. Rotate laundry, go for a short walk outside, smell the roses in my flower beds.
This month is shaping up nicely already!
That’s September, friends! What are you doing this month?
