Currently #71

Hello everyone!

Happy Wednesday! I hope you had a great weekend. I just got back from a weekend getaway to see my fiance. New England is beautiful, but cold, this time of year. Here’s a few highlights from the weekend. 

Today is the day of a big work project that I am a part of which is very exciting. We have Thanksgiving next week, which means lots of prep this week and then we are talking about Christmas! Can you believe it?! This month has flown by. I did a lot from savoring fall, seeing family, hanging out with friends and prepping for the holidays. 

I am one week early with my Currently post since next week, I will be reflecting on what I am thankful for. It’s always a favorite post of mine. 

Therefore, this post will be a bit shorter, but I still have nuggets of joy to share with you! 

Let’s get to it!

What I've Been Up to: 

Since we last caught up on currently posts, I celebrated Halloween. It was a quiet night at home, but I had a fire going, watched a Halloween movie, made a pumpkin roll, and enjoyed some sweet treats!

A decorated pumpkin

A delicious pumpkin roll

A dressed up pup

Some sweet treats

My mom and I enjoyed a night out to see a Billy Joel tribute group which was awesome. It felt like a concert, everyone had such a good time and the performer was very good.

I also enjoyed lots of leaves and outdoor time, even if it meant I had to be bundled up. 

A beautiful time of year

The sunrise had me smiling this past month.

This month, we (sadly) said goodbye to Fall and leaves…

And hello to Winter and snow…

I got my Red Cup from Starbucks and it got me in the holiday spirit!

I got another chance to visit New England in the fall and the leaves were showing off!

Hot chocolate was a must on a chilly day!

First signs of Christmas

We took a day trip to Rhode Island and Providence.

The Statehouse

Downtown Providence

Downtown Parks

Coffee on the train

City Hall

What I’m Wearing:

Winter has settled in which means it’s time to break out the pants and suits for work

Layers for a weekend away

What I'm Reading:

This month brought some ups and downs in terms of books and reading. Here are my thoughts.

The Last One at the Wedding- I saw The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak on the bookshelves and was intrigued. It’s all about a father who attends his daughter’s wedding, but things start happening that makes him question his daughter and her intentions. There are secrets, lies, deaths, and affairs within the family she is marrying. I thought the concept was good, but I listened to it as an audiobook and I was not a fan of the voice of the narrator, so that turned me off. I also felt like there were a lot of different storylines that took place and never got sorted out and the ending was a bit abrupt. Maybe I would have felt differently about it if I read it as opposed to listening to it, but it wasn’t my favorite.

No Exit- Taylor Adam’s No Exit came from a recommendation from Emily Ley. I am not big into thrillers, but was looking for something chilling to read around Halloween and this didn’t disappoint. It’s all about a girl who has to stop at a rest stop in a snow storm with four other strangers. Everything seems to be okay until the girl learns that there is a kidnapped child in a car and someone who is at the rest stop is the kidnapper. It’s truly a book that has you on the edge of your seat as the main character tries to rescue the girl and make it out alive. A movie was made about it and I had to watch it too! Heart pounding for sure!

Atmosphere- Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest book Atmosphere came out this summer. I have had it on hold at the library for months and couldn’t wait to read it. It’s all about a young woman wanting to go up to space in the 1980’s and the training and program and the people she meets and grows with along the way. There is some romance along the way. Overall, I really loved the book and the writing. It’s not my favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid book, but it’s pretty good.

Broken Country- I had heard a lot about Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall. Wow, what a story. It’s in the running as a top book of the year for me. Without giving too much away, it’s about a woman who falls in love with two different men at different times in her life. The book spans across decades and deals with love and loss, secrets, and betrayal, forgiveness, and moving on. The characters are complicated, but the storyline has so much depth. I finished it in one weekend and kept sneaking in time to find time to read. It was such a good book. So thought-provoking too!

Day- I read Day by Michael Cunningham. I saw it on display at the store and was intrigued about a family and their dynamics before, during, and after Covid. It was interesting to hear how the pandemic changed this family. It wasn’t my favorite, but it was interesting.

Guess Again- I am on a Charlie Donlea kick. Guess Again had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I listened to it. It’s all about a special agent turned doctor who is asked to return to the force to solve a decade old murder. He learns it’s connected to a series of murders from years ago. There was a lot of different storylines, but everything was tied in together. 10/10 recommend!

What I’m Watching:

Folks, I did it. I finished Gilmore girls. I started to really get into the show back in May and slowly made my way through it during the summer and fall months. I can see why so many people love the show and always like to rewatch it in the fall. It gives off the perfect fall vibes! I loved the characters and the storylines and the relationships. I’ll miss the girls of Stars Hollow. Yes, because I watched the series, I did watch a Year in the Life too!  

I also made my way through season 9 of Selling Sunset. This season brought the drama! My best friend and I watched the series together and a part. It was fun to watch and chat about the show in real time.

What I'm Cooking:

This month was all about cozy meals and prepping for the holidays. I started to make my list of sweets I want to bake for Christmas.

Chicken and Bean Enchiladas- I got this from Jessie James Decker’s cookbook, but swapped the beef for chicken and loved it.

Sesame Chicken Stir Fry - I got this recipe from Every Day with Babs, but opted for rice instead of pasta. There was so much rich flavors, I loved it! This was a quick meal to pull together after work too!

Halloween Candy Cookies- I have started my holiday baking preps. I love this time of year and baking all kinds of cookies. I started things off by using leftover Halloween candy and making Halloween candy cookies. A super easy way to use leftover candy. I can’t wait to start more baking.

Snickerdoodle Cookies- Nothing says fall like some warm snickerdoodles.

Pulled Pork Chili- I have been trying lots of different chili recipes and this one by Mix and Match Mama was a unique take on a warm meal for a cold night.

Homemade Chocolate chips cookies on a cold day

What Inspires Me: 

This month has really left me to pause and reflect and focus on gratitude before the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. But I would be lying if I didn’t mention how much I am loving all the festive decor that’s now up. I adore this time of year!

Some daily desk inspiration!

More desk inspiration, it’s all about positivity!

What I Accomplished:

Now that we are almost in Christmas mode. I am saying goodbye to my fall bucket list and hello to my Christmas bucket list which will be coming soon! 

I also hit a major milestone this month. One year of meditation every day! Meditation has made a huge difference in my life. I can’t wait to continue it this year.

Goals for this Month: 

 All things Christmas! I love this time of year and I can’t wait to decorate, do all the Christmas traditions and enjoy the holiday season! Plus, I have a few extra fun things planned for this month too! Stay tuned!

A sneak peek at my Christmas Bucket List

The airport was all decked out for Christmas

Goals from Last Month:

I did my best to take this slow before the schedule gets busy for the holidays.

A weekend away is always a good idea!

That’s a look at life lately and what I am currently up to. I will see you back here on Friday for another edition of Friday Favorites!