How is another month ending? I know we all say it, every single month, but where does the year go? In fact were do the years go? Its time for Review 10 of 2019.
Spaghetti Bolognase
The boy has always been a fan of cooking but is not a huge fan of food that comes in a sauce! Makes cooking for 5 a real PITA!
You can imagine my surprise when he asked to make spaghetti Bolognase for the family one Sunday.
I am normally pretty hands on when he is ‘Cooking’ but this time I left him to it and oh my it was so good!
For a control freak to hand over her kitchen, this is almost as big a deal for me as it is for him.
Maybe he will become more adventurous with his food choices if he finds a love of cooking.
Autumn Walks
We took the opportunity to get out on a sunny Autumn day for a walk round a local country park.
We’ve all felt a little cooped up recently and although it is lovely to enjoy some much needed down time and duvet days (Plus 3 hours of homework a weekend!) it was lovely to get out and rid ourselves of the autumn cobwebs that were quickly gathering.
Gym time
Not something I thought i’d be saying but I joined a gym! A proper one! I’ve been swimming at 6.30am before work and I was loving it. I have done a few water based classes as well. I am just coming in to week 3 and I am feeling good for it. Even the early mornings seem to be agreeing with me.
The C word
I am normally pretty on it when it comes to christmas shopping and by October I normally have the bulk of my gifts sorted.
This year I have not been so organised! I decided this was the month to start and I honestly forgot just how much I love to buy gifts for people.
I am feeling much more prepared now and I even have wrapping paper in a bid to be a bit more organised!
Dinner with friends
We were invited, with the children, for dinner with some friends. I knew it would be a great night as the kids just get to run riot with their besties and we get to catch up and have some proper adult time.
The food was delicious, I had no doubt at all that it would be as Steve is quite the chef. I did drink far more than I am used to and fell up a step that was larger than I expected and did a decent amount of damage to my knee! But despite that it was a wonderful evening.
Blog course
This month I attended my first blogging course, It was run by Emily from the Emily Chapters. Emily also runs a group called Coventry bloggers.
I was a little nervous but I shouldn’t have been. It was a lovely group and it was really nice to meet with other local bloggers.
Emily had plenty of advice for a relatively new blogger and lots of tips for moving forward
I came away filled with ideas and inspiration and also some thoughts about the future of Our Favourite Jar.
In terms of my blog, I finally seem to have found my rhythm. I am scheduling social media better, I am constantly using my spare time to write more and now have a fair amount produced and scheduled to go for the rest of the year.
It has been the best month in terms of views I have had since the summer slump, so I am feeling good about where I am with it now.
Half term
Thanks to working six miles from home and that measly 6 miles taking me in to another county, half term arrived for me but not for F. It’s lovely to have some time to myself but it does present a huge childcare issue!
Thankfully my Dad is able to step in and in fact him and F are away on a coach holiday for the week. I am excited for them both but sad that I will be without my boy for a week.
Although that really does give me another week to myself! I won’t know what to do with myself. Good job I have the gym to keep me company until Rob gets home!
Pumpkin Picking
Now this seems to have become such a tradition for so many people that I keep seeing negativity thrown its way. Apparently ‘We’ only go pumpkin picking for the ‘Gram’.
Well not me, we’ve been going for years! It was on our Autumn bucket list and we do love it. We were lucky with the weather and I did of course get some lovely pictures which I dared to share to Insta!
It was one that the children were very keen to do and we now have a beautiful collection of pumpkins, Orange, white, blue and yellow!
Bowling
This is the first time we’ve all been bowling together, The kids loved it! And F loved showing his younger sisters the ropes.
I didn’t pay to play but shared Rob’s go, I have to say, I felt very smug stepping up and getting a fair few strikes!
We all got to do a little victory dance which is surely half the fun right??
Film night
Another meal with friends in the same month?? WHAT?? We are really enjoying making time for ‘adult time’ as well as entertaining the children.
This months viewing at the ‘Cinema’ is Toy Story 4 and I think its fair to say we were all looking forward to settling down for this film and yummy food!
We had a wonderful evening and a good old bit of measuring 😉
Cinema October
To keep on a theme, this month has been full on cinema time. I met a friend this week to watch Judy, A brilliant but heartbreaking tale of Judy Garland, Believe me when I say I’ll never be able to watch the Wizard of Oz again! We had a lovely time and even managed to lunch too!
Then with F off with my Dad it meant we needed to take full advantage of Meerkat movies.
This time it was the Joker. Even the fact that the cinema was hotter than the sun could not spoil this amazing film. Got chills just thinking about it!
Home improvement..?
I can finally tell you that we have a complete roof, we are waterproof and work is beginning on the loft conversion as I type!
I am finally crazy excited about the results but I’m still stressing over the upheaval.
Short term pain, long term gain is the mantra in our house.
And there we have it, Halloween is gone so Christmas fun begins!
What a great idea to have a monthly ‘review’! I’ve been loving my Autumn walks. it looks like you guys had a lot of fun!
Kenna – lifeoflilyblog.com
I love the summary – you’ve been busy! Where has October gone though!! Plus congrats on the roof.
I am so glad the roof is done given the current weather!
Ah you have done so many fun things. Halloween was brilliant. Glad you’ve joined a gym! haha. That’s my fave thing to do.
I am not quite at the stage where it is my favourite thing to do yet but maybe one day 😉
Wow, it sounds like you had a busy October! We love an Autumn walk too – and the blogging course sounds great!
It was a lot of fun x x
Looks like a great month, really nice to document it. We’ve been embracing the autumn walks too!
What a jam-packed month you’ve had! I really wanted to see Judy at the cinema but think I’ve missed it. I’ve heard it is a brilliant film.
It was very good. I think it will be great on DVD, its not the sort of film that needs the huge screen and sound etc x
Sounds like a lovely month. We have not been bowling in years and now I want to go, ha! Thank you for sharing.
We had so much fun, you should definitely go x
I’ve actually only got John’s Christmas presents to buy now. I even wrapped all of Erin’s last week.
I haven’t wrapped the kids yet but I have done all my friends kids, my god children etc x
I’ve got most of the Christmas presents sorted too already, because I have to start sending off the ones for overseas family. Some of the last posting dates are in November.
That is very organised x
I love your recaps! We went bowling in October, too. PS. Isla has those same sparkly shoes!
I really wish adult sparkly shoes were more acceptable x
Wear them anyway. Who cares? Sparkly Docs are the best
*adds glittery shoes to Christmas list*
It seems like you’ve had a fun and eventful month. I love walking at this time of year. I’m glad you’ve been enjoying the gym but I’m not sure if I could hack the early morning sessions x
Sophie
I have already flipped it to evening, although I was loving the early mornings x
What a lovely idea recapping each month! I wish I had started that over on my blog, well done you swimming before work and love the pumpkins you picked.
I have already ditched the morning in favour of after work hahaha
I have some serious pumpkin envy at what you collected right here! They’re fabulous! 🎃😍
They are so beautiful. I am so glad we went and got them. Never carved them though, couldn’t bring myself to do it x
I’ve recently started to read about monthly reviews and its really good. The autumn walk is really nice and I have done it couple times, myself.
Sounds like you had an amazing month. I like the idea of month summary. I will make good read one day when your kids are adults.
I do love the idea of looking back over them in years to come x
I am loving all your family time together – how fab. I love a good spag bol. also, cinema and winter walks get a big thumbs up too xx
What an amazing month you’ve had! The perfect combination of family time and you time. Well done on the gym front. I’ve got out of the rhythm but need to get my gym back on! How typical half term is different by counties. Thank goodness your dad is able to help. Look forward to fill your next months round up. 💖
Sounds like you’ve had a lovely month and what that lady said to you at 15 is scary but SO TRUE. I’m 27 but it feels like since I left sixth form… everything has been on fast forward. I honestly can’t believe it’s almost 2020. A whole new decade. I still remember what I was doing at the turn of the last decade! x
I know, it seems like utter madness. I keep wondering how I managed to keep a child alive through a whole decade?!?
I do love an autumn walk, nothing better than seeing all the lovely colours on show. I am not really Christmas yet but I am sure it will come
Oh I am more Christmas than Santa!
I know how quickly are the months going! Sounds like you have had a wonderful time lately and yes to Autumn walks and pumpkin picking
Laura x
Sounds like a great month! I know how fast this year has gone is so crazy! We are nearly at the end of 2019!! That’s great he asked for spaghetti Bol and cooked! What a great thing! Xx
Last night he wanted Curry! This year is going to end on a food high for him I hope!
That’s awesome!!
I love this monthly review – the blogging course sounds like it was great fun.
Pre-lockdown, I wouldn’t have considered going to a blogging course or attending a blogger’s meet up. I will definitely be doing this in the future.
Thanks for sharing x