october Archives - Leaf and Steel

September in Review

October 1, 2022

I guess I’m just going to have to accept that time really does go by faster as you age. Days whip past me. I can’t believe it’s October 1st! I’m excited to be participating in #Blogtober22 this year and delighted that the first post is a monthly recap!

Here it goes:

The Not-So-Great

I fell with my kid. Face first. Into pavement. You heard that right. My worst nightmare. An event made worse by my ridiculous screaming, a LARGE iced pumpkin spice latte being spilled onto my daughter, and a very bloody knee. We were both shaken, but completely fine!

Whew, what a good month if that’s all I can think of! Nothing else to report except for the usual life stuff, like chores, not getting around to reading/yoga-ing/hydrating as much as I wanted to, or inflation just decimating my food budget.

The Good

I had a perspective change. I have a lot of subconscious conditions on joy. A lot of them have to do with money and looks and timing. A lot of conditions. A lot of “I’ll be happy when…” or “I could be happy if…”. Fill in the blank, I’m sure you know the drill. I know most of us are like this. I don’t know what happened but I woke up a few weeks ago and remembered that I have a lot more control over how I feel than I’d like to admit. I reset my perspective and I’ve been feeling so much better about life.

We got back outside. Sweet Jesus the heat is gone. We can finally emerge from the air conditioned cave and back out into the real world. Most days have been park days, which has been excellent for Baby M’s confidence and my sanity.

I did NOT get any allergic reactions. After the summer I had, this is a huge accomplishment. Check out my August in Review for context.

I got to go away! I got to Connecticut with my mom for a weekend. Without my child. Pure bliss. We did some Christmas shopping and I had a delightful dinner at Hopkins Inn (my first time). I’ll definitely be going away for a child free weekend soon!

How was your September? Did yours fly by as quickly as mine?

What are your plans for October?
Let me know below!

This is post 1/31 for #Blogtober22. If you’re interested in learning more about Blogtober and how to participate, check out my post How to Prepare for Blogtober 2022 and Why You Should Try Blogtober.

Looking for inspiration? Try 30 Fall-Themed Lifestyle Blog Post Ideas.

Why You Should Try Blogtober

November 18, 2021

It might be November, but I wanted to share my experience with this years Blogtober tag!

What is Blogtober?

Blogtober is an online “event” where bloggers publish a post on their blog every single day in October.

Why I Tried Blogtober

I didn’t set out to participate in Blogtober21, it just sort of happened. As someone who reads a lot of blogs, I started to see the tag everywhere! Seeing such high volume of posts under #Blogtober21 and my love of a good portmanteau got me curious.

What I Did

Okay, so I didn’t post every day in October. I published 29 posts, which was just 1 short of my 30 posts goal for that month. You can blame my child’s 12 month sleep regression for that, ha!

I did sit down to write just about every week day. Like so many writers, I tend to focus on selecting images, contacting sponsors, analyzing stats, and doing just about everything I can besides publishing content. Getting in that daily habit of writing has changed the way I look at producing content.

What I Learned

Having a daily schedule of writing during my baby’s first nap and hitting publish (just about) every day made writing easier. I have my systems in place now. It’s just gotten easier. It used to take me days to research, write, format and edit an article. Now, I have streamlined that system down to a few hours at most.

It’s also showed me that “writing what you know” is some of the most accurate advice out there. Because I’m writing about things I’m genuinely either interested in, actively researching, or truly love, the writing is just a natural part of that.

I was consistent with my writing and pinning on Pinterest. I essentially doubled my traffic. I started to see more and more results from Google, Yahoo and Bing. I even was able to pick up a few partnerships and got to engage with so many of my readers.

More traffic led to more Amazon Affiliate sales and more ad revenue.

I was super pleased to see my hard work paying off.

Posting every week day, working with sponsors, and making a measly income did something incredible. It finally made me feel like a blogger. I can fall into some major bouts of imposter syndrome in most areas of my life. This month I really felt like I was reaping the emotional benefits of putting in the foot work.

Why YOU Should Try Blogtober22

Put me down in the calendar for Blogtober22!

I will definitely be doing Blogtober22. Just based on how it raised my stats alone, I’m in. But, I also was so impressed by the discipline and passion it takes to complete a challenge like this.

Next year, I plan on publishing 31 posts in October, to get the full effect.

You should try Blogtober because it can grow your audience, inspire diligence, and can help you get out of that writing rut!

Did you participate in #Blogtober? If you did, what did you learn? Would you do it again? Let me know below!

References:

Tea & Cake for the Soul, “What is Blogtober? What to Expect and How to Take Part”

PinArtwork, Blogtober 2021 Grow your Blog’s traffic with a Blogtober Challenge

Fall Friday Favorites #6

October 29, 2021

Happy fall Friday!

It’s getting COLD here (a freezing 50F) and it’s starting to feel less and less like fall and more like winter!

We’ve finally turned the heat on and I’m content and cozy inside.

Here are some things I’m loving this week!

Halloween Decorations

Halloween is not my holiday. I’m not into scary things, scaring people, or being scared. I’m more of a Thanksgiving and Christmas person. So, we don’t even really own Halloween decorations. But, I’m loving seeing everyone else’s! When my daughter and I walk around the neighborhood we stop and look at the displays!

Please Don’t Destroy

Please Don’t Destroy is the supposed next Lonely Island on Saturday Night Live. It’s a sketch comedy group of 3 who met at NYU and has been posting their skits to YouTube and TikTok. They’ve already drummed up some controversy on SNL because 2/3 of their dads were former writers on the show. BUT, their comedic skills make them worthy of being there, regardless of the nepotism.

Their debut “Hard Seltzer” skit led me to their other work, but the “Rami Wants a Treat” video was replayed daily in this house. It somehow got funnier each time I watched it.

You should definitely check them out!

Cheryl’s Cookies

My relatives sent these to us and they were so good! My favorite were the buttercream frosted short bread cookies. They were the perfect Halloween treat!

Pressure Machine, The Killers

Pressure Machine came out in August of this year but I’m just finding it now!

My favorite is Quiet Town – nothing more to say here!

What are you loving this week?
Let me know below!
O.

Thanksgiving Gifts for Babies

October 24, 2021

Thanksgiving is a month away, so here are some Thanksgiving gifts for babies!

It’s time to bring out the turkey and the mashed potatoes – the holiday of food, family, and gratitude is almost upon us. Babies love the delicious foods and company that comes with Thanksgiving.

My daughter’s birthday is just before Thanksgiving, so I know we will be adding some of these to her gift list!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that I may make a small commission off of products that are purchased through these links, at no cost to you. You can read more about this process here.

These gifts would make a wonderful distraction while you cook up Thanksgiving dinner or in between dinner and dessert. You could even create a Thanksgiving toy basket for your baby or toddler.

I also have a post on the best Thanksgiving books for babies and toddlers here.

Here are Thanksgiving gifts your baby will love!

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

Stuffed Thanksgiving Turkey Toy

Caroline’s Treasures Fall Pumpkin Pie Baby Bib & Burp Cloth, 11 x 18″

Baby Starters Magic Years Soft, Crinkle Activity Book with Tabs and Strap – Happy Thanksgiving Turkey

Mud Pie Thanksgiving Bib

Happy Thanksgiving Bright Baby Book

Mud Pie Children’s Gobble Turkey Puzzle

You Are My Little Pumpkin Pie by Amy E. Sklansky

Head over to The Best Thanksgiving Books for Babies and Toddlers or 10 Thanksgiving Decorations Under $10!

Do you get your kids a little something-something for Thanksgiving?

Let me know below!

Sunday is the Best Day

October 24, 2021

Sunday is the best day.

It hasn’t always been this way.

When I was a child, Sunday was the worst day. It meant school was coming and always brought up feelings of anxiety and dread.

Now it’s filled with peace and calm and rest.

Sunday mornings are for homemade egg sandwiches, extra coffee, and a walk.

Sunday afternoon is for visiting with family.

Sunday night is for candles, the crock pot, and a movie.

My Mondays are productive and joyful. Being a stay-at-home mom has washed away the Sunday Scaries.

I’m so grateful to be able to have this quiet day with my family, on this beautiful planet.

Fall Friday Favorites #5

October 22, 2021

Happy Fall Friday!

What a week. We’ve been out doing fun things in the mornings so it feels like the day doesn’t start until noon.

Baby M is also finally sleeping through the night, which means I’m sleeping through the night and it is remarkable how good I feel.

Here are a few things I loved this week!

Any-Color-But-Orange Pumpkins

Orange pumpkins are out! I love the off white, green, and red pumpkins. I find that the squirrels around here don’t like to eat them as much as they like the big orange ones. I’ve found that the grocery store actually has the best deal – I snagged a few that would’ve cost %50+ more at a pumpkin patch. Shh, don’t tell.

Litchfield County, CT

This week we took a day trip up to Litchfield! We went all over. The leaves were PEAK and it was like being in an autumn snow globe. Baby M loved taking a hike through the mountains and listening to the crunching of the leaves. I love Connecticut and I always feel refreshed after being there.

Aqua Wrap

I love my wrap! It’s cozy and warm without being too heavy. As one of those always-cold-people, it’s a game changer.

Auld Lang Syne

I don’t care that it’s October.

What did you love this week? Is it too early for Auld Lang Syne? Let me know below!

5 Things About Me

October 20, 2021

Welcome to Leaf & Steel! I’m so happy you’re here.

This fall, I’ve been putting way more effort into this whole blogging thing.

I’ve published 21 posts so far in October – a mind-blowing record for me.

With that, I’ve had an influx of new followers and readers.

I wanted to share 5 things about me to let my readers know a little bit more about the face behind this blog!

I’m a Stay-at-Home-Mom

I have a sweet little baby and I love staying home with her! My favorite part about being a stay-at-home-parent is being able to walk through the day slowly. There’s no rushing to get her dressed or fed or out of the house. I’m especially grateful for being able to stay home on the days where we do have to be somewhere at a certain time. I love being the one to meet my daughter’s needs throughout the day.

I firmly believe that bagels are God’s gift to mankind

…and the best bagels are on Long Island! I’ll fight anyone who disagrees. A toasted sesame with cream cheese is absolute heaven.

I didn’t go to college

Someone recently told me that if we are upfront and honest about the things we are ashamed of the power gets taken away from that thing. I don’t fully understand why I feel ashamed for not going to college. It been years since anyone has asked me if I’ve gone to college. Maybe it’s because I went to a very competitive high school or because The funny thing about shame is that I would never judge anyone else for their education, or lack thereof. I would just tell them, “so what?” and move on.

I like to be alone

…okay, I love to be alone. I enjoy the company of my friends and family immensely, and I love to be alone. Shopping, manicures, walking, cooking – whatever it is, I prefer to do it alone. I make sure I get in enough socialization so that I’m able to stay on light side of solicitude and isolation.

My dream is to own a hobby farm in upstate New York

And it must include (but not limited to), one highland cow, two goats, three chickens, and a barn cat.

I’ve fallen in love with the Hudson Valley and Catskills over the years. There’s something about the wide open spaces and small towns that is so refreshing coming from Long Island. I’ve found that the people are nicer, the air is cleaner, and I feel more connected to the universe when I’m up there.

What are five things about you?

Let me know below!