ONE MONTH LEFT! // 5 Things To Do

Guys guys guys! There is only ONE MORE MONTH UNTIL NANOWRIMO!! XD Like, how are we so close I'm not ready!

But I will be. . . hopefully. :P Although I still have a lot to do, I think I've got myself pretty organized for this month. Just yesterday, I bought a dry erase board (because apparently, these things are helping other writers?). I drew up the month of October and figured out what I'm going to do, in the writing department, each day. I already feel better about this month. :)

So I, myself, have five things to do before November, and I figured I'd share them with you all. :)


1. Outline

Yes, I still have to outline. I'm going to be writing three novels, possible four, for NaNo. Right now, I only have a few notes for each of them, and I've started making Pinterest boards for them too. I don't even have characters yet, except for one, and that's only because it's a sequel. :P But I'm not going to do what I did last year, and not even start outlining until two week before NaNo. There was a good reason though, and that was because it wasn't until two weeks before NaNo that I decided that I was going to do it. :P

You may be wondering why I'm writing three novels for NaNo, so I'll tell you. Last year, I didn't think I would make the 50k, especially since it was my first year/time doing something like that. But I finished the novel I had outlined by the 14th, and then had to find other novels to write. My final word count total was 105,501. This year my goal is 150,000 so I'm trying to make sure that I have enough novels outlined. It's also helpful because if one is giving me a hard time, I can switch to another one and keep my word count going up.


2. Playlists

You probably already know that I'm one of those writers who listens to music while I write. So I need to make playlists. Trust me, you don't want to in the middle of NaNo trying to make a playlist or figuring out what you're going to listen to. It takes time, time you could be using to write. So if you're a writer who maybe needs music to write, I highly suggest making playlists before November. I have an idea of how I'm going to create playlists, I just need to do it now. :P

Also, I'm now on Spotify! :D


3. Caffeine

In case you didn't know, I loove coffee. ;P And I need to make sure that I am all stocked up for November. Creamer too. Why? Because I don't plan on sleeping. Sleep is for the weak. Just kidding, I'll be sleeping. :P But anyway, if you have something that you drink or eat while writing, I suggest stocking up so that you don't have to make a run to the store in the middle of the month. Because if you are behind on your word count, then having to go to the store is just going to waste the time you could spend writing your novel.


4. Word Sprints/Wars

Between now and November, I am going to be doing word sprints, and hopefully word wars too. I want to practice writing large amounts at a time, and limber up my fingers for NaNo. It wouldn't be a bad thing to do if you want to practice too. Or you could be like me and practice writing a whole novel in a month. :P Yup, that's right. I have to write 41,500 words of Strangers this month before I can give it to my alpha readers in November. (Don't worry, my alpha readers aren't doing NaNoWriMo so it's not going to cause any problems.)

So I encourage all of you to do word sprints every now and then. I'm actually looking for someone, or multiple people, who would like to do word wars with me this month (and possibly in November too), so if you're interested let me know! :)


5. Panic

Hahaha! Yeah, I added this one partly because five is a nice number. :P But to be honest, it's not necessarily a bad thing to add to this. May as well get it out of my system. Besides, I plan on having this one done by the 15th. After that, I am not allowed to panic. The two weeks before NaNo starts I want to spend getting myself hyped and excited for November, not panicking.


So those are the five things I'm doing this month. At some point, I'm thinking I'll do a post on the novels I'll be writing for NaNoWriMo this month. You guys don't know anything about them yet, and I'm kind of excited to share them with you. :)


So what about you? What do you have to do this month to get ready for NaNoWriMo?

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"Magical" Chicken & Vegetable soup + Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP e-book

Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP

I’ve been keeping another secret from y’all! I’m very excited to announce the release another great e-book project: Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP.

Compiled by my friend Jaime Lubich Hartman from Gutsy By Nature, this e-book features over 120 recipes (100% elimination-stage AIP-compliant) developed by 30 contributors AND includes specific freezer adaptations (packaging, freezing, storing, and serving) for every recipe. All the recipe categories are covered from breakfast to appetizers/snacks to soups/stews to casseroles to main dishes to side dishes to desserts! We’ve also dedicated this project to our friend Martine Partridge (eathealthrive.ca) who passed away in May.

Download your copy for $18.90

I myself contributed 6 recipes to Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP AND designed the cover. These are seriously some of the best recipes I’ve ever developed! These are my recipes below 

Crispy Belgian Waffles 

These waffles stay extra crispy due to a special ingredient. 

“Magical” Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Cover recipe! Sneak peak of an Instant Pot® variation of the recipe below. 

Garlic Balsamic Beef

This is a recipe I’ve teased quite a bit on Instagram and it might be one of my husband’s favorite dishes I’ve ever made. He calls it “meat candy.” This recipe includes both stovetop AND Instant Pot® instructions in the e-book! 

Roasted Broccoli

An absolute staple recipe I make at least once a week. 

Berry Fruit Crisp

An easy dessert that can be assembled in minutes. Bake in a large baking dish OR in individual mason jars. 

Slice-and-Bake Icebox Cookies

Really 4 recipes in one, as there is a plain vanilla version, cranberry orange, raspberry swirl, and “chocolate” mint. 

Giveaway! 

To celebrate the launch of Freezer Cooking for the Paleo AIP, some of my favorite AIP businesses and resources have joined together to giveaway over $900 in prizes, which will be awarded to 14 randomly selected individuals.

Here are the prizes:

• A $250 gift certificate to fill your freezer with gourmet frozen meals from Paleo On the Go
• A Hot Logic Mini Deluxe with Pyrex and Car Adapter ($70 value) to heat your frozen meals anywhere
• Curated bundles of AIP-compliant food products from ShopAIP: The Starter Kit ($63 value); Baker’s Dream ($61 value); Snack Attack ($68 value); and Savor the Flavor ($61 value)
• A full free year subscription to Autoimmune Strong ($180 value)
• One free month of Individualized Wellness Coaching by Alissa M. Frazier ($125 value)
• Free membership to AIP Batch Cook ($67 value)
• The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook by Mickey Trescott ($35 value)
• The Phoenix Helix ebook collection by Eileen Laird ($45 value)
• The Autoimmune Healing n=1 Workbook from Biohack U ($25 value)
• Healing Eats by Kate Jay ($9 value)
• AIP Safari by Bethany Darwin ($6 value)

*Due to shipping restrictions, the prizes from Paleo On the Go, Hot Logic, and ShopAIP are only open to winners with delivery addresses within the United States. Winner of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook will receive a signed print copy if a United States delivery address is provided, otherwise will receive a PDF copy. All other prizes are open to winners anywhere in the world, unless giveaway is otherwise prohibited by local law. 

This giveaway will run through October 9, 2017, and no purchase is necessary to win! Enter via the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this page and mention that Laura from “Sweet Treats” sent you!

Instant Pot® “Magical” Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Because we were pressed for space in this book, the Instant Pot® instructions for my “Magical” Chicken & Vegetable Soup had to be cut, so I’ve decided to share that version here instead. This soup has been a staple recipe for me, made at least twice a month for the past couple of years. Originally, I made the soup on the stove top in my beloved LeCreuset oval dutch oven (which was a wedding gift from my late grandparents) and you can find those stovetop instructions in the e-book, but once I got my Instant Pot® and adapted the recipe, I haven’t looked back…

At the risk of seeming corny and cliche, I call this soup “magical” because it’s not only delicious and nutrient-dense, but also heartwarming and good for the soul. I love to eat it for breakfast or lunch and it’s my go-to recipe to make for friends or family when they’re sick or recovering from surgery.

If you don't yet have an Instant Pot® (what are you waiting for?!?), make sure to check out the the e-book for stovetop instructions.

“Magical” Chicken & Vegetable Soup 
 by Laura Vein of Sweet Treats
yields 8 servings

This one-pot, self-brothing soup is one of my secret weapons—I’ve made a batch at least twice a month for the past two years. Don’t stress about the exact ingredient amounts… I rarely measure when making a batch! It’s great for any meal (especially breakfast) or when sick. Keep it interesting by switching up the garnishes when serving. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
6 to 8 cups filtered water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
3 cups (approximately 250 grams) sliced leeks
2 cups (approximately 350 grams) chopped carrots
2 cups (approximately 230 grams) chopped celery
2 heaping cups (approximately 375 grams) diced white sweet potato
4 heaping cups (approximately 110 grams) chopped greens (such as kale or chard)
1 tablespoon kosher sea salt
Chopped herbs, optional for serving
Lemon, optional for serving
Finish salt, like smoked salt or truffle salt, optional for serving

Instant Pot® Instructions

1. Add the chicken thighs, filtered water, apple cider vinegar, and bay leaf to the stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot®. Close and lock the lid, ensuring the vent is closed. Press the MANUAL button and decrease the time to 25 minutes. Once time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally. While the chicken is cooking/pressure is releasing, prepare the veggies. 
2. Add the sliced leek, chopped carrots, chopped celery, diced white sweet potato, greens, and sea salt to the Instant Pot®  Close and lock the lid, ensuring the vent is closed. Press the MANUAL button and decrease the time to 25 minutes. Once time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally.
3. Transfer the chicken thighs carefully to a cutting board—caution, they will be very hot and may have a tendency to fall apart! Shred the chicken and the skin with two forks. Save the bones for future batches of bone broth. Add the shredded chicken back into the soup and stir to combine. Discard the bay leaf.

Freezing Instructions  

• Let the soup cool completely. Ladle the cooled soup into freezer-safe wide-mouth mason jars (1 quart jar is approximately 1 serving)—leave about an inch of headspace in the jars. Screw on lids and refrigerate overnight before transferring to the freezer. Alternately, especially for travel, use quart sized freezer Ziplock bags. Freeze flat. Store frozen quart bags in gallon bags, if traveling. 

Serving Instructions 

• If desired, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then gently heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. 
• Alternately, thaw and reheat at the sometime in the microwave or stovetop.
• Serve with chopped herbs, lemon, and/or a finish salt, if desired.

This post includes affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased 

after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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September 2017 Favorites

Where did September go?!? It seems like just yesterday that I was writing my August favorites and now here I am sharing September’s favorites…

Just a reminder, some of these items contain affiliate links, but nothing in this post is directly sponsored by any company... I'm just sharing what I like! 

Sheet Pan Meals (AIP or Paleo, depending on combination)
We eat a lot of roasted vegetables throughout the year, but lately I’ve been embracing not just roasted vegetables, but entire meals that can be roasted on a single sheet pan. The template is really easy: veg + fat + protein typically roasted at 425 F for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the veg/protein included. It’s a relatively easy meal with some prep required, but very little hands-on cooking time, and very minimal clean up.

As I’ve got some reintroductions under my belt, I quite often top roasted veggies with some sliced chicken sausage (usually contains some seed spices, but I always look for varieties that are nightshade-free), but chicken thighs also work well. Inspired by my friend Stephanie from “Fresh Tart,” I’ve also embraced this technique to make larger batches of breakfast hash with sliced leeks, baby bella mushrooms, bacon, and hearty greens like chard (include the stems) or kale.

It’s been a great way to use up random bits of vegetables in the fridge or freezer, thus reducing food waste. I plan to do some posts in the future with specific recipes for this technique.

Diffusing Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
I love diffusing essential oils, especially when I’ve cooked something extra fragrant or at night for sleeping. Ylang ylang is the newest oil in my arsenal and one of my current favorites. It’s a very calming, tropical floral scent reminiscent of jasmine. I’m still using my initial bottle purchased at my local Whole Foods, but it’s also available on Amazon or from most major EO companies. I like it for its soothing/relaxing yet uplifting qualities. It’s been a great one to diffuse on days where I need a bit of a pick-me-up. I’ve also read that it’s for the skin (diluted in a carrier oil) and the hair, though I haven’t tried it that way yet. This is another essential oil I anticipate keeping in my stash permanently.

Listening to Audiobooks on Audible 
A favorite childhood memory is of my mom reading to my sisters and me at night and/or when we were sick. Listening to audiobooks reminds me of those favorite memories. I’ve had an Audible gold membership (1 credit/book per month + 30% off the list price for any further audiobooks I choose to purchase) for a couple years and really enjoy listening to books while cooking or doing household chores or while driving. It’s so convenient to run the app on my phone or tablet. I tend to pick longer books, if I can (to maximize my credit purchase), and I tend to gravitate towards the genre of young adult fiction. Currently, I’m re-listening to the Harry Potter series (right now I’m on “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”) but I’ve also lately enjoyed “Tower of Dawn” from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, and “Six of Crows” from Leigh Bardugo.

Beautycounter Volumizing Mascara
I’ve had some adventures finding a more natural, gluten-free mascara…. I used another company’s mascara for a couple of years, but it always smeared under my eyes, giving me a great raccoon impersonation regularly. Plus, it was very difficult to remove when I actually wanted it off!

Beautycounter has had a lengthening mascara for a while, but since I wear glasses, I didn’t want any additional length to my lashes. When I heard that Beautycounter was coming out with a volumizing mascara, I knew I had to try it in hopes that it would be a better option for me. I am pleased to say this new volumizing option has been great! It doesn’t smear under my eyes AND it’s much easier to remove at the end of the day. Fair warning, the brush does take some getting use to, and it isn’t necessarily the most “crunchy” option, but it’s definitely better than conventional mascaras!

While I’m not a consultant with Beautycounter, you can order their products through your favorite consultant (I’m sure you probably know *someone* who sells it, if you’re in the AIP/Paleo-sphere) or through the Beautycounter website.

“Telephone Pictionary”
 We helped throw a surprise birthday party for a friend earlier this month and we played a new-to-us party game called “telephone pictionary.” I’m not usually a fan of group games (unless they’re board games or card games), but this one was super fun! It’s probably better played in larger groups (we had around 15 people playing) for optimal hilarity. Each person gets a stack of papers, amount equal to the number of participants, and a writing utensil. Everyone starts by writing a word or simple phrase on the top sheet of paper, then everyone passes their entire stack of paper to the person on their left. That person looks at the phrase, moves it to the back of the stack, and draws their interpretation of that word or phrase. Next, the entire stack is passed again to the left. That person looks at the drawing, moves it to the back of the stack, and guesses a word or phrase that the picture depicts. And the whole process continues around the group until all the papers are used. What ends up being the most hilarious part of the game comes at the end when everyone looks through their stack of papers and shows the group where the word or phrase started and how much it changed as it went through the whole group.

Pinning Autumn-y Things
Last year was our first autumn in New England (after leaving southern Texas), but we spent the majority of the season’s peak unpacking and settling in to our new home. We’re looking forward to doing all the fall activities (or as many as we can manage) while we live in this gorgeous state.

While we’re waiting for actual autumn to arrive—our weather has been still stuck on summer lately—I’m compensating by pinning on the pretty fall images on Pinterest to a specific autumn board.

So those are a few of my favorites from September. What are you loving lately?

Some of these items include affiliate links, meaning Sweet Treats makes a small commission off items purchased 

after a link is clicked with no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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The Two Voices

So, today I am going to share with you all a little about writing first drafts. No, not my process or how I go about it or anything like that. 

I think that all writers probably have two voices in their head. The first one is that voice that's just done with everything, like why do I even write? And the second is the voice that still cares and wants to do well, and loves writing and everything about.

You're all pretty familiar with these voices right? I know I am. :P I've thought of some pretty ridiculous stuff while writing, and it was basically because these to voices kept arguing. So I decided to use these two voices to show you what it's like for me sometimes when I write first drafts. I promise I'm not insane. :P



*looks at clock* Okay, it's time to write. Today we're going to write sooo much. An absurd amount of words. So many that it shouldn't even be humanly possible. I can just see-

Do we have to? We wrote just yesterday.

Yes. Yes, we do. In order for this book to be published, there kinda has to be book first. And no, we didn't write yesterday. That was two days ago. Now sit down.

*thinks about not doing as they were told*

*narrows eyes* Resistance is futile. *points to chair* Sit.

Fiiine. I'll try to write something decent today. *plops in chair*

Good good. That's a good little human being. Now yesterday we left them-

Yeah yeah. I remember. *begins typing*


Two minutes later. . .


*stops typing and looks up* You know how hard it is to write about a group of friends when you don't have any?

*blinks* Well, yes, I guess I do. Just do the best you can. Alpha and beta readers might be able to help later.

Yeah, but these two characters don't want to cooperate. Can't they at least pretend they have a life? They are so boring.

Then don't make them boring.

Wait, you're blaming me for this?

Well, you're the one who has them awkwardly standing there talking about the weather. They have so many things they could talk about and you chose the weather. But if you really can't think of anything better, then just leave it and we'll change it later.

Sounds good to me. *starts typing again*

Ohhh. I like that sentence.

Thanks. I've been waiting to write that. That sentence right there is what will make us famous.

Wait, which one are you talking about? Because I'm talking about this one. *points*

Oh, I'm talking about this one.

That sentence?

Yes.

This one right here?

Mhm.

. . . Literally, all it says is "No"!

*grins* Yeah, I know. Isn't it the best thing ever written? Oh wait, do you think that counts as quoting Shakespeare? Is that plagiarism?

*takes a deep breath and tries to be patient* Why don't you just keep writing?

Okay.


Eleven minutes later. . .


Why did you just do that?

Because this character is being annoying, and I don't like him right now. So I'm making his life miserable.

That's understandable, but did you have to do that?

Yes.

Well, I don't think you do so stop.

*doesn't stop*

Did you hear me?

Yup, but I'm not going to listen. I'm going to feed them to the fire ants!

What is wrong with you?

*gets really dramatic* I don't know, I'm turning into a hobbit!

Stop quoting Tim Hawkins!!


Seventeen minutes later. . .


So I'm thinking I want to kill off this character. What do you think?

*takes a look* No!

Why not?

Because it's the main character. And you're only on chapter five.

But he's making so many bad decisions. I think he's reached his limit.

That doesn't mean you can just kill him. Main characters are supposed to make bad decisions, that's part of what makes the story interesting. It will also make them more believable. I mean, how many people do you know make all the right choices?

Only one.

Really? And who is that?

Me, of course.

You- I'm not even going to go there. But no, you can't kill the main character.

Please? I already know how I would do it. I always have multiple ways to kill off characters in case of an emergency. This will be quick and painless.

No. No, what you have in mind is torture. That is not painless!

Okay, fine, it'll be quick.

Torture is not quick! It's a process that's drawn out for the purpose of causing a lot of pain. You are horrible at this.

I'm going to do it anyway. *begins typing*

No, you're not! *drags him away from keyboard* I think it's time to stop for now.

Yes!

But we're coming back in ten minutes.

Aww.

Don't "aww" me.

 

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READ YOUR BIBLE // My Bible TBR

This post was inspired by Julia Ryan's post that she shared this past Sunday. One of the things she asks in it is, why don't we have Bible TBRs?

To be perfectly honest with you, I had never thought about this before. I had never thought to make a Bible TBR. Why don't we? You see all these posts where bloggers share their list of books that they want to read this summer, fall, etc.

We get really excited to share our TBRs with everyone, but we never share which books of the Bible we're reading, or want to read. Personally, I would love to know what books of the Bible you are reading as well. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that sharing your TBR is a bad thing. But I do have a question for you: do you get just as excited to read your Bible?

Let me be the first to admit that I don't feel that I've been reading my Bible as much as I should recently. And that bothers me. I want to change that, which is why I made a Bible TBR for myself.

These are the books of the Bible that I want to read between now and the end of this year:

Yes, I know it's only six, but I also want to read books that I feel God wants me to read. At the end of the year, I'll do a post in which I'll give you the list of all the books of the Bible that I read.

Julia also gives a challenge. To find out what it is, go read her post. I challenge you to take her challenge. I can't accept the challenge right now due to other things I've already committed to, but I plan on doing it just as soon as I can.

God gave us the Bible, a book that should be opened every day, not only when we go to church.


What about you? Do you have a Bible TBR? If not, are you going to make one? Are you going to take Julia's challenge?

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PHOTO DUMP// This Summer

So I've been seeing a lot of picture dump posts going up recently, and since I took a LOT of pictures this summer I decided to share some of them with you. :) I will say that, even though I've gotten better at taking pictures, I'm still not the best photographer. :P But I hope you like these anyway!


Back in June, my parents, little brother, and I all hiked a mountain. It was pretty steep and there were quite a few times when we had to climb onto rocks almost as high as I am tall. And I'm tall. :P Personally, I don't think the hike was long enough, but it was still a lot of fun! :D

The rocks on the right side of this path were almost as tall as me

There is a tunnel behind me, and I wanted to crawl into it to see how far and where it went, but I didn't have time. :P

This is a place where I went swimming three times this summer. And the next pic is of a sign that you see on the way there. :)

My friend and I thought this was really funny and cool :)

I didn't end up taking as many pictures on my days off as I thought I would, but here's a few that I did take.

I picked up a lot of stuff while we were on this beach.

I wasn't aware that my friend was taking a picture of me. He and my brother had climbed a rock, which I later climbed too. They had to spot me though because I'm not as good at rock climbing as they are. :P

This was when I climbed the rock, but I came up the other side. In this picture, I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to use the rope to get down.

This is a sign my dad and I saw while we were in this coffee place. We bought seven pounds of coffee there. :D

I only got pictures of one sunrise and one sunset this summer, and here they are.

The benefits of getting up at 3am :)

So which one is your favorite? :)

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August Wrap Up

Well. August was quite eventful. . . Okay, I'm really not very good at beginning wrap-ups. I feel like when you guys read this, you're all just like, "Someone put her out of her misery." So I'll just get this show on the road. :P

Writing

Um. . . I wrote next to nothing last month. :P It's horrible, I know. I did work on fixing some important details for Strangers though. I plan on finishing that within the next two months so it can go out to my alpha readers in November.

I've worked a little on the outlines for the two novels I'm going to write for NaNoWriMo this year. Yes, I've already started thinking and planning for NaNo. So far, I know that I'm going to write at least two novels. There have been a few times where I'm just like, "I am SO ready for NaNoWriMo!" And then I'm like, "Ha! Yeah, right. You're not even close to being ready." :P

Also, an idea for another novel hit me while I was on my walk this morning. It has me really excited. :D I should make a Pinterest board for it. I should probably add this one and my fantasy one to my writings page. But if I do that, I want to give them titles. I've noticed that some of you give some of your WIP titles before they're even in the outlining stage. How do you do it?

Reading

*nervous laughter* *awkward silence* Yeah, we're kind of failing in this department. :P Of the ten books I had with me at camp, I didn't finish one. Not a whole lot of reading time. The only book I finished this month was Tyra by Jaye L. Knight. Okay, it's technically a short story, but it counts towards my reading goal on Goodreads. And, speaking of my reading goal, I am currently sixteen books behind schedule. . . So we have some catching up to do. I'm hoping to get more reading done this month. :P 

Blogging

Besides my wrap up for July, this was my only post for the month of August:

Things Are Changing

Other bloggers posts for last month:

Marrok did his first wrap up.

Jonathan tells us about Realm Makers and what he learned there.

I'm still working on catching up on everyone's blog posts.

Other

So. I'm back from camp. The last day for me was August 16th. This was a great summer at camp, and, of all nine summers I've spent there, it was by far my favorite. I learned a lot, and had so. much. fun. :)

Last Friday, my family and I went over to my grandparents where we met with my three older siblings, who are all married and live all over the place. It's been six and a half years since all five of us kids have been together. We had a ton of fun! The two nights that we were over there, the five of us stayed up late playing games, making a lot of jokes, and laughing nonstop. :D Then on Monday, we came back, and my older brother and one of my older sisters came too. They stayed here all week and left this morning.

If you follow me on Instagram, at some point you'll see some pictures from this past week.

And that was my month! :)


What about you? How was your month? Are you getting ready for NaNoWriMo?

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