October is just the best. All year long I just think about October and how great it’s gonna be and it’s almost always perfect. Crisp breezes, fall colors, boots, no snow yet, pumpkin stuff, Halloween, football parties, and of course my birthday!

First of all – my annual birthday giveaway! Every single year it’s gotten a little bit bigger and it’s so much fun. If you’re interested in participating in the giveaway – small business, products, services, etc. – let me know! I always include following/sharing in the entries, as well as a post about you on my blog, Twitter, and Instagram. Shoot me an email if you’d like to participate (dholdy @ gmail)! It’ll begin on Monday October 24, the day before my birthday.

I’m kind of sick of writing about how the months have been smacking me around lately. I’m firmly resolved to take a different approach in October and finally overcome all the crap that’s been weighing me down. October is such a good, fresh start. General Conference has me feeling 100 emoji. The Beard is starting an exciting, better new job today (startups will be the death of me, but at least they’re fun and not boring!). Along with his new job, we’re going to try a new family schedule to help us get in bed at more reasonable hours and generally be more healthy. We each have some cool freelance projects in progress and a new financial plan that makes us feel like bona fide adults. We’ve worked hard to short-term break Reese of her recent iPad addiction and it’s working. And I think the thing I’m most excited about is how blank October looks in my planner. Which is very unDanica but very good for everyone, to be honest.

Here’s what my birthday month has in store:

• Reading at least 3 books. Current list is: Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand for Bon’s Book Club, re-reading Wuthering Heights with Delicious Reads, HypnoBirthing (yikes), and You Are A Badass per the recommendations of several friends. I’m also about done with The Good Girl on audiobook and Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth (yikes).
• Revamping my blog. I am doing some research for a redesign/rebrand, as well as ways to take my blog to the next level. You guys know I’m not super into sponsorships or selling my soul to the devil, but I do want to grow and challenge myself.
• Re-watching/Catching up on The Walking Dead!!!!
• Take my lil pumpkin to a pumpkin patch! I haven’t done this since I was like 12!
• Another Tucanos date with The Beard – this time with ~my birthday meal
• Hosting another Fall Favorite Things Party for my birthday
• A prenatal massage. mmmmmmmmm.
• A possible St. George/Vegas trip with the Holdaways
• Family Halloween Costume – I’ll give you a hint. It’s Star Wars. You already guessed it.
• Totally finishing my house – the last of the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up dejunk & reorganize, as well as a good deep clean.
• Chill out on scheduling things. I’m even gonna forego Harry Potter Book Club this month, unless there is a community event (we have slammed the BYU trivia for 2 years running). My goal is to spend a lot of time at home and with my family.
• I WILL ATTEND A ZUMBA CLASS BY HALLOWEEN. I WILL. NO MATTER WHAT. EVEN IF I HAVE TO CUT OFF THIS TOE MYSELF.
• Make a makeup video! I loved making the other two I’ve done, and I have wanted to do another. So this is the month!

I’m very excited and cautiously optimistic for this month.