1. So You Think You Can Dance Tour. My mom and I bought tickets at the last minute so our seats weren’t awesome (we were literally in the last row, alllllll the way at the top) but it was still a special night, as I’ve been watching this show since the beginning but have never been to a tour. I’m definitely going again!

2. A Christmas bonus. I used this to buy the rest of my Christmas presents, pay off a credit card, pay another one off halfway, and keep chucking away at those medical bills. It lifted a few burdens off my shoulders!

3. Time off work. Thankfully, my company gives us Christmas Eve/Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day off and also gives us a “shopping day off” to use. I also had one day of PTO I could use so I had lots of time off work in December which was really nice. I didn’t do anything majorly exciting, but it was fun to sleep in, lounge around the house and get some writing done.

4. Buying Christmas presents. I was so excited to see what my mom thought of her presents (which included a racing medal rack, some of her favorite bubble baths, and a Kindle Fire) and it’s just plain fun to buy for other people. My nephew was so excited this year opening presents and it was fun to share in his enthusiasm.

5. Holiday Week 2012. I had another fantastic week of holiday posts in December. It’s fun to get into the holiday spirit and write about it.

6. My mom’s brand-new car. After finding out her old 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer would require over $2,500 in repairs to run again, my mom decided it made more sense to buy a new car than to keep shoveling money into that car. On the recommendation of a friend, she went to a Ford dealership where she bought a 2013 Ford Focus! It is an intense upgrade from the Lancer and something she totally deserves. It’s beautiful.

7. Movie dates. My mom and I went on two movie dates this month. We saw Playing For Keeps (blah) and The Silver Lining’s Playbook which was really, really good. I am a Jennifer Lawrence fan.

8. Finishing The Holiday Council. After The Holiday Council ended in early December, I spent the next few weeks going through the challenges and worksheets by myself to make sure I was taking in everything I needed to. I wanted to make sure I spent enough time on the work and even ended up creating a vision board and declaring a theme that means a lot to me. It was a great way to end the year and put plans into motion to make 2013 my best year yet!

9. Christmas! Well, of course, Christmas itself has to make it on the list! It was a low-key holiday but I enjoyed (almost) every bit of it. I was thoroughly pleased with my presents, loved having my brother and his family over, and finished off the night by eating McDonald’s (don’t ask) and playing Scattergories. A win all around!

10. My new Christmas presents. I was spoiled this Christmas! Some of my favorites include: my new nightstand, my Ninja chopper, my first-ever pair of TOMs (you guys! I am in love!), an Amazon gift card, an Otterbox case for my iPhone (that I’ve already dropped twice outside), and the game Scattergories from my brother. It was a successful year for sure!

What was your favorite moment from December?

1. Obama wins! I exercised my right to vote on a dreary Tuesday in early November. I stood in a long line, shared an umbrella with a stranger, and excitedly voted for Obama. (Did anyone else get a strange catch in the pit of their stomach when they voted? I did. I was a little emotional!) And then I spent Tuesday night tuned into news stations as the results began pouring in. As per usual, Florida didn’t know what they were doing when it came to voting. (We’re such an embarrassment!) But I was thrilled when Obama was announced and I truly believe he is the better choice over Romney. I know some people were surprised to hear I’m not as conservative in my political views as I may seem and I’m not here to get into any kind of debate. The bare bones? I make educated voting decisions, I don’t vote based on political party. Here’s to another four years!

2. Running of the Wieners. My coworker linked to this for me on Facebook and the moment I saw it, I knew Dutch had to participate! A race for dachshunds – perfect! I thought he was going to win, no problem. Well, I didn’t expect there to be NINETY dachshunds signed up nor for him to be in the “heat” with the three-time champ. So, Dutch ended up placing second in the Senior Sausage division (and didn’t advance to the semifinals) but I was proud of him because the majority of the dogs got freaked out and started running backward. Ha! And I was surrounded by dachshunds for a few hours which is my own personal heaven. Once I move out and get settled, the search for another dachshund to add to my little family is ON!

3. Writing my first novel. I did it! I wrote an entire novel. No, it isn’t a masterpiece and I’m sure when I read through it, I will cringe in embarrassment. I could go down a list of all the improvements I will need to make with my next novel but I want to revel in this accomplishment. At the end, the total count was 51,874 and I love the way it wrapped up. I’m really proud of myself for completely blowing my goal out of the water and sticking to it. Aside from past attempts at NaNoWriMo, I actually felt deep in my heart I was going to complete it so I did. I didn’t question it. I just wrote. Hm… makes a girl wonder what else she could accomplish if she actually believed she could.

4. Hosting Thanksgiving. My mom and I have hosted a few holiday dinners before, but it’s usually just us and my brother and his family. This year, we added three people to the mix (and the sweetest baby in all the world). It was a really fun day of cooking and preparation and family time. Everything went off without a hitch with no drama or fuss. My nephew was in a fabulous mood, baby Mia was her adorable little self, and we all enjoyed one another’s company. I felt so blessed to be able to spend the day with my family. I put away my phone, no tweeting or Instragramming my day, just simply enjoying the people sitting in front of me and the time I got to spend with them. Hosting a holiday meal is a big task but I think we’re up to hosting more!

5. My first post-injury run. I went for my first run last Sunday and it was beautiful! I had no pain and was able to really push myself. Of course, I was only doing week one of Ease Into 5K, so it wasn’t anything majorly life-changing but I need to take things slow. My run pace was fantastic (for me, after not running or doing any strenuous exercise for 3 months) and I felt really good during it. I still need to get a sports massage to loosen up my tight quads/hamstrings/calves but I felt good being able to run! Although I woke up the next day pretty sore, which just goes to show me how out of shape I’ve gotten in three months!

6. Decorating for Christmas. The tree is up. The lights and ribbon are draped. The ornaments are hung. The window clings are… clung? Oh yes! Our house is decorated for Christmas! My mom and I had thrown away our artificial tree from last year and bought a new one on Black Friday. It’s a bit crooked but has character. (Artificial trees can have character, right? Right.) I have already found myself buying more holiday window clings. But only because some of my window clings from last year met a terrible demise. And I needed a gingerbread house and dancing elves, okay?! There’s just something about a glowing Christmas tree, stockings on the wall, and decorations throughout the house that makes the apartment feel more homey and warm. I love this time of year!

7. Signing up for The Holiday Council 2012 with Stratejoy. I participated in The Holiday Council 2011 and enjoyed it so much. Molly helped me break down 2011 and visualize what I wanted from 2012. Still, I didn’t put as much time and effort into it as I would have liked so I didn’t achieve all the goals I had set. When the time came to sign up for this year’s Council, I hemmed and hawed for a few minutes before realizing the price was reasonable and I really wanted to participate. We’re in the first week of the Council and we had our first training call on Wednesday night. The call was fabulous and I am so excited to see the discoveries I will make in the next few weeks. I think it’s going to set me up for a wonderful 2013!

8. My birthday. Oh, my birthday was an amazing day. I didn’t do anything too out of the ordinary and I had to head to work for a few hours but I felt showered with love and affection – from the Facebook messages and tweets, to the text messages, to work and my family and even the Holiday Council Facebook group! I love social media so much on my birthday! Ha. I had breakfast with my mom and had a really relaxing afternoon at home. Then, my mom and I met my brother and my nephew for dinner and then cake back at the house. I ended the night with the first call with the Holiday Council. I am so ready to rock 25!

9. Starting my Christmas shopping. Oh, I know the holidays aren’t about the gifts but I absolutely adore spoiling my loved ones on Christmas. My brother and I still do Christmas lists and I still get that giddy feeling in my tummy when I see presents under the tree. My mom and I go a little crazy with our gift giving but it’s tradition and we still know the true meaning of this season. And my mom went without for so many years that I always want to spoil her a little extra. I spend the first few weeks of December rushing here and there, but I honestly love it and I don’t mind the hustle and bustle this month brings. I’ve been able to buy a really great present for my mom and a few things for my brother. Yay!

10. Cooler weather. Yes, fall finally hit Florida in November. The mornings and nights are cool (upper 50s, low 60s) while afternoons are in the blissful 70s. It has been absolutely gorgeous lately. I’ve even had two opportunities to wear my boots! Cooler (but not cold) weather makes everything so much more manageable!

What did you love about November?

// inspired by Amy