Happy Halloween!

Okay, I’ve committed a grave blogging sin — I have completely lost track of time and haven’t been on here in a month, and for that, I am sorry. I’ll do a quick catch-up post and show you what I’ve been up to during my favorite season!

I’ll recap the healthy living stuff first: I’m still gluten-free, caffeine-free, and mostly dairy, sugar, and alcohol-free. After nearly a year, I finally tried alcohol and was so relieved to find that I didn’t have any panic attack or anxiety symptoms. To me, it was less about being able to have alcohol and more about getting my body to a place where it didn’t react violently at everything. I do realize that it’s not healthy, so I don’t drink often and never have more than two when I do. I continue to come up with fun and creative ways to treat my sweet tooth in a healthier way, and this week, in the spirit of Halloween, I’m going for homemade gluten-free Kit-Kats!

I still work out 5 times a week, and I do yoga, strength, and cardio exercises. I am also still taking my daily walks and have also rode my bike a few times during some of the more gorgeous October Chicago days. Work has been alright, though I still get a bit fearful at the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Chicago, so I have no clue what the future looks like.

I have been meaning to get on here for ages to show off my Halloween decorations. The moment it hit October 1 (well, fine, technically September…), I started decorating for Halloween. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s my absolute favorite holiday and time of year, and since I didn’t feel so great last year with all my thyroid issues, I really wanted to do it up big this year. During this whole month, I have been watching horror movies, visiting yard displays, lighting all the fall candles, and taking walks in the woods and various cemeteries.

I took this week off work so I could really enjoy all things Halloween (I usually take my vaca during the week of Halloween, actually!) and so far, I’ve binge-watched The Haunting of Bly Manor and taken a walk in the woods, which were just so autumnal and picturesque. Today, I plan to carve pumpkins and check out a few home decorations in the neighborhood — a lot of people went all out this year, and I absolutely love it. I also anticipate going to a pumpkin patch, possibly visiting a Japanese garden, doing some Halloween crafts, dressing up in my own house, and just enjoying the spirit of the season!

I promise I will get back into the swing of blogging, but for now, please enjoy some photos of the fun and spooky Halloween decor in my home!