The November Edit

preparing for the holiday season

November To-Do List:

1. Enjoy a girls’ weekend

2. Plan a self-care day

3. Cook Casseroles

4. Unsubscribe from Emails

5. Decorate for Christmas

My to-do list for the month looks attainable, right? I mean, I have a head start on a few of the items already.

A girls’ weekend recap

Scenes from Hilton Head Island

I attended a conference on Hilton Head Island over the first few days of the month and tagged on a girls’ weekend at the end of it. It made me miss living at the beach (at least during the cooler months). Even though they can be crowded, beach towns inherently make me slow down. I spent a lot of time observing nature over the weekend— watching everything from dolphins swimming in the marsh to a seagull fishing for breakfast in the morning tide pools and stray kittens seeking shelter in the maritime forest. I was reminded how much beauty we stand to lose with the rising global climate crisis.

Some thoughts on social media addiction

It was refreshing not to pick up my phone every five minutes while I was away from home and that’s proof enough that it’s past time for me to reassess my social media addiction. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately and I’ve noticed many writers on Substack grappling with the same issue. In fact, I’ve saved no fewer than 15 newsletters to revisit the topic.

Here are several of note:

• Your Social Media Reset: Why Smaller Is Better from

  The Creative Shift by Dan Blank

• Without the world watching from

  Tales of a Mother

• Breaking up with my phone from

  Playful Den

• Deep Dive ~ Why I quit Instagram from

  Alex Steele

• Instagram, is this a break up? It’s not you, it’s me (I think). from

  The Redemptive

• On Deciding to Quit Instagram from

  The Sort by Sissy Chacon

• A life without Instagram from

  Out of the Blue

• I quit Instagram from

  Monday Monday

• Is social media ruining human connections? from

  Finding Sanity

How are you feeling about social media these days? As someone who started their first blog when Blogger was still in beta testing, it’s hard for me to completely stop content creation. Even this Substack newsletter takes a lot of time and energy. I generally enjoy the process but lately, the reward has been dismal and draining at best (at least on Instagram). I’m not ready to set hard and fast limits on my consumption but I’m certainly beginning to reassess which platforms I pour myself into next year. I think many of us are feeling a pull towards smaller communities and it’s nice not to constantly feel like you need to grow a brand.

On embracing the coziness of Fall

The -ber months always pull me to spend more time with my family and I’ve made a conscious effort to put my phone away on the charger when I get home. I’m a homebody at heart and the longer nights really do start to feel cozy to me— especially with a few candles lit on the mantel and the excuse to snuggle up under a blanket and watch TV on the sofa in our family room.

Loving Lately

Here are a few things I’ve been loving lately.

Myself:

I feel like I don’t share my face on here very often but HI, IT’S ME! I’m Kuleigh (pronounced Cully) and I have a fancy new haircut and color.

Read:

I signed up for a subscription to the New York Times at a discount and have been reading more news than usual for better or worse.

the good life.

newsletter from Kate Spiers feels like reading an email from a friend.

I just finished Remain Nameless, a post-war Dramione FanFic, The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose, and The World Cannot Give by Tara Isabella Burton. My most anticipated book of the fall— Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros— is up next!

Watch:

Lessons in Chemistry on Apple TV+ has made me cry more than any show I’ve watched so far this year. Surprisingly, I never read the book. I went into it knowing the general premise but wasn’t expecting the depth and emotion. A must-watch for women, especially mothers.

Bodies on Netflix defies genres. For a show that wasn’t even on my radar, it had me hooked from the first episode. In a nutshell, it follows four different detectives over four different timelines investigating the same murder. I can’t explain it. You just have to watch.

Wear:

I went to the outlets at the beach and came home with my new favorite Gap sweater. I keep a running list of staples I want to add to a capsule-type wardrobe and it felt good to check classic striped sweater off that list. I’m still on the hunt for the perfect denim shirt.

Decor:

While it’s not new, I recently discovered the Scandinavian sleep method via TikTok and it has been a game-changer. My husband and I are now using two comforters and I’m feeling warmer and more well-rested than ever in the mornings.

Recipe Roundup:

I’m already craving Thanksgiving dressing so a weekly casserole is my solution to my meal-planning woes this month. Here are a few recipes I’m saving for reference:

• Root Vegetable Gratin from

  the smitten kitchen digest

• Unstuffed Mushroom Casserole also from The Smitten Kitchen

• Chicken Stuffing Casserole from Spend with Pennies

• Brussel Sprouts Gratin from The Modern Proper

• Creamed Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter Walnuts from Half-Baked Harvest — I made this last year for Christmas dinner and it was one of my favorite sides to date.

• French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto from Half-Baked Harvest

• Broccoli Cheese Chicken and Rice Casserole from The Seasoned Mom

• Pineapple Casserole from Well Plated by Erin — My friend Hannah swears that this unexpected combination of flavors is delicious so I’m eager to try it out for myself.

Listen:

The entire 1989 (Taylor’s Version) album on continuous repeat, a playlist I’m making through a fun Substack challenge, and this song:

If you enjoyed this post and want to see more, consider buying me a coffee and keeping me caffeinated during my writing sessions!

Til next month,