As many people know, November is National Novel Writing month, a time when people often challenge themselves to write a whole novel in a month, or at least 50,000 words. (Trust me, that’s a lot.) This year, I had a few blogging friends who participated in NaNoWriMo, and they wrote posts about what they learned from it.

While I don’t take the challenge, blogging for me is as much about the act of writing as it is the subjects I write about, so I am thrilled to highlight my amazing blog friends who took the plunge.

But before we get to those people, I don’t normally hype my other blogs here, but since I’m talking about writing, I have to mention, I’m really, really pleased with how this poem I created from spam messages turned out. We all get spam all the time. Why not do something creative with it?

Okay, now on to people who actually wrote something themselves.

Daily Money $hot’s Jana, my first, and still best, blogging friend completed the NaNoWriMo challenge (plus some) after 4 years of just not being able to get it together. I am so thrilled for her and so totally curious to read what she wrote. I can’t wait. In the meantime, I’ll have to settle for the 7 money lessons she learned along the way.

Jodi of Heart Like a Dog did not achieve the 50,000 word goal, but what she learned from NaNoWriMo will still be a great help going forward.

At My Broken Coin, Aloysa doesn’t actually mention if she completed the challenge or not, but she does tell us what she learned about herself (and the process) in November. My favorite? That she learned respect for anyone whose ever finished a novel, even a bad one. And I honestly have to agree.

And while it’s not writing a novel in a month, I also want to send a shout of congratulations to Pretty Fluffy, because their eBook is finally out– 52 Weeks of Treats, Simple & Healthy Dog Treat Recipes for Every Season. If you’ve ever thought of making treats for your dogs, check it out.

If baking (or cooking of any sort) isn’t for you, but you’re still looking for a great gift for dog lovers, check out the Holiday Wish List posted by new to me blog Dog Tested Mother Approved. You’re almost certain to find something perfect for the hard to shop for canine on your list.

Now, I’ll be honest, I can’t mention Pretty Fluffy without thinking about Frugal Beautiful and vice versa. As far as I know, they have nothing to do with each other. The Pretty Fluffy girls are in Australia and Shannyn recently relocated to California from Chicago. But they seem to have the same sense of style, the same love for their dogs, and the desire to get them great things without spending a ton of money. For Shannyn, it’s just not Christmas if she’s not celebrating with the fur babies.

But not everything I read this week had to do with writing or Christmas gifts for dogs. Hard to believe, I know, but true. However, they all did have to do with some of my favorite things- in this case, some of my favorite bloggers.

Over at Something Wagging This Way Comes, Pamela reminds us that all dogs come with breed stereotypes, and that high expectations can still lead to not so great outcomes for dogs in The Curse of the Perfect Dog.

If you’ve ever dreamed of leaving the daily grind behind and taking off to explore the country with your dogs in an RV, then Take Paws is the blog for you, because that’s exactly what they do. This week, though, they’re settling in for the winter in Austin, and they’re reminded, there’s just something about coming “home”.

Average Joe finally gives us the back story on why he really became a runner in this story of his favorite Christmas moment.

And finally, the other new to me blog, recent Yakezie Challenger, Reach Financial Independence, of whom, I am very, very jealous. Why? Because she’s building a home in Guatemala, for under $10k. Now you’re jealous, too, aren’t you?

Quick, not yet dirty

Quick and Dirty not because I didn’t read any blogs this week, and not because I don’t love writing round ups, but because I am not yet over this cough, and I’m about to kick the boys out of the house for a few hours, and I can’t wait to go curl up in bed with the puppies and watch bad TV. Luckily, doggies got a full hour at the dog park this morning, and are pretty happy to just curl up with me.

I am doing something different this week in that I’m giving you six blogs from what I regularly read and 4 new to me blogs. Why? Because I felt like it.

So here’s what we’ve got.

On the Nature of Blogging:

Live the New Economy wrote about the Sadness of Abandoned Blogs. This week I’ve been working on cleaning up my blogroll, creating an “On Hiatus” section for blogs I am hoping will come back to life one day.

Heart Like a Dog explained the Evolution of a Blog Post on a day where everything seemed constantly in flux.

Finance Blogs:

Daily Money $hot on 4 Ways to Find More Time for Fun (something we all need right now)

Money Coun$elor on creating a tradition of giving, with Giving Tuesday

New to the Yakezie Challenge blog, Live Well on Less on Accountability

Also new to the Yakezie Challenge, Happy Simple Living gives us a recipe for Hot Bacon, Artichole, Chile and Cheese Dip Appetizers

Pet Blogs:

Because the Seattle area is having outbreaks of bordatella and parvo at the moment, I thought I’d share Cindy Lu’s post on Which Vaccines for Your Dog

We pondered, more than once, a board and train program for Moree, so I loved this post from Of Pit Bulls & Patience about Board and Train from the trainer’s point of view.

New to me, My Brown Newfies writes about the way her dogs welcome her home.

Also new to me, Hey…It’s Jet Here unexpectedly lost one of their cats this week and posted this lovely tribute in Mom’s Promise to Puffy

And now, time for jammies and hot cocoa, puppy cuddles and bad TV. How are you spending the rest of your Saturday?

It’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I’m going to be spending a good portion of the day at a Saturkeyday celebration with friends. Not quite the “family” I spend the actual day with, but pretty close. I am blessed to be able to celebrate my thankfulness twice.

He looks like a Bear, doesn’t he

As you all know, I am thankful for the people and pets in my life. And not just my pets. One of the highlights of tomorrow will be taking a moment to spoil my friend’s dog, Bear. So far, I’m the one person who can get him to sit on a regular basis. His family’s training attempts have started to be referred to as the Bear eats cheese game. He actually listens to me (when I have a bit of duck or chicken jerky in my hand).

I mention this because friends who were at our Thursday celebration recently had to put down their dog, Boots. While I obviously don’t feel the loss the way they do, I feel sadness for my friends. And it’s because of this that it might seem like some of my pets posts have a theme.

At Bringing Up Bella, Leslie has been sharing their journey of medication, trying to reduce Bella’s stress. Just like with people, sometimes the side effects are worse than the symptoms, something she explores in the post What Have We Done.

Kari at Dog is God in Reverse has a senior dog in her house, a big, senior dog, who is starting to develop some problems, but despite the fact that Tori has Arthritis, I know she’ll be fine, because her people are already on the ball with treatment.

Speaking of veterinary care, the Borderblog household is home to a vet, and recently, she also had a friend who recently had to make the difficult decision, and being the person she is, she made The House Call.

In happier news, my friends have adopted a new little girl and are integrating her into their household. And in order to make you smile after depressing you, I’m sharing this post from my favorite goofy blogger over at The Chronicles of Cardigan – If You Give a Nutty Pet Blogger…

There’s a minor theme for the financial blogs today, too. You see, many financial bloggers are all about the sales and Black Friday is the day of sales. But some of us hate shopping, and even more, hate dealing with crowds while shopping. Or, at least I do. But I’m not really alone. I know this because both Andrea from So Over This and Sandy at Yes, I Am Cheap chose not to shop on Friday, either. Sandy writes why she’s Anti Black Friday this year, and Andrea, in her most grown up voice, says Black Friday- Pfft.

I love looking at real estate, and I’m so excited for Kathleen down in Frugal Portland who is currently looking to buy her first place. Recently, though she came across The Condo That Was Too Good to be True

Speaking of new beginnings, my friend at American Debt Project recently accepted a new job and is now considering Financial Transitions with a New Job.

And, in some of the most exciting news of the last couple of weeks, my favorite anonymous blogger recently decided he’d rather be Iron Man than Superman, and revealed his secret identity. I hope you’ll all go over and meet Average Joe.

And now time to introduce the new, or new to me, blogs of the week.

Sugar the Golden Retriever blogs at Golden Woofs and wrote this week about giving thanks for our furry friends.

And recently joining the Yakezie network is What Mommy Does. And one of the things Mommy does is help raise money to feed hungry children– which is a great way to remember exactly how lucky we have it.