From Campaigns to Comfort Food: My Q4 Reset

Is it just me, or did we blink and suddenly it’s mid-November? Halloween came and went in a blur of candy wrappers and pumpkin candles, and somehow, Thanksgiving is now two weeks away. Christmas will be here before we even have time to find the tape for wrapping paper. Every year I say it, but this one feels like it’s moving at double speed.

Between Q4 chaos at work (because if you know, you know—marketing during the holidays is its own wild ride) and trying to keep up with life, I’ve been feeling that mix of excitement and overwhelm. The energy is high, the deadlines are relentless, and every day feels like a race between coffee refills and campaign launches. It’s exhilarating—but it’s also draining.

Lately, I’ve realized how much I’ve missed slowing down and just being in my kitchen. I’m a cook-dinner-every-day kind of person, but Q4 has had me in a choke hold, and I haven’t been nearly as consistent as I used to be. Most nights it’s been whatever’s quickest between meetings or leftovers from the weekend. But lately, I’ve been trying to get back to that routine—back to testing out recipes I find online, adding my own little twist, and just enjoying the process again.

Jalapeño Cheddar Bread

I’ve been on a real homemade kick lately. It started with butter (yes, actual butter), then came my own peanut butter, a batch of homemade Cheez-Its, and now I’m back to baking bread. My old bread recipe is still a favorite on the site, but this week I’m testing a cheese jalapeño version that my husband requested. The kitchen smells incredible, and there’s something deeply satisfying about making something from scratch—especially when the world outside feels like it’s spinning faster than ever. And because it’s finally soup season, I’ve been leaning into cozy meals too—tomato basil, hearty chicken noodle, creamy potato… the kind of soups that make your whole house smell like comfort. They’re simple, warm, and somehow make everything else feel just a little more manageable.There’s something about getting back into cooking that’s grounding for me. It’s a reset button—a reminder that not everything needs to move at Q4 speed. It’s okay to take a break from dashboards, emails, and campaign metrics and just focus on the rhythm of chopping, stirring, and tasting.

So as we head into the holidays, I’m making it a point to slow down and actually savor this season—both at work and at home. Because while there’s plenty to do, there’s also so much to enjoy right now. And if that starts with a bowl of soup and a warm slice of jalapeño cheese bread… I’m perfectly fine with that.

Kaycee

XoXo