Delicious December

[sjrec]

So tomorrow is my last day before I am on vacation until January 7th. I can't wait. Just so much to get done before I am out of the office for 2+ weeks. We are not going anywhere. Just lots of Christmas and New Year stuff, cleaning and spending time with the kids while they are off.

I finally got all of my Christmas shopping done. Well all but a few things. I went shopping with my mom for like 5 plus hours on Saturday. I was so behind. that was the first day of shopping. I can't wait for the kids to get there gifts. They are truely spoiled.

My mom had a rough day on Sunday as did I. She was trying to get all of us together to get pictures taken. Her friend was going to take the pictures for us and we were going to go them at a local garden store that has a whole scene set up. My brother wouldn't cooperate and my sister was blaming my husband for stuff. We were being flexible but originally asked for pictures early enough so DH can watch our local pro football team play. It was all fine and then my sister said that she can't do it at that time because her daughter works until 2:30 and said "I hope (my DH's Name) would put (my nieces name) over football". We are tick of at her. My bother just said he works but never said a time that might work. I said we could do any time before 4 as we had Christmas at my dad's. I was not the issue they all were. I called my mom and she was crying that none of ever want to spend time with her and don't call. This really upset me and I really wanted to lay into my siblings. I call my mom almost every day on my way home for work and though I don;t get to her house often I invite her to do stuff with us. Like we are going the the Lion King play in August with her. It was just a rough day.

Piglet, how stressful for you! When I was working I loved the holidays, but getting ready for the holidays was hard! No matter what, I always seemed to be behind. But when the day came and we were all together it was all good. We love our families, but they can make us just a little crazy-just come here and vent and know you have a sympathetic audience!

 

[Oneanne]

Here's my rather long winded Wednesday WOOHOO.

First the back story: I've gotten really depleted the past few months. This is partly due to traveling so much but mostly it's because work is just so stinking crazy. I've been pretty vocal about what's been going on, but I do know there are things that just aren't going to change, so before vacation I was giving a lot of thought to what I can do differently for myself, both at work and at home. I read an IG post where the person mentioned doing something to "fill up their bucket" and that really resonated with me... I've been doing self-care stuff to rest and calm down, but it really hasn't been filling me back up. Even vacation was restful but not restorative in the way I needed it to be.

Now the WOOHOO: one of the things I've come up with is to be active in our company's Women in Technology group. Someone posted a question in the SLACK channel for women in my immediate group asking if anyone was reading Michelle Obama's "Becoming" - it had never occurred to me to read it, even though I follow Michelle on IG and was well aware of the book. But I quickly realized reading it would add to my bucket, so I've gotten the book and also proposed that we start a reading group and am really excited about it. I started doing research on book groups and discussion questions for "Becoming" and I know it is exactly what I need right now.

 

[Oneanne]

So tomorrow is my last day before I am on vacation until January 7th. I can't wait. Just so much to get done before I am out of the office for 2+ weeks. We are not going anywhere. Just lots of Christmas and New Year stuff, cleaning and spending time with the kids while they are off.

I finally got all of my Christmas shopping done. Well all but a few things. I went shopping with my mom for like 5 plus hours on Saturday. I was so behind. that was the first day of shopping. I can't wait for the kids to get there gifts. They are truely spoiled.

My mom had a rough day on Sunday as did I. She was trying to get all of us together to get pictures taken. Her friend was going to take the pictures for us and we were going to go them at a local garden store that has a whole scene set up. My brother wouldn't cooperate and my sister was blaming my husband for stuff. We were being flexible but originally asked for pictures early enough so DH can watch our local pro football team play. It was all fine and then my sister said that she can't do it at that time because her daughter works until 2:30 and said "I hope (my DH's Name) would put (my nieces name) over football". We are tick of at her. My bother just said he works but never said a time that might work. I said we could do any time before 4 as we had Christmas at my dad's. I was not the issue they all were. I called my mom and she was crying that none of ever want to spend time with her and don't call. This really upset me and I really wanted to lay into my siblings. I call my mom almost every day on my way home for work and though I don;t get to her house often I invite her to do stuff with us. Like we are going the the Lion King play in August with her. It was just a rough day.

So sorry you and your Mom had a rough day, hopefully things are going better.

 

[sjrec]

Here's my rather long winded Wednesday WOOHOO.

First the back story: I've gotten really depleted the past few months. This is partly due to traveling so much but mostly it's because work is just so stinking crazy. I've been pretty vocal about what's been going on, but I do know there are things that just aren't going to change, so before vacation I was giving a lot of thought to what I can do differently for myself, both at work and at home. I read an IG post where the person mentioned doing something to "fill up their bucket" and that really resonated with me... I've been doing self-care stuff to rest and calm down, but it really hasn't been filling me back up. Even vacation was restful but not restorative in the way I needed it to be.

Now the WOOHOO: one of the things I've come up with is to be active in our company's Women in Technology group. Someone posted a question in the SLACK channel for women in my immediate group asking if anyone was reading Michelle Obama's "Becoming" - it had never occurred to me to read it, even though I follow Michelle on IG and was well aware of the book. But I quickly realized reading it would add to my bucket, so I've gotten the book and also proposed that we start a reading group and am really excited about it. I started doing research on book groups and discussion questions for "Becoming" and I know it is exactly what I need right now.

View attachment 370662

Oneanne, my book club is one of the greatest pleasures in my life! I read books that I never would’ve picked up on my own, have made new friends and have had so many interesting and thought provoking discussions. We’re not one of those groups that get together to drink wine (although we have coffee and cake!). Anyway, what I am trying to say is I hope you come to enjoy your group as much as I do-it really is something that “fills me up”-that’s the perfect way to describe it!
I am almost done for the holidays-that’s my big woohoo! I have a trip to Costco tomorrow and some do ahead cooking, but I feel like I am in a pretty good place.

 

[Oneanne]

Oneanne, my book club is one of the greatest pleasures in my life! I read books that I never would’ve picked up on my own, have made new friends and have had so many interesting and thought provoking discussions. We’re not one of those groups that get together to drink wine (although we have coffee and cake!). Anyway, what I am trying to say is I hope you come to enjoy your group as much as I do-it really is something that “fills me up”-that’s the perfect way to describe it!
I am almost done for the holidays-that’s my big woohoo! I have a trip to Costco tomorrow and some do ahead cooking, but I feel like I am in a pretty good place.

This is great to hear... hopefully the group we're trying to launch here at work will catch on with enough people to take hold.

 

[Oneanne]

TOPIC THURSDAY: Perfectly Imperfect



Yesterday a knitting blog I follow had a post on bullet journaling, and in the lively discussion that followed people explained how they have customized the bulleting-process to fit their needs, and came to love doing it when they gave up trying to be perfect at it.

If we apply this idea to healthy living are there areas where you are trying to be perfect and keep feeling like you are coming up short/failing? Are there things you don't even try because you "know" you won't succeed at them? How would your healthful quest change if you framed it (and you) as being perfecting imperfect?

 

[Oneanne]

This is another thing that came to me just when I needed it... both the reiteration of the "perfectly imperfect" concept and also the reminder about bullet journaling.

I've decided that something I need to do to "fill up my bucket" is to establish some rituals: a few minutes of quiet mindful breathing in the mornings and quietly standing outside with my feet on the ground for five minutes in the evening are a couple rituals I'm establishing. Doing regular journaling is another practice I'll be taking up. I bought a bullet journaling kit mid-year but then never even picked it up: in the coming days I'll set up a work space at the kitchen table where everything is laid out and waiting for me. And I will allow that "regular" doesn't necessarily mean "daily", and I will not beat myself up if days are skipped.

Last evening turned out to be kind of awesome: I finally buckled down and started wrapping presents, and got everything done. Then I stretched out on the sofa and watched the Survivor finale with my cat Mike curled up in front of me and the other, Whitehall, laying across my shoulder... and one point she had her paws resting on my forehead. It was so sweet to have such a good snuggle with them.

 

[sjrec]

Okay, I’m going to have to google bullet journaling!

Perfectly imperfect could describe my housekeeping-I need to be more organized and I admit I don’t tackle some projects because I feel overwhelmed and can’t see myself completing them-my basement, for example. I need to come up with some strategies-maybe dividing the basement into sections?

I also enjoyed last night’s Survivor finale. I admire that young man becoming the first of his family to graduate from college and then law school and then realizing there’s more to a career than money.

 

[Oneanne]

FRIDAY Free-for-all...

 

[Oneanne]

Hurrah it's the Winter Solstice! Round these parts that means we start getting back a highly appreciated 2 minutes of sunlight per day.

It's also International Knit for Peace Day! I started the day with about 15 minutes of quiet knitting. I'm un-knitting a scarf that turned out too heavy and dense and re-knitting it into a different design that is better suited to the yarn.

Tonight I have a few errands to run including one last late evening trip to the grocery store (when hopefully there aren't a lot of other people shopping) to pick up a few more things for the pending Christmas festivities. My plan for tomorrow is to keep it open and unstructured... I may or may not go for a walk in the local park and I may or may not bake some cookies. Sunday morning I head out to my Sister's although I'm staying at one of the hotels not her house... I just needed to find the balance between family time and quiet alone time.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend and holiday!

 

[sjrec]

I have everything wrapped, been to the grocery store and Costco, so sat in front of the fire tonight and watched an old Christmas movie on tv-with a glass of Prosecco. Some last minute cleaning and making a couple things should have me ready for company Sunday. I can’t believe Christmas is almost here! It seems like we have Halloween and I look up and it’s December!
I hope everyone has a good weekend and a wonderful holiday!

 

[glss1/2fll]

Merry Christmas! I'm so glad it's here and now I can toss out all the candy lying around the house! Jeepers, fudge is tempting! We decided not to have a big dinner today since DS1's live in girlfriend is visiting her family an hour away and she'd like him to have dinner with her. He decided he didn't really need two big dinners. We're thinking about ordering Chinese. I'm all for PB&J, but think I may be outvoted!

 

[HappyGrape]

Do we have volunteer lead for January? I am happy to do it or share a month

 

[sjrec]

Do we have volunteer lead for January? I am happy to do it or share a month

Happy Grape, that would be wonderful!

 

[sjrec]

Family has left and things are quiet at least until Sunday when we’ll have family over to watch football. We’re still eating leftovers and enjoying being lazy.
It’s raining today, but I got out for a walk yesterday and will get back into a routine.
I hope everyone had a lovely holiday and I wish you all the very best in 2019! Looking forward to “chatting “ with all of you in January!

 

[piglet1979]

I have been so busy the last week or so. I have been off since the 20th but had a lot of running around to do to get ready for Christmas. We know have a bit of down time since our last Christmas party was Thursday. I have been battling a migraine yesterday and today. Hopefully it will be gone by tomorrow. My neice and nephew are spending the night tonight. DD really wanted to go to my sisters but that is a house I do not want her in without me. They don't watch the kids and have no clue where their kids are at. The girls are only 11 and need some supervision. PLus the fighting that happens in that house is really bad. We have another party on New Years day and then a few more days off until we go back to work. I am hoping to get back on track eating by the 2nd. I feel huge right now. The kids and DH got me a bunch of chocolate for Christmas.

 

[digiMom]

I'm (re)introducing myself at the end of this December thread. Expect to see me in the January Thread I'm losing weight & getting in shape with a short term goal for a Disney World trip in June, but really in it for the long term "this time." Looking forward to meeting everyone!

 

[HappyGrape]

I set up January forum, so I don't change my mind and run.

Hope you all had wonderful Christmas, and enjoy the last few days of the year. Chat to you first of January

 

[sjrec]

Considering how crazy December can be, I think we did a pretty good job checking in and being realistic about our goals! Thank you, Oneanne for giving us some thought provoking questions and helping us hit the pause button during this holiday season. Reading everyone‘s thoughts and responses were a big help to me.
And thank you, HappyGrape for taking over in January!

 

[Oneanne]

I set up January forum, so I don't change my mind and run.

Hope you all had wonderful Christmas, and enjoy the last few days of the year. Chat to you first of January

Thanks for taking this up - do you have the link? I searched but I couldn't find the new thread.