Holiday "W.I.S.H."es - December 2021 thread

[Oneanne]

My daughter did test positive for covid, but she’ll be 10 days past her first day of symptoms on Sunday, so we’ll do Christmas then. So thankful she is feeling better-just battling fatigue which is normal.
So we’re on Plan B or C here, which is fine.

Oneanne, your trip sounds lovely. This is the hotel on the water, right? Shanny, sorry your parents are sick-we had several Christmases over the years where someone was down for the count. Glad it’s not pneumonia. PollyannaMom, do you have your son home? I’m jealous of your home improvements, glassful!
Sounds like we’re all adjusting/tweaking our plans this year. So, so much better than last year, though!

Sorry to hear your daughter has had "it", but happy she is almost thru.

The hotel is at the end of the downtown area, one side does look to the water and marina but the room I stay in is town facing, which I really enjoy.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Oh, @piglet1979, I'm so sorry. I know what you mean about processing grief differently with a long illness, but it's still so hard.

PollyannaMom, do you have your son home?

He's on his way now! He has to be back at work Sunday (gotta love retail) so he may drive back after dinner at DH's folks' house tomorrow, but at least we get him for tonight and Christmas morning!

All wrapping is done, presents under the tree, and I've been watching Hallmark movies and working on a Christmas puzzle:

 

[Oneanne]

Celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve is the only traditional Nordic tradition my family carried forward, despite both sides of the family being of that heritage. So today is the big day!

I made dinner last night out of the things I had purchased for the lunchtime charcuterie board and a couple were so yummy I decided to jet up to the grocery store this morning and pick up more, while they were still in stock. On the way it occurred to me that my Sister is the one who has to have mincemeat at Christmas, and I'm not even sure if my SIL likes it, so I decided to make a few little tartlets instead. I'll take them, the gingerbread cookies (which are quite adequately decorated) and some of the 50 pounds of butter cookies my landlord dropped off for dessert. Then at the store I got some fudge to add as well. It also occurred to me that we wouldn't have a green salad, so picked up some lettuce.

I'm heading over to my SIL around 4pm this afternoon. I think for most of the evening it will just be the two of us, until my Nephew comes home from work... he works at a UPS Store, so is probably going to be pretty tired. That reminds me of a Christmas when I was in my early 20's and his Dad was working as a lineman for the cable company. There had been a storm and he had been working non-stop for a couple days, and he was so tired he couldn't get his outdoor gear off and just sat comatose on the sofa. We loaded up a plate of food and practically spoon fed him.

Ah, memories of Christmases past.

Happy joy everyone!

 

[sjrec]

This is a picture of the tree in the park near our house in OC. They do a big walk through light show that we enjoyed a couple weeks ago.

Tomorrow we do Christmas with the family-they will stay overnight so that is always fun.
Hope everyone is enjoying their day!

 

[Oneanne]

Well last night I had the joy of listening to my SIL complain for two and a half hours. Merry Christmas to me. On the brighter side both my SIL and Nephew really liked the shoes I got them… they both put them right on and didn’t take them off.

Today has been joyfully calm and quiet. I did a drive about down to the beach, and we’ve had a couple bits of snow, a White Christmas is very unusual around here. More snow is expected tomorrow.

I’m currently binge watching ‘Medieval Monastery Farm’ which is fascinating.

Hope everyone is having a lovely day.

 

[glss1/2fll]

I was not woohoo yesterday. So nothing on that front. The reason why is my grandma, who has had alzheimer's for the last 20ish years, passed away yesterday. I always thought that I grieved years ago when she no longer remember anyone but yesterday and today have been rough. I am still cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner today for DH's family. DH has been asking if I want to cancel but I don't. My grandma loved Christmas and cooking and baking. I will make it though. Thankfully it is at our house and I can step away to my room if I need to at any time if I need a moment.

I am thankfully that my grandma is no longer suffering and is with my grandpa that passed last year. I am also thankful for all the memories I have of both of them from the farm.

Tomorrow will be rough at my moms as it was her mom that passed and we will be going. We will make the best of it though.

 

[glss1/2fll]

Enjoying a quiet Christmas afternoon/evening. The kids were here this morning longer than anticipated, but it was nice. We have leftover breakfast foods so tomorrow will be easy peasy! No white Christmas here, but my parents and one brother had a white Christmas! I told the kids this morning that if all goes well we'll treat them to an after hours Disney party next Christmas! They were pretty excited at the possibility. I am, too! Hope it works out. We know someone who is at WDW right now. We'll need to ask them a million questions about their trip.

I think I ate more candy/junk food today than I have all month! Ugh!! Probably not back on track tomorrow, but at least I'll be closer to the tracks than I am today!

 

[Summer2018]

Last night we watched our church service on YouTube. It was a last minute mish mosh of last year’s service and a new sermon that they threw together because of a Covid-19 outbreak. It’s just NOT the same as being in church on Christmas Eve.

I got a little emotional today, missing my close family. I have been crying a little off and on all day. I spoke with my brother on the phone as well as a very special friend who is like a grandmother to me. I wrapped the gifts for family. They will be stopping by while they are in town visiting others, so they are going to pick up their gifts that we’ll leave in our sun porch. We can only wave to them through the windows because we are still quarantining. Not being able to run outside and hug them is going to be so difficult.

We tried to make the best of today. We watched the Disney Christmas parade and Christmas movies.

I am ready for Christmas to be over. I am ready to look ahead to 2022 in the hopes that things get better and stay better.

 

[ShannyMcB]

So sorry @piglet1979! I hope you and your family are able to find comfort in the coming days!

The last couple days have been nuts. Last night was fish night with DH's large-ish Italian family. We were all together last weekend briefly and together last night for lots of food and quite a few laughs. Couple political arguments brewing but they got nipped pretty quick. My MIL is one of 3 sisters so it was all of their families. Several people kind of broken into 3 groups who all see each other almost daily. Last year we did 3 smaller dinners connected by google classroom, but this year we decided to be together. DSs were brave and tried some fish...more than me. Our state got about an inch of snow which was lovely this morning...until it rained then yuck.

My inlaws came over for dinner half homemade, half care of the restaurant where my FIL works, all yummy. After the initial ITS CHRISTMAS craziness it was a mellow day. Until an over-tired DS9 had a minor anxiety attack...covid nerves among other things. Had to remind him everyone around him (except DD because of her age) is vaccinated. So while its possible to be exposed and catch something are still present the odds of having only minor symptoms are quite high. These poor kids (and grownups) the mental health toll here is high and I think will be around far longer than the actual pandemic. Trying to explain being cautious while still living life is a tough concept at any age. I found myself making comparisons to looking both ways before crossing the street instead of never crossing the street. None of this was in the "what to expect" books.

This morning we had some Christmas magic in the form of actual deer tracks in the snow. It's hard to see but if you look really close by the tree trunk you can see them...they cross paths with the rabbit tracks. The DSs were super excited.


Now I am in that weird space where my tummy kind of hurts and I can't tell if its because I am still full or I'm hungry. Blech

Hope everyone enjoys the remainder of the weekend and gets some rest.

 

[piglet1979]

Thank you everyone. It was a good 2 days, My anxiety didn't get high with DH's family over. His mom, step-dad and sister are not vaccinated. I think having other stuff to focus on helped. At my mom's yesterday, we all had a lot of fun. We got there at 2 and stayed until almost 11. It was so nice. There were a few tears at one point but it was just for a short time.

My mom gave me a picture frame that my grandma had in her room at the nursing the home. I gave her the picture frame the December after I got married. On one side is a picture of her and my grandfather and the other is DH, myself and my grandparents. Both from our wedding. I didn't even know she still had this or that it has been in her room. I cried then.

The kids got what they wanted and said they had a great Christmas. DS really wanted the 1 chip challenge and the hottest chocolate. So that is what he got. He did the chip challenge yesterday and it didn't go as he planned. He was sick for a few hours. He said he will never do that again and he is not even going to try the chocolate. He got the games that he wanted and a new computer so I haven't really seen him much. DD got a stitch stuffed animal and has been carrying it around with her. She also got a record player and some records. She loves it.

Today will be just resting after several days of being on my feet. Tomorrow I have a mammogram and then Wednesday is the funeral. Somewhere in there we will try and paint our room.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Trying to explain being cautious while still living life is a tough concept at any age. I found myself making comparisons to looking both ways before crossing the street instead of never crossing the street. None of this was in the "what to expect" books.

I think you did a good job coming up with that analogy!

 

[Summer2018]

Today has been a great day. Since DD is at the tail end of her quarantine, my family said that we could meet outside socially distanced and masked up. So we had a 30 minute Christmas in the front yard on Boxing Day. We exchanged gifts and got to watch the kids unwrap their gifts with their excited faces. Neighbors walked and jogged by sending Christmas greetings. Before I knew it they were off to visit other family members, but I was left with a full heart.

2022 will be better.

 

[Oneanne]

We’ve had about 6 inches of snow today, very unusual for December. Also unusual, it isn’t going to warm up and melt anytime soon, and another round of snow is expected Thursday. So my New Years plans have been canceled. Very sad about this, but it just wasn’t meant to be.

I’ve just ordered in food, because I can’t live on cookies, cheese and crackers for a week. Now it’s just sit back and enjoy the prettiness.

 

[piglet1979]

We’ve had about 6 inches of snow today, very unusual for December. Also unusual, it isn’t going to warm up and melt anytime soon, and another round of snow is expected Thursday. So my New Years plans have been canceled. Very sad about this, but it just wasn’t meant to be.

I’ve just ordered in food, because I can’t live on cookies, cheese and crackers for a week. Now it’s just sit back and enjoy the prettiness.

You must have our winter weather. We have been in the 50's. Unseasonably warm for us. We normally have white Christmases. Instead we had rain. Made it nice to travel yesterday. I hope you warm up soon.

 

[ShannyMcB]

Today was Christmas part 3 with MIL, FIL, BIL and niece. We had breakfast and did our gift exchange. They got each family these cool cube things that have photos of each family from WDW with the background removed so it's just the people but the way its constructed with a light underneath makes the image look 3d. So cool.

We tried to organize gifts today...got 3/4 of the way through. Takes awhile as we go through toy boxes and donate older items that the kids have outgrown.

After the Pat's game we went to our local zoo for a walkthrough Christmas light display. DH and I had already gone for his work party but tonight the kids came and really enjoyed it. DD was wiggly and shaking around all night, since she has trouble verbalizing her excitement it was a whole body expression so cute. Going after Christmas was great it ended up being not crowded at all and it was chilly but not freezing. The almost mile walk didnt hurt either.

The exhaustion though is real peeps. I have tomorrow off which doesn't mean much...but maybe I'll be lucky and convince the kids to cuddle and watch movies for at least a little while...we'll see.

 

[piglet1979]

We tried to organize gifts today...got 3/4 of the way through. Takes awhile as we go through toy boxes and donate older items that the kids have outgrown.

You are doing so much better then me. I have sat on the couch all day. I do need to get though my tupperware and kitchen utensils to get rid of the old stuff.

 

[piglet1979]

Today has been a day of nothing. I made it from my bed to the couch. I have been eating all day. Mostly junk food but I did have veggies with dip. It was something. I am feeling pretty bad about myself at the moment. Tomorrow though I get back on the treadmill and back to my routine. I feel myself falling back into my depression from last year. I am pretty sure this is just from my grandma's passing. However I think last years started with my aunt and grandpa passing then going though the holiday's without family. What got me out of it last year was the treadmill. Working out just made me feel better. I have a mammogram in the morning and then I am take DD to target then I will get on the treadmill.

DD wants to got to Target to look at books to see what she should order from the library to read. Our libraries are going back to curbside or drive through only starting tomorrow and they were closed today. Our COVID numbers are sky rocketing in our area. The cities to the north and east from us have the highest numbers in our area as well as in the county. I think our county is number 3 in the county or at least it was earlier this week. I did run up to Walgreens today and I would say about 90% of people are wearing masks again. Last week hardly anyone was wearing one. Restaurants are closing or requiring the vaccine. My work and the building I work in are now mandating mask wearing as well. I am pretty sure school will do the same but I won't know until later this week. Today, we had almost 21,000 cases. The governor has called in the National Guard to help with our hospitals as well as manning some testing sites in my area. I am can't wait until this is all over.

 

[sjrec]

It’s snowing today! Family still here so we’re sitting by the fire and just relaxing.
Going to set up my new Fitbit but I don’t think I will get a walk in today.

Loved hearing about everyone’s weekend.

 

[Summer2018]

MOTIVATION MONDAY


It may seem like I am joking, but I am dead serious. My motivation to get back on track with self-care, healthy eating, exercise, and emotional wellness is summer. It is six months away, and if I can get my act together, and actually DO this, summer would be better, not to mention every other season. I can do a lot in six months…I can do even more in a year, but for now, I need a GOAL. I would LOVE to set a goal of 10 lbs. a month, and even though it is exciting to set big goals and shoot for the stars, I also think that a goal should be manageable and realistic. So I will set two goals, one shooting for the stars goal and one more realistic goal.

Goal #1: I will shoot for the stars and be in Onederland by next year at this time.
Goal #2: I will lose 5 lbs. every month and look much better in my summer attire by June.

The way in which I will meet the above goals will be to join NOOM again and walk on my treadmill when I am unable to walk long distances outside my home.

 

[glss1/2fll]

Yesterday we tried to leave the house to get DS2 and take him to church where he was supposed to sing for the service. Due to the snow the city had closed the one and only bridge connecting the two sides of our town. So we sat in the road for a long time seeing if they were going to sand and then open it but they didn't. Church found someone who lives in walking distance to sing, and we watched it on TV. There were four people in the pews!

I ate way too many pieces of almond roca yesterday and had a tummy ache all night. Today I am back on track! Am planning cauliflower soup for dinner and there's an avocado to eat for lunch. Still snow on the ground and cold all week so will just cozy up here. DH has the day off and I don't think any workers are coming. We painted the room yesterday. Decided we'd inspect today to determine if it will need a second coat or if one will work.

As we try to be more earth friendly in our product choices (cloth napkins, bar soap, bamboo handle toothbrushes), I think I'll start making more and more vegetarian meals. They're just so yummy, but a tad more time consuming. I'll have to remind myself to get my act together and do it!

I'd like to say I'm going to make an exercise goal, but I know myself better than that! I'll stick to my yoga and maybe walk. I could up my steps to for sure get 10,000 a day. Maybe.