Monday Mondays 12.1.14

Earlier in the week, we had some weather that got unbelievably cold unbelievably fast.  The picture above are some frost flowers that formed on one of the foothill mountains nearby.  Until last year, I’d never heard of them, but aren’t they amazing!?!  God never ceases to amaze me with the beauty He gives us.  I don’t like the cold, but these… they’re astounding!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. We enjoyed a lovely dinner at my husband’s aunt’s new home. Good thing, too, because my house is trashed because some of us will be going to and fro before, during and after Christmas, so there’s lots of packing and early Christmas-ing going on. I have presents, but they’re not wrapped.  We have a tree, but it’s not decorated.  I have the ingredients to make cookies, but whether they’ll get made is another story. And to be perfectly honest, I’m not sure that those things are important right now. Sometimes, you’ve got to, as Elsa says, just ‘Let it Go.’

And Let it Go, I did.  This weekend also saw our annual household football rivalry; my alma mater played my husband’s.  We always used to say that we get along 364 days out of the year, the 365th being rivalry day.  That used to be true, but having been married for a while now, we tend to root for whoever’s team stands a better chance of ending the season with the highest ranking.  We always make a party of it, and this year I found these cute Jello molds for a fun little snack during the game.

Between Thanksgiving, packing, jello molding, etc… I wasn’t sure that I’d have time to copy and paste what I read this week, but somehow I did.  Where are my priorities these days?  Cookie-making, present-wrapping, Christmas-decorating…. or reading mindless and maybe useless information?!?    I guess you know which of those won!  Here’s what I wasted time reading this week instead of getting stuff done.  Make sure you read the link about hospitality so you’ll understand my justification for NOT getting it done.  😉

As always, have a blessed week!

• Scientists discover a new way to treat pain using an off switch in the brain
• Scientists also find a stress trigger in the brain – hopefully now they can use it to help manage stress
• Guaranteed to make you smile – puppies dressed as Disney characters
• Speaking of Disney, Frozen 2 is apparently happening
• I LOVE this ring!
• Sure, we all have issues with our bodies, but we have to love them anyway because they’re all we have – real women strip down
• 11 places that planes can’t fly over the US
• But you may not want to fly… at least in coach.  Seat space is getting even smaller
• Teal & green Christmas decorations… I never would have thought to put these together
• The Ferguson protests are so sad and troubling, but I hope more stories like this can come from them
• More and more of us are putting off medical care due to rising costs
• Christmas roses
• I love these personalized DIY Christmas ornaments
• Mud room/laundry room/Pet bedroom – perfectamundo…
• Someone had the brilliant idea to turn kids’ doodles into stuffed animals
• When it gets cold, my favorite treat is hot chocolate in front of the fire. Now I’ll have to choose which to make from these 22 recipes
• 27 facts about Home Alone
• Walk under a glacier
• I love candy barks because you can eat a little… or a lot, and they’re easier to make than cookies
• I’m not a fan of turkey leftovers, but this soup looks delicious
• “Once removed” family relationships explained, finally
• While not as bad as dial-up, yes, the internet IS getting slower
• In my mind Atticus Finch is real.  What we can learn from him.
• Bed in a box – you have to see this
• Free watercolor printable Christmas gift tags
• Reading article comments colors people’s opinions and really isn’t helpful
• Hospitality starts with YOU
• Christmas lights from around the world