I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season. Mine was… different. Quiet. Almost 28 years of marriage and it was our first without any of our children at home. Honestly, I don’t think my husband and I have watched so many movies that didn’t involve some form of animation or CGI than we did over the course of the holiday. It was nice to just be “us” again, but it felt very sudden somehow, and I think I’ll need time to wean myself from wearing my Mom hat 24/7. Such is life, right?
And, I was missing my dog. A lot. I still am, in fact. Strangely for a woman my age, I go outside most days and jump on the trampoline, weather permitting. I can’t always drive to go running, and this is my daily cardio. Anyway… if my dog wasn’t outside with me, she would always stand at the back door and watch me until I came inside. So every time now that I’m out jumping, I look at the door and don’t see her. So I kind of cathartically cry and jump simultaneously. Our other dog has taken to following me around now that his sister and our daughter (his “mother”) are both gone. He whines a lot more, and even though I’m trying to be there for him, I don’t always cut it. So, yeah, this whole holiday was a little harder than I thought it would be.
Still, I got through almost the whole 2 foot stack of magazines purposefully shoved under my bed (for when potential buyers come through, really), and I now feel free again to start reading the 7 foot stack of books I’ve accumulated, which weirdly, makes me deliriously happy!
So all things considered, 2015 started off small, but good. Because small things aren’t always bad things, are they?
Here are some of the things I found interesting over the past few weeks…
- A look back at the hottest colors of 2014 and what’s new in 2015
- Deep into winter, the sky is gray – here are natural ways to up mood-boosting seratonin
- This is just sad… piano sales plummet
- Nutrient dense “bread” I’m going to have to try
- As moms, or even just women, wanting to always help our families, this is a tough one to learn sometimes
- Especially with our house for sale, I’m always looking for creative ways to de-clutter
- Top food trends of 2014
- Even if you’re not a runner, these life lessons make sense
- Scientists potentially see a breakthrough for Alzheimer’s
- This pantry appeals to my very organized Type A personality
- What a great idea for a DIY rain barrel
- Sometimes knowing how to the next step isn’t easy to figure out. And that’s okay…
- Chia Berry Smoothie
- Are you on Goodreads? If you are, let me know, and we can take the 2015 reading challenge together!
- Beautiful frozen ponds and lakes that look like art (because they are – God made them!)
- I believe this – stress eating doesn’t help with stress
- I always feel better when I exercise, but when it’s cold outside, I just want to say “No.” 6 tips to combat your “no.“
- Meet George Jetson! A honest to goodness flying car!
- Winter comfort food… how to make lentil soup without a recipe
- A foodie’s food cleanse for the new year
- This makes so much sense – foot pedals for your kitchen sink
- Although the average age of a farmer is now 58, small farming is finding a resurgence amongst younger generations
- Have you heard of dry brushing? Maybe it’s the oil pulling of 2015!
- Even though I severely cut back on holiday cooking, I’m still craving salad – especially this Italian Sub Salad
- I love this free printable quote for the New Year
