This is my last full day of work for a while and I am SO ready for a break. Oliver’s daycare is closed on 12/23 and 12/26, so I’m home those days and decided to add on to that by adding some days off just for me next week. I’ll have to come in at least half days on Tuesday and Wednesday, but am treating myself to a day off Thursday and Friday. I’m going to do exciting things like reorganize my pantry and my freezer. I know, I know – wild and crazy. Definitely needed though and it will help my mental state to get my house a little more in order.
What else will we do over the holidays?
– Oliver and I are camping out in the living room in front of the tree tonight, with hot chocolate and Christmas carols. Last year, we did this and had a great time but I forgot about it completely! We have an advent calendar with pockets where I write in Christmas activities each day and apparently, I didn’t take this one out from last year! Oliver walked up to the breakfast table with it this morning, which thoroughly confused me as that wasn’t what I thought was on deck today (just a Christmas book – easier!). However, today is his last day of school and I’m not working tomorrow, so why not celebrate with a camp-out. (Note to self: Yoga will need to be on the workout schedule tomorrow to stretch out after a night with my almost 40 year old self on the floor or sofa!)
I do love our tree
– Tomorrow, Oliver and I will prep cookies and treats for Santa and our Christmas Eve celebrations. I froze some of the left over cookies from our party a couple of weeks ago. This will be the first time I’ve ever done anything with cookies after freezing – hope it works! We’ve also got plans to make meringues, no-bake oatmeal fudgies and those rolo pretzel treats we loved so much at the Christmas party. We’ll definitely have plenty of treats even if the frozen cookies don’t work out.
– I get to “break in” new shoes – my marathon shoes! I needed a new pair of shoes, so I grabbed a new pair of Brooks Ghost 9’s with a coupon from Dick’s. I’ve got another 50 miles to run between now and the marathon, so these won’t be “new” on race day but still fresh. They’re also the same style I’ve been running in the whole cycle, so I’ll be fine with that.
– Our Christmas Eve tradition is to watch movies and eat appetizers and treats all day. I’ll be taking a brief (ha!) break from movies to run 12 miles. Fingers crossed that it’ll be during one of the movies I don’t love! Darrell and I also always watch a “grown up” Christmas movie after O goes to bed. We’ve already watched Christmas Vacation (although I can always watch it again!) so it may be time for Scrooged.
This isn’t the healthiest family cooking photo, but I love it all the same. He’s not nearly as compulsive about the number and colors of M&Ms per cookie as I am. 🙂
All in all, I’m looking forward to spending the next few days hanging out with my two dearest guys in the world. I’ll be able to cook for people I love, one of my absolute favorite things to do, and be able to get my runs in without waking up early. I hope your weekend is lovely as well!
Currently, my house smells like chocolate and peppermint as I’m making Williams Sonoma’s peppermint bark quick bread for Darrell’s office tomorrow. That combo screams Christmas to me. 🙂 What’s your favorite holiday smell?
A Little More Each Day 