MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

THE COOKIES ARE OUT…

 

FOG

 This morning there was fog....the thick kind that makes it so you can't see down the road. It makes the world a bit quieter and it is almost like snow...kind of. 

I love that we have fog today and the skies are gray... since we aren't getting snow for Christmas, I am happy with FOG.

TRACKING THE SLEIGH

 https://www.noradsanta.org/en/map

MAY YOU NEVER BE TOO OLD

 To listen for sleigh bells on Christmas Eve 

THE IMPORTANT PARTS

 

“What’s important to us remains the same. It’s that inside stuff: the need for love and acceptance, and getting to know yourself and your place in the world.”

– JUDY BLUME

SIMPLE BEAUTY

OBVIOUS

 

MEAL PREP

 I have always been a fan of meal prepping. I’m not a huge fan of the work. But this weekend I manned up and did the thing. 

I put in a pick up order at Sam’s Club Saturday morning and I hit Kroger too. My vehicle was full of ingredients and my head was full of delicious ideas. 

As soon as the groceries were unloaded the prepping began. My kitchen was overflowing but I wasn’t overwhelmed. I had a plan. And I cleaned as I went. 

It took most of the weekend (I had a grandson visiting, he was my priority, so I put my crockpots to work for a couple meals). I picked the meals we enjoy and made large family batches. There are just two of us to feed, but now I have a rotation of dinners, portioned and labeled, neatly stacked in the freezer, ready to go. 

I made sure all meals would be ready to serve in 30 minutes. That way dinner would be fresh, hot and not a drudgery. 

FREEZER MEALS (45)

Minestrone Soup 2

Potato and Leak Soup 4

Chicken Enchiladas 1

Mexican Beef (for tacos) 3

Mexican Chicken (for burritos or enchiladas) 5

Meat Loaf 4 (we tried this on already, and I think I finally got my recipe right!)

Marinated Pork Chops 5

Marinated Chopped Pork 2 (for fried rice)

Pork Loin Roast (for a get together- serving 4) 1

Marinated Beef Steak 1

Pot Roast marinated with Veg 1

Asian Beef  1

Chicken Stew 4

Chicken Stew with Dumplings 2

BBQ Pulled Pork 5 

Dirty Rice with Kielbasa 4   

Stuffed Shells 4

Lasagna 4

Home Made Refried Beans (burritos)

I plan on making Turkey Pot Pie with the smoked Turkey in the freezer also. 

I even baked Christmas sugar cookies. They are all wrapped in cute little Holiday bags ready for gift baskets.

A very full weekend, but so glad I did it! 

JACKSON

 We got the privilege of a sleepover with Jackson this weekend. This three year old is so smart and delightful. He was a blast to share the weekend with. (But I assure you, when he went home I took a nap!)

CHALLENGE EXCEPTED

 Set a 15 day goal that’s meaningful to you. 

Make yourself spend a few minutes working toward that goal each and every day. 

Once you have set your goal, it’s time to get to work! You have 15 days to get it done. 

Focus, plan and take proactive steps!

My GOAL is… to get my Creative Studio organized (so I can confidently leave the doors open. 

GO!

JOYFULLY

 “Perhaps the most radical act of resistance in the face of adversity is to live joyfully.”

– ARI HONARVAR

I LIKED THIS

 https://youtu.be/Vv_sjpclsZ8

BELIEVE

 Marie Curie

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and, above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.”

SHINE

 

“You can’t dim someone who learned to shine in the dark.”

– CASE KENNY

DECEMBER 2025