MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Joy to the world! Peace on earth! A good night’s sleep! Wait. What was that last one? You guys, this Christmas has kicked my butt more than any in history. But I made it! The presents are wrapped and under the tree. The stockings are filled. The cinnamon rolls are ready to go. I may have had to crawl across the finish line, but I got there. I hope everyone is having a wonderful day! I plan to lie on the couch for 24 hours straight. I’ll be back tomorrow with a Christmas recap. Merry Christmas to all… and to all a GOOD NIGHT.
2026 Goals, and a Festivus Miracle
It’s time for Tuesday Topics, which I host with Jenn from Runs With Pugs. But it’s ALSO time to get out your Festivus mugs and air those grievances! I’ll be doing some feats of strength (aka upper body strength workout) and don’t forget to let your loved ones know all the ways in which they’ve disappointed you this year (in case you have no idea what I’m talking about and just think I’ve lost my mind, here’s all the info you need). Let’s get back on track. Today’s topic is 2026 Goals, and well… I don’t have any yet. But on Sunday, I had a few hours to sit in Barnes and Noble and start to wrap my mind around what 2026 is going to look like for me. This is a big year. In 2026 I will turn SIXTY. Yikes! That sounds so old! I don’t feel old! But maybe I AM old and I just don’t know it! What’s going on, anyway??? 2026 is also the year my daughter will start her senior year of high school, and we have some other changes coming up for the family (sorry to be so vague- I promise I will be able to talk about these “changes” soon!) Anyway… it won’t be just any old year for me, and I need more time to really think about what I want and how to go about achieving it. Stayed tuned! As I mentioned before, the reason I had some time to myself on Sunday is that I drove my daughter and her friend to Orlando for an anime convention. We left the house at 6:30 am, and returned home (after six hours round trip of driving) around 8:30 pm. I walked through the door to discover… my husband and son had CLEANED THE ENTIRE HOUSE. And I mean, really cleaned. They dusted, mopped, cleaned off the kitchen counters, scrubbed the sinks… the house looks beautiful. When I saw it, tears literally came to my eyes. They realized I needed help and they came through. I can’t even explain what a relief it is to be cleaned up and ready for Christmas Eve, when we’ host a dinner. It was truly a Festivus miracle. Link Up With Tuesday Topics Welcome back to Tuesday Topics, as Jenny, from Runners Fly joins Jenn at Runs With Pugs to co-host this link-up! Please join us every week for a new topic! Write on our weekly prompt or choose your own topic! Make sure to add your post to the link up, link back to your hosts, and comment on the other shared posts! You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter Do you have goals for 2026?
Weekly Rundown- Well, That Was Hard
Sigh. Last Saturday (December 13th) we had to say goodbye to our beautiful Charlotte. I’ve written about her health issues, and it was time. But it was still really, really hard. I needed to lay low for a bit so missed the Weekly Rundown- but life goes on, so I’m back! Thanks as always to Kim and Deborah for hosting. Here’s how the week went… Sunday Ugh. Still feeling low. I had a 20 mile run planned, but my head wasn’t in the right place. But I knew I would feel better if I ran, so I started off… just a bottle of water and some tailwind, me and the trail. I ended up with 14 therapeutic miles! Monday This is the day that it dawned on me… Christmas is still coming. Phew! Or actually, ACK!!! I was so, so, so far behind in my prep that I started to freak out. Workout-wise, I did the Caroline Girvan deadbug workout, and that was it. Tuesday 4 mile run… … and then some panicked Christmas prep. Wednesday I had a lot to do today, so I was really proud of myself for making it to the gym! I did all my hip stability exercises, legs and abs. Thursday Four mile run… At night, I made our traditional Christmas biscotti! Friday Upper body strength to start the day. I had every intention of doing yoga later on (remember that???) but I ended up making our cutout cookies. These are decorated on Christmas Eve, with our guests. It’s a tradition going back to my daughter’s preschool years! My daughter had a friend over, and why yes I DO have Hanukkah cookie cutters! I even decorated some for him to take home. Saturday Oof. I just had to fit a long run in, and this was the only day to do it. I worked in the morning, so planned to start the run at 3:00. But it was 82 degrees and I didn’t feel like dying, so… I went to the gym and ran the first 10 miles on the treadmill. Then I ran the second 10 miles outside… It was 20 miles the hard way, but I got it done. And I got to admire Christmas lights towards the end of the run. Sunday Oh tap for today- driving to Orlando for an anime convention. To be clear- I will not be attending the convention. I’m just driving my daughter and her friend. It’s three hours each way (ouch) but once we’re there, I’ll have the day to myself. I need it! Are you ready for Christmas?- I have a crap ton of wrapping to do, but I’ll get there.
Random Holiday Stuff
I made biscotti! It’s a family tradition- it wouldn’t be Christmas without my orange-chocolate chip biscotti. (Well, it’s not really mine- the recipe is from Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s Veganomicon cookbook. The way I made time for this was, I told the family I would make biscotti if someone else cooked dinner. That worked great! And I’m doing the same thing tomorrow night, because I have to make gingerbread men and sugar cookies (to decorate on Christmas Eve, another family tradition). It turns out there’s lots of time if you don’t have to cook dinner. In that same vein, I’ve announced that we’re going to start a new, super-fun tradition called the “Christmas Chore-athon.” I’ll put various chores that NEED TO BE DONE before Christmas Eve on post it notes, and people can pick one at random and get it done. Strangely, this wasn’t quite as popular as making cookies, but I’m convinced it will work. It always baffles me that if I just ask someone to clean the living room, they look around at the trash on the floor, junk mail strewn on the coffee table, shoes scattered all over, dirty glasses and plates on every surface, and ask “What exactly do you want me to do?” I mean- seriously??? Clean up the mess!!! Is my entire family blind? I’m hopeful the Christmas Chore-athon will be a success, but my son had an even better idea for next year… The Advent Calendar of Chores! Every day you open a door and find a job to do. Oh, December 13th- scrub behind the toilet! By Christmas Day the house will be cleaner than ever. I’m pretty sure my son was joking, but I’m seriously thinking of doing this next year. I could make each chore sound humorous and festive… I have a while to work it out. Lastly, my card display is coming right along… Tragically, my own cards have not been sent. Here’s what happened- I bought cards on sale last January that I really liked. They have books on them! I was so excited to send them out- surely no one else would send reading-themed Christmas cards… right??? Ha. I was so upset to get the exact same card in the mail, from a blogger who is probably sending out cards to the same people I am. NOOOOOO! I got some different cards, but then decided I don’t really like them. Should I send out the cards I don’t like, or the cards that will probably be duplicates for a lot of people? Meanwhile the time is ticking down, and I need to get SOMETHING in the mail. Do you have traditional cookies you make every year? Should I send out the cards I like, even though it will probably mean a lot of people will get two of them?