here is a list of productive things i could be doing:
- finishing our family christmas cards (i really must stop obsessing about which picture to use)
- wrapping christmas presents
- giving my dogs a bath
- making a grocery list
- plucking my eyebrows
- vacuuming my kitchen floor
instead, this morning i am enjoying my third cup of coffee and watching ree drummond make meatballs. awesome use of my time don’t you think?
so how are you? how are you holiday preparations going? i am about 63.7% finished with my christmas shopping. i am taking daily deep breaths to keep the holiday panic at bay. here do it with me.
inhale …
exhale …
see? isn’t that better?
you know my other favorite thing to do to keep from losing my mind this time of year?
no…not this.
ok maybe a little of this.
no, the other thing that helps this time of year is to laugh. and having all my girlfriends over to play bunco fits that bill perfectly!
this is my third year to have what has become an annual tradition now. it’s totally low key. everyone brings an appetizer or dessert. nothing fancy.
and it’s such a great way to slow down and catch up with friends.
i was laughing with my friend robin. a few years ago, she and i were at lunch with a couple of other girlfriends. i was sitting at the table in tears, sobbing, about my fears of what life would be like once kelsey left for college. how i was just sure that the best years of my life were over.
it seems so silly now.
i started having my girlfriends over for christmas bunco as a way to celebrate the holidays. to remind myself that i could still have fun and enjoy the holidays even when my girl wasn’t home.
and now the tradition continues. but not for that reason. rather, to take a minute to set aside all of the to-do lists, all of the stress. just for one night. enjoy the blessing of friendship and all the joy it brings into my life.
breath and laugh. i highly recommend it.
love, kelly
I adore this post and the pics!!
Oh, it looks like you have a beautiful and fun time! Great idea.
xo
Love this. Every once in a while my heart threatens to explode and I gently remind it that all is well. All is as it should be. But gosh the missing is hard. This is my first Christmas without my oldest home. But then I think how it might be hard for him to being his first Christmas away from home. And then I suck it up and try to make him smile and encourage him to be with his friends.
i tell you what, kiddo, laughing has what gotten me this far in life! ; ) love your festive little post!
Taking one day at a time. Breathing!!! Breathing!!! 🙂
Our son in law is a pro photographer and had a maternity shoot yesterday so we tagged along as the sitters. Our daughter is his assistant. So while they were busy with their clients I strolled the new grand baby down the trail while papa and little Reagan gathered leaves, twigs and acorns. Reagan is two and a half and loves the outdoors. After that we took everyone to lunch, then ran a few errands and ended the evening with a hay ride to see beautiful christmas lights at Stroll on the Farm. It was 32* degrees and we almost froze but what magic and wonder. No gift could match the time spent with our kids, good friends and each other. Satan get thee behind me! Glory be to the King of Kings!!
Merry Christmas Kelly. May God Bless you richly this Christmas season and in the New Year!