Thoughts for a Holiday Season

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Merry merry merry merry. What a wonderful week this has been. And how nice to see you here! I've been incredibly out of the loop, I know. I needed a bit of a break from the old log. And really, without meaning to sound dramatic, I needed a break from everything. So, this past week or so has been an absolute dream. I've been hiding away with my love and friends up in a cozy cabin up at Tahoe.  There has been way less snow than we expected, but I honestly think that's been a blessing in disguise. With our snow activity options cut down a bit we've had even more time to relax and sleep and catch up and play games and cook and explore together. I've had time to reflect on the crazy past two months, and to make goals and plans for the new year. 
And as I said, it was needed. I'm not saying I was any busier than the next person, but for me, November and December were a LOT. My job exploded, in exciting but at times, overwhelming ways. I love new challenges, but I hate failure (really...who doesn't?), so I let myself stretch a little bit thin, hyper-focusing on some areas of my life (work) and ignoring others (exercise, blog, healthy eating). This requisite winter break could not have come at a better time. I've had time to digest the changes and let my mind catch up a bit, and to find some balance again. Nothing like a few months of ignoring yoga and healthy cooking to realize how much you need and love them. And there's no time like the New Year to get back on track, right?
Now, may I blab for a moment about Christmas? I freaking love the holidays. I'm a little bummed to have missed out on the fun of Christmas wishlist and recipe posts here on the log, but I'm happy to say that I didn't let anything get in the way of serious holiday cheer at home. We got a tree, we decorated, we had mulled wine and whiskey ciders and beautifully wrapped gifts and a party crashed by Santa. I did everything on my list of rules for your best holiday season. I listened to a thousand Christmas songs, sent cards, and drank eggnog. Being without my family for Christmas (for the first time in my life) was sad, especially Christmas Eve which has been absolutely magical for me ever since I was a kid. But I whisked away up to Tahoe with dear friends, and we ate a turkey dinner and wished on shooting stars on a frozen pond and exchanged stocking stuffers and laughed and laughed. I'll get to see my family and homeys in a couple of weeks, and in the meantime, this relaxing Christmas in Cali was absolutely what I needed.
I'll close this up, as this is probably the most text-heavy post I've ever done and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Actually you know what? I'm not gonna lie - it felt really good! This has served as a wonderful reminder that I need this space to record - unload - wonder - and catch up. Thank you for letting me selfishly do it in one long-winded swoop. 
In summary - I'm on my way to being back in balance, and I'm excited for what's coming. I'm hoping to use this space more regularly and become a bit more clear about what, how and why I share here. Thanks so much for checking in. I hope you had a merry and bright holiday!
photos:
1. holiday mojitos on Xmas eve
2. a Christmas scene on Bodega Bay
3. beautifully wrapped gifts from my beautiful sister
4. back country hiking on a Tahoe ridge
5. lovely Bodega dunes
6. walking in the dunes
7. Tahoe vacation kickoff with whiskey ciders

No comments:

Post a Comment

I adore hearing from you, thanks so much for reading and leaving some love :).