Posts Tagged ‘reflection’
As the Christmas (and Hanukkah) season is upon us, I think it is important to keep Christmas in our hearts throughout the season, and not just the actual day. That being said — wouldn’t it be nice to keep the spirit of the season alive ALL YEAR?
But instead of getting ahead of myself and trying to orchestrate what would probably be a fairly large undertaking, I figured it might be easier to have a few moments of reflection as we head into the holiday season.
This Christmas, I am thankful…
that picking out the perfect gift for friends and family truly gives me joy and satisfaction. I think I’ve mentioned this before – but I am a rockstar gift giver — seriously.
for old family holiday traditions like meatless Christmas Eve dinners.
for the new holiday traditions that The Mister and I are creating together – like Christmas cookie decorating and holiday adventures.
that listening to Ann Murray and Luther Vandross brings me back to dancing in the living room with Mom and will serve as the soundtrack for my kids’ Christmas season one day, as well.
that watching the Nutcracker still makes me feel like a Sugar Plum Fairy.
that I have the privilege in leading everyone in song – as I cantor Christmas Eve mass every year.
for Santa – because you are never too old to stop believing.
for Christmas movies like Elf, Love Actually, The Grinch (old school version), Frosty, The Santa Clause and ChristmasVacation – because it doesn’t get any better curling up in your pjs with hot cocoa and watching Christmas flicks.
for radio stations that play Christmas music all.day.long. God bless the Mister for letting them rule our radio airwaves 
that I still cry every time I hear the song “The Christmas Shoes.”
for my Mister, who does everything he can to ensure all my Christmas ideas and activities come to fruition.
for my parents, who instilled in me the true meaning of Christmas and always did everything they could to make the season special for my brother and I. (even when we woke them up at 5am to open presents)
(and without getting to religious on you…) for Jesus – because without him, there wouldn’t be a Christmas to celebrate.
What will you be thankful for this Christmas (or Hanukkah!)?
HELLO!
I am back and well rested! I planned on posting yesterday, but due to a creepy incident that I won’t go into, I didn’t get any sleep on my flight. When I got back in Cleveland, I hadn’t slept for 30 hours, so I needed to get some much-needed sleep. Thank you for understanding!
Anyway, this week I am thankful to be HOME. But before I get into that, are you interested where I spent the last week?
At least I had a decent view:
The view
Yes, hotel beds can be comfy, but nothing beats your own.
Before
After
Home, Sweet Home
I couldn’t have been happier to be back in my own bed last night! I figured while we were on the subject, you might be interested in the other details of our mater bedroom.
Right corner
Left corner
Photo close up
Right wall
Above the bed
Left wall
Mister
Misses
Artwork - can you find me and the Mister?
How precious is this?
Note: My comforter is from Anthropologie
So as I shared with you guys last week, the first leg of my trip was pretty rough and I’ve been looking forward to coming home the entire trip. (I did have some nice moments, though, which I look forward to charing with you later!) It got me thinking, though…what exactly is ‘home?’ You can’t touch it, you can’t bottle it, but you know it’s there. And we all know what an ache we feel in our hearts when we’re away from it.
Home is not where you live but where they understand you. ~Christian Morgenstern
Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration. ~Charles Dickens
Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other. It is the place of confidence. It is the place where we tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious coldness which the world forces us to wear in self-defense, and where we pour out the unreserved communications of full and confiding hearts. It is the spot where expressions of tenderness gush out without any sensation of awkwardness and without any dread of ridicule. ~Frederick W. Robertson
What is home, though? Does it exist in place and time? Is it a feeling? A collection of memories? Can it be carried somewhere else or does it stay in the same place forever? I started thinking about all the things that define ‘home’ for me and I invite you to do the same in the comments.
To me, home is:
The Mister’s clutter
My favorite blanket
Cozy slippers
Burning candles
My special spot on the couch
Cooking breakfast
The Mister
My dog’s kisses
My mom’s laughter
My dad’s jokes
The clicking of the heater
The people I love…
Your turn– what is ‘home’ to you?
Welcome new readers! Just a quick note that the blog makes a lot more sense if you start at the beginning and read a bit more about me.
For those of you who are new to the blog (and a reminder for all my other readers) Thankful Thursday is the day we all look back on our weeks and think about the ‘good stuff.’ You know – the things that made us smile throughout the week. No matter how hectic, or terrible a day can get, there is always SOMETHING to be thankful for. Maybe it’s the fact that you have The Real Housewives of Atlanta waiting for you on your DVR, or maybe you are coming home to your pets, husband or children. Maybe you got a few extra minutes of sleep or read an article (or blog entry!) that made you smile. The point is, sometimes it’s the little things that get us through our day and they shouldn’t be forgotten.
This week I’m thankful for new experiences.
As you all know by now, the Mister and I celebrated his birthday in Toronto this weekend and it opened my eyes to a whole new world of adventures. That may sound cheesy, but this week I’m thankful for all the new places I got to explore and add to my ‘favorites list’ this past weekend.
Enjoy my photo recap!
The CN Tower - how awesome is this photo? (go Mister!)
View from the top
View of the baseball stadium through the glass foor
We're on top of the world!
CN Tower at night
The Big Top at Cirque du Soleil
Outside the Blue Jays game
Play ball!
The Harbourfront
Come sail away...
Where's the Mister?
The Killers concert
The Killers
The Killers
The end!
It was a fantastic trip and as always, way too short. While I wasn’t too excited to come back to work and reality, I am so thankful the Mister and I had the opportunity to get away and make memories
Your turn! What are you thankful for this week?