I don't know what it is - but I think I am broken?
I used to be that annoying organized happy holiday shopper who was mostly done with her gift buying by August... I would ooze Holiday Spirit by mid-November and have plenty of Cheer to spread around all through out December! But the past two or three years, it seems to be harder to come by! The gift buying doesn't START until mid-November now, and the thought of decorating, buying gifts, making cards, and holiday baking just stirs up visions of exhaustion and dread, instead of sugar plums and whatever?
Part of it is that my girlie is not so little anymore and that makes buying too far ahead of time difficult! She has her own income and if she really wants it - she can save for it and buy it herself - plus her 'wants' are more expensive now too! On my side of the family, she is the youngest - other than a precious new edition (my Great Niece - literally, my nephews' daughter!) On my hubbys side, we have lots of little ones - mostly boys, which I am not so great at buying for... part of it also is that my lifestyle has changed... I am more active and focused on health and fitness which is a good thing - but it does tend to lessen the drunken love of holiday traditions that are often built around food!
It didn't help that in the past month or so we have had to pay apx $1000 in car repairs on both cars... plus this year we have had a lot of family dysfunction/drama on display for our Thanksgiving plans! Yeah - my favorite holiday has finally been tainted! I knew this kind of thing happened all the time - but we'd never really had to deal with it... not fun! I finally got a glimpse of why people actually dislike the holidays. Sad... I am hoping that attending a few Holidays Bazaars, going Black Friday shopping, and decorating the house for the holidays will stir up some sort of Christmas Cheer!
Soooo... other than THAT stuff - I really am doing great! Our little family took a weekend to go spend with my sister in Walla Walla and had a nice visit... and then my Honey and I got to go on a quick little get away with friends last weekend and we had an AMAZING time! I will not post those pix as I hope to Digi Scrap them soon and will just write about that trip then! (Assuming I will remember that I even HAVE a blog and will update soon! LOL!) I have a meeting today with a client from last year! Just when I think I am going to officially close the business. Of course - she said she only has 2-4 layouts for me to do, but it is still work. I am hoping she will have more than she thinks - or I can show her my digital designed books and she may be interested in doing some of those for the holidays! If I am going to keep the business going, I will need to update my site and add new prices and options such as digital work.
I have made a few cards, and done a few more digital layouts for our family album...
Another major change since my last update is that my kiddo is driving?! What?! That's right... I now have a daughter who wants to drive ME around everywhere we go! Who would have thought that she would prefer driving with me than with my Honey? Turns out I am more laid back and give her more positive feedback... he tends to have a constant monologue going full of teaching moments and instruction. She needs both - so I have decided that the weekends, nights, and snowy days are HIS turn! That seems fair, right?! Here she is:
...a happy, happy girl!
Lastly - I am still running... but not training or staying as consistent as I was. I tend to need a race to be training for to keep my running 3-4 days a week... and I know if I want to run a race longer than 5-8-10K I will need to run longer, AND more often. But I have taken the past two weeks to really switch up my workout routine. I gained about 6 pounds over a period of three weeks (out of town trips, family gatherings, etc!) and have lost that gain but am STILL stuck on this plateau... I cannot seem to get out of the 170s! It's getting crazy!? So - I decided to add new activities and switch things up with my workouts - some of them are lighter in cardio and some are heavier - but it's been fun! I left the house yesterday to go for a walk... I was dragging in energy and just thought I would walk for a couple of miles and that may wake me up a bit. So - about five minutes into my walk, I decided I wanted to run a bit... and about 4 miles later I was done, dripping in sweat, made GREAT time, and felt incredible!
...after a great impromtu run! I am still amazed that I not only CAN do this - but that I actually enjoy it! I have to remind myself - especially as the holidays approach, that even if I never lose another pound - I am so much stronger, healthier, confident, able, and energized now than at any other time in my life... all the workouts and tracking foods is worth it! I never thought my daughter would be in MY closet, looking to borrow clothes... now, once I get off this plateau (and I WILL get off it eventually!) - I will be able to raid her closet too!
So - my question to you... what holidays gifts are you MAKING this year? (I'm looking for great ideas!) and how are you feeling as the holidays approach?
Spark On & Scrap Happy!
~Karrilee~
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