Looking for something? Look no further. Take your pick…
Beauty.
Inspiration.
Cute.
How about this Good Friday Eve sunset?
Or this Good Friday morning trail ride on your best mare with friends?
Or a Good Friday afternoon hangout in the wildflowers?
Or a play session with a water bottle? Hey, it’s the simple things in life, remember?
Or a foggy Easter Saturday sunrise?
Easter Sunday was filled with a whole family tour. My parents are on vacation so I went to church with my Sister and her family, had lunch with my Mom’s side of the family, and had a second dessert and dinner with my Dad’s side of the family.
All of the above makes for a magical Easter weekend if you ask me.
Walk in love, dear readers, and remember the gift of this day. Hard to do on a Monday after a holiday.
The Monday feels were strong yesterday. It was like having to come back from long vacation and not just a weekend. So strong was that Monday feeling in fact, that it is encroaching on my Tuesday.
The Monday fade. I just made that up. Hopefully it will FADE AWAY throughout the day and I can get on with it.
I am sitting here on my couch, sipping my own fancy, pantsy white chocolate peppermint coffee concoction (if you’re well behaved, I will tell you about it later), wishing I was a kid in school again with a winter break. Time to whatever I want.
If I was back in school, then I would have to go through finals and all of that growing up strife again…woof! No thanks!
Why is it that sometimes going to work and doing all the other ‘adulting’ (it is a very apt word, no matter how silly it sounds) things we have to do feel so hard to do? I believe everyone goes through this. Don’t you? Yesterday and today have been that way for me. Hard to wake up. Sitting on the couch with my coffee (in a Christmas mug with a penguin wearing a tie because I am clearly not an adult) until the very last possible minute which results in me rushing to get dressed and out the door so I am not late. Not to mention not even making my bed because clearly that terribly simple task itself is even too difficult for the toddler inside me. I won’t mention my tantrum protest of kicking and thrashing at my alarm’s buzzing. No, I won’t mention that. I must do that too much because Darcy did not appear to be fazed by my strange behavior.
And speaking of alarm. I have some lovely songs set as my alarm! Yes, songs, because I have more than one alarm set. Do not judge me!
No need to have a reaction of kicking and thrashing!
If I was waking up to horses, I would barely even need one alarm.
Anyway.
I failed. I failed at getting pictures of the Christmas party. Sigh. Oh well. This is really the only one besides some very sub-standard cupcake photos.
Quite cozy and festive, right? My sister knows how to throw a party!
Remember that Peppermint Dream Cake I made for one of my family’s Christmas celebrations last year? This one?
Well, I made Peppermint Dream Cupcakes for the party. I took some not so great photos of them…
They tasted better than the photos look!
I had some extra Fluffy White Chocolate Frosting…so I uh, put it in my coffee. Before you freak out, is just peppermint white chocolate ganash, folded into whipped cream. Quite good.
I must be off now. You know, that whole adult thing called work. Make money, pay the bills, make a difference, blah, blah, blah.
Time seems to travel faster this time of year, don’t you think? I mean, Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK. How did that happen?! It has snuck up on me as I am sure it has everyone. For more than one reason.
And now, it is already Tuesday. It still feels like Monday.
Anyway, I am sitting here with my coffee, as I do, you know, reflecting.
Surprisingly enough, wishing it was still Monday. I made a quick trip out to the farm yesterday after work since I did not go out this weekend. At this time of year, I get barely an hour out there with the early sunset, but it is enough to get my fix to get me through the rest of the week.
I did have a great time with my sister and her husband this weekend. It was incredibly relaxing and indulgent. She is having a holiday party next month that we are both getting excited for. It got us both in the spirit. We even made peppermint ice cream from scratch.
When I got home on Sunday, I baked two batches of cookies while drinking coffee with cinnamon and nutmeg. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Chocolate chip oatmeal with pecans and coconut and while chocolate macadamia nut. I owe my farrier a lot of cookies because he is great. I am going to bake my mother’s pumpkin bread this evening for gifts. I just love this time of year!
It all got me thinking how blessed we all are. That we are here and awake this morning. That I got to go up there to visit and stay the weekend. For the quality time with my sister. That I got to see the sunset and love on the horses, however quick. That I have a dog I can take everywhere with me and that she got to have her run time at the farm. That I have a good car to get me where I am going and get me home safe.
That is what this time of year, the holiday season, is all about. Seeing and feeling your many blessings. Being grateful and thankful for them. Doing things for others. That and The Reason for The Season. Giving God the glory. Doing your best to carry that attitude through the rest of the year.
