Just Five Things

 

1. Winter Break has started, and I'm excited! I'm looking forward to celebrating the holidays. I can't wait to watch holiday movies, play a few board games, spend time with my family, drink a ridiculous amount of hot chocolate, and sneak a nap or two. The only "non-fun" traditional thing on my to-do list is to declutter and donate a lot of stuff before the New Year. We've already started and have a couple of boxes ready to be donated. I'm actually really excited to get rid of a lot of stuff. Do you declutter before the New Year, or do you have any goals you hope to accomplish before the New Year?

2. Have you read The Legend of the Christmas Witch by Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza? I just finished this book and am now reading the second, The Return of the Christmas Witch. This is such a fun holiday book series. The Christmas Witch is Santa Claus's twin sister. When they are children, they are separated and raised by other people. Kristtōrn, the Christmas Witch, is raised by a witch from the woods. Eventually, Kristtōrn grows up and tries to find her brother. I don't want to give too much of the story away, but the first book was fantastic, and I'm really enjoying the second as well. 

3. The last week before winter break was very eventful. We celebrated Gabriel's birthday. Even though his birthday was in the middle of the week, we still celebrated with cake, food, and gifts. We planned to celebrate some more over the weekend, but unfortunately, Gabriel caught the flu. So winter break started a day earlier for us. Thankfully, it didn't really hit him hard, and for the most part, he's been acting his usual self. However, he's still recovering. We're hoping that he's clear by Christmas Day. 

4. I was really hoping that this year, I'd be done with Christmas shopping and errands no later than the middle of December, but I'm still not done. I'm really cutting it super close this year, and I'm not liking it at all. To be fair, a few unexpected things happened this month, and honestly, this month went by so fast (and it was incredibly busy) that I didn't even realize how close we were to winter break and Christmas. The days really blurred together this month. Thankfully, I don't have much left to do, and I'm really hoping to be done with everything else by tomorrow.

5. Winter Solstice was wonderful. Raphael and I read Susan Cooper's The Shortest Day and loved it. I also lit several candles. I even took an afternoon nap. I made a big batch of chicken-and-rice soup with lots of veggies. It was such a cozy day, which I loved. 

What have you been up to?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Katya Azimova on Unsplash

Winter 2025 Bucket List

Happy Sunday and Happy First Day of Winter! Winter is officially here, and I'm a little excited. Christmas is just four days away. Just like last year, I'm excited about winter this year...maybe even more so. It's Capricorn season, and I'm looking forward to celebrating my birthday next month.

I plan to celebrate the winter solstice by lighting a candle, using a simmer pot kit, going for a walk in the neighborhood, or on the Silver Comet Trail. I also plan to read The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper with Raphael and make hot chocolate for John, the boys, and me. 

One tradition I have consistently kept is making a bucket list at the start of every season. It's always fun to make one, and I love documenting my list. As always, I share my list here. Many of the things on my bucket list are things I usually do (traditions, rituals, etc.) or things I keep wanting to do but haven't done. However, there are a few new things on my list. Before I begin to ramble, let's check out my winter bucket list below. Happy Winter Solstice!

• Read 5 books
• Read 3 books I received from NetGalley
• Complete 1 crafty class
• Complete 1 unfinished project from 2025
• Work on a mini album
• Make new goals for 2026
• Publish a photo essay
• Submit a piece to an online publication
• Participate in more blog hops
• Go for a winter walk on the Silver Comet Trail
• Participate in a book challenge
• Try a new-to-me smoothie recipe
• Eat or drink more veggies (especially greens)
• Go to a new-to-me restaurant
• Go to a new-to-me coffee shop
• Donate clothing and other things we no longer need
• Declutter our closets
• Work in my sketchbook/journal
• Make a candle
• Watch a new-to-me movie on Netflix, Hulu, etc.
• Use a simmer pot kit
• Have a date night
• Watch Dracula: A Love Tale in theaters
• Work more on my writing
• Take more photos 
• Sign up for a class by Exhale 
• Use my art supplies more
• More movement (exercise, walks, stretching, etc.)
• Bake more
• Make a meal plan
• Try a bone broth hot chocolate

What's on your winter bucket list?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Davies Designs Studio on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! It was a whirlwind of a week, but now it's the start of winter break! The weekend is here, and it's time for another happy and grateful list.

1. Pushkin the Christmas Gnome by Brad Montague was such a sweet short story. 

2. It's been a joy crossing off things on my holiday list. I'm so close to finishing everything I need to do for the holidays. This week was such a whirlwind. It's going to be so nice to cross the final thing on my list.

3. We went to Raphael's class holiday party and had a great time. We played games and made a few arts-and-crafts projects. Raphael decorated a pine cone, and it turned out really cute. He even added some tiny ornaments. 

4. I tried a cookies and cream hot chocolate from Starbucks (don't judge me, please) and it was actually pretty good. If you want to order one, just ask for four pumps of white mocha sauce and cookie crumble topping.

5. A song on repeat: Which Witch by Florence + the Machine

6. Currently reading (and absolutely loving): See One, Do One, Teach One by Grace Farris. 

7. We celebrated Gabriel's birthday and had a good time. Even though his birthday was in the middle of the week, we still did our traditional birthday rituals. We were planning to celebrate more over the weekend, but unfortunately, Gabriel has the flu. Thankfully, today is the last day of school before we officially start winter break, so he'll be resting at home. Overall, he's doing fine, and I'm so grateful for that.

8. This was incredibly relatable.

9. Super random: My esthetician and I had such a great conversation during my appointment. The conversation left me feeling deeply inspired, and it was also great to hear someone else's perspective on life. 

10. Winter break has officially started, and I'm so excited! 

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Anna Bondar on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Saturday! This week was a busy and somewhat stressful one. But overall, it was a pretty decent week. Side note: I only realized more than halfway through the week that we are already in the double digits for the month. I can't believe that in just a couple of days, we will be halfway through December. Although it's a busy time of year, I love that I am still keeping up with my happy and grateful list reflection. So far, the weekend is going pretty well, and I hope yours is a good one too.

1. We finally bought our new family ornament. We actually bought three of them, and we love them. We're big fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas and saw a few ornaments related to the movie. We ended up buying a Jack Skellington and a Zero ornament. We also purchased a Pikachu ornament. 

2. Currently loving: Whole Foods Market Organic Honeycrisp Apple Juice. Seriously, this is delicious. 10/10 highly recommend.

3. I finished reading The Legend of the Christmas Witch by Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza. I absolutely loved this book and am looking forward to reading The Return of the Christmas Witch.

4. A song on repeat: Turn The Lights Off by Kato feat. Jon

5. "I Remember" is more romantic than "I Love You."

6. I bought a 25-day book lover's advent calendar and absolutely love it. Although I bought this calendar on the 12th of the month, it's been fun checking out the little surprises from the previous day. It actually has useful items. I plan to use some of the items in my sketchbook/journal. 

7. I've been preparing for Gabriel's upcoming birthday, and I'm so excited to celebrate his day. 

8. I had my eye on Sephora's Holy Sheet Set and was excited to see that there was a deal going on for 30% off all Sephora Collection items. I plan to put this in my stocking. By the way, the sale ends on December 14, so if you've been thinking about making a purchase, now is a good time. 

9. I've been thinking about what my word for 2026 will be. For the past couple of days, one word has been making its way in, but I'm not sure whether I should commit to it. This year, I didn't really work on documenting my word for the year, but I'm glad that I still reflected on it off and on throughout the year.

10. I'm so excited that winter break officially begins this upcoming Friday afternoon. I'm so ready to have the next two weeks off, and I'm excited to celebrate the holidays with my family.

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Hanna Balan on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Sunday! It's time to share my happy and grateful list. Can you believe that the first week of December is basically over? Overall, this week has been pretty great and also quite productive. What are some things that made you happy or grateful this week?

1. It's finally December! I love that the first day of December fell on a Monday. It was a nice start to the month and a fresh start to the week. 

2. We went to our city's Christmas Tree lighting, and we had a great time. This is one of my favorite family traditions. The decorations throughout the downtown square and surrounding area are gorgeous, especially at night, of course.

3. After coming home from the Christmas Tree lighting, we finally put up our Christmas tree at home. We still need to buy a new ornament, so I'm hoping we can find one this upcoming week. Maybe we'll get a couple of new ones instead of just one.

4. I went to the Smyrna Handmade Holiday Market and had a blast. I loved seeing all the small businesses and had fun chatting with some of my favorite local shop owners. 

5. I went to the soft opening of Common Threads Boutique, which is at the exact location as a previous boutique (and also one of my favorites), Blue Bird Lane Boutique, that recently closed down. I was delighted to see that the new owners are former employees of Blue Bird Lane Boutique. 

6. Have you heard of food forests? I recently learned about food forests and was surprised to learn about the Urban Food Forest at Browns Mill. Are there any food forests in your state?

7. A song on repeat: Trust by Sophie Lowe

8. I celebrated December's arrival with Nothing Bundt Cakes' newest pop-up flavor, Coconut Cream Snowflake. And it is so good!

9. I read an advance copy of Cristina Ergunay's Central Park: Adventures Through the Seasons, and I loved it! I was hit with a heavy dose of childhood nostalgia, and now I want to go back to New York to visit. 

10. I've been reading Brittany Viklund's 12 Days of Stackmas series on her newsletter, Brittany's Notebook. I love her Advent calendar and have enjoyed reading her book recommendations and thrifting tips.

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Svitlana on Unsplash

December Goals

Happy Monday and first day of December! I cannot believe that it's already December. This year has truly flown by, especially the last few months. Although I'm sad that fall will be over soon and winter will arrive in just a couple of weeks, I'm looking forward to the holidays. I'm also looking forward to winter.

As always, November was a very busy month. In fact, it seemed like November was busier than usual. It was a month full of events, celebrations, and spending time with family. We went to Raphael's Thanksgiving feast at his school, celebrated Vivi's first birthday, and went to Mami's house for Thanksgiving. 

We had another low-key Thanksgiving, and honestly, it was perfect. We spent the morning resting and relaxing until it was time to go over to Mami's. 

The next day, I went shopping, and I'm so happy I stuck to the things on my list. I'm really trying to be more intentional with my shopping, especially for this holiday season. I'm happy to report that it's going really well. I also went shopping on Small Business Saturday and was so excited to shop at my favorite local businesses. I even went to a new-to-us pizza spot and really enjoyed their food.

This month, I'm looking forward to a few events in my city. I'm looking forward to a few school and holiday events. I can't wait to check out the Kris Kringle Market after the Christmas tree lighting. I can't wait for the holidays and am looking forward to watching so many holiday movies and shows. 

This month, I'm going to give myself grace. I want to focus on enjoying this month, crossing things off my list, enjoying the days leading up to the holidays, and welcoming winter with open arms. I'm still going to keep working on my monthly goals. However, if I don't accomplish any of them or even try to work on them, then I'm not going to give myself a hard time about it. 

Since I mentioned monthly goals, let's recap my November goals and check out my new goals for December.

Recap of November Goals

• Read 2 books I borrowed from the library: I read 20 books I borrowed from the library. Most of the books were children's books that Raphael and I read together. He's been on a Creepy Carrots kick and is now really into Jory John's Food Group series. I'm currently on a Humans of New York kick and have been reading the books in the series. I read Nora Ephron's I Remember Nothing and loved it. 

• Read 2 books I received from NetGalley: I didn't finish the two books I was reading, but I am very close. I should be done with at least one of them by the end of the first week of December.

• Participate in Exhale's November blog hop: I didn't participate this month. I had a few ideas, but couldn't decide on a format for my piece. I'm hoping to work on this prompt in December, since I think it would work for this month and the winter season.

• Try 1 new recipe: I tried a chicken nacho recipe and added a few things to make it my own. It turned out surprisingly well. I love how quick and easy it was to make. The kids loved it, and I plan to add it to our go-to lunch/dinner rotation.

• Make 1 scrapbook/Project Life layout: I actually forgot about this goal until the last day of November. Honestly, my excuse is I was swamped in November, and I'm still dealing with this awful creative rut. 

• Work on the latest round of the Here: Five Things course: I worked on a couple of the prompts, but did not finish. I may try to complete them in December. I'm really hoping that December is the month that my creative rut subsides.

December Goals

• Read 3 books I borrowed from the library
• Read 1 book I received from NetGalley
• Participate in Exhale's December blog hop
• Try 2 new recipes
• Make 2 scrapbook/Project Life layouts
• Participate in Jo Blaker's Winter Trees daily drawing challenge
• Work in my sketchbook/journal

What are your goals for December? How did you do in November?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash