It is clearly time for a new blog post. This fall I have continue to work on simplifying my life and improving my health. I have enjoyed traveling, catching up with friends, visiting with family and lots of fun in between. I hope to have a few post after the fact on some of that fun. I have also updated the theme on my website so I hope you find this format to be easier to navigate and enjoy.
As December has approached, I have wanted to be intentional about my preparations for Christmas this year – enjoying both the big and little things of all that the season brings. Last year, I was stressed-out and overwhelmed around this time of the season and ultimately ended up sick most of December so I feel that I missed out on a lot of this most special time of celebration. This year, I have worked for months to try and manage the stress and find a better balance to life as well as stay healthy. It is a work in progress as my work load increases (like it does at this point every year) and colds seem to be hard to completely avoid from the people around me. But, here I sit this morning in the quiet, looking at a beautiful Christmas tree up and ready to decorate pausing to write this post.
I have already enjoyed a few special traditions to help with preparations. Years ago, my mom started going to Homewood Nursery in Raleigh, NC to see their vast amount of poinsettias, unique types and colors. She has enjoyed picking up these beautiful flowers for family, friends and coworkers each year. A few years ago my sister and I got to join mom for the first time and experience this tradition – one that we try not to miss going forward. This is part of what makes Christmas special for Mom and has become a great treat for our entire family. We were able to visit Homewood on the weekend of their Open House where they have the largest supply of poinsettias. They are all so beautiful and fun to look through as we pick the perfect one for our needs. I picked up one for the office and one for the house.
A new tradition that I am trying this year is what has been called Picture Advent. I learned about it through a facebook post from a friend. It is a way to capture the preparations for the Christmas season with a photo a day. You can choose to tie the post to key words and scriptures that lead us through the preparation for Christ birth. I may not hit every day but I am already enjoying posting photos and plan to post photos throughout the month of December. They may be serious moments or silly moments but each image reflects my preparations for Christmas. Follow me on Instagram to see all my posts of #pictureadvent .
What traditions are you enjoying this season? I would love to see your comments!