Missing the Moments....

Oh my stars, it has been a busy busy couple of weeks.  This shortened holiday season has brought on a "love-hate" relationship with this particular year.  I absolutely LOVE the Christmas holidays, I love the decorating, the parties, the festivities, the church events, the holiness but this year it has just been a hectic, hectic event, and I have missed the quiet, reflective moments that should come during this time of the year.  Whenever I would sit down, I either fell immediately asleep from exhaustion, or I would

hop right back up remembering that something else had to be attended to.  

I always start my day with a cup of coffee from one of my sweet Christmas mugs, but don't ask me the last time I actually sat and read the newspaper.  How do we get our lives wound so tightly that I can't even enjoy the morning paper?  I think I have fallen in the "must get it all done" category and I am going down for the count.  

Now don't misunderstand me when I say I have had a love-hate relationship with this season, I have enjoyed all the wonderful events that I have been a part of this year .....

A Christmas Tea with some special girlfriends at a wonderful tiny little restaurant that was absolutely delightful....

Finished my holiday decorating which seemed to take FOREVER this year....

Slipped out one afternoon to take a quick drive to the Arboretum...we have had snow and I wanted to capture that beauty, but because I was so busy, I missed the most beautiful time when the snow is laying on the limbs of the trees....

But it snowed again today, so I was able to capture some of the snow on branches...

Tuesday was our Bunco Christmas party where I ate again....after Monday's trip to the Christmas Tea you would think I wouldn't be hungry...doesn't seem to work that way, at least for me anyway.  Home-made lasagna oh yum...!!!

And then Thursday was our annual Book Club Christmas Dinner that I host...I always insist on hosting because it pushes me to decorate my house for the holidays.  I provide the ham (and it was divinely edible) and all the members bring a dish or drink...it was like manna for the innards.  Again, eating eating eating.

Friday was the Dance Recital...I posted a couple of pics from the dress rehearsal, but Friday night was the real thing.  Oh it was great!!  My daughter outdid herself this time, with all the wonderful dances and costuming, I know I am bragging but it really was quite the production.  My youngest granddaughter, Brie arrived home from Iowa State for the holidays....and was sure wishing she was part of the show.  The only dancing she did for the night was the traditional jump.....  PS Brie is the one NOT in costume.

My daughter is always delighted when Brie is home for awhile....but right now Lisa (daughter) and her husband Sam, are in Las Vegas for a little wedding anniversary celebration and then they are off to San Diego for Christmas and the Northern Illinois University Poinsettia Bowl Game on the 26th.  So Christmas will be postponed until Sunday, the 29th.  I was quite upset (like crying upset) when she told me they would not be home for Christmas, the first time ever we have not been together on Christmas, but being the POM coach she had no choice but to go.  My two granddaughters and I are doing a girls' day on Christmas, so looking forward to having my two all grown up granddaughters all to myself.

Last night I was doing this....in prep for a Cookie Exchange, had the holiday music playing and was baking and frosting some tasty cookies.  Five dozen cookies was the ticket....but I just couldn't squeeze 5 dozen out of the batch I made...they kept getting tinier and tinier but only made it to 4 1/2 dozen.

My friend, Marti's niece had her annual brunch/cookie exchange so off we went with 5 dozen cookies (me with my 4 1/2)  each, to be greeted by dozens and dozens more.  What a delightful afternoon. Again, another food bonanza.

Even Lucy enjoyed the festivities with her Christmas attire...

So tonight when I arrived home, I made myself a cup of coffee, ate a couple of the cookies from the afternoon, lit the candles and had some of that quiet, reflective time that I have missed, and this time I didn't fall asleep, or hop up to attend to something undone.  We all need that quiet time, that thoughtful time, that reflective time to really take in all the goodness that surrounds us.

"Don't wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect." 

Hope you have been having some perfect moments during this Christmas holiday.

Until next time....