Just some things on my mind lately

/ Meg

photo

Work holiday dinner on Wednesday


• We’re in full-blown Christmas mode! And I’m loving it. Spence and I attended my work holiday dinner last night, ate delicious food and revealed ourselves to our respective office Secret Santas. I’m going out with my girl friends tonight, cleaning and tidying up tomorrow night, then looking forward to our annual family party on Saturday with our family cookie exchange on Sunday! And a bunch of other fun stuff along the way.

• Speaking of cookies, I’m making Linzer cookies for our exchange this year . . . and I’m a little scared, given they’re my mother-in-law’s specialty! But she’ll actually be here this weekend when my parents-in-law and extended family start arriving for the holidays, so I can beg for her help. If all else fails, I’ll go back to making these delicious Hershey kiss cookies.

• My yearly reading total is abysmal. Like, really bad. I just now cracked 50 books read in 2013, and I’m usually around 80 by now! I don’t feel like myself when I’m not immersed in great books. Reading makes my life so much richer, fuller, happier. I’m going to make it a priority to read more of the books I’ve had languishing on my shelves forever next year — no excuses.

• We’re mostly wrapped for Christmas! Several hours-long sessions have resulted in most gifts being nestled beneath the tree, a feat unto itself, and I’m looking forward to relaxing more in the days to come. As this feels like my first real-deal “adult” Christmas, and is certainly my first married one, I felt the pressure to take over where my mom would normally handle so many of the details for extended family. My sister and I tag-teamed to choose presents for everyone without going overboard, and I’m really happy with what we’ll be sharing.

• I’ll be rocking some major home updates in 2014. As we edge closer to the end of another year, I’m already musing over how I want to change and improve our living situation. And my “living situation,” I mean our very full condo. Though we’ll eventually buy a single-family home, we have to make due with what we have for now — and what we have are walls that feel closer to me every day! I want to reorganize and refresh our space and really make it something to be proud of. Once the Christmas tree comes down, I’m going full-force “Love It or List It” up in there.

• I need new clothes. Really bad. What still fits isn’t something I want to wear, and most of what I want to wear doesn’t fit. I’m fascinated by the idea of Stitch Fix (referral link) . . . has anyone tried it? I actually splurged a bit and signed up for my first Fix, which is exciting. I’m having a hard time finding clothes I like these days, and my wardrobe post-weight loss is pretty pitiful. Though I’m a little worried the price of individual pieces is going to be too high for my limited budget, I’m willing to pay $20 to experiment!

• There has not been enough coffee in the world. Between all the last-minute running around for the holidays and all the activities going on after work this week, I’ve been running on little sleep and in need of a serious boost to my immunity. My weeks-long cold, which started on my honeymoon, has finally broken . . . but I still feel pretty eh.

But I will push onward! And keep baking.

‘Tis the season.


11 thoughts on “Just some things on my mind lately”

  4. Speaking of changes to one’s living space, have you seen The January Cure on Apartment Therapy? I did it at the beginning of 2013 and it really helped me tidy and organize various spaces in the house. I’m doing it again this year! You can sign up for the daily emails. I did, and then filed them away so I could go through the steps on my own time.

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  6. Clothes are one of the most challenging parts of major body changes, even if it’s all good things. Having at least a few well fitting staples in my size makes a huge difference to my outlook though – maybe you’ll have some luck finding well priced basics after the holidays?

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  8. Your reading stats are no big deal, your year has been busy!!! Love this picture. It’s never easy to mix yours and his, I think you’ll enjoy the Love it or List it attitude! We bought new dining room furniture, nicest we’ve ever had, to be delivered in late January and early February I can’t wait!!

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  9. You get a pardon when you get married and you get a pardon when you have babies (years-long pardon!). I have no excuse on the other hand, except for teenagers I guess. I hope you have a wonderful first married Christmas together!

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  10. I am with you on the reading. I almost don’t want to do a best of list because I think I only read maybe 60 books this year? And if I hadn’t got addicted to audio books it would have been even less.

    I wish I was done wrapping. I hate wrapping.

    I hope you two enjoy your Christmas together!

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  11. If your closets have regular doors (not the folding or sliding kind), I highly recommend the Elfa over the door from the Container Store. It’s expensive (but goes on sale periodically), but well worth it. I put two of the gliding shoe racks at the top of my door and attached a clothing rod to the bottom one about three years ago. I still smile when I go into my closet.

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