A Review of My Week #3

Hi there!

So I set out this year to share "A Week in My Filofax," where I share a photo of my week on two pages from my Filofax.

Well, last week I ran into a challenge.

I switched to 2-page-per-day pages.  (You can watch a YouTube video here of my planner setup.  Yes, I'm on YouTube!  You can see all my videos here.  Totally out of my comfort zone, but I'm going to give it a go and see what happens.)

So I don't think it would be very interesting to share seven photographs of each day.  Because, quite frankly, my pages have become less art and more utilitarian, as can be seen in the photo of Wednesday, January 16, below.

(My apologies for the poor photo quality.  I'm working really hard to improve my photography skills!)

I'm not doing much artwork in my planner now, which is a little bit sad, and may change.  But I've been trying to figure out how I'm going to use my planner to the fullest to help me achieve the goals I've set for the year.  That doesn't leave much room (or time) for stickers or drawings.  Don't worry, I'll work hard to fit that in too going forward.

I do have a bit of doodling to share with you, which occurred on Thursday, January 17.

(My apologies again for the poor photo quality.)

We actually had a dusting of snow!  I was beside myself.  We only got a dusting, and although I'm still praying for the 20-inch snow like we got in January 2000, I'm happy with what we do get.

So, I do want to continue with a recap of my week.  Here we go.

• Monday:  Big temporary project started at work.  Should last for the next three weeks or so.  Not that hard for me to manage, but I was instrumental in setting it up, so I'm proud of that.  I also worked out at the YMCA, doing a weight routine for my lower body.  I'm especially proud of that because I hate exercise.  (No offense to exercise.)  But since my gastric bypass surgery, I've reached a plateau in my weight loss, and at this point exercise is the only thing that will help me to reach my goal.
• Tuesday:  Nothing of significance to report.  My exercise yesterday (I am assuming) helped to stir up a health-related flare up that made me quite miserable, so I didn't get to do my upper body workout.  Not cool.
• Wednesday:  Very busy day at work (related to the big temporary project that started on Monday).  Also, a WINTER STORM WATCH was issued for Central NC for tomorrow night.  You know I had a hard time containing my excitement.  Also looking into Yin Yoga.  A blogger friend of mine is doing it, and I think it fits right it with my "personal well being" goal that I have.
• Thursday:  WE HAD SNOW!  It was only a dusting, but that didn't matter to me, or to our two daughters.  They were outside with their winter coats at 9:00PM as the snow fell (and didn't stick) because they "wanted to experience the snow."  They are definitely girls after my own heart.  Aside from that, I spent the day home from work because of the health-related flare up that occurred on Tuesday.  Not cool.
• Friday:  Nothing really of significance.  Just a regular old day.
• Saturday:  We were going to take a friend out for dinner for his birthday, but he was under the weather so we rescheduled.  John and I still went out.  It was lovely, and I really enjoyed spending time with him (outside of our home where electronics are a huge distraction!).  We spent a lot of money, but were really not happy with the food.  The restaurant was lovely, and we'd go there again for cocktails and appetizers, but not again for a meal.  
• Sunday:  This was an uber productive day for me.  John went with his friend to watch football, and the girls were at their mother's, so I had the whole house to myself.  I got a lot done and am proud of that.  (Although a part of me was disappointed that I didn't get *everything* done.  I think I schedule too many things for myself sometimes.)

So that's basically it for my week.  I hope you guys had a good week, and have a good week to come.  I'll see you again in a couple of days.

After-Holiday Blues

Does this happen to anyone else?  Do you get the after-holiday-blues?

This is the time of year when the blues usually set in for me.  Thanksgiving is over, Christmas is over, and New Years is over.  Our family Second Christmas, when my entire family gets together to celebrate Christmas, is usually held at or around the Epiphany.  And that's what truly marks the end of the holiday season for me.  Now that's over, too.

I love the holiday season SO MUCH.  It just holds so many good memories for me.  Aside from the pumpkin pie and twinkly lights and colorful packages under the tree, it's a time for family, and being grateful for them, and everything I have.  It's a time for baking, and decorating, and planning that only comes once a year.

And when it's all over, I get sad.

This is usually when I start to wish for snow.  I need something to look forward to, something to hold on to.  But that usually ends up being a disappointment.  Central North Carolina is not especially known for its snowy winters.  But I'm trying to change that by PRAYING REALLY HARD.  :)

The thing is, seasons are supposed to be...seasonal.  The holiday season wouldn't be so special and memorable if it happened all year long.  So while I'm sad to see it go, I know that another one is just around the corner.  (Somehow the older I get, the faster time flies!)  And I'm looking forward to the end of September -- when the Halloween decorations start to appear in the stores.  Then I'll know that Thanksgiving and Christmas aren't too far behind.  And the cycle will begin again.

I Always Knew There'd Be Days Like This

tamaki

This has been the most awesome day E.V.E.R.

The girls were here this weekend, and we made plans to decorate for Christmas.  First, let me say that I LOVE this time of year.  Christmas is my favorite holiday (with Thanksgiving coming in a very close second) and I turn into an eight-year-old just after Halloween.  I start playing Christmas tunes way too early, and am always disappointed that I am the only one in my circle of friends and family who wants to celebrate Christmas in July.

Much to my delight, the weather forecast had been calling for a dusting of snow today.  You would think that in my twenty-five-plus years of living in the Southeast I would learn to take those forecasts with a grain of salt and not get my hopes up.  But every single time I get my hopes up.

Well, this forecast did not disappoint!  (Kudos to Greg Fishel!  You are my hero!)  The snow started falling late morning and did not stop until early evening.  I knew that the ground was too warm for the flakes to stick to the pavement, but the roofs and cars and trees and grass were soon covered in white.  It was beautiful!  When all was said and done, we got about an inch of it.  (Stop laughing, you Northerners and Mid-Westerners... I'll take what I can get!)

We got the tree and house decked to Christmas tunes, cookies baking, and a snowy background.  I don't think I could have asked for a more perfect day!