Happy December! It seems like every year, a handful of viral posts start circulating about how Christmas just doesn’t feel magical anymore, how the season doesn’t sparkle the way it did when we were kids. People talk about how the lights look dimmer, the excitement feels quieter, and the world seems a little heavier than it used to be. It’s a familiar sentiment, almost a shared nostalgia, as if adulthood slowly dulls the edges of the holidays we once adored.
I believe this feeling reflects how life changes as we age. Childhood was filled with effortless wonder, but as adults, we juggle more demands. The magic of the season doesn’t disappear; it moves, challenging us to discover it in new places and traditions.
Where am I going with this? Honestly, nowhere in particular. It was just a small thought that floated through my mind this morning as I doom-scrolled through social media. You know those moments – half awake, coffee not even brewed yet, and suddenly you’re reflecting on something you didn’t expect to think about at all. It wasn’t anything profound, just an observation that stuck with me long enough to write it down.
Thanksgiving was such a long weekend, and honestly, it felt wonderful to have three full days where I could actually sleep in. For a few mornings, I managed nine to ten hours of sleep, which felt nice. Last night was rough, though. I only got about four and a half hours, so after Tommy and Kel left for work this morning, I ended up going back to sleep for a bit. Definitely not my usual amount of rest, but I’m feeling a little better now.
Thanksgiving itself went well. Everyone came over, and Kel and I handled all the sides while Tommy took charge of the turkey. Toward the end, I did start to feel overwhelmed – suddenly I had both the mac n’ cheese and the stuffing going at once, and I kept worrying everything wouldn’t be ready in time. But we pulled it off. I had already made all the pies on Wednesday, which was a marathon of a day. The last pie didn’t come out of the oven until 11 p.m. On Thanksgiving morning, I jumped right back into the kitchen and made another batch of rolls. Most of the pies are completely gone now, just a tiny bit of apple pie left, and I’m pretty sure one of the girls will finish that today. Tommy doesn’t want me to make another apple pie, so now I’m staring at these Granny Smith apples trying to figure out how to use them up.
I’m thinking about making pumpkin bread later since I still have a few bags of pumpkin purée to use. We’ll see if I have the energy.
Friday was a nice, slow day. I slept in again, and Tommy and I spent the morning watching YouTube before starting our errands. We went to Harbor Freight to pick up more sandpaper for the desk project, came home, worked on the desk for a bit, and then hopped on our computers.
Saturday had a similar rhythm. I slept in, Tommy and I got ready, and we went out to pay for propane. Then we drove into the city to go to Home Depot. We browsed through the Christmas decorations, always fun, and picked up more stain for the desk. When we got home, we alternated between working at the desk and relaxing on the computer.
Sunday was our football day. After the games, I ran to the store to get lunch supplies for Tommy and Kel for the workweek. When I got back, I cooked and prepped all their lunches, did a small load of laundry with Tommy’s hockey unders, and then finally sat down for dinner. Tommy cooked the second turkey we had brined on Saturday night, and Kel made mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes to go with it. After dinner, Tommy and I headed out to his hockey game. The rink pushed the schedule back by fifteen minutes, so the late game didn’t even start until 8:45. I wasn’t thrilled about being out that late, and we didn’t get home until almost 11. But it is what it is.
And then on top of all that, Alex got pulled over last night on his way home from work because the light above his license plate was out. So today he’s dealing with getting that fixed. Never a dull moment around here.
Just got back from the store, and I think I’m finally settled for the rest of the afternoon. Tommy found a recipe for dinner tonight, a turkey noodle casserole, and it looks really good. I picked up the ingredients while I was out, but luckily, we already had the cheese and heavy cream, so that saved me a little time (and money).
I haven’t done much studying today, and it’s been lingering in the back of my mind. I think I’m going to sit down and focus on that for a bit before I head into the kitchen again. After that, I want to make some pumpkin bread.
Oh, I found a recipe to use up those Granny Smith apples, an Apple Cinnamon Bread. It sounds really comforting and perfect for this time of year. I got it from The Pioneer Woman website, of course. I know, I know… not exactly a surprise at this point. I always seem to end up back on her site.
I almost forgot to mention – it snowed early this morning. It was just a light dusting, nothing major, and it’s already melted away, but it was still such a pretty surprise to wake up to. A tiny hint of winter is settling in.
Anyway, I just finished getting two loaves of pumpkin bread into the oven. The house smells warm and cozy, and I’m glad I decided to bake. While I was mixing everything together, I suddenly realized I hadn’t eaten anything all day. It hit me how stressed I feel without really knowing why. When I’m stressed, I tend to just… not eat. It’s strange because some people stress eat, but I’m the opposite; I lose my appetite completely.
I keep telling myself I should eat something, even something small, but my body is like, “No thanks.” Still, I know I need to put something in my stomach. Maybe I’ll make some toast, just something light to get a little food in me until I feel more settled.
I have a handful of photos from last week and the weekend that I’ve been meaning to share. I’ll post this first, and then I’m going to shift back into real-life mode, putting away the never-ending pile of clothes and getting dinner started.
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