Happy New year

Happy New Year!

I said to myself, "Phew I made it through another Holiday season." This is something I have said to myself for a number of years now but this year it made me stop as these words flew out of my mouth. Made it through... what a obstacle course.. a battle.. bad times. Yikes I don't want to make it through anything... okay maybe hard times.... but not life, not time with family. Making it through sounds like I had to walk through the mire, muck, bullets flying through the air. Okay that might be a little dramatic but you know what I mean.  I want to enjoy every day, enjoy what the season means, what it means to me. I want to be inspired, to be filled with love and wonderment.

The season for me begins with Halloween and last until 3 Kings day (January 6th). I know that is kind of long but 3 months never seems to be long enough. I barely get out any decorations, running last minute to the stores for either candy or presents. Never mind the cooking and cleaning. And the traffic ick! Now that is a battle LOL. But really I get so busy doing that I don't stop to actually enjoy what each Holiday means to me.

Let's take Halloween.. It's all about trickery, fun, pranks and getting a little scared. How I love going to haunted houses. I haven't been to one in years. Now for those who know me, know I don't like horror movies but for the month of October I make an exception. I'll admit, I rather see the scary Halloween movies like Hocus Pocus or Halloween High to the Walking dead movies. But you gotta admit they are kinda of fun to watch sometimes, but only in October. For me I just love decorating for this season. Creating the grave yard in my front yard. The haunted mansion look inside. That part is the best for me. There has been a number of props I have been wanting to make, the man caught in the spider web, a table made form leg bones and more tombstones. That is also what makes Halloween fun, the creation of these props.

Thanksgiving is all about the leaves, crispness in the morning air, hot apple cider. For years I've been wanting to  drive further north to see the wonderful changing of the leaves.  That is still on my list of to do's. One of the best things I love is driving through a leaf covered road and looking at my rear mirror and watching the leaves swirling in the air. Baking yeah that is also fun to do during the month of November. Apple pies, Pumpkin pies. My very first pumpkin pie I ever made at least that I can remember was with my father. We made the whole thing from scratch. From cooking the pumpkin to making the crust. It was the best damn pumpkin pie I ever had. And dad if you are reading this and if my memory is wrong don't correct me. I love this memory as is. A matter of fact if I'm wrong just tell me I'm right cause I really love this memory LOL.

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas. The smell of pine, fireplaces, twinkling lights, the first Christmas song and the first snow flake. hmmm this is making me feel like a repeat please. I love the first night, after decorating the tree, to sit in the dark with only the tree lights on. It is so magical. Listening to carolers singing. I had the experience of having Caroler come to the door once. It was at the house of a dog I was taking care of. The dog went nuts and then I heard the music coming from the outside. When I opened the door to see all these people burst into song made my heart skip a beat. Wish I had cookies to give them. Decorating for this holiday is also fun. I think is all that pine smell that I love best like being outdoors without freezing. The thing on my list for Christmas is cutting down my own tree. I'll have to look into this.

Looking over this, these things look doable. The one thing that comes to mind is pause. Pausing to smell, pausing to look, pausing to enjoy, pausing to breathe it all in. The other thing that comes to mind is setting aside time...hmm other way to say pausing... but this time to make as in props, baking, and to have quite time and setting time aside to reflect. To do this next year I will have to plan not planning as in doing but planning as is what will make it memorable for me. So I pulled out my agenda and on the month of September I wrote down. Holidays are coming What can I do each month to make it tremendous, fun and joyous.

So tell me did you make it through the holidays this year or were they tremendous, fun and joyous?

Lots of love and thanks for stopping by

XOXOXO

Esther

PS I always wanted to draw in my agenda. Pretty cool