We have been struck hard by old man winter here! Last week we spent about four days in a blizzard. Comparable to last springs blizzard! I’ve determined we may need to get a bobcat if this new blizzard trend keeps up. It’s crazy. We’ve lived here for almost eleven years, with only 2 other blizzards in that time. The year of 2022 we’ve had 4 already. So I’m not sure what’s going on, but I don’t quite like it. It’s not fun shoveling out my suv to run errands! And then bad roads to top it off. I’m a serious chicken of winter driving. (Enjoy the random photos I’ve tossed in here from the past couple weeks!)

Shortly after the blizzard, our temps have absolutely plummeted. I brought the kids to their Sunday school Christmas program last night and my car said -19 on the way home! It’s getting even colder the next few days, so that’s fun. Today I ran for a grocery pickup and when I got back, my daughter said she felt a drip of water fall on her. We’ve had issues with our attic leaking condensation over the years and I was hoping whatever my husband did up there last year fixed it. But nope. Looks like our recessed lights are dripping. Not a lot. But enough that I’m at the point I’ll have to call a construction worker over here soon. Then I might as well have them fix all the other things that need fixing!

I’ve finally finished all the Christmas shopping for the children. Every year I decide I’ll be more prepared for the next year, but have yet to fulfill that. I made it a little easier going by the idea of something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. I also added in a something to eat and am getting them a gift bag of their favorite snacks. I’m really excited for them to open their gifts!

I’ve been making Christmas cookies and saving a dozen of each for Christmas Eve and day, but everyone’s been sneaking them from the freezer. They’re all gone! I told them that was it. Tomorrow I’m going to start making some prune tarts and that’s going to be the treat for Christmas! But honestly, those are the best Christmas treats of all. I can’t believe I didn’t like them growing up. My grandma always made them during the Christmas season and I’d eat them, taking out the prune.

I’ve spent any free time in the evenings for the past week and a half reading books. My baby is teething and she’s ranking right up there as one of the most difficult teethers! Basically I’ve spent every evening alternating in the room trying to get her to sleep and reading. The books I’ve read have been amazing though. I wish my favorite authors would write as fast as I can read their books 😂. The books I read over the last couple weeks and I can recommend to you are:

1. The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh.

2. The Retreat by Sarah Pearse.

3. Something Blue by Emily Giffin.

4. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave.

5. Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger.

They were all absolutely fabulous books! Tonight I started reading Every Summer After by Carley Fortuna. I’ll update what I think of it, but so far so good!

If you’ve heard of the term stress eating, welcome to my world of anxiety reading. Haha. Best escape there is. Put them together and you’re floating on cloud nine.

Actually I was just thinking about my advise I gave one of my sisters last week. She’d called me about her job circumstances and I told her: “Close your eyes, clear your head, and imagine your ideal job. What are you doing?” I decided to try that for fun just on overall life, not job circumstances as I don’t work. I imagined what I’d like to be doing right now at this present time in life. And it was reading. 😂

Anyway, that’s my little update for now. I gotta get back to my book. 🙂 Hope you all had a happy Monday!