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Easing Back Into Real Life

This past week was our first full week back after vacation. I kind of feel like we were cheated by Mother Nature a bit, though…while we were in California, the weather at home was gorgeous (sunny, warm) and the weather in California was cold and rainy (luckily there were some sunny days mixed in, but it was still kind of chilly). Then, when we got home, the weather took a turn (we even had a couple of nights where the low dipped below freezing) while the weather in California changed back to warm and sunny. Dangit! 😉 As far as what we did this week, it was kind of a recovery week. I got the kids back into their school routine, Paul jumped back into work with both feet, I got back into my working out and walking routine, and we worked together to get Christmas tucked away (and I also added a couple of small new household items). Here’s to a brand new year!

I love my holiday decorations (fall, Halloween, and Christmas), but I equally love my “rest of the year” decor.
Santa put this in my stocking this year and I’ve been playing it in the car quite a bit. Abigail thinks it’s great music for dancing…Joseph thinks it’s…”Mom’s music” (I think the jury is still out on whether or not he will admit to liking it or not, haha).
When I tucked away my Christmas lantern, the space felt so…empty. I scooted over to Hobby Lobby and took advantage of the fact that all of their tabletop decor was half-off to get this little decorative lantern. It doesn’t light up, but I love its look! It fits into my farmhouse style perfectly.
I also did a mini revamp to this area. I bought the birdhouse and I also relocated some of Abigail’s books so that I could move some of my favorites down from the big shelves.
It’s always fun to see all of my “circles” completed. That’s how I know I’ve gotten decent movement during the day. 🙂
I was getting home from my walk and noticed this butterfly just chilling on one of my snapdragons. I didn’t want to startle it, so I kept my distance and zoomed waaaaaay in to get a close-up. 🙂
This is what the weather was like the day after I took that pretty butterfly picture, haha.
It was literally a thirty degree difference between the two days…I took this picture at noon! It didn’t get much warmer.
Last night, I even pulled out the big, heavy blanket I got while I was on a cruise down to Mexico with my college choir. This trip was the spring before Paul and I got married, so this blanket is now twenty years old. When Paul found out we’d be going on-shore in Ensenada, he told me I should make sure and grab one of these blankets. Best. decision. ever. I’m glad I remembered to take his advice (I even left a bit of room in my luggage in anticipation of getting one, haha).
[1]
The first fresh rolls of the new year…I made them different sizes to better suit differently-sized tummies for…
[2]
…meatball sandwiches!!