Whew, these past few weeks here on Country Wife Chronicles have been a bit heavy, haven’t they?
First, there was grappling with my recent endometriosis diagnosis. Then, last week was Infertility Awareness Week, so I decided to put my brave face on and open up about Wildland Man and I’s struggle to have a baby.
This week, it is time for a change of pace.
We are quickly winding down our blogiversary series here at CWC. The month of March will kickoff a whole new series for y’all, but I’ll be getting to that a little later on.
I’ve been having so much fun with this series; I hope y’all are enjoying it as much as I am! I have thoroughly appreciated taking a look back at the history behind CWC, the story of our launch, and sharing some lessons learned over the past year, as well as a few of my favorite blogs to boot.
I still can’t believe it’s been one year. The time has gone by so fast. I feel like we’ve covered much ground over the past year, yet I feel like I have even more to share!
It is Christmas morning as this post publishes. I’m certain you are probably reading this after-the-fact. And I totally get it. In fact, I expect it.
What does your Christmas morning typically look like? The kids busting out of bed with excitement way earlier than you expected? A messy post-Christmas morning breakfast kitchen? A plethora of wrapping paper on the living room floor? Recipes to prepare for a family Christmas celebration?
So much for a quiet Christmas morning.
Are there any other fans of the Hallmark Channel during this time of the year? I’m not even joking, I could watch the holiday movie extravaganza that is the Hallmark Channel all day long.
It’s actually a good thing we don’t even get the Hallmark Channel because I would not be very productive. Like at all. Instead, I make myself earn a movie break during the holidays and watch online about once a week. I may have a problem, y’all.
I know that not everyone shares my affinity for all things Christmas during this time of the year.
Can you believe there are people that get sick and tired of Christmas music? I can’t even fathom. Though, I’ve been told this is because I’ve never worked in retail.
In the quiet mornings of the Christmas season I often find myself sitting with a hot cup of coffee by the light of our Christmas tree watching the flames of a fireplace flicker.
Ok, full disclosure…so while the picture I’m painting you with my words is all truth, I feel the need to share with you that, said fireplace is actually a DVD. But, if you put a little space heater in front of the T.V. you can fool anyone. 😉
Regardless, the point I’m trying to make is that, for me, Christmas often brings with it a time for introspection. The year is drawing nearer to its end, the stirrings of my faith are awakened with the meaning of Christmas, and the quiet solitude amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays allows me a few moments of reflection.
I’m a terrible multi-tasker. I used to think of myself as skilled in this area. I no longer consider multi-tasking a strength of mine. I’ve even justified my poor abilities with the idea that multi-tasking is over-rated anyway.
Honestly though, when I get emotionally overwhelmed or just have way too many things on my plate at the moment I tend to get one-track minded. Even hyper-focused. So much so that all other things fall by the wayside. Even the basics like eating and drinking water.
Am I crazy?
Well, probably a little. This is who I am. Who I sometimes struggle with.
So, last week I sort of left you hanging. Sorry about that.
But to be honest, I wasn’t sure how well you’d take this third and final installment of “The Country Wife Recommends…Holiday Baking Essentials” post series.
As you can see by the title, we are revisiting my very favorite ingredients from last week and attempting to healthify them. And usually, for most of us, the holidays aren’t so much about healthifiying. It’s about giving yourself a break and enjoying the holiday season and those goodies that come with it.
However, if you’ve been following along with me here at Country Wife Chronicles very long then you also know that I’m on a bit of a real food for real life journey.
And while I will be baking with the ingredients I shared with you last week, I will also be doing some baking with the ingredients I’m sharing with you this week. It’s about moderation and substitutions where possible. It’s about keeping it simple while choosing health.
The older I get the more I think I may be transitioning into becoming a minimalist. I feel like I’ve always had a love for simplicity and stillness, but today, in my mid-thirties, I feel like I am truly living it. Simplicity with intentionality.
There is a balance that comes when you are able to slow down and simplify your life. There is a freeing sense of contentment and joy that lies in just being still and knowing that God will take care of everything. I have experienced this joy. And, so I am sharing these tips with you today in hopes that you may experience that same joy in your life as well.
I know, I know, most of you are so busy right now, what with a new school year underway and all. The last thing you are thinking about is simplification of your life. Slowing down? That’s what summer was for.
But I have to disagree. If you are seeking a simpler way of living, a more relaxing way of life, then that is something you want year-round. And there is no better time to start that lifestyle shift than the present.
But, I get it. A major lifestyle shift is big. Profound even. And it won’t happen in a day, but starting with something small…that can happen today.
Woot! Woot! If you started with the Wife on Fire Challenge two weeks ago, you have officially made it to the halfway point!
If you are just reading this post and you’re new to Country Wife Chronicles or you have just missed a few weeks of updates, please check out the first two posts of this series here:
In Week 1, I took some time to explain this idea that I hatched about bonding together to be better wives and encouraging one another in the process. It’s all about choosing intentional marriage and making the effort.