Just so I don’t start the New Year with a backlog of things to post on, here is my December photo dump. Enjoy! Hope your holidays were merry! I will have a few new house photos/posts once all the holiday stuff comes down tomorrow. Also MEALS! I promise.
I am doomed to always feel a little blah on Christmas Day? Total burnout, extra fat, overwhelmed by STUFF! Does everyone feel this way, or am I a bah-humbug freak? Not that I didn’t have a lovely Christmas, because I did, I always do, but I still feel grossed out on Christmas.
Mr. Gaunt and I have been doing the usual gift bonanza, and then I insisted on a long rainy walk, I needed a little fresh air. My family is coming over for Prime Rib tonight and I am making Yorkshire pudding. I need to clean my house a little, so that is what I will be doing in the next few hours.
I have a horrible mindset that once Christmas is over that spring is on its way. This is not true, and especially not true in Washington. We are at the tippy tip start of winter. It will be June before the sun shines again, and I can be outside. The end of Christmas is the beginning of the fight against winter depression. Bring on the exercise and fresh juice, I gotta make this body healthy to beat the blues.
I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays the best they can. And to my slightly blue, December overloaded, trying to stay in the spirit folks…strength be with you. There will be sunshine again. The holidays are over, and Valentines day is awesome.
xoxo
Morgan
All our cards have been sent out, so I can now share our 2012 Christmas card…
Cute right? There were a lot of fun out takes too, two of which we used on the actual card…
What can I say, sometimes when you insist on having your cat in your photo you have to take a million shots. And in case you wondered we set our camera up on a ladder in front of our house, because A. We don’t own a tripod, and B. Its a little digital camera that wont screw onto a big tripod. The ladder worked fine. See 2011 Card here, and 2010 card here.
In other fun Christmas news, Mr. Gaunt played Santa at my work. Kids came and decorated cookies with me (Mrs. Claus) and then they took photos with Santa and he read them The Night Before Christmas. First off, let me say that I was super nervous for him. I mean what if the kids didn’t believe it was him, what if the parents thought he looked too young? Could he Ho Ho Ho properly? Mr. Gaunt was less nervous than me, he really just isn’t one to stress over stuff like that. So we watched some YouTube videos on How To Be A Good Santa, practiced the Ho Ho Ho, which is more of a laugh than the actual words, and studied up on some Santa facts. Know all the reindeer by heart!
The day of, we went to my work, put on the costumes, put on lots of makeup (even Santa got rosy cheeks and a little lipstick for jolly-ness) and waited for the kids. In the end, it was the cutest thing I have ever witnessed. Mr. Gaunt is such a kind and funny personality. He got down to their level, looked them in the eyes, asked them questions about Christmas, and their families, and kitties, and snow. He let them sit next to him, or on his lap. He thanked them for cookies, and told him which kind were his favorite for Christmas eve night (chocolate chip).
I nearly burst into tears watching him be so sweet to these children. I honestly could not have married a better man, and holy shit he will be the worlds greatest dad…period. No one will compare. I love him so! (sorry to gush!) (see all photos here, note that half way through that album it becomes a different Santa, not Mr. Gaunt)
In an honest moment, I will say that the photos of myself made me feel extra fat. Maybe it was the red, or the stripes, or the fat, who knows? Its both nice and sad to have a reminder to stop eating cookies and go work out. Maybe in the new year Ill get my ass back in shape? We really need to invest in our own Santa costume too, obviously.
Also all photos were taken by Jen Owen of Jen Martin Studios. She did our engagement photos back in the day, but is such a genius with kids! So precious! She also does birth photos if anyone is looking for someone.
Oh man! Seriously, I haven’t blogged in a month, I suck.
I blame it on my job, and the holidays, and blah blah blah, everything. Really I just don’t prioritize it. I mean I really do like blogging, but I also no longer feel like I NEED it. I use to feel like blogging helped me work through a lot of my emotions with missing my family, my weight loss, finances, everything that I struggled with on a regular basis. Moving back home has been really good for me. I feel older, and stronger and more secure in myself and my life. I don’t need to blog as often, because I’m just not working through as many things.
The last week or two I definitely felt like I needed to blog. I need a little therapy, and my blog had always been that for me.
I’m struggling with wanting to be vague, and wanting to word-vomit all over the place. I took a big self-esteem hit this last week. Something happened to me professionally, that I wont discuss, but it was hard. It engulfed me and made me dwell on all my mistakes, and all my flaws. It be made me second guess myself, my business, and made me lose trust and develop fears that I hadn’t had. It was a huge learning lesson, one that made me feel like my skin isn’t as thick as I had thought. But I’m coming through it, with help from Mr. Gaunt and my mom, I’m focusing on the positive things that happened this year, and letting this roll off as just a blemish on what was a great first year for my business. We are strong.
And we are weak. We are vulnerable, and not invincible. Not everyone is good, not everyone wants the best for us. This is what I dwell on at night. This is what I am still working through.
December is flying by, and the deadlines are piling up. We have a lot of plans, a lot of obligations, and a lot of larger projects that are hard to prioritize. I feel overwhelmed and worn out. I feel like my patience is thin, and I’m expecting more out of Mr. Gaunt than he is able to give. We both work hard, we both sleep too little, we both prioritize date nights over chores. We love each other dearly, and are so similar sometimes. I just need to give him some slack, and myself some slack, and focus on the fun of the upcoming holidays, and the excitement of a fresh new year.
There really are a number of awesome things coming up. I have almost all of my Christmas shopping done. I actually ordered a lot of gifts online, in time, yay me! I have some holiday parties coming up, and Mr. Gaunt is playing SANTA this weekend! Seriously, I’m so excited to see him all dressed up! I’m being the young hip Ms. Claus….yes there will be photos! So despite the challenges this year-end brings, I know that we will get through it, we will make memories and take pictures and thins will be great in the new year.
And I’ll give it a good honest effort to blog a little more regularly. Show off some of this holiday cheer we are trying so desperately to have.
I had to pop in and wish everyone Happy Holidays (we are PC over a here) and to show everyone our adorable Christmas card we sent this year. Mr. Gaunt drew it, and I edited it and put it together in Photoshop. Its pretty much precious!
I feel like this break has been REALLY good for me! I feel rejuvenated and ready to blog again. I have lots of new ideas, and the motivation to keep up with the same old goals. The new year is fast approaching, and Mr. Gaunt and I are getting a head start. For Christmas we bought each of us a 3 month membership to the gym. Today will be day 4 of going together. We are also both in major weight loss mode, both having gained like 20 pounds since the wedding…sheesh! But it’s cool, we have a wedding in the beginning of March (I’m the MOH) that we both need to be lookin’ fit and trim for! Despite the fact that I have to make Almond Roca and Thumbprint cookies tomorrow, I will not let it throw me off track. I AM WEIGHT LOSS WOMEN, HEAR ME ROAR!
So I hope everyone else is doing well. Regular blogging will return so very soon! Is everyone thinking of their New Years Resolutions? Do share! I need inspiration!
P.S.
I got my wedding pictures back (OMG it took 10 weeks!) and you will get the first look at them in January! Here’s a sneak peak…
My weight…lol!
No not really. Well, to be honest I’m giving myself a one week cleanse before stepping on the scale. That way I don’t just plunge into a deep dark weight depression. I definitely indulged a little…not too much by any means. I’m pretty ok with how the holidays went.
Today though after adding in my calorie intake I only have about 250 calories left for dinner. That my friends is a bummer. Oh well, it is what it is.
I did pay close attention to how “crappy foods” affected my body. My mouth felt sugar-coated and thirsty after a weekend of Almond Roca. My tummy felt swollen and achy after too much meat. All in all I am SOOOOO glad that these are now rare feelings, and better yet, that my body has NEGATIVE reactions to bad food…you know you have a problem when your body has no reaction to bad foods, when it’s just use to the crap you dump down your throat. Thank you body for knowing whats up. I promise to continue to respect you and feed you well.
So we have one week until RESOLUTION DAY! Ok New Years day.
I’m still thinking on my Resolutions. I have a few. Some health related, some mental, some relationship, some business. I’m going to do a fun project to help Mr. Gaunt and I focus on these goals. I’m looking forward to the New Year. It should be VERY exciting and interesting.
Mr. Gaunt and I have started organizing and doing a little mild packing. We put away all of our Summer clothes, things we knew we wouldnt need in the next 3 months. I’m slowly organizing and packing all of my craft supplies, because I have no plans to craft before we move. It’s a slow…somewhat paitnfull…process. We need to make a room by room plan so I don’t lose my head over it.
Well I’m off to have some tea! I leave you with a few Healthy Appetizer recipes in case you are going to any New Years parties!
CLICK ON PHOTO TO GO TO RECIPE:
Roasted Cauliflower and Curry Spread
Garlicky Spinach Balls
Cucumber, Pomegranate and Bacon Canape (recomend turkey bacon)
Caprese Salad
Cherry Tomatoes Filled With Creamy Pesto Cheese
Warm Artichoke and Bean Dip
The Family Chapters 