Tag Archives: Christmas

Annual Reflections: Hope

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As we come to the end of 2020, as with any year, it’s important to look back, embrace the year for what it was, learn from it, and look ahead into the future. Usually, by this point in the year, I already have some idea of direction, plans, goals for the coming year. But this year, I got nothing. Which, if you know me, is really uncharacteristic of me. So, I want to use this time to delve into how this year has impacted me, what I’ve learned, and any glimmer into the year to come.

Merry Christmas, everyone! As this is the last of this series, I wanted to end in hope. No matter how we have grieved, how we have grown, or how lonely we have felt, there is always a hope for a redemptive tomorrow.

I think about the days leading up to the birth of Christ, the 400 years where God was silent to the Jewish people. So many people grieving loss, feeling lonely, growing as best they could under oppressive regimes. All hope seemed loss

And then, in a small manger, in a tiny town of Bethlehem, a little baby was born to a newly-wedded, poor teenage girl and her husband. A bright star paved the way out of the darkness into the light of God’s love.

However you are celebrating this year, I pray that you are surrounded by love and joy and a peace that surpasses all understanding. May God continue to walk with you through the end of this year and into the next one!

Gift Ideas for Christmas

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Christmas is coming. I mean, some people have had their decorations out all month. And I know that gift lists are already being shared. If you are looking to add to your list or are looking for a gift idea for someone else, I may be able to help. I have read a lot of books this year (and some in years past) that I think are very noteworthy and would make great gifts

For the kid selections, I will preface this with the fact that these books are based on my own experience of having a toddler. Here are some of our favorites this year.

I try to buy a new Christmas book every year, and this year my favorite children’s book author released one in September called All The Colors of Christmas! In a nutshell, it’s a beautifully illustrated, beautifully written book full of nostalgia and the real meanings of the Christmas season listed by color.

The Truly Devious series by Maureen Johnson is a double murder mystery set in an elite boarding school. Each of the three books in the series reveals a little more of the clues of each mystery, one set in the 1930s and one present day. The character growth and inclusion in this series is stellar. I wrote about the first one here.

Neal Shusterman’s The Arc of the Scythe series is a bit more science fiction. It faces the ideas of death, mortality, love, and humanity in a three book series. It also strives to be inclusive as well. While the ending wasn’t what I expected, it was still a fun ride. The first book’s review is here.

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton, which is more of a straight historical fiction based on a hurricane that Florida in 1935. It follows three different women as they are searching for different things within their lives, defining what freedom really is in a post-WW1 America.

For a literature friend, or someone who loves Jane Austen books, The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner is an absolute delight. There is the trigger warning of pregnancy loss, but I felt that it was appropriate and well done. I wrote more about it here.

The last three are my favorite authors, so any from them I would recommend, but here are a few ideas.

Deborah Harkness who wrote the All Souls Trilogy. She is a professor and historian which comes across in her books in a beautiful way. I first read Discovery of Witches back in 2014 and wrote this review.

VE Schwab, or Victoria Schwab, is also an amazing author who writes YA, Adult, and Middle Grade. There are so many I could recommend. Most of her books are in paranormal or fantasy genres. Her middle grade series starts with the City of Ghosts which is excellent, and the next (and I think final) book in the series is coming out soon, so it would be a fun series to read straight through!

Erin Morgenstern hasn’t written as many books, but the ones that she has are amazing, lyrical fantasies. I would recommend Night Circus first, though her books are not connected. I just felt like the Night Circus was a little easier to follow for someone who hasn’t read her before.

This year there have been a lot of books about race and racial justice, and a lot of suggestions in this category from years past. I haven’t read nearly as many as I would have like, but if you have someone in your life who is reading these topics, I would recommend How to Be Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi. It follows his own journey in social justice, people who inspired him and mistakes he made.

Another book in this category that leans more towards history, particularly within the church is The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby. I learned a lot about the evolution of the church in America, both white and black.

And finally, Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski has to have been my all time favorite book this year. It changed the way I saw stress and how I was contributing and sabotaging my own life. Game. Changer.

There are so many books that I loved this year, that it was hard to suggest just a few books. What are some books you have enjoyed this year?

Holidate: A Review

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Holidate directed by John Whitesell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is Christmas Rom-Com time! This is the first, but certainly not the last, new Christmas film on Netflix (more have already been added to the list). And in a nutshell, it is one of those very self-aware movies.

Emma Roberts plays Sloane, a work from home admin of some sort who is unlucky in love. Her last boyfriend left her for a barista, and she is the last single in her family. She meets Jackson (played by Luke Bracey), an Australian golf pro who seemingly works at a golf course, maybe? They decide to be each other’s Holidate, a person who accompanies one to various holiday parties and get-togethers.

The premise was a little fantastical for a year like 2020, as the big end of year holidays are approaching. It was weird to see big parties and family events without the social distancing and masks. However, that will be a common theme in most of the Christmas movies this year.

The movie was very self-aware, making jokes about tropes in romantic comedies and relationships. But then they go ahead and do the tropes they complained about, to perhaps show the walls coming down for Sloane. There were some very hilarious moments, and some very cringe moments, but overall, a great start to what will hopefully be a season of sappy love stories filled with plot holes and silly tropes that resolve too neatly within the 2 hour time line until the last second of 2020 is over.

There is a lot of profanity in this film. It even becomes a joke towards the end. There is some grinding and “sexy” dancing at one point, and there is one sex scene but not incredibly steamy. Violence includes a lot of slapstick, like losing a finger while shooting off fireworks. It’s lighthearted and silly for the most part.

All The Colors of Christmas: A Review

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All The Colors of Christmas by Matthew Paul Turner
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Since this year has been absolutely crazy, I think reviewing a Christmas book for children in September sounds not only normal, but very much needed. Matthew Paul Turner has again created a beautiful story about all the good things this holiday season brings, giving us something nostalgic and precious to look forward to as we enter into the Fall season.

The book starts with the traditional colors of red and green as they bring up memories of sled rides and decorations of garland. Then, he moves to white and gold, as in the snowfall or star toppers on Christmas trees. He rounds out the colors with brown, like the reindeer (and the skin of baby Jesus) and with the color of You, impressing that we are a vital part to the season, adding our personalities and laughter to the holiday as vibrant as the colors all around us.

It’s a cozy book. It’s a book about beauty. And the pictures are gorgeous. The illustrator is Gillian Gamble who did the last book called, When God Made the World.

Overall, the book is sweet. I read it to my kiddo the day we got it, and he asked for me to read it again immediately, which makes it a winner in our house. We will definitely open it again closer to Christmas. It will also be a nice reinforcement of colors for our toddler which is another plus. This would be a great book to give at Christmas time, especially for new parents of little ones.

The rhyming sequence is different, which threw me off a bit when I first read it outloud. Generally, this author has written in couplets, but this time it was aabba stanzas. It changed the pacing of the book. This was just an observation, not a critique, because the writing still brings you to a beautiful place, even if the pace is slightly different.

I recommend any of this author’s books. Each one is a gorgeous journey of hope and beauty and inclusion into God’s story. This particular one would make a great Christmas gift to anyone, but especially the parents of little ones.

Anticipating December

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The final month of the year.  I know I said this last month, but what a year this has been.  Filled with anxiety, hope, celebration, mourning, remembering, and joy.  Before I get into the final anticipation of this month (and a small announcement), let’s look back at November.

I am still reading the book I started in November.  And I didn’t get much writing done either.  But I did get some done, and that’s really what I wanted to accomplish.  I wanted to flex my creative muscle and see if I could carve out some time to do that.  That, plus the big home projects this month in the library and family room took up a lot of my free time.

And I did finally get a lot of donations out of the house.  I went through my Christmas stuff, got rid of a few smaller trees and purchased one big tree for the family room.  I also consolidated other holiday decor and moved where I store them to the garage.  I’m still in this process, but over half of it is done and it feels great to free up some space in some closets.

Thanksgiving was great.  My mother-in-law came to visit.  We ate good food and had fun family time.  Anniversaries surrounding the holiday were a little rough, but I gave myself grace and space and remembered and appreciated the moments of family and faith.  God is good.  I’m so grateful.

Sam is 7 months old.  He’s officially mobile, army crawling pretty much wherever he wants.  He still does so well playing on his own but loves to laugh and cut up with both me and his dad.  Teething has been an adventure, but I think one has finally come through.  As my husband says all the time, “He’s such a grown-up baby.”

Now to December.

anticipation
  • Christmas.  There is so much I’m looking forward to this holiday.  It’s the first with Sam, and though he won’t remember this particular Christmas compared to the ones in the future, this one will have a special place in my heart.  I’ve been waiting five years to share this holiday with one of my children.  Of course, there will probably be some bittersweet moments as well as I remember our daughters, but overall, I suspect (and anticipate) a joyous time with friends and family.
  • Reflecting and Looking Ahead.  December is a time for me to look back over the year and start making plans into the new year (although let’s face it, I really probably start this process in November or October).  This is the month I really try to take time out to brainstorm and meditate on all the gifts that God has given this year, all the lessons I’ve learned, and how I can learn and grow in 2019.  I really want to hone the things I want to do in the new year, so I’m going to take the time this month to do just that.
  • A Bloggy Break.  And really because of the two above anticipations, I feel that I need to take a little break from blogging for the rest of the year.  I have never taken a break in December, and it almost seems counter-intuitive because there is SO much to blog about with the holidays and everything.  But I’m going to take the time I usually devote to blogging and spend it looking ahead.  Plus, we are going to be so busy this month with parties and family and all the holiday goodies to come.  I will be active on Instagram so you can follow me there if you wish (Katyslifestory)

Since this is my last blog of the year, I want to wish everyone a Happy December, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.  I hope you are able to spend time with people you love this month and make wonderful memories.  I hope you look into the new year with anticipation.  And I will talk to you again in 2019!

What The Holidays Are Like

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The Christmas season (which starts with Thanksgiving in my opinion) is probably my favorite time of the year.  There are bright colors, happy songs, and presents.  And my love language is Gifts, so any holiday season that includes giving and receiving of gifts is top notch.

But this is also a time of year that is hard for a lot of people.  Maybe it’s someone who has passed away this year.  Maybe it’s a job that was lost or financial struggles.  Maybe it was a relationship that was broken.

I’ve been reflecting on how this Thanksgiving has been for me and I wanted to share with you a little window into what I’ve learned about grief this year.

I learned that grief manifests in different ways.  In the moment, I didn’t even identify it as grief, but it was.  Everything was heightened.  There were moments I felt depressed and anxious.  I felt guilty when I wanted to be alone when I felt overwhelmed or when I wasn’t very social.  I got to see a lot of my family that I don’t get to see very much, but a lot of the time, I didn’t know what to say or how to start a conversation.  I’m so thankful for my family who has been praying and is so understanding.  Despite myself, we had such great visits with everyone.

My feelings were raw and exposed. There were moments of anger.  In fact, Michael and I had a very lively disagreement (ok, a fight) towards the end of the week that we worked through with grace and a whole lot of listening to each other (of course, this was days after the fight happened, but it was a process).  We definitely grew as people and closer to each other.  It was uncomfortable and hard, but I’m very blessed to have a man who is willing to work through the hard and uncomfortable.

I also learned that grief triggers in different ways.  I learned that young infants crying are a serious trigger for me during these heightened days of grief.  Somewhere along the line, Michael learned that too.  One day this month, we were somewhere and a baby started crying.  Michael was across the room, but he stopped what he was doing and looked at me (we were doing different things at the time).  I nodded to him, and we left shortly after.  Someday, I hope that this won’t be as triggering as I really do love babies, but for now, it is.  So we are just aware of our limitations.

Last year, we were just grieving the first anniversary of my first daughter’s stillbirth, and the days leading up to it were harder than the actual day, itself.  This year, the anniversaries were harder.  Wednesday morning, the day before Thanksgiving was my second daughter’s due date.  When I woke up that morning, that was the first thought that entered my head.  I felt it.  I cried in the shower that morning.  That Saturday was the second stillbirth day of my first daughter.  I cried that day, too, which surprised me.  I wasn’t as ready for that as I thought I would be.

I learned that it’s okay to have conflicting feelings at the same time, which I talked about in the video I posted the Friday after Thanksgiving.

I had moments of happiness as we built memories together just as much as I was sad that my daughters weren’t there physically with me in those memories.

The biggest lesson I took away from this experience is that I’m not alone.  I have amazing people willing to walk through the hard stuff with me and extend grace and space when I need it.  Even when I fear the wind and the waves, God is still right there with me.  I can be in my grief and still say I am blessed.

Best Holiday Dog Infographics

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Christmas is almost here!  Like the day after tomorrow!  The season is real, ya’ll.

I’ve been really getting back into Pinterest, especially when I found whole boards dedicated to adorable puppy pictures.  I might have a problem.  However, there are also some really helpful infographics on Pinterest that I thought I would share in honor of the holiday season.

The first one is from the Animal Friends in the UK which sells pet insurance.

12 Days of Xmas INFOGRAPHIC

Not a lot of people think about the dangers of ornaments around the dogs, but this infographic mentions several types of Christmas decor that can be really harmful to your pet if ingested.  I especially love the ideas to make a dog more at ease when you are hosting.  Dogs stress easily to major changes in their routine, especially the older they get.

The next infographic is from a company called Kurgo which specializes in safe pet travel, so the infographic makes sense.

infographic-poster-holidaytravel-web-960x2537.jpg

This is so important.  When we travel with our dogs, we use their crates for long car rides.  This isn’t because they are distracting, but so that they will have more protection if we were to get into an accident.  Please consider using a travel crate if you are going to take your dog on a long trip!

And finally, this one isn’t holiday specific, but it’s good info to have on hand when our pups start begging at the table.  It’s from Here Pup, and if you follow the link, they have more info on some of these foods.

Can Dogs Eat Bananas

Of course, it’s always better to keep some handy dog treats or food puzzles available for when the family sits down at the table.  Dogs need manners just like the rest of us!  (Although I completely understand not being able to resist those puppy eyes!)

Do you have any tips or tricks for the holidays and our four legged friends?

Do you have a Pinterest?  Do you love infographics too?