Taking own advice and being gentle

 Happy Holidays!  

December is such a busy month.  The holidays (lots of them to celebrate), school concerts, shopping, events both at work and home. Oh lets toss family into the mix.  Deep breath.

Looking back at this year we see hardly any posts. It was our worst year posting. That said we decided to take our advice and NOT beat ourselves up.  Life happens. Period. So we didn't post a lot this year. It is neither good or bad. It just is. There is nothing to apologize for or beat ourselves up over.

Taking our own advice of being gentle. It is okay to have off days. It is okay to not get everything done on the to do list. It is okay to, well, not post as much as we wanted. It is okay to let life happen. 

Our time and energy are not limitless. Acknowledge that. We don't want to take a limit resource, which is what time and energy are, and use it to rant about not being good bloggers. To take our energy and rant over something we no longer have control over. 

We would rather take that energy and yes time and enjoy the holiday season. To be gentle and let go of expectations not met. We're all human. Be gentle. Take a breath. Let it go. We start over and that is okay. So happy holidays. Enjoy the season. Let go of negativity and regrets. Waste of energy.  Remember we only have so much so spend your time and energy on things that bring you joy.

Happy Holidays

Enjoy the season

Take care.

Favoriate Holiday Blog Posts to Checkout

 There is so much on the web - for every holidays.  We thought we'd collect a few of our favorite posts for the holidays.  You will see familiar blogs as a few of us have out "go to".

Inspired by charm will hit a lot of your holiday needs and eye candy in one post. 175 Holiday ideas!!

Salted turtle candies mouth drooling already.

Over at A Beautifulmess they show us how to set up a hot chocolate bar.

If you have limited space this Christmas tree might be what you need.

One of my favorite cookies so I had to include soft chewy gingerbread cookie.

This is a lovely way to sit with a coffee or beverage of your choice - calm Christmas podcast

This is an older post. Had to include as trees so pretty.  Plus a DIY. Maybe a craft night?

But I smile anyway has recommendations on Christmas books to read. This is one. I can't be the only one that enjoys reading Christmas stories around the holidays.

Head over to the happy happy nester for some Christmas inspiration.

This is a taste. So much more on each site. I could do a Holiday post on just Inspired by Charm blog.

If you have any favorite please drop them in the comments. We would love to check them out.

How we are pulling the holidays together (sort of)

 Divide and conquer is part of how we are tackling this. November is here and calendars are filling up. Are you free XX? No? What about XX?  You know the drill. It has started.

We have a cookie exchange party planned. It is a way to get some yummies in our cabinet. Plus a get together before the rush. Some of us are not "bakers" but there are enough easy cookie recipes out there that it shouldn't be too stressful. 

Christmas stuff is in the shops NOW. We saw some out before Halloween. If you see if pick it up - don't think "oh too early" Grab it.  Start your stocking stuffers now when you are picking up Advil. Which you should have on hand for the upcoming holiday season.

Decide how much you want to decorate. Just a tree? Not a tree but a mantle. We don't have to impress other people. We get to decided what is enough. Put a wreath on your door and be done with it. Some people all out. A neighbor has five trees he puts up. Lovely but not for everyone. Don't let others tell you what is enough. You decide.  Less is more.

Have a budget and don't go over. Kids don't need everything on their list. Don't create a monster who has unreal expectations later in life. Maybe go out for a meal with friends each paying their own. You are enjoying each other company and that is what it is about. Create a holiday now that is NOT stress come January.

Start going through your holiday stash when you have a free evening now. Toss out what isn't working (or no longer you).  Jot down what you need. Cards? Pick up next time when out. Don't forget stamps before the rush.

If you exchange names and it is not already happened. Do it ASAP.  Try and get anything in the mail as early as possible. 

It is okay to say no if you feel overextended. We can't be in two places. Or say no if you need an evening at home to make magic happen. 

Holidays should be about family and friends. Not keeping up appearances, stressing out, getting in debt. Keep it simple.  

 Here is a list of what we are currently crushing on.  What about you.

Cocktail recipes by Inspired by Charm.  Never to early to get a favorite cocktail for the season.

Stuff mushrooms - over at a beautiful mess.

Free SVG over at A Wandafulthing.  This one is too cute.

Okay, can you still one of us crushing on Inspired by charm.  This paper garland is on my list.

If you are looking for a read check out but I smile anyway for book recommendations.

Over at you can always start now for journal prompts. This one is on creativity.

There is so much good content out there.  Drop us a note of what you are crushing on. Would love to check it out.

Getting it together

 WOW we are half way through October - what the #&@* happened!  September is always like a cannon shot out the door. But things usually slow down a bit towards the end of the month. Not this year. The traffic start of September was awful. Summer vacations over, kids back at university, people back in the office, but this year it hasn't calmed down.  Also I thought people were working from home! 

For some reason it feels like we haven't settled into a routine once school, life, fall started this year. Things keep coming at us and taking a breath doesn't seem to be happening.  Trying to squeeze things in and blogging slips constantly to the back of the pile. Admit it - if just for you it usually is the first thing to fall off the plate. 

The thing is if we are behind the eight ball now what will we be like before the holidays? Scrambling fast. We want to enjoy the holidays - well any season period. We decided we have to take control and say no and set a time for us. Even if 15 minutes to read. You see those posts if you read 10 minutes a day you will read XX books a year. If you walk 15 minutes a day you will have walked XX in a year. You know the drill.

So we are going to take that 10-15 minutes. Even if it means sitting in the car before going inside after work. Listening to music, read a few pages, write to do, whatever.  We need that ten minutes to start to feel we are trying to get a handle on things.

Deep breath. How are you doing?  

For one of us their favorite season is coming up! Round-up

 Yep, one of us won't deny that fall is their favoriate season. The cooler nights, the leaves changing, activities back up and running. Yes, best time of the year (for her). So here are some links we are hoping get your fall juices going. If you have any sites/ideas you love please share in the comments.

Inspired by Charm always has beautiful ideas. There are some fall decor ideas we are crushing on. Love the shots of orang and the pumkins.

If you are looking for a more simple natural fall look check out this.

Autumn harvest fall sangria looking for a seasonal beverage here it is.

15 pumpkin desserts to make this fall if you love pumpkin I'm sure you'll find something here to enjoy.

Dollar store crafts for fall when September hits I have more energy. That means I'm up for crafting with cooler weather. 

DIY garland for fall if you like to decorate for the seasons check this out.

Squeezing it all in - maybe not

Summer seems to be flying by. In less than a week it will be mid-August. The school supplies have been in the stores for a few weeks.  I expect Halloween decoration will be in the stores by the end of the month. The major holiday after that (I'm not typing it out!!) will be in the stores what...October? Definitely November.

Already I can feel the change in the weather. It was like a light switch last week. The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees in the evenings with a cool breeze. Not complaining as easier to sleep but not ready for the day time temperatures to be cooling off.  I'm happy with less humidity but wow a few morning I could feel fall in the air.

I still have a few things I haven't managed to pull off on my summer "to do" list. Looking at time and energy I'm thinking what is do able and seriously what can I let go of.  I don't want to be running around the last part of summer trying to squeeze items in and not enjoy the time I have.  To do lists always seem to have more than manageable on them.

So I'm reviewing my summer to do list. What is important enough that I'll make time for it in the next few weeks? What can I let go of. What can I move to September? I'm going to be honest about what I want and my time and energy. Which is in limited supplies

Decide what is truly important to you. Enjoy the time before things get hectic again in September. Cross some "to do" items off the list. Be gentle with yourself. We have limited resources. Use them well.

It is not an EPIC fantasy

  If you like fantasy but not epic battles and saving the world this is for you.  The author describes it as high fantasy, low stakes. The main character will not be saving the world. Her coffee shop yes as that is her world.  There is a variety of characters weaved into Legends & Lattes.  

It is a novel, yes fantasy, about friendship, perseverance and following your dream.  That you can remake yourself at anytime.  It is a light read. Maybe it you haven't read fantasy before it might be a good place to start.

Summer Projects or anytime

 We were talking about feeling motivated or not. Needing something to focus on. Needless to say if we didn't blog for six months we were not motivated or focused. We came up with a few ideas to maybe jump start motivation this summer if you are looking for a summer (or anytime) project. Here goes.....

• Pick an item like rocks, trees, beaches, drinks and take pictures of that item. Again and again so that at the end of the season you have a collection. Pick something fun and that you know you will be seeing at least off and on this season.
• Gratitude journal - easy write down three things you were grateful for today. I know people always put this on the list. Likely because easy and it works.
• Rainy days purge or organize a cabinet or drawer. Note cabinet or drawer not closet. Not room. Don't get overwhelmed. One drawer done. 
• Paint or mod-podge plant pots. For mod-podge try pretty napkins.
• Walk / hike. What about walking your neighbourhood after supper.  If you have a front porch sit out there in the evenings and watch the world or at least your neighbours go by.
• Try something new. Check out classes or YouTube. What about line drawing? Tai Chi? Up to you.
• Try a new cocktail or beer or wine or cooler. Maybe write down, snap pic of them and note why you like or not for recommendations.
• Try a new restaurants.
• Send postcards from your city to away friends
• If relaxing catch up on your reading list. Make a plan with a friend that you are reading X many books this summer.    

If you have other ideas we'd love to hear them.  Happy summer / season.     

Summer to do list

 Summer to do list!

Better late then never!  Please add yours in the comments! Of course we will be adding more if anything comes up and catches our eyes!

• Week at the cottage
• Days at the beach
• Cocktails and Coolers (try new ones out for the summer)
• Drinks on a patio
• Camping
• Try a few new summer recipes - likely dips
• Pick out paint colour for bathroom (won't be painting until fall and cooler but would like the colour chosen so ready to go!)
• Summer reads - recommendations welcome
• Audiobooks (started a new series and soooo enjoying)
• Picnics
• Check out festivals
• Day drives down the coast

What has been happening!

 We are almost through the first half of the year and this is our first post!  No excuses just life got away from us. Other priorities and blogging fell down the list further and further. Then after a while we got so wrap up in other parts of our lives Coffee Cluster seemed so far down the list.

We could.... We should... We will....  We didn't.  We recently checked the blog and realized no posts since December 2022.  Yeah, we totally fell off the wagon. It wasn't like we did epic blog post to begin with. It was coffee cluster with friends showing up to share what was going on. 

The one thing we agreed on was no guilt. We are not beating ourselves up over not blogging. For not making this a priority. If just wasn't for any of us. Life happens and we live it. We don't need one more item to beat ourselves up with. Blogging is for fun, so no way are we taking on guilt over not blogging.

So fast summary to say we are okay. We managed to get through winter in one piece. Looking forward to summer.