O Come Let Us Adore Him

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Coco

Today is the fourth Sunday in Advent and Christmas is only two days away!

I feel very un-ready for Christmas this year, and am hoping that Dr. Seuss was right when he wrote these words in How The Grinch Stole Christmas:

It came without ribbons. It came without tags.
It came without packages, boxes or bags. ….
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. ….
Christmas Day is in our grasp so long as we have hands to clasp.
Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we.

Now that my kids are getting older, I just don’t do as much shopping, wrapping or baking as I used to. I am looking forward to gathering with family and friends this week, and I hope the laughter and good times will be enough to fill my heart with Christmas cheer.

As I go about my final Christmas chores, I have been enjoying Christmas carols. This is one of my favorites.

Prayer for the Fourth Week of Advent
In our watching and our waiting,
Come Lord Jesus.
In our hopes and in our fears,
Come Lord Jesus.
In our homes and in our world,
Come Lord Jesus.
Come bless us and surprise us.
Amen

Are you ready for Christmas?

Posted in My Faith | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Runner’s Wish List (CUCB Blog Debut)

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Coco

Did I tell you that I was selected to be one of the bloggers for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile run? You know I love the cherry blossoms, and the CUCB is one of my favorite races. I also love meeting and encouraging other runners through blogging, social media, and meet-ups, so I am very excited about this opportunity!

For my debut post on the CUCB blog I started a runner’s wish list of things you can’t buy in a store–or even from Amazon.com!. I’d love it if you would click here to read my post on the CUCB blog and add to the wish list in the comments.

Posted in Fitness | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Surprises

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Coco

Yesterday was full of surprises–some good, some not so good.

Surprises

I was going to run outside, but after I saw a warning about icy road conditions and encountered a few slick spots while I was walking my dog, I decided that my treadmill was a safer option. As I was cooling down I noticed that our hot water heater was making strange noises. As I got closer to investigate–SURPRISE!–I found myself standing in a puddle. Our hot water heater was leaking! Luckily it is seated on a concrete flood next to a drain, so no damage was done, but I had to shower quickly so I could turn the water off, and now we have to muddle through with no hot water until it gets replaced (hopefully today!). Continue reading →

Posted in Life | Tagged | 5 Comments

The Fifteenth Annual Christmas Cookie Bake-A-Thon

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Coco

Last weekend I participated in my fifteenth annual Christmas cookie bake-a-thon.

Bake-A-Thon

We made thirteen different kinds of cookies. Here are a few of them.

Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread
Heath Bar Cookies
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Decorated Cut-Outs
Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
Chocolate Pizelles

What’s your favorite type of cookie?

Do you enjoy baking this time of year?

 

Posted in Food | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Get UP

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Coco

Jawbone UP Review

All the talk about sitting being the new smoking has really gotten to me. I spend my days sitting in front of my computer at work, and then come home and sit on the sofa for a few more hours, watching TV and cruising the internet. I cringed as one story after another reported on the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle, and felt robbed when they said that even regular exercise is not enough to protect you if you spend most of your day sitting down.

Messy Desk

I tried to be more active at work. I tried to remember to stand up to read papers or proofread briefs. I tried to remember to take more breaks to get water. I starting walking files back and forth to my assistant and visiting people in person instead of always sending emails. But I found that I often got so wrapped up in my project, or got chained to my desk by one phone call after another, I hadn’t managed to budge at all.

Continue reading →

Posted in Fitness | Tagged , , | 8 Comments