Oh So Springy

I am oh so ready for spring. When I walked outside this morning and realized my winter coat was totally unnecessary I actually jumped out of pure joy. Spring, with all of it's lush freshness, has only just started to flirt with us here in the northeast, but I have a feeling she'll be sticking around for a while very soon. Here are just a few things that I can't wait to enjoy this season...

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Spring cleaning! Or, as I like to think of it, spring simplification. More details on that to come, but after hunkering down (with all of our stuff) all winter, who isn't ready for some simplification and organization about now?

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A pink lipped look. I don't tend to wear much in the way of makeup, so I love this fresh clean look with just enough color.

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Smoothies! Lately I've been totally into oatmeal for breakfast, but as the weather warms up I'm ready for smoothies to take center stage for the most important meal of the day.

Winter Solstice

Photo found here

If the dark days have been getting you down, rejoice! Today is the Winter Solstice, which in layman's terms is the shortest day of the year. Now while that may not sound like means for celebration, the result is that every day from now until the Summer Solstice will be longer and longer (Wondering when the Summer Solstice is? It's typically on June 21st - 6 months from the Winter variety). More scientifically speaking, the Solstice is the day that the earth's axis is tilted at it's most extreme degree either towards or away from the Sun. In today's case, we in the northern hemisphere are leanin' back like Fat Joe (if you don't get the rap reference, we're leaning back a lot) while our friends south of the equator are leaning in for a kiss of sunshine.

The Winter Solstice has been celebrated in countless ways by cultures around the world for well over a thousand years. Many interpretations of Sun Deities are honored at this time - such as the the Incan sun god Inti, or the sun-goddess Beiwe who was believed by the Saami (the indigenous people of current-day Finland, Sweden, and Norway) to travel across the sky through a structure of reindeer bones. Many cultures and faiths have viewed the Winter Solstice as a time of rebirth or renewal - including various Neopagan and Christian sects which celebrate the rebirth/birth of prominent figures of their faith during this symbolic time of year. Whichever tradition you choose to carry-out this season, it's likely rooted in the current angle of our round, spinning home.

If the change in weather and the stress of the holidays has you down, why not celebrate your own renewal of spirit today? Do something that helps you feel rejuvenated - be it heading to the gym to sweat out toxins, drinking a big green juice to revitalize your body, or booking a massage to rub yourself anew. Honor yourself by being mindful of your needs as you prepare for the winter ahead. Don't forget to be patient with yourself; the short days and long nights may affect us biologically, mentally, physically, and emotionally. And even at the most challenging of times, remember; it'll only get brighter from here.

Winter What-to-dos

Photo via Learning How To Cook

I'm not generally one to get excited for Winter, what with it meaning months of cold feet, soggy mittens, bad hair, icy commutes, and sniffles. However, its presence is undeniable, and since the month of December is already more than half-way through it seems appropriate to celebrate the chilliest season while it's here. Need a little inspiration for getting into the snowy spirit? Give some, or all, of these tips a try.

• Bake a tray of gingerbread people cookies and decorate them to look like people you know or famous folks. Then host a festive party and display said cookies for your guests - use them instead instead of place cards or turn it into a game and see who can guess the cookie's likeness... then enjoy!

• Suit up and enjoy the snow like you did when you were a kid. Grab a friend and make a snow man, build an igloo, make snow angels, have a snowball fight... you get the idea. Once your fingers are frozen and you've got snow in your boots (or perhaps down your pants), change into something comfy and make a heaping mug of hot cocoa.

• Pop some corn and settle in for an evening of holiday films. Mix up some old favorites with something you haven't seen yet. On my list: A Charlie Brow Christmas, The Holiday, The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Shop Around the Corner, Love Actually, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Elf, and of course, A Christmas Story!

• When you make it home from a long cold day, pop your pjs and some fluffy socks in the dryer for a few minutes before hoping into them. You'll be warmed-up and relaxed in no time.

• Catch your favorite winter sports on TV, or better yet live! There's the X-Games, competitive ice skating, ski racing, snow mobile racing... Once you're feeling up to the challenge head to your local mountain, rink, track or trail and get in on the action yourself.

Photo via Fun Ski Vacation

• Of course, you don't need to be an adrenaline junkie to enjoy winter sports. Both snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are great ways to take in the changing scenery, no prior experience required. You can make either sport as leisurely or vigorous as you like, so bring your camera to capture the sights or plenty of water to rehydrate while you burn off that fruit cake.

• If you're of the crafty persuasion, get busy hand-making thank you cards. Draw, paint, stamp, glue, weave, bedazzle, however you like; with all the thank yous there are to send out this time of year, you'll be glad to have a stack of personal cards to help deliver a heart-felt "thanks".
  

• It may seem like your culinary choices are limited during this rather dormant growing season, but there are many options for seasonal produce yet. Citrus fruits, and more specifically Clementines, are my favorite whole-foods winter treat. Food and Wine, Real Simple, and Chow all have some great ideas for delicious meals made with Winter produce too.
  

Lazy Sunday: Need to Buy

When I first completed my Christmas shopping, I vowed not to step foot in a retail store for anything but the necessities until the New Year. However, I had forgotten just how cold New England winters can be. My attempts at layering a few long sleeve t-shirts under a trusty cotton cardigan have been futile against the bone-chilling wind and 8 inches of snow-turned-slush this past week. My office window provides not only a view of the whitened landscape but a consistent draft too, and by the time my little car warms up at the end of the day I'm half-way home and shivering. My need for some new sweaters, boots, and, if I'm lucky enough, stylish flannel-lined jeans (okay, that may be an oxymoron), cannot wait until the holidays are behind us. So today, I'm off to see what the retails have in store for me this year. I can only hope fleece jumpsuits and woolen balaclava's are the latest must-have items.

So Grateful For

Photo via Zedo Max

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you enjoyed a special day with friends and family, however you choose to celebrate the start of the holiday season. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner followed by a never-ending game of darts and plenty of laughter. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to remember all of the things we're fortunate to have and grateful for in our lives. This year I'm especially thankful for:

• My wonderful (and growing!) family
• Squash, in every form
  
• Friends, old and new
• Flannel pjs
  
• Employment
  
• Massive bowls of popcorn
• Hairy siblings
• Fresh starts
• Nights the pool is warm
• Raw food potlucks
• Muscles sore from use
• Simplifying
• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Foggy fall mornings
• Our fellow creature-kind
  
• Someone special to share it all with

What are you thankful for this year?