Learning To Roll With The Punches

It's New Years Eve and I am looking forward to getting dressed up and ringing in the new year with my husband, friends and family!  Tomorrow will most likely be a day of leisure, watching movies or a reality TV marathon (this is how we have spent the last few New Years days) and then I am headed back to work with an exciting year ahead.

Because of the way the holidays fell during the week, I got an extra few days off which was very needed and much appreciated.  I fully took advantage of this down time and really tried to relax and not let anything stress me out too much.  I often over think everything!

The past year was also a very busy and exciting one but by the time the holidays arrived I was ready for a break from life and all of its responsibilities.  I spoke to some other people who were feeling the same way as we got closer and closer to Christmas.  There is no doubt our society jam packs each day with as many tasks as possible and I think the Christmas holidays often present a time to just focus on family and friends.  

While I was sick for most of my time off, I still enjoyed the time I did spend with family and friends and the time I took for myself.  That time off allowed me to recharge my batteries and look forward to an exciting 2013.

I am not one who makes New Years resolutions but it is something I have talked about on my blog before and something I will make even more of a focus on this year, with a slight adjustment.  Living a balanced life a.k.a. making time for myself, reaching new levels of success at work and developing stronger personal relationships with the people that mean the most to be me, adjustment - also being able to roll with the punches.  I often feel like things need to be a specific perfect way for the next step to happen and I am slowly realizing that is sometimes not reality, its exhausting and potentially holding me back.

My time off has been good, giving me the opportunity to reflect on the past year.  I am proud of myself for accomplishing certain goals and know there are areas that require more attention as I move into the new year.

So I would like to propose a toast - to a balanced life and rolling with the punches!

Cheers, Happy New Year!

Guest Blogger: Charlie Shares His Christmas

Hello, its Charlie again.  My Grandma Brown was over for Christmas dinner yesterday and let me know that she really enjoys reading my blog posts and would love to hear from me more often so I thought I would write about my Christmas.  

I have always loved Christmas, I love opening presents, I love to jump and run in the snow and it is the one time of year that I get to chat with my good friend Santa.  Every year while mom and dad are asleep Santa stops by our house to drop off our gifts and fill our stockings.  Once he is done his work he sits with me while he eats his cookies and we have a little chat.  

He tells me about his night, what the weather has been like that evening in other countries and how the reindeer are doing.  Santa really is the best because he always shares a bite of his cookie with me even though they have chocolate in them and mom and dad say I can't have chocolate. 

This year Santa brought me two new toys and some of my favourite treats.  Christmas day mom made turkey and I got some bites of that as well.  Mom and dad are both off work for a week so we have been spending lots of time together playing, going for walks and snuggling.  All in all it has been a great Christmas.  Now you will have to excuse me, its time for my boxing day nap. 

Enjoy the rest of your holidays.

Spread Some Christmas Cheer For All To Hear

Yesterday I started my morning at Starbucks with a red cup (they have really been bringing me some Christmas cheer this year). I wished my Barista a Merry Christmas as she handed me my coffee. She said "thank you that is the first Merry Christmas I received this year".

Shut the front door! On December 11th, only about 2 weeks from Christmas, that is the first Merry Christmas the Starbucks Barista received? What's wrong with this picture?

Why are more people not spreading Christmas cheer for all to hear? If you are looking for some inspiration to get yourself into the Christmas spirit and start spreading some joy, I am sure you will be able to find something on this list that makes you smile.

Thanks Paul Castain for this great blog post - 5o Thoughts For An Awesome Holiday

Merry Christmas!

I Heart Coffee

Life is good lately, actually life is great.  It's the Christmas season so there are extra tasks on my to do list that I am excited to check off, like finding the perfect gift, writing Christmas cards, creating a homemade gift, parties, planning for my Christmas feast and making time to curl up on the couch and watch my favorite Christmas movies.

All of these extra things have me looking for ways to squeeze the extra hours out of each day.  I have been making an effort to get my fitness on, eat energizing food but I have to say the number one thing that has been powering me through my busy days with a cheery demeanor, is a great cup of coffee.  That's right, I have a new love for coffee.

I use to only think of this drink as a morning wake up call but now it is so much more to me.  My best friend Meghan has been trying to tell me this for years as her addiction with coffee started at a very young age.  When I first started working at CCI Studios the guys drank an abundance of coffee and always joked about how much they were getting done because of how much coffee they drank.  Back in that day we drank coffee from a pot.  Now we make our coffee in individual cups from our Kurieg and I have to say there has never been as much getting it done, as there has been lately.

The delicious magical drink is the key to my happiness and extreme productivity.  Being someone who normally requires 7 or 8 hours of sleep to function properly but wanting to have some extra hours in each day, I have found my solution.

Sure some studies show that too much coffee causes anxiety and stress but I am not stressed and I have never felt more positive and chipper.  Cheers to the morning, after lunch and early evening coffee, lets get some stuff done.

Happy Monday

For the most part, I am excited to start a new week on Mondays but what it is it about getting your but out of bed on a Monday morning that is so difficult?  Its especially hard if you have had a productive fun filled weekend.  I normally wake up early with my husband when he gets ready for work but sometimes on a Monday I pull my furry little bear into bed with me, for a an extra 30 minutes of sleep and a snuggle.

Once the day gets started, its always exciting to think about the new adventures that wait for me in this week - but I will take the extra snuggle time any day.

HAPPY MONDAY!

O Christmas Tree

Saturday we went to the Christmas Tree Village and U-Cut in Bothwell to get our tree and some Christmas spirit.  We decided for part of our Christmas gift to our niece Marley, we just wanted to take her out for a fun day with Aunt and Uncle and the Christmas Tree village seemed like the perfect place.

Marley had a great time helping us pick a tree, running through the hay maze, riding the slides at the playground and riding the train with Aunt Heather and Uncle Tyler.  I don't think she had as much fun as Tyler and I did though.

When the little trip was over and we brought our tree home to set up, it toppled twice before we were able to begin decorating.  It took a little team work between Tyler and I, some reinforcements and power tools to finely get the tree up.  Its now standing and my living room has been transformed into a cosy Christmas nook.

Not only did we get a great tree and some awesome memories but I think we also started a new Lapier Family Christmas tradition!