Have I mentioned just how much I love this time of year? Lemme do it, officially:
I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR.
Seriously, Christmas is the best. Everything about it. I’m a Christian, so yes, Advent and the actual birth of Christ are pretty amazing for me. But I won’t even try to hide how great the modern expressions of that joy are for me too, in all their festively lit glory.
Gah! Let’s get festive, friends. I mean, can you really find a good reason not to? Who and what does it serve to not embrace joy in this life?
I can’t believe I haven’t already shared pics of my Christmas tree and other decorations. They’ve been up since Thanksgiving, of course. The tree is especially dear to me, as it showcases a lifetime worth of experiences in the form of ornaments. Ask me about any one of them, and I’ll tell you a story.
Since we are talking about actual Christmas too, I will invite you to Christmas Eve worship at my church, The Gathering. There are 8 – yes 8! – live services available, starting December 21. Pastor Matt Miofsky is inviting us to look up, and I think that’s a pretty powerful invitation and question. Check out the 1-minute video about it, and all the times you can watch virtually, at this link.
In case you haven’t yet caught it, here’s your reminder that Dolly has a Christmas movie on Netflix airing now – Christmas on the Square. If you haven’t watched it yet, what exactly are you waiting for? It was amazing, and I cried the whole way through. Even Marty watched out of the corner of his eye, and that’s saying something. Personally, I think he even liked it 🙂 No spoilers, but um, this is Dolly sitting on a cloud, so prioritize your time accordingly.
Speaking of Marty, he really likes winter, which is super cute. But, as I mentioned last week, turns out, I’m enjoying it here in Colorado too. Much to my surprise, I even enjoyed our weekend showshoe trip in some of the most frigid conditions I’ve ever experienced. Beautiful for sure, but we’re talking 17 degrees and, like 50 MPH winds – which you can actually see in the picture. It was wild! And wild fun too. I am cherishing every minute of these adventures with my favorite adventure buddy.
Speaking of buddies, I’m continuing to meet new ones here in Denver, and all around. One of my newer connections, made through another friend, recently invited me to be a guest on her podcast, Turmeric & Tequila. I mean, Kristen’s mission is graceful disruption and she is the Madonna to my Dolly, so how perfect is that? I knew we’d get along within the first five minutes of meeting her.
That absolutely proved to be true, and our podcast conversation certainly showcases our shared passions, along with a hefty helping of takeaways and reflections as you wrap up 2020 and prepare for 2021. Trust, this hour will be well worth your while. Check it out, and listen anywhere you listen to podcasts, including Spotify and Apple.
Hey, and speaking of podcasts!
If there are any you’re really into, I’d love for you to send them my way! Especially if you know a host or think I might be a fit as a guest, I’d appreciate a note or an intro! You’re awesome.
You know what else is awesome? This super yummy, super easy dinner I’ve been eating this week.
For all of you out there who hate cooking, dread it, can never figure it out, don’t have the energy today, or just plain don’t wanna…but still want to eat something relatively “healthy” and delicious, this bowl is lifesaver. It’s also almost always within your realm of possibilities, even if you haven’t been grocery shopping for a week. This is it:
- Make some quinoa. Sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice if you have it.
- Fry an egg.
- Put that stuff on top of some greens or other veggies – whatever you have in the fridge, freezer, or canned in the pantry.
- Drizzle in sriracha.
THAT’S IT.
I’ve made many variations of this meal over the years – adding a protein, like chicken or tuna, sauteeing kale instead of using raw salad, topping with avocado – and it never fails me. Try it out and let me know what you think!
Lastly, can I just say that I’m really still loving not being on social media? Gosh, it’s so freeing, and this is so much more fun. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Check it out.
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