Well, my daughter survived the removal of her wisdom teeth in remarkably good spirits and with no complications–and now my son is schedule for that same surgery on the Monday right after Christmas. (We hadn’t planned on moving that quickly, but our dental insurance is changing after the first of the year . . . it’s a whole big insurance thing.) This means that, in addition to the usual craziness, we’ll be dealing with another convalescence between the two big holidays.
But such is life. And at the end of Christmas break, both of my children will be sans wisdom teeth. That’s one less thing to worry about and plan for in the future.
This week’s Five for Friday is focused on helping you plan ahead for whatever might be coming your way in the next few weeks. I’ve collected all the recipes and good advice you might need to get you through Christmas and moving toward a fresh new year.
1. If you’ll be feeding a crowd at some point, over the holidays, this recipe for Cheesy Baked Meatballs looks really good–and easy to expand, if necessary. It looks hearty enough to be filling with just a salad and a chunk of delicious, crusty bread on the side.
2. And, if you’ll need a dessert to feed that crowd, this recipe for Gingerbread Cream Pie looks particularly delicious and unusual, but familiar at the same time. Always a plus.
3. If you’re traveling instead of hosting, this list of 10 Things That Will Make Your Next Flight Better offers some really good advice. (I never do #10, though I can see its benefits. But I grew up in a military family, so item #2 is a given.)
4. Once we’re past Christmas (in just a week!), thoughts will turn to those pesky new year’s resolutions. If you’ve struggled to stick with them in the past, you might take a look at this short article on How Resilient Women Think About Failure. At this time of year especially, it’s important to learn from the past and move forward with a renewed spirit.
5. But before you can move forward in positive directions, you have to let go of whatever is holding you back. Sometimes that’s really difficult. Sometimes, spending the holidays with family members reminds us of all the insecurities and injuries we carry with us. Maybe it’s time to let go of the past in a concrete way? These nine releasing rituals are a good place to start thinking about how you might convince yourself to let go of the things that weigh you down, making room for whatever will empower you to be the person you want to be in 2016.
I’m looking forward to the new year for many reasons, all of which I’ll be talking about in the weeks to come. For now, have a relaxing weekend before the holiday madness is in full swing.
Since next Friday is Christmas Day, I’ll be taking a break from the usual posting format in the upcoming week. Here’s wishing all of you a beautiful holiday season with those you love!
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