A fond farewell to December

I'm not sure how yet, but I've definitely gotta find a way to incorporate this cute snowflake pasta into a meal. Though I figure I'll push it until January since we're still dealing with Christmas leftovers. But I've definitely gotta make a winter pasta dish, or maybe some soup, because they're SNOW much fun.

Though we've had a few serious cold snaps, which I've thoroughly enjoyed, it hasn't seriously limited our hang-out time on the back porch. With it being so warm through the holidays, the dogs and I enjoyed soaking up the lake views after returning from a recent walk. I added a set of mini bells to Finn and Pepper's collars, so that was fun. But back to the porch. With the sun riding a bit further south at this time of year, I had to lower our sun screens to get a break from the direct rays. Even though I wear sunscreen and sunglasses religiously, there was no sense in sitting there with the sun beating down on me and my laptop.

As a matter of fact, it was so warm on Boxing Day that we made it into a boating day with a cruise on the lake late in the afternoon. We spied several other pontoon boats, as well as those casting a line on fishing boats. Plus some kayakers. There were even a couple people on jet skis. However, with the water temps hovering around 60, that would have been a no-go for me.

Earlier this month I attended the Christmas cantata at our church. Since I was a kid, I've always loved the seasonal hymns we sing leading up to Christmas. "O Holy Night" is definitely my favorite, though "Angels We Have Heard on High" is a close second. In terms of secular Christmas music, my personal favorites are "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Sleigh Ride". Do you have any favorites you play on loop like I enjoy doing when I'm busy decking the halls, wrapping presents or cooking for the holidays?

And finally, the husband, younger daughter and I did the Grinch Gallop 5K in our neighborhood. I got a kick out of the three drink stations along the route including water bottles as well as gourmet mini donuts and Fireball shots. 

This will be my final post of 2025. Once the CPA daughter and her husband leave for their home tomorrow, I'll be busy putting away my Santas so we can return to our regular decor that I haven't seen since I put out my fall pretties in September. I wish all of our friends and family a wonderful end to the holiday season, and a new year filled with God's blessings. Stay safe and warm, and I'll see y'all next year!