It's beginning to look more like Christmas

After what has seemed to be a hectic week, we are starting our Sunday morning quietly enjoying the Christmas tree and some Christmas music.  While it started with Mina enjoying a special treat on the dog bed at my feet, she has now climbed up into my lap and made herself comfortable.  Of course, I don't mind at all, although it makes it a little harder to type with her in my way.  But life is always better with a GSP in your lap!

We continued our tour of local small town holiday displays this week, starting the week on Monday in Grand Ledge.  I had errands to run after work and had to make a stop at the Walmart photo center to pick up our holiday photo cards, so going to Grand Ledge made perfect sense.  When I arrived at Walmart, I learned that somehow the photo center had printed my cards at the wrong location, and I would have to drive to the other side of town to get my cards. I received no explanation or apology, just a comment that it happens sometimes.  Needless to say, I was frustrated, but I decided I wasn't going to let that stop us from getting out to enjoy the evening.  

So we headed to Grand Ledge, found a spot to park, and took a walk.  We walked up and down the streets through the neighborhoods looking at all of the pretty lights, and then walked down the main street through town, heading back toward the car, so we could make a stop at the park with the town Christmas tree and large Santa Mail box.

We had such a nice walk and I was so glad that I hadn't let the error with my cards derail the whole evening.  Once we were back in the car, I decided we'd stop so I could pick up dinner at Gump's on my way to the other side of town and then pick up my cards.  Since we were right next to Eastwood Town Center, I got the girls out for a second walk before heading home.  

We took the side streets home for more Christmas light viewing and ended up driving right past the Capitol, so we got out for one final short walk around the grounds.  I was glad to see that the Menorah was lit for Chanukah at the Capitol too, and stopped for a picture to send to a couple of my Jewish friends.  Then we were back in the car to make our way home.  It had been a nice evening.

Tuesday after work, I attended a geocaching event with a group of local geocachers to start my evening.  I brought the girls along for the drive so that as soon as I was done, maybe we could get out for a walk.  I was at the event a little longer than I had planned, but I still had to get the girls out.  As I was driving toward home, I decided we could take a short drive to the small town of Dimondale.

Dimondale is such small town, I wasn't sure that they'd have much holiday decor, but I was pleasantly surprised by this cute display outside of a local restaurant.  The girls even cooperated for a nice picture.

We continued our walk around the town enjoying some of the displays on some of the local homes and then made our way back to Main Street.  

Several of the light posts in town had been decorated by different local businesses, and I thought these were pretty cute.  

It was hard to capture some of them well with the camera, but they were some fun displays. 

After our nice walk around Dimondale, we made the drive home, enjoying some festively decorated homes along the way. 

On Wednesday, the girls had to make a trip to see our friends at Patterson Veterinary Hospital so that they could get their Canine Influenza vaccines and get a nail trim.  They were very good at bringing a little cheer to their friends, although Peaches was most happy when we were done. 

After their trip to the vet, I had enough time that I could get them out for a nice sunny walk along the Hayhoe Trail in Mason before I had to get to the shelter for Dog Walking Club.  We had a great walk, although I didn't get any pictures. 

After our walk, I headed over to the shelter so that I could start harnessing dogs for our shelter dog walk.  We had a nice group of 6 walkers, so all of the dogs available to walk were able to get out with us.   We had a really nice group of dogs, but Besito is my favorite of the shelter dogs right now.   He's just so darn sweet!  It was a really nice walk.

Thursday I only worked a half day and I had plans that evening with Nicol, Tyler, and Fiona, so after finishing my work day and doing a few things around the house, I wanted to get the girls out for some exercise before I had to leave.  After thinking through all of my options, I decided a good run through the woods would be great for them and we headed over to the Soldan Dog Park.  While it was busier than I thought it would be at 2 in the afternoon, it wasn't crowded and the girls and I enjoyed our walk around the park.  

 

We spent about an hour there before we made the walk back to the car.  It is so much fun watching the two of them zoom around the woods, sniffing and exploring.  I know that they had a great time too.

After getting the girls settled in for an evening at home, I made the drive to Nicol's house.  We had plans to attend the Wayne County Lightfest along Hines Dr.  I was excited to see how much Fiona would react to all of the light displays.  We hung out at the house for bit before heading out and I got to spend some quality time with Picasso.  He's such a sweet boy!

We made the drive to the light fest, had a nice drive through with Fiona sitting on my lap in the back seat so she could take everything in, and then made a stop at Del Taco for dinner before heading back to Nicol's house.  Fiona loved all of the lights and it was so much fun to watch her taking everything in.  I got no pictures, but that is okay, because I really enjoyed just being in the moment with her.  

I had the whole day off on Friday and I had a list of things I wanted to get done for the day, in addition to a few errands, I was going to finish the last of my Christmas shopping.   I had to make a couple of stops in Mason, including a quick stop at the shelter, which led to me taking by buddy Besito out for a walk.  

I made stops at a few stores finishing up my shopping while the girls waited patiently in the car.  When we stopped in Frandor, I got them out for a visit to Petco and a walk around the shopping center, but they spent a lot of time in the car that day.   I did not expect to be gone very long because I didn't have that much to get done, but somehow we were gone most of the day.  When we finally got home for dinner, I was glad that they were happy to settle in for the night because I was exhausted.  I hate shopping and boy did Friday take a lot out of me.  

Saturday morning we had a fun geocaching event which I held at Soldan Dog Park.  Several of my fellow geocachers gathered with me so that I could get them into the park to find a geocache hidden inside.  The girls were so excited to be back for a run and we all had a nice walk through the park.   I think everyone really enjoyed watching the dogs doing dog things and just spending some time outside on a really nice December morning.  

After our event, I made a stop at the Holt Farmer's market to pick up a few items for our Christmas celebrations, and then drove out to the shelter for our Volunteer Holiday party.  It was nice to gather with other volunteers and eat a good meal.  Of course, any good trip to the shelter includes spending time with a dog or two, so I got DJ out of his kennel so he could make a guest appearance at the party before I took him out for a nice walk.  He's such a good boy and my second favorite dog at the shelter right now.  I just love his sweet nature.  He really loved his time out on our walk.

Before the day ended, I had to get the girls out for a little more holiday fun with a trip downtown.  I wanted to visit the Kringle Market to drop off a donation for the group Helping Women Period, which helps homeless and low-income women with menstrual hygiene products.  They had a donation bin at the Kringle Market Saturday night, so we stopped by with a donation.  As a bonus, the girls got to meet Elsa. 

They were also spoiled by the gentleman that has been there every weekend taking donations for The Fledge and Punks with Lunch, organizations that help homeless people in the Lansing area.  

Then we took a walk around downtown and past the Capitol to get a few pictures of some iconic downtown Lansing holiday scenes.  It was a really nice evening to be downtown.

We took in some more holiday lights on our drive home, and then we had a really nice evening relaxing and enjoying the Christmas tree.  

We have had a really nice and pretty relaxing Christmas season so far this year.  I've really been enjoying taking in the small town holiday vibes.  I have learned over the years that I don't want to stress over gift giving and all of the crazy holiday bustle.  Gift giving doesn't have to be stressful if it comes from the heart.  So we have really avoided holiday stress and have enjoyed being able to give a little to several organizations that help those less fortunate than we are.   I am blessed to have a roof over my head, even if it does need to be replaced this year (I asked Santa for a new roof, so maybe he'll come through for me), plenty of food on the table, and friends and family to share the joy of the holidays with me.  I am most blessed to have a wonderful daughter, a happy and healthy granddaughter, and two brown spotty girls to take me on adventures every day and to snuggle with me every night. 

Today I have a couple of quick things to get done before the girls and I spend the afternoon having some adventures with Vanessa.  And this evening, we're going to drive around with Vanessa drinking hot chocolate and taking in more Christmas lights.  It's a good way to spend our Sunday as we head into the final week before Christmas.    Now I'm off to get ready for our day. 

I hope you all have a wonderful day and enjoy the week.  I can't believe that when I write next week, it will be Christmas Eve.

The season of lights

I hope you are all enjoying this holiday season.  We are doing our best to make the most of every day.  Over the last few years, I've found several fun holiday events within an hour of Lansing that we enjoyed attending.  This year, I decided to stay a little closer to home and get out throughout the Greater Lansing area to enjoy some small town holiday spirit as many nights as we can.  I have to get the dogs out for a walk every day anyway, so we might as well add a little Christmas spirit to those walks.

I've also decided that, if the girls are okay with it, some days are best spent just snuggling by the Christmas tree, especially when it's cold and I'm tired after a long day of work.  Both Peaches and Mina have been happy to oblige most days that I've needed this.

Other days, when the weather cooperates, and I can make it work, I like to get the girls out into the woods for a little adventure.  With the sunsetting just after 5pm, I love the days when we can get out for a lunchtime adventure.  Last week, Fenner Nature Center was the perfect spot to do just that.  The girls were thrilled to be able to get in some good sniffs.   I was surprised to find some of the maple trees already tapped, this usually doesn't happen at Fenner until February.  Now I'm ready for Spring!

On Wednesday, the girls and I made a lunchtime drive to Soldan's to make a donation to Operation Santa Paws.  This is a pet food/supply drive which Ingham County Animal Control holds every year to help local families in need.  This helps keep pets in homes while families are going through tough times, and I'm always happy to support the effort.  We brought a few things from home-extra treats, tennis balls, and toys-and then made a quick trip into Soldan's to buy a few more items.  It always feels great to give to those who need it most, especially if it means a pet stays with it's family instead of ending up in the shelter.  

After work on Wednesday, I had a nice walk with the Dog Walking Club.  Melba is one of the dogs we walked.  She is so darn sweet.

After Dog walking club, I still had to get the girls out for a walk, so we drove out to Eaton Rapids for a walk around town.  It's always pretty festive for the holidays.

I especially like the island park all decorated for the holidays. It's hard to get pictures at night, but of course I still forced the girls to pose for a few. 

We had a really nice walk around town before heading home.  This little adventure got us home a little later than I'd normally like on a week night, but I was glad we went. 

Thursday was a crazy day at work so I decided that a special after work adventure was in order.  Every year we make a trip to Kalamazoo, Battle Creek. and Marshall to take in the holiday light displays, and I decided Thursday would be a great day for the trip, so I loaded up the car to make the drive to Battle Creek.

We arrived in Battle Creek, parked in Friendship Park, and started our walk along the North Country Trail.  Every year along the trail through Battle Creek there are some light displays, including the 12 Days of Christmas.

We were able to get in about 2 1/2 miles on the trail and take in some of the sights along the way.  It was a beautiful night to be out on the trail.

We then walked down the block to Mill Race Park to take in the holiday display there.  

The light display in Mill Race Park is always one of my favorites. 

I love the lights dancing to the music.  It's so festive.

We had such a nice time that we spent more time than I had planned in Battle Creek, so we skipped our visit to Kalamazoo, and instead, headed to Marshall for a trip through the Merry Mile at the Calhoun County Fairgrounds.

I've been visiting this light display for several years, and it's always a nice drive and display.

I think the corn stalks are one of my favorite parts of this display every year.  The girls also love this drive through because they can stick their heads out the windows and take in all of the smells and sights while we slowly meander our way through the maze of lights.  

After we finished the drive through the Merry Mile, we parked, I bought a hot chocolate from the vendor on site, and then we walked the block down to the North Country trail for another quick walk.

This part of the trail goes through the sidewalks in town, and I enjoyed seeing the houses decorated for the season.

After just under a mile on the trail, we got back in the car to head home, but not before we took a drive by the Holiday house.  I was glad to see it all dressed up for the season.  It was the perfect way to end our light-filled evening.

On Friday, I took the afternoon off from work.  The weatherman promised temperatures in the 50s, and I couldn't resist taking the opportunity to get out with the girls for the afternoon.

I took this day as an opportunity to head North to Ithaca to do some geocaching along the Mid-Michigan Community Pathway.  This trail is paved and runs parallel to US 127, so it isn't really scenic, but it is a nice trail and there were lots of geocaches along the way.

We walked and geocached for about 2 3/4 miles and then turned around to head South back to the car.  We did a little walk toward town and ended our walk back at the car with a total of 6 miles.  It had been a great day of geocaching.

We left the Ithaca area around sunset and took a slow drive through the country all the way home, hitting some small towns and seeing some beautiful homes decorated for the season.  It was the perfect end to our day.

Saturday morning was another mild 50 degree day.  The girls and I started our morning at the Soldan's Dog Park for a good run and some sniffing in the woods.  We had the best time exploring and Mina did a lot of work on recall.  It so much fun!

Afterward, I headed out to the shelter to walk my buddy Besito.  He is such a nice dog, and I had to take advantage of the mild weather.  There isn't a better way to do that in my world than walking a shelter dog.

After my 40 minute walk with Besito, it started to rain, but since I still had a little time, I decided to get DJ Khaled out for some one on one time with me.  We ended up taking a short walk in the rain and then spent some time inside doing some training.  Just look at that adorable face.

I also took Melba out for a little walk and one on one time.  She is the sweetest girl and I could tell she really needed some time out of her kennel.  

As I was putting Melba away and preparing to leave the shelter, I looked over and saw Kringla excitedly waiting at the front of her kennel for her turn.  She has been a nervous girl at the shelter, so seeing her so excited was wonderful and I couldn't resist getting her out for a potty walk.  Since she was recently spayed, she is on limited activity, but I think the 15 minutes I spent with her outside of the shelter in the grass was the best time she'd had in awhile.  

I left the shelter feeling fulfilled and happy that I had made the time for these precious pups.  I really do love my time volunteering there.

Saturday night, the girls and I headed to Old Town for the Krampusnacht.  I wanted to check out the activities, and the weather was perfect to get out for some fun.  The crowds at this event were crazy, and honestly, I didn't expect it to be as popular as it was.  I almost stayed in the car to head home, but decided we'd get out and see how things went.  I am so proud of my girls because they were so well-behaved and took the crowds in stride.  I know this situation could have been really stressful for them, and I never want to put them into a bad situation, but they really did great.  I got so many compliments on how well-behaved they were, I couldn't have been any more proud of them.  

On the way home from Old Town, we picked up a pizza and took our annual drive around town looking at Christmas lights.  We ended the night with a drive through Frances Park.  It had been an excellent day. 

After our busy Friday and Saturday, we started Sunday slowly.  It was a wonderful quiet morning at home enjoying the Christmas tree and snuggling with Mina.   I also did some fun meal prep for the rest of the week.  While I was enjoying the day and I thought maybe we'd just stay home, I did have a few errands to run, so mid-afternoon I got ready and left home to get some things done and have a little fun with the girls.

After a couple of quick stops, I headed to the Meridian Historical Village for their Christmas in the Village event.  This was a great way to get the girls out for a short walk and enjoy some holiday spirit.

After a walk around the village, I left them in the car for a short time so that I could go into the buildings and check out some of the activities, and then I got them out again for another short walk around the property and to watch as Santa led the Christmas tree lighting and a couple of Christmas carols.

I was glad we had taken this short adventure and gotten outside, but I was happy to head home too.  We spent the rest of our evening at home relaxing and enjoying our Christmas tree.  It was a wonderful end to our weekend.

I have really been enjoying these small local events and walks around some of the small towns in the area, and I plan to continue to make the most of these kinds of experiences throughout the holiday season.  I look forward to sharing more holiday fun with you.  

Christmas is quickly approaching.  I hope you are making the most of this holiday season.