Festivities and Traditions

For the first time this month, I worked on Monday this week.  It seemed strange after having a few long weekends, but I had some time off coming up later in the week so I didn't need Monday off, too. 

It was a busy morning. When I finally had finished my meetings for the day and could stop for lunch, it was 1:30.  It was another one of our extra cold days, but I noticed that the sun had come out, so I decided to take the girls out for a trip to Preuss Pets to expend some of their energy over my lunch.

We had a nice walk around the block before heading into the store. Then we went inside to do a little shopping and to visit the fish, ferrets, and Poppy the rat.  Then, before heading home, we took another walk around the block for a little more excercise.  Then it was back home to finish my work day.

After work, I had several errands to run, including a stop to do some final grocery shopping before the holiday rush.  The girls rode along.  I felt very accomplished when we got home with my to-do list complete.

On Tuesday, I decided to use my lunch break to make a visit to the Festival of Trees at the Turner Dodge house.  This big, beautiful, historic home hosts this event every year, and every year I say I'm going to go, and I never do.  I was determined to change that this year.

I am so glad I made the time to go, and I think going earlier in the day was perfect.  I thoroughly enjoyed walking through the house and checking out all of the trees.  The Peacock tree was one of my favorites.

I had had hoped to have a little bit of time to get the girls out for a quick walk on my lunch as well, but I just didn't have enough time. 

Thankfully, the temperatures on Tuesday got above freezing for the first time in days.  Boy did it feel nice!

After work I wanted to take the girls out for a nice walk somewhere.  I went through the list of local small towns we had visited so far this holiday season and came to the conclusion that the only place we hadn't visited was East Lansing, so off we went.

We arrived in town, found a place to park, and headed off for a walk down Grand River Ave because the sidewalks were dry and safe for walking.  We had a really nice walk and stopped in front of the Christmas tree downtown on the way back to the car.  It had been so peaceful with all of the students out of town.  

Wednesday was even warmer than Tuesday had been, and the girls clearly knew it because they insisted on spending more time outside throughout the day.  

I took time over my lunch to do some meal prep, making a few sheet pan dinners, roasting some spaghetti squash, and starting some veggie broth.    

I was happy for the milder temperatures too, since it was our final Wednesday night dog walk at the shelter for the year.  We had a nice dog walk, and afterwards, I got the girls out for a walk too.  It had been another really productive day.

I had a half-day of work on Thursday and I was excited about our plans for the day.  When I finished my work day, my first order of business was to make a batch of my Great Grandma's sour cream cookies.  This is a quick and easy recipe and I had a nice batch of cookies in no time.

After finishing the cookies, I loaded the girls into the car to start our journey toward Nicol's house.  I wanted to make a couple of quick stops along the way to give the girls a little adventure. 

The temperatures for the day were in the 40s most of the day with a high of 50 expected late in the day, and rain moving into the area in the early afternoon.   

I was happy that there was barely a sprinkle when we stopped in South Lyon at the Witches Hat Depot for a walk.  There was some really interesting history in this little park.  

We made a second stop at Villa Bar Art Park, but didn't stay long because the rain picked up as we arrived.  After this stop, we continued on the way to Nicol's. 

When we arrived, Fiona was down for her afternoon break so I got to spend some time playing with Picasso.  He was pretty excited to get to play with grandma. 

When Tyler got home from work, Fiona came downstairs from her break, and we all loaded into Nicol's car to make the trip to Hines Drive for the Wayne County Lightfest.  This is an annual tradition for us, and it is always fun, but this year may have been the most fun yet.

Fiona and I sat in the back together and we laughed and sang Christmas songs and had the best time.  She loves singing all of the Christmas songs and knows all the words, it is adorable!  And we all laughed so hard as she demanded that we listen to Feliz Snowyballs, better know to the rest of us as Feliz Navidad.  She loudly sang out Feliz Snowyballs, mumbled the portion in Spanish, and then screamed out the chorus..."I want to wish you a Merry Christmas!"  It was the best.

She enjoyed the lights and so did I.   There are lots of pretty and unique light displays. 

The girls were comfy in the back of the car and I know they love being included.  The picture isn't good, but I wanted proof that they were there.

After enjoying the lights, we headed to Del Taco for dinner, which is also part of the annual tradition.

My original plans had included spending the night so that the girls and I could spend some time Friday with Nicol and Fiona.  I was excited about our plans, but unfortunately, due to the potential for bad weather, we all thought it would be better for me to head home to make sure I could make it there safely.  The threat of a Flash Freeze warning was just too much of a threat to risk it.

Luckily, we didn't get the dangerous freeze, but the temperatures did fall through the night bringing us 20s for the day Friday.  It brought with it a dusting of snow and some blustery winds.  And with that, i had no desire to leave the house.  Luckily I had prepared for the possibility that we'd be stuck at home due to weather so we had a really nice, lazy day.  It isn't often that I just stay in my pajamas all day, but it seemed the perfect day for it.  

After a lazy Friday at home, we had a productive day around town on Saturday.   

It started with our final shelter dog walk of 2025.  We had five really nice dogs to walk this morning, and boy were they full of energy.  

Seeing Frisbee lounge in the volunteer area after his walk makes every crazy minute of harnessing and walking dogs worth it.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend time helping make life for the shelter dogs a little better.  

After dog walking, I took the girls with me to run a few errands.  While I officially finished my Christmas shopping yesterday,  I decided to pick up a couple of small items from some local small businesses.  

One of our stops was in Old Town, so we also got out for a good walk and a visit to Preuss Pets.  I loved seeing the eel in with the fish.  The girls were excited to visit the rats.  We all enjoyed our stroll around Old Town.

Next, we made a stop downtown.  We took another enjoyable walk, stopped for a picture with the giant ornaments, and I made a stop in one of the stores for a quick purchase.  Then we headed home for a late lunch and a little break.

After the girls ate, they both curled up for a nap.  The rest of the afternoon was quiet and relaxing.

After dark, we headed to Dewitt to a drive through light display held by a church in the area.

It was a short drive, and the girls were able to hang their heads out the windows while we were there.  I figured it was a nice little adventure for them, and it was officially our last holiday event for the year.

We then took our traditional drive to look at all of the homes decorated for Christmas.  We've done some short drives earlier this season, but this was our official Christmas light drive.  We saw some very festive homes along the way.  Then we came home for dinner and I spent the rest of the evening watching Christmas movies while the girls snored the night away.

This morning we celebrate the Winter Solistice.  I'm happy to say farewell to Fall and welcome Winter.  I am really looking forward to the days getting longer.  Sadly, all of our snow has melted, and it is looking like the temperatures most of this week will be above freezing, so I guess we won't have snow on the ground for Christmas.   

Today is my mom's birthday and it also marks 6 months since losing my dad.  While we have tried to make the most of the holiday season, knowing he won't be here to celebrate with us this week has always been on my mind. 

So I haven't made any big plans for the day. I have a few last minute decorating touches to make, presents to wrap, some cleaning to do, and I'll probably start to do a little prep for our Christmas Eve festivities, but if I'm not up for any of it, that will be okay, too.

I hope you all get a chance to spend time with those you love and enjoy the holiday season.  Merry Christmas to you all from me and the girls!

Merry and Bright...and cold and snowy

Despite the cold and snowy weather we've been having, or maybe because of it, we have really been enjoying ourselves this December.  I don't love how cold it has been, but I do believe it is important to embrace it and make the most of the days we're given.  I think the snow helps.  We haven't really had wintry weather like this in December in several years, and it is putting me into the Christmas spirit.  

I've also been enjoying my long weekends over the last couple of weeks.  I started this week with Monday off and I had big plans for a quiet and relaxing day at home. But first. I started the day with a trip to my doctor's office for my annual bloodwork.  I made a couple of stops on my way home, and then, after being home for about 90 minutes, I had to head back out for Peaches' appointment for her monthly Liberela injection.    

We ran a few more errands on our drive home, and I decided we'd make a quick stop at the dog park for a run.  The sun was shining and being in the woods blocked some of the wind, so we stayed pretty comfortable for our visit.   Neither dog seemed bothered by the cold, so we happily spent 40 minutes there.

Before heading home, we took a short walk in the park.  It was such a beautiful sunny afternoon,  I just wanted to soak it in a little longer.

All of that exercise and fresh air was just what we had needed.  What a wonderful way to spend my day.  I wish all my Mondays could be spent like that.

We'd had so much fun on Monday that I decided to head back to the dog park just before sunset on Tuesday.  I knew we wouldn't have much time before dark, but I love to watch Mina fly through the woods.  It is such a great way for her to burn off energy and such a joy to watch.  She is quite an athlete. 

We were back in the car at sunset, and I decided that it was the perfect evening to make the drive to Eaton Rapids for our annual holiday walk around town.

I loved that they have changed the decorations at the island park this year so that it is themed as the Island of Misfit Toys from Rudolph. 

There were lots of pretty decorations to see, and the girls were happy to be out for a walk.

After our walk around the island, we headed down the riverwalk and through town to enjoy more lights and decorations. 

I love this little park in town with a Whoville theme.  Eaton Rapids does a really nice job of decorating for the holidays.

We took some back roads home and made a final, short stop in Dimondale.  We made the most of our Tuesday evening knowing that a weather system would be moving in over night and would restrict our activity on Wednesday.

Wednesday's weather combined some rain and sleet in the morning with a very wet snow later in the day. The girls had no interest in spending much time outside and happily napped the day away while I worked. I took a late lunch to get out to shovel and salt the sidewalks and driveway before it got dark, and the girls spent that time out in the backyard. Then we all happily came in to enjoy a quiet and warm evening inside.

Thursday brought us some more light and fluffy snow.  The girls stayed warm and cozy inside while I worked all day.  It was a busy day and I worked through my lunch so that we could get in a visit to the dog park before dark.  After a day without much exercise, we needed a good run in the

snow.

Peaches was more adventurous and wandered a bit farther away from me than she has been comfortable with lately.   It was nice to see her exploring more and enjoying her visit to the woods.

For the first time in weeks, I brought the Chuck-it along for our visit and Mina was thrilled for the opportunity to play ball.  We had such a nice time that we stayed as long as we could before it started to get dark.  

After a busy day on Friday, I had to run out for an errand after work.  It was frigid, but I decided to take the girls along for the ride.  I hoped we would have the chance to get out for a walk, too, while we were out and about.

Since we were close to Holt, I decided to stop at Veteran's Memorial Park for our walk.  It is a small park and the sidewalks were completely clear of snow and ice, making it the perfect spot for our walk.

We walked in circles around the park until I could tell that Mina was getting cold.  We ended up walking nearly a mile and a half before we were done.  It was the perfect Friday evening stop.

I woke up on Saturday morning with temperatures in the teens and a furnace that was not turning on.  After a moment of panic, I headed down into the basement, hoping that the issue was just the pilot light.  I was relieved when I confirmed that was the issue, and I proceeded to get to work getting it re-lit.  It took a couple of tries, but I was able to get it lit again and soon the house was nice and warm. What a relief!

The girls were happy to spend the day lazily at home.  I took some time to enjoy the quiet of the day, but also had a really productive day cleaning and organizing.  It felt great to get so much done!

Around 2:30, we got in the car to check some things off my to-do list.  We made several stops and had a productive trip.  Then we headed to REO Town for the Krampus event at the REO Town Marketplace. 

I knew this stop would give us a chance for a short walk in REO Town with the opportunity to warm up inside the Marketplace.

We visited the vendors, got stopped so many times for people to pet the girls, and Mina made friends with one of Krampus' creepy elves.  We took another walk outside and then another walk inside again before heading back to the car.  Boy was it cold!

With temperatures falling. I debated on whether I'd make the next stop we had planned for the day.  Ultimately, I decided we would make the drive to Grand Ledge for the Lincoln Brick Light Festival. 

We arrived just before it opened at 5pm, and I was happy to see it was a short trail.  We bundled up and headed out for the short walk.  

We were first to arrive and the girls were happy to take in some new smells along the way.  We talked to a few people working the event along the way and chatted with Santa for a couple minutes before turning to head back to the car.

It was a total of three-tenths of a mile round-trip and was just the right length.  Mina was done with the cold and I was happy to be back in the warm car.  We then drove through Grand Ledge to check out the lights in town on our way toward home.  It had been another successful day of short bursts, cold-weather fun.

I had a couple of things planned for our Sunday to keep everyone happy despite the cold.  I started my day with a drive to Williamston for a fun geocaching event at the Sun Theater.  The host of the event rented the theater for a showing of The Goonies and provided popcorn and pop.  It was a fun way to start the day, and I loved the Nutcrackers decorating downtown Williamston, too.

I got home around 1pm, and the girls were ready for lunch.  I gave them their lunch in one of their brain games, and while they ate, I spent some time filling several Kongs and a couple of licky mats to put into the freezer.  Now we'll have something to keep them busy the rest of the week.

It was a balmy 16 degrees when we headed to Mason for a pictures with Santa event being held at Amanda's Grooming.   This event benefits the shelter, so I like to go, even though we didn't really need another Santa picture.

I got some tickets for the raffle baskets, had a cookie and some hot chocolate, and let the girls say hello to some new friends, both two- and four-legged.  We stayed a little longer than I normally would to give them more entertainment without needing to be out in the cold.

Then, before we left town, we took two quick 3/10s of a mile walks because the sidewalks were clear.  I probable should have put their coats on, but I hadn't planned on being out very long.  Luckily,  they seemed to do okay for both of our short walks.

By the time we got back into the car, the sun had come out, so I decided to make the short drive down to Leslie for another short walk.  We never go to Leslie, so I knew this walk in a new place would be a little more fun for us all.

No big holiday displays in Leslie, but they did have a small tree, and the girls were happy to check it out, and, of course, Peaches thought a good roll in the snow was necessary.  Crazy girl! After another 3/10s of a mile, Mina was cold and ready to get back into the car, so i loaded them into the car for the drive home.

I decided to stop for a few quick geocaches along the way home.  While I was quickly jumping in and out of the car, the girls were happy to keep an eye on me from the car.  I'm sure the extra entertainment was good for them.  A couple of times I rolled the windows down so that they could stick their heads out the window.  That made Peaches very happy. 

We listened to the Lions game on the radio as we drove from spot to spot, and finally arrived at home shortly after sunset.  They enjoyed dinner on their licky mats while I had chicken tenders and potato wedges from a small local restaurant.  I could eat these potato wedges every day.  They are so good!

Now the girls will head out for a quick potty break before we snuggle up for a cozy evening and watch the rest of the Lions game.  

We're less than two weeks from Christmas and we have some more holiday fun planned for this week.  The temperatures are supposed to improve a little at the end of the week, but no matter what Mother Nature throws our way, I'm going to make the most of our Merry and Bright season.   And by the time I write next week, Winter will have officially arrived.