The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

My Year of Shmita: November Update

Christmas was wonderful (recaps coming soon) and today is Boxing Day in Canada. Which means, per my new family tradition, it’s Turkey Dinner Day!!! A few years ago I decided I didn’t want to…

My 2024 Christmas Playlist

First, Merry Christmas! I wasn’t going to post on Christmas Day, but I’ve had this song list languishing in my drafts folder for a while and it seemed like something that needed to go…

Christmas, Personality Insights, Top Five/Bottom Five
Dec, 25, 2024
23 Comments

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

I am a self-professed homebody. Give me pajamas, a warm fire, cozy blankets, creamy coffee, and a good book (or, even better, my laptop so I can write a blog post).

We all crave security….

Christmas Questions: Would You Rather…

Well…

I severely underestimated how busy the last few days would be. It has – for the most part – been fun things filling those days. But they have still been very, very full. Is…

Christmas, Habits, Holidays, Personality Insights
Dec, 23, 2024
35 Comments

Happy Things Friday: 20 December

Shhhhh.

Do you hear what I hear?

It’s a giant sigh of relief from everyone in our family. Because…

School wraps up at the end of the day.

John arrives home from his final work trip of the…

Thrifting for Christmas Gifts + You Might Be Surprised How Many Items Our Kids Receive

In response to my Happy Things Friday post last week, Rachel asked the following:

Out of curiosity, do you buy new or used for Christmas gifts for your kids? Do you think about it at…

Christmas, Holidays, Joy, Money, Parenting, Thrifting
Dec, 19, 2024
36 Comments

Turns Out…I Don’t Need To Send Christmas Cards Early (And Other Good Things I Won’t Be Doing This Christmas)

Writing a post of this ilk has become a tradition for me. I find it helpful to sit down and list “good” things I don’t have to do at any given time. Understandably, Christmas…