January Snowstorms

 I'm happy to report that we were the recipients of a couple of good snowstorms in January. There was a particularly newsworthy one at the end of the month that turned out to be a classic New England blizzard with lots of snowfall. It happened on a Saturday and church was cancelled the next day--when I was supposed to give a talk! So I had a two-week reprieve from doing that. I would have been happy to just get it done that day, but I was even happier to enjoy a cozy snow day inside!

The first storm of 2022 happened on Friday, January 7th. The Snow Day Calculator was correct in its prediction! There was no school that day. We were all happy about that, even though the holiday break had just been the week before!

"Please let me in!"

Snow-dusted doggy

The really big storm of this whole winter season happened on Saturday, January 30th. The notifications for that one started popping up a couple days before it happened. I enjoy the anticipation and buildup to a big storm, especially when it turns out to be legit!

On Friday morning, my town was right between the red and pink ranges. 

I like before and afters, so here's the front lawn BEFORE the storm (obviously 😁).

And the backyard

By the time of Friday evening's forecast, my town was solidly in the red region for the blizzard warning. My heart danced with joy. 😄 Bring it!!

The storm got a little blurb in The Wall Street Journal, and it hadn't even happened yet!

Storm day on Saturday! This was in the morning when it was gearing up.

My Spanish page-a-day calendar called it! It apparently has magical prognosticating abilities.

In celebration of the storm I made this box of brownies that I'd meant to make in December.  

They turned out well even though I accidentally used too much butter! (Some people would say there's no such thing!) 

I used to watch Harvey Leonard back in high school! I like him and I'm glad he hasn't retired yet.

Saturday afternoon

It was still snowing in the evening and at night! It was a light snow by Saturday night, but it was still coming down. I bundled up and shoveled a path down to the yard for Violet. I know, I'm so nice. 

Look at all that snow! I think we got around 18 inches.

On Sunday morning the storm was over, but its aftermath definitely remained! It was a beautiful winter wonderland out there.

Here are the afters!

Winter storms, or "Nor'eastahs"  as we like to call them here in New England, have always made my heart happy--especially when I don't have to drive in them or plow or shovel out. January didn't disappoint!

Hair I Am in January!

 Another month, another set of hair selfies! Lest you think I'm a narcissist, I promise I'm not. But I do confess to being guilty of hair narcissism because I finally I love my hair!

*Smolder* 😂

(Side note: Do you notice how I live in down vests all winter?) 

 Started in a ponytail, and then I let my hair down. 😍

Welp! LOL

Donna in the dark again, but a little less sinister-looking this time.

I started using barrettes more in January. I didn't think anything could replace my beloved headbands, but barrettes and bobby pins were coming in hot!

I was also wearing my hair down more too with no accessories. I've been doing that a lot more lately.

But my loyalty to and love for headbands will always remain strong.  

💖💖💖

2021 Calendar Inspo + 2022 Outlook

 On New Year's Day, I went through the pages that I'd kept from my page-a-day calendar from 2021 in order to review them and decide which ones to keep permanently. A lot of them spoke to me and so I took pictures of them to create a little "inspiration" album on my phone that I can look to for, well, inspiration and motivation when I need it. Many are directly applicable to my crazy divorce situation and my new path as a single mother and woman. 

I think these are all so great! 

This was December 31st's page. These are good questions that I've thought a lot about. 

For 2022, I'm looking forward to finally being done with the divorce process and being able to fully move on with my life. I've been stuck in a bad situation for too long now and I'm very much looking forward to being officially done with it. I will make more time for my children, who are my number one priority after God and the the gospel, and also for myself. I will be in triage mode for most if not all of 2022, attending mostly to the top three things in my life right now that need the most care and attention: my faith, my children, and myself. Out of necessity I'll be making more time for work since I have no choice in the matter anymore. And that means I'll make less time for non-essential things that I can cut down on--less TV (not that I watch a lot of it anyway), less leisure time for informational reading and other hobbies or habits that aren't essential (just this morning I called and changed my Wall Street Journal subscription so that I'll no longer get it every day), less time spent on things like blogging (dry your eyes), less shopping and eating out, fewer social outings, etc. It's time to simplify down to the essentials, and my life will still be full of joy because it's the essentials that bring true and lasting joy. I have a feeling that 2022 is going to be a much better year than 2021 was. (#knockonwood!)