This and That
Hello, everyone! One week until Christmas Eve, can you believe it?
This:
Yesterday I smashed out an awesome 5-mile interval run on my mom’s treadmill. I felt a million times better afterwards. I’ve been eating a lot since getting here and spending all day sleeping, reading and eating was not agreeing with me or my body image. I bet you just want to kill me after telling you how I’ve been spending my days here, hey?!
I had big plans to be productive this break but so far that has not been the case. Eric hasn’t been working because of the extreme cold here so we’ve basically been being lazy bums together! Yesterday I straightened my hair and put on makeup for the first time snice being here but I couldn’t bring myself to change out of my ever-so-comfy yoga pants! Eric’s back to work today so I’m going to attempt to be more productive; I have some fun, end of the year posts planned that I want to get cracking on. Oh and it’s finally warmed up here, it’s been a balmy -25 C (-13 F) the last couple of days.
Anyways, I really don’t have much to say because, like I said, I’ve been doing a whole lot of nothing! But thank you all so much for your trip advice. We spent a couple hours doing some planning yesterday and we are tentatively looking at going to Paris, Rome, Venice and Athens in a 2.5 week long trip. Obviously, I will keep you updated!
That:
Giveaway Alert: Lisa from Lisa’s Yarns is doing an AWESOME giveaway. Seriously, one of the best, most thoughtful and personal giveaways I’ve seen yet! She is going to knit one lucky reader a scarf and hat in their choice of colour. And this girl is an awesome knitter (is knitter a word?) check out the ones she did for herself. So head on over to her blog and enter her giveaway right now!
Well, I will leave you with those little tid-bits for now, I sure hope my life gets more interesting soon or I might lose all my blog readers!
Today, why don’t you guys tell me what you’re doing for Christmas holidays? Are you staying home or traveling out of town? Anything you’re particularly excited for?
We are doing a little of both; staying home and travelling. Christmas eve and day are both jam-packed! We’re doing initial Christmas on the Eve with my family (having Chinese food for lunch) then heading over to my in-laws for Christmas with my husband’s family (including aunts and grandparents) – having spaghetti and meatballs instead of the Chinese we’d usually have (my MIL is breaking tradition this year and I don’t think it’s going to go over well). Then Christmas day we’re doing our own morning celebration, followed by a trip to Jackson MI to see hubby’s extended family, then a trip to Eaton Rapids MI to see mine, celebrate, and play bingo.
) Last year we had FIVE Christmas celebrations (though they were all in town) and I’m glad to have things toned down a bit this year.
I’m excited for some of the gifts I’ve gotten people and for them to open said gifts. I had to work extra hard this year to stay on our puny budget and still find gifts that people would love and appreciate, and I think I have succeeded – at least in some cases. We’ll see come Christmas! I can’t believe it’s only a week away!
I wasn’t sure whether to leave this comment in this post or the previous one, but as you’ve suggested the destinations here, I’m putting it in this one.
I definitely think that you should choose cities in one general area, like the mediterranean or Eastern Europe. I also think that you should really beware of trying to do too much and see too many places in a short space of time. It will make your holiday rather ridged in that you may not have the time to explore the cities or their surrounding areas as much as you would want when you get there. It may restrict your ability to be spontaneous. To me, 4 cities in 2.5 weeks sounds like a lot. But then it depends on what you want to do.
If you’re going in April/May then I would definitely recommend the Med region, and Paris. Normally I would highly recommend London and Ireland (especially County Cork, more specifically West Cork. It’s soooo relaxing!), but, although London can have pretty good weather at that time of year, it usually doesn’t (mind you, compared to where you are now, it might not seem so bad!) and Ireland rarely has good weather. These two are definitely a summer holiday destination.
As for websites (which you asked for in the last post), the only one that I can think of is lastminute.com – it’s an English website, that has good deals for everything you could need, and it’s for destinations going all over the world, but I think you have to start in England. Might be worth checking out anyway.
Staying home — well going to my parents house just an hour away. Hopefully nailing down a location for the darn wedding, and wedding dress shopping (i will try to have pictures this time around! – some shops just don’t allow it).
paris — perfect for couples. rome & venice, Awesome!!!!! i adore italy. i also adore athens should be cleaned up so good because when i saw it, it was right before the olympics.
Your holiday so far sounds absolutely lovely. Enjoy the down time, you don’t get very much of it. I have to work until next Tuesday and then I am off for the rest of the year. The days will be spent with family and friends, just enjoying the time off from work. Christmas Eve we always have a big gather at my grandparents house and then Christmas Day I’ll catch up with friends. I cannot wait!
I have to admit I’m pretty jealous of what you’ve been doing all day, but I think you deserve it. I wish working people got more vacations, I really think they are necessary! Especially the ones you stay home and do nothing!
I am staying home for Christmas, but I am most looking forward to my siblings gingerbread house making contest!
I have been wanting to try an interval workout on the treadmill. Did you just run on of the programs or just manually increase the speed based on time or distance? I worry about the treadmill going too fast! And I dont want to look funny in front of everyone while i try to do a set program from the treadmill.
I agree with Sarah – pick your cities in a general location, to minimize the amount of travel and cost you’ll incur. Remember, the Euro is *not* in our favor. I think 4 cities in 2.5 weeks is a lot too. I would cut it down to 3 cities. Doing what you would want to do in Paris would take at least 5 days, preferably 6, and don’t forget that you’ll lose a day going and coming back. Spending more time in one place will give you the freedom to be spontaneous, have more time to explore neighborhoods while also having time to see the big sights. Not that I want to tell you what to do, but I know when I was planning both my trips, first we were going to do 3 countries in 2 weeks, and ended up doing only 1, and then the second trip I was going to do England in 4 days, and ended up doing two English cities (London and Bath) in 1 week!
Both times, the longer stay time in one place turned out to be perfect and I can’t imagine it would be satisfying to do it any other way.
As for Christmas: I’m staying in NYC with Erik. My mom is coming on the 26th though for 5 days. So that’ll be fun. I have done a ton of traveling this year though, I’m thankful not to be heading to an airport!
That sounds like an awesome trip!! I thought Rome was okay… but then again I was super jetlagged and it was the very beginning of my trip there. I would recommend Venice
Or Cinque Terre (lots of beautiful trails).
Anywyas that trip sounds amazing!!
We’re staying home this year. The original plan was to visit my family back east this year but neither of us could get the time off work to make it worthwhile (3 days doesn’t quite cut it for travelling across the country!) So yeah. Maybe next year
Your trip sounds amazing- I’ve never toured europe and it’s one of those things that I just know I need to do someday.
Video blog it? Take me with you? =)
Ohhhhhh I’m so jealous of your trip! I think you being a “lazy bum” is well deserved – you’ve had quite a busy schedule lady!
We are staying in town for the holidays – we live within 5 minutes (or less) of both sets of our parents which is nice. I only wish my brother and sister-in-law were closer so we could hang out with our niece for her first Christmas!
i need to go get my run on too! weeee!!! i’m staying home for the holidays- we will be driving around alot but wont be venturing out of the state or anything!!!!
great job on the interval run! love those!
Amber, sounds like an awesome trip! Athens will be amazing, I’m sure.
That sounds like a great skip along Europe! I’m just moving into the house for Christmas. I think we will have Christmas at my place this year due to Alex moving here as well. Just the four of us. Pretty excited!!! I got my bedroom furniture yesterday and it is awesome!
I’m heading to various grandparents around the state. SHould be fun.
ewwwwww minus retarded is no fun!!! i can see how thrilled you two are in your last pic!! LOL Thank GOD I moved from there!! Seriously!!!!
Steve and I haven’t made solid plans yet…..it changes everyday…..today’s plan is that we’re just going to stay here and lounge around and work on the house some, have Christmas dinner with our closest friends and then possibly take a lil road trip south…..but who knows right now. Oh well time off is time off and today is my last day!!!! SO FN EXCITED!!!!!!!!! I even have three books lined up to read!!!
we’re traveling rediculous amounts. with kids. ugh.
even this weekend. tonight i’m driving 2 hours to meet kelley and do a car swap. then 2 hours back to raleigh. saturday morning we’re both driving the 4 hours back to greenville, then christmas with my mom’s family. then sunday i drive 4 hours back to raleigh. that’s 12 hours in 4 days!! nasty stuff i tell ya.
next weekend is going to be worse though.
doing nothing sometimes can be wonderful! vacations aren’t meant to be productive– they’re supposed to be relaxing! so just enjoy it
don’t worry, you won’t lose your readers!
and I think you picked some great destinations! I’d love to go to any and all of those places! I can’t wait to live vicariously through you
oh, and to answer your question, I am staying home, as usual, for the holidays. nothing particularly exciting on the agenda, just family time and good food.
I have no real plans for the day itself, but I’m going to the Nutcracker ballet on the 23rd and will be going somewhere for Christmas eve services because my church isn’t having anything (oh, construction). I’m sure I’ll see my family, but we’re typically last minute planners
We will be at my Dad’s for Christmas Eve for turkey dinner and gifts … then the hubby and I will wake up at home and do gifts, then go to his parents for brunch and more gifts, and stay there for turkey dinner.
Then the next day (boxing day) we will drive 2 hours to see my mom and grandma and aunt, etc. and stay overnight. Then the next day we are home, and the day after that we are flying to the Dominican Republic for a week
Even though I’m working, I find myself being so lazy when getting ready since I just come home after work and do nothing. Sometimes, I’ll just take a shower and pull my hair into a ponytail. I’ve been trying to look somewhat presentable but it’s hard when my life has become so easy and relaxed now!
I so feel you on the yoga pants and doing nothing with your appearance. Your on a vacation! Enjoy it! You have enough days to look pulled together with straightened hair and make-up.
(But great job on the exercise! I need your motivation. I have absolutely NONE!)
Thanks for plugger my give away. And yes, “knitter” is a word.
And it totally describes me. I would love to just spend an entire week or weekend knitting! It’s such a great hobby for me and is so relaxing!
I am going to my Parent’s house in North Dakota for Christmas. I’ll be there Wed-Fri, and then we’ll spend Sat & Sun at my parents lake cabin. Then I’ll be back up at their lake cabin again for NYE! Can’t wait to see my family!!!
-13F? Are you kidding me? How do you go anywhere without freezing to death? You must have thicker blood than me. I’m pretty sure I’d just sit next to a fire all the darn time.
Traveling TO “home” – i.e. where the Fam is (I also consider DC home now – but ya know..) . leaving at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, ah!!
I’m glad you’re enjoying some Relaxation up there!! -13F?! SERIOUSLY? Can’t wrap my head around that being “warmer”. Lol