A December Weekend

Eggnog Creams. Recipe can be found on my old blog, here

Hey friends! Can you believe we're already in the last full week before Christmas? Craziness, I tell ya!

What's worse is that I had a 3-day weekend, but it was so jam-packed that I really didn't get a chance to relax. Granted, I enjoyed most of what I did this weekend, but I would have loved a solid three hours on Sunday night to unwind with some hot cocoa and a movie (or at least finish knitting my scarf- just a couple inches to go!).

Besides making the delicious Eggnog Creams pictured above, I also attended Ladies Day Out on Saturday. I was given a pair of complimentary passes in hopes that I would write about the event, so here you go. The event was held at the Doubletree by the Loyd Center and began at 9am. I decided to take my sister in law, since I figured she could really use a ladies' day out. This lady is not only the mother of two young boys, but she also goes to nursing school full time.

We got to the event early because we were promised swag bags (which were handed out to the first 200 attendees). There was music, vendors, waffles, and my favorite (I'm not a lush, I swear) booze. Hear me out though: I am really into local wineries and local distilleries. I am so fortunate to live in an area that has plenty of both, and it is so much fun to get out and meet the people behind the products. Plus, local distilleries tend to get more creative with their booze, which I will explain further.

I was pretty psyched to see that my favorite, Eastside Distilling, had a booth at the event. So excited, in fact, that I didn't take any pictures. This year, they have a holiday 3-pack of Peppermint Bark Liqueur (recipe using this stuff coming up later this week), Eggnog Liqueur, and Holiday Spiced Liqueur. All 3 of these liqueurs are amazingly delicious, and my little brother is one lucky guy because my sister in law bought him the 3-pack for Christmas (don't worry, I'm not spoiling a surprise- she gave it to him early; besides, I'm pretty sure my brother doesn't realize I have a blog). 

Now, our actual first stop of the event was at the Dry Fly booth. I'd never heard of them, but they are a distillery based in Spokane, Washington. I noticed they had a gold-colored gin and I had to know all about it. It turns out that they age the gin in oak barrels, giving it an oaky flavor like a whiskey, but with the herbal flavor of gin. Let me tell you, I could sip this stuff straight and be a happy camper. Not only that, but their vodka is probably the best vodka I've tasted. I normally hate vodka, but this one is a keeper. The only downside- they weren't licensed to sell in Oregon, so we couldn't buy any bottles to take home.

My other favorite booth at the event was Phelps Creek Vineyards. I've visited their tasting room in Hood River, but I love the wines out there so much, I will never turn down a tasting. In this case, tastings were $3 for 5 wines (whereas the distilleries were giving free tastings). The Sauvignon Blanc was light and crisp- and a first for Phelps Creek! They've paired up with a Kiwi (New Zealand is known for great Sauvignon Blanc) to produce this refreshing wine. The Chardonnay was also very nice- it has only been oaked for a short time, so it's a bit cleaner than a regular oaked Chardonnay. My favorite of the bunch, however, was the dessert wine, Vin de Glace (Ice Wine for you non-French seakers). It was not sickeningly sweet at all. Instead, it was light and fruit forward- and actually tasted like pineapple!

As for the rest of the event, I found a Christmas present for my mom among the vendors (not saying who or what since this one is still a surprise), and my sister in law found a present for herself with the beautiful hand-tossed pottery booth. I was tempted to buy myself a small aqua pitcher, but talked myself out of it- I'm trying to cut spending, and I still have other Christmas presents to buy. My only complaint about the event would be the number of dieting-related booths. When I think of a "Ladies Day Out" the last thing I want to think about is losing weight. But, we all know how I feel about dieting.

As for the rest of my weekend, there was an inspirational goal-planning session with fellow Portland bloggers Kayla and Macey, which I will talk about in the New Year (because there will be a part 2!). What I will say is that I left feeling super inspired by these awesome women and the great things we shared. I also shared with them Unravelling, which I am currently working through as I prepare for the new year. 

And then there was all kinds of holiday preparation going on at my mom's house. I spent a good chunk of time making Christmas presents (my siblings and I are exchanging hand-made gifts this year in an effort to be more frugal and thoughtful). Let's just say, if the boys don't like what they get from me, I will gladly keep their presents to myself.

Now I'll leave you with some images from mom's house, which is all decked out (though she didn't put out all of the decorations, and you really can't tell):

This is mom's Toy Chihuahua, Frodo, in a Christmas sweater. You're Welcome.

How was your weekend? Are you ready for the holidays? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Leave a Comment Christmas Cookies, Dry Fly Distilling, Eastside Distilling, holidays, inspiration, Ladies Day Out, Phelps Creek Vineyards

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The Holiday Humbugs: Dealing with Holiday Loneliness

Is there something about the holiday season that gives you the humbugs? I'm talking about the thing that every time you hear or see it, you cringe and you just want to snarl, "bah humbug."

For me, it's romance.

Let me clear something up, I am a romantic at heart and love the holidays. But when you don't have someone to share all of the holiday magic with, and you see a bajillion other people who do, you start to feel a bit like a Scrooge.

I know I've been feeling it. If I have to hear of another engagement in the next three weeks, I might lose my appetite for Christmas cookies.

Why do I feel this way? I think there are several parts to this.

One, Christmas romance has been dangled in front of me ever since I was a little girl. There are Christmas songs for lovers (thank you, Mariah Carey), and plenty of movies that celebrate that coming together at Christmas (the new Miracle on 34th Street and even When Harry Met Sally). It's like there has been this promise, that I will get to have magical romance at Christmas.

Which gets me to reason number two: I've never had romance at Christmas. It's always been me, just me. Single. I don't say alone, because I'm not- I'm lucky enough to have a growing family, and Christmas is a pretty big deal to us (at least, Christmas Eve is, and I will get to that in a coming post).

But romance has never been in the picture for me. 

So, when I see everyone's cutesy couples pictures in front of the tree, my stomach churns a little. Every engagement is just another carrot dangled in front of my nose (see what you don't have!). Yes, it hurts to see other people enjoying something that you want but don't have. And the trouble, in these super-connected times, is that I see these things all around- Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and other blogs.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want everyone else to be as lonely as me at Christmas. I just simply want what everyone else has. And sometimes, if I can't have it, I just don't want to see it around me.

I don't want to leave this post on a downer note, though, because I'm not sad, and for once, I'm not lonely (for the most part). I would like to offer a few little tips on coping with holiday loneliness.

Tips for Dealing with Holiday Loneliness

• Make plans. Why wait until you are part of a couple to enjoy things like Zoolights or a holiday show? Grab a friend and get out. Preferably, grab a friend that makes you laugh.
• Send Christmas cards. This weekend I filled out my Christmas cards, and I felt so full doing so. It's hard to feel lonely when you have someone to write to.
• Take yourself on a date. Not kidding. Self dates are the best. My favorite ones involve cheese and wine.
• Laugh at things like this and this
• Put away the laptop and the iPhone. Avoid the source of comparison.
• Avoid the Hallmark and Lifetime Channels. Those romantic movies might just have you guzzling entire bottles of Merlot. Unless you have a great sense of humor and just laugh at how cheesy those movies are, then by all means, knock yourself out.
• Bring an alternative date to your holiday party. One year, my work party was for couples, and I asked if I could bring my sister. Unfortunately, my sister ended up being busy, but I'm glad that I spoke up for myself. Some people don't see the tyranny of the plus one.
• Cuddle a dog. Thankfully, I have my own, so I cuddle her lots. It really helps. Also, dressing her in an ugly Christmas sweater is good for a laugh.
• Reach out. Talk to people. Know that you are worth other people's time and ask for it when you need it.
• Allow people to reach back. Don't shut yourself off when you're feeling lonely, it will only make things worse. One thing always leads to another.

Have you ever experienced holiday loneliness? How do you deal? I'd love to hear form you in the comments below!

Leave a Comment holidays, humbug, loneliness

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Baby, It's F'ing Cold Outside

Via

Brr, a record-breaking chill has settled into the Portland area, and my poor old lady body just can't handle it. Okay, I don't have an old lady body, but this weather sure makes me feel like it. Not only do I have Raynaud's, but my legs ache horribly when the temperature drops significantly, and my knees creak. And this has happened since I was a teenager. Also, as a side-effect of the Raynaud's, once my fingers do get warmed up again, they remain pretty useless. Simple things, like opening jars, are painful.

This isn't a post about whining about the cold. No, I'm here to provide you for a cold weather, Christmas time-y playlist. This playlist is full of less traditional songs, and new takes on traditional songs. Call me old-fashioned, but I've really been loving the old Christmas hymns these past few years, like Come Thou Fount of Ev'ry Blessing, and Come O Come Emmanuel. I hope that you will enjoy this selection of songs while cozied up under some warm blankets, sitting by a fire, and sipping some nice hot cocoa. I just realized now would have been a good time to introduce you to my personal cocoa recipe...is that something you guys would be interested in?

Finally, before I cut to the songs, I actually invested in some Christmas cards this year, but would love more people to send some Christmas cheer to! If you'd like to get a card from me, either send me an email at rach(dot)sed(at)gmail(dot)com, or leave a comment below and I'll be in touch.

And now, for the MUSIC!

Do you have a favorite Christmas song? I'll be back later this month with a playlist of my favorite classics (hint: Otis Redding is involved- more than once). I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Leave a Comment brrr, carols, Christmas, cold, holidays, hymns, music, playlist, songs

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Re-Thinking Holiday Survival

Now that the holidays are upon us, I'm sure you've seen an article or two offering tips on how to "survive the holidays." The advice ranges from how to field awkward questions (about your love life, about your plans for family, etc.) to how to deal with poorly behaving children. Almost all of these types of articles that I've seen are selling from the standpoint "holidays are stressful, so be prepared."

I'd like to offer a twist. Are you ready for this? It involves something that you have complete control over: your mindset. So what is it I suggest?

Flip the script.

Instead of looking at holiday gatherings as something to "get through," look for the ways you will enjoy yourself. 

Often times, stress is created when stress is anticipated. If you tell yourself that Thanksgiving is going to be stressful because the whole family will be there with Aunt Martha forcing green bean casserole on everyone while dad tells awkward jokes, then yes, it will be stressful and those things will grate on you, and you may in fact cause a stressful environment by bringing your negative energy to the table.

But what happens when you go in with a positive mindset?

Sure, Aunt Martha might still offer you some green bean casserole, but you'll see that she does so because she wants to share something she made with the people she loves. And yes, your dad will make some awkward jokes, but you can just laugh them off.

Let me tell you a little story. I must first preface by saying that I have social anxiety, so gatherings of more than 3-4 people can make me very nervous, and are sometimes over-stimulating. One day last Spring, I was on my way to a walking Meetup that I had organized, and when I checked my phone to see how many women had signed up, there were 20. 20 women signed up to go walking that morning. I went into panic mode straight-away. I couldn't handle meeting with 20 women that I did not know! And then I stopped myself and said, no, that does not have to be true. So I arrived for my Meetup, and only about 15 women showed. I greeted everyone with a smile, and we all introduced ourselves, and I had a wonderful time. If I had gone in with my original negative mind-frame, I'm sure I would have been much more shy, and looked for things I did not like about people. Instead, I rocked it and met some really cool people.

I learned a valuable lesson from that experience, one that has helped me when I stress out over future events. Anticipating stressful social situations creates stressful social situations. Go in with no expectations, but looking for the good, and you just might enjoy yourself. That's what I intend to do this year.

Have you ever experienced a mind-shift like this? How do you intend to enjoy the holidays? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Leave a Comment anxiety, holidays, shifting mindset, stress management

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