Change of Plans

 -  Blogmas  Day   Seven  . Normal  Work  Day  .   Shopping  Small  Biz  -

Hi everyone! Blogmas day seven isn't exactly going to be as exciting or festive as I originally was expecting it to be. Originally, this evening was supposed to be my Church small group's Christmas party. I was looking forward to preparing food for it and sharing pictures of this evening's event with you all but unfortunately, the party has been postponed due to illness of the host. So, ill be praying for the host in the meantime and you all can just look forward to a post in the future regarding our Christmas party.
It ended up being a fairly normal day. I worked- taught two private lessons, and then a ballet technique class, followed by a short pre-pointe class at Cavod's Manheim location. With only a week and a half left until Christmas break for the kids, it is always a fun time of the year to be teaching. I feel at ease with my lesson planning mostly all set, up until the final day before break, The kids are buzzing with excitement in anticipation of Christmas vacation, and while we haven't quite gotten there yet, Christmas music rings through the studios and halls of our school. Who can't help getting caught up in the Christmas cheer in that kind of setting!
I headed to Manheim early today so before teaching, I stopped by one of my FAVORITE local small businesses, Prussian Street Arcade! It is a super cute artisan craft market featuring the most one-of-a-kind, high quality, beautiful homemade crafts, home decor, as well as fashion boutique and antique items! They have a little something for everyone. I love coming here to shop but also to just walk around and be inspired! Today I sauntered through just to get some ideas on what I want to do for some last minute Christmas gifts I still need to get. I suppose it is not too last minute yet... The rest of this blog entry will feature pictures I snapped of certain vendor booths and items that stood out to me. Enjoy!

"I wish life wasn't so expensive, and dogs lived longer, and leftover french fries 
still tasted good heated up"

I spotted these cute little guys at Sweet Arrows Co.'s Booth.

...maybe someday I will have a booth of my own. 💭 #dreaming

Though I am sad our Christmas party got canceled, I must admit, it is extremely nice having a quiet Wednesday evening home early this week; Actually getting to eat dinner at a normal hour! (Whereas usually I teach lessons right through dinner time and eat once I get home, OR have church small group on Wednesdays). I have been in great need of a "Selah". With all of the engagements, Christmas preparations, and general holiday bustling that has kept me busy the past couple of weeks, I think this might be the first time in a WHILE that I get to actually pause, read a good book, and wind down early tonight. I am praising the Lord for this unexpected unplanned evening of relaxation! I hope your able to get some soon too! All the best,
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Blogmas Day Four In Snapshots

  You know it has been a long day when my blog entries consist of more photos than text. After a long day (and weekend!), sometimes just doing a photo dump and going to bed early is what is best! I began my day with church, then attended and helped host a graduation party for a close friend. following that, I attended a neat show done by Piercing Word called "The Advent of Christmas". Piercing Word is a really neat Theatrical Ministry in Lancaster PA that puts on musicals with scripts consisting of only all memorized biblical scripture. It is pretty interesting and impressive. Before ending my day at home composing this blog entry and winding down for the night, I ended my day out back at church for our annual tree lighting event, in which I volunteered to help the kids make ornaments for it! Now I'm pooped, and ready to turn in for the night. Peace and Blessings.

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A little quiet time to start the day before I hit the ground running...

Happy Blogmas !

-Signing out!
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• December Bucketlist
• It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas- Day Two
• Crazy Blogmas Day Three

Crazy Blogmas Day Three

-    Blogmas  Day  Three  .  Nutcracker  and  Makers  Market  Haul  !    - 

Me and the Nut :)

Busy times! It looks like I'm about to knock out nearly half of my December Bucketlist

in just one weekend! Yes, busy times for sure, but also fun - lots of parties, church events, Christmas shows, gift exchanges etc. This month is definitely not without the challenging balancing act of how to best spend our time, money, and also energy too (which I often forget to take into consideration) without burning out! I hope this introvert makes it through the month with all the social engagements I've committed myself to. Ready or not, here it all comes! Can you relate?

Hey then! Let's breathe deeply, take it all in stride, and make sure we count our blessings as we go! 😉 
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This Morning,  I started my day by stopping by the Lancaster County Christian School Holiday Craft Show. I really enjoyed the experience and meeting some of the vendors. My original intention for attending the craft show was to show support to some special friends of mine who were selling their amazing creations to the world as first-time craft show vendors, which I thought was really exciting and inspirational! Participating as a vendor in a maker's market myself is something I have always dreamed about doing. I also ended up getting a little shopping done as well!

My friends at their lovely stand! 

This is what I bought: A few books, some fun cookies, and some crocheted items, all to be gifted!

In The Afternoon,  I attended the local Nutcracker with another dear friend of mine, one of my students. It had been years since I had last seen the Nutcracker! Put on by the "Viktor Yeliohin International Ballet Academy", It was cute and we has a good time.

"Cheese!"  📷

Bravo!

Thought I would share a pic from when I was in
The Nutcracker. I believe I was 13 or 14 here.

Then,  I went home to prep things for my tomorrow, which is going to be even more full and more crazy but I guess you will just have to stay tuned to hear more about it!! I think the following picture captures it well... All those bags...No, they are not groceries, No, they are not trash, but all those bags are what I will be loading into my car tomorrow morning and are what is needed for all my Sunday adventures. 

... Stay Tuned !

😁
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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

-    Blogmas  Day Two   .  Let  The  Festivities  Begin  !    - 

This evening was the annual Christmas party held for Cavod's Citylight dancers and hosted by my co-worker Jill and I. I always enjoy connecting with my students outside of the dance studio. We had such a great time! 
 I honestly have not felt very Christmasy this year. Not yet. I don't think I have ever before experienced a year like this feeling so empty, unenthusiastic, and unprepared regarding the holiday season. I have no tree up, no gifts bought, no tunes playing. It's not that I'm feeling like a grinch or anything. December has just come so fast out of nowhere! I'm simply not ready for it, neither practically or emotionally. But ready or not, it is here!
This evening's party was the most Christmasy thing I have done so far (I guess it is only the second day of December). It ended up being so fun and good for my soul even though I started the top of the day feeling exhausted and later stressing slightly about all the preparations needing to be done. I think the social anxiety I get sometimes before parties (even parties for my students) had something to do with it, but everything went so wonderfully smooth. I ended the day feeling more relaxed than when it started.
We shared dinner together potluck style, did a White Elephant Gift Swap, played charades "Christmas Carol" style, and made gingerbread houses which I think was my favorite part! I found these three-dollar gingerbread house frames at Ollies (It was a totally amazing find!), and the students did not disappoint when it came to fulfilling our request of them to bring diverse and the-best-of-the-best candy toppings/ house decorations. 

Nom nom nom...

Jill and I made the one in the middle, "Confetti Christmas"! 🙂 You can ignore the fact that there might
be a little problem with its construction. It held up all night!

Despite my lack of feeling the "Christmas Spirit" lately, there is no shortage regarding the gratitude
I have in my heart for the people God has put in my life this season.

One Christmas party down, several more on the horizon; I can't tell if they are helping cultivate more "Christmas Spirit" in me...or if all the planning, prepping, and shopping they require is just making me more exhausted. Ah, tis the season. But I know all of it is worth it in the end seeing the smiling faces of the people around me I get to serve, fellowship, and celebrate with. I know "Christmas Spirit" has little to do with the reason for the season anyway. I will FOREVER be in dumbfounded awe and wonder over the precious give granted to us in the form of the little baby who grew up to live the perfect life we could not, die a sinners death he did not deserve, and then raise to life to finish the work that brings us peace, and wholeness, freedom, and right-standing with God.  

" My  soul  magnifies  the  Lord , 

and   my  spirit  rejoices  in  God  my  Savior,"

Luke 1:46-47

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   Have You Read...  

Blogmas 2022

-    Blogmas  Day One   .  Feels  Good  to  be  Blogging  Again !    - 

 Well, here we are. December 2022. I've decided to give Blogmas a go again this year. For those of you who don't know Blogmas is when bloggers everywhere commit to posting daily material pertaining to Christmas, lasting for 25 days starting the 1st of December and leading up until Christmas day! It is a fun way to get into the Christmas and blogging "spirit", and since I've lost my rhythm with getting content out, what better way to get back into it, and a festive way at that!
 I am not sure that I will always have very interesting things to blog about every day this month, but I guess we will see. The fun part will be simply documenting it as it unfolds. It is easy for me to see my simple redundant teaching-dance-all-the-time-life as rather predictable and unfascinating, but one of the things I love about keeping this blog is that it forces me to take a closer look at my day and note all of the smaller but just as important and precious things that take place in it, in an effort to scrounge up something interesting to tell you all about, giving me opportunity to discover things I can be grateful for that I might have otherwise overlooked. Over the next couple of days, you will be hearing about many of the mundane happenings I will be experiencing, but also about some of the special moments too! I'm sure throughout the month you will also be hearing about the lessons God is teaching me, and I will see what I can do about slipping a DIY or holiday recipe in there too somewhere if I can.  

The beautiful Christmas tree at Cavod Performing Arts!

Today I will begin Blogmas 2022 by simply sharing with you all my bucket list for the month of December! Enjoy!

-  DECEMBER BUCKETLIST  -

• Finish a book

• Go ice-skating

• See the Nutcracker

• Attend a holiday Makers Market

• Build a gingerbread house

• Go see Christmas lights

• Make Christmas cards

• Bake cookies

• Attend the Christmas Eve Church Service

• Successfully participate in Blogmas all 25 days

😊

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25 days until Christmas! What will you be up to this month? Stop by for some more daily Blogmas updates from me!Love you, my dear readers!

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2020 Mother's Day Ideas & My Plant Haul!

 -  Challenge  Day  Six  .  Prayer  &  Journaling  .  Ken's   Gardens  -

Oh my goodness everyone! I have discovered the most magical place here in Lancaster, my new favorite gardening shop nestled here in the Village of Intercourse, Ken's Gardens!!! 

I am in love with Ken's!

So I am aware that Ken's Gardens is no new establishment, and that I am probably late in the game in discovering it, but in my defense, I've only just moved to Lancaster PA less than a year ago, so let me have my heyday!

I stopped by Ken's Gardens the other day in pursuit of finding the perfect plant to present my mother with this upcoming Mother's Day. Sadly, due to the corona pandemic most other flower shops and garden centers are closed, but somehow Ken's Gardens has gotten away with being deemed an essential business with their agricultural nature. I am thankful for it, or else I would never have discovered this "gem in the rough". 

I know I went in search of something for my mother, but needless to say, I left with a lot more for my self! I absolutely loved and got stuck in their section devoted to house plants, a showcase of beautiful uniquely crafted pots and every single kind of plant that I could think of; ALL my favorites! I am just a sucker for succulents which they had a ton of so I couldn't resist. These were some of my purchases:

Peanut Cactus, a species of the Hedgehog Cactus
Isn't she cute! Okay TRUTH: I actually got this one at Walmart earlier this week.
Does the hot glued on flower give it away...

Widow's Thrill Kalanchoe Plant

Common House Leek

Glory of Texas Cactus

I also bought an aloe plant, not pictured. Now Bob, my very first cactus, has friends! I always name the things I care for, but don't know what to name all these new guys. Any ideas?

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And check out these beautiful arrangements spotted there!

Dance! Isn't It cute!

In love with the colors of these plants!

Look what they did here with the frames! It would be so easy to replicate!

Mother's Day is right around the corner! If you don't have anything to bless your mom with yet, then 1) you are cutting it close! and 2) I highly recommend checking out Ken's Gardens because they truly have something for everyone! 

Maybe you are like me and having to be socially distanced from your mother. This year I am going to surprise my mom by secretly stopping by my folk's place and putting a tiny plant and Mother's Day card in their mailbox. I love surprises. Whether apart due to being socially distanced or maybe even because of simply long distance ( I've had years of long distanced Mother's Days too!) I wanted to share with you this list I brainstormed on how you can make your mom's Mother's Day Special regardless of the circumstances.

Ideas  How to  Make  Your  Mother  Feel   Special  Long- Distanced :

(Or socially distanced)

• Have flowers or a beautiful plant arrangement delivered to her.

• If your mom is tech-savvy use Netflix Party to watch a movie together.

• Make a special playlist for her using spotify or mail her a CD of it if she is old-school like mine.

• Moms also LOVE family photos. Be sure to include photos for the win! these days lots of online print websites offer lots of creative products you can get your pictures printed on these days; Canvases, blankets, mugs, magnets, just to name a few!

• You can't go wrong with the classic card. 

Have  A  Happy  Mother's  Day ! 

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30- Day Challenge

• My Daily Challenge: Prayer and journaling.

• My Daily Prayer:  "Lord I want to thank you that the veil was torn and that you have made a way for us to "approach your throne of grace with confidence that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Though at times I find myself praying heartlessly or not at all, God, would you meet me where I'm at and help me to not take communing with you for granted, because you are amazing.
  
  AMEN."

• The Approach: Honestly, this has already been an established habit of mine, but I will try to reinvigorate my prayer life this evening by joining with people all across America in prayer watching this National Day of Prayer Broadcast.

• My Progress: 

• Meal Plan (continuing)
• Regulate sleeping patterns (continuing)
• Eat three meals a day (continuing)
• Going to sleep before Midnight (continuing)
• Drinking water (continuing)

Check out the Full 30-Day Self Improvement Challenge here! ______________________________________________ Thanks for stopping by! Comment and say Hi!

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