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The Passionate Voice

26 Things to be Grateful for this Holiday

December 26, 2017 • Lifestyle

I am writing this as I watch the World Junior Hockey Game, in my Roots track pants, on Boxing day. You can’t get anymore Canadian than that! I hope you had a fun holiday yesterday with your loved ones and took in the special day of the year. I’ve been so overwhelmed (in a good way) for all the small details that I thought I would share some here on Boxing Day – 26 things I’m grateful for this holiday. Maybe some of these small moments will resonate with you as well 🙂

  1. Waking up without an alarm clock
  2. The smell of coffee as it begins to brew (and knowing its acceptable to put Baileys in it because heck, its the holidays!)
  3. Volunteering before Christmas and seeing how you’re helping to make a difference
  4. Getting your emails done to a 0 inbox!
  5. Crossing off all of your to-do’s for the day
  6. Finishing a big project at work and then celebrating with colleagues
  7. Saying Merry Christmas to a random stranger on an elevator
  8. Holding the door open at the local coffee shop for someone… and then getting your coffee bought by the person in line ahead of you
  9. The feeling you get as soon as you walk into Chapters #HappilyOverwhelmed
  10. Finding the best deal at Winners for a Christmas gift #StarttheCar
  11. That feeling of success after finishing a baking recipe that took way too long but you’re hoping is oh so yummy
  12. Cracking a new bottle of wine.. yum!
  13. Biting into the freshest, squeakiest piece of cheese… and knowing there is an entire plate left to eat
  14. Singing Christmas carols at the top of your lungs as if you’re the best singer… for some reason Blake loves the ‘I Want a Hippopotamus’ song.
  15. Seeing friends after so long and catching up like nothing ever changed
  16. The smell of wood burning as you walk outdoors in the nighttime cold air
  17. Sitting down to the best homemade meal you helped to make
  18. Eating a salad you made for lunch and feeling so good about yourself afterwards for (finally) eating healthy!
  19.  Starting to watch a series on Netflix you’ve heard people rave about #TheCrown
  20. Watching the World Junior Hockey games.. its a national Canadian pastime at Christmas
  21. Sitting around with family on Christmas Eve and watching Christmas Vacation, so many good laughs (even though we’ve already seen the movie like a thousand times!)
  22. Playing games with your siblings and laughing so hard
  23. Knowing its acceptable to wear track pants the entire holiday season
  24. Sitting in the darkness with only candles flickering while you dive into a new read or magazine
  25. Watching your son open up his first Christmas present and knowing he has no idea what all of it means
  26. Knowing you can chase your dreams, following your passions, raise a family, love hard… and feel so damn good about it all.
[Photo Source]

Leave a Comment Lifestyle 2017, Baking, Blog452, Books, Boxing Day, Canadian, Career, Chapters, Cheese, Christina Crowley-Arklie, Christmas, Christmas Carols, Christmas Vacation, Christmas17, Coffee, Cooking, December, December 26, Emails, Food for Thought, Gratitude, Hastings, Hockey, Holidays, Inbox, Inspiration, Life, Motherhood, Netflix, Passion, Passionate Voice, Reading, Rural Ontario, Side Business, Side Hustle, The Crown, The Passionate Voice, Wine, Winners, Winter, Winter Wonderland, World Juniors

The Sunday 7

December 24, 2017 • Lifestyle

Happy Christmas eve! How is it already Christmas tomorrow?! My favourite time of year is here and before we know it, we’ll blink and it will be gone. Today, all I have planned is eating, baking, more eating, evening mass and spending time with the fam. This marks Blake’s first Christmas so this holiday is even more special. Enjoy the time with your loved ones! xo

  1. Our trip to Manitoba this week brought the most beautiful, snowy (warmer) cold weather that allowed us to spend time outdoors. I was able to get this beauty shot above before my iphone shut off from the cold temps, figures right?! We had the best time with family and I even had a chance to visit my favourite local shop, Pineridge Hollow. I grabbed this amazing smelling ‘White Pine’ candle.
  2. These creative ways to ‘dress up your toast’ for Christmas morning by food blogger Brittany Stager look oh so yummy. Try these tomorrow morning!
  3. I hope I’ve been good this year because this cool piece of new technology is on my wishlist 🙂
  4. Check out this cute desktop wallpaper to brighten up your computer or mobile backdrop to match the festive season. Anything plaid or checkered for me please!
  5. This (easy) tomato soup recipe with a grilled cheese and this will be a perfect lunch.
  6. Looking for a last minute Christmas idea (24 hours to go)?! This gold flatware set is beau-ti-ful!
  7. I love this white envelope idea for Christmas. There is so much more to the season than gift giving. I seriously love giving rather than receiving.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Leave a Comment Lifestyle 2017, Baby, Baking, Blog452, Candles, Christina Crowley-Arklie, Christmas, Cooking, Gift Giving, Gifts, Life, Manitoba, Motherhood, Nature, Outdoors, Passionate Voice, Pineridge Hollow, Recipes, Sunday Seven, The Passionate Voice, The Sunday Seven, Travel, Travelling, Winnipeg, Winter





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