The Longest Weekend

There is no doubt in my mind that many of you spent your weekend in the same emotional dump I did. Maybe it was the one thought that constantly entered our minds or the combination of that thought with the stresses of the holidays, but it was a rough weekend. Friday's news made me miserable. I can't even begin to imagine what the families must be going through and I hope I never have to be in that same place. This feeling lingered with me all weekend long and it is still today. Sunday was the worst as we had our nursery and children's program that morning. I cried the entire service even though the performance was not really emotional. I'm even fighting to hold back tears now and I'm sitting here at work typing this (I better pull myself together).

With all the emotional stress and financial concerns of the holiday, this past weekend was a pretty tough one for everyone (my husband asked me if I wanted him to go pick up some dinner for us Sunday night and I absolutely balled my eyes out. For those of you who think this is a normal response to a dinner inquiry, it isn't apparently).
Christmas is quickly approaching and I am positive I am not the only person who is not ready. With each passing year I lose some Christmas spirit and my house just looks very sad in the holiday decor department.

I have tried a number of things to raise my spirits, baking, Christmas music, decorating, looking at decorations in stores, etc. But I just can't get into it.
Despite my own feelings I buckled down and did what I do every year. Nothing screams Christmas quite as loudly as powdered sugar everywhere.

So I baked...

and baked...

and baked...

lots of cookies.

I spent a few hours on Saturday making cookies (lemon, orange, funfetti and some combinations of those flavors). I skipped lunch because the cookies I made left no time in between for food and I ended up feeling worse afterwards. 

I made strawberry and chocolate cookies on Sunday and started packing them up to deliver and ship as gifts (though I realize there is no way they will arrive in time for Christmas at this point, that should give recipients time to burn other holiday calories before they get there).

The packing process was probably a big contributor to my emotional breakdown. Details really aren't necessary, but if you want a visual, imagine wrapping all of your Christmas tree ornaments by color and fitting all of them in a small cereal box without breaking them. Note: Don't try this, it isn't a good idea.

In the end, I was and still am not in the holiday spirit. I am hoping it will happen eventually, but I'm thinking the lack of snow for the last I don't even know how many years is a big reason for my missing cheer.

Also people are awful. A quick drive through the general vicinity of a retail store will show you that. I would like to trade some of this materialism for some snow, please.