You know the joke about the week of Dec. 26th to Dec. 31st being a limbo period, where everyone lives off leftovers from Christmas dinner and have no idea what day it is? That’s kinda what the past week and a half has been like here.

I’ve recuperated from Indy and started lifting again last week. I haven’t been running yet. Actually, the past few days have been rest days because the rest of my life took over and needed my attention.

These rest days have also included a lot of hot chocolate and cupcakes, by the way. How I haven’t sprouted love handles is beyond me.

In between work – including a six-day work week this past week – and the constant errands that never seem to stop, I’ve been slowly swapping out my fall decor for Christmas stuff. I got out my Christmas tree on the 13th. I’ve had this thing about four years and honestly … It’s seen a lot. A part of me debated if I wanted to get a new tree and donate my old one, but as soon as I got that sweet, banged-up tree out from the box and into its stand, I got emotional. This is my tree. My first tree, the upgrade from the little lavender tree I had in college. The pre-lit lights don’t work, but who cares? I have plenty of bags of lights to slap on there. The tree is staying with me.

Then I started putting lights on. I completely forgot – as I do every year until it’s time to pull them out – they’re a massive pain in the ass to untangle and put on. Marina decided to hide under the bed for most of this chore.

Last night I put up my media center and side table decorations. I’m not a big fan of traditional red and green all over, so over the years I’ve picked up pink, blue and gold trees to decorate my media center with. I like to arrange the little trees, glittery gold buck figurines and cupcake house like I’m walking in an enchanted forest guarded over by the nutcracker. That’s my official Christmas theme – glittery enchanted forest.

Tonight is tree decorating night, which is both my favorite and my most involved Christmas decorating to-do. Marina will bounce back and forth between sniffing around the storage closet that will be wide open and frolicking around the apartment when she gets excited. I’ll probably need to take some cheese breaks while I work.

In other news, it will be a lovely night of traditional tree decorating.

Today’s post wasn’t very long. In all honesty there hasn’t been much to say in between work and errands. This isn’t uncommon for this time of year for me though. The time between my last race and Thanksgiving is busy but also quiet in my home. So I’ve decided to enjoy the season shifting from warm autumn beauty to the fracas of the holidays.

I hope you all have a great week ahead. One of these days I’ll have a riveting story, but for the time being, I’m going to wish a peaceful, pleasant week upon all of you.

Yours in reading and running,

Allison