Five Things Friday Vol. 4

Five Things Friday: just five things I’m thinking about or things that made my week, or things that I otherwise feel like sharing.

I am happy to report that I am officially busy at work again. I won’t complain, don’t worry. After so many weeks of twiddling my thumbs (figuratively speaking), I was ready for some action, but I didn’t mean for five people to demand my time and skills all at once! Why does it always go from nothing to (almost) too much?

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I am currently on Day 7 without coffee. I KNOW. Don’t even ask. I am doing a 14-day treatment with Nexium for my GERD issues and I decided to also cut out coffee (and a few other things) for the time being. In all honesty, it’s not as hard as I anticipated. I did get a headache the first day (duh!)  that lingered for 36 hours, but since then I’ve been just fine with drinking tea. BUT, I still really miss my morning coffee quite a bit and hope we get reunited soon.

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The first holiday cards have been arriving in the mail and I am so excited. Holiday mail is one of my favorite things and I love sending and receiving notes from family and friends near and far! We have a little closet in the living room and I use the door to display all the cards. What do you do with the cards you receive?

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I also received my Secret Santa Mug Swap package already and OMG, you guys, it’s amazing. My swap partner really outdid herself! She picked out a really beautiful mug and included some other lovely goodies in the package that I can’t wait to share with you next week!

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My parents sent me pictures last week from their holiday baking extravaganza, aka “spritz cookie-making”, which is a holiday tradition in our family ever since I can remember. Everybody gets involved. My Mom prepares the dough, my Dad and the kids (first my sister and I, then my cousin, now my niece and nephew) make the cookies. My Dad used to have a manual meat mincer and cookie inset that he used for years and years, but recently they have upgraded to an electric food grinder attachment for a stand mixer. Everybody in the family can bring a cookie tin that gets filled to the top with spritz cookies. Oh, how I wish I could be home for the holidays.

TGIF!

  1. Awwwww what beautiful photos. I’m so happy to get Christmas cards in the mail, too, though I’m terrible about sending them. Maybe one year I’ll get it together in time! Love the spritz cookie tradition! So fun!!

    Can’t wait to see what you got in the mail and hope you have a great weekend ahead! Xoxo

  2. I wish I would be part of the family and just send my cookie tin over…..

  3. My mom LOVES spritz cookies. We used to make them all the time, but we really need to get back to it. We’re not always great with keeping up with cookie making. LOL Sorry work got a bit extreme, but that’s good you’re no longer bored!!

    -Lauren

    1. Yeah, I am glad that I am no longer bored. ;)

  4. Yay to the “no-coffee” trial. I stopped drinking coffee about 5 years ago. No special reason, just didn’t like the bitter taste. I prefer tea and mostly drink black tea with milk (UK style).
    Love the cookie tradition! Your dad looks so happy on that photo. 😊

    1. Good for you for giving up coffee for good. I drink a lot of tea as is (also with milk!), but I do love a cup of morning coffee ;)

  5. Oh I hope you can be reunited with coffee soon! I am glad the headache only lasted about a day for you though. That is the worst part. I had one day without coffee while I’ve been fighting the flu and I couldn’t handle the headache that came from not drinking it so I didn’t go long without it! The pictures your parents sent are so fun! Now that I’m on the upswing here from being sick I need to get some cookies made and hopefully have Ollie help me!

  6. Giving up coffee can be brutal. The last 2 times I’ve given up coffee, it’s been during pregnancy as the smell/taste was a huge turnoff. I felt so awful otherwise that i didn’t really deal with the other side effects of giving up coffee/my primary source of caffeine. I love coffee so much that I would really miss it if I had to give it up for a reason besides pregnancy but it can really make a difference with GERD issues! I hope you are feeling better!

    This year I am hanging out Christmas cards on a long strip of ribbon that I hang on our wall. I keep adding another row of ribbon and am up to 3 ribbons right now. I love getting holiday cards!!

    1. I am feeling much better and hope to go back to coffee for Christmas :) I am holding out until then… I’ll have been off coffee for two weeks then.

    2. I hope to go back to coffee for Christmas :) I’ll have been off it for two weeks then.

      I love the idea with the ribbons … and wow, you’re up to three ribbons already. That’s awesome. I love getting Holiday cards too!

  7. I had to give up coffee when my GERD issues were acting up earlier this year. No fun! I’m glad I was able to add it back into my diet once it all cleared up for me. Here’s hoping you can do the same!

    Yay for being busy at work, but I wish it was at an easier pace. Nobody wants to be bored at work but neither do we want to be stressed! 

  8. Oh that cookie backing session looks glorious. It must feel sad not to depart of it. What a nice tradition for everyone to bring a tin to be filled.

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