cozysimplelife

If I could guess how I’d remember this December, I promise it won’t be with masks on everyone’s faces.

It would be

• early (before five am) whining from Gigi.
• the soft blanket Nick purchased for cold nights; the color labeled “Moonstruck”.
• giving up on a 1000 piece puzzle by sweeping sections of pieces dramatically back into the box.
• evermore on steady rotation. Especially the tracks: “happiness” “cowboy like me” “marjorie” and the very last one.
• scenic rides to my own music on my Peloton; glaciers, quaint towns overseas; thinking about when we’d next travel while pushing my output inside of made up intervals.
• six am boot camps with #happyvegan, and my mom’s 300th ride.
• flash 15 workouts with Jess Sims, foam rolling my calves with Hannah Corbin, moving through vinyasas with Aditi Shah, meditating with Ross Rayburn, Say Yes rides with Robin Arzon, and cool downs with Ally Love.
• my holiday madness playlist on spotify.
• emerald green corduroy pants that fit just right.
• texts with my cousin, watching her son Max get through his first year in this world in pictures; he’s so close to crawling, and so loved.
• all the holiday movies Nick let me watch without protest (okay, moderate protest).
• my mom’s penne arrabbiata followed by Christmas Vacation. All of our favorite moments entwined, but my favorite being me and my dad belting it out to Ray Charles’ “The Spirit of Christmas.”
• Trying to keep Gigi from jumping up to eat all of my mom’s homemade cookies she put out for us. Earl Grey shortbread, chocolate chip, chocolate and plain biscotti, and my favorite: chocolate and plain pizzelles.
• planning Christmas Day in our backyard; snowflakes, colorful bulbs, benches with throws and seasonal pillows. hoping my hosting skills live up to my mom’s, my sister’s, and my sister-in-law’s. wishing I felt like making more lists, wishing it all came together easier.
• listening to Nick participate in his company’s holiday party over Zoom while I cooked. I wanted to give him all the answers to the trivia, but he refused to cheat.
• ups and downs, highs and lows. my moods shifting into tumultuous territory a lot for a December, and it isn’t over yet. but I’m continuously anchored by Nick. He’ll sing the first part of “Blue Christmas” over and over again, and when my mood is on a downturn, I grimace and snap. But he’s gentle in his silliness, and unwavering with his love. Even in my worst moments. And I’ll be there in his.

No, I won’t remember the masks. Maybe the red one I bought with little silky terriers all over it. I’ll remember early Sunday mornings, Nick sleeping in, and me downstairs watching Dash and Lily; laughing and crying with all the awareness that it’s a show meant for teenagers, but loving it all the same. Gigi asleep, curled into a bagel shape in a blanket on my lap.

I’ll remember all the chilly days that made Florida feel more like a holiday season. Walking my pup in low temperatures in the sweaters Nick got her, noticing a tiny sewn in label: CozySimpleLife as we pass the apartments I’ve already written about in here.

I’ll remember removing all the social media off of my phone, and trading it for Solitaire and writing almost everyday in this blog. Grateful for every like, every follow, and every person that might read.