You might have been wondering where I’ve been (or maybe not?!) since I have not posted to blog until very recently since sometime in November.

I’ll be honest- some days I am drowning in the work that needs to get done. The sleep I desperately need. The trying to spend time with family. Friends. My kitty cat. Hell, the damn Christmas tree is up as I write this blog post (it may or may not be down by this time this posts).

I am running on fumes most days. And I really don’t know how much longer I can continue at the pace I am going, with things being the way they are.

Not to fret, though- some good stuff happened in Dec and Jan- so let’s mostly try to focus on that because that is where I need my focus to be.

December 2025:

Many of you know that I am a communications director for a small church. Many of you also know and are kind enough to not comment on the fact that the 11’s between my eyebrows have increased greatly since I took the job. Thank you for that kindness.

Because Christmas is one of the big seasons in the church (Easter being the other one), December is a hard month and I have been thankful for the past 2 years of having 2 weeks off at the holidays. Of course… I work like the devil to get my job and others done before I take the 2 weeks, but I’m pretty sure you already knew that.

Christmas Lights in Brandon, MS

So… one night in December, Keith and I rode down to Brandon, MS to see Christmas lights. It’s a fun thing you can ride through, then walk through an area and get your picture took with Santa or in front of other backdrops.

I love the lights, listening to the Christmas music and having fun. It all makes me feel so happy.

Random shots in December:

Spa weekend at Renaissance Ross Bridge in Hoover, AL

A few months ago, Rhiannon and I met up in Hoover for a spa weekend/gripe about Instagram/remember the good ole days of blogging and have a mental health weekend.

I enjoyed our weekend so much, I decided to recreate it and have a weekend before the holiday festivities sat in. Because if you have to holiday with my in-laws, it can be some trying times.

 

If you are in need of a spa weekend, I highly suggest Renaissance Ross Bridge. It’s a great place to be pampered.

 

My family get together at Christmas

It’s no big secret that I adore my nieces and they made Christmas the best at their house. We made mocktails and laughed and had a good time.

 

Christmas at in-laws

A lot has been going on and while I won’t bore you with all the details (we’ll save that for a night of margaritas!) I think this basically sums it up:

 

My husband’s name is Keith. *shakes my head*

 

Bellingrath Gardens & Battle House Renaissance Hotel & Spa

We were in Mobile for a belated birthday trip and to see the Chinese Lantern lights at Bellingrath back in April. We loved it so much that we decided to visit again in December after Christmas.

We left on a Sunday and was planning to come back on a Tuesday so just a quick getaway.

 

It was a great little getaway- even with coming in on Sunday and it being in the 60’s to drop to 30’s the very next day. But still plenty of fun and even though we did not get out to walk downtown like I had hoped- we had a great lunch at Felix’s with fish tacos and shrimp (and of course a Bushwhacker!)

 

Ending 2025 in Bellini style and a final count on books read!

In 2024, I had said that NYE would be bellini night, but that didn’t quite work out.. so 2025 was Bellini night!

 

And it was time to recap my reading year. I purchased this from ILoveGlitterCo and absolutely adored it! In fact I am thinking of doing a different color scheme for one in my office (again, trying to keep my office with things of joy!)

 

January 2026

I started January off on the right note- with a facial on my last Friday before I had to return to work……

 

Decorating my office- because it brings me joy!

So in December, a dear friend from my previous marketing job at the hospital, gave me a string of Christmas lights to decorate my desk on one of our every few months dinner dates. That got me thinking and I decided to embrace decorating the office.

When I worked at the hospital, I really never decorated it because 1. I was hardly in the office and 2. my boss was nosy and I didn’t want to give her too many clues to my outside life. I honestly don’t love giving me too many clues to my outside life here at this job, but I’m in need of joy. So…. here we go with the decor!

Mammogram.

I didn’t take a selfie of the me before the mammogram (mainly because where I go is so damn efficient- you are hardly in there at all to get your boobies squeezed) but after having my mammogram, I treated myself to some shopping and then lunch at Ajax’s.

 

Relaxing at the house:

I had a weekend where I did nothing but enjoy myself. I watched People We Meet On Vacation, ate popcorn and milk, did a face mask, and then watched Landman.

 

DiamondArt: The finished project

 

Meeting Jennifer Moorman:

New desk tchotchke:

 

I scream laughed when I saw it and had to have it. It’s got a prized position on my desk.

 

My first read of 2026:

 

My friend, Alison Law, interviewed Grace Helena Walz earlier in 2025. The book sounded interesting and then I saw a blurb from Kristy Woodson Harvey and that just made me want to check the book out.

It was a good read!

 

More DiamondArt and an idea for the kiddos in church:

 

Surviving Ice Storm 2026:

As I write this, my house is currently without electricity. I am hanging at my parents until situations get better. We have been without power for 6 days and we’re expecting 2 more days of frigid temps (again, as I write this post)

 

On Thursday, Jan 29, I did head to the office- partly to check to make sure the place was still standing and partly to get out of my house for a bit. After that, I went back to my house, where I had water, but no electricity, and so I took a shower and wrapped my hair up turban style to drive back to my parents house to blowdry my hair because they had a generator, but no water.

It’s been a week.

However, this time has been great for reading as I finished 3 books in just a few days and have started book 4 (Otherwise Engaged by Susan Mallery).

 

 

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T