Warmth for the Weary

I was talking to one of the guys at work this week, and I think he accurately summed up our start {yes, start} to winter. He said, "I'm just weary. Already."

It's true. The Polar Vortex of 2014 is not far enough in the rear view mirror, and we haven't forgotten those bitter temps, those icy roads, those banks of snow. And guess what? They're back!

I know not all of you reading are midwesterners, so maybe you all are just kicked back enjoying some sun and sand somewhere. {And if so...jealous!!!!} But if you are stuck in the cold that has descended over 2015, you probably feel the pain! It just started, and already the work commutes start early and end late. Cars creak when started, and quite frankly, I don't blame them. I would creak too if I was a car sitting out in that cold all day. Carpets are filled with salt tracked in from outside. Getting ready in the morning requires the extra time of layering up in coats, hats, gloves, scarves, and boots.

And it's wearying. It's started and we don't know how long it's here to stay.

So I thought, on this Friday, if you're weary from snow and cold, we could hang out for just a bit and tell funny stories and catch up...and drink coffee {obviously} and have some fun! Curl up and hang out for a bit?

* Obviously if you're hanging out, you know I have to talk about Braeya, which means you have to see a picture of her. Ryan texted this one to me earlier this week. {Yes, we are one of those couples who will text each other from one room of the house to the other. HA!!!} He'd just gotten out of the shower, and she made a beeline for a drink. She has a water dish. Clearly it doesn't matter. This is more fun. Ohhhhhhhhhhh this girl.

 * New Year's resolutions...how are you doing with yours? One of mine was to exercise regularly. Haven't started that one yet. I lost the first few days because of being sick...the choice was breathe to exercise or breathe to breathe, so I went with option two. But in truth, I've been so excited about how well I'm doing with the others, that I'm okay to ease into the exercise one.

In other resolution news, I've done WAY better with my time with the Lord. Been more diligent about it. And I love that. And we've done really well with healthy eating - Dashing Dish has been coming to my rescue big time. I love that site. LOVE IT. And the fact that I haven't been taking time at the gym means I actually have time to cook, which has helped. I've also done really well with my water intake, and that makes me pretty happy. So for being just a week in, I'm pleased. And I feel better - and feel better about myself. All good things.

* Want to hear a funny story? Okay, so you know Ryan and I are sort of hot-blooded people. We both have broken internal thermostats. It works out well, because we're not fighting over temperature all the time. And we know that the temps have kicked way down to sub-zero, but my goodness did our house ever feel cold! Like seriously cold. Every night we were diving onto the couch, burying ourselves under the electric throw I got for Christmas, and sort of fighting over who had to get up to get the next cup of coffee, because neither of us wanted to get up.

We could NOT figure out why we were so cold. I mean this is US! We are not cold people! A couple of nights ago, Ryan put his hand on the heater in the living room. Nothing. My heart sank. Was it broken? BROKEN?? He sort of disappeared out of the room for a while and came back with a sheepish look on his face. I asked what was wrong and he said "Ummmm, it's possible the breaker was turned off."

Yep. The Shaffers have not had heat this winter in the living room and JUST NOW FIGURED IT OUT. Ohhhh....us.

{Ryan's post-discovery look.}

* Has anyone tried the new Flat White latte from Starbucks? My friend Amy's son told me about it and said he heard it was pretty good. Ryan's co-worker got one yesterday and hated it, so after three drinks, she gave the rest to him, and he said it tasted like warm milk. He said if his name was Braeya, he was pretty sure he'd have loved it. But he's not Braeya. So I guess I won't be trying it. If I'm spending five bucks, I want to love my drink!!

* And finally - what is your I'm-stuck-at-home-because-it's-too-cold-to-leave time waster? Mine {this time} is hunting for house plans. I have always loved looking at floor plans. I may or may not have once purchased a book of them at a garage sale. Now there is the magic of Pinterest and its house plans. I am in love with one pretty little cottage I found. It has built-ins. BUILT INS, I say!!!

Thanks for hanging out with me today. Be warm. Drink coffee. And tell me your stories.