✉️ Christmas may be behind us, but these holiday letters from children to Satan are golden all year-round. Dolly Parton continues to exercise her powers of kindness with stories like these https://people.com/dolly-parton-surprises-fan-cancer-help-finish-bucket-list-8420157?utm_campaign=people&utm_content=likeshop&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram
Christmas was, to quote Eliza, good, weird and a little sad. This was our son's first married Christmas, and we committed early on to be the flexible parents and just go with the flow and celebrate the holidays whenever they could. They only live 2 hours away, but her family is large and there are a lot of events going on. We had hopes that we might be included in those events, but that didn't happen and knowing that we were flexible, plans changed no fewer than six times. These traditions that you as young marrieds with children work so hard to create for your littles can disappear in a flash with the onset of married life. But we got time with the kids and it was really good time, and I am super grateful for every moment. I miss the traditions that we weren't able to keep, am happy for the traditions that we reformed to fit our new reality and am looking forward to figuring out what next year will look like! Have some grace for your parents, if you are blessed to still have them - it's a process for them too. Year end for a nonprofit is super busy, so I'm off to write emails and hopefully get some year end donations! Happy New Year everyone!
I really appreciate hearing this take. I've been married for 2 years and it is hard to make sure my parents feel included in all of our holiday plans. I'm sure your son and daughter-in-law appreciate y'all being flexible. Maybe you could mention to your son that you would enjoy doing things with the DIL's family next year. I'm sure they wouldn't mind having you join the party.
Praying that your donors will be extra generous this holiday season!
So many of my friends are going through this. Good on you guys for being the flexible parents. I know it meant so much for us to have my MIL be so kind. Glad you got time with them. ❤️
The way I laughed at “there seems to have been a struggle” and thought to myself “Yes, a struggle for the past two months!” 🤣🤣🤣 Listen, I’m a single woman who lives by herself with zero dependents and my home is an *actual disaster*. I give standing ovations to anyone with more to take care of than I do and who has managed to keep their homes in a semi-livable manner. All-star adults, all of you 👏👏👏👏
Girl. On a regular basis I stand looking around, whispering in wonder? "How does this happen? We are only two people. Other people with children manage to have clean homes. What is happening?"
I'm still recovering from having COVID over Christmas weekend. Thankfully no one else in the house has gotten it and and my case was mild. While I'm sad to have missed our extended family Christmas traditions it's been a very nice chill and peaceful Christmas break so far and I'm loving it. Hoping everyone stays healthy so I can go out with some friends for my birthday dinner next week!
Happy Friday! I for some reason woke up at 4:30am...so we'll see how today goes. Thankfully we're off fri-mon for new years, so I can nap later if needed.
Christmas was good, weird and sad, but also pretty low on family drama which was really nice. I typically fly home, but this year I drove with my family and I just don't know how you roadtrippers do it! 8 hrs in the car was too much for me.
I've been waiting for after christmas sales to buy a full sized tree for next year; now that I have a whole house I want more than a 3ft tree. I was able to get a tree and 3 boxes of ornaments for less than $150, so I am very pleased and ready for decorating next year.
The long weekend plan is just cleaning and starting to do prep work for the next round of house projects. Literally every wall/ceiling in this home needs to be painted and I'm ready to start picking colors for the bedrooms.
For NYE my brother, SIL, and I each got each other books so we can exchange books and then read all afternoon/evening!
I hope everyone has a restful weekend and start to the new year! ❤️
I mean this with so so much love, but is the joke in the Jethro Christ tiktok just that the actor is fat? I almost stopped watching it halfway through but I finished it just in case I was missing something. I feel like such a killjoy, but I know how jokes like this make my husband feel, and I don't want anyone to have to feel that way (I've spent the past couple of years at least reading Virginia Sole-Smith, listening to Maintenance Phase, and generally just trying to pry diet culture and fatphobia out of my brain) (I'm an Enneagram 2 and I thought so long and hard before posting this and I am still so nervous about it being taken the wrong way. Erin, please know that I love you so much and I know that you had no intention of hurting anyone ever and if this comment isn't okay I will not be offended at all if you delete it).
Successfully visited my parents (a complicated relationship) over Christmas and now I just have to make it through work today and I'm home free for the year! I hope you are all able to spend this week in whatever way and with whatever company you find most relaxing!
Same here, Melanie. Seems like we learn fatphobia at such an early age. I just finished “The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self Love” and highly recommend. Strong message about the need to unlearn harmful messages, many we’ve often carried out whole lives. As someone who lives in a larger body, I’ve been unlearning a lot the last few years and need to read more Virginia Sole-Smith. Grateful to you for commenting! 💜
Melanie, I am so sorry! I apologize, I should have thought that through more carefully and hate to have offended. I just removed the video and appreciate your important words of feedback.
Christmas was, to quote Eliza, good, weird and a little sad. This was our son's first married Christmas, and we committed early on to be the flexible parents and just go with the flow and celebrate the holidays whenever they could. They only live 2 hours away, but her family is large and there are a lot of events going on. We had hopes that we might be included in those events, but that didn't happen and knowing that we were flexible, plans changed no fewer than six times. These traditions that you as young marrieds with children work so hard to create for your littles can disappear in a flash with the onset of married life. But we got time with the kids and it was really good time, and I am super grateful for every moment. I miss the traditions that we weren't able to keep, am happy for the traditions that we reformed to fit our new reality and am looking forward to figuring out what next year will look like! Have some grace for your parents, if you are blessed to still have them - it's a process for them too. Year end for a nonprofit is super busy, so I'm off to write emails and hopefully get some year end donations! Happy New Year everyone!
I really appreciate hearing this take. I've been married for 2 years and it is hard to make sure my parents feel included in all of our holiday plans. I'm sure your son and daughter-in-law appreciate y'all being flexible. Maybe you could mention to your son that you would enjoy doing things with the DIL's family next year. I'm sure they wouldn't mind having you join the party.
Praying that your donors will be extra generous this holiday season!
So many of my friends are going through this. Good on you guys for being the flexible parents. I know it meant so much for us to have my MIL be so kind. Glad you got time with them. ❤️
The way I laughed at “there seems to have been a struggle” and thought to myself “Yes, a struggle for the past two months!” 🤣🤣🤣 Listen, I’m a single woman who lives by herself with zero dependents and my home is an *actual disaster*. I give standing ovations to anyone with more to take care of than I do and who has managed to keep their homes in a semi-livable manner. All-star adults, all of you 👏👏👏👏
Girl. On a regular basis I stand looking around, whispering in wonder? "How does this happen? We are only two people. Other people with children manage to have clean homes. What is happening?"
As someone with two young children I can tell you it's probably an optical illusion lol. We just have more practice hiding the mess. 🤣😅
I'm still recovering from having COVID over Christmas weekend. Thankfully no one else in the house has gotten it and and my case was mild. While I'm sad to have missed our extended family Christmas traditions it's been a very nice chill and peaceful Christmas break so far and I'm loving it. Hoping everyone stays healthy so I can go out with some friends for my birthday dinner next week!
Ugh. So sorry you got sick. I hope your birthday dinner is amazing to make up for it in part!
Happy Friday! I for some reason woke up at 4:30am...so we'll see how today goes. Thankfully we're off fri-mon for new years, so I can nap later if needed.
Christmas was good, weird and sad, but also pretty low on family drama which was really nice. I typically fly home, but this year I drove with my family and I just don't know how you roadtrippers do it! 8 hrs in the car was too much for me.
I've been waiting for after christmas sales to buy a full sized tree for next year; now that I have a whole house I want more than a 3ft tree. I was able to get a tree and 3 boxes of ornaments for less than $150, so I am very pleased and ready for decorating next year.
The long weekend plan is just cleaning and starting to do prep work for the next round of house projects. Literally every wall/ceiling in this home needs to be painted and I'm ready to start picking colors for the bedrooms.
For NYE my brother, SIL, and I each got each other books so we can exchange books and then read all afternoon/evening!
I hope everyone has a restful weekend and start to the new year! ❤️
Very happy to hear your Christmas was low on family drama. I was thinking of you the other day and hoping all was well. Yay for a full size tree!
Like jolabokflod for New Years! I love it! (8 hours IS too much.) Happy New Year!
Yes! It sounded like so much fun, we had to find a day for it since Christmas eve was already planned.
What a lovely plan for New Year's Eve!
This is a brilliant NYE tradish!
That NYE tradition sounds like a delight!
I mean this with so so much love, but is the joke in the Jethro Christ tiktok just that the actor is fat? I almost stopped watching it halfway through but I finished it just in case I was missing something. I feel like such a killjoy, but I know how jokes like this make my husband feel, and I don't want anyone to have to feel that way (I've spent the past couple of years at least reading Virginia Sole-Smith, listening to Maintenance Phase, and generally just trying to pry diet culture and fatphobia out of my brain) (I'm an Enneagram 2 and I thought so long and hard before posting this and I am still so nervous about it being taken the wrong way. Erin, please know that I love you so much and I know that you had no intention of hurting anyone ever and if this comment isn't okay I will not be offended at all if you delete it).
Successfully visited my parents (a complicated relationship) over Christmas and now I just have to make it through work today and I'm home free for the year! I hope you are all able to spend this week in whatever way and with whatever company you find most relaxing!
Same here, Melanie. Seems like we learn fatphobia at such an early age. I just finished “The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self Love” and highly recommend. Strong message about the need to unlearn harmful messages, many we’ve often carried out whole lives. As someone who lives in a larger body, I’ve been unlearning a lot the last few years and need to read more Virginia Sole-Smith. Grateful to you for commenting! 💜
Ooh, I've been meaning to read that one!
Thank you. ❤️
Melanie, I am so sorry! I apologize, I should have thought that through more carefully and hate to have offended. I just removed the video and appreciate your important words of feedback.
Thank you, Erin. I really appreciate it ❤️