simply having a wonderful christmas time

I can't believe it's already December. Where has this year gone?! I love this time of year but as an adult, especially now as a wife and stepmom, I've found it's easy to get stressed out and overwhelmed. Between work, church, and my own family, I'm extra busy this holiday season.

Leading up to Thanksgiving I was feeling pretty stressed out and rather bah humbug. It also hasn't helped that for the last 8 weeks or so I've been really struggling with my depression. When you're depressed everything feels bigger than it really is and you have no motivation to do even the normal everyday tasks living requires.



Over the last two weeks I've started to pull out of my depression. My doctor is working with me to switch my medication to a drug that is safer to be on when I get pregnant. I was trying to go completely off of the medication I've been on for the last 10+ years in order to prepare for pregnancy but that isn't going to be an option for me. Lowering my medication is part of what put me into the depression I've been experiencing the last two months.

Feeling more like myself has helped me to change my bah humbug attitude and focus on finding joy in the season. Since the week of Thanksgiving I've put up our Christmas tree and other decorations. We've also been taking the time to drink egg nog and watch our favorite Christmas movies a few nights a week (we even put our devices away for some of the viewings). So far we've watched Christmas Vacation, Elf, Home Alone, and White Christmas. Not too shabby for it only being December 4 if you ask me?

On Saturday we went to the ABQ Festival of Trees for date night and enjoyed hot fudge sundaes at Freddy's. Sunday afternoon I made Hazel's sugar cookies---a Fidler family tradition I'm carrying on as Mrs. Earl. I can't wait to bring cookies for the boys to decorate this weekend. The recipe has nutmeg in it so it's not your average sugar cookie. Sometimes kids don't like them so we'll see if the boys like them or not. Either way I'll know they'll have fun decorating the cookies. We also watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional Sunday evening.

This week we're having a Christmas Cookie Party for Young Womens that I'm really looking forward to. Last Wednesday for mutual we made gingerbread houses, which I have to say is a lot harder than it looks. Honestly, I was pretty bad at it but I still had fun. I'm grateful to be feeling more joyful. Focusing on enjoying the season rather than stressing is definitely paying off.

All may not always be calm or bright---especially during the holidays---but I'm doing my best to have a wonderful Christmas time, one day at a time.

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