Aurevoir...Just in Time for Christmas

As the cab pulled up, I could feel the grin spreading across my face.  I got out and inhaled the cold, crisp air.  Home at last.  I walked into the front hall, dropped my suitcase, went into the kitchen and hugged the kitchen counter.   Yeah, I was happy to be home.

Don't get me wrong.  Paris was lovely.  The city is beautiful and there was plenty to do.  But it lacked the comforts of home.  Namely a comfortable bed.  Words could not describe the happiness I felt when I actually got into bed at 6:30 pm that night.  I think I actually giggled as my head hit the pillow.

I love a good vacation as much as the next person but I find that I usually fall out of my routine when I'm away.  I get that's part of being on vacation but I usually end up letting my fitness routine slide when I'm away as well.  I can only take so much before I start to crave my little routine again.  I hit that point by day 6 in Paris.   I think my pants hit that point a couple of days earlier, ha ha.  But that's okay.  I kind of like letting myself get just a little bit out of shape so I can work at re-building once again.  Good thing my Boston training starts December 29th.  It's time to start getting serious again.  I've been so inconsistent over the last 3 weeks.  Routine is calling my name once again.  I heard it all the way across the Atlantic.

I was also jonesing to get home and start getting the house set up for Christmas.  This was going to be the first year we were going to have a tree (we didn't have the room for one before) so seeing all the lights and decorations up around the city really put me in the festive spirit.  I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am for the weekend.  G and I are attending a swim clinic in the morning and then after that, I've made it very clear that we have to go and buy a tree.   I'm looking forward to spending the afternoon blasting Christmas tunes and decorating the tree.   If you follow me on Instagram, I'm sure you'll see pics of it.  Speaking of pics and Instagram, I'm going to leave you with a few of my faves from Paris.

Lights in the Jardin du Tuileries

More Lights at Place Vendome

Lights, once again, on the Champs Elysee

Musee D'Orsay.  What an amazing building

Sunset

That famous tower.

Bleu, Blanc et Rouge

What do you think?  Did you have a favourite pic?  My faves are the first one and the last one.

Are you usually happy to be home after a vacation?

'Tis The Season

I know I've been absent from cyberspace for the last week.  Nothing is wrong, I've just really been enjoying my "down" time.  Although looking at my training from last week, I'd say it was anything but an "easy week".  I did some form of physical activity every day for 9 days in a row.  Granted most of it was swimming but still.  9 days!  And I wonder why I'm lying on the couch feeling like a sack of hammers right now.  Uh right, 'cause I'm not 20 years old anymore.  Oh and I had a late night of overindulging on Saturday.  'Tis the season.

Speaking of which, I just noticed how the season of overindulgence seems tie in directly with my off season.  Funny how that works.  I usually keep my eating pretty clean but this time of the year I cut myself some slack.  I truly love the holidays and everything that comes with it, including the huge basket of homemade cookies from our neighbour.  From my mother in laws Christmas brunch, to my family's turkey dinner and our new Boxing Day tradition of having both of our families over to our place for dinner, I love it all.  It's two jam packed days of busy-ness but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  It's also usually a crazy time of year for me at work but with some Christmas tunes playing and some peppermint hot chocolate, I can usually make it through the insanity relatively intact.  By the time New Years actually rolls around, I've already wiped my slate clean and started again. 

But before I jump into the holiday insanity, I am going on a little jaunt to Paris.  NYC and Paris all in the span of less than 4 weeks.  I feel like such a glamorous jet setter.  Ha.  If only.  G is going to Paris for work so my wonderful boss told me I had to go with him.  Seriously.  She even texted me that night to tell me I absolutely had to go.  Ok.  You don't need to tell me twice.  We're heading out on Friday night and landing on Saturday morning which means we'll have all day Saturday, Sunday and probably a bit of Monday to hang out together and explore.  I then have 3 days on my own to explore the City of Lights (good thing I bought a guidebook) and then G and I will have Friday and Saturday to hang out again.  I guarantee that at least one of my 3 solo days will be spent in a museum.  And I definitely guarantee that I will go for several runs while I'm there.  And am 150% sure that I'll be Instagramming pretty much everything I see.  Ok, maybe not everything.   Find me on IG here and come along for the ride.

Speaking of Instagram, the lovely Kate over at Run with Kate has teamed up with several of her favourite twitter friends and bloggers to create a December challenge.  I love these sort of challenges but I never seem to be able to be able to make it to the end.  I'm going to try my darndest to make it to the end of this one.  This one is called Holiday a Day.  Here's how it works;  take a photo each day in December that fits the day's theme.  Tag it with #holidayaday and the theme (e.g #drink or #santa etc) and you're in.  Let the snapping and tagging begin! 

In the meantime, I need to start packing!

Do you have any holiday traditions that you love? 

Ohhh la la, I cannot wait.