Happy Holidays

It has been an extremely busy December. I had a slight injury the weekend after Thanksgiving which has prevented any long distance running this month post the 10 miler that I did the day that my knee started to bother me. I ran the Jingle Bell 5K with my friend Mary and in celebration of my friend coming back to running after an injury which was so much fun. It was snowy and icy which is perfect for the season. I ended up with cold number one after this race - I am a teacher and my kids are all sick so I was waiting for this to happen. I was featured on the Key Bank Vermont City Marathon website - I'm a minor celebrity now!!! (haha) Check it out: www.runvermont.org/therundown/why-i-run/why-i-run-kelly-sullivan Then two weeks later I ended up with a big, horrible cold where I lost my voice for three days and couldn't go three feet without blowing my nose. It was horrible. The funny thing was I went for a run while I was not feeling well to loosen things up but it was a great run. It felt easy and effortless. Those are the runs that send people out running again and again. I then went out for a run one night to see the lights in my neighborhood when I fell. I fell hard. There was a very large discrepancy in the sidewalk that I didn't see and hit the ground. I collected myself and got up. Realized I was bleeding but couldn't tell where I was bleeding from so I ran home and had my husband fix me up. I think this was only part of my year since I usually get road rash from falling from my bike at some point during the summer but this year I wasn't on my bike much so it was only appropriate. I feel very hard core!

This brings me to Christmas. I have a Christmas wish. I want all people to live each day to its fullest. Laugh each day. Love each day. Do something good for yourself each day. Do something good for someone else each day. Sing loudly each day. Dance each day - either by yourself or with someone, especially little kids! Do things with the ones you love every chance you get. Let yourself be happy. I am loving my life because of these goals of each day. I dance each day and love every second of it. I sing poorly each day and am extremely happy when I am doing it. With this in mind, I have decided a few years ago that we needed to have a tradition of decorating Christmas cookies! It has grown every year. We had 8 kids and their parents decorating Christmas cookies and talking about Santa and their Elves - Frisbee, Taco, Snowflake, and another I don't remember. It was a blast! All kids seemed to have fun as they all fell fast asleep after leaving the fun. I'm sure this will be at least 3 children bigger next year since we have a few friends expecting little ones! I love being surrounded by the little kids so excited about Christmas and Santa. It makes me extremely happy and I want them to have something fun like this to remember when they get older and do with their children. Children make Christmas fun and since I don't have my own, I get to bring in other people's kids, give them sugar, have fun decorating cookies, and then send home with their parents them all sugared up! It's a perfect situation for me! Isn't that the job of an Aunt!!! If not, I was mis-informed!

I am excited to have time with my husband to enjoy this wonderful time of the year. I love that we get to spend this week together and enjoy the fun of the season. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!! May your heart be bright! Enjoy your family and friends! I know I will!