Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share! Can I get you a cup of coffee? Tea? Or maybe some hot chocolate?
How are you doing? I hope your holiday season was everything you wished for. I have to say this was the best Christmas break ever! It’s been such a wonderful mix of family, nature, relaxation, good food, exercise, and just everything I wished for.
On top of it all I handed in my final report for the class in Social emotional difficulties and special needs education today. It’s due on the 17th, but I was hoping to finish my report this weekend, so that I can focus on work next week, and have a little break from school until I start my new school on the 17th (Degree of Master of Science, Main Field of Study: Educational Work.) I’ve ordered all the books I will need for the first half of the semester, and they should arrive any day now. I have never studied anything on this advanced level, and I might be in over my head, time will tell, but for now I am super excited! I don’t know how well you know me, but I am very stubborn, and now I’ve decided to get this degree, and I will not give up easily. It’s just something that interests me, and that I really want to do.
Do you feel that you got the time off you needed during the holidays? Are you ready for 2022? Did you make any new year resolutions? I wrote a little about mine last week. What I didn’t tell you is that I also decided to join a local gym (I told you I was thinking about it a few weeks ago.) I not only joined the gym, I had a PT help me make up a training routine that fits me. This week I’ve been there three times, and I am planning on going tomorrow as well. I feel great!
I also spent some time cleaning out my closet during my break. I have a routine of doing that at least twice a year, once in the winter, and once in the summer. I have a capsule closet, and I like having only what I actually use there, anything that I don’t use I donate to charity. This time I also donated some holiday items that I don’t feel a need to save. I’ve limited myself to only store one box of holiday decorations, and the tree in our storage unit. (I would never rent a storage unit, because I think it’s insanity to pay to store stuff that you don’t need, but there is a storage unit that comes with my apartment. We mainly use it for our bikes.)
I know that it’s going to be a very busy spring, and I am so happy to start out feeling great, and on top of my game. Would you like a refill on your beverage? Thank you Natalie for hosting the Weekend Coffee Share, and thank you for sharing your initiative with the food bank in your community. You are an inspiration to all of us!
Stay safe out there, and please tell me what’s going on in your neck of the woods. I’m going to try to visit everyone’s coffee share this weekend.
Love,
Maria
GreenDreams 
The snow looks very beautiful, Maria! So cold though at 2F, I haven’t felt that kind of cold in a long time. I’m sure that you can do very well in your next classes, you can do this! It’s 61 in Las Vegas today, the next few days will be sunny to partly sunny with 55F which is pretty nice. Very nice for riding my new bike! I’m glad that you are feeling great and on top of your game right now, yes! Stay warm, stay safe. 😎🇸🇪❄️🌴🌞
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Thank you so much John. At the moment it’s only 25F and very comfortable. Usually January is the coldest month. I hope it doesn’t get warmer. If we have snow and the temperature stays around 20-25F it’s perfect! Warmer than that it starts to melt, and if it gets cold again after that it gets icy. Of course you know all that having lived in Michigan so many years before Las Vegas.
Enjoy your bike rides. What a nice way for you to get out 🙂
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Hi Maria,
Ha! I would not have called you stubborn. Instead, I offer, decisive and once engaged – very hard to distract.
I also think, but don’t know for sure, that you invest in difficult efforts only for as long as they earn their keep and if presented with evidence that they don’t, you would study and decide again if your efforts were well directed rather than sticking with some effort just because you won’t consider better options.
How am I doing?
You photos suggest you are all but snowed in, but they are gorgeous.
Hope this year proves to be all you hope for.
Blessings..
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You are right Gary, it is always good to be open minded, and even though one wouldn’t quit because things gets difficult, it’s good to consider all options in life. Thank you for your kind comment.
We have some snow, but by no means as much as you guys have up in Lake Tahoe 🙂
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend and a great start of your New Year!
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It has never snowed in Los Angeles: closest is about 30 miles north in the mountains…for those who have lived here their entire lives, they’ve always had to drive or fly to enjoy it!
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Do you enjoy snow? It snowed once when I lived in Las Vegas and it was chaos! However, I often drove up to Mt. Charleston and enjoyed the snow there, it was not a very long drive, 45min if I remember correctly. Have a very Happy New Year! Enjoy your sunshine 🙂
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The white mug in your first photograph is beautiful.
We have been under an extreme cold warning for a while so we haven’t been able to get out and enjoy the snow. Anyway, your pictures are lovely, thank you for sharing. Great coffee post. Best wishes for 2022.
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Thank you so much! For a long time I’ve wanted a really big mug for cold winter days. I figure I get one extra nice big mug for each person in the family. To make it more fun I bought three completely different mugs, from the same store, same size and brand, but with different designs.
How cold is? I did hear about some extreme cold weather. I hope the temperatures gets into the more normal range, so that you and your family can enjoy the outdoors.
Have a wonderful Happy New Year!
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That is a great idea to have a fun mug for everyone.
It was into the -40’s here for a good stretch of days. Wasn’t too bad today.
Have a great week Maria.
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-40 is really cold! Be safe, and have a great week ahead!
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Hi Maria!
I’m so enjoying coffee with you today! What wonderful photos and the snow looks so beautiful and FUN! Sounds like such a wonderful Christmas break with your family! YAY!! I know you will do great in your school classes in this upper divisions as you are so dedicated and vested in all that you do. Determination I think runs strong with you, with all that you share I think you will do great! 💞
I don’t do any New Year resolutions, not a big fan of them. I just want to be happy and healthy each year. I just keep on doing what I’m doing and if something comes up where I want to be healthier or try something new I just incorporate that into my schedule or time off etc. Anyways, I’m hoping 2022 will be a good year for all!! Stay safe and thank you for the coffee! Sending hugs from Cali! ❤️🤠🐴🥰
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Hi Diana, so great to have coffee with you! Thank you very much for your encouraging comment. Christmas really has been all that I could ever wish for. Funny how those wishes changes as life changes, and you get different priorities, right? I agree with you 100% that happiness and health is most important, and of course there’s no need to make any resolutions if you always focus on that ❤ Hugs, and cheers to a wonderful, magical 2022!
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Happy New Year, Maria! I’m glad to hear you and your children had a wonderful Christmas holiday. I’m sure with your keen interest, determination and discipline, you’ll do very well in your Master of Science program. It looks like you’ve had a lot of snow. We’ve had light snow but it hasn’t stayed. Thank you for your #weekendcoffeeshare. Have a wonderful week!
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Thank you so much Natalie! Have a wonderful week ahead and a very Happy 2022! I will be seeing you around 🙂
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I’ve never seen snow like that Maria – it’s just amazing to me to think about it and how cold it must be. We’re in the middle of a heatwave here in Western Australia and the last few weeks have had temps of around 100 deg F – so very different! Well done on tackling the study you’re going to do AND a gym membership – go you!!
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Some days are cold, but they are usually the most beautiful ones with clear skies, burning orange/yellow sunrise, and deep pink sunsets. Today it’s actually “warm”, around 25F and perfect if you ask me 🙂 100F is slightly warmer 🙂 I am familiar with those temps as well. We lived in Las Vegas, before moving ot Sweden and around 5months/year it was temperatures of around 100F, or higher. I don’t miss that part.
Thank you for your encouraging comment! Have a very Happy New Year! 2022 is going to be fabulous ❤
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Beautiful snowy Sweden! I can almost hear the snow crunching. 🙂
So glad your break has been rewarding and restful. I have great confidence that you will ace your new courses. 🙂
Our temps have been yo-yo-ing up and down. Yesterday was crisp and clear, today it is freezing rain. Not as nice to walk in! My walk yesterday was glorious at least. Tues. is supposed to get really cold again (single digits). So glad we have a wood stove… we can get it nice and toasty in here. Have a great week! ❤
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Thank you! The temps are yo-yo-ing here as well. A couple days ago it was around 0F, and right now it’s 29F and on Thursday we’re expecting it to be 42F..and after that its getting colder again. I’m thinking about being brave and riding my bike to work tomorrow, we’ll see.
Happy you have a wood stove ! They are amazing ❤ Have a wonderful week ❤
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Crazy weather these days! Hope the warmer weather allows some bike riding. ❤
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Indeed! Enjoy your week!
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Hot Choc sounds great, especially if we are hanging out in that snow and those temps! Great photo’s! I was struck by your comment ‘I have never studied anything on this advanced level, and I might be in over my head’! All I have is encouragement and admiration. Brilliant, just keep going.
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Sounds like you had a productive break. Your photos are gorgeous! Here’s to a great 2022
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Looks like your new year is shaping up quite nicely, Maria! And your holidays went out with a bang of good times and wonderful memories. I do know you and you have what it takes to tackle this masters program! Today I subbed for a 4th-grade class–I think they are my favorite age group although I’m subbing at the high school this Thursday for the Health and Fitness teacher 🙂 I’m sure your books can’t wait for you to open and read them and get busy! Enjoy and congrats on joining the gym–it’s a good supplement to hiking in the snow and beyond!
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Thank you so much Terri! I imagine you really enjoying, and excelling at being a substitute for different ages. Have a wonderful weekend!
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What beautiful snow photos! When I finally decided to do a my Master’s Degree, it was already 10 years since I finished undergrad. I was not prepared for balancing full time work and a part-time Masters. At time I did not have a kid, but I had plenty of classmates who did — even one of them was a new mom! Admittedly it was tough, but we pulled through. But I think what helped was having a Facebook group for our cohort to create that supportive community!
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Thank you for sharing that! I know that I will be very busy for sure!
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