My mishmash post...

Originally, I had planned to continue my holly jolly hookup with my bestie, Bri. But, I have to tell you friends, I'm struggling to provide you a holly jolly post when my heart is still searching for comfort and answers after the CT shooting last week. We are 4 days removed from this tragedy and I'm still glued to CNN searching for answers and celebrating the lives of these beautiful babies and the 6 heroic teachers that died.
On Friday, I saw a news flash come across about police responding to a shooting at a CT school. I assumed it was a high school and didn't think all that much of it. How terrible is that? Even the lost life of a few HS students didn't make me take pause. That is such a sad reflection of our country. But, later, when I realized it was an elementary school, my heart broke. These are babies. I look at their faces and see E. While she is only *almost* 4, she is a kid, not a toddler. I see her face in each of their faces.
As a mom, my heart is broken more than I imagined. It's broken for these babies, but mostly for those that are left behind trying to live, to celebrate Christmas, and for the siblings who may be too young to really understand. It's broken for memories never created and presents unopened.
I'm not totally sure when I'll stop thinking about it most of the day. But I do know that I hugged my own girl a little tighter. Tried to make a little more of the memories and celebrate her Nutcracker performance a little more.
Christmas morning will be a little more special. I'll probably take more pictures. Eventually, I, too, may go back to "normal." But for now, I'm holding a little tighter to the little things.
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On a funny note... a discovered one way to know you child is fake crying... they cry...while watching themselves in the mirror. It really was funny. I cried tears of laughter, instead of tears of sorrow. My kid is funny.

I have so much to be thankful for this holiday season, like our upcoming trip to CA AND TN! woop woop! I can hardly believe it. I get to see all my friends and family that I love the most in the span of 12 days. It's going to be chaotic, but wonderful. And, because I owe you a cocktail, I want to share a new cocktail I discovered at my work holiday party. And, I love it! It's the cranberry fizz. Oh, little fizz, where have you been all my life!?

Now I've seen it made a few different ways... But I'll give you the way I learned and a "cheater" way.

1 1/2 shots of vodka (or gin)

1 shot of cranberry syrup (which is equal parts cran. juice and sugar)

1/2 shot of lemon (or lime) juice

Shake over ice

Pour into glass (with ice) 

Fill glass with club soda

You can garnish with lemons or cranberries

And, the cheater way is..

 

Cranberry Sierra Mist

Add vodka (or gin)

Happy Holidays friends! Wish you and your family safe and healthy holiday travels!