It is the middle of December – there are 12 more sleeps until Christmas morning which means 12 only 12 more shopping days! I have to admit, Christmas is one of my absolute favourite times of the year. That being said, this year more than others, it feels like the days are passing by faster than ever. I have most of my shopping done (thank goodness for online shopping in the middle of the night!), some things wrapped, I haven’t even thought of baking anything and feel a little overwhelmed by the season this year. I now have such an appreciation for other mom that have pinterest perfect pictures to share of their baked goods, perfectly wrapped gifts, and most of all for my mom and my mother-in-law who have done everything for us our entire lives without ever making it look like they could have used a helping hand.
Thankfully, the one thing I was able to get done early was put up the Christmas tree. These #TinselTuesday posts have been such a delight to write – they give me a break from the regular holiday hustle and let me reflect on the things that matter, the people that matter, the places we’ve been and the memories we’ve made. This week we are not going very far (well, not very far for me…but if you live outside of New Brunswick you can add this to your list of “Things to do when I visit New Brunswick”).
Off we go to Hopewell Rocks!
I have lived in New Brunswick the majority of my life, but the summer of 2015 while 7 months pregnant was the first time I ever went to Hopewell Rocks. I was meeting up with three girlfriends from University in Moncton for the weekend and we were trying to find something to “do” together so we could “do” something but still chat, catch up and experience something new. My brilliant bestie who always takes care of everything (and everybody) came up with the idea of going to Hopewell Rocks – and it was the perfect idea!
We spent the afternoon walking through the trails at a leisurely pace so even the 7 month pregnant lady could speak (me…), we had the opportunity to explore the rocks up close since it was low tide and take in the beauty of the area. Side Note: The trails were really quite easy (and short), so I would recommend this attraction to people of all ages and physical ability.
I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you a little about Hopewell Rocks and what makes them so special – If you have ever seen a New Brunswick tourism guide they make the cover nearly every year, so they are something us NB’ers certainly promote. The rocks are also called “Flowerpot Rocks” and stand 40-70 feet tall. They are the result of tidal erosion in the Bay of Fundy where you will find the world’s largest tidal range. Twice a day the base of the rocks are submerged in water at high tide (you can rent kayaks to get up close during those periods) and then at low tide you can walk right up to them. The rocks are part of nature’s art that decorate Hopewell Cape.
And now, back to Christmas! Whether you have all your gifts purchased and wrapped, are partially there or haven’t started yet it is the season to enjoy family and friends and all the little things Christmas reminds us of. Like I mentioned, I am feeling a little overwhelmed this year, but have come up with a few solutions. For those interested here they are:
1. Stop trying to be amazing – Most of my stress is coming from me… not a single person has asked if I baked cookies and spent hours decorating them…
2. Support local – there are tons of little unique things you can find no matter where you live! This weekend instead of travelling to get more shopping done I went to Aristide Toy Shop where they also sell hand crafted soaps, scrubs, candles, pottery, etc. and to Andrea’s Confectionery where they sell the most amazing candy/chocolate/sweet arrangements! And lastly, I went to “Christmas in the Park” right here in the Belledune where there were baked goods, knitting, crafts, pottery ornaments and more for sale! I was amazed how much of my shopping (and baking) I was able to get done all while supporting local people.
And, finally
3. Be patient – The old Jenna (you know, the one who didn’t have a child, was super organized and seemingly “put together”) would have had Christmas cards sent out November 12 (or pretty close to it!). The new Jenna is stressing over which absolutely adorable picture of her son to include on a holiday card and has been impatiently waiting for photographers to get proofs back to her so there will be even more options to make the choice even more difficult. I am struggling with this last “tip” as it is not my style at all to wait until now to be going through pictures… but life happens and to all of you lucky enough to be on our Christmas card list – you will get a card…eventually!
Here is a sneak peak at one of my Little Dude’s Christmas card choices (him running around the studio)… isn’t he the cutest?!
12 days left people! Get out there and make Christmas happen!
My shoes for that: For those of you shopping for little ones these are the BEST sneakers! Champion Boys Infant Gusto Runner – they go on easily, stay on and work perfectly to wear around the house as slippers all year! Side Note: they will be perfect for when my Little Dude tours Hopewell Rocks next summer 🙂
Stop trying to be amazing. Support local. Be patient.
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