Hailey Hudson's Blog, page 23

Blogmas 2020 Day 10 (Nutcracker!)

First things first: Can we just appreciate how sweet my kitty is? Normally when we get up in the morning, she doesn’t go back to bed; she sleeps on the floor in the closet (most often) or on the couch with me (later in the afternoon). But today she stayed on the bed all day and I thought it was just the cutest thing ever! (And also felt super jealous I couldn’t go back to bed and nap with her, because boy did I need it.)

I was pretty tired and in pain this morning from being out last night (and from staying up reading), but after a slow morning of YouTube in bed and French toast (not in bed), I was able to move to the couch and push through some work. I was tired and headache-y and having trouble focusing; it took me two or three hours to write two short, very easy blog posts. I poked around for a bit and then managed to write another one, but was like pulling teeth.

At 2:00 I got up and cooked some pork chops and zucchini I needed to use up. I also got my packages–fruit snacks in bulk (#iykyk) and I won a giveaway from the Freys.

After that I edited and submitted all of the blog posts I wrote earlier. Then I got ready to go. Tonight my dad and I went to see my dance studio’s performance of The Nutcracker. They had the ballet professionally recorded and showed the resulting movie at an events venue. I’ve loved The Nutcracker since I was three and it’s always had a special place in my heart, but I hadn’t seen it in years! It was very well-done. I was crashing pretty hard fatigue-wise the whole time, though, and when I got home at eight I stumbled right to bed and immediately fell asleep.

Today I’m grateful for: Being able to eat lunch.

Check out Blogmas Day 10 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2020 Day 9 (Christmas lights!)

Things were a little more in control this morning and I felt somewhat more clearheaded and energetic, which I was SO grateful for! Of course I didn’t feel great and I was still pretty emotionally drained, but I could definitely tell a noticeable difference in my emotional/cognitive state which was amazing. It was also helpful that I was at home all day. I had to finish and upload several blog posts today, and I was able to do all of them except one, and even managed to practice voice!

This evening Kenna and I went out to drive around and look at some Christmas lights in a huge neighborhood near us that’s known every year for their lights. It was a lot of fun to drink hot chocolate and look at all the houses. We also hung out at her house for a while and exchanged more Christmas gifts. It was such a fun evening that I really enjoyed!

Today I’m grateful for: Talking to Bethany, a letter from Brooke, and so grateful for having more energy today (I even stopped at Sprouts to stock up on IQ Bars!) .

Check out Blogmas Day 9 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016.

Blogmas 2020 Day 8 (neurologist appointment)

I was not functioning well at all this morning and felt super frustrated and upset about it. When I have days like today with constant blood sugar lows, I can’t function emotionally or cognitively. I tried to do some work but I was just so drained and so angry; there were tears multiple times, lol.

This afternoon I had my regular appointment with my neurologist (my local neurologist). I wasn’t feeling well enough to drive so my mom took me to the hospital. My neuro and I tweaked my migraine meds and discussed some other potential treatment plans to implement in the near future.

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I was afraid I was going to crash as soon as I got home, but I’m really thankful I was able to take a shower, do a little bit more work, and even make fish and squash for dinner before crashing. I laid in bed listening to podcasts from about six to eight and now I think I’m feeling functional enough to read for a while before going to sleep. I’m just very very tired of dealing with all of this and feel so drained.

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Today I’m grateful for: Grace Anne’s Tuesday letter (below) coming at exactly the right time.

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Check out Blogmas Day 8 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2020 Day 7 (blood sugar frustrations)

My cat woke me up way too early this morning by throwing up a hairball on my bedroom floor. (How considerate.) I couldn’t go back to sleep after I cleaned it up, but I rested in bed for a couple more hours in hopes that I wouldn’t crash too hard later in the day. Eventually I got up, made myself eat, and got to work. I was sleepy, headache-y, and not very productive; I was also in a super bad mood all day because I was having constant blood sugar lows, which were making me extremely irritated, angry, and unable to focus (and then I would get even MORE frustrated because I couldn’t focus).

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At 2:00 I had a counseling phone call. We primarily talked about chronic illness and church related issues. After that I got my package/mail (!), ate something, poked around for a while, and finally managed to finish up a little more work.

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This evening I was supposed to go to a small cookie swap at my friend Carly’s house, but the other attendees ended up not being able to make it–so instead she and I just met up to hang out for a little bit and give each other the cookies we’d made. I really enjoyed visiting with her!

There was a Barnes & Noble near where we met and I couldn’t resist going in for a little bit when we were done. I displayed a remarkable amount of self-control and didn’t spend a single penny; I put about a dozen books that looked good on hold at my library, and just longingly stared at the journals and notebooks and planners (and the kitten-shaped notecards and celestial-themed sticky note and pencil set I can’t stop thinking about).

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Tonight was really nice and put me in a much better mood. By the time I got home around 8:00 I was definitely feeling pretty bad again physically, though, so I’m excited to go to bed.

Today I’m grateful for: Doctors who send detailed explanations of lab results, my yellow sweater, the Christmas tree on top of the hospital.

Check out Blogmas Day 7 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2020 Day 6 (nursery at church)

This morning I had nursery at my church. I was scheduled to work with another college-age girl and we had just one little girl (who was wearing an adorable owl-printed dress and a matching mask). We played with toys, went next door for a music lesson with the older kids, and did a Bible story and craft.

When I got home from church I showered, ate some leftovers, and wrote a few letters. Around 3:00 I got in bed with my computer and worked on a Christmas gift, and wasted some time on Pinterest and YouTube.

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I had some tilapia and an avocado I needed to use and I really wanted a taco, so around five I got up and made one. Today was Not a good day for me to experiment with eating a lot of carbs and I knew that, but what can I say, the heart wants what it wants.

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By 6:00 I was so drowsy (also really frustrated for no reason in particular?) and beyond ready for bed, but, well, it was 6:00. So I pushed myself to schedule all of the Diamonds social media posts for this week and do a few other little things. Now it’s 8:00 and I’m going (say it with me) to bed with a book.

(I also watched this video by Shannon Barry sixty-eight times today. Not even exaggerating. “So this is growing up. It feels, all at once, enormous and mundane.” I feel that so much. And while I’m recommending things you should watch/read, I’ve been meaning to share this article from the Freys for several days: Spiritual Formation in the Midst of Chronic Illness. I was saying “YES, EXACTLY!” at every paragraph.)

Today I’m grateful for: Keeping these private today, but God cares about the little things!

Check out Blogmas Day 6 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2020 Day 5 (Christmas brunch)

Today was the annual women’s Christmas brunch at my mom’s church. Mom and Mrs. Alvalee picked me up and we all went together. A local biscuit place catered the event and we ate, heard three speakers, and there was some music (involving a cello and violin–heart eyes). It took a lot of stamina but it was really nice!

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I got home around 1:00 (and changed right back into this much more preferable outfit). I wrote a few letters; did some computer things like banking and medical-related stuff; and then went to bed to watch some YouTube and rest for a bit.

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Later this afternoon I made some cookies for a cookie swap I’m going to next week. They’re a recipe my mom found called Christmas Magic Cookie Bars–a crust of graham cracker crumbs and butter, then a layer of sweetened condensed milk, and then a topping of oats, chocolate chips, holiday M&M’s, and butterscotch chips. The crust smelled so good that I got inspired and made a dairy-free (but not sugar-free, lol) version with graham cracker crumbs, plant butter, melted dark chocolate, and coconut. The crust-to-topping ratio was off and it wasn’t spectacular on its own, but it tasted FABULOUS crumbled over some DF vanilla ice cream. I accidentally exploded some butter in the microwave and slightly burned myself a couple of times, but overall it was a successful baking afternoon!

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It was also an exhausting one, though. It’s now 8:00 and I can’t keep my eyes open, so I’m headed–where else?!–to bed with a book.

Today I’m grateful for: Christmas dishes and Amazon Prime.

Check out Blogmas Day 5 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas Day 5 (Christmas brunch)

Today was the annual women’s Christmas brunch at my mom’s church. Mom and Mrs. Alvalee picked me up and we all went together. A local biscuit place catered the event and we ate, heard three speakers, and there was some music (involving a cello and violin–heart eyes). It took a lot of stamina but it was really nice!

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I got home around 1:00 (and changed right back into this much more preferable outfit). I wrote a few letters; did some computer things like banking and medical-related stuff; and then went to bed to watch some YouTube and rest for a bit.

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Later this afternoon I made some cookies for a cookie swap I’m going to next week. They’re a recipe my mom found called Christmas Magic Cookie Bars–a crust of graham cracker crumbs and butter, then a layer of sweetened condensed milk, and then a topping of oats, chocolate chips, holiday M&M’s, and butterscotch chips. The crust smelled so good that I got inspired and made a dairy-free (but not sugar-free, lol) version with graham cracker crumbs, plant butter, melted dark chocolate, and coconut. The crust-to-topping ratio was off and it wasn’t spectacular on its own, but it tasted FABULOUS crumbled over some DF vanilla ice cream. I accidentally exploded some butter in the microwave and slightly burned myself a couple of times, but overall it was a successful baking afternoon!

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It was also an exhausting one, though. It’s now 8:00 and I can’t keep my eyes open, so I’m headed–where else?!–to bed with a book.

Today I’m grateful for: Christmas dishes and Amazon Prime.

Check out Blogmas Day 5 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2020 Day 4 (rainy day at home)

I read Chasing Lucky in one sitting last night and it was SO FREAKING GOOD. I have no words for how much I love Jenn Bennett’s books. (It also made me nostalgic for the days when we did things like go to writing conferences and author signings–I met Jenn Bennett a few years ago and she was so lovely. But that’s beside the point.) If you’re looking for a summery YA contemporary and you like New England beach towns, childhood-best-friends-to-lovers trope, and bookstores and boats, definitely pick this up! #JennBennettSaves2020

“I’m tired of feeling both too young to start my life and too old to cling to the way things were.”

“Like I’d been walking around all broken, and all my broken pieces suddenly reconnected.”

This morning was kind of miserable. I was awake for a couple of hours in the night with severe nausea; it was still there when I woke up, and then I was also more exhausted and in pain than usual. I took some nausea meds, got a heating pad, and laid in bed listening to Shawn Mendes’ new album Wonder (which I’m still formulating my thoughts on, but predictably, it’s amazing and he has evolved so much as a vocalist and just overall as an artist).

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Eventually I managed to move to the couch to do some work. I wrote one blog post and outlined another (if you want to know what holiday gifts to employees are tax deductible or how to choose the best CTA button color for marketing emails, I can give you the lowdown). Then Brooke and I talked on the phone for a while; I decorated some envelopes while we chatted.

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At 1:30 I made French toast for breakfast/lunch. It’s been kind of difficult to find high-protein, low-carb, low-sugar (and obviously low-fat low-fiber) things to eat on the days when my stomach really isn’t doing well, and I was so thrilled about this delicious solution!

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After that it was back to the couch for more work: more client blog posts, scheduling all of a client’s social media posts for next week, and working on Diamonds social media and my talk. The afternoon also included a little time spent resting on the couch, and a lot of time spent debating about whether I wanted my mail badly enough to go out in the rain and go get it, lol. I did finally go get the mail (and had a cool new meat thermometer + a letter from Hanne with adorable Christmas stickers and washi, so it was totally worth it), started my laundry, and put a purple sweet potato in the oven for dinner.

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I was getting stressed about work this evening, but the Freys’ vlog made me smile and laugh. After dinner I showered, wrote one more letter, and now it’s 8:00 and I’m calling it a week and going to bed with a Stephanie Perkins novel.

Today I’m grateful for: French toast, nausea meds, new music from Shawn AND apparently Alessia (my summer 2019 self is absolutely thriving).

Check out Blogmas Day 4 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2020 Day 3 (voice lesson + Sprouts grocery haul)

It was a good feeling this morning to have the bulk of my work for the week completed. After a client meeting at 10 AM, I sent some emails, had breakfast, did some Christmas shopping on Etsy (aka my favorite place), and then settled down to outline a blog post on fonts in email. Eventually I got up and ate something and cleaned the kitchen. Then I wrote a blog post on keeping your cat warm in the winter.

I had my biweekly voice lesson today, so at 2:30 I drove to my voice teacher’s house. I’m currently learning on What Baking Can Do from Waitress and have made really fast progress on it! I just need to work on increasing volume throughout and having the stamina to get through the whole thing. I’ll be done with it by my next lesson and we’re talking about goals for next year.

[image error]new hand-me-down clothes and jewelry from Brooke!

Then I went to Sprouts to get some groceries–half actual food I needed and half just fun products, lol. Highlights: The IQ Bar (my friend recommended this as a low-carb, low-sugar bar and I’ve been wanting to try it); the little honey nut squash (which I’ve never had before); and the strawberry lemonade (that I only bought for the glass bottle). As usual, I probably overestimated the amount of produce I’ll feel up to eating before it goes bad, but it just all looked so good.

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It was almost five by the time I got home and put everything away. I did a few small work and Diamonds tasks and then tried to find something to eat for my upset stomach. I finally cooked a yellow squash, threw it in a bowl with some leftover jasmine rice and cubed ham, and ate dinner while watching the Freys’ vlog from today (which I do every day–at least, on the days I’m feeling well enough).

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After dinner I took a shower and then wrote a few letters–mostly Christmas cards for a card exchange I’m participating in. I crashed pretty quickly, though, and now it’s 8 PM and I’m heading to bed with Jenn Bennett’s new book Chasing Lucky (which I am WAY TOO RIDICULOUSLY EXCITED ABOUT!!!).

Also, can we just appreciate this picture of my cat? I was walking around my apartment looking for her (not wearing my glasses, of course) and finally realized she’d been watching my search from the top of the bookcase the whole time.

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Today I’m grateful for: Being able to get out of the house and do things; the ability to take voice lessons and improve in that way; friends who are vulnerable and real about what they’re going through; and getting a sweet and encouraging postcard from the prayer coordinator at Chronic Joy.

Check out Blogmas Day 3 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016. What did you do today?

Blogmas 2020 Day 2 (stressed and exhausted)

I got my Spotify wrapped last night and I was so excited about it! In 2020 I listened to 23,099 minutes of music (on Spotify), discovered 663 new artists, and listened to 225 genres.

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I correctly guessed ahead of time that Maisie Peters was my top artist of the year; apparently, I spent 1,468 minutes listening to her music (and that’s 1,468 minutes well spent). I expected there to be lots of Lennon Stella and Ellen Halsinger, too (I do Ellen Halsinger vocal warmups) and I wasn’t surprised–Lennon Stella’s Jealous was my top song of the year (and hearing it took me straight back to quarantine in April). In fact, each of my top five tracks from 2020 reminds me of a very specific date, place, time, and activity.

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Also, honorable mention to the Living with Hope podcast! I normally don’t listen to podcasts because I’m not at all an auditory person and I just can’t do it, but this summer when various symptoms made it more and more difficult to function or even read, I started listening to podcasts while lying in bed with my eyes closed–and most of the time, the Freys’ Living with Hope was my podcast of choice.

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Okay… I know you all really cared about that and hate to move along, but here’s what I did today