Coffeeneuring Ride #8: Cleveland Park Library (4340 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) and Baked by Yael (3000 Connecticut Ave., N.W.)

Sunday, Nov. 19; 3.3 miles

Hot chocolate, everything bagel, raspberry cake pop (more…)

Happy Friday! And welcome to the eighth day of the month! On this date, Catholics around the world celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, during which the conception of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is feted.

Behind today’s door on our Virtual Advent Tour, you’ll find a post from Bridget at The Ravell’d Sleave. In her post, she shares memories of Christmas growing up and how even simpler things are special and joyful when you’re doing them with people you love.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a great start to your weekend! We’ll see you tomorrow for another holiday post!

If it’s Thursday, it’s time to look back at the past week and highlight three moments of beauty (and to share them as part of Carole’s Three on Thursday:

1. Apparently we were good this past year, because Krampus did not carry us off in his sack and St. Nicholas filled our shoes with goodies. He left me hot cocoa mix and chocolate bars, and Rudi found M&M’s, socks, and coffee in his. He always knows what we like.

2. I’d gone back and forth on whether it would make January even more painful than usual, but I decided this week to book off all the Fridays this month to give myself leisurely long weekends leading up to the holidays. Last Friday involved sleeping in and getting a jump on holiday party prep. I suspect tomorrow will also involve going back to bed after Rudi leaves and then writing some Christmas cards, possibly doing some shopping, and maybe getting an early seat at the fire pit that’s opened up on the patio of the fancy grocery store/bar in our neighborhood. Luxury!

3. I didn’t find my hand knit Christmas socks with the other woolens after Thanksgiving, so I thought I’d forgotten them up in Connecticut and wouldn’t get to wear them again until we went up at Christmas. Today, though, Rudi came across them in the laundry pile. Hooray!

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?