Sherry Boles, EdD’s Post

🎄 Celebrating the Little Moments: The Coziest Countdown to Christmas 🎄 The holidays are a magical time, not just because of the grand celebrations, but because of the small, cozy moments that bring warmth and joy to our hearts. Think about it – what makes this time of year truly special? ✨ It’s the twinkling lights reflecting off the ornaments. ✨ The crackling sound of a fireplace warming the room. ✨ A cup of hot cocoa in hand, wrapped in your favorite blanket. ✨ Watching snow fall outside while sharing stories with loved ones. These simple traditions are what give the holidays their magic. They remind us to pause, reflect, and connect with what matters most – love, family, and togetherness. 💡 What’s your favorite cozy holiday tradition? Maybe it’s decorating the Christmas tree, baking cookies with your kids, or taking a quiet moment to enjoy a festive playlist. Whatever it is, these traditions are worth celebrating. 🎯 Comment "COZY" below and share your favorite holiday ritual. Let’s inspire each other to savor the little moments that make this season truly unforgettable. Here’s to a holiday filled with warmth, connection, and endless joy. 🎄✨ #CozySeason #HolidayTraditions #FestiveJoy #MakingMemories #ChristmasCountdown

🌟 What’s Your Recipe for Holiday Magic? 🌟 The holiday season is like a recipe—each of us adds special ingredients to make it magical. Whether it’s cozy traditions, spontaneous adventures, or quiet moments of gratitude, there’s no right or wrong way to celebrate. So, here’s a fun question for you: What’s one "ingredient" you’re adding to your holidays this year to make them unforgettable? 🎄 Quality time with loved ones? 🎁 Spreading kindness through thoughtful gestures? 🎶 Filling the air with your favorite festive tunes? Drop your "holiday ingredient" in the comments—I’d love to hear how you’re mixing up a season full of joy and wonder. Let’s all share a little inspiration for a magical holiday season! 🪄 #DisneyExperiences #HolidayInspiration #SharingTheMagic

Your Packages Deserve Better Than Being Left Home Alone The holidays are hectic, but that doesn't mean your packages should be vulnerable! At Sip and Ship, we're making sure your deliveries are secure and stress-free—so you can focus on what really matters. From safe package receiving to a little extra holiday magic, we’ve got something special in store for you this season. Curious? You’ll want to see what we’ve got brewing for Spirit Week and the festive treats that’ll make your day a little brighter. Want to know more? Click here to find out how Sip and Ship can be your holiday lifesaver! #HolidayShipping #PeaceOfMind #SipAndShip #PackageSecurity #SpiritWeek #HolidayMagic

Can you believe it’s almost Christmas? Every year, it sneaks up on us with that same magical vibe, but this time, it's got me reflecting a little deeper. As I walk along the beach in South Florida, I can’t help but notice the holiday spirit alive all around me. The twinkling lights on palm trees and surfboards adorned with festive decorations create a tropical winter wonderland! More than just a season of giving, this time of year is an opportunity for us to connect and celebrate what truly matters: family, friends, and community. In just 25 days, we’ll be unwrapping gifts and sharing laughter—but let’s not forget all those moments leading up to it! Getting lost in shopping lists and holiday parties can be so easy. Instead, why not take some time to enjoy the simple things? A cozy book by the beach or singing along to your favorite tunes can bring joy too! Think about how you can create connections this holiday season. What will you do differently this year? Let’s share some ideas below! Happy holidays in advance! #ChristmasCountdown #ConnectionMatters #HolidaySpirit #Christmas #memories

We know this is early, but as people start to think about the holidays we wanted to share some ways to plan ahead and have the best holiday season with your family. We find we get so busy sometimes we forget to enjoy it, so we are forced to sit and plan out holiday activities, especially with the kids. Here are some ideas from our family to yours 😀. 1) Check out some Christmas Markets, many of them have delicious home made baked goods and drinks and the atmosphere really brings the spirit. 2) Check out the Zoo lights. Always amazing! 3) Take a day trip to Banff and visit the Spirit or Christmas store and get some new decor and ornaments for the tree. 4) Buy tickets to the Polar Express train ride at Aspen Crossing in Mossleigh, only a 45-60 minute drive out of Calgary. 5) Nothing like a Griswold family Christmas. Get a tree cutting permit and take the family to cut down your very own tree for the holidays. 6) Search online for some cool advent calendars to suite every taste and style. We love the Christmas Lego and the chocolate ones 😀. Brings excitement each morning. 7) Don’t forget Elf on a Shelf comes in December and he gets creative in the middle of the night. 8) Take a sleigh ride in the mountains there are lots of options available. 9) Get old school and buy some nice Christmas cards, actually write in them, and mail them out to family and friends. 10) Watch some old Christmas classic movies while enjoying some home made baked Christmas cookies and treats. #Christmas #holidays #holidayactivities

Happy Thanksgiving! The holidays are here, and with them come the hustle, the planning, and let’s be honest—a little stress. In my family, celebrating holidays on the “traditional” day has never been a guarantee. My husband has worked a swing-shift for 23 years, and now that our kids and siblings have their own busy schedules, flexibility has become part of our holiday tradition. This year, Thanksgiving is on Saturday for us. It’s a chance to slow down, eat lunch together, circle back for dessert (maybe twice!), and just be without the rush of other obligations. And you know what? I love it. The holidays have taught me that the magic doesn’t come from the date on the calendar or how perfectly everything is planned—it comes from the laughter, the connections, and the little moments we share with the people we love. 💛 If you’re feeling the holiday stress, here’s my encouragement: let go of the pressure to make everything perfect and lean into the joy of togetherness instead. Need a little help sparking some laughter at your table? Here are some fun conversation starters to get everyone talking: What’s the funniest holiday memory you have? If your kids or siblings planned the menu, what would it look like? If you could create your own holiday tradition, what would it be? Who’s most likely to end up on Santa’s naughty list this year? What’s the best holiday movie of all time—and why? Holidays aren’t about matching dishes, spotless homes, or perfectly timed meals. They’re about the people at the table, the stories shared, and the memories created. How are you bringing joy and connection to your holidays this year? I’d love to hear your favorite traditions or ways you keep things meaningful!

There’s 54 days left in 2024. ⁣ ⁣ Here’s how you can start 2025 in better shape than you are today...⁣ ⁣ while still enjoying the holidays...⁣ ⁣ (me and my clients do this every single year)⁣ ⁣ You’ll probably celebrate holidays with multiple sides of the family, you’ll have work parties, maybe get together with friends.⁣ ⁣ So there’s usually 5-6 dinners that are ‘holiday’ meals. ⁣ ⁣ Plan to be ‘off-track’ on those days. And to enjoy your holiday meals, guilt-free and without much restriction. ⁣ ⁣ Because that still leaves 47 or 48 ‘normal’ days. ⁣ ⁣ Here’s what you do on those 47 days....⁣ ⁣ Go out of your way to be hyper consistent on those days. ⁣ ⁣ Make it a personal challenge. ⁣ ⁣ Don’t go out to eat if you don’t absolutely need to. ⁣ ⁣ Don’t have a dessert every day, save it for one of those holiday meals. ⁣ ⁣ Choose to workout even on the days you aren’t motivated to. ⁣ ⁣ Walk an extra 15 minutes every day. ⁣ ⁣ Make those small sacrifices on those 47 days, knowing that you’ll have whatever you want, guilt-free on those holiday dinners. ⁣ ⁣ If you can do this, you’ll see firsthand how you can actually make amazing progress during this time of year. ⁣ ⁣ I have clients do it every year, approaching it this way. ⁣ ⁣ But you can’t let one Thanksgiving dinner turn into a week of having pie every day. ⁣ ⁣ You have to maximize the 47 normal days left this year and take advantage of them. ⁣ ⁣ And if you want help doing that, send me a msg and I’ll see if I can help.

As we head into the holiday season, it's easy to get swept up in the vision of the perfect celebration. We imagine the ideal day: a beautifully set table, a meal that’s just right, and everyone connecting in meaningful ways. But here’s the reality: the holidays often come with unexpected surprises. And sometimes, those surprises are the best part. For example, a few years ago, my father-in-law started a Thanksgiving tradition of flying our family to DC to eat at Maggiano’s. Honestly, Italian food at a restaurant wasn’t exactly part of my vision for the holiday – I’d pictured a traditional meal at home, cooked from scratch, with all the classic dishes. It felt so far off from what I’d imagined. But it turned out to be wonderful. The adults got to relax, the kids had a blast, and no one had to clean up after dinner! What started as an unexpected shift has now become a tradition we all look forward to each year. This experience taught me an important lesson: the holidays don’t have to match the vision we create in our minds to be meaningful. When we let go of perfection and make space for the unexpected, we open ourselves up to joy in new and surprising ways. So this season, I encourage you to embrace the imperfections, the curveballs, and the surprises. Incorporate them into your story. Sometimes, the best memories come from letting go of the plan and simply being present. What’s a holiday memory that didn’t go the way you pictured but turned out to be amazing? I’d love to hear your stories! #Holidays #FamilyTraditions #LettingGo

Hello June... we've been waiting on you. Here are 5 reasons to love this month: ☀️ The Weather is Perfect One of the best things about June is the weather. In most parts of the country, the weather is warm but not too hot. This makes it perfect for spending time outdoors and enjoying all that nature has to offer. ☀️ There are Tons of Fun Holidays: June is a month full of fun holidays like Father’s Day and the first day of summer. ☀️ The Flowers are in Bloom Another great thing about June is that the flowers are in bloom. This is a great time to plant your own garden or just enjoy the beauty of nature. ☀️ You can Go on Vacation June is a great time to go on vacation. If you plan your trip wisely, you can avoid the crowds and enjoy some peace and quiet. ☀️ It’s a Great Time to BBQ Last but not least, June is a great time to fire up the grill and enjoy some delicious BBQ food. There’s nothing better than spending time with family and friends, eating good food, and enjoying the warmer weather What do you love about June? Tell us in the comments section below.

Get your home holiday-ready for Christmas The holiday season is a time for relaxing, celebrating and enjoying time with family and friends and, as Christmas approaches, many homeowners start preparing to host guests or plan festive gatherings. Whether you’re expecting family to stay for several days or hosting a Christmas meal, making your home warm, welcoming, and functional is key to creating a memorable holiday experience and, if you get started early on prepping your home, you can also relax and enjoy the time. Click the link in the comments to view the list. What is your favourite Christmas tradition? #EnjoyTheView #TopFloorBlog #WelcomeHome #SothebysRealty #NothingCompares #WhatsNext #SIRRandburg