Thanksgiving Thoughts

~What a week it has been!!  I will share more details with pics on all this week included once I recover from all of the activity.

~I hit a wall today.  I was exhausted, even though I have slept in every day for the last week!

~Everywhere I looked I saw work to do.

~Every thought that entered my head was of all of the things that have to be accomplished in the next month.  (Do you realize that Christmas Eve is one month from today?)

~It is during these times where I have to literally take things almost an hour at a time.  If I try to look too far ahead, I just can't bear the burden.  It makes me sad to say it is a burden.  When I think of it all at once, it feels that way.  Bite-sized pieces taste much better!

~I know this is going to sound a bit cliche', but I am realizing some things as I get older.  I find that I am able to see differences and preferences that people have as a positive thing rather than threatening.  My examples are going to sound a bit silly, but honestly, differences used to really irritate me.  The mentality of, "the way I do it is the best way," was very prideful.  Now, I can accept them and move on.

Here are my thoughts on Thanksgiving:

-I am a cornbread dressing fan all the way.  Stuffing gets a big thumbs down.  Guess what, we have both at our house, because Rick is a fan of stuffing.

-I like my pumpkin pie room temperature with Cool Whip on top.  Rick, on the other hand, likes it cold.  He says if it is room temperature, it feels like someone else has already eaten it.

-I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why it is fun to go running early on Thanksgiving morning.  So many people here do that.  I prefer sleeping in, a Starbucks drink in the fabulous red cup, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

-The idea of going into the forest to cut down a Christmas tree also sounds like a complete nightmare to me.  I have to admit that a real tree has never been for me.  I am allergic and so are many others in this house.  I do not have the energy to keep another thing alive, not to mention the mess.  I can hear my kids complaining and arguing as we walk for miles trying to find the perfect tree that no one can agree on.

-Cranberry sauce is so easy to make.  Why does anyone buy that canned stuff????

-We have celebrated Thanksgiving many different ways.  Some years, we go to KY to be with family.  Some years we have been invited to friends' houses.  Many years we just do it at home as a family.  There are things I like about all 3 ways.  This year, we were home, I cooked everything, it was relaxed, and we wore jammies and Cowboys' gear all day long.

-Black Friday shopping.  I love looking through the ads on Thanksgiving afternoon.  I actually also love that many of the sales begin on Thursday night rather than early Friday morning.  I am not a morning person.  Even more than all of that, I cannot stand the crowds, the lines, and the fighting over stuff in stores.  So, we went out Friday, midmorning, and we still got most of the deals we had hoped for.

-Christmas decorations are going up tomorrow.  I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas decorations.  This is the ONLY holiday or season that I decorate for.  I just don't have it in me to redecorate every season and store all of that stuff!  Thankfully, I have a husband who leads this process and the kids that like to participate.  I get into doing traditions way more than decorating!  Decorating is one of those things I would pay someone to do for me. : )

-More than anything, I am one blessed woman.  I have a husband that I love more today than I did the day I married him over 18 years ago.  I have 6, yes, sometimes I just can't believe that, kids that are so amazing, awesome, and keep me laughing.  I have a home with more things in it than I even need.  My husband has a job that is more than just a job to us.  It is our church family.  I have amazing friends all over the world.  We have extended family in KY.  My kids go are able to get a great education with teachers who truly care for them.