Thanksgiving memories

As I went back to work today, there is no denying that Thanksgiving is over, and that always makes me a little sad.  While I am always grateful for the month of December and the festive holiday, I truly have always loved Thanksgiving.  It was exactly three years ago today that we celebrated one of my most favorite Thanksgivings.  Aunt Cathy had passed away just a couple of months earlier, and it seemed to remind me to truly enjoy and soak up the family as we spent the day together.  I took so many pictures that day, and I'm so grateful I did.  It ended up being G.G's last Thanksgiving, which isn't surprising as she was 90.  It also ended up being the very last big family Thanksgiving.  I knew it would be the last Thanksgiving before Catherine left for college, and I think in my heart I knew big changes were coming.  I'm so very grateful for those memories.

As a kid, we often were able to see both sides of the family at Thanksgiving, which was such a blessing.  The day after Thanksgiving we always helped my Grandparents decorate their tree...even when we were in high school!  It always came down when we spent the night at New Year's Eve.  I'm grateful we make a family event of decorating the tree now with our kids.

Thanksgiving also means the end of the college football season, and that makes me sad too.  Those thirteen Saturdays from Labor Day through Thanksgiving weekend are the best of the entire year.

Yesterday, I cried after I dropped Thomas at school.  The memories are getting to me this year, but I'm so grateful for those memories.  I love this phase of our life, but it sure is quiet here right now.

It all goes so, so fast

Our incredible amazing long Thanksgiving weekend is coming to an end.  There are few days that bring as much joy as these five days do.  Although Catherine arrived Sunday and Andrew and his mother arrived Monday evening, it didn't really feel celebratory until I was finished with work on Tuesday and Andrew arrived home with Thomas.  He had taken his mother along to see the campus, and it felt so, so good to begin our weekend Tuesday evening.  We ordered pizza and watched our episodes of "Friends".  It was so relaxing and felt so good to just laugh and laugh.

Wednesday of course brought some sleeping in and lots of preparations for the meal.  Fortunately Andrew and his mom enjoy those meal preps, because I sure don't!  Dinner was some quiche and we continued on with sharing "Big Bang Theory" with Andrew's mom.

Thursday was Turkey Day!  We watched the parade and my mom and her friend arrived early afternoon.  They were on the road back home by late afternoon, and we watched some football after cleaning up, then more TV shows, and we did absolutely nothing at all productive.  Thomas brought his girlfriend to the house for a while, and we all seemed to be in a turkey coma.

Friday we got the decorations down from the attic.  My mother-in-law napped for several hours, so it was difficult to get things accomplished without waking her.  Andrew got all of the outdoor furniture put away and got the outdoor lights up.  We got the trees up and mostly lit, although by the time we realized we needed to get some new lights, we decided it would wait until the next day.  We had leftovers and more TV shows in the evening.  I was supposed to attend my high school class reunion, but decided I just simply didn't want to do so.

Yesterday we made a trip to get lights and some groceries.  We were home in time for the OSU vs Xichigan game, which did not go at all the way we had hoped.  We finally got the trees decorated late afternoon into early evening, and two crock pots of potato soup was for dinner.  I continued decorating until we ND vs USC game, which also didn't go my way.  We finished with more TV shows, and early bed times as Andrew needed to hit the road early to get his mom back, and I needed to make an announcement in church this morning.

Catherine and Thomas left 30 minutes ago to get Thomas to his girlfriend's house for a few hours before I pick him up and take him back to school.  The house was on the way for Catherine as she headed back.  It is suddenly way too quiet around here.  These last five days have held so much love, laughter, and good times I can't even describe it.  It all went so very fast, and I'm so, so grateful for the moments.

Grace has been gone ten years

 Ten years ago today, the world lost the beautiful little Grace, who was ten years old at the time and a classmate of Catherine's. It was such awful news, and I'll never forget it.  It was a day I was gathered around with my kids and Andrew's parents, and their family was experiencing grief I can't even imagine.  This holiday always makes me think of that sweet girl and her sweet family.  I know though, that Grace is smiling, laughing, and running pain-free in Heaven, and for that I am grateful.

I haven't missed it one bit

This weekend is the wreath pick up weekend.  It is the first time in many years that I haven't been worrying about/working with band wreaths.  And I am absolutely thrilled!  Last year Andrew needed to pick up his mother, and I begged him to see if the neighbors could help and meet him so that he didn't have to be away overnight.  This year, Andrew really wanted to go and watch the Steelers home game against the Bengals, and he went with my blessing.  Today, Andrew and I wanted to swing by the shop where the wreaths are picked up, and I stopped outside to buy a gift for my grandmother.  I chatted with the new chairperson for a bit, and then we went along and finished our shopping.  

It is so wonderful to be able to do whatever I want this weekend.  I haven't missed the wreath sale, or any other band function AT ALL.  I've come to realize that I had actually grown resentful of the time I spent, although I'll always be grateful for knowing the kids and that I was able to be so involved with my kids.  It is nice to be done though.

We had a fabulous family weekend

We truly had a lovely family weekend.  We had tacos for dinner on Thursday, and then we just sat around and hung out.  I ventured to my hometown Friday for a bit of shopping.  Catherine was home mid-afternoon, and Thomas joined Andrew for some frisbee golfing.  That evening we made hot sandwiches and watched the UD basketball game and some episodes of our current favorite shows.  Yesterday we woke up to the snow, and the four of us ventured to support the fundraising with Empty Bowls.  Thomas and I didn't want soup and we didn't want to be surrounded by the people, so he and I did some walking while Catherine and Andrew ate.  Thomas spent the evening with his girlfriend while our best friends came over for dinner and hanging out.

We were supposed to attend a family celebration for a baby shower today, but I had a rough night and didn't feel great this morning.  The nice thing is that instead of having to  rush around, it actually gave us some more time with the kids, and I'll never be sad about that.  The house seems so quiet with everyone gone.  Catherine brings her kitten home with her when she is here, and he is adorable.  We told Catherine today that a "grand kitten" is the best kind of kitten because he is fun to have around for a few days, and then goes away. :)

Thomas also added to the family by getting a fish last evening.  So next week, there will be five people (my MIL is coming for the week), three cats, a dog, and a fish sleeping here.  And I can't wait!

The best kind of Saturday morning

This has been a truly lovely Saturday morning, although it was shocking to wake up to accumulating SNOW this morning!  It's been snowing over two hours, and we have over an inch.  It's amazingly beautiful.  It's also fabulous because the kids are home, and we are having a great time together.  Last night we made hot meat sandwiches and watched UD basketball and some of our favorite shows.  Today we are headed to a fundraiser we haven't attended since we first moved here, and it's just an absolutely wonderful weekend!

Really looking forward to this!

I have been looking forward to this weekend for quite some time.  I'm off tomorrow, which is delightful.  Thomas doesn't have class, so he will be here as well.  When Catherine found out, she decided she wanted to be here also, so she arrived this evening and will drive back for her classes tomorrow, then spend the rest of the weekend with us.  It's going to be cold, and with my family around, so very cozy.  It's also a little town festival in my hometown which I plan to journey to tomorrow, and Saturday has the Empty Bowls fundraiser in our town for those facing food insecurity.  I am so very excited about getting to share this with my family.  I am so grateful!

Early November weekend

I'll be honest, it didn't exactly feel like early November around here much as temps have been in the 70's.  Yesterday was rainy and dreary, but today was bright and sunny.  The winds yesterday took most of the leaves off the trees, but fall in Ohio is still pretty darn lovely.

Yesterday had some really great college football games.  The weather was hard on OSU, but they still be Northwestern.  LSU gave Bama their second loss of the season.  I hate rooting for LSU, but love seeing Bama lose!  I was disappointed Tennessee lost to Georgia, but LOVED the Irish victory over Clemson.  Awesome games!

Today Andrew took advantage of the weather to get a lot of yard work done.  I spent some time working in our back sunroom to make it a more pleasant space.  It will give Catherine her own space even when my mother-in-law is here.  It still needs work, but it's coming together.  This evening we drove up to have a dinner with just Catherine.  It was such a lovely visit, and it's so nice to see that she is in such a good place.  It makes me so excited about Thanksgiving coming up and all the time we will have together as a family!  And then on the way home, we got to see the most beautiful sunset!

I love this month, and in this month of gratitude, I am so very thankful for so many things!

Christmas stamps

Today I needed to mail my absentee ballot (we have now all officially voted) and while I was there, I realized I hadn't yet purchased my Christmas stamps.  It used to be this was one of my favorite things of the fall season, but life changes.  I'm still looking forward to sending cards, but there has just been so very much going on, and I'm getting older!  I was pretty disappointed in the selection this year, because I don't want religious stamps and I didn't care for the elves that were released this year.  Santa Claus stamps as a repeat of last year it is!  For the first year since I became a parent, I won't be sending a photo in any cards this year.  For one thing, the kids aren't here, and while we could take a picture over Thanksgiving, I'm not going to stress about making that happen.  For another thing, my kids are basically grown, and they don't change that much.  Pictures aren't necessary this year, and I am looking forward to our cards going just a little more quickly.  Looking forward to the season this year!

Mall memories

Sunday when I took Thomas back to school, I decided I would do a bit of shopping since I was five minutes from a mall.  This particular mall didn't exist until I was in college, but it had a few department stores, and I desperately needed some new pants.  I parked near Macy's and went in.  I rarely, almost never in fact, shop at department stores in malls.  However, as a child, that is exactly where my family shopped for just about everything.  Even though it was still October, the stores were already decorated for the holidays.  It brought back lovely memories.  As a child, my mother (and usually Grandma went with us) would take us to the downtown department stores.  Rike's (which eventually became Macy's) had a store window display that was magical.  Back then the big downtown department stores had restaurants high up, and eating out was always a treat!  There was also a bakery in each one, and I still remember the joy of getting to pick out the cookie we'd choose that was covered in colored sugar sprinkles.  This past Sunday, I wasn't there very long as I was delighted to quickly find some pants and be on my way home, but I sure enjoyed thinking about those memories!

Sunday took a turn

After I wrote on Sunday, the day took a dramatic turn, and not for the best.  Catherine called.  Her friends and roommates were with her, and she had learned some dramatic information about her boyfriend and she wanted to end the relationship.  We've realized he isn't the must stable person, and things took a dramatic turn that resulted in us heading to her.  It was more drama then any of us wanted for the evening, and it was nearly 9:00 before we got home.  Catherine ended up having a very emotional night, and his reactions and behaviors only convinced her that he was not someone she wanted to be with.  Being totally honest, we aren't at all sad that this relationship is not continuing.

It was a dramatic ending to our weekend, but it doesn't change the the time we had with our kids earlier in the weekend.  We are so grateful for this phase, and we love our kids so much!