All things come to an end, no matter how fabulous it's been

In 12 hours, I'll be double checking attendance and getting started on what will be a very busy day.  When the first work day of the month is also a Monday AND it follows a break, it's always quite a day.

I'm ready for it though.  This break was a perfect combination of exactly what I needed.  We had the right amount of quiet/down time and the right amount of all-in family time.  Three weeks from today, I'll be sitting here, hopefully with my MIL here again, and we'll be looking at two full weeks off.

I don't take any of this past week for granted.  None of us are guaranteed anything, including tomorrow.  I'm so grateful that we had the family time that we had.  I don't know how many more years my kids will want to help with the Christmas trees.  I don't know how many more holidays my MIL has left.  I do know that regardless of what happens today, tomorrow, next week, or next month, my family had an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving break, and I'm more full of gratitude than I can even put into words.

And I'm happy to head back to work.  Can't get a paycheck if I'm not there!  I'm also very grateful that I have a job I enjoy so very much!

This day will be one of my most favorite memories

This day is definitely going to be one of those days that remains a favorite memory forever.  I got to sleep really late, which is always a great start to the day.  I had some quiet time until the Ohio State game, and the Buckeyes finally broke the four game losing streak against that team up north.  It was a great game.  Catherine arrived home during the game after spending a couple of days with her boyfriend's family.  Not long after the game, Thomas and Lyndi arrived.  Thursday after they left our meal, Thomas had reached out and said that Lyndi wanted to help us put up the trees.  I was not about to turn down help!  And by doing it this evening, it meant that we were all going to be here to do it together.  Even without Thomas's ornaments, we did a pretty good job of filling both of the trees.  While we were decorating the trees, the predicted snow began to fall.  It was beautiful.

As if that wasn't enough, our evening continued.  Thomas and Lyndi decided it would be best to stay over because of the snow.  Our family decided to watch Christmas Vacation, but first we made a sweet family memorial toast.  Andrew's aunt in Vermont, whom we all adored, passed away in July.  Her drink of choice, somewhat comically, was Fireball.  For her funeral, they had small Fireball printed with her name on it, and Andrew's cousin sent us one (Andrew and his mom went to visit her in June, so they didn't return for the funeral).  Andrew poured us each a bit and we toasted to Aunt Mary Ann.  We even took a picture and sent it to Andrew's cousins.

I'm so grateful all of the kids are under our roof again.  Andrew is meeting his mom's neighbor for her return tomorrow.  My plan is to do lots and lots of laundry tomorrow, to enjoy the house that is fairly much put together, and to get ready for a what I hope will be a beautiful and lovely December to lead the Christmas season!  And I also plan to enjoy the memories we made over this break!

This day after Thanksgiving

Even though this is the end of my break, this might end up being my favorite day.  It was just this time, exactly a week ago, that we were all bolting out the door ready to rest and relax on this break.  And it's been lovely.  But today, well today feels just the MOST relaxing.  The weekend was about getting ready for my MIL's arrival, Monday and Tuesday I had to work several hours at my jobs, Wednesday was about getting ready for yesterday's meal and the evening of all the kids, and yesterday was full of the meal and helping out my mom.  Today though?  Well, today I need to decorate, but we aren't doing the trees today at all.  Today I could sleep in, know that no one expects a big meal this evening, and just putz around the around the house, decorating s-l-o-w-l-y.  And I'm thrilled with that.  I still have two full days without any real commitments, and I'm going to soak them up.  And I'm filled with gratitude about all of life's blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving 2025

I'm so grateful for every day, but this day feels especially full.  Just as I had hoped, the kids all stayed here last night and we watched our favorite Thanksgiving episodes of Friends.  My mother-in-law laughed so hard even though she had seen them all before.  It was such a gift to go to sleep with everyone sleeping under this roof, and to get to all wake up again together this morning.  Incredible blessings.

Andrew and his mom are working on the meal, and we'll be eating around Noon so Thomas and his wife can get to her family.  My mom won't be coming down so I might run up to see her and my grandmother, and tomorrow the decorating starts after a day of food, family, and football today!

I'm not sure how, but we made it to Thanksgiving break

Without a doubt, the best thing our school ever did was decide to change our calendar and be off all of Thanksgiving week.  This is the third year for this calendar change, but it might be the most appreciated.  By the time I got to work on Friday, I was actually dreading checking my email.  I rarely remember a work day filled with dread while I've had this job, there it was Friday morning.  That is how crazy hard this school year has been. 

Friday was also a wet and dreary day, and it made it all the better to be home after school.  Andrew picked up dinner in town, and I forced myself to stay awake until 10.  Yesterday Andrew left to go get his mom for the week, and I began scrubbing the house.  I managed to stay up until only 9 yesterday, and then slept blissfully.

I'm so looking forward to this coming week, and hope to report about lots of fun times with family!

I didn't even realize how much we needed this weekend

This weekend has been nearly perfect.  Andrew was at the playoff football game Friday evening, where our local school lost to my hometown for the second year in a row.  They'll only ever meet in the playoffs.  My hometown has a much better team.

Then perfection began.  I was supposed to go to my mom's yesterday for another day of cleaning and organizing, but I needed a break.  My boss was out sick all week, and I was tired.  I knew I could tell my mom I needed a break and she would understand, but I knew my sister would not.  So yesterday morning, I explained that I was fighting a migraine, which actually was true, and that I would not be going up.  It meant that Andrew and I had the entire day with absolutely no plans.  The last time this happened was at least the beginning of August, and possibly earlier.  I got closets cleaned out and a few other things accomplished, while also taking some time to work on a festive fall puzzle I purchased with some birthday money.

I also received a phone call from a very dear friend I hadn't spoken to in a very long time.  It was a lovely conversation and it was so nice to hear from him.  I have three friends from high school who are still part of my life, and I'm so incredibly grateful.

Today was supposed to be church, but Andrew woke up not feeling well.  It's been just as delightful as yesterday.  Today is a blustery and wet day, and we might even get some snow accumulate overnight.  It is another perfect day to be home and just get things done around the house.  And of course, both days had football games to watch!  Yesterday our dinner consisted of meatballs and potatoes, and this evening we are about to chow down on some potato soup.  Two weeks from today we'll be on our Thanksgiving break.  I'm so, so full of gratitude we had this weekend as we did.

It reminded me of the second weekend in November in 2013 when we had just moved here.  We got so much done that weekend and had a really great family weekend.  It was right before my dad died, and I've always been so grateful that I had the weekend I did heading into that sadness.

I even get to be off tomorrow.  This is just spectacular!

A beautiful fall day

Today was such a gorgeous day.  It was almost 70 degrees, and bright and sunny.  A cold front is coming through and the wind picked up, so the leaves were gliding.  It was truly a lovely day.  Work has settled and I'm able to get things accomplished in a more timely manner.  And of course, it is a lovely time of year when I currently have only 25 work days remaining in the year.  Ahhhh.

Since the time change on Sunday, the days feel even cozier as the darkness settles in earlier.  It makes me incredibly ready for the holiday season.  Although I still miss the big family meals at my aunt & uncle's house, and I miss the gatherings at Christmas, I'm still looking forward to family time.  We have some fun things planned, and my mother-in-law will be here for the entire week of Thanksgiving.  I am so grateful and so excited.

One down thing to today is that my mother had to say good-bye to her dog, Peach.  She had begun to suffer, and that is just not okay.  I know how much my mom must be hurting today.

 

This is one of my favorite days

 Today will be one of my favorite days.  First of all, we had that extra hour of sleep last night.  That is always spectacular.  Secondly, other than altar prep this morning at church and a meeting after, we had nothing on our calendar for today.  It was chilly and overcast, and that made for a fabulous day of being home and cozy.  Andrew made a huge crockpot of chili for dinner.  The house is fairly picked up and other than the fact that I have to work tomorrow, it was nearly an ideal day.

Yesterday was busy as I made my weekly trip to my mom's house and then we were invited to the state parking to visit with some people we knew who were camping there.  It was really a lovely evening.  The weather was nice, the food was delicious, and the company was very pleasant. 

Friday was a really lovely way to end the month of October.  Andrew attended the first home playoff football game in decades (possibly ever) and it was a victory!  He's really enjoyed the season.  I was all set to be home and pass out a few pieces of candy...very few.  However,  Thomas and Lyndi wanted to come down.  When I realized there wouldn't be much trick-or-treating happening, I asked if they still wanted to come.  They said they would come down and watch Hallmark Christmas movies with me.  I wasn't overly enthused, but it ended up being a wonderful evening.  In fact, they slept over because we just kept watching!  I'm so grateful they still want to hang out with us.  I'm definitely starting this month of gratitude with a lot of gratefulness!

I feel like we've turned a corner

I woke up this morning, realized it was November 1, and I was instantly excited.  It's a Saturday, which is always a good thing!  A new month always feels fresh, and the beginning of November really feels like the unofficial beginning of the holidays (since I'm not a huge fan of Halloween, it doesn't count for me 😂), and the beginning of November is still very lovely around here since our fall really came later than normal.  And I can't help but feel we might have really turned a corner at work.  We had another incident at work this week, but it was so much more minor compared to other things.  I'd like to think the drama of our school year is over.  And regardless, November and December each only have 14 work days for me, so only 28 work days left for me this year!