Happy Monday my Friends and...
It's here...the holiday month of all holiday months! The season that here in the northwoods brings lots of snow and cold (which we've begun already) The month of welcoming a newborn King and celebrating His birth. And the month of decorating, baking, gathering with family, and gift giving. Looking at Christmas lights and listening to Christmas music that brings nostalgia to the heart and soul. ❤️💚 As the lyrics go: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! 🎄🎶🎁
It was a long lovely Thanksgiving day and weekend around here. My brother and SIL weren't able to make it this year as they provided the meal and spent the day with my SIL's parents. But my Mom and my kiddos were here and it was a day filled with great food, lots of games and laughs, very full bellies and fun. I LOVE the time I get to share with my kiddos when they're both home and staying here. Makes my heart so full. We did several late gamer nights too, and that is always so fun!!
Then Friday I made a big pot of homemade turkey soup (the best! I added cooking sherry and cream this yeary) and then Matt and I did a little black Friday shopping. Saturday we gathered with a lot of family for a memorial celebration for my Aunt that had died this past Fall at the age of 85. It was a special gathering at a favorite local pizza place that her in-law's had started many years ago and it is an institution in our town. They opened the place early just for our family and provided all the pizza for the gathering. We looked at old pics, shared stories and it was actually a lot of fun. Some family couldn't make it due to the weather - we got several inches of snow that day...and adding to what we already had we're now up about a foot of snow. And this morning it's in the single digits for temps and today only supposed to reach a high in the teens. So I would say winter is here to stay. ❄️
On a not fun note we had some plumbing issues at the house but getting it all taken care of and in the scheme of issues we could have - this one is very manageable. And thankfully it doesn't affect our home heating! Lol
THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:
ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:
a bun leftover from Thanksgiving with some jam, protein coffee
ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:
finish cleaning and decorating for Christmas, home and gift projects, errands, help my Mom with her decorating, hospice work
THINKING ABOUT:
how cold I feel this morning - the older I get the harder it is each year to re-acclimate to the freezing cold we get up here
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY:
making homemade hot chocolate on the stove and watching snowflakes swirl outside
CURRENTLY READING
I have a new Christmas mystery book I will start soon but haven't yet
ON THE TV TODAY:
Jeopardy, old seasons of big brother, Dancing with the Stars Holiday episode tonight, Survivor, Ghosts, Holiday baking shows, Great British Baking Holiday shows, Hallmark and Christmas movies
ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:
MONDAY - BLT's with what's left of Thanksgiving salads/leftovers
TUESDAY - BBQ ribs, dill pickle salad, green salad
WEDNESDAY - leftovers or sushi night
THURSDAY - crack breakfast sliders, salad, fruit
FRIDAY - out for dinner or order in?
TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:
do some get ahead holiday baking that I will freeze, homemade gifts to finish, watch a Christmas movie
TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:
FROM THE CAMERA:
