Great weekend!
Well, Thanksgiving was a wonderful weekend for us. The Kiddo got home late Tuesday evening from college, and while she had lunch with her best friend from high school on Wednesday, I had lunch with the best friend's boyfriend, who is also one of my former speech competitors. We had a wonderful time discussing religion and Christianity and relationship with Jesus Christ. Then it was off to the high school where the speech team was recognized in the winter sports pep rally. Wednesday evening, The Beautiful One, The Kiddo and I led worship for the Thanksgiving Eve service at church. We have soooo much to be grateful for this year; it was a wonderful evening. The service was very simple: about 25 minutes of music followed by anyone present sharing what they're thankful for this year followed by communion. Beautiful!
Since we were planning to celebrate T-day with my parents and my brother's family on Friday, Thursday was our Christmas decorating day. Up from beneath the basement stairs came boxes, a tree and the trimmings; and the rest of the day was spent testing lights, hanging bulbs, and decorating every free space, nook and cranny of the house. The Kiddo laid claim to several traditional items to take back to her dorm room. I decided not to be so anal about getting it all done in one day this year so when I started getting ready for bed with boxes still strewn about the living room, the Beautiful One thought I'd gone crazy and quickly corraled all the boxes along one wall (was there method in his madness?). It was a delightful day as we decorated and listened to/watched Christmas movies (Miracle on 34th Street, The Santa Clause and Holiday Inn), and had taco con queso for supper.
We spent Friday at M & D's with Broddeaux, Sister-Woman and the 3B's, who have all grown up into remarkable young men and a young woman. Mom had a very traditional T-day meal, with turkey and ham and all the trimmin's, and the usual salads and desserts in abundance. Fie on fitness! Most of us fell asleep after dinner -- bliss... I woke up to ask M & D if they wanted to get out their Christmas decorations while we were all there to help as planned, but they were having second thoughts. Even after I reminded them that they didn't have to go all out in their decorating like they usually do, they still weren't in the mood to get them out so I didn't push it. Sandy and Kate were a bit disappointed, as we had planned to help them, but we just spent the afternoon conversing and fading in and out of consciousness (yes, I actually fell asleep twice!). Dad grilled burgers despite the well-below-freezing temps outside, and my brother's family had to take off early to get back to northern MI. We sat around after supper and chatted with the folks -- the Kiddo observed later that they're always so much more relaxed when it's just us than when the larger families are around -- and headed home about 9:00, stopping by the Fayette elementary school to pick up more decorations for the Kiddo from Mommy's school stock. A great day!
Saturday was a busy bill-paying day -- poo! -- too much month, not enough money! Still, the Kiddo needed some things for college -- thank God for a Wal-Mart gift card from the cast of the play! I played catch-up in my office in the afternoon. Then, when the girls got back from shopping, Sandy made pizza and we watched The Two Towers while Kate did her homework, our usual weekend night activity, making the Kiddo feel at home and all warm-fuzzy. A good evening!
We had a wonderful church service yesterday morning, after which we collected Joy, the niece of some friend of ours who lives in Lancaster, PA, and had caught a ride home with Kate, and headed home to pack up the Kiddo and send her back to PA. We drove to Toledo and had lunch at Chili's before sending them on their way; then the Beautiful One took me to Catherine's so she could take advantage of a couple coupons. I reminded her that we did not have discretionary funds right now, and don't you know that woman found a gorgeous cape/poncho type piece -- regular price $40, but she walked out of that store with that piece for $5.19! My savvy shopper! I love her. Then she drove home so I could take a nap in the car. We got home, I planned our first Christmas booking of the season (tonight), we rehearsed. I did some editing work on crankyoldgoat's novel and went up to the church to sing "The Lord's Prayer" for the kids ministry (they just finished learning the Lord's Prayer). Came home and scrounged up some popcorn, etc... to eat (note to self: must go to grocery today) while watching "Extreme Home Makeover" while The Beautiful One cut animal ears out of felt for her elementary Christmas program. A lovely topper to a lovely weekend. The Kiddo called to say they'd gotten caught in a huge stop-&-go traffic jam on the PA Turnpike -- no accident, just heavy traffic in a driving rain -- but she got home by 11:00. Ahh.... slept soundly then.
Am enjoying the radio stations that play straight holiday music and just figured out how to make my iTunes do the same thing. This is the first year in a long time that I have really felt like celebrating the holidays. Hallelujah!
Since we were planning to celebrate T-day with my parents and my brother's family on Friday, Thursday was our Christmas decorating day. Up from beneath the basement stairs came boxes, a tree and the trimmings; and the rest of the day was spent testing lights, hanging bulbs, and decorating every free space, nook and cranny of the house. The Kiddo laid claim to several traditional items to take back to her dorm room. I decided not to be so anal about getting it all done in one day this year so when I started getting ready for bed with boxes still strewn about the living room, the Beautiful One thought I'd gone crazy and quickly corraled all the boxes along one wall (was there method in his madness?). It was a delightful day as we decorated and listened to/watched Christmas movies (Miracle on 34th Street, The Santa Clause and Holiday Inn), and had taco con queso for supper.
We spent Friday at M & D's with Broddeaux, Sister-Woman and the 3B's, who have all grown up into remarkable young men and a young woman. Mom had a very traditional T-day meal, with turkey and ham and all the trimmin's, and the usual salads and desserts in abundance. Fie on fitness! Most of us fell asleep after dinner -- bliss... I woke up to ask M & D if they wanted to get out their Christmas decorations while we were all there to help as planned, but they were having second thoughts. Even after I reminded them that they didn't have to go all out in their decorating like they usually do, they still weren't in the mood to get them out so I didn't push it. Sandy and Kate were a bit disappointed, as we had planned to help them, but we just spent the afternoon conversing and fading in and out of consciousness (yes, I actually fell asleep twice!). Dad grilled burgers despite the well-below-freezing temps outside, and my brother's family had to take off early to get back to northern MI. We sat around after supper and chatted with the folks -- the Kiddo observed later that they're always so much more relaxed when it's just us than when the larger families are around -- and headed home about 9:00, stopping by the Fayette elementary school to pick up more decorations for the Kiddo from Mommy's school stock. A great day!
Saturday was a busy bill-paying day -- poo! -- too much month, not enough money! Still, the Kiddo needed some things for college -- thank God for a Wal-Mart gift card from the cast of the play! I played catch-up in my office in the afternoon. Then, when the girls got back from shopping, Sandy made pizza and we watched The Two Towers while Kate did her homework, our usual weekend night activity, making the Kiddo feel at home and all warm-fuzzy. A good evening!
We had a wonderful church service yesterday morning, after which we collected Joy, the niece of some friend of ours who lives in Lancaster, PA, and had caught a ride home with Kate, and headed home to pack up the Kiddo and send her back to PA. We drove to Toledo and had lunch at Chili's before sending them on their way; then the Beautiful One took me to Catherine's so she could take advantage of a couple coupons. I reminded her that we did not have discretionary funds right now, and don't you know that woman found a gorgeous cape/poncho type piece -- regular price $40, but she walked out of that store with that piece for $5.19! My savvy shopper! I love her. Then she drove home so I could take a nap in the car. We got home, I planned our first Christmas booking of the season (tonight), we rehearsed. I did some editing work on crankyoldgoat's novel and went up to the church to sing "The Lord's Prayer" for the kids ministry (they just finished learning the Lord's Prayer). Came home and scrounged up some popcorn, etc... to eat (note to self: must go to grocery today) while watching "Extreme Home Makeover" while The Beautiful One cut animal ears out of felt for her elementary Christmas program. A lovely topper to a lovely weekend. The Kiddo called to say they'd gotten caught in a huge stop-&-go traffic jam on the PA Turnpike -- no accident, just heavy traffic in a driving rain -- but she got home by 11:00. Ahh.... slept soundly then.
Am enjoying the radio stations that play straight holiday music and just figured out how to make my iTunes do the same thing. This is the first year in a long time that I have really felt like celebrating the holidays. Hallelujah!