Thursday, November 7, 2013

The Change

This was the mantle this morning, all festive and Fallish. I love my pumpkin collection and the few Halloweeny things I have scattered about. 
I love, love, love this fabric garland I made from a kit a couple years ago. It is so dang cute!! But you know what happens around here when November rolls around....the change!!
We go from Fall decorations to Christmas in a big hurry. It's always been this way. We LOVE Christmas around here and we don't care who knows. Do I like Thanksgiving? Yes, of course. Do I celebrate it?? You know I do!! Every year I am extra thankful that my husband doesn't care that I set all this stuff up so dang early. I am also thankful to live in a country where I can let my freak flag fly!!
This year, whether you are an all-up-early gal like me, or a leave it for later guy....give your neighbor some slack. Don't criticize or judge them for not being your own kind of crazy. Celebrate your differences and try to find some common ground. It's probably easier than you think. So Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas, my friends!! Party on!!

Friday, November 1, 2013

Thankful

It's November again. Where has the year gone?  I have watched this tree for the last two months for signs of Fall. It started small, one leaf at a time almost. For two months I have wondered and awed at the beauty of this world. Now, I know it has it's problems...goodness...does it ever. But there are such beautiful things to see and hear if we just take a minute to appreciate them. I ask myself all the time...Am I in THIS moment. Have I lost myself in my vision of how I want things to be? Have I wandered off in memories of the past? So much has happened this year. I have so much to be thankful for. Every day this month I am going to list (either here or on FB...or both...but definitely in my journal) something that I am thankful for. Today I am thankful for my family. All of them. Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, the women I love as sisters, my husband and children...all of them. I was taught early on by my Mother, family first, always and no matter what. I love that she instilled that loyalty in us. My Mom and sisters were and are my best friends. They taught me how to love and nurture. My husband has taught me patience (by being patient with me) and my children have taught me the value of service. By serving them I have become closer to them and to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the blessing of family. I hope you take some time today to just think about what you are thankful for.