Tis The Season

If November was the month to be extra-thankful, then December is the month to be extra-merry.
As cliche as it is, I'm going to say it anyway...  I have no idea where 2011 went.  It seems like the older you get, the faster time goes by.  When I was little, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed like a day short of eternity.  The weeks, days and countdown until Christmas seemed as though it would drag on and on and on. 

Now, blink and one day your eating turkey and the next your counting down and watching the ball drop and it's January 1.

If there was a way to slow this ride down, I'd do it.  But I haven't found that slow button for life yet, so I guess we have no choice but to make sure every moment is enjoyed, never taken for granted, celebrated to the fullest.

Even though November has come and gone, it's good to reflect on all those things we are blessed with, that we are thankful for.

Family.  Friends.  Health.  Good jobs.  Roof over our heads.  Clothes on our back, shoes on our feet.

And then there are the other things I'm thankful for, the immaterial things that don't really matter in the grand scheme of things.  Things like peppermint mocha coffee creamer, pretzel covered M&M's, holiday scented candles, baking cookies on a Sunday afternoon, a lit up Christmas tree, fuzzy-warm slippers, pinterest, blue-tooth in my car, homemade pizza, and all of the new grass that is attempting to stay alive in our yard this winter season.  Keep your fingers crossed.

I know Thanksgiving has come and gone, but it can't go un-blogged...So, in short, it was good. 

Lots of turkey, family, laughing, apple pie, black-Friday shopping kind of good.

We squeezed parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins in our house this year.  12 or so in total.  It was a tight fit, but it was good.

We had too much food and ate way too much, but it was good.  Just the way Thanksgiving should be.

And to continue the tradition, my mom and I and my soon to be sister in law, set our alarm clocks earlier than one should on a day off from work, and set out to find the best Black Friday deals.  And we did.  And the deals...they were good.

Now the turkey is gone and we've replaced pumpkins with garland, lights, stockings, glitter, and of course, a Christmas tree. 

And now with Christmas less than a week away, it's time to put the finishing touches on your list to Santa.  And remember, he's watching.  So you better be good, for goodness sakes.