#1: Painting
Last weekend we started the painting re-do of our family room. It's been two years since we started using the room as a family room by taking down 2 walls. The flooring still doesn't all match, but it is so great to have all the walls painted! A special thanks to our 'painting angel', Carol, who offered to come over on Wednesday and continue where Jay and my Dad left off! She finished all the walls and we got to move the furniture back! I love the color:) Now, it's on to the kitchen cabinets! I.can't.wait.
(before and after pictures coming soon..I hope!)
#2: Almost Thanksgiving
I'm sooo looking forward to this coming holiday week! I don't host Thanksgiving, but I enjoy making lots of desserts to bring with us! On the list this year: Chocolate Chip Cheesecake, apple pie, pumpkin pie, gluten/dairy free apple crisp, and Sarah wants to make her specialty, lemon meringue pie!
I know this time of year is very busy, but it is such a special time, too! I love all the family time and special traditions and special food. I just have to remember to pace myself to avoid the "Scrooge Syndrome"!:)
#3: Extra Special Family Memories
I mentioned a few weeks ago that my grandmother was diagnosed at the end of the summer with terminal cancer. This Thanksgiving is extra special because it will be the last one that she will be with us. Unfortunately, the cancer has been progressing very quickly. She is getting very frail...but is peaceful. I'm still praying that she will be with us for Christmas, but I don't want her to be suffering either. For now, I'm grateful we will all be together next week with all our extended family from all over. I'm praying that she has a good day health wise on Thanksgiving so that she can enjoy having all her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren around her....and that she soaks in all the love everyone has for her.
#4: Shopping
I have gotten a lot of my Christmas shopping done online. I am probably 75% done, and I'm hoping to finish the rest of it when I go shopping on Black Friday with my mom and sister. We don't go crazy early in the morning, but it's a fun day to spend together and we've done it for a long time.....At least 20 years because I remember going when Michael was about 10 months old and he only wanted my sister to carry him so we piled his carriage with bags. That was convenient! This year I will have no one in tow....thankfully, Jay has the day off! I.can't.wait!
#5: Try New Things
I was adventurous last week and tried two new things....Groupon and Shutterfly! I used both to buy gifts for people on our list....I can't disclose what because I don't want to give anything away! I received my Shutterfly order yesterday and I am really pleased with how it came out! The items I ordered with the Groupon should be in next week....hopefully that came out as well!
#6: Ruined Surprise(almost)
I did a lot of online ordering and it already started arriving yesterday around dinner time. Jon noticed the big boxes outside right before dinner and I asked him to bring them inside. One of Luke's presents is a white board easel because he and Kate have a ton of fun writing on my white board calendar when I erase it at the end of the month. Luke likes to play school with Ellie, too, so they will have fun with it!
The easel was one of the boxes delivered, but it wasn't in another box! Jon walked in proclaiming loudly, "Hey, it's an easel! Who ordered this?" Luke was right on the couch a few feet away! Thankfully, Luke was mesmerized by Peppa Pig...a new favorite show that conveniently comes on at 5pm which buys me time to get dinner ready. He didn't even look up! I ran right over 'shushing' Jon and grabbed a sheet to wrap it in so Jon could hide it in my closet! I wrapped it after everyone went to bed...I don't want to take any chances of ruining the surprise!
At least I can say I started wrapping already!
#7: I Got Nothing....
But I hope you have a great weekend:)
