Thanksgiving

It is almost time to have that big Thanksgiving Feast again. I love Thanksgiving. It is probably my favorite holiday after Christmas. Don’t get me wrong I love Easter, I love Halloween and I even love the 4th of July, but Thanksgiving is just a great holiday to me. I mean you have the opportunity to get together with family, friends and loved ones and eat until you are full the gills….is there anything better than that?

This year I will be spending Thanksgiving with my DH at my parents’ house. It is a 10 hour drive and we are leaving tomorrow afternoon to get there at a decent hour. I am really looking forward to this trip. It is really the first time we will be with my parents for any length of time without kids. The kids will be with their Dad this year and even though I know that it will be hard on him because they really don’t want to be there, I really feel like he needs this holiday to try and reconnect with his children. Whether he chooses to do that or not is his choice, but I pray that he is able to reconnect and establish a better bond with them than he has right now.

I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving Day because we will be going to my aunts home. Her two daughter will be there with their children that we rarely get to see. In addition, my youngest cousin will be there and she just got married this last summer and is already expecting her first child in April/May. I am so excited to see her and meet her husband. It should be a great time of laughter and thanksgiving. My grandparents will be there and my Papa is getting older and I always think that this is the last year we will be able to spend with him. I pray that he is able to live to the ripe old age of 100+, but I know that when his time comes he will be ready to go. He is such a gentle sprit and I love him so much.

Take a moment over the next few days and tell those around you that you love just how thankful you are that they are in your life. Tell them how much you appreciate all that they do for you. Take the time to Thank God for all of the blessings he has placed in your life and even all the struggles you have endured over the past year. Ask him to continue to bless your family and remember that even in struggles He is there carrying you on and holding you up.

Blessings,
Lisa

Movies/TV/Other Entertainment

I am not one to sit around and watch a ton of TV. I usually get home, start some sort of dinner or house cleaning, help kids with their homework and by the time they are getting ready for bed I am pooped out. This usually does not include walking the dog or sorting though the mail. On the rare occasion that I take the time to watch TV during the week it is most assuredly going to be a movie of some sort. Last count we had about 350 DVD titles in our collection. Needless to say I can usually find something to watch. In addition to this we have Netflix rental service. We get 5 movies at a time (2 for him, 2 for me and one for our kids).

The last couple that I have gotten from Netflix has actually gotten me to the point where I want to get home at night and want to watch TV. The last set of DVD’s that I got from Netflix was the HBO Original series Big Love. It is about a polygamist in UT that has three wives. It is really good and not at all like I thought it was going to be. I am glad that I am watching it because I know it may not be truthful on how life like that is really like, but it is a good drama. Plus it has two of my favorite actresses (Ginnfer Goodwin and Jeanee Tripplehorn).

My other vice when it comes to TV is Project Runway on Bravo. The final episode aired several weeks ago and I am dying for a new season. I know that we probably won’t get a new season until middle of next year, but I really want to see some new footage now. I know…whine away. I have been trying to keep up with Top Chef (produced and created by the same people as Project Runway), but just can’t seem to get into it this season. I don’t know why, but it really stinks that I can’t get emotionally attached to any of these people.

Oh well, better things to spend my time on….like teaching myself how to knit. Yes, I have joined the knitting world. I don’t know why. I really am not that good at it, but it is a lot of fun.

Well, I’m off to see my DH and get some yummy fondue.

Some Christmas Shopping Done…..

Well, I am no longer a slacker…at least not in regards to Christmas shopping. Yesterday I went online and purchase a few gifts for my children, my family and a couple for my DH.

My oldest daughter wants to re-vamp her bedroom. We were thinking of trying to move into a new home soon, but it is looking like we will stay where we are and just re-vamp what we have. My oldest wants to do brighter colors in her room and polka dots on the walls. I am fine with that, but she has a loft bed and I really want to make sure it is all done right to fit with that motif. I think that I can get something together before Christmas, but maybe not.

My youngest now wants her room to be purple. I don’t know what color of purple yet, but needless to say she wants a change also. She too has a loft bed, which I love because it gives them tons more space, but I hate at the same time.

This next year is going to focus on getting my house in the shape/order I really want it to be in. It is going to mean major yard work, painting and new flooring. I know my DH will have a fit, but I am tired of living in the place we have. I want organization, beautification, and masterfully decorated rooms. I am not good at getting that….but with some help I could be.

This year for Christmas he and I are taking the easy route. I don’t want to fight the crowds and he doesn’t either. Therefore, most of the shopping will be done online, from the girls big “Santa” gifts to the necklace I bought for my mother. My grandparents will get baskets of nuts and dried fruits (what do you get for someone who has everything under the sun). My brother and I agreed to just buy for the kids, which is fine by me. I got his little girl to new books for her sit and play laptop and a sit and spin zebra from Playskol (I think).

I am so glad that I am almost done. I even got myself a little early present……The POSTSECRET book….if you don’t have it you should.

A Friday

Here it is Friday afternoon and I am sitting here with nothing to do this afternoon at work. I would really like to take the rest of the day off, but I can’t do that as I will be taking most of next week off. I am once again heading out of time, hopefully for the last time this year. This last month has been a series of trips and I am thankful that this weekend is going to be spent at home. We do have a wedding to attend on Saturday and church on Sunday, but other than that, things should be pretty quiet here.

This next week we are going to be going to my parents’ house for Thanksgiving. I have to say that next to Christmas, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I am looking forward to getting to see my family. My children will be with their Dad, but my DH and I will be headed back. I’ll get to see family that I haven’t seen in a while. My cousin, who just got married in July, will be there with her new spouse. She is expecting her first baby in April/May and I am so excited to see her pregnant.

This next week is also that same time that we have our second mediation scheduled. Continue to pray for me and my ex….I bet you never thought that I would ask for prayers for him. I just pray that we can work together for the betterment of our children. Sometimes I wonder how much hurt we are trying to cause each other by putting the kids in the middle.

This next Thursday is my fourth wedding anniversary. Yes, Ladies and Gents we survived four years of marriage. Sometimes I wonder how, but we did. It kind of stinks that it falls on Thanksgiving this year, but you know it is OK because we will be together with family and friends. He and I are going out to celebrate tonight with fondue and drinks. I am so excited, but I am also still full from lunch. Not sure how I am going to stuff all the extra food in me. I’m sure I’ll find room somewhere…LOL.

Other than that…things are going well here. I am happy in my job, my family life is good, marriage is rocking and everyone is pretty well and happy.

Talk soon!

Lisa

Christmas Shopping...I haven't even started

I swore to myself this year that I would get started on Christmas early. I didn't want to be one of those that waited until the last minute to get my Christmas shopping done...AGAIN. However, I am going to be one of those again. I just can't seem to get my butt in gear and to start buying what I know we really need to get done.

I have exactly one present bought....BOO to ME!

Once again...out of Town this Weekend....

Man...the month of November is a travel month for me. Last weekend I was out of town in Vegas with a couple of girlfriends. We all had a blast. We discovered that there are four Fat Tuesday bars on the strip and they are placed so that if you start out at one end and end up at the other you can refill your glass three times....we will remember that for next time. Needless to say we were a little loopy after that first trip down the strip.

This weekend we are headed to NM to see my brother and his family. My neice will be one soon and they are having a birthday party for her this weekend. I miss that little girl so much. She is such a doll. I never thought my brother would have kids, but this one just seems to be the bee's knees for him.

Next weekend we are in town...Thank Goodness. Although we do have a wedding to attend that I still need to get a gift for the lovely couple.

The next weekend is Turkey weekend. We will once again travel to NM to see my folks and the rest of my family. I love NM this time of year. The air is crisp, the sky is clear and it is always a cooler atmosphere than here. AZ never really gets a true winter. Last year we were colder than we have ever been in the 11 years I have lived here, but you don't get a true fall/winter season.

Well, I am signing off for now. Hope all is well. Thanks for those of you who update your blogs so frequently. It keeps me busy when work is slow.

Blessings,
Lisa

Vegas is the best

I’m back.

My trip to Vegas was just what the doctor ordered. I had a blast. I will post about the trip later this week.

I had mediation with the ex today and it went as well as could be expected. I can’t really elaborate, but just keep praying….it is working.

Work is work.

Family life is pretty good.

Hope all is well.

Lisa

Road Trip

Well there has not been a lot going on here this last week. Halloween was fun. We ended up taking the kids to their Dad’s neighborhood for about an hour and then headed home and let them do the candy hunting here. Overall, it was a good Halloween. The only downer is that I got a bug and am not feeling just great.

I am due for a road trip today with a couple of girlfriends. WE are headed the VEGAS to celebrate the birthday of one of them. It should be fun and it will be nice to get away.

On Monday, I have mediation for visitation/custody issues with my ex. Pray for me!

Blessings,
Lisa