Leftovers and Christmas Joy

Moana,

Shopping,

Starbucks,

Bonfire and Music nights,

Gilmore Girls Revival,

A Bridal Shower,

Some Christmas shopping,

Tree Trimming,

Special Ornaments,

Leftovers (so many delicious leftovers),

Christmas charades,

Rudolph and Whitey the Snowman watching,

Christmas paper telephone,

Annual friend tree trim picture,

Christmas music channel,

Christmas Blend Coffee,

family + friends + joy

.

That has been my Friday and Saturday and I have treasured and loved these moments and days.

I know Sunday will come and go and Monday will soon be here greeting me with work.

But I love this weekend and the memories and joy and cheer will continue to take me along all the way to Christmas.

I love this season.

The Christmas season is here, my friends, it's here.

Any Christmas traditions you have?

How was your weekend?

Cranberry Woods and Cranberry Sauce

Happy Thanksgiving my friends!

My Thanksgiving consisted of usual traditions and a bit of drama.

But hey, what's a Thanksgiving without a bit of drama?

I'm just kidding.

But really when I go back to past Thanksgivings, there have been some Thanksgiving with some drama that at the time seemed big, but now are just memories to add and keep.

One was an "ex" (long story) of mine coming back in town and playing soccer on Thanksgiving in which I had no idea he'd be there and I awkwardly had to interact with.

One was  having a highschool best friend of mine come to Thanksgiving after we previously had a fight and hadn't mended things yet when she showed up for Thanksgiving dinner.

I'm not going to explain the drama that took place this Thanksgiving, but I guess I'm just saying it happens and it turns out okay anyways. My highschool best friend mended things with me after the Thanksgiving and the "ex" of mine kinda disappeared after that and I don't have to interact with him again. Also, even if I do interact with him by some odd chance in the future, I don't even really care if I do because I'm over that. It was a long time ago.

So, this will just add on to the list of a bit of drama served on Thanksgiving but it didn't ruin Thanksgiving. I still got to play annual Thanksgiving soccer with church friends and it was a fun group and we had a good time. Then my sister and I made our also traditional trip to get coffee before heading home to help out around the house, watch the Macy's Day Parade (that we had taped on TV) and we made turkey cookies. Then guests arrived and we ate the usual mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, and (of course) the beautiful, glorious turkey. It was a wonderful feast.

Then we just talked and enjoyed each other's company and when our stomachs were emptied a bit, we feasted on ginger pumpkin pie, regular pumpkin pie, chocolate chip cheesecake, and (also of course) coffee.

It was a fun night and I love Thanksgiving no matter what happens.

And alas, the holiday season is upon us.

LET'S GO CHRISTMAS.

Fa-la-la-la la-la la-la!

So how was your Thanksgiving folks!?

Do tell!

(oh p.s. I have my cranberry woods candle lit right now which is what prompted me to title this post cranberry woods and cranberry sauce because it sounded thanksgivingy and less boring than some title like; "Happy Thanksgiving".

Barn Weddings, Cold Weather, And (as per usually always) Coffee

Saturday I got to go down to crosspoint farm and witness a beautiful wedding ceremony and reception for a lovely couple that took place literally in a barn.

There were many, many twinkling lights.

There was a cat, a horse, country music, dancing, wooden tables, sweet tea, laughter, friends, photobooth pictures, s'mores, a bonfire, and the color of warmth and happiness that people could breath in, that the girls could wear on their dresses and that men scratched into their red beards.

There were floating lanterns that painted the sky like burning wishes released into the night air. One would seem to think they were competing with the stars but eventually the lanterns floated away because they actually weren't competing with the stars at all.

They were just trying to get people to look up, and people did.

Once eyes fell upon the lanterns in the sky,

the burning wishes flew away,

However,

the eyes stayed up.

You see, the wishes faded into the stars.

And the stars are always up there.

Sunday I got the chance to join in fellowship with my ministry friends and kids we minister to.

We made hand turkeys, played games, connected, and talked about and dove into the Bible and the topic of identity.

Then the sky turned yellowish blue as the sun said goodbye and we clung tightly to our jackets and let the cold air fill our lungs.

We gave a proper goodbye and ending to the day by meeting afterwards at Dunkin Donuts.

A Dunkin Donuts that was so nicely decorated for Christmas complete with a Christmas tree topped with a Dunkin Donuts coffee cup and all.

Our weary souls were refreshed and revived and encouraged with the meeting of like-minded believers and followers in Christ and the drinking of warm liquids (for me; a peppermint mocha latte).

We ended the day with talk of the upcoming holidays and we left merry and bright.

Today wasn't as eventful as my weekend but I'm still feeling the merry and bright.

Thanksgiving is coming and so is a myriad of cheerful events and friends to celebrate the season with.

I'm ready for it all.

My heart is open and ready for embracing.

The Wilderness of Manitoba

Look up the song "November" by the aforementioned band and listen to their live version that involves the crackling of a bonfire while they sing this lofty November song while you read this post.

So, it's been awhile once again.

I'm sorry.

This preschool job has got be getting sick constantly.

It's okay though, I will survive. I'm not here to talk about that.

Instead, I'm talking about November.

Such a colorful, Autumny, smoky, thankful word.

November kicked in with

a bonfire,

a Hallmark cozy (and predictable yes) Christmas movie,

short day/long evenings,

featuring

pie consumption,

Frozen viewings complete with sparkling cider, fuzzy blankets, and singing,

Dunkin AND Starbucks runs (definitely enjoying those red cups though),

Prancing through the Christmas section at Walmart,

Feeling like I'm covered with pixie dust just by putting a bit of gingerbread latte sugar scrub on my hands in Bath and Body Works,

Football games in 60 degree weather, complete with a jacket, hot chocolate and the reading of Harry Potter,

Uno Slam in an elevator,

and just friends and family.

But I don't mean just friends and family.

Friends and Family are what make Novembers.

What make the holidays.

What makes life.

I mean coming after my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that is.

But really, all these material things, pshhhh.

Friends and family and memories and laughter and adventures.

Yes.

Novembers.

Tell me about your November thus far.

Won'tcha?

All at once October collapsed into November

You know that F.Scott Fitzgerald quote that says; "All at once Summer collapsed into Fall", well I feel like that happened with October into November.

October was nice, but it soared and now it's November.

I like November so it's okay, but October had spread out events and it's already over and November is going to be even busier so I'm sure it will flyby even faster.

In case you were wondering, my Halloween was a good one.

I dressed up as Woody, watched my preschool kids walk around and have a little "parade" all dressed up as I handed them candy, got some fries at Wendy's, finished all of work and went straight to the YMCA where I worked a booth and handed out more candy. It was a pretty good day.

Unfortunately, November 1st I woke up with the stomach flu and Nov. 2nd I was working on getting over it as well.

Yesterday, however, was pretty decent and I got myself my first gingerbread latte of the season, went on a walk, ate some apple pie, got hugs from little kids at the preschool, played with sidewalk chalk with my little one year old class, and it was just pleasant. Yesterday, it felt like November to me.

And now, I'm excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Bring on the holidays, bring it.

How was your October?

Are you a "let the Christmas carols commence" type of person?

Or are you a "C'mon, it's still Fall, it's not time to celebrate Christmas yet/ give me my turkey" type of person?

Personally, I'm both.

I'm ready to sing Christmas songs and see the decorations in the store (since we don't have really any thanksgiving decorations), but I haven't forgotten about my precious Thanksgiving.

In fact -fun fact- Thanksgiving is actually my favorite holiday.

What's yours?