No Photos. Just Words.

Today my Monday morning randoms are just words.  I've had the camera out a lot lately, but I didn't want to take the time to upload photos, edit, upload to blogger, etc.  Do you ever feel that way? 

I'll be linking up to lowercase letters.

{one}

Did you survive the gluttony of Thanksgiving? 

We did, but I'm afraid the scales don't lie and Mark and I are going to have to get back on a healthy eating and exercise regimen.  I hate to admit that we are too easy to stray from the course.

I'd love to blame our lack of self-control on our busy lifestyle, work, children or family commitments, but I can't.  It's simply weakness.  My lack of self-control reminds me of this verse.

Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.

Something to think about and consider.

{two}

Let me tell you about our unconventional Thanksgiving day.  We've had a non-traditional Thanksgiving for the last three years.  Since my grandmother went to live in the nursing home in the summer of 2009, I've had a very hard time celebrating Thanksgiving.  That was always a holiday I associated with her.  She exemplified the Proverbs 31woman on this day.  She selflessly served her family and did so with such joy.  My grandmother had tables full of food--the most savory cornbread dressing and turkey, delicious homemade pies and a fruit salad.  When she didn't live at home anymore, it just didn't seem right to celebrate Thanksgiving without her. 

So, here's where I'm going with this.  On the first year she was in the nursing home we went to visit her on Thanksgiving day.  Not very many restaurants are open on Thanksgiving day so we ended up eating at McDonald's.  We did that three years ago and this year, too.  Last year we ate at the assisted living home with my grandpa.  It was extra hard this year with the passing of my grandfather and my grandmother still in the nursing home.  I found myself crying in the kitchen as I prepared pecan pie.  The strangest things trigger memories and emotions.

One bright spot was getting to spend some quality time with my great-aunt who is 96.  She is my grandmother's oldest sister and lives in the same nursing home as my grandmother.  She's truly a treasure. 

Another bright spot, I talked to my brother on Thanksgiving day and he and my niece were going to serve a meal to the homeless at a local church.  He's such a great dad.  I texted my other brother and sister-in-law.  They are all in Virginia so we don't see each other often, which makes me so thankful for texting and facebook.  I also received a sweet email from a dear aunt.  Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most.

After our visit at the nursing home and lunch at McDonald's we ran some errands.  We stopped by Cracker Barrel.  We are giving Will and Ben's preschool teachers gift cards from there.  We also bought each teacher a Christmas ornament.  FYI: Cracker Barrel has the cutest ornaments, and a big selection, too.  At Cracker Barrel, it was a mad house!  I'm so glad we weren't eating there.  The wait was an hour and forty-five minutes!  Once we purchased our ornaments and gift cards we made our way to Wal-Mart.  Believe it or not, Wal-Mart is really enjoyable on Thanksgiving day.  It's not crowded and the store is getting prepared for the Black Friday insanity.  We leisurely walked around and bought a few things and then headed home.

{three}

My Christmas tree is up!

We got home pretty early on Thanksgiving day and I had all afternoon to get Christmas decorations down from the attic.  Mark usually helps with that but he was watching the Cowboys game.

I've had so much fun decorating for Christmas this year.  I totally skipped decorating for fall.  Fall is my favorite season (if you follow me on Pinterest I have an entire board dedicated to it), but I just didn't have the energy to get it done this year. 

Since August we've had some hard times, but Christmas is bringing some much needed happiness back to our home.

Our tree is up and so are all of our other Christmas decorations.  Presents are even wrapped and under the tree.  AND, it's not even December!  Woo Hoo!

{four}

You can hate me, but I'm going to tell you that most of my Christmas shopping is complete.

AND, it's not even December!  (Oh, right, I just said that!)

A lot of our nieces and nephews get gift cards, which we've purchased.  For those who aren't getting gift cards, I've ordered a lot of stuff on the internet and most of my internet shopping is complete.  My nieces who are out of state get a gift card or a gift from amazon.com.  I just wised up to the amazon.com thing about a year ago.  For years we've been shopping amazon.com and we always take advantage of the free shipping, but it never occurred to me to have items shipped for free to another person/address.  We've taken advantage of this several times.  We get to spend more money on the gift and avoid the hassle of going to the post office.  Win-Win!

{five}

Three weeks until Christmas break!  Will keeps saying "I'm ready for Christmas."  I can totally relate.  Ben's ready for Christmas, too.  We took the boys to see Santa over Thanksgiving break.  Now that Ben's seen Santa every time we see something related to Christmas he says, "Oooh, Christmas.  I've been there." kind of like Christmas is a destination not a season.  Love my boys and their cuteness!

{six}

I'm watching the weather right now.  It's going to be cold this week.  I love most things about the colder weather except for two.  Leaving the warm house and getting into a cold car and stepping out of a hot shower into a cold bathroom.  Brrrrrr!

{seven}

Last thought, this verse was used by our preacher this morning in church.

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Somehow I hope this blog does that.  Usually I write about a lot of fluff, but I hope ever so often that you are encouraged and spurred on toward love and good deeds.