From one turkey to another.....

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Just a small recap of ours:

We got in from work on Wednesday night. Ran to the house, unpacked, repacked, showered, and hit the road to Clover. In the small amount of time we were at home, we saw evidence that Stuart Little, or at lease one of his relatives, had moved into the house. I packed extra clothes. My in-laws were stuck with us for a couple of days, like it or not. :) (They didn't mind) There are several things in life that I just cant deal with, and mice are on the list. Near the top.

We got to my in-laws and immediately joined the ranks of people in the kitchen cooking. I was tired but there is nothing as enjoyable as the family in the kitchen cooking together. Especially with Grandma Wiggins. She is one of those women, like so many others, that will never be able to write all of her recipes down for us so we have to watch and learn. She rarely uses a measuring cup. It's like an art form.

We finally got in the bed around midnite. I walked into the room and there was an 11 year old laying in the middle of the bed, smiling like a cheshire cat. We all crawled in the bed together and he played with the dog and giggled his way into sleepiness. I had a few moments of nostalgia as his daddy carried him to his bedroom and tucked him in. Will that be the last time he feels comfortable enough to crawl in the bed with us? Will that be the last time his daddy carries him to his bed after he has fallen asleep? We are reaching an age with him that when I see these things, I have to wonder if it is the last time I will see it.

Thursday morning brought an onslaught of dishes that still had to bake and be finished up. Friends and family came in from all over NC and Virginia. Caroline even had a pug friend, Ginger, come visit! The puppies were happy about their visit, the cat however still hasn't spoken to us. :) By the time we sat down to eat with our plates that weren't big enough to hold all of the side dishes, we were tired, fulfilled, thankful, and starving. When we finished eating, I don't think there were too many people at the table that could still breathe. ;)

We are home now and back to the grind of life. Cleaning house, packing to go back to work today (for me), praying that Stuart Little is gone, doing laundry, cooking meals, etc. As we come down from the rush of the first holiday meal, I am thankful for family. And friends. And hard work and big payoffs. It is every bit worth it and now on to the next one. My boys decorated the tree last night and as I sat here and watched them (They wanted to do it themselves) I couldn't help but wonder if this was the last time that Seth wouldn't be able to reach the top of the tree without his daddy's help. And so the cycle begins again. Praying that I go through the season with eyes wide open and capturing every memory in my mind. I never know if it's the last time it will be like this.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!! From one turkey to another....

Old Vs. New

I have had a lot of real, authentic friendships over the years. I do not take that for granted. Real friends are hard to come by and few. After making some new friends recently, I started to really realized how lucky I am. I have friends that will speak truth to me, even when I don't want to hear it, and do it out of sincerity and love. I have friends that I can sit at a dinner table with and belly laugh our way through the meal. (I sure hope that helps to work off some of the calories that I would be consuming at said meal). I have friends whose parents know me just as well and would be there in a minute if I needed them. They are my self-created family. We are comprised of a group of people that may be very different on a day to day basis....but we care about each other regardless. We care how the other persons day is and what they have going on in their lives. We celebrate each others triumphs and greive with each other over failures. We celebrate each others birthdays and their familys birthdays. We help each other navigate this world of marriage, parenthood, and adulthood in general.

I have been very emotional this week, so please forgive the mushy post. I just know that there is no greater feeling in the world than when an old friend calls you up and asks: "Did you sleep last night?" "How was your morning?" It's not even the question itself. It's knowing they cared and wondered about it. It's knowing that in someone else's world, no matter how busy they are, you matter. And it makes all the difference in the world.

So...Old vs. New? I think I will keep them both. After all, I can have my cake and eat it too... :)

Santa Claus is comin' to town!

Good morning! I got up this morning and did some quick mathematical equations in my head and realized I may need to get on the Christmas train! It's literally just around the corner. Amazing how it sneaks up! One of my main goals this year is to get a Christmas picture done and do Christmas cards. I never mail out Christmas cards. I'm slack. However, Shutterfly has made it easy for me to be able to order cards with the pictures already printed on them and they get here quick enough so that people who procrastinate (not sure who that would be!) can still have them in time to mail them out! My kind of store!
I was browsing through their cards the other day and they have some pretty amazing designs! Here are some designs they have available this year. I love the photo cards! I will tell you from personal experience, that the quality is top-notch! It's amazing!!! I am thinking of using the 5x7 folded carded "Merry Greetings". With the picture I have planned I need a pretty big window on the front and I love the simplicity of it! I also love that you can put pictures on the inside and there is STILL room for writing! This is a great plan for me, because if you can't tell by my posts, I am wordy. I can't help it people. :)
The other thing I am looking at are their wall calendars. I think they make phenomenal gifts for Christmas-especially for grandmothers who love to brag and show off the grandchildren! These are easy to create and they are personalized! Take some time to check them out!
The last thing I want to take some time to mention, is their Holiday Party Invitations. This is my idea of an invitation. They make inviting people to that party you wanna plan so easy! I am thinking they would be perfect for the Cookie Swap I want to plan soon!
I will feature my card on here as soon as I have it ordered and mailed! I can't show it here before all the family sees it! I promise you that if you order from Shutterfly, you will not be sorry you did!

Big Things in the Little House

Hi bloggy friends!!! Really just checking in and doing a catch up post. You want a list, don't you? Come on...you know you've missed them!!! Just for you..an early Christmas present...

1. My friend Glittashooz finally caved to peer pressure and started a twitter. #soulsistasreunitedviatwitter #anditfeelssogood.

2. Seth, much to my joy, is developing quite a snarky sense of humor! Not disrespectful, and his comedic timing is getting better and better every day. Makes my heart swell with pride. He gets it from his step-mom!

3. Olin and I have solid leads on a local job that would pay well enough for us to come off the road. We would also have fabulous benefits. It will take us a week or so to get everything together to apply but please say a little prayer for us!!!

4. We also have a GREAT lead on a house we are looking to buy. Makes me wanna throw up in my mouth a little. Seriously, the deal is too good to pass up. If God opens the door, in we will move!!!

5. There is also other huge news in our little family. It's nothing that we can post publicly about yet, but please pray and God will know what it's for! "You make everything work together for my good." I am pete and repeating these words over and over.

6. I have fall decorations up and I also have my Christmas tree up. Confusing, isn't it? But there is nothing like the light from a Christmas tree in a room. It makes me jump for joy.... Ok, ok...maybe I don't jump. That would become a debacle. But I do squeal a little bit. :)

7. In a couple weeks, the soul sistas will be reunited for real and we will all be in one room together. The world should sit right on it's axis once again. #ourhusbandsdon'tstandachance

8. We are reuniting for the little Lenoir babies birthdays!!! Levi will be 5 and Sophie will be 1!!! Hard to believe! Let the list making begin!

9. I am seriously determined to get 10 items out of this post. IF it's the last thing I do. OH-I did want to mention that the other thing that makes me squeal right now is this weather. This glorious weather! Yet another gift from Him! It reminds me that His mercies are new every morning. The old has gone away and the new will come. He provides shelter in the cold...even when you have nothing to help cover yourself with, He is the portion. He's got my back..... (I tend to get this way every fall with the falling leaves, the bare tree branches, and winter coming when everything dies and new life is preparing to begin. I can't help it. It's the romantic in me.)

10. Last but not least, I am starting to understand this whole "coupon world" and it's a crazy world. I love it, but it's crazy. And it's hard. And it's a lot of work. But it's worth it when your cubbards are overflowing. Mine aren't yet, but working towards getting them that way! Then there is more to share!!!

I hope everyone had a safe and fun weekend this past weekend! Are you all ready for the holidays? I started shopping and then stopped. I need to start again. STAT! It will happen, though. Hopefully. What are your plans for the holidays?