Weekend Recap: TURKEY DAY Edition

Hey friends! I hope y'all had a FABULOUS Turkey day and got to spend the day with family and friends and of course, all the turkey and stuffing. 

The last four days have FLOWN by and I can't believe we're already into December this week! Regardless, this is my FAVORITE time of the year, hands down! We have so many fun activities planned and this season just brings out the joyful little kid in me! 

We started Thanksgiving day slow and easy. We all got up around 7:30 to start prepping. Will and I stayed up a little later the night before to do some prep, so we really didn't have a ton to do. The girls grabbed a light breakfast while Will and I worked on the turkey and stuffing. We popped the turkey in the oven, turned on the Macy's day parade, and lit the fireplace. It was glorious.

The girls helped me set the table and we got ready for peeps to begin showing up. Since my side of the family celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas early, it was just my immediate family in attendance. We also invited my dear friend, Chelsea and we were so excited for her to join us. 

We came, we ate and we napped. We spent the rest of Thanksgiving day relaxing, watching football and then other movies later. 

Someone had a full belly and was ready for a nap! =)

Sisters relaxing after full bellies of turkey!

The next day, was slow again and we cooked breakfast and the girls played while we just hung around. Later that morning, my sister and I decided to brave a few stores for Black Friday deals and it really wasn't as bad as we expected! We hit Old Navy, Anthropologie, J Crew, and Gap. After we declared our feet too tired, we decided to call it a day.

 I grabbed a quick lunch of leftovers and then we decided to go on a hunt for a new Christmas tree. Since moving, our Charlie Brown tree just wasn't going to cut it any longer! We headed to At Home and picked out a 9 footer and spent the rest of the afternoon into early evening, putting up the tree and the rest of our Christmas decorations.

We ordered pizza and had a quiet night. After the girls were tucked into bed, it was FINALLY GILMORE GIRLS TIME!!

Saturday morning came and we ate breakfast and hung around for a little bit before getting ready and heading to Moana.

We somehow got the showtimes mixed up and got into the theatre RIGHT when it was starting, so alas, no pictures to document this experience. The movie was SO good and the girls really enjoyed it.

After the movie, we ran back home and the girls were DYING to play outside so they went outside and I got the chance to run to Target. They had buy one get free frames and buy one, get one free candles so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I finally found a frame for a print we purchased in Italy. I also picked up a few random things for the girls as all apparel was 30% off.

When I got back home, the girls BEGGED to go to the park. So, they hopped on their bikes and we took the short trek to the park. It was BEAUTIFUL out, 60 degrees, and it was crazy to be riding bikes to the park in November, in Iowa. We'll take it though!

After the park, we ran and grabbed take out (don't judge- it's the weekend, right?!) and ate while watching Christmas movies. After the girls were tucked in, you guessed it- GILMORE GIRLS! Now, I hate to be a spoiler if you haven't watched it but what was with the Stars Hollow play?! It was never ending and I just didn't quite understand it. Anyway.

We were awake and at em' on Sunday for church.

 Saidey has been going to her preschool Sunday class since September so it was the first time she sat in church with us for a long time. It completely changed the dynamic- when it's just Sophia and us, she sits so nicely and listens and follows along. Well, this time, they both were restless, had to go to the bathroom and Saidey even though it was a good idea to lay down on the pew and refused to get up. Thankfully, it was mostly empty so there was actually room for her to do that and it was a battle I didn't want to fight.

After the mess that church was, we ran home and Sophia worked on her All About Me poster as she is the star student this week. Will also worked on homework and Saidey colored next to Sophia. She may have "accidentally" colored on Sophia's poster and before Sophia could get upset, we decided that was how she was going to tell her class about her sister. =) And this is where my little sister, Saidey, colored on my poster. She always colors on my stuff! 

We had a little bit of time before we had to jet off again to grab lunch before Disney on Ice. These are the days that I'm so, so thankful for our local grocery store, HyVee and their service of online ordering. Before we left, I made up a list, shopped online and scheduled a pick up for later that day. AMEN!

We grabbed lunch at Buzzard Billy's downtown and then headed to Disney on Ice. As always, the show did not disappoint and the girls were completely enthralled from beginning to end. This has become our favorite Thanksgiving weekend tradition, so as long as it continues to come, we will probably go!

 It was raining when we came outside after the show- this sweet girl kept me protected from the rain with the hat that came with her cotton candy. =)

She would NOT let go of her cup she got at the show- she had a death grip on it all the way home.

This popped up on my time hop feed- it was the first Disney on Ice show we took Sophia to, 3 years ago! Gah! Just look at how little she is! 

The rest of the day was spent being lazy and finishing homework.

WHEW! That was a lot! We had a wonderful four day weekend and it was hard getting up on Monday, back in our routines. Everybody was a trooper though and we survived Monday. We have Saidey's school conferences this week and that's about it! Of course, on December 1st, Elf arrives and we start our Advent calendar. Here's to December! =)

Happy Tuesday everybody!

Grateful, Thankful, Appreciative and All Those Other Mushy Words You Can Think Of

This post has been on my mind for quite some time. Again, it was another one that was brewing in my mind yet I hadn't actually put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard. Since I started my "new" job (I returned to a previous job after leaving for 2 years) I've been exhausted at night. Mentally and emotionally. I didn't quite figure that out until recently though. Even mental health professionals sometimes needs a little kick in the butt to be self aware. 

Have you checked out Kid President?! He's pretty much a genius:

I stopped working out, I stopped writing and reading. I plopped on the couch after putting the girls to bed, mentally and emotionally spent. It actually was a good thing- my mind and heart needed time to literally feast on good old trashy TV- where kids were safely tucked into beds, where adults biggest problems were figuring out whose party to go to for the holidays. 

Not only was it a major adjustment to my new role and although I had done it before, it took me awhile to get back into the swing of things. It took me a bit to readjust to the the sometimes hopeless, frustrating, but mostly heartbreaking stories, struggles and barriers I see come into my office. Being thrown back into this line of work, I was once reminded at how earth shattering grateful, thankful, appreciative, and all those other feel good words- I truly am. 

When you see someone sitting across from you with nothing, literally nothing- if that doesn't change you, I don't know what will. People who are very quite like me,  but who have an addiction and or mental health diagnosis (and don't we all, to some point?!) has thrown their lives into a tail spin. They've lost everything. Their family, homes, jobs, health, friends, and most of all- their own spirit, souls, and love for themselves. 

It makes me sit back and look at my life in a whole new light. I get to come home to a house full of love, laughter, and beautiful chaos that I get to call my very own. My world is so perfectly imperfect and I would not change it for anything. I used to feel guilty. That I had all of these things. That I would send clients off into the streets, not knowing where they would find their next meal- while I jumped in my nice, warm car to drive to my nice, warm home and enjoy a nice, warm meal, with my nice, warm family. 

This time around, I no longer feel guilty. I feel humbled. I feel honored. Blessed. I feel compassion for and maybe oddly enough, connection to those that are sitting across my desk. Honored to be a part of their journey, even if in such a small way. I now know, how fast one's situation can change. How fast it can all be taken away. How one decision can change the rest of your life. How one decision can cause a domino effect and how I could very well be the person sitting on the other side of the desk. 

Source

Everyday, I make a conscious decision that I will be grateful, thankful and appreciative for whatever life throws my way. That despite a few negatives, there are always a multitude of positives that I can find. There are several moments in the day, where I literally close my eyes, breathe it all in, and soak life's moments in, if only to pause. I say to myself, "I am so, so grateful for this moment." (Don't worry, I make sure the car is stopped before I do this. =)) For one second. To remember what this life is all about. How do you practice gratitude? How do you remind yourself of the things you are thankful? Please share in the comments below! 

Of course, this can't be a post about gratitude without a little Brene Brown: