It started slowly with me working at home with the girls on Monday as they are off from school all week. I had to do handfuls of oral interviews over the phone with my Spanish 101 students from around 9a-11:30a...Thankfully, the girls watched a Christmas movie and then played together relatively quietly in Sullivan's room for the duration. I was elated to be done with the interviews (and so proud of the girls for being so quiet!) and ready to begin some real "staycation" fun. Right after I finished with the phone work, we shot over to Target to have a "picnic" lunch in the cart and just cruise and shop at leisure. As Sullivan is now in school 5 days a week, we hardly ever get to "not-shop" and just browse for fun, so it was a blast.
On Tuesday, we went to the mall with friends and played indoors. Wednesday we went to the park for a picnic and played outside at home. Lee was off early on Wednesday afternoon and I got to go shopping that evening by myself for a bit, which was great for me.
On Thursday, the Murphys drove in from AL, arriving at noon, and we played and played until we ate our big meal around 5:15p. This was my first time to host my in-laws and cook a full-scale meal for them on a holiday...we have always been in Montgomery and I have just never made it until now!? Well, thanks to my sweet Mom and her example and recipes, I was really pleased with the results and I think everyone (except the girls) enjoyed their turkey, rice and gravy, cornbread dressing, sweet potatoe casserole, green beans, butter beans, rolls, tea and pumpkin pie.
On Friday, Lee turned 32! The girls have now sung him "Happy Birthday" at least a dozen times and hopefully, he feels quite loved and celebrated. His parents gave him a gorgeous and gigantic new TV, dress shirts, cologne, pjs, and we gave him stationary, khakis, t shirts and socks. The Murphys also brought in for him darling Turkey cupcakes and cake from Edgar's bakery in Birmingham, AL...Yum. And of course, dear Colleen brought in precious clothing for the girls, as you can see below in their new "zebra" get-ups.
Thank you for coming, Randy and Colleen! It was a wonderful Thanksgiving!
And then, today, we put up the Christmas decorations!
Whew! What a week!
It has felt like a true "staycation"...a slow, forced (but welcome) pause without school, work or normal activities. We have spent lots of time at home and just "being". We have sat in our yard and just petted the neighbor's cats and dog. We have kicked balls around and taken nature walks.
I hope to always take time to pause, reflect and be gracious, grateful and humbled.
With all this goodness, I feel like Christmas has already come! And yet it awaits us still.
I hope that your Thanksgiving was a grand one.
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