Hello, my friends. And Happy Friday! I am enjoying these cozy November days, and I hope you are as well. This week was sunny and cold, and felt very much like late autumn. We are little by little embracing Christmas around here, and I couldn't be happier. The tree is up, allowing us to enjoy the glistening lights during the early darkness. We are playing YouTube Christmas Ambience and lighting our Christmas scented candles, too.
This weekend, I will sit by the tree, listening to the same beautiful Christmas music I have listened to all my life, and plan our Thanksgiving meal. We keep it the same from year to year, so it will be pretty easy. Steve and I do the turkey. Nico makes the mashed potatoes, and Rhett and I are on gravy duty. Madison makes the best sweet potato casserole, and Flynn will help with the green bean casserole. Steve and Madison usually work on the stuffing, and Madison has begun making her great-grandmother's pumpkin pies. With real, homemade whipped cream! Kyrstin is ready to help with whatever is needed and whoever needs help.
This weekend, we will also attend mass and decorate the house for Christmas! Is it earlier than many? Yes, for sure. Is that ok? You bet! Do what makes you happy. Do what works for you and your family. That's all I have to say about that! Before we lug the Christmas tubs up, I will fill a bucket with some cleaner and warm water and quickly wipe things down. I like to convince myself the house is clean before I add Christmas around!
Well, that is about it for today, my friends. I am going to get some breakfast, throw in a load of laundry, and get ready for homeschool. Have a wonderful weekend, and I will be around to visit this weekend.
Your photos are always so beautiful! A perfect way to start the day.
ReplyDeleteI have my shopping done and have started wrapping, but no decorations up yet. That will be next. :)
Have a great weekend.
PS - I want a cupcake now!
I wish I had a place like that to walk. So absolutely beautiful. I usually decorate the first of December but probably will only put out the Nativity and my snowmen since we'll be in London most of December. That way I can have the snowmen out in January too.
ReplyDeleteI'm well on my way to being finished with Christmas shopping//making and will wrap next week. Except what is going with us and I'll pack wrapping paper and tape for when we arrive. TSA frowns on wrapped gifts.
Thanksgiving will be at Mandy & Brad's home because they have more room than we do in the condo. I'll make the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, cranberries and green bean casserole. Others will provide the other side dishes and desserts. We'll be missing our London kids but looking forward to seeing them soon.
Your lunch sounds wonderful. I'm eating a chicken salad sandwich right now. :-) It just sounded good so I made a nice bowl full this morning.
Blessings,
Betsy
We are going to decorate the day after Thanksgiving and I am getting excited.
ReplyDeleteThe cupcakes look amazing and so do the photos of your morning walks.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Yay for all the Christmas cozy feels here my Friend. Agreed...whatever sparks joy and comfort is always the right answer. I loved reading about your shopping date as you and Steve ordered basically exactly the same as Matt and I down to the cupcake flavors. 😂 I've been listening to lots of Christmas music and I hope to get our tree up with at least lights on by Thanksgiving and have all my candles in the window. Then we can dive full on into the rest of Christmas after I host for Thanksgiving. Love this cozy time of year so much. It's the best!! Enjoy your decorating weekend. ❤️💚 Stunning photos as always btw :)
ReplyDeleteThe sunrise is stunning! And I love your walk photos, especially the water with the line of clouds. Post your Christmas decoration when you get them up!!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos! The blues are gorgeous. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteI am late today, again, but enjoyed your photos and your holiday plans. My across the street neighbors are all decked out for Christmas! I will do it after Thanksgiving. Like you, I will do some pre-decorating cleaning. It's not easy to clean everything once the tree and all are in place. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Have a blessed weekend!! xo
ReplyDeleteAwww..I was hoping for a glance of your Christmas tree. Your sunrise pictures are gorgeous, my friend. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteI put Christmas up right after Halloween. I say, do whatever you like and when works for you. Life is too short not to just enjoy it when we want to.
ReplyDeleteThe photos from your walk are just beautiful. What a lovely way to start the day.
ReplyDeleteOur Christmas decorations go up the weekend of Thanksgiving. However, I’m almost finished with my shopping. I get my least favorite chore done first! Happy Weekend to you!
Hi Billie Jo! I like to get Christmas decorations up early as well. I plan to start on my Christmas cards this weekend. The tree will probably go up next weekend. I love the pictures from your morning walks. I hope you have a great week. See you again soon!
ReplyDeleteYour walk, your saying good morning to your momma, your puppy in your lap...all so special. Life is full of sweet blessings. And the older I get, the more I say "put up the tree!" Who cares? The holidays are short. Let's all just enjoy these two months and be festive :) Toss the chemistry too! :) Unless she's going to be a chemist...then ok, keep going. Have a beautiful weekend my friend :)
ReplyDeleteThose sunrise photos are so pretty! It sounds like you have a wonderful plan/routine for Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteCosmo found a warm cozy place to rest... It is always nice to have help in kitchen for the holidays. Much like your family, I take care of the Turkey and Ham..tea and rolls..and sweets..My girls do all the side dishes. Billie Jo..you live in an area where you capture so many stunning photos..these are all so pretty. Hope you enjoy pulling out the Christmas decorations and listening to so sweet Christmas music. Sounds like you have a wonderful weekend planned.
ReplyDeleteOh what lovely morning walks! We have started decorating, but it is sort of in shambles, which could frustrate me to no end, if I let it. I keep telling myself it isn't going to kill me, ha, but when you can't do things yourself, that's just how it is. My girls are such good, sweet girls, so busy too, I just have to be patient. I think Evelyn is going to come over and help me. I love your Thanksgiving plans! Ours are interesting this year, trying for an all-together day, so there will be around 40 of us. We are splitting up the cooking of course, and will all join in clean up, except for me, ha, I'll peel potatoes and be the general supervisor, and baby holder. :). I also want to see the Christmas tree!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos as always! I used to be very die-hard as far as not decorating for Christmas until he day after Thanksgiving. The past couple of years I have relaxed that rule. I move my tree into the front room so I can get everything dusted and ready to decorate. I leave the lights on the tree, but leave them turned off, so with the rattan tree circle, it looks like a giant potted plant. Ha! My birthday is right around Thanksgiving and I hate to rush the season...I want Fall to last a little bit longer.
ReplyDeleteI won't be doing anything festive for another couple of weeks, but I love that you're embracing Christmas already. Okay...so I may have already watched a Hallmark Christmas movie :)
ReplyDeleteYour family is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteChicken salad served on a croissant has, for a long time, been my favorite idea for picnic food. Actually, ANYTHING served on a croissant is good, but chicken salad, for sure!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post today. I like the retro cards at the bottom. My family all helps with Thanksgiving too. I will start taking down Fall next week and hope to have our trees up by next weekend. Those cupcakes look so good! Have a nice weekend!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful skies from your walk. I don't do Christmas till Dec.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Cosmo. :) Like you, I usually listen to Christmas music from the 50's and 60's. The classic music just hits right. Yours and Steve's shopping date: a little shopping, a little lunch (looks delicious!) sounds nice. Have a great week!
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