Currently | November 2023

Missing...all the beautiful fall leaves! I think we would have had longer fall color this year, but a snowstorm a couple weeks ago took down all the leaves in one fell swoop.  Any that were left clinging to tree branches have turned brown.  We did get to go out and enjoy the leaves this fall quite a bit, but it still feels like our time was cut a bit short.  It's full-on winter in the mountains now!

Thinking...ahead to Christmas season, particularly what books we want to read during December and fun things to incorporate into school. I came up with a bit of an advent morning time plan for our family last year, and I'd like to tweak that and use it again.  I also requested an absurd amount of new-to-us Christmas books from the library, and my plan is to sort through them to figure out which ones actually look good enough to add to our Christmas reading plan!  

Planning...to start planning out our Thanksgiving Day meal.  This year we are hosting my husband's side of the family at our house!  This will be the first time I'm hosting a full Thanksgiving dinner as an adult, and I have never before cooked a turkey.  I feel this is a rite of passage of sorts, and I'll be researching all the turkey-baking tips and getting everything planned out in the next few days. I feel I'm already cutting things a bit close.

Buying...not alot, since I'm still doing a no-buy project for myself (more on that coming this week). However, I don't like to save Christmas shopping for December, so I need to get moving on purchasing presents.  It's weird to be Christmas shopping while still being on guard against buying my no-buy items, and I'm realizing anew how much stress shopping actually adds to my life.  But, alas, it must be done, and like it or not, I'm the one who has to do it.

Wanting...to knit each of my kids a scarf for Christmas, but I'm realistic enough to know that is not going to happen.  I finally picked up knitting again after a ten-year break, and it's come back to me quite well!  I found this book at our little library down the road, and it's giving me all kinds of ideas for cute scarves.  I think I am going to start a scarf at least, and perhaps if I work at it I can give all the kids a homemade scarf next year.  Why does knitting take so long?  I found these funny tags, and these, and after starting to knit again I understand.

Reading...too many books, as always.  I am still working on Homecoming by Kate Morton, and I am almost done with The Giant Pumpkin Suite, which is turning out to be pretty good.  I would really like to start a Christmas book or two, and I also started reading the Emma M. Lion books after seeing them too many time on Bookstagram (they sounded right up my alley, and I'm enjoying the first book so far).  Another book roundup post will be coming once I finish a couple more!

Enjoying...a Veterans Day visit with my childhood friends!  Yes, the ones that own a ranch.  It's always wonderful to visit with them, and they teach the kids so many things it's practically like a field trip.  I always leave wishing we could sell off everything and buy a ranch on the plains!  I know how hard my friends work and how much knowledge it takes to be successful ranchers, and I admire how generous and hospitable they are even with all the work they have to do daily.

Loving...quiet weekends at home.  Our weeks have been so busy lately, but we've been able to protect our weekends, and it's been so nice.  I've been able to breathe a bit and enjoy taking the kids to the park, or reading to them, or getting caught up on laundry.  Those are little things, but they give me so much peace of mind in a busy season.  I love it when we can work in some weekend adventures, but sometimes you just need to be home, and it's been nice to have a quiet month of weekends before the holiday madness starts.


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