Thanksgiving break

Thanksgiving break was busy and productive. I have so many things for which to be thankful...namely my family, friends, co-workers, students and their parents. I was most thankful to have a break to do a few things that I wanted to do instead of had to do!

I did a lot of smocking.

(and to think when I finally finish this dress I have to smock another one exactly like it! My friend, Neena, smocks dresses two at a time for her sweet granddaughters and mercy me, Neena, how in the heck do you do it?!?)

I also did a lot of eating!

I did some Black Friday shopping.

A few years ago I woke up around 5 on Black Friday morning. I was pregnant and in the stage of my pregnancy where you quit being able to sleep. I was awake with no hope of falling back to sleep and also bored out of my mind. Then I realized....the mall is OPEN! So, I heaved my 8 months pregnant self out of bed, got dressed and headed out. I was surprised at how much fun I had, and I’ve shopped Black Friday ever since! You always hear horror stories of people being trampled but my shopping experiences have been the complete opposite. Of course, if I was shopping for plasma screens or computers I’m sure my story would be different! In my experience though, the other shoppers are even helpful. I’ve had folks dig for dvd’s for me or tell me where to find an item I’m looking for if they’ve seen it somewhere in the store. Sure, there are long lines and a lack of parking places, but it’s all part of the Black Friday experience to me!! I also love coming home knowing my shopping is pretty much DONE for the season!

Saturday night, Guitar Boy and I went up to the church to set up the Christmas trees. Here’s a picture of him that he didn’t know I was about to take....

I’m sure he’ll be thrilled when he realizes I posted this pic. :-)

The tree we put up in Memorial Hall looks nice, don’t you think?

Too bad we put it in the WRONG place! Ah well, The Chef moved it Sunday morning.

Our church is built around an antebellum home that was given to the church years ago and Memorial Hall is where the church offices are housed. Memorial Hall is rumored to be haunted by Mr. Pickford, the former owner. Our pastor has had a few strange things happen when he’s been alone, working in his office. Just this very evening, The Chef came through the kitchen and the empty dishwasher was running, and no one else was in the building. Guitar Boy and I didn’t have any Mr. Pickford encounters the other night, but we still set up the trees and got the heck outta there as quickly as possible anyway!!

Saturday morning was also a work day to prepare for the Live Nativity this weekend. So all you local peeps, be sure to come out!

I also did loads of decorating over the weekend. I even remembered to get my Christmas dishes out! Oh yeah, and Thanksgiving was also my birthday and The Pastor made a pumpkin cream cheese cake for me! (much better than the yellow cake mix with chocolate frosting I made for her the week before!)

We won the Egg Bowl AND I watched Elf about eleven thousand times.

Doesn’t get much better than that!

What about you? How was your Thanksgiving?