End of November

It's the end of November, really?!  I see that the last post was Halloween pictures!  November has been busy with the normal ol' stuff and getting ready for the holidays.  Hopefully that preparation will pay off and I will get to enjoy Christmas this year.  I like to have all my shopping done by Thanksgiving, but last year I had barely started, and I felt behind the entire season.  And we were still in the middle of all the "firsts" of a new community and I didn't know what to expect.  This year, before we left for Thanksgiving, the house was decorated, except the ornaments on the tree--I just couldn't get in the mood for that and SweetBoy didn't want to hear Christmas music before Thanksgiving.  I'll give him that one.  We got it decorated when we got home and it worked great.  The presents were all wrapped even and ready to go under the tree!  OK except for one that I'm making, and I have to get my sewing machine fixed before I can finish it.  And the kids have their shopping or projects for each other, but we can handle that because the bulk of it is done.  So bring on the basketball schedule, SweetHeart's week of training every evening, birthdays, baking, class parties and the calendar surprises--this year I'm more prepared for it...I hope! 

Not to skip over Thanksgiving.  We had a great time with SweetHeart's family.  It was not the typical lastname visit.  Usually it is my family that has the projects going on!  My in-laws have been remodeling the home that SweetHeart grew up in.  We have offered to help before, but for whatever reason, we didn't.  This trip we kind of pressed a little harder.  SweetHeart's two brothers and our nephew came over to work on it with us.  The mission was to put flooring down in two rooms and a hallway.  One of the rooms had to have a subfloor put down first.  I stayed out of the construction zone of building the subfloor, but had a blast laying laminate flooring!  I am so addicted to accomplishing something that stays done!  After working on it for three days--I'm glad to report that we were able to finish the job!  And just in time!  We had planned to go to one of the brother's home for our Thanksgiving celebration, but his son was sick, so plan B was the house we were working on!

We had a great time together!  We had our traditional Mexican pile on for dinner.  (We had turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings Sunday with Mamaw and the rest of the family.)  Then we played spoons!  It had been so long since I played that with my cousins.  What is it about that game that makes you laugh so hard?!  Too fun!

Thanksgiving morning we were ready to veg and watch the parade and football.  But the power went out, so we went to see Mamaw, and then went to the brother's house for lunch.  It probably worked out best that way!

AND while we were in the area with family and friends...I organized a surprise party for SweetHeart's birthday!  It was a little early, which helped with the surprise, and we totally got him!  He was so comepletely surprised!  That was fun!

I have pictures that I haven't even downloaded from my camera yet, but I'll have to share those later.  Gotta run to gymnastics!