Thanksgiving Vacation!

T-minus four hours and twenty three minutes until my Thanksgiving vacation commences.  I took the whole week off next week and considering I haven't had any substantial time off of work since May of last year and before I went back to full-time hours, I'd say this whole vacation thing is just a tad overdue.

Even though I'll just be home and not taking some big, grand trip somewhere, I'm totally excited about some down time especially since Thanksgiving is next week and it happens to be one of my most favorite holidays.

If you made it through yesterday's long sad-songy post, you'll know that some time off work is probably exactly what I need.  I have plans for doing things just for me - making a wreath (yes, Lori - this one's for you!), maybe re-reading through some of a book, cleaning my house, working on Jacob's nursery, playing with Tommy and just getting to be a mom.  And of course - the big Thanksgiving grocery shopping trip.

I'm somewhat of a Thanksgiving geek and I absolutely love shopping and preparing for the big meal.  My contributions for the family meal this year will include three pies, sweet potatoes, rolls, fresh green beans, Todd's amazing fried turkey, and a few appetizers.  I definitely have my work cut out for me, but I really don't mind.  Buzzing around in the kitchen and preparing food for Thanksgiving is more like fun than work. 

As the day has been approaching, it's come with it's share of disappointments already.  I usually get these grandiose pictures in my head of how a holiday will be and it never turns out that way.  But last night as my Robin and I were texting back and forth about some of those disappointments, I was reminded how our relationship has changed this last year and my heart felt comforted knowing that she and I are so much closer than we once were - and even though I'm sad and disappointed about some things, that disappointment doesn't revolve around my parents and what our relationship does or doesn't look like - and that in itself is a huge gift.

Since I started keeping a blog, it's almost become a tradition for me to write a Giving Thanks series for the week.  I plan on doing the same, but maybe have a few other things mixed in as well.  I'm off next week - so perhaps my writing will go into overdrive.

Until then, I leave you with some of my favorite Thanksgiving moments....

Poppy getting very, very excited about the turkey.

 Baking pies.

 Fried turkey.  Need I say more?

And the after-Thanksgiving Christmas decorating.  I'm wondering if Tommy will throw a fit this year about having to put the ornaments on the tree or if I'll he'll be on board with hanging them on the branches. 

T-minus three hours and forty-eight minutes until my Thanksgiving vacation begins!