Battling the Holiday Blues

They say that the first year is tough - especially the holidays.
I'd say "they" are right.
The last 8 months have been full of sadness and grief.  There's been a lot of stress and a lot of frustration when I remembered I couldn't call my Mommy to vent about that stress.
Now that the holidays are near, there have been many times when I wanted to call Mom and share an idea or ask for a recipe.  Those times are always followed by anger and frustration that I can't call her.  She won't be here to cook, worry about getting the house clean enough, take a ride to see the leaves changing, or force us all to go around the table and say what we are thankful for.  She won't be here to decorate, sing off-key, or spend hours at Wal-mart searching for the just-right gift for each of her grandchildren (and unknowingly clearing the shelves with her oxygen tank).
Her presence will so obviously be missing from all festivities this year and every year.
That makes me so sad.
It makes me sad enough to want to skip every holiday.
But she wouldn't want that.
Mom LOVED the holidays - all of them.  No matter her circumstances, she always made them special in the best way she knew how.  She loved to decorate and cook.  She loved Christmas music.  She loved having everyone together - family and friends!  And she passed that on to me
This year I've decided I'm going to ROCK these holidays for Mom!  I'm sure I will cry a lot. I'm sure I will feel like somebody is missing.  I'm sure I will have many moments of wanting to crawl in bed until this time of year is over.  But I won't.
I will celebrate Thanksgiving - celebrate the ancestors that she was so proud to learn about - who sailed to a new land on the Mayflower.  If it weren't for them, Mom wouldn't have been born several generations later.
I will Celebrate Christmas - celebrate the fact that God sent his Son to live and die so that I may rejoice with him for all eternity along-side my Mom!  I will bake a birthday cake for Jesus - a tradition Mom loved.  I will sing Christmas songs at the top of my lungs, no matter how I sound, just like Mom did.  I will decorate my tree with every "tacky" ornament we've got and be proud!  I will be sappy and emotional and tell my family how much I love them - just like Mom.  Clark Griswold's got nothin' on us!
So, this year GO BIG OR GO HOME if you want to spend the holidays with me!

Be warned!  My house could look like a Who-ville house this year!

November 1

It's November already! Can't believe it, can you?
Last year, I did a Thankful Challenge for the month of November.  I am in a pretty thankful mood today - just thinking about all of my blessings.  I'd like to start the month counting my blessings.

I am blessed with a loving husband who works hard to provide for our family.  He leads our family spiritually and would do anything to protect us. He would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need and he sets a good example of generosity and compassion.  Love him!

I am blessed with beautiful step-daughters who let me love them and love me more than they have to.

I am blessed with parents who have always shown unconditional love to me.  There's nothing I can do to make them stop loving me - of this I'm sure!

I am blessed with the best girl friends I could ask for.  I don't know what I would do without them!

I am blessed with a sweet church family who loves and supports and welcomes without ceasing.

I am blessed with knowing what it means to serve.  I wouldn't trade anything for my experiences in Honduras.  I am thankful for Mission Lazarus and my friends in Honduras.

I am blessed with a group of children that I get to spend time with weekly.  I am especially thankful for getting to go trick-or-treating with them last night and being part of their joy!

My list could go on and on!  

What are you blessed with?

November Thankful Challenge, the 14th

Today I am thankful for being unemployed :)
I'm pretty happy with my lot in life right now.  I'm thankful that my husband is such a hard worker and so good at what he does that we have no reason to depend on my income.
I am thankful that he is wise with money and we live below our means.
I am thankful to have time to do things like decorate a wreath and grocery shop for my parents.
I'm thankful for the time I have to do things I love and to help others!

Day 1

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Day 13

Thanksgiving Mantel

My mantel is my favorite place to decorate in my home!  I try to change it out as often as I can - pretty much whenever a vision hits me.  After Halloween, I knew it was time for the skulls to come down, but I wasn't feeling it.
So I just started putting things on the mantel that I thought I might use.  And it just kind of happened - no plan, no vision - just did it!
It is much simpler than what I would normally do, but I really like it.  I even left my pumpkins in front of the fire place because I just love them so much!

I used leftover burlap to make bunting that says GIVE over the  mirror...

And THANKS across the mantel.

Just a couple of random pieces - a pumpkin from the one-spot at Target and a couple of fall hued hydrangea stems I've had for a long time.

Baby Food Jars

Since I've been keeping my friends' baby, I've had a LOT of baby food jars around the house.  I decided to take some ideas from Pinterest and adapt them for all of these jars.  Here is a Thanksgiving decoration I made.