This Week In My Home: Ding Dong, Ding Dong

Santa Claus photos were taken on Friday afternoon.  Josh balked at first but the idea of Isaac getting a candy cane while he got none was too much.  He went to sit on Santa's lap and the photo was gotten.  We walked through Bass Pro with only a few 4 year old incidents.  At one point, going through the women's department next to the big fish tanks, Josh spied hats.   "Look!  I wanna cowboy hat!" he said and put one on his head and Isaac's and then gave one to me.

                                                   Here we are, we three amigos

It rained all day long yesterday and was foggy, as well.  Miserable weather to go to Macon in and miserable weather to come home in, but it was fun.  I enjoy having this Santa photo as my special thing with the boys.  I loved having one on one time with Bess as we ate lunch, and with Sam on the way home.  It was dark when we returned, though it was but 5:15.  I walked indoors just in time to have Shabat and John called just as I lit candles so he was part of that moment.

I was truly tired last night and off to bed quite early and slept hard.  John came in this morning to a big breakfast of French toast.  He was bone weary but it was sheer determination when the Fed Ex truck drove up in the yard and got stuck...Did I mention it rained all day yesterday?  That was a heavy sprinkle all day long.  After we got home it poured and it was pouring when I got up at 1:30.  The yard had standing water just about everywhere yesterday morning.

So the truck pulled up and she was good and stuck following her stop.   John managed to get her going again and then he fetched a shovel and started filling in the deep tracks left behind before coming wearily into the house.  She said that she'd gotten stuck in another yard this morning...I'll lay odds she got stuck several more times today which no doubt slowed her delivery times a great deal.

I plan my work week: 

It's Harvest week with errands to run and groceries to be bought.  And I must buy groceries because I need several items to do...

Christmas cookie baking and making of appetizers for the family party.

Finish Christmas shopping and get packages wrapped.

Take Mama shopping.

Get guest room in order and make sure that mattresses are inflated for grandchildren.

I plan meals:

Roasted Chicken with roasted Vegetables

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Salad

on my own x2

probably one meal out with John on grocery day

Salisbury Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Green Peas

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I really need to work on planning our suppers.  Of late, when John looks at me at 5pm and says "Any plans for supper?" my reply has been in the negative.  I don't have things readily available on evenings when I'm tired  and don't feel like making anything.  So this week I want to take time to make up a few sandwich fillings or at least plan some easy simple suppers and make sure I have items on hand.  I'm thinking a once a week prep time would take care of that situation.

I plan my leisure:

I have not pulled out my Christmas books at all.  I keep saying I will but so far, no.   I started an Emilie Loring book, which seems to be about all I've read this year.  Truthfully not sure what I will do this week for leisure.  I have a great deal to do and want to get as much as I can accomplished so that I can relax over the weekend and enjoy my family.

John and I have been trying to find suitable Christmas movies on Netflix and Prime.  So far, we've watched "The Christmas Candle" based on a book by Max Lucado and still another version of "A Christmas Carol" starring Seymour Hicks.   We also viewed "The Nutcracker" by NYC Ballet.   If I do nothing else this week I will sit with a cup of hot chocolate each evening and enjoy the glow of the Christmas tree lights.