Ollie Jingle has arrived

We adopted an "Elf on the Shelf" this year. Sean is LOVING this new tradition. Everyday, Ollie hides in a spot in the house, to watch over Sean to make sure he's being a good boy. Then each night, he flies back to the North Pole with magical Christmas powers and reports back to Santa about how the day went. Before dawn each day, Ollie flies back to our house and hides in a new spot for Sean to find him. These are a few of his hiding spots so far...




There is just one rule... No one, meaning children, are allowed to touch Ollie or he would lose his magical Christmas powers and then he would no longer be able to fly to the North Pole. Other great attributes: Ollie is a great listener, but is unable to speak, this cuts down on any additional noise in the house. While he appears to be a weakling, Ollie really has the stregth of an Ox, just look at him holding himself from that fan... he's been there for HOURS! He brings great JOY to Sean... and lots of Fun to Mom and Dad, who have fun assisting him find new hiding spots. :)

My turkey visited me at work on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving. It's the first Thanksgiving Day that we have not celebrated ON Thanksgiving day... and let me tell you...it will be the last. It feels so blahhhh. I know it's just seen as a day to EAT. But it's more about a day to get together with family. And today I am realizing how much I am missing out on that tradition....And when I say Family... I mean ALL Family, extended Family, friends, neighbors, people who aren't really Family by blood, but have been around so long that I feel their absence this year.

Marti and Bob have moved to Montana, so they won't be with us this holiday season. I can't think of a Thanksgiving or Christmas that Marti hasn't been with us for one or the other or both... or at the very least our baking party. I know their family up north will be more than thrilled to have them with them this year.. but I must say, the selfish side of me is very sad.

Grandma Susan and Grandpa Steve are on a fabulous trip to Turkey. ( I know, right? Turkey on Turkey day...hilarious!) And I hear they are having a wonderful trip. But I so wish they were here with us, making a big dinner.

Not that any of this would have mattered.. Mom and I are working this Holiday... so had Marti and Bob been living in AZ and Steve and Susan been in the US, we still would have been working.. but it just doesn't feel like the same Thanksgiving holiday as when I was growing up.

I remember the best Thanksgivings. We were usually at either my G-ma & G-pa Jennings or G-ma & G-pa Glass' house... and the house was FULL! I SOOOO appreciate those days and those memories. I hope that one day, Sean looks back at our holiday memories as fondly as I look back at mine. I wouldn't trade them for the world.

So I leave this blog with this one last thought... it's not a holiday about EATING... and maybe it should be more about "Giving Thanks"... But for me it's about making memories that we each look back on fondly as moments that we had the opportunity to do nothing but just enjoy each others presence and know that there is no other place that I'd rather be than with "Family", no matter how that term is defined.

Hold the one you love

Grandma Susan and Grandpa Steve came to visit this past weekend. It was a short but sweet visit. Sean LOVES when his Grandparents are around. He has such a special relationship with each and every one of them, and as he gets older, it's started to become more defined. It's so interesting and charming, and I just love to watch how he interacts with each of them. I snapped this photo of him snuggling with Grandma Susan on the couch... and I just love it.

It's so interesting to me how the most precious pictures that Sean takes, he holds the faces of those he loves..... here are a few other picture so show what I'm taking about...

November, how did you get here?

I know that November comes right after October, and Halloween is at the end of October.. but it feels so weird to be in November! November feels so OFFICIALLY, "Holiday Season". Thanksgiving and Christmas and just weeks away. My co-worker has a countdown on her desk, so I'm reminded daily that Christmas is 49 days away, as of today. Holy Moly!

I will be working this Thanksgiving, but thankfully, I'll be off for my requested time off for Christmas, and without having to use any vacation time! (the perk of my job)

As for any fun and exciting happenings around the house... Well one funny thing going on is that I have been made aware that I have got to be VERY careful about not only WHAT I am saying... but the "context" of what I am saying. For instance... I have a habit of saying, "what the...? " and leaving an open ended question. It could be for anything. It's usually not a cuss word. Generally I say, "what the heck?" or something along those lines... but to hear that phrase come from your 3 yr old's mouth EXACTLY how you say it... in exactly the proper context... makes you realize that it's probably not the best thing to blurt out. ( i think i formed the habit to try and stop myself from cussing in the presence of Sean)... Well Sean thinks it HILARIOUS.. and just regular conversational lingo and is saying it ALL THE TIME... (it is kinda funny.... but I cringe thinking other parents must wonder what I'm teaching my child.)