Advent paused.

November 30, 2022

Day 2,233

Thankful for: 

The end of a long day. 

Panera to go when I literally just can't cook dinner. 

Tears cried over Christmas movies. 

Hugs from Tobin and Adelyn. 

Texts from Matt. 

The sweetest students. 

Sweet Higbee. 

Tomorrow is Thursday and the next day is Friday. 

I crossed two huge items off of my to-do list today. 

A rainy, windy, cloudy day. I so needed it. 

Friends that pray for me. 

My family. 

Having family members at work. I love it. 

Our warm, cozy, dry home on a cold, windy, wet night. 

A fun day planned for my students tomorrow. 

We picked a day from our advent bowl tonight, but we will have to pick again tomorrow. Tobin messed up and wrote the same thing: early Christmas present, five times in a row. :) Oh, Tobin. 

We will pick up with celebrating advent tomorrow. We just had to pause it for tonight. 

Third Day of Advent: write a Christmas card to someone you love.

November 29, 2022

Day 2,232

Thankful for: 

The third day of advent: write a Christmas card to someone you love. The cards the kids wrote were very sweet and thoughtful. 

I got to watch Casey, Sophia, and Odette for Patty and Armando while they moved storage units. 

Ice cream for dessert. 

Tomorrow is the middle of the work week already. 

Rain in the forecast for tomorrow. 

Cuddly Higbee. 

Matt. He helps me so much. I'm so thankful to have a husband who helps me, supports me, and loves me. 

The feeling of going to bed after a long day. 

Second day of Advent: watch a Christmas movie.

November 28, 2022

Day 2,231

Thankful for: 

Our new Christmas tradition. It's fun, and it makes me feel like I am making the most of this Christmas season. I want to be fully present at night with my family. I don't want to consider the week to be all school and nothing else. I can get into the habit very easily of our entire lives revolving around school during the week. (And on the weekends.) I want to stop that. I want to leave school during school time, and be home and present during home time. I'm thankful that this new Christmas tradition is helping me do that. 

I made soup for Adelyn's lunches, dinner for the family, and cookies for dessert when I got home after school today. 

We picked the following out of our Christmas advent bowl: watch a Christmas movie. We watched Home Alone 2. 

Our home looks very cozy and lovely all decorated for Christmas. 

Tobin got a haircut after school and he says he feels much better. 

Lunches prepped and ready to go for tomorrow. 

The feeling of laying in bed with Matt. 

Writing out all the wonderful things we've bought for the kids for Christmas. One of the things I love about Matt is that he does Christmas and birthdays really well. 

Higbee was sleeping so comfortably this morning that he did not want to get up to eat or go out. He stayed in bed sleeping with Matt while we got ready. I love comfy Higbee. 

First Day of Advent: open an early Christmas gift.

November 27, 2022

Day 2,230

Thankful for: 

A day called Sunday. 

Lighting all the candles and turning on all the lights just for us to enjoy at home. 

Being able to go Christmas shopping. 

Starting a new tradition this year on the first day of advent: We each wrote down 8 things to do to celebrate Christmas beginning today on the first day of advent. Every day, we will pick one paper out of our Christmas bowl and we have to do that thing to celebrate the season of advent and Christmas. I'm excited about this new tradition. 

The first paper we picked out of the bowl today was: open an early present. Matt and I gave the kids Warmies. Those are stuffed animals stuffed with flax and lavender. They are good for calming and soothing anxiety. Adelyn got a cow, and Tobin got a puppy. Adelyn named hers, Oreo. Tobin named his, Warmie. 

Prayer. Lots of prayer. 

Christmas music. 

A brand new week starting tomorrow. 

Hugs from Matt, Adelyn, and Tobin. 

Cuddles from Higbee on the couch. 

A beautiful Christmas season to look forward to. 

A good family day.

November 26, 2022

Day 2,229

Thankful for: 

A long day off. 

A long phone call with my parents and my sister. 

Pecan pie for breakfast. 

Starbucks and shopping with Adelyn. 

Leftovers for lunch. 

Turkey salad on bagels for dinner. 

A movie night with the family. 

Sleepy Higbee. 

A whole day ahead of us at home tomorrow. 

Shopping done for the week. 

I got Adelyn yarn today so that she can crochet a blanket. 

Hugs from Tobin, Matt, and Adelyn. 

Time to cuddle on the couch with Higbee. 

Matt helped me clean up today. 

Time to lay in bed and watch a show before bed. 

The sound of Looney Tunes in Tobin's room. 

Thanksgiving Part Two.

November 25, 2022

Day 2,228

Thankful for: 

A rainy morning. 

Blue skies and pretty clouds this afternoon. 

Time with my family. 

Delicious dinner and desserts. 

Hot tea after dinner. 

Things to be thankful for. 

Higbee, Hank, and Sparky. 

A night time walk down the driveway. 

Sparkly stars in the black sky. 

A great day with the people I love. 

Thanksgiving Day.

November 24, 2022

Day 2,227

Thankful for: 

Time with family. 

A delicious meal. 

Listening to funny stories. 

The cold air outside when it's hot from cooking inside. 

Christmas trees. 

More things to be thankful for than I could ever possibly count. 

A lovely Thanksgiving. 

Time with the people I love. 

First day of Thanksgiving break.

November 23, 2022

Day 2,226

Thankful for: 

A lovely, long day off. 

I slept in a little bit. 

I took Higbee for a long morning walk. 

I had coffee and a bagel on the couch. 

Tobin and I cuddled and watched a movie under a blanket. 

I cleaned the house. 

I cooked delicious food: stuffing, a pumpkin pie, and cookie bars. 

Lots of hugs from Adelyn and Tobin today. 

A long afternoon walk with Higbee and the kids. 

Lots of Modern Family. It's a really funny show. 

Easy meals today. 

Cuddly Higbee. 

Being able to be home with the great loves of my life. 

Missing Matt. It's a good thing to miss your husband. 

Texts from Matt. 

The feeling of going to bed in a cleaned home. 

Fries and a milkshake.

November 22, 2022

Day 2,225

Thankful for: 

The last day of this school week. 

The knowledge that Matt, Addy, and Higbee are home together today. I love thinking about my family being all cozy. It makes me feel cozy. 

Going shopping after school for Thanksgiving supplies. I love Thanksgiving. 

Fries with Tobin on the way home. And a milkshake for Tobin. 

Coming home to the best home and family. 

The knowledge that I don't have to set my alarm for tomorrow morning. 

A delicious dinner. I love when I try something new and it just works. 

Vacation started this afternoon after school. 

Little House Day.

November 21, 2022

Day 2,224

Thankful for: 

A good day at school. Today was Little House on the Prairie Day, and my students had a great time pretending. 

A long break coming very soon. 

Adelyn came to school with me today to help. 

A quick trip to Wegman's with Addy in full prairie attire.

An easy dinner because Matt is working today. Easy dinner nights are fun. 

Only one more day of school until a long break. 

Little Sunday List.

November 20, 2022

Day 2,223

Thankful for: 

An early morning soccer game. 

The warmth of our home after the extreme cold of the outside air. 

A nap on the couch. 

The smell of bread baking in my home. 

A night with friends. 

Good food. 

Laughter. 

A short week at school. 

Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience

November 19, 2022

Day 2,222

Thankful for: 

A great morning at soccer. 

Chick-fil-a for breakfast. 

The Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience with the family. 

Dinner at Sweet Water. 

It was a super fun day together.