So Thankful

It's Thanksgiving Eve and we are right in the middle of our Thanksgiving Break. My heart has been so full this week as I've listened to my boys play, enjoyed the Christmas lights around me, and started preparing for Thanksgiving. I am just so thankful for so much. I can't even put into words the gratitude I've felt over the past several days.

The week hasn't been perfect... the boys have come down with some sickies (Garrison came down with strep!) and I've had some moments of just about losing it because of the loudness and craziness and sometimes fighting going on around me. But this week I've been so reminded of my blessings and all I have to be thankful for. It's been a sweet time of preparing for Christmas but still enjoying all that comes with Thanksgiving Break and getting ready for Turkey Day. =) 

Here's what we've been up to recently which just so happens to be some of what I'm most thankful for...

I LOVE the Fall Season and love decorating for Fall, but Friday morning I also really enjoyed putting it away in preparation for decorating for Christmas. It's the most wonderful time of the year and we are so excited for advent. I lined all of my Fall decor up on a shelf in the basement before getting it all packed away into boxes. I love how my decor has grown over the years and the sentimental value and memories so many of my little decorations hold. 

Friday afternoon my little pilgrim and Indian were excited to kick off Thanksgiving Break. =)

Austin didn't feel so great after school so he stayed in my lap most of the afternoon while Garrison and Layton played outside. We enjoyed watching his brothers play so much. And I'm especially thankful he still loves being in my lap and I can still help him feel better when he's under the weather. 

Sunday after church we got most of the house decorated for Christmas! For the most part the only thing we'll have left to do after Thanksgiving is decorating our tree. We celebrated our newly decorated great room by watching Frosty on Sunday night. The boys started it while Terrell and I were still cleaning up from supper and then we all 5 watched together on the same couch. #overflowingwiththankfulness

Layton has been the most excited and wowed by all of the Christmas decor and lights. His reaction to everything has been PRICELESS and my mama heart is loving every second!

On Monday morning I decided to pull out the boys' little trees and their box full of ornaments so we could decorate together. It turned out a little chaotic. Ha. While I was sorting ornaments and getting them out of the box the big boys were working away at record speed. And when they finally finished and I had a chance to look up at their tree, this is what I saw. Hahahaha!!! Soooo, mama had to do a little rearranging. I mean tangled ornaments and a top heavy tree just weren't ideal. Haha! I'm still cracking up at this! 

After a little assistance and basically starting over, we got their tree decorated again and it looks awesome. =)

Layton laid out all of the ornaments I gave him on the floor in his room and then when we were ready to move to his tree to decorate he handed them to me one at time. It was the perfect system and his tree turned out awesome too. Layton's tree is more transportation centered (which is perfect for him) while the big boys' tree is more sports centered (also perfect). They also have superheros, Frosty, Noah's Ark, Cookie Monster, etc. I just love our "boy" trees!!

So I mentioned that I bought an old, antique buffet for our dining room and that my mom was "restoring" it for me. Well here is the before picture the day I went to look at it. It was almost exactly what I was looking for and since I was able to get it for a great price I went for it. I picked a new color for it, new hardware, got rid of the decorative top piece, and then my mom went to work. We ended up removing the decorative piece at the bottom in the center too. She did all the hard labor of sanding, painting, painting some more... and some more, waxing, getting on hardware, etc....

 

And she did an amazing job!! Here is my brand new buffet in my dining room!!! I love it soooo much! It's vintage (from the 40's), it's a little bigger than what I originally thought I wanted (but more room for storage), and it just has character. It's added so much to our dining room and I can't wait to show off the rest of the room. We finally have it almost completed and it's so much more special now! I am loving decorating our home. If only money grew on trees! Haha. HUGE thanks to my mom for doing such a great job for us!! 

 This book is so good. And this week I've had an opportunity to press pause a little more often. It's been so encouraging and full of reminders and convictions. 

Playing basketball against my big boys was a workout! Haha. But it was so much fun. And I'm thankful I was invited to play. I'm pretty sure I'll accept the invitation for as long as they'll include me. =)

My middle baby was in the paper yesterday! I am LOVING his PreK experience and soooo thankful God led us to big school and his teachers and sweet little class.

Last night we let the boys pick another Christmas movie to watch. They chose Santa Claus is Coming to Town. =) It's a classic and I loved watching with them. 

17 years ago tomorrow, Terrell and I became us. Life with this guy has been one adventure after another and I am SO especially thankful for him, our marriage, our family, and our story. God orchestrated every single detail, details that occurred well before November 24, 1999, and we give Him the glory. God's goodness and grace truly knows no bounds. 

I am so thankful for this break and for a day and time set aside each year to be intentional about thanksgiving and gratefulness. God has opened my eyes to so many little things that really are huge things. Special moments, family, gifts, time, health, friends, home, laughter. So, so thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours! I hope your day is filled with family, good food, laughter, and sweet memories.