Getting Back to Neutral

How was your Thanksgiving?

With three toddlers running around, ours was hectic– in the best way possible. A house full of family made the week fly by, and the only snafu was a farm fresh turkey that I discovered was actually frozen in the middle… yes, after all that bragging that I was getting fresh to avoid any thawing drama. Thankfully we got it defrosted and the farm was generous in both apologies and a refund, cementing my notion that it always pays to buy from local, family run businesses.

Bacon wrapped turkey!

To prove my point, we went back to that same farm to buy our tree today. It was not frozen.

The day after Thanksgiving we all headed down to Maryland to celebrate the life of my uncle, who passed away after a very short illness this summer. You know it was a life well lived when there was as much laughter as tears, and at the end of the night you raise a glass of champagne with your cousins in honor of a man you loved so much. Noodle was in her element staying in a “fotel”, especially since there was some sort of dog show in the area so the place was full of doggies to smile and greet with a hearty “hey, buddy!” And by Monday, as we said goodbye to the last of our guests, we began the process of getting back to neutral before the rush of Christmas begins.

As usual, I had a fabulous series planned for you all highlighting 12 Day of Christmas Inspiration. But it’s already December 3rd, and my advent calendar is still in the box. At least we are all healthy this week, unlike last year, so I’m going to sprinkle as much holiday cheer into the blog as I possible can, and we’ll see how much I actually get posted!

Each holiday, I have our guests sign the table cloth (complete with hand prints of the kids) for a special memento that grows more precious every year.

The thing about blogging, especially lifestyle blogging with recipes and crafts, is you usually have to have everything done before the actual holiday. All the good bloggers out there wrote their Christmas posts in October so they’d be ready in time.

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not a very good blogger.

Noodle really understands Christmas this year and is as excited as can be, so I’m cherishing these precious moments and giving myself a pass to spend as much time enjoying the holidays as blogging about it. I’ve cut back on social media, made amends with my inbox, and have turned down several lucrative opportunities– all in the name of my family.

It makes it easier to say “no” when you have one of these looking up at you:

So, I’m hoping I’ll still be able to give you 12 Days of Christmas Inspiration, and actually more than that to be truthful, but beg you to be kind if I’m a bad blogger over these next few weeks. On the plus side, I suppose I could get started on Valentine’s Day and perhaps have it posted before Easter?

Supplies ready to be stored in my Thanksgiving Survival Kit.