Time to Slow It Down

I always want to love the holidays. But I always end up hating them or dreading them. We are always normally broke when Christmas comes around. I know you would think that we would better prepare for them by now but no. We have so many places to go between Thanksgiving through Christmas evening. Well I have decided that this year will be different! We have slashed our Christmas list in half this year. The children will not be getting everything that they want that comes from a store this year. We won't be running here and there and everywhere this year to try to make everyone else happy. This year we will be making our own traditions.  Tomorrow we will be going to get our Christmas tree. Yes I know it's a little bit early. But Jay has plans to leave on a river trip on Friday so this works out. For Thanksgiving we were planning on having dinner at our house and cooking but once we figured out that Jay's entire family would be in attendance we had to move it to his parents house. But we are still doing the turkey.  We will not be racing off though and running to Wilson. This is part of our take it easy and enjoy life plan. Normally we run here and there for Thanksgiving, giving us heartburn from eatting so fast. This year we can go down and eat and relax and then come home before dark!  I am so excited about that. I love to see my family but being able to relax for a change is something I am looking forward to. Friday we are decorating! I love to decorate for Christmas. It puts me in the mood for the holidays. I remember decorating with my mom when I was little. We spent the whole day putting up tree decorations and putting candles in the windows. And how good the house smelled with a real  tree! I miss a real tree. This is the first year in about 5 that we will have a real tree. I am so excited about that too!
The kids will be learing the TRUE meaning of Christmas this year. They will be learning why we celebrate Christmas and then what we can do for others and the importance of family. I don't want them growing up thinking Christmas is just about presents.
So here's to slowing down and enjoying the holidays this year instead of worrying and stressing and rushing through them. Here's to remembering memories instead of having to look at the pictures to get a glimpse of how the evening went.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Trick or Treat...Smell my Feet!

October is over. We have tricked and treated until we couldn't feel our legs anymore.  Friday we stayed in town b/c Goldsboro was doing their trick or treating on this night. When Halloween is on a Sunday things get really confusing.  Kylie was a vampire princess, Landon was Superman, Chase was Buzz Lightyear and Allie was the cutest little flower ever!!!  We went to a big neighborhood here in town that most of the people there decorate and hand out candy.  It was really nice. Jay went with us for the first time ever. He is normally busy with the haunted trail or something.  And although he rolled his eyes for most of the time and wanted to leave to go to the trail we still had a good time.

Saturday night we went to Middlesex to my brother's and sister
-in-law's church for thier fall festival.  That was so much fun because they go all out with blow ups and games and trunks decorated and food with fried snickers and funnel cakes. It was awesome. Kylie dressed up as a karate kid (she looked just like me when I was her age dressed as a karate kid) and the boys wore their superheroes costumes and Allie was an ECU Cheerleader with a big flower on her head.

Sunday we went to Wilson for thier town's trick or treating. We all went over to Joey's and Jennifer's house and went through their neighborhood. That was fun just being with family. The kids had a great time and got loads of candy. After that we ordered pizzas and hung out. Letting the kids play and baby Allie and Baby Joel get to know each other.

All in all it was a great weekend. We are stocked up with candy and sweets. Now it's time to start getting ready for the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before we know it. As well as Jay's birthday.