Farewell November

The last day of November.  November is usually a bleak month to me and I am always glad to see it go. Not that I don't like Thanksgiving because I do. But I have a hard time getting used to the lack of daylight, the loss of the color on trees, and such.  December eases me because the holidays bring with them the lights and decorations and push back the darkness.  Which is of course, what people have been doing since they learned how to make fire.  Clearly I am not all that evolved! LOL
But this year as November finishes and we head into the festivities of Yule, I am amazingly caught up. It is almost scary!  For the first time in nearly 4 years I had 3 days off from BOTH my jobs. Because those 3 days came bracketing Thanksgiving weekend, I actually had 5 days in a row with no employment obligations to anyone.  The last time that happened, we got a call to fly to Chicago the week before Christmas to bring Lissa  home!

I don't do idle very well.  My family was always the kind that was doing something.  Summer vacations always started with a big house project first and moved on from there.  We had fun, but it was fun doing. Not lying around watching TV or "hanging out."  It is a lifestyle I never shook and carried forward into my life even now, so many many years later.  So I used my free time well and wisely.  I wrote all my cards.  We only need to add a picture of the kids and then I can mail them on Saturday.  We have made lots of cookie dough and frozen it in balls ready for holiday gifts. We have decorated our house inside and out.  Over the past few months I did almost all the shopping for Christmas. I only have stocking stuffers left and 2 other gifts to purchase.  I don't have anything wrapped, however as they are all hidden all over the house.  But overall, I am really prepared and I like knowing that i can do things like take the kids to the city tree lighting festival this Saturday and not worry about how to sandwich in the other stuff.  The gift of time is always the greatest gift.