karafleck

the fourth week of November

Uncle Arnie’s turkey, a treasured family heirloom

This is a bittersweet week for our family.

On the one hand it’s lovely to have my college kiddo home and to get to travel to see extended family. But there are empty seats at the table.

Maybe you also know this thankful / mournful feeling?

Let’s think of each other this week and in the weeks to come. Let’s gently squeeze each other’s hands through the heart swells and the heartaches. Let’s be kinder than necessary this holiday season. (But with firm boundaries, okay babies? With firm boundaries.)

Here is the week I hope to have:

11.20.22 – 11.26.22

  • 21st – Enchanted (2007) We are silly excited for the sequel, Disenchanted
  • 22nd- our family Charlie Brown Thanksgiving night
    • Toast, popcorn, pretzels, jellybeans Some years I’m literal about Snoopy’s exact menu and sometimes it’s garlic toast pizzas, soft pretzels with beer cheese, things like that. This year I might try a raspberry pretzel salad for our “pretzel” portion. The idea here is a fun night for us and a break from the more intense food prep of Thanksgiving week. I have a holiday fantasy that one year THIS is going to be our actual Thanksgiving.
  • 24th – celebrate THANKSGIVING
    • Macy’s Thankgiving Day Parade
  • 25th – (WTHR) local Indy Christmas Tree lighting

First things first …

Be gentle on yourselves and be realistic. Please. We’ve learned lessons over the last few years about what behaviors and circumstances are sustainable, about what is healthy. Let’s apply them especially to the holiday season.

It’s a big week, babies. We can do this.
One task at a time.

To Do / Enjoy / Remember:

  • Pay Day is this week:
    • Budget x Paycheck
    • Stuff cash envelopes
  • Clean and declutter the entryway:
    • Clean entry rug
    • Disinfect door knob, light switches
    • Window/transom
    • Coat rack, boot mat, umbrella stand
  • Refresh flameless candle batteries, reset timer I like to bump it up earlier every few weeks along with the changing sunset time.
  • Donate to the local food pantry via the bins at our library
  • At least one night of “cereal for dinner, kids!”
  • Make sure we have Caramel Apple Suckers for Uncle Arnie’s wooden turkey A prized family Thanksgiving treasure!
  • Inspect and inventory decorations for Christmas
  • Order New Year’s Eve decorations 2022
  • Begin Christmas decorating (put the tree up while we are all home for Thanksgiving)
  • Finalize Advent prep
    • make sure the college kids take their calendars back to school
  • Finish up holiday cards
  • Replace dish sponge 
  • Purchase some Christmas gifts $$$
  • Switch to Christmas coffee cups, mugs
  • Decorate with Christmas photos
  • Update Roku screensaver – I use family photos
  • Have you seen this video from the New York Times and Ina Garten about Thanksgiving shortcuts?

I plan to put up my feet and knit along to …

  • Holiday Baking Championship
  • Christmas Cookie Challenge
  • Gingerbread Showdown
  • Arthur’s Thanksgiving (Amazon)
  • Disenchanted on Disney +
  • Christmas Chronicles (Netflix)
  • Jingle Jangle (Netflix)

This is a good time of year to bookmark the Christmas TV Schedule site.

Be brave. Be kind. Keep going, babies. Things are tricky and budgets are tight, but look at us making magic anyway!

Advertisement