On We Go!

 I am still having trouble believing that Thanksgiving has come and gone. I need to start my Christmas decorating right now but, I have a few commitments tomorrow and I really love to start a swap out early one morning and keep going for however many days it takes until it is done. Appointments in the middle of the day break my mojo...lol

And so, I think I will use today to catch up on some things, tomorrow for my appointments and start fresh on Tuesday. Of course, that is driving me crazy since I am seeing so many houses decorated and ready to go already so, we will see what happens.

In any case, Thanksgiving in my house was as chaotic as always...and I love every minute of it! People everywhere as well as 2 dogs added to the mix. Everyone was able to make it home which was a pleasant surprise because daughter #1 and her family were not supposed to be able to make it. Can you believe that I have the UF/FSU game to thank for that? Three of my grand daughters wanted to go to the game in Tallahassee this year and leaving from Ocala made the most sense. I didn't care how it happened..I was just happy to have everyone in one place.

Again, I didn't take as many pictures as I should have. Everyone was off doing their things-playing lacrosse, playing corn hole, watching football games, cooking, etc. and I didn't want to pull anyone away from what they were doing.

Daughter #3 and her family hosted and we all headed over there on Thanksgiving afternoon. Jen set up all of the tables in her living room so we could all be together...and she did a fabulous job! Everything looked beautiful!

Of course Nana wanted the obligatory grandchildren picture...too bad no one realized that being in front of the TV wasn't the best backdrop... but, none-the-less, I love any picture where we're all together!

We had drop-ins by boyfriends and girlfriends, tons of food and even more family and fun. By evening, we were almost all gathered in a cozy group playing a game called "Do You Really Know Your Family?" and it was not only LOUD as things usually are when this gang gets together but so much fun...and so enlightening! Lol

Much of the gang returned to my house and we all hunkered down to watch the new "Christmas Story" movie. It was like old times having the girls around overnight. It's hard to make this happen any more because they're almost all grown up with lives, jobs, homes and responsibilities of their own.

The next day was busy with everyone catching the things they needed to do but ended with daughter #1 and me finding the most PERFECT ( at least that's what I think I saw in the dark night lit only by pretty Christmas lights-lol ) Christmas tree and, better yet, from a lot that will deliver and set it up for me. Usually that is something that daughter #3 and my grandsons do but, since their football team is still in the runoffs for state champs, practices are every day and trucks are not available until later in December. We just happened upon this lot and all of their trees were beautiful so I am happy to get it on Monday evening. I've already got the spot cleaned out and ready to fill.

I will say, I usually get my trees at Lowes...and that is where we started but, oh my goodness, the trees they have so far were TERRIBLE...thin, small, scraggly and pretty much already looking like they were holding on to their last few needles. After that I was trying to convince myself that this might be the year to go "treeless"!

In any case, we were then of to the game where once again, Trinity Catholic won quite handily. We almost always do a tailgate at our home games and, since the FL/FSU game was on at the same time, we had a TV set up right next to us and went from one play to the next! There were lots of fans from both sides at the tailgate so things got a little louder and more vocal than usual. Lol

Gotta LOVE that long snapper!

The TC game got over pretty quickly with a running clock in the 2nd half so we all ran back to Jen's to watch the rest of the FL/FSU game. It might not have had the outcome we were hoping for but, at least 2 of my grand daughters that were at the game were happy. Lol 

By 6 p.m. last night, the last of the family was headed home. As much as I hate to see them go, I'm always in favor of watching the weather and the traffic...and, from personal experience, Thanksgiving Sunday is not a fun travel day. In any case, by 11 pm, everyone was home safe and sound and, the house is much too quiet again.

So I'm off to do "I don't know what" but I'm pretty sure that the next time I post my house will be decked out in red and green. Stay safe and stay tuned.