Thankful Thursday and a Giveaway

I'm kinda late with my posts' and a week away from Thanksgiving but I didn't want to let it totally get away without sharing about our day. J had the week off and we debated whether we should go be with family in MS which would've been sooooo nice. But the trip would've been a quick one plus we still have so many projects_  unpacking that needed to be done since moving_ and J and I really needed some "us" time together doing something or nothing... just hanging out. I have found over our 15 years of marriage "us" time is such a necessity and the key I have found is to have fun. And at the end of the day he is my best friend and the one I want and thankfully get to share fun times with. So we did just that! Enough marriage talk though...  so anywho we opted to stay home and I know it was the right decision even though there were still times we would look at each other and say "should we go??". Cause you know getting to be with a big family {like J.'s} and having our kids get to be with aunts_ cousins_ uncles_ pawpaw's_ & mawmaw's is good for the soul and an opportunity we don't 

want to miss out on. 

And sometimes I find I put expectations upon myself that I just can't meet up to. 

It's a constant battle that I have to fight against because when I don't meet them then I internalize all of it and it's sinful...ucky, icky stuff. This year I had said I wanted to start a new tradition by getting the kids some little "happys" and writing notes to them. Well I didn't...and not because I didn't want to. 

It just wasn't really in our budget for buying extras and as for the notes I never took the time to sit down and write them out. However, we did get a new game that the kids have been wanting for awhile and can you believe we've never had it before.... Life. The game of Life....and we played.

There are some surprises at Christmas time happening within our family that I can't disclose yet but instead of making the traditional Thanksgiving meal we decided to do something a little different. 

So we had steak {hubs favorite}_ twice baked potatoes_ vegetable casserole_ apple pie_ and at the last I bought a small ham to have, too. Only because I knew we would have leftovers and could make sandwiches with it over the next few days. Another adjustment I had to accept and roll with... me not preparing and having a huge ole' Thanksgiving feast prepared....but we had plenty.

Some things we did do the same. We did go around the table talking about what we were thankful for 

in life and in each other. And I may have shed a few tears like always....

We did get another picture where hubs looks like he's smelling me....lol

We did watch some of the Macy's Day parade and we did get our tree put up that evening. 

Today a week away from Thanksgiving I'm still just as thankful. 

I look around at all we have, like a home_ heat_ a Christmas tree with decorations_ ... but I see so much more when I look over these photos and I'm thankful for another day that I have... and I see. This morning I woke up_ He has given me air in my lungs today which means He's not through with us yet.....and I exhale... thankful. 

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Also, 2 things today. As you may have noticed I have a "new bloggy design" and some new buttons.

So if you want to grab a new one to put up, please do so and if I'm not swapping with you and you would like to... email me! 

Secondly, Happy Birthday to Sarah over at Racing Towards Joy! She is having a double giveaway today with $20 off in my shop plus another sweet something she is giving away. 

So go enter to win and wish Sarah a happy happy birthday!

Happy Thursday!!

heather.