Thanksgiving Week - Day 1

I don't spend nearly enough time chronicling the days I get to spend with my kids. This year I am off all week, so I've decided to write some about what is going on.

So yesterday we made a list of all the things we/I want to get done this week. I am sure we won't make it through all of it, but at least its a start. I tend to get at least mentally over ambitious and it ruins all the fun, so I'm trying not to do that.

Yesterday, the kids got up and I didn't even hear them until 7:45. This means they got up, went down stairs and were quiet, not arguing or bickering until then. And they didn't wake me or Seth or Haley up. It felt so good go sleep in some.

Then we decided to put their tree up in the living room. I put up the tree, they fluffed and decorated it. They did a good job, much better than last year where all the ornaments were squished together. Seth helped. At first he thought he could just put the in the tree and they would stay. By the time we were finishing he knew he needed a hook and could help me out them on. His favorite part is the button (pedal) to turn the lights off and on. The kids have done really well decorating.

I think Daniel was the most excited to get the trees up. He loves Christmas and loves having lights in his room. Later in the afternoon, after we went grocery shopping, the kids out their trees up in their room.

My fancy organized tree is the only one not up yet I'm hoping to at least get it up today. May be decorating it tomorrow.

In the afternoon we watched Home Alone, which I had recorded on TV a few days ago when I saw it was showing. The kids and I think that movie is so funny. Daniel thinks it would be fun to be so brave and face the bad guys like Kevin did. I was just glad he realized that some of the stunts prepared to hurt the bad guys weren't very safe. My kids love to laugh. So much so that they burst into laughter at the humor in a movie and we miss the next minute or so of what is going on. Often it frustrates me, but I guess we could all use a little more laughter.

For dinner, I made chicken and dumpling casserole. We really like it and it is so easy to make.

It was a great day and not once did their biological family come up. It doesn't scare me or intimidate me, but those thoughts usually leave my kids frustrated or angry. I'm just glad it was a nice day with the kids.