My List is Lost!

Oh no!

I've looked everywhere and I can't find my planning notebook (aka yellow spiral) that I keep all of my lists written in.

I know I took it with us to St. Louis, but I've unpacked everything and checked and double-checked the van and it seems to have vanished.

I feel lost!

However, I promised you all a list of the activities I'm going to fill my Advent calendar with, so I will do my best to work from memory.

Keep in mind that I'm going to work ahead in my calendar by a few days. This will allow me to be flexible and realistic with my schedule!

Here goes:

Family Advent Calendar Activities, or what I like to call "The Gift of Presence".

1. Decorate for Christmas! (Tree, lights, nativity sets, etc).

2. Make Christmas cookies (Sarah's choice).

3. Watch the Charlie Brown Christmas dvd (our family favorite!)

4. Have breakfast with Santa (at Abbey's school).

5. Do something nice for your brother or sister--without telling them it was you.

6. Shop/Wrap/Deliver our Giving Tree gifts.

7. Make Christmas cookies (Abbey's choice).

8. Handel's Messiah (we're going to a performance next week!)

9. See a Christmas play together (our church is doing one this year).

10. Go sledding (obviously, this is weather dependent but Colorado doesn't usually disappoint).

11. Spend an evening reading Christmas books.

12. Make Christmas cookies (Will's choice).

13. Drive around after dinner and look at Christmas lights.

14. Deliver cookies to neighbors.

15. Go out for dessert one evening.

16. Make a birthday cake for Jesus! (December 24).

17. Family game night.

18. Sign/seal/stamp our family Christmas cards.

19. Make luminaries (something new we're doing this year).

20. Make a gingerbread house (got my kit back in November with a 50%off coupon at Michaels--cheap!!!)

21. Pop popcorn and watch a Christmas movie (Holiday Inn or It's a Wonderful Life have been requested, though personally, I love laughing at ones like Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story).

22. Make ornaments (we usually make them for friends/neighbors and tie them to packages).

23. Learn about Saint Nicholas

24. Read the Christmas story from Luke's gospel.

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I think I did okay from memory, but of course I added Christmas cookies three times! (smile!)

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A friend sent me a link to an AWESOME blog called The Idea Room and her Advent ideas post was great. I can't wait to go back and read more of her stuff. Go check it out! (Thanks, Michelle!)

Ketchup

Brrrrrrrrr...it got very cold here last night. It's 10 degrees with a -3 windchill and I woke up freezing despite being snuggled under three blankets! I just poured a cup of coffee and climbed back into bed to type this post. Wish I could stay here all day. Or at least until the sun warms things up a bit.


Walking from the kitchen to my room, I glanced in Will's room and smiled because all three of our kids are camped out together in sleeping bags on his floor. They have the week off from school and they've spent the last three nights exactly like that. I'm grateful that my kids love each other and get along so well. They really are each other's best friends.

Ugh. Just took a sip of my coffee. I've weaned myself down to one cup a day because I gave up sugar a couple of weeks ago and unsweetened coffee is just plain bad. I wasn't going to give up creamer, but I tend to be an all-or-nothing-girl so I bid it farewell too. The good news is that my scale says I've lost 5lbs in about two weeks. The bad news is that I've grumpily counted the days until I'm reunited with my Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread CoffeeMate again. Two more days!

I'm actually considering extending my sugar fast beyond Thanksgiving. After I feast on pumpkin pie, of course. I have SO much more energy, I'm sleeping really well, and I just feel better without it in my system. Also, did you know that sugar greatly compromises your immune system? It really does. That alone is reason to make me think twice about overloading myself (and my kiddos) with sweets.

In other news...

I've been working like a madwoman getting my house really clean. I'm sure some of you have figured out by now that I'm a little obsessive in the housekeeping arena. That obsessiveness gets ratched up a dozen or so notches when I have guests coming. A friend is house-sitting/dog-sitting for us while we're gone and my inner clean freak has been in overdrive for the last ten days. I've been cleaning blinds, windows, cabinets, closets, and more. I have a couple more to-do's on my list today and then I can relax!

Oh, and I started my Christmas shopping--I've bought one gift. Considering that I usually start mid-December, I'm very proud of myself.

We were planning to leave for our Thanksgiving road trip today, but John really needed to work after being gone most of last week so we're leaving tomorrow. That's fine by me because I have a few things left to do today, including a trip to Target. Target is the brightest spot in my day. I just wish Target was closer--the nearest one is 12 miles from my house. Which, come to think of it is probably a good thing. I always spend a chunk of change when I go to Target.

I realized on Saturday that I don't have to prepare one single thing for Thanksgiving dinner this year. That makes me both happy and sad. I offered, but was assured that I only needed to show up with my appetite. I'm sure that won't be the case again for a long time, so I'm rolling with it!

I spent some time with my calendar on Sunday morning and realized that December is already *very* full. If you're my Facebook friend you've likely already heard me say this, but I decided on Sunday that nothing else is getting scheduled for next month. All the important things are already on the calendar, and I blocked out all the free days I have so that they actually stay free. I was talking to a friend at church about this and she reminded me that December will roll around again next year and I'll have opportunity to say yes to different things. Some of my Facebook friends scoffed at my resoluteness, but I'm really sticking to my guns on this one. I want December to be enjoyable, and it's not enjoyable for me when I'm running from one thing to the next.

Lastly, I had a lot of comments yesterday asking if I would share the list of activities for my Advent calendar. YES! As soon as we finish it, I'll post it for you. However, you should check out Michelle's list. She has some great ideas I want to copy.

Oh, and thanks for all your Trader Joe's suggestions. I'm going later this week and so excited to find some of the things you guys love!

Alright. Must get out of my warm bed and get this day started!

Catch-up. Ketchup. Whatever. You're caught up now. Smile.

Muffin Tin Advent Calendar

Look what I made!
I think it turned out SUPER cute. The best part was that it cost practically nothing since I had all the ribbon and magnet sheets and scrapbook paper/cutouts. I only had to buy the muffin tin--$4.50 at Walmart.

Here's a link with directions. I opted not to put numbers on mine, mainly because I didn't have enough number stickers! I was also going to paint the tin, but I decided at the last minute not to. I think it looks fine as is.

I hot-glued some rings to the back of the tin and tied different ribbons to it to jazz it up a little. Then I hot-glued the wide grosgrain ribbon so I could hang it. I hope it holds!

Here's a link to another one I found that I thought was cute too!

Let me know if you want more detailed instructions. I didn't follow the ones on that link exactly.

I can't wait to start using it! I think I told you that I'm going to fill the cups with family activities each day. I have a partial list, but John and I are going to finish our list (24 things is a lot to come up with!) on our long road trip this week. I'm sure you'll hear about some of 'em!

Another pic for you!

I'm dying to know!

Do you put your tree up before Thanksgiving?

Me?

Not usually, and not this year.

We put ours up early last year because my dad had just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which knocked the wind out of our sails, and we all needed a boost of joy.

But most years we wait until after Thanksgiving. I remember putting our tree up early a couple of times when John was in seminary and we went home for Thanksgiving break. It was REALLY nice to come home, flip a switch, and voila!--instant Christmas.

I'm trying not to stress that we're going to be gone this week and things are not going to get decorated for a few days after we return.

I'm not sure what the rush is, though it is nice to enjoy the trees and the lights and the decorations for more than a few weeks.

So...when do you put your tree up? And why?

I'm making a list and checking it twice...

I'm sure you're not surprised to hear that I'm making a list. I have at least two or three going at all times.

However, I'm working on a REALLY fun list and I need some help.

I'm going to Trader Joe's next week.

I have some standard things that I always buy there, and some seasonal things I hope to pick up--peppermint Jo-Jo's, gingerbread coffee, chocolate Advent calendars, etc.

But since I don't get to shop there all the time, I don't know all of the wonderful things I need to try.

So help me out. What do you lucky ones who live-in-the-land-of-Trader-Joe's buy every time you go, or simply cannot live without?

I'll have extra room to bring stuff home this time (I may even have a cooler) so lay it on me!!! I'm all ears.

Hump Day

Good morning.

Today is a happy day, friends.

Today my husband returns home after a six-day trip. Six days is a long time. John travels fairly often, but this is the longest he's been gone in a while.

He's been on a mini-publicity tour for his book. Three book signings, two television interviews, and another radio interview mixed in there as well. He's having fun, but I think he's pretty tired. I'm tired too. I never sleep well when he's away.

But he'll be home later and I'm so happy! And so happy for him.

Of course, anything that can go wrong while he's away usually does. This trip was no exception. Since Friday, I've had to handle some lovely stuff including--plunging a toilet (gross, gross, gross), dealing with an emergency vet visit for an eye problem with Jack-the-beagle, administering eye drops to a very active beagle three times a day (oh my gosh! not easy!), dealing with standing water under my kitchen sink, driving on icy roads, and helping my middle schoolers with their math homework (oy!) I'm sure there's more stuff that I can't remember right now. I'm content to let it live deep in the recesses of my memory.

Anyhoo....it hasn't been dull around here, and I'm actually a big fan of dull. (smile).

Today I'm field-tripping with some second graders to see a play--Peter Pan. That's two plays for me in less than two weeks! (So cultured.) I laughed when Abbey's teacher asked me if I wanted to go. She said this was an "easy" field trip because they'll all be sitting for two hours. I'm really good with that!

Today is pretty full so I need to get going. Just wanted to pop in and say hello! I also need to confess that I totally cheated on my sugar fast on Monday. After wrangling Jack at the vet for over an hour and driving on the icy roads and trying to get warm in the 15 degree weather, I gave up and drove through Starbucks. That gingerbread latte was SO good. But I'm back on track and haven't cheated since. I know that pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving is going to be so worth it!!! (By the way, I've lost three pounds just from NOT eating sugar for 10 days--not bad!)

Bye. Happy hump day. ;)

Been thinking about Advent...

Did you know that Advent begins two weeks from Sunday?

If I'm going to be intentional about celebrating this season with my family then I need to be on the ball, especially since we're going to be traveling for Thanskgiving. It's so easy for my good intentions to get lost in those busy days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

So....

I did a little bit of research and planning yesterday afternoon, triggered in part by a book I checked out from the library last week. The book is The Adventure of Christmas: Helping Children Find Jesus in our Holiday Traditions by Lisa Whelchel.

Let me back up and little and explain a little of what Advent is. It's easy to assume we all know and understand, but that's often not the case. Advent is the season on the Christian calendar that precedes Christmas. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and is basically a time of preparation and expectant waiting for the birth of Christ. As believers in Jesus, we re-tell and remember the stories surrounding Christ's birth, and we look for his second coming. I believe it's also a season to reflect on Emmanuel, God with us, in our day-to-day lives.

One way our family celebrates is by using an Advent wreath. Here's a pic of ours that I took last year.
Every night before dinner, we light the appropriate candles--one each week, and the middle one on Christmas. I have a small booklet that a friend gave me that has scripture readings for each week. There are responsive readings too, and we usually learn a new one each week to say at dinner each night as we light the candle.

An Advent wreath doesn't have to be fancy. I bought cheap candleholders at the thrift store one year and then bought a circular garland (above) at Michael's--with a 50%off coupon. The traditional candles are purple (3) and pink (1) but I've had a hard time finding those colors some years, so I just go with whatever I have (or whatever matches my kitchen decor).

If you do a google search, you can find tons of info about Advent wreaths--including how to make them, how to use them, what each candle represents, and the history of the tradition. I like that our wreath is the centerpiece on our table and a constant visual reminder of what the season is all about.

I referred to Advent earlier as a season of expectant waiting? I don't know very many people who enjoy waiting, do you?

An Advent calendar makes waiting a little easier for children. They can be simple or elaborate. Here's one we've had since Will was a baby.

Each day leading up to Christmas, my kids pull an ornament from the pocket and hang it on the tree. They love it. They also love these chocolate Advent calendars. I bought them each one at Trader Joe's last year for $1/each, and I plan to buy more this year!


Remember when I said I was feeling crafty but didn't know what I wanted to make? Well, I found an idea! I bought the stuff today to make an Advent calendar like this one. (This link is SO worth clicking on!!!) I haven't decided what to put inside for each day, but I'm sure that it won't be candy. I want to do something different. More along the lines of "presence" than "presents".

Some of my ideas include things like:

• Make cookies and deliver some to neighbors
• Make a Christmas ornament
• Scripture verses (like ones that go along with each week's Advent candle)
• Make a Christmas craft
• Buy a gift for a child in need
• Watch a Christmas movie
• String popcorn for the tree
• Sing your favorite Christmas carol at dinner
• Make a gingerbread house
• Go to a Christmas concert

You get the idea! My goal is to make time to do something together each day. Please feel free to add to my list!

I also just love, love, LOVE this video. Actually, I'm sharing two. They're both fabulous. If you have time, watch them both...because it shows what a difference we can make if we consumed less and gave more!!!

This one is from last year:

And this one was just released:

I mentioned this book at the beginning of this post and it has some good craft and recipe ideas for kids. I love that it explains the history behind some of our traditions--Christmas trees, lights, gifts, etc, and gives you ideas for weaving faith discussions into things you probably already do. I also pulled out a few new ideas I want to try this year.

Here's a couple more of our favorite Advent/Christmas traditions. It's hard for me to write a post about Advent and not mention John's book. We intend to read through it as a family this season! You have no idea how excited I am about that!

I strongly believe that before we step into the season of Advent, we need to celebrate Thanksgiving and be reminded of how much we have to be grateful for. That's why it feels a little weird to post this today. BUT...more than anything, I desire Advent to be reflective, calm, and focused. And for me, none of that happens without some planning and some intentional living. So...I've been thinking along those lines this weekend.

Wanna share your Advent ideas, traditions, or intentions? I'd love to hear them!

Carnival: If You Came To My House Today

One of my dearest blog friends, Kellie@LaVidaDulce is hosting a fun blog carnival this weekend. She asked us to complete this prompt and link up:

If you came to my house today...

So, if you arrived on my doorstep I'd invite you into my messy, messy house.

I'd offer you a cup of tea or coffee or maybe hot chocolate because our glorious weather has disappeared and it's once again cold.

I'm still not showered. My kids are home today and we're having a slow day. I asked them if they wanted to go see a movie or get out and do something fun. They all said no. Begged me to let them stay at home all day. (They're definitely MY kiddos--homebodies to the core!)

So there's really nothing extraordinary or creative or super fun going on at our house today. I'm just spending this day cleaning and getting things in order for the weekend so we can rest. Our last few weekends have been brutal! We've been going non-stop. But I hear there's snow on the way so we're hoping to lay low and watch movies and read and get caught up on our rest.

What about you? What's on your plate today? Anything fun?

And by the way, I'm sure Kellie would love for you to join the carnival. I bet she'd even save you come cotton candy or a fried twinkie.

Series

I just googled synonyms for list because it seems like all I ever post anymore are lists...and really, I can think of only one way to say "list"...even after googling the synonyms. The closest substitution I could find was series.

So this is a series of bullet points of some things on my mind.

• John and I had dinner last night with some dear friends, Sam and Amanda. Amanda did all of the sketches in John's book. John is giving away a print of one of those sketches this week on his blog (along with a book). He's drawing a winner on Friday.
• You can also go here and meet Amanda for yourself. I enjoyed visiting with her so much last night!
• I've always prided myself a bit on being a library girl. Always said, "I rarely buy books." Well, that's fine and frugal, but guess what? I'm married to a writer. And guess what? Writers NEED people to buy their books. So, I'm eating some crow these days...and putting my money where my mouth used to be.
• I have three sugar-free days under my belt. This morning I'm drinking my coffee without creamer. It's not bad...but it's not good either. How are the rest of you sugar fasters doing?
• So ready for Thursday. Because it is my Friday this week. My kids are out on Friday (and Monday) and so I get a four-day weekend. I'm thinking of painting my bathroom. If you find my motivation, will you let me know?
• Definitely feeling crafty these days, but don't have a project in mind. I bet a trip to Hobby Lobby would remedy that!
• I have book club today and hoping my friends will still let me continue in this group seeing as I haven't read the book. (Hanging my head in shame).

Alright. That's all. Short and sweet.

Hey, thanks for joining the 10 on the 10th fun. I always have a blast reading you guys' posts.

Happy Wednesday!

10 on the 10th!

I'm listy, you guys. I make lists all the live long day. Writing things down helps me not have to work so hard to remember them. You're the same way, right? Please say yes.

Lately I've been writing down things that bug me because it seems that if I write them down, then they bug me less.

My list is growing LONG though which leads me to believe that I am easily annoyed.

Thought I'd share 10 things from my list with you.

10 Things That Really Annoy Me:

1. Solicitors outside of stores.

Really, I would just like to walk in Walmart or the grocery store and not be asked if I'd like to buy popcorn or a subscription to the Gazette or raffle tickets or if I'm registered to vote in Colorado. It seriously bugs me. And for the record, I was not a fan of our Brownie troop selling cookies in front of Walmart last February for this very reason. But I did it, and now I feel guilty for ranting about this.

2. Opening a new bottle/jar/box/tube of something before the old one is used up.

Last week I discovered three containers of dishwasher detergent under my sink. Three. Seriously? One was almost empty, one was half empty, and one was brand new.

I also have two opened jars of peanut butter in my pantry (do you keep peanut butter in the fridge or pantry?). And don't even get me started on shampoo, soap, and toothpaste.

3. Stickers from produce on the sink, countertops, and floor.

You know the stickers that come on fresh produce that have the upc number or code on them? Well, somehow in my house they end up stuck to my kitchen sink, or the counter, and sometimes the kitchen floor. Seriously? Why not the trash can?

4. Dog hair. Everywhere.

Beagles don't shed nearly as much as other breeds, but wow. It's just gross. I have a small fortune invested in Scotch pet products and I still have to vacuum daily.

5. Non-Reply Commenter

I have quite a list of blog/Facebook things that bug me but this is at the very top of my list. People, people, people PLEASE configure your profile on Blogger (other platforms too) so that when you leave me a comment I can reply to you. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to reply to comments on this blog only to see these three words pop up: non-reply commenter. That means that I cannot reply to you via email no matter how much I want to. Here are the instructions for correcting this. I am begging you for the love of all things good, please go and do this. Please.

6. Clean Laundry in the Dirty Clothes Bin.

I'm sure this never happens at your house, but sometimes my children neglect to put their clean laundry away and somehow it ends up on the floor or under the bed and the dog lays on it or rifles through it and it ends up in the dirty clothes bin again. I'm not a fan of extra laundry.

7. Wastefulness.

I hate wasting food, especially in restaurants. I hate wasting time. I hate wasting energy/electricity. I hate wasting gas. I really hate wasting money.

8.Toothpaste in the sink.

I'm sure this never happens at your house either.

9. Spots on stainless steel.

The only stainless appliance we have is our coffeemaker. Thank goodness. Because fingerprints and water spots on it drive me

C-R-A-Z-Y. Just ask my husband. I gave him the "will you please try and be more careful so I don't go insane wiping this appliance down twice a day?" speech. Trust me, he wasn't loving me in that moment. But the spots have been fewer. Thanks, J.

10. Not being able to find things in my house.

I spent 30 minutes on Saturday looking for one of Sarah's sweater coats. How do you lose something like that? I also spent way too much time today looking for my cell phone. I emailed John and asked him to call me but that was useless since I'd set my phone to silent mode. Finally found it in the van. Last week I couldn't find my sunglasses (Abbey "borrowed" them) and one of my craft punches. Our house isn't very big...I just don't know why I can't keep up with things better!

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Sorry if this list sounds like I'm whiney and grumbly. I try to keep things positive most of the time, but this list was begging to be posted.

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If you want to play along, I'd love to have you. Just post a list of ten things (anything you can think of) and link to your blog post below!

Wanna Join Us?

I decided Saturday night to join my friend, Megan, in her sugar fast. She challenged her blog readers to take a break from sugar until Thanksgiving.

For me, that looks like this:

• No soda
• No dessert
• No baked goods
• No Starbucks
• Very Occasional (like once a week) honey in my hot tea

We're only fasting from sugar until Thanksgiving...which is about 2.5 weeks away, and even though I have a MAJOR headache today from the withdrawals, I know I'll feel so good when I get it all out of my system.

My one (tiny) concession is coffee creamer. I like my Gingerbread and Pumpkin Spice CoffeeMate a lot. But the thing is I only use about a teaspoon anyway. This morning I had my second cup with only half and half and it wasn't unbearable.

Megan isn't super strict on the rules--you can basically set your own. Maybe you just want to cut out dessert. Or soda. You can choose your parameters.

So...........anyone want to join us?

PS--I just realized today is the 9th, which means tomorrow is the 10th. I've got a good list going for 10 on the 10th! Be thinking about yours if you want to join in. I'll get my post up this evening for those of you who want to link up.

Two things...

Two quick things.

1. I just read our community newspaper that comes out at the beginning of each month. My favorite feature is the monthly weather wrap. Want to guess how much snow we had in October? 29 inches. That is just crazy. High temp for the month was 77, low temp was 8. I'm a weather geek. I find those statistics fascinating.

2. Sarah and I had a fun girl day today. We went to see a local production of Pride and Prejudice. It was GREAT!!! The actors did an amazing job, and Mr. Darcy did NOT disappoint. If you live in the Co Springs area and want more info, leave me a comment. It runs through November 14, and tickets were very reasonable.

We went to lunch before the play and Sarah chose Panera. I love Panera and now I have a reason to love it even more. Six words: Vermont White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese. It was worth every single calorie. We both thought it was better than the mac and cheese at Noodles & Company which was our favorite until today. Go. To. Panera. Now. You can thank me later. If you don't have one close to you, then I am just so, so sorry.

Friday...

I am SO glad it's Friday. We've been going non-stop since last Saturday and I am beyond tired. My house is a wreck, I'm behind on laundry, and my kids are all exhausted which has resulted in way too many meltdowns this week.

UGH.

We had planned to go to Denver after school today to eat dinner and do some shopping. That all went kaput last night after we realized that we can't get away soon enough to make it worth our while. The more I think about it, the more I'm okay with a quiet Friday night at home.

I love home. And this week I haven't seen enough of it.

So...on tap for the evening is a pot of chili (even though we're having record high temps) and a movie or two. And hopefully an early bedtime for all of us.

Tomorrow is full (of good and fun things) but I'm going to focus on today and take advantage of the down-time that my family desperately needs.

Happy Weekend to you too!

Because I'm a huge fan of lists.

This is a newsy post. Even though I posted every day last week I didn't really document stuff that was going on in our lives and that is main purpose of this blog. So I'm making up for it today and I can think of no better way to organize my thoughts than a list.

1. Halloween weekend was FUN! We had a neighborhood carnival that morning with games, crafts, snacks (at our house!) and a HAYRIDE! It was so much fun. I know you get sick of hearing me say how much we love our neighbors but it's true. We feel so blessed to live among such wonderful people who've become dear, dear friends!

After the carnival, we went downtown and trick-or-treated at all the local merchants. We also LOVE our small town! And then we trick-or-treated in our neighborhood and came back home to pass out candy.

Will spent the afternoon and evening with his best friend, and that's why I don't have any pics of all three of them together!

For those of you who were worried about us trick-or-treating in all the snow, Saturday was GORGEOUS! The sun did a beautiful job of melting a lot of it that morning and I even got hot while we were out and about. Had to come back and get my down parka after the sun went down though. ;)

2. We're the kind of people who drive our vehicles until they can't be driven any longer. I think in nineteen years of marriage, we've had only three car payments. We've known for awhile that John's car was probably getting close to meeting it's end. That happened on Monday (or so we thought).

He tried to make it in to work, but ended up in the parking lot of our auto repair shop instead.

I really thought we were going to be buying a new car this week. We will be soon, but the mechanic got it running again for about $100 and it has a little life left in it which buys us some time to think/pray/decide what kind of vehicle to buy. I'm just thankful not to have to make a big financial decision under pressure. And can I just tell you how much I abhor car payments? I'm reeling from sticker shock on new car prices. Wow.

3. We're going to be traveling for Thanksgiving. My cousin is getting married the Saturday after turkey day and we're going a little early to spend some time with my dad's family.

I'm not excited about the long drive, but I am excited that all of my cousins (except one) AND their children will be there. That might not happen again for a very long time.

I also think it will be good for me/us to spend this holiday with my dad's sisters and brother. I realized not long ago that I've been very self-focused in my grief. I know how losing my dad affects me but I never really thought much about how my dad's siblings might be coping. I think being all together will help lighten the heaviness we all feel. And weddings in my family are very FUN!

4. Thanksgiving is in THREE weeks. Does that freak any of you out too?

5. I saved close to $70 in COUPONS yesterday. I got so many things for free or mostly free. Makes me so happy. It took a lot of time and planning, but $70 is a huge payoff.

6. I just want to tell you how much I'm loving this countertop spray. It makes my kitchen smell like Christmas. I'm going to buy more next time I'm at Target. I need enough to last me all year long. I sometimes just unscrew the top of the spray to smell it. It's that good.

7. I'm sure I could come up with more things for my list, but I have a few things I need to tackle. Happy Wednesday everyone.

Winners!

The winner of the iTunes card is #53 Lori@TheHarperFamily

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

53
Timestamp: 2009-11-01 20:46:47 UTC

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The winner of Touching Wonder is #24 Moriah@PleasePasstheSalt.

Moriah had a beautiful baby girl last week!!! I hope she has time to read this book before Christmas is over--ha! Oh, and Moriah, I saved your address from the last time I mailed you something, so consider that one less thing you have on your to-do list! ;)

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

24
Timestamp: 2009-11-01 20:48:05 UTC

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The winner of the ribbon plate is #26 Melissa@AFamiliarPath. I bet she'll come up with some amazingly creative way to use this plate!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

26
Timestamp: 2009-11-01 20:48:47 UTC

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Winner of the Starbucks card, Redbox rental and game is Stephanie@OliveTree. Yay, Steph. Let me know which game you prefer!!!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

3
Timestamp: 2009-11-01 20:49:11 UTC

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And the winner of the cute market tote from TreeFrogCreations is Barbie@MyFreshlyBrewedLife!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

32
Timestamp: 2009-11-01 20:49:35 UTC

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CONGRATS to all the winners!!! I wish I had prizes to give to every single one of you who made my week so much fun!