Week 47: Thanksgving, Christmas and Hallmark Movies
So Thanksgiving has come and gone. The four day holiday has been a very restful time for me this time around. If it had a theme this year it would have to be family. I started it off in the best way possible by calling my parents on Thanksgiving morning. To say that I miss them in Iowa is an understatement. It is one thing for them to come down and spend time with my brother and I, but there is something about going up to Iowa, walking in their house, and feeling like it is home. Or at least a second home. So I had been wanting to get back up there to visit. So for my birthday, my 50th, my present to myself is flying up to Iowa to spend some time with my Mom and Dad. Of course my parents knew nothing of my plans until Thanksgiving morning so it was nice to surprise them and ask if they had any plans around that time. And yes Mom, one day I will be published again!
Then it was time for Ginger to watch the parade and then go over to her parents house for Thanksgiving. Because of everyone there we had two tables, one for the guys, one for the girls. Sorry, no pictures of the girls table, have no reason why it did not occur to me to take pictures of their table! It was elegant however, ours was colorful:
Here was our centerpiece (I see some ideas with this picture coming to life in a fantastical sort of way):
One of the traditions I brought with me to dinner was a snack tray (homeade cheese log, colby marble cheese, carrots, and brown sugar ham along with Quackers, get it, yuck yuck):
Ginger's sister and family were here for the week. So we are amazed at how tall they are getting. Teddy is known as the tallest person in the family I believe, and they are about to catch him! This was the "funny" picture:
Of course the dinner was delicious. Ginger's family grew up with sweet potatoes:
I grew up with mashed potatoes, so along with my traditional cranberry sauce I made some mashed potatoes:
In the lower right is a new thing I did, candied cranberries, which are actually tarter than the sauce I make. They are delicious on vanilla ice cream.....
Of course Ginger had a request this holiday that I make my Mom's Cinnamon Tea:
Now Friday was Black Friday. But for Ginger and I, Friday is special because we begin decorating for Christmas! It is a tradition of ours that is very special to my heart. Pulling down the crates, sorting through the lights, and going out and getting anything we may need. And when it gets dark (it has to be dark) we go get our tree. Ginger loves a fresh tree, so one of the splurges we do on Christmas is get a real tree. For 8 Christmases that is what we have done. This year I decided to get some new ornaments for a candy cane themed Christmas. Lots of red, white and even silver. So Friday night is spent decorating, drinking cinnamon tea, and watching Hallmark movies. Without further ado:
Every year it takes, no lie, less than 15 minutes for us to find a tree. I have the measurements (I take a tape measure), we walk through and usually there is one that says I am it. This one said that. And of course I had to take a picture of one of Ginger's favorite ornaments:
Saturday I decided to get a bunch of things done that needed to be done around the house, including cleaning up my studio! I also got a new book on using Lightroom with my fun money (Lightroom is used in conjunction with Photoshop). And we got everything we needed for Sophie and got the house ready for her. Yes, it is happening. December 2nd, next Saturday, we are driving to Louisiana to pick her up. It is the earliest we can get her. It just feels right. Ginger is ready to have a puppy, and for me, well, having played with all the animals at Rebecca's, I am ready as well. Yes, I have a feeling lil Sophie will have me wrapped around her lil paw.
Today has been very restful. Church was excellent, got a little nap, and now Ginger is watching her Hallmark movies while I have my ear phones in and edit photos and write the blog.
Soap box time, picks up microphone:
Speaking of Hallmark movies. Had a friend tell me his wife watches them too and she asked him why he doesn't act like those guys. He proceeded to tell her that that is make believe, after 6 months no one acts like that. So I have thought about that,meditated on it. And I asked Ginger about it. You see, after 8 years of marriage and 10 years of knowing her, I still act like the Hallmark "good guys", Ginger's words not mine. Look, I am not perfect. But I am perfect for her. Look, I say the wrong things, I can be insensitive when I am busy or when I haven't eaten (I think the word is moody). I have done things wrong. But I have learned to say I am sorry, even if I feel I haven't done anything because it was how Ginger perceived what I said. I have learned that I do not always have to be right (see last sentence) or to get my way. I have learned compromise. I have learned to still hold her hand, give her hugs, say I love you often, laugh a lot, make her laugh, and especially kiss her. We laugh, when she calls me at work she can tell by how I answer whether I am busy or not. If I am she usually says that I can call her back. But I know my wife too. And those calls, I can tell in her voice if she really needs to talk or not. So I switch gears. Because here is the thing, she trumps the job. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, just love my wife more. I know that I am her everything and she is mine. We are a team, we are soul mates (yes we believe in being soul mates) and every night, as she falls asleep next to me I thank God for one more day with her.
Drops mic
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!
Baa
Then it was time for Ginger to watch the parade and then go over to her parents house for Thanksgiving. Because of everyone there we had two tables, one for the guys, one for the girls. Sorry, no pictures of the girls table, have no reason why it did not occur to me to take pictures of their table! It was elegant however, ours was colorful:
Here was our centerpiece (I see some ideas with this picture coming to life in a fantastical sort of way):
One of the traditions I brought with me to dinner was a snack tray (homeade cheese log, colby marble cheese, carrots, and brown sugar ham along with Quackers, get it, yuck yuck):
Ginger's sister and family were here for the week. So we are amazed at how tall they are getting. Teddy is known as the tallest person in the family I believe, and they are about to catch him! This was the "funny" picture:
Of course the dinner was delicious. Ginger's family grew up with sweet potatoes:
I grew up with mashed potatoes, so along with my traditional cranberry sauce I made some mashed potatoes:
In the lower right is a new thing I did, candied cranberries, which are actually tarter than the sauce I make. They are delicious on vanilla ice cream.....
Of course Ginger had a request this holiday that I make my Mom's Cinnamon Tea:
Now Friday was Black Friday. But for Ginger and I, Friday is special because we begin decorating for Christmas! It is a tradition of ours that is very special to my heart. Pulling down the crates, sorting through the lights, and going out and getting anything we may need. And when it gets dark (it has to be dark) we go get our tree. Ginger loves a fresh tree, so one of the splurges we do on Christmas is get a real tree. For 8 Christmases that is what we have done. This year I decided to get some new ornaments for a candy cane themed Christmas. Lots of red, white and even silver. So Friday night is spent decorating, drinking cinnamon tea, and watching Hallmark movies. Without further ado:
Every year it takes, no lie, less than 15 minutes for us to find a tree. I have the measurements (I take a tape measure), we walk through and usually there is one that says I am it. This one said that. And of course I had to take a picture of one of Ginger's favorite ornaments:
Saturday I decided to get a bunch of things done that needed to be done around the house, including cleaning up my studio! I also got a new book on using Lightroom with my fun money (Lightroom is used in conjunction with Photoshop). And we got everything we needed for Sophie and got the house ready for her. Yes, it is happening. December 2nd, next Saturday, we are driving to Louisiana to pick her up. It is the earliest we can get her. It just feels right. Ginger is ready to have a puppy, and for me, well, having played with all the animals at Rebecca's, I am ready as well. Yes, I have a feeling lil Sophie will have me wrapped around her lil paw.
Today has been very restful. Church was excellent, got a little nap, and now Ginger is watching her Hallmark movies while I have my ear phones in and edit photos and write the blog.
Soap box time, picks up microphone:
Speaking of Hallmark movies. Had a friend tell me his wife watches them too and she asked him why he doesn't act like those guys. He proceeded to tell her that that is make believe, after 6 months no one acts like that. So I have thought about that,meditated on it. And I asked Ginger about it. You see, after 8 years of marriage and 10 years of knowing her, I still act like the Hallmark "good guys", Ginger's words not mine. Look, I am not perfect. But I am perfect for her. Look, I say the wrong things, I can be insensitive when I am busy or when I haven't eaten (I think the word is moody). I have done things wrong. But I have learned to say I am sorry, even if I feel I haven't done anything because it was how Ginger perceived what I said. I have learned that I do not always have to be right (see last sentence) or to get my way. I have learned compromise. I have learned to still hold her hand, give her hugs, say I love you often, laugh a lot, make her laugh, and especially kiss her. We laugh, when she calls me at work she can tell by how I answer whether I am busy or not. If I am she usually says that I can call her back. But I know my wife too. And those calls, I can tell in her voice if she really needs to talk or not. So I switch gears. Because here is the thing, she trumps the job. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, just love my wife more. I know that I am her everything and she is mine. We are a team, we are soul mates (yes we believe in being soul mates) and every night, as she falls asleep next to me I thank God for one more day with her.
Drops mic
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!
Baa
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