Thank goodness for Thanksgiving!

When the school year starts each August, it becomes easy to fall into the daily grind, often causing us to lose sight of the important people and things in our lives. As day follows day and week follows week, it's a constant struggle to just stay afloat. This is just one reason I am especially thankful for Thanksgiving - it's a chance to slow down (not counting the actual turkey trot, where it was necessary to speed up) and relax with family and friends. 

I was lucky enough to visit with my parents and sister (and her fiance) in Michigan. We had a simple Thanksgiving - the annual "Mighty Gobbler" turkey trot in the morning followed by a late lunch/dinner (with my aunt and uncle joining us) around the table. My personal favorite part of the meal was the pumpkin pie. Mmm... 

Also, my sister and I spent part of Thanksgiving afternoon making the traditional family turkey apples. (We just didn't have the cloves for the eyes.)

We spent most of the day after Thanksgiving visiting our great aunt and my grandpa's best friends (who are as close to family as you can get). We shared a lot of good stories and laughs. I love the holidays. :)

My mom and I went to see the movie "Wonder" on Saturday. It stayed pretty true to the book (from what I can recall - I read it over 5 years ago), and it brought a number of tears to my eyes. I'd recommend seeing it.

Before heading out, my parents put up the Christmas tree and hung the lights. My dad even made a new tree topper for it. Then he started playing Christmas music on his guitar. It was then that I realized that I couldn't escape from all things Christmas - the time had come to give in...so I did. I downloaded Leslie Odom Jr's new holiday album for the drive home, and when I got home I wrote out and addressed Christmas cards. (I'm waiting a few days to actually send them, though.) Let the Christmas carols play and the lights shine brightly - it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And I'm okay with that.

Ready to go

Only two more days until Thanksgiving break...by Friday at 3:30pm the students and their families will be on their merry ways, and we, the teachers, will be packing up and heading out for ONE. WHOLE. WEEK.

In teaching there are so many ups and downs, not only from day to day but also from class period to class period. Something goes amazingly well or the students are extra attentive in the morning but by afternoon you feel like you're ineffective as a teacher because kids can't seem to follow directions or sit still for more than two minutes at a time. What a roller coaster. I'm certain that mentally, physically, and emotionally I am so ready for this break.

My family's heading up north to us (well, within driving distance) for the holiday, so, alas, the warm weather of back home will continue to beckon to me until January (and only then for a weekend respite on retreat). But before I join them, I am heading to the opposite coast for some much needed visiting with friends. I have never spent much time in that part of the country. (Let's face it, Phoenix, AZ, is its own beast. And I mean that in the best sense.) To say I'm excited would be the biggest understatement of the year.

My bags are packed, and my grad school work for the week is (mostly) done. Let's get this vacation started! (But let's forget about the grading that's starting to pile up...it'll be here when I get back, right?)

Happy Thanksgiving to all!