Happy Thanksgiving to all!

I am not going to lie, Thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday.  It is a ton of work for so little reward.  We have had some pretty miserable Thanksgivings in the past and that always seems to be in the forefront of my mind each year as I boil mounds of potatoes for salad and stand on my feet for hours chopping and compiling and trying to please everybody.  However, with that said, I love the smell of the house after all that effort, I love the gathering of the family under my roof -- a couple of hours with my family together at home is worth all the effort and, of course, it is the kick-off to the best season of the year -- Christmastide!

So, after we gather together this evening, say our prayers for all the blessings we have been granted this year (and there have been many) and try not to eat ourselves into oblivion, the Christmas movie watching will ensue.  I have a rather sizable stack of Christmas-y DVD's and I love to go through them each year and enjoy a few to get me into the spirit.  I am not sure what I will start with, maybe my favorite "The Bell's of St. Mary's" with it's infamous Nativity play scene.  I will see what the Hubs would like to see and go from there.

Then tomorrow -- yes, it is Christmas full steam ahead.  Hubs is already working on the Christmas village set up -- improving it and making it easier to do -- pics will follow.  I think by Sunday all will be set up and ready to go.  This year I am determined to get everything set  up early enough so that I can actually enjoy it, not be in such a rush and not be so late so that I feel like I have to take it right back down!

Now, I just have to find Tuppy -- my elf on the shelf -- I know he is here somewhere -- Tuppy, where are you?