Pre-Thanksgiving

    So tomorrow is Thanksgiving.... well actually it is right now, so happy Thanksgiving folks.  I am up at 12:24....WHY?   Well my pumpkin pie is still in the oven, and will be there for near an hour.  I still have Pumpkin cheesecake bread to make, and I am not sure how to do both of them or how this is going to work without being totally exhausted by tomorrow morning.   I just looked at the instructions, and since it takes the blender that will have to wait till the morning as I dont want to wake anyone up LOL.
    So, I feel a little lost this year with the Holidays.  For starter, family life is a far cry from what it has been.  But, aside from that, I am not hosting it this year.  I know that sounds crazy to some people. I mean I know people that would give anything to not have to clean that mess up and have to do all the cleaning and cooking.  To be honest that's not that part that I miss.  It does give me a reason to clean my house.  By clean I don't mean like turn the dryer on for the 3rd time because I am too lazy to put the damn things away. I mean really clean.  It keeps me busy planning and cleaning a good 3-4 days prior to a Holiday at this house.
    The best part is the day of.  When people are around you in your house, enjoying the food, football, and conversation.  For some reason, I think that it makes me feel accomplished when I can look around when all is said and done, and the craziness of it all starts to calm, and you see people that you care about enjoying themselves.  You know since we have been in the military, we have not spent a Thanksgiving home. However, we have always welcomed single soldiers into our home. Some friends' husbands have invited soldiers into my home when dave was deployed.  I really can not stand the thought of these men and women having to be way from away, and not having anyone to spend this holiday with.
    It is a time to be thankful for the things that you have in your life.  Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the day to day that it seems like it is impossible to see the good in the things around you.  Sometimes you just feel like your day sucked so bad, and you wonder what the hell there is good happening.  I know there is a lot of days that I have had like that here lately.  You feel like whatever was good in your life, is crumbling, and the only thing that you can do is sit there and watch it all happen.  Like it is all out of your control.  The reality of it is that I still have a roof over my head.  I still have clothes on my back.  There is still an income coming in even though it feels sometimes like it is too tight and we have nothing.  I have friends and family.  Sometimes it feels like they are not available when I could use them the most, and most are an ocean away, they are still there.  I have my boys.  I love those little men unconditionally.  They are always there for me.  Colton tells me at least once a day "Mommy, you are soooo cute." and it makes me smile every time.  Dallas gets so excited about the things that he did in school, he sometimes gets a little crazy about it, but I love to hear his stories.
     I know those little day to day things are easy to forget about when you are havin a bad day.  Because you are so used to them, you forget that they are there.  We spend a lot of time focusing on the bad.  I know to say to keep those little things in the back of your mind is much easier said then done.  I know this from personal experience.  Because I am sitting here saying it, but I am not sure most of the time how to follow my own advice.  I seem to really have an issue with that lately.  Well not lately, all the time really.  Being about to see other peoples situation for what it is and able to give them advice at the drop of the hat.  99.9% they don't follow my advice either, so I am not sure why they even bother to ask.  In any case, I do the same thing.   It's just easier to hear someone tell you how it is and get a better perspective on things I suppose. 
    In any case, I will stop chatting.  It is now two in the morning,  I have to be up by at least 6 am.  BECAUSE THE PACKERS PLAY AT 730!!!!!!   I am happy for that.  If I get that far lol.  The only thing that I really have to do tomorrow is to make sweet potatoes and real potatoes and those come closer to dinner anyways. 
    I want everyone to have a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING.  from my family to yours.  Try to make sure that you think about what you are thankful for.... not just today, but each and every day.