{that Holiday HIGH!}

(Sorry that yesterday's blog post seemed to be a bit, um, thought filled, or, um, serious, or something like that... well, that's what I get for thinking on a day like Sunday was. So, I thought I'd be a bit more CHEERY today and share my Saturday with you. It was actually a TERRIFIC day, and I did spend a bit of the day with the holidays on my mind, however, much HAPPIER thoughts of the upcoming holiday season, which I am determined to keep. Anyway, on with today's blog post that was actually written Saturday night!! )

It's unbelievable that it's almost Thanksgiving. I've really found myself getting in the Holiday spirit, which is actually a small miracle in and of itself, considering all that I've been through in the last few months. Honestly, I can't wait to get this party started!! I began to do a bit of Christmas shopping earlier last week, and started some holiday baking this past weekend. I baked two homemade apple pies with some of the apples we picked at the apple orchard last weekend, and OMG they made the house smell WONDERFUL! I can't wait until Thanksgiving Day. DNK, Jay and I are really looking forward to watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, seeing as we were just in NYC (our first trip there ever) this past July, so to actually recognize the sights has DNK all excited. She can't wait to go back to NYC again!

Even though the dynamics of the holiday season will be different this year, we are all looking forward to a great time. There will be lots plenty of good eats, plenty of laughter, of listening to the kiddos play together, and hopefully we'll have some time for some games, or maybe a movie after dinner or something. Anyway, I love how now that the cousins, "H-man" and "K" are getting older, DNK is more able to play with them. Their favorite game right now seems to be hide and seek. Guess I should add "clean out closets and dust under the beds" to my Holiday cleaning list so the kids can hide without dust bunnies the size of oxen attaching themselves to their holiday outfits!! =D

We have all agreed to make this a great holiday. I have promised myself to not let DNK feel as if she's missing anything. Her holidays this year are going to be memorable, and NOT in a negative way. I'll make sure of that fact.

Isn't' it funny how the smell of the apple pies just set off a big holiday BUZZ for me? A high I don't want to come off of any time soon. If I hadn't started baking those pies so late on Saturday night, no telling what kind of damage I may have done! I've already purchased most of my Christmas cookie ingredients, and we all know that cookies freeze well... but, I didn't want to be up at 2am still baking, because as fun as that sounds, I would also have to CLEAN before I could crawl into bed. SO... it didn't happen. At least not on Saturday....

Maybe I'll be able to do some more baking this week. I know I need to start my granny greens early to have enough to feed this family. My brothers, DNK and I can eat a ton all by ourselves. It takes me longer to make the collards than anything else I make, including the cooking time of a 20+ lb Tom. And, the greens are also the most costly item on the table. Last year I spent almost $45-$50 on fresh collards. I buy them from a local farmer that sells them on a stand around the corner. I might pay more, but OMG they are sooo good. And, Yeah, I buy the biggest turkey I can find, so that everyone gets LOTS of leftovers.

Anyway, I've rambled long enough for now. Just wanted to share my holiday buzz. Hope your holiday preparations are in full swing, and that you are all enjoying it, not getting too stressed about it!! Now, don't ya wish you could SMELL these bad boys?????