Sunday, December 29, 2013

Solitude

     I am a person who needs time alone.  It is often hard to find that time with my schedule. I work four days a week.  As part of my work week, I have two hours a day in a car alone, but I can't read, do my scrapbooking, or relax during that time.  I work the schedule that I do so that I can be home when Delainey is home.  It is important to my husband and I that we are with her as much as possible. Jim has a busy work schedule, so when he has time off, it is important for us to spend that time together, as a family and as a couple.  Finding time alone is hard.  Luckily, I have a husband who gets me and understands my need for time alone.

     This weekend, we were supposed to go to Indianapolis to spend time with family.  I made plans with a friend for Friday night, with another for Saturday morning.  We made plans as a family to go to an event to help the homeless Saturday afternoon.  And I just couldn't.  I needed to be alone....to read, to scrap, to sleep, to do whatever I wanted to do.  So I called Jim....and he encouraged me to stay home.   I canceled my plans with my friends...and they supported me.  I packed bags for the family, gave them both big kisses and hugs, and sent them on their way.  I knew that I  would miss them, but an entire weekend...alone, ahhhh!

     I did leave the house Friday to do a little shopping.  My favorite purchase has been a fold up table.  I have my scrapping things spread all over it and I scrapped whenever I wanted.  I might even get our Disney trip finished this weekend.  I stayed in my pajamas all day Saturday...even when I left the house to get a coke from McDonald's (those cokes are my biggest vice).  I planned lessons for Children's Church until Feb 5....which is a huge thing for me lately.  I watched sappy movies on tv.  I finished a book.  I went to sleep in those same pj's.  It was an amazing day!

     Today, I have to get dressed....I want to go to church.  I have a few errands to run.  But I plan on coming back home to another pair of pj's.  I plan to scrap some more, plan some more lessons, watch more sappy tv movies, read, and maybe even clean the house a little.  But I will enjoy the quiet time no matter what I do.

     When Jim and Delainey come home, I will be refreshed.  I will be ready to spend time with them...my mind calm and focused.  I have missed them both, but I have enjoyed spending time with me.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Christmas Traditions

     I have posted before about some of our Christmas traditions.  This year, we are trying to include some more activities that are closer to home for us.  We still hope to get to the Indianapolis area to do some of our favorite things, but after almost 3 years here, it is time to be more local!

     Since we all love looking at light displays, we made our first trip to "Lights under Louisville".  It is amazing!  We went on a weekend, so we couldn't use a coupon, but it was well worth the $25 dollars for us.  We loaded up on snacks and enjoyed the sights.  There are different sections of displays in the cavern...a section for Santa, one for the manager scene, on of toys, one for Hanukkah...with appropriate music for each section.  We didn't have a long wait since we went early in the season, but even if we had to wait, it would have been worth the time!

     We are going to try to find time in our schedule to head to Charlestown, Indiana.  It isn't far from us and looks amazing.  Carriage rides, Christmas lights, ice skating, train rides, and Santa....sounds like Christmas fun to me.  Even if we do nothing but check out the lights, it sounds like it will be worth the drive (about 45 minutes for us).  I found a cute activity sheet on Pinterest with a light display scavenger hunt for us to do on the drive there as well.

     I have seen information about "Christmas at the Galt House".  It looks like fun, but it doesn't feel budget friendly by the time everything is paid for and done.  I am not sure that we will make it there this year, but it is definitely something I would like to check out in the future.  I am hoping that next year my friend Rachel and I will be able to take our girls out for a day trip!

     In our town, there is a house with a huge light display (on a very small yard).  The lights are timed to music set on a radio channel.  We have already stopped by once and I am sure that we will stop by again to watch and listen.  It is really pretty, but I would hate to live close to there...the lights are really bright.  And we are not the only ones in the area who park along the street to watch and listen.  

     We added ornament making to our tradition list as well.  If you are one of the lucky ones, this year you will get a cinnamon ornament from us to hang on your tree (and supplies are limited).  They smell good, look fun, and have been made with love by Jim, D, and myself.  With Pinterest around, there is no limit to the kinds of ornaments that we can make in the future!

     We are also doing a Jessie tree this year.  It is a fun devotional with ornaments to hang on a tree that go along with the daily Bible reading.  We have 2 Advent calenders going this year.  One is a prayer card...we choose a different family to pray for each day.  The other has activities for us to do each day.  Sadly, neither of them involve chocolate and D is not happy about that at all.  We don't do this daily because I am a slacker, but we try to get at least every other day and stay caught up that way....

  We love Christmas at our house and everything that it brings....snow, trees, lights, gifts, cards.  But we keep in mind the true reason for this season....


    "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,

             which is Christ the Lord
             And this shall be a sign unto you; you will find the babe
             wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
                                                                           Luke 2:11-12

I hope that this Christmas season is filled with love and joy for you.  




Snow Day!

     Who doesn't remember waiting for radio stations to announce snow days when you were in school?  If the weather was really bad, school would be canceled the night before, so you could stay up late and sleep in the next morning.  Some days, I would be up and ready before school was finally called off.  I even had a snow day once in college...that was one of the best snow days!  Now, the school calls to let us know if there will be a snow day or delay.  Then, we grow up and work really doesn't allow for snow days anymore.  

     Yesterday, I did take a snow day from work and Delainey had one from school.  I have a pretty long daily commute and it starts pretty early in the morning.  I decided when the ice started covering my house that the risk of driving to work was not worth it.  After hearing horror stories of people traveling in my area, I am so glad that I stayed home.  The county that I live in actually declared a local travel advisory, basically restricting travel to emergency travel only.  My last snow measurement yesterday evening was 6 inches, with plenty of ice underneath.  

     Jim was actually scheduled off yesterday(but he was "on call" just in case he needed to be at work), so we used our snow day to have a family fun day...and it really was fun for the three of us!  After a quick emptying of the dishwasher by Delainey, I made pancakes for breakfast.  It was nice to have a quiet family breakfast during the week, that never happens for us.  D and I made some cinnamon ornaments to give as gifts, but they still needed to be decorated.  We covered the table with plastic and got out our glitter glue to have craft time.  I think that all three of us enjoyed making the ornaments sparkle.

     Delainey and I fixed a lunch of snacks...some veggies, cheese, crackers, sausage, pickles, and olives. We left them out so that we could munch throughout the day.  Jim and D went out to play for a bit...it didn't last long as D lost her sock and decided to remove her boot to fix it.  Barefoot, snow, cold...not a good combo!  They came in to warm up with some hot chocolate and a game of Yahtzee (yes, I kicked butt).   D had a little piano practice, Jim had some tv time, and I did a little reading. 

     We finished our snow day with some pizza, addressing Christmas cards, and watching "It's a Wonderful Life".    Pirate Daddy tucked Delainey into bed and Jim and I finished the day watching a movie in bed (and yes, I fell asleep before the movie ended...as usual).  It was good day for the Predmore family!