Happy Thanksgiving! - #NaBloPoMo 26

We made it through our first self-hosted Thanksgiving with our kids, my in-laws and sister-in-law and her family. 

From pumpkin bread and hot chocolate...

To the main event (photo collage courtesy of Hannah)...

To the pie...

And everything we have to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The First and Last Things - #NaBloPoMo 25

Morning Mist by Always Shooting (unaltered) on flickr

My favorite blogging tribe has decided to all tackle the same topic on our blogs across the country and into Canada today. It's actually hard for us all to agree on one topic to write about, and that's probably my fault since I nixed so many food-related ideas (although I just made my first ever batch of cranberry sauce, which I think turned out well, but I digress). So we're writing about the first and last things we do in the morning and at night.

And just like Phyllis, I look at my phone pretty much the first and last things I do. And also in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping.

I blame work, and my international clients that email at all hours, and that's partly to blame for sure. My work moves and evolves so quickly, and if I stay on top of my email, it really helps me to feel less overwhelmed than when I come back to a bulging Inbox. And sometimes, you find out that the video conference you needed to wear a suit to attend is now a conference call, and the regular black pants will work just fine. It also means I spend many a 2-3 am strategizing about how to write a memo or compile data for a report. I know that this isn't great for my sleep, but I also know that this part of my life isn't likely to last forever, and for now, this is what works best for me.

When it's not work to blame, well, it's the entire Internet. There's more to see than can ever be seen. I love having an entire world in the palm of my hand, and I'll never not love that. Whether it's social media or blogs or some breaking news item (an Amber alert had me up and Googling a few weeks ago), it's me and my phone. Or it's some reality TV that I don't find too stressful. Scandal is definitely too stressful for me to watch before bed. Scandal is too stressful for me to watch with the lights off!

The kids still have a bedtime routine that they want adhered to on most evenings. Marc or I sing the Shema in Hebrew, and then I continue the V'ahvta in English, while Marc prefers Hebrew. Then we say, "Good night, sweet dreams, laila tov (good night in Hebrew), I love you." I don't know how we settled on those four phrases. Some nights, they're said with a bit of exasperation, sometimes a little breathless from kisses that turned into tickles and tackling hugs, but always the same.

When I wake the kids, it's usually a "good morning Hannie-princess" or "good morning prince Max" and I have NO IDEA how all of that started with me. I never call them princess or prince otherwise. But I do believe that waking them with a smile, regardless of how tired I might be, it helps. If I'm waking them for the third or fourth time though, all niceties are out the window.

How do you start and end your day? For more from my blogging pals, check out the links below.

My Cheesesteak Not Cheesecake Tribe (more links to come once all are posted!):
Phyllis of Napkin Hoarder
Melissa of A Wide Line
Kimberly of Red Shutters
Danielle of Another Version
Lisa of What Makes a Family

Staging - #NaBloPoMo 24

These are some well-staged photos. I'll be saving them in case we ever need to list the house for sale. Hopefully, that's not for a very long time.

Here's the "not done but presentable" new living room space. 

Tonight, the empty room is filled with cousins and beanbag chairs. Pretty cool.

Tonight's Project - #NaBloPoMo 23

NaBloPoMo wasn't created for people trying to finish details of a renovation before Thanksgiving. Marc is attempting to install 21 blinds on the first floor of the house tonight. 

Have I mentioned how over cardboard boxes I am? It's almost enough to get me to stop shopping online. 

Something more substantive to come, at some point. But not tonight. 

Max's Thanksgiving - #NaBloPoMo 22

Max is very excited to be hosting his first Thanksgiving at our house. He spent some time getting ready today. 

Here's his "it's time to place Thanksgiving" seating cards. 

And here's something Thanksgiving-themed Mad Libs and Tic Tac Toe. 

I think he's the most ready of all of us. 

Distractions - #NaBloPoMo 20

I've been working from home today as my belongings at work are being moved to our new space today and this weekend. I got to spend a few minutes in my new office yesterday, trying to soak it in a bit, as I'll only have one day in it next week before I'm taking time off for Thanksgiving and then heading out on another work trip.

It's been good to be home, as honestly, I've been able to think about very little other than the murder of Ezra Schwartz, which I wrote a bit about yesterday. I read an article where a friend from camp discussed being friends with him since they shared the same assigned table in the dining hall. That detail broke my heart and left me in tears, as this summer was the first that Hannah had mixed assignment tables at camp, a big deal to her. Other photos of him at camp, in the lake, playing with campers, posing with his friends. It's surreal.

So I'm looking for distractions. I dove in to work this morning, getting hours of work done before eating breakfast. I took a break and finally finished installing the light fixture in our closet, which had few dozen crystal balls that needed to be individually hung. It was a good accomplishment, and it looks lovely.

On to the next distraction.

When You're Gone - #NaBloPoMo 19

Just before arriving home tonight, I got the news that a former camper and counselor at the overnight camp that Hannah attends, and where I am a member of the Board, an 18 year old boy, was killed by a terrorist in Israel today. Hannah knew Ezra Schwartz and is the same age as one of his younger brothers.

Frankly, there are just no words.

Yesterday's #NaBloPoMo prompt was the question, "What do you hope people remember about you after you're gone?" I thought about it for a few moments, but it wasn't something I wanted to write about. A legacy is something I don't even want to think about at the age of 38. I don't think many 18 year olds spend much time thinking about it either, but tonight, tributes and remembrances are pouring in.

I didn't know Ezra, but tonight I join those who did and mourn his all too early loss. May his memory be for a blessing for all that knew him. And may we stop the need for this near-constant mourning in the world as well.