Thankfully Joyous

There is so much to be thankful for. My family probably tires of hearing it, but Thanksgiving is my most favorite time of year. Not only are the leaves (trying to) change here in the humid South, but the age old saying of turning over a new leaf really does ring true for me. Don't get me wrong, I love the Christmas holiday, but right now I'm hoping it holds off for just a wee bit longer.

My cynicism for everything red and green probably has something to do with reminders of last year's frantic whirlwind that didn't include much merriment. Coupled with having a six month old, being back at work for approximately a month, and a strong desire for creating new family traditions, there was lots of last minute preparation going on and not a lot of joy being spread around my household.

This year I want to continue my thankful heart from Thanksgiving right on into the new year. The desire for my family is to truly experience the joy of the holiday season and make memories of holy-days. Yes, things will more than likely be simplified- less decorations, less shopping, less running around, and there might not be a traditional Moore Christmas party complete with a life-size Grinch, but you know, less is more. Besides, there's only room for one five foot tall Grinch and at least it has an off switch. I don't.

So, to keep my sanity in the coming months and remind me of the real reason for the season, I'm going to start a weekly series from Thanksgiving Day until New Years Eve entitled Thankfully Joyous Thursdays. Feel free to comment on what makes you thankfully joyous. I may even post a few ideas on what I plan to do to keep things simple and family oriented, but I promise I'll try to keep the to-do list to a bare minimum.