purple trench (jcrew) / tweed sweater (chic wish) / white faux fur beanie (jcrew) / earrings (jcrew) / suede boots (french connection, similar) / pink pants (nordstrom) / kate spade purse (kate spade) / pearl necklace (trolley square, similar)

hollands sweater (crew cuts) / skirt (crew cuts) / boots (joyfolie) *Joyfolie is having a HUGE Black Friday Sale, this is one you don’t want to miss 🙂

Last night we “wrapped up” our Christmas shopping, technically we are 75% done. This is the first time we have been this prepared in forever! And it feels good.

I usually don’t like to overshadow Thanksgiving with Christmas, but now I feel like I can fully enjoy Thanksgiving tomorrow. This has always been a favorite holiday of mine because growing up, this was the last time our extended family got together for the winter due to driving through mountain passes and some of our family would head off to warmer weather immediately after the Thanksgiving festivities. Which is why I always cherished Thanksgiving.

A tradition we do every year is we go around the table and we all say what we are grateful for. Because I shy away from getting choked up or being sentimental in public settings, I used to always just say, “my extensions”. Now that I no longer wear extensions and I’ve gotten slightly more mature, I really want to say that I am so grateful for my family and every day I get to spend with them.

The other day a thought dawned on me that if I was to “go away” I wondered if my kids would remember me? We were watching Cinderella and my heart hurt for Cinderella having an evil step mother. So I talked with my husband all about our plan if something like this should ever happen to our children. I got all nervous about the thought of not being around to care for my children as they grew up. Sorry to go off on this tangent, but I’ve seen it happen twice, as mothers have been taken from their families, one very recently being my mother-in-law, about 9 months ago, and her main thing was she was so sad to leave us all behind and to not be with us. Even so much that when she bought her burial lot, she bought a lot for each of us. I can relate as I love all my children sleeping with me, I secretly want to even put bunk beds in my master because my kids are getting bigger now and it’s getting a little squishy when they come in.

With this being said, this is always close on my mind. But I do realize that all I can do is worry about today and cherish everyday I have with my kids. So this year, more than ever I feel very grateful for everyday I get to be a mom and spend with my kids and husband.

Here’s my favorite Thanksgiving song to lighten the mood, enjoy!