Bittersweet

It's officially November.  Do you know what that means?  It means we are moving in one year!  Actually, a little under a year (we thought it was November, but it's October as of last week when Kent processed paperwork for it).  Drumroll………we're officially going stateside!  He signed that dotted line.

Of course we won't know where until next June (?) hopefully.  

Olivia and I put away the Halloween decorations.  We left a few fall things out…but I'm already having to start thinking about weeding out.  It's called "pack-out mode."  I needed to decide what decorations I no longer wanted.  Thinning out…reducing clutter.  

Our household goods (HHG in military term) will take 60 days between boat and travel to get to our stateside destination.  That means our HHG will be shipped out next August hopefully (if we have our official paperwork).  Which means I won't see my Halloween decorations for 2 years.  I know it's "stuff," but I like my STUFF!  My copper pumpkin from Turkey, some crafts the kids made when they were younger…it's bittersweet!  But I'd rather not have Halloween/fall decorations than to not have Christmas decorations (like when we arrived in Turkey).  That was frustrating.  HHG shipped in October, and didn't arrive to us until about one week before my birthday in mid January. That was difficult!

Here is a Thanksgiving card…yes, I'm on the ball!  And I know you're not surprised to read that I've already started on my Christmas cards.  (What else do you expect from someone with OCD like me?)

I know you are surprised to see the card so "simple."  I have a hard time not adding more…but I refrained and tried really hard.  I am pleased with the results!

Olivia and I made Halloween cookies.  I have such great memories of my childhood baking with my mother and sister in the kitchen.  Olivia tells me every year how much she loves doing this.  It melts my heart!

You can find my recipe here from last year's December blog. Thanks for stopping by!  Check back soon…card club is tomorrow!!!