December - Our Birthday Month
It is a little after 10pm here in Alaska, and in less than 2 hours December will be upon us. November seems to have flown by!
With the end of November, comes the end of my daily gratitudes:
November 27th: My biggest gratitude today was not feeling the urge to get out there and shop on Black Friday! I stopped into Fred Meyer to kill a few moments before meeting friends for coffee, and I left empty handed and feeling quite frazzled. The noise, the crowds, and the energy were just too much for me. There’s nothing I want that bad that would put me in a crowded store. For those of you who enjoy this recreational activity, I hope you found some great bargains!
November 28th: Today, I am thankful for Thanksgiving leftovers! Why is it that turkey seems to taste better in the days following? The only time I eat turkey is at Thanksgiving, although I do eat deli turkey all year around. But it’s not the same as a thick slab of perfectly cooked turkey breast, covered in gravy and served with sides of potatoes and vegetables. Steve and I have been eating turkey every day, and sometimes several times a day, since Thanksgiving dinner. And pie… I don’t even want to talk about all the pie we’ve eaten.
November 29th: Today I am thankful for the beauty of big, fluffy snowflakes falling slowly from the sky. Even though I live in a place where snow is the norm in winter, I truly love it when it snows. The view from my place on the loveseat is like looking at a huge snow globe, and I could watch it for hours. It is a beautiful day!
November 30th: Today, I am thankful that I took the time each day this month, to write about the good things in my life. I’ve always felt blessed in my life. I have a loving family and loving friends. I am cherished and adored by a wonderful man - who I love with all of my soul. I have beautiful children. I have a roof over my head, food in my fridge, and clothes on my back. But sometimes real life gets in the way of remembering the good, and using November as a month of gratitude brings the truly important to the forefront. I do believe that beginning each November day with thoughts of gratitude, had a huge impact on my mood the entire day. I’m going to try to remember my blessings more regularly, even if I won’t be writing them down. I hope you’ll think about the blessings in your life too.
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On Saturday, there was a holiday bazaar at Pioneer Park, as well as other events to entertain young and old alike. There were free train rides with Santa and, after the sun went down - which is fairly early now, there were fireworks. I managed to talk Steve into taking me into town to watch the fireworks, despite the -5F temperature.
The show only lasted about 20 minutes but it was beautiful. There’s something very magical about fireworks against a snowy backdrop. I was happy for long underwear, my new parka, warm gloves, and a hat. It’s officially hat hair season. Anyone who goes outdoors for any length of time, in this winter cold, without covering their head is either crazy or vain! I used to be one of those vain gals who didn’t want to flatten my hair, but now I’m all for being warm!
Here are some photos from Pioneer Park:
