The Good Old Days| Thanksgiving 2014

Just as I gently closed the door to put the grocery cart away...I felt that terrible sinking feeling.

OH NO, Oh no, oh no... Please tell me....I did not just lock myself out??!!

But I had done just that.

I locked myself out...

In the blink of an eye, I had locked myself out of my grocery-filled van; fully loaded with all of the Thanksgiving groceries... all of them....

It was a super-deluxe, mega-holiday grocery trip, that started in the early morning, before anyone else was really in the store... That is my very favorite time to shop... when all of the aisles are neatly stocked...it's like walking through a TV commercial...there isn't a single box of Cheerios out of place...and I have time to get what I need, without the hustle and bustle of being in another shopper's way...

By now, it was 10 am and the parking lot was getting crowded.  Everyone wanted my front row parking space... So, sorry, no keys...

I called my sweet family to come rescue me.

While I waited for the extra keys to arrive...I had a few minutes to just stand still, off to the side, out of the way... I had to... I wasn't going anywhere...

It was so nice to just be still.... I was standing by a stack of twine-wrapped fir trees, they smelled amazing...like Christmas...I enjoyed the crisp air, filled with tiny snow flurries.... I enjoyed watching the busy shoppers dash into the store carrying little rosy-cheeked children bundled up in coats and mittens ...the hurried drivers searching for parking spaces....

I loved just being still... 

...Soaking in the holiday sights and smells, watching all the busy action, while no longer being a part of the fast paced rush of Thanksgiving shopping... it was so refreshing... I was having a time-out...

Locking myself out, reminded me to be still.  I really need to take time to pause and soak up all of the holiday joy, sights and sounds around me.

I can get so wrapped up in the crazy pace of the holidays that sometimes I think I might be missing out on some very special memories in the making...

These are the good old days after all ... they really are.

The holidays and special occasions we share now are the memories we are making for our loved ones and for ourselves.

Down the road, when I remember the good old days, I want to remember all of the special details, all of the delicious foods and the stories, the laughter and the music...  I want to remember the snow flurries and the smell of fresh cut Christmas trees....and I want to remember that I wasn't too busy to stop and enjoy it and to be a part of it all...

So, I will do my very best to post fun holiday ideas and recipes as often as I can...while taking time to be still... taking time to soak up all that this beautiful holiday season has to offer.  I'm going to be still, and enjoy the "good old days".... before they become a fond memory.

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoyed a peek into ours.... it was a chilly, fun-filled day and I loved every second of it.

Enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving weekend and remember to take a moment to be still.... you'll be glad you did.