ketchup day

Since I am doing 2 posts in one day for the purpose of catching up...this one is going to be short.
This is what November means in our house...
N - nesting.  No, not the pregnant kind, but the kind where you bring up winter clothes, re-arrange furniture, pile blankets on the bed, clean things more thoroughly since you spend more time inside, make lots of hot meals...
O - observing.  Observing football games, holidays, school programs, the thermometer dropping...
V - voting.  Today!
E - entertaining.  I have been thinking of all sorts of things to keep the kids busy inside now that the weather is cooler.  They still play outside, just not all day like they were accustomed to doing.  That means I need to keep plenty of art supplies, activities and books handy!
M - making.  This year I am going to try to make almost all the kids' Christmas presents, w/the exception of books and a food item. 
B - baking.  PUMPKIN PIE!!!  I have so many pumpkins, we were eating 2 pies a week for a while.  Then life got busy.  But I hope to get back into this week.  We also have been missing the zucchini chocolate chip muffins.  Mmmm, I'm getting hungry!
E - energizing.  Those of you who live in climates w/a cold season like our winter, you know that it's so hard to get out of a toasty bed in the morning!  People always complain of Seasonal Affective Disorder, like the winter blues, when they just feel sluggish and depressed.  So in November we do what we can to energize each other!  Music helps a lot, but so does exercising, laughing, and sharing new experiences.  
R - recognizing.  November is a great month to reflect and recognize the blessings in life.  We choose to thank God for all that we have been given and even for some of the things that we lack.  That might sound weird, but there are days when I thank God I didn't have a bunch of my own kids.  If we had been given the 12 we wanted, I doubt we would have ever become foster parents.  Don't get me wrong, there are also days that I am not so grateful for that...but as a family, we recognize that God's will is perfect and so we thank Him for both what we have and what we lack.  


What does November mean for you?