finding balance

At this time of year, with all of the festivities, and the planning and preparation that goes along with them, I tend to find myself with endless "to do" lists that seem to grow longer rather than shorter.

Please don't misunderstand - I really truly love this time of year. I love the feeling of excitement and anticipation, I love the twinkly lights, the afternoons when my counters are covered with flour and sprinkles and three different varieties of chocolate. I also love the fact that there are drinks for every part of the day - Bailey's and coffee at breakfast, champagne and orange juice at brunch, old-fashioned mix cocktails at 3 pm, and a wonderful glass of wine at dinner. Really, what more could a girl ask for?

I also think that, even though people are busier this time of year, they are quicker to smile at strangers, they have a spring in their step, and they are more generous with those in need. That just may be my very favorite part of this season.

Alas, with all of the wonderful aspects to this season, my growing "to do" lists is always there, poking at me when I sleep, staring at me while I work on a project or catch up with my correspondence. Not to mention there are endless things that never even make the list to begin with! I also try and make time for blogging, for taking photos as that is something that nourishes me creatively, spending time with my boys doing what they like rather than keeping to my own agenda, date night when we are lucky enough to make that happen, visiting with friends, baking, sewing, spending time on the property in the gardens, and the list goes on and on.

One thing that I want to put more thought into this year is how to find a healthy, positive, satisfying balance when it comes to incorporating all of these aspects into this season. I would like to work on projects, but not lose myself in them (I wish you could hear my laughing hysterically at that one...). I would love to make each gift that we offer each other something meaningful, possibly something homemade, a letter written, a photo taken. I aspire to do more meal planning, more slow cooking, more eating seasonally, shopping locally. I love the idea of spending more time around the dining table and talking about what the holidays mean to us as a family. I want to find something self-less to do as a family, whether it is serving a meal or two at a local soup kitchen or something else along those lines. I want my boys to really understand what the holidays are truly about. And finally, I wish I could make time each day to spend even a few moments making each one of my five wonderful boy/men feel like they are the most important person in the world to me.

Do I think that this is all going to happen? Probably not, but there is something about writing it down, putting it out there, and acknowledging that these are the things I aspire to. This is the world I want to create for these boys to grow up in. I want to take the commercial, consumeristic, more is more attitude that seems to surround us these days and instead offer them an alternate holiday season. I want them to look out into this amazing world that they live in and ask themselves, what can we do for someone else to make their season better?

{this is #3 on the evening news donating money to a local food drive}

So, on this Thanksgiving Eve, I am so very thankful for my boys - all five of them. I am thankful to have such a wonderful family, my dear sweet friends - near and far, and those of you whom although I have never met many of you, touch me with your kindness, your thoughtful words, your support and encouragement. You truly make this journey one of bliss and joy.

Thank you so very much for that.