As I look outside my window: Windy and cold day, but bright and sunny.

Right now I am: Updating my giant to-do list. Lots of little things I need to knock out this week.

Thinking and pondering: What is our Thanksgiving going to look like? I think we are just going to do our household and make it an appetizer day instead of turkey, etc. J doesn’t really like turkey, and we love appetizers but they are a lot of work. SO maybe an appetizer buffet and movie marathon with the kids.

On my bedside table: The Troop by Nick Cutter; The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

On my tv this week: We finally finished Battlestar Galactica and it was such a disappointment. J did warn me, but I was still disappointed.

Listening to: Black Veil Brides dropped a new song, loving it!

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Green Chile Pepper Jack Enchiladas

• Tuesday - Icelandic Lamb Soup

• Wednesday - Zimbabwean Peanut Stew

• Thursday - Mongolian Beef

• Friday - Balsamic Pork Roast

• Saturday - Leftovers

• Sunday - Blackened Salmon

On my to do list: Just to name a few things I need to do:

• Change van fob battery

• Organize entry bench (lots of random coats, hats, gloves, door hangings, etc)

• Update homeschooling forms

• Prep and/or finish probably 20 blog posts

• Send the extra trash can form

• Schedule my work times for the week

• Vacuum and dust downstairs

• Meal plan for rest of November and into December

• Do a pantry inventory

• Clear the deck (need to move the grill into the garage)

• Start working on advent ideas

Happening this week: I’ve got a few work commitments to schedule in along with our usual homeschooling. We are going to try to hit the library on Wednesday or Thursday, but they have just lowered capacity to 25%. If we go in the morning around 9:30am, we should be fine.

What I am creating: I’m hoping to make some Christmas cards today. I finally got my storage system sorta organized (at least 70% done) and want to pause to actually make some cards.

My simple pleasures: Warm cookies from the oven, good scary books, snuggly blankets

Looking around the house: Argh! There is crap everywhere. I swear I am the only person in this house that ever picks anything up.. I need to go room by room and just pick up everything that doesn’t belong.

From the camera: Finally gather the leaves so we could jump into them. Really to clean them up, but the boys too advantage.