It’s sure been a busy week around here this week ! The usual round of every day chores, school and the additional excitement of planning an 80^th birthday for my oldest Uncle this weekend. 80 years is quite a milestone for that side of the family- most of the men die within weeks of reaching retirement age. He is the first to become and octogenarian, so it is both a celebration and a milestone.

 Thanksgiving is in less than two weeks, and it is still up in the air where the family gathering will be, if at all. We are at a sort of crossroads it seems. Up till 4 years ago I hosted every Christmas and Thanksgiving for about 20 years. When we moved to this place it became obvious that we simply did not have the room for the gathering- normally about 35 people. This year my oldest niece is a first time mom and wants to have the gathering in her home, but she lives too far from the rest of us for practicality. My husband is singing at two services on that day and by the time he finishes we would only make it for dessert ( if the traffic cooperates). The long car ride would be very hard on my mom , and is just too far for two other sisters. So my middle sister is trying to talk her into having the gathering at my Moms, but it seems it is a bit of an emotional issue. Hosting the gathering is sort of a right of passage in her mind, so I am trying to steer clear and just wait till the decision is made. If my niece hosts I will make dinner for the three of us. Lots of leftovers are not a bad thing, especially when it is turkey!

 Next week is sort of lap book fever for us. One on Thanksgiving, one on the Lewis and Clark expedition, one on Rocks and Minerals and one on Daniel. My son adores lap books, on any and everything. I love seeing him so excited about learning. What I don’t like is the time required to cut out all these mini books, so I am spending my free time this weekend cutting them out for all the lapbooks. Something tells me this might be a good time to pop in a mindless sort of movie while I cut. It may be the first time I get to sit and see something girly for a long time to come.

Posted by 4sweetums

I enjoyed looking around your blog. I am raising a special needs teenager as well. Sometimes I shudder when I think how close he is to 18! Yikes... I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving wherever it may be.
Blessings,
4sweetums

Posted by Jimmie

Saw your post on lapbooking yahoo group. I like to visit all the HSBers since I am one too! :-)
Can you get your child involved in the lapbook creation a bit more? I know when they are small, you do have to do a lot of work. But it gets better as time goes on. :-)

Posted by Dot

Sounds like your Lapbooks Week will be fun. Hope you have a great Thankgiving where ever it is.