Settling In Back at Home

I've been back home from the trip for almost two weeks now.  Thank you all so much for your comments on my blog - either here on the blog, on Facebook or Instagram, or even in person.  I'm so glad so many of you enjoyed hearing about what we were doing every day.  I wish my everyday life was so exciting, so I could keep writing such exciting things for you all.

I think I'm right back into the swing of things.  It took a bit for me to get my sleep schedule back on track.  Most evenings for about the first week I was ready for bed by 6PM!  That was rough, since my evenings are usually spent driving my kids to all of their activities!

In case you were wondering (and I KNOW you all were), here is all of the deliciousness that I purchased in Ireland.  I was actually hoping to buy sock yarn everywhere, but to my surprise they didn't have it many places, unless it was a bigger specialty yarn shop that carried most of the same stuff I could get back home.  So most of what you see is Aran weight, and I didn't want to buy a huge ton of it in any one place (like enough to make a sweater) because then I'd be plum out of money, and I wanted to buy stuff at each of the stores I went to.  This leaves me in a bit of a sticky situation however, because now I only have enough to make small things such as mittens and hats, which is fine, but the 100% wool is pretty scratchy.  I've been searching for patterns for a way to line mittens and hats with polar fleece.  Wool is extremely warm, but doesn't feel the greatest up against your skin, in my opinion.  

I think this one missed me the most.  I'm sure she was well taken care of, because she sure doesn't let you forget to feed her dinner.  I think she just missed her mommy snuggles.

This was what I was greeted with on my first day back at work.  It sure made me want to go right back to the rainy Irish weather!  Winter is here!

Also in my first week back was the annual Christmas City of the North Parade.  We were all very glad that it was DRY this year.  No rain, hail, sleet, or snow.  Dry feet make ALL the difference on parade night.

The dance studio got the girls the COOLEST lightup shoes this year!  The pictures really don't do them justice.  They looked so awesome coming down the street!

I was happy to find out that Andy successfully made the JV team at school for hockey while I was gone.  I was not disappointed to have missed the tryouts.  There were several of Andy's good friends who didn't make the team this year.  It's so hard on them!  I wish there was a spot for everyone like there has been every other year in youth hockey.  :(

Sock #2 of this pair was finished up at the dance studio while Morgan was practicing her duet.  She and her friend Megan are dancing to a Bonnie and Clyde number this year.  I got to get a sneak peek the other night, and it's turning out to be my favorite!  I say that every year, and I don't know how her teacher could possibly have topped last year's dance, but she has.  It's freaking awesome.  hehe.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and it was great.  I ate too much, spilled red wine on my shirt, and gained some weight.  We played cards, watched parades, watched football, looked at the black Friday ads and confirmed our decision that no sale was worth battling those crowds, and of course ate.  Tell me our Thanksgiving wasn't the only one with teenagers spending the majority of the day on their phones???

Everyone has their own post dinner traditions, right?  Ours is bowling.

She likes to support her big brother and his hockey team too.  As long as it's from the couch.  

The tree hunt is complete!  We went back to Pine Knob Tree Farm again this year to cut down our Christmas tree, and I just love the one we got. 

We got it back home and in some water on Friday morning, 

and then headed to the rink for the season opener!  It felt so good to be back!

Saturday's game was in Roseville, which allowed us a quick drive to and from "the cities" for more hockey.

I sure appreciated the nice four day weekend.  I got some laundry done, some knitting done, and Morgan is working on a project for school of making a dress from scratch, so we worked on that too.

Today is back to the grind, and hopefully I can get my eating back on track to lose some of those pounds I put on in Ireland and over Thanksgiving!

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving as well, and are on the right track to having everything in line for Christmas!  It's only 3.5 weeks away!  Yikes!

XOXOX

NH