I’m voting today. I’m hopeful the lines won’t be long since just about everyone else I know took advantage of early voting. We’ll see how that goes. In the meantime, here’s thinking of the rapidly-approaching holidays!

Top Ten Holiday-Related Things on my mind:

1. I don’t like Halloween: the candy, the glamorization of evil and scary stuff… But I’ve decided next year I’m going to stop being “that house” that turns out the lights and never gives out candy. Next year, I’m going to be the house with the friendly lady who gives out really awesome candy.
2. I’m already planning my Thanksgiving menu. I decided last year that I’d just make that into an annual tradition, especially since my grandmother lives so close and it’s hard for her to go very far.
3. I have about half my Christmas shopping done. We’re not big Christmas spenders, because we’d rather focus on fun and traditions (and Jesus, of course!) instead of presents.
4. I go back and forth about how much of a big deal to make out of Christmas, but I like what Amanda says in regards to her Truth in the Tinsel advent ebook: “Make a BIG DEAL of Christmas, and it will be a BIG DEAL in the hearts of your kids.“
5. I don’t care one whit about getting presents, but I like buying them and I like giving them, especially when it’s something I know the recipient actually needs or wants!
6. On the other hand, I really HATE buying presents when it’s one of those because-I-have-to-or-someone-will-be-upset situations. Blech.
7. I get a little melancholy this time of year because the holiday are always such a reminder of what our family isn’t. There’s a lot more time with Kathryn gone to her dad’s house, and some years it’s impossible to get everyone together because of all the divorced and re-blendedness in just about all sides of our family.
8. I love the Samaritan’s Purse Gift Catalog and the Compassion’s Christmas Gift Catalog. There are even some gifts inexpensive enough for kids to buy themselves! Kathryn did that one year for my aunts and uncles and they thought it was the best thing ever — and only $5 each.
9. Kathryn has her very first Christmas concert this week! She’s nervous, but I know she’ll do well. (And because of her practicing, I’ve had “Jingle Bells” and “Good King Wencelas” stuck in my head for weeks already!)
10. We’ve never taken the kids to a Christmas tree farm to cut down our own tree, so we might do that this year. I used to do it every year with my parents, and I have fond memories of those trips, and I think our girls would get a kick out of it.

So, do you have holidays on the brain now that it’s November? Or are you in denial? 😉

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One more thing! Speaking of voting, the annual Homeschool Blog Awards are open! There are no long lines to wait in (like I might be doing right now!), and you can even do it from the comfort of home. You awesome folks nominated me for 6 award categories! I’ve never won — and that’s totally okay because there are some seriously wonderful blogs listed there — but it’s an honor to be nominated again this year. If you have some free time, hop on over and visit some of the great blogs there. {If you want to vote for me, that’d be EXTRA awesome. I’d most love votes for Best Photos; Best Encourager; or Best Nitty-Gritty Homeschool Blog.}