Amy Scott's Thoughts

We are only one week into December… but if I recap the whole week for you, it will seem like we’ve lived an entire month in seven days! The big focus on the week was Star Stomp, our church Christmas musical. Friday evening was practice for the kids with solos and drama parts. Graham got to spend a special evening with Nana and Papa while the rest of us worked on the production. I did my final role as a “substitute star” on Friday night. I was able to practice my backstage role at Saturday’s dress rehearsal so I was ready for Sunday morning. We had some family members come on Saturday to watch the dress rehearsal and that made it extra special. Sunday’s performances were amazing! The kids did the best they’ve ever done! Owen did a fantastic job as Lil G and Graham was a super star in the choir!

Over the last week, we’ve seen snowflakes most day and even had some accumulation from time to time. Sunday morning was a slow drive into church since the roads were snowy and icy. Usually, I stay home if there is snow on the road (even a dusting), but the kids had to get to the musical… so… I did it. I was nervous the whole way, but we made it! Sunday afternoon into the evening, the snow came back and started to stick. Again, we had another snowy drive down to the church. This time for a Christmas party and lucky for me, Jeremy was behind the wheel for this drive.

Tuesday was our second Christmas party of the month. This time with our co-op friends. I put together 30 gift bags filled with fidget toys and sweet treats for a Left/Right game. The kids had a blast passing the gifts right and left with the silly story I read about Santa losing his toy sack. Mr. & Mrs. Claus were surprise guests at our party. I wasn’t sure if we were going to make a Santa picture happen this year, so it was nice the opportunity came up with no effort from me. The boys requested LEGO Super Mario sets from Santa (which is no shock). We wrapped up the party with a Secret Santa gift exchange. Graham got a dragon egg that hatches and grows in water. My countertop in now Baby Dragon Command Center. Very fascinating stuff.

This week I’ve tackled my Christmas cards and got them to the mail. I also wrapped almost all of our Christmas presents. Our shopping is mostly complete except for a few small things. I’m feeling good about the Christmas to-do list. If parties, productions, and projects weren’t keeping us busy enough, our church is also hosting a scavenger hunt the entire month of December. In the midst of our commitments, our family is completing holiday challenges in the scavenger hunt app. We’re doing the best we can, but we’re currently in 10th place. We’ll need to up our game soon!

So here’s the stats – two musical practices, two musical performances, two Christmas parties, multiple days with snow, Christmas cards out, Christmas wrapping mostly done… this week has been a LOT! The good news is the rest of the month mellows out now. We have some Christmas plans and traditions to make happen, but it shouldn’t be such a mad dash. We are ready to rest up and enjoy a bit of Christmas vacation right around the corner!

I apparently missed a milestone. My last post was my 1,000th on Amy Scott’s Thoughts! Woo hoo! WordPress notified me after the post was officially published. I’ve been blogging for over a decade, but I wasn’t keeping track of my post total. So, there you go. Here’s my 1,001st blog post! That can be a milestone too? Right? I’m going to claim it. Let’s celebrate!

While this blog started with intentions of bring brilliant (ha ha) and strategic with my posts… it’s definitely morphed with time. A decade ago (before kids when I had more brain cells), I hoped to share deep thoughts about life and ministry. Now, it’s mostly family updates and the occasional book-related post. I love sharing our family adventures and I love writing about books. Someday, I could see myself fully committing to the book blogging scene. Currently, I’m not hemming myself in, though. I don’t want to stick to one topic. I want all the options… which is why I post about homeschooling, baking, reading, travels, and the ordinary, everyday stuff of life. This blog is a bright spot in my week. It might not make me internet-famous, but it does make me happy. That’s all that matters. I hope it brings a little joy to you, too.

So, what’s been happening this week? This weekend was quite full… All good things, just a lot of things. I met up with a friend locally for hot chocolate on Friday morning. We caught up on life over holiday drinks at Starbucks. Friend time + a red cup = a happy Amy! I also drove up north to have “linner” (aka dinner at 3pm) at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse with my forever friend, Maggie. Two fun friend experiences in one day was a rare treat! Saturday, our family helped a family member move. It was a full day of moving boxes, organizing, and building furniture. I was very proud of my boys. They were super helpful! Sunday morning was spent at church practicing for the Christmas musical. Owen has his lines all memorized and he rocks his solo every time. I’m so excited to see him perform in December. He has worked so hard! Graham, too! Graham smiles from the front row of the choir. He has every song memorized and is super focused when it comes to doing the motions. It’s sweet to watch them shine! Sunday afternoon, we had family over to prepare for hunting season and they stayed for dinner. It was a big weekend, but full of good times with great people!

You’ll see pictures below of the ordinary moments from this last week. Baking projects, science experiments, puzzles, collecting wooly worms on walks… I’m so thankful the quieter days when we are home – doing school, hanging out, just being together. The weather is cold!!! I busted out the flannel sheets on Monday. I’m bundling up everyday for afternoon walks in the cold sunshine. The chill in the air makes being tucked inside feel extra cozy, like a safe haven. I just love ordinary days. I can appreciate a busy weekend, but I’m all for a slow week at home! It’s a good balance!

We had an unseasonably warm October and it messed with my head a bit. When the weather clears and I go outside, I’m shocked that it’s in the low 40s and not in the 70s. I keep reminding myself that it’s November. This is what November is supposed to feel like.

Along with the cooler temperatures, we’ve had our first blustery day and power outage. Friday, it poured all day long! Our plans to run errands seemed foolish. We should have taken a boat to the stores instead of our van. Friday night, after we were all tucked into bed, the power went out. Apparently, the wind picked up after the rain. Our kids don’t sleep well when the power goes out. The boys ended up sleeping in our bedroom on the floor. It was a family adventure! I’m left wondering why the power mostly goes out at night?!?! Why not in the morning or afternoon when our sleep isn’t interrupted?

Two very special celebrations happened last week. Thursday was the end of our first quarter of school. The boys selected grabber toys as their quarterly reward and they were thrilled with something new to play with. They’ve discovered the grabbers are especially handy for retrieving items under the couch. Thursday was also Red Cup Day where Starbucks switches to their holiday drink cups. Red Cup Day is a holiday in our family. Every year we make our way to Starbucks to celebrate. The boys and I got drinks and treats and then we made a special delivery to Jeremy at work.

Our big family focus right now is the Christmas musical at church. We have less than a month until the performances! Owen was given the part of “Lil G” (the angel Gabriel). He has both a singing solo and a speaking part. We are very excited for him! Our days are spent practicing his lines and every van ride has the practice CD blaring. Being a part of kid’s choir is new for me as well as the boys. It’s been a fun experience for all of us!

I’m still sort of in denial that it’s November, but the weather keeps reminding me we are here. I’ve pulled out my snowflake dishes (since it’s cold enough). We’ve started listening to Christmas music (not just the musical). I enjoy all the autumn vibes of November – it’s cold outside and cozy inside. I love preparing for Christmas. I’ve never had a conflict with Thanksgiving and Christmas. I embrace them equally in November. It’s a good feeling!