Black Friday, Brown Thursday what's next White Wednesday?

This year for the first time that I can remember, there have been retail stores open on Thanksgiving day and giving "DoorBuster Deals"  I for one did not participant in any Black Friday or Brown Thursday.  Have we really forgot why we have thanksgiving in the first place?!

The Pilgrims and the Native Americans came together to celebrate the harvest together and be THANKFUL for what they have meaning the pilgrims made it to the new world, and made friends with the Native Americans.  

This does not mean leaving your family behind and go stand in line for two days to save money on a laptop.    I know the deals are good, but the fights, the early mornings, and the craziness of it all is not enough to NOT spend time with your family. 

"But my kids want this.. and my kids want that"  Look, I know they want those things, and guess what.  Its OK to tell your kids no.  I spent all day with my family on Thursday and then on Saturday, my family and I went and got our Christmas Tree and even did a little shopping of our own. 

My kids ask me why I do not go out for Black Friday and I tell them "No deal is worth fighting crowds, and not spending time with my family"  They may not get as many presents under the tree, but the gifts they do get, they like and treasure.  They love our traditions of Christmas morning just as much as they like getting the presents.  That is what the Holidays is about; spening time with family and enjoying their company. 

So next year instead of standing in line, go home, hug your family and relax and watch some cheesy Christmas movies.   Can we also stop with the stupid commercials that talk about leaving the family and heading to the store?!

Even these workers in Alabama know that while they earn minimum wage they should be able to spend some time with their families instead of working. 

This is how all families should spend Thanksgiving. 

(This is what my mom made for 6 people... We have LOTS of left overs.  Thanks mom!)

50th anniversary of the JFK Assignation and how it still effects me today.

Friday the 22nd of November 1963 the world was forever change.  They say that the shot that started the Revolutionary War was the Shot heard round the world.

JFK's assignation was the 3 shots heard around the world. There were many reports yesterday of how that day changed the united states, the presidency, the secret service, and even media. There were different types of stories and such

I heard a story on NPR yesterday, From Fresh Air, How the assignation changed Live TV today.  That is the one that stuck with me the most.  Very rarely did networks use live TV, because it was just too expensive. That was one of the few times also that the networks decided to cancel commercials. Spending all that money to use live TV, and not getting commercial money.

Yet because of that day, there is not a day goes by that every president since has not had a live TV camera with them. It was because of that decision, that they were able to catch the assignation of Lee Harvey Oswald. If you think about it a little deeper, would our need for social media news and the up to the date information that we need be what it is?

What would social media change the way that Americans reacted to the assignation?  Granted, thanks to TV, America and the world knew about within 10 mins. (That was how long it took for the TV networks to change over).  We would know the minute it happen, and have clear video of it, from 10 different angles, from cell phones everywhere.  There would be reports that would be given out, only to be retracted later as incorrect.  There would be raw Facebook posts of JFK, there would be pictures possibly pointing out the wrong person and people looking for one maintenance main on a room.

Would that improve the impact? Or would it lessen it?

Juggling the holidays with the step-kids, the other parents family, and trying not to top the other parent.

   Anyone who knew me before I married into my blended family, knew I was not the most organize person, and I'm not all the organized now.  That's changed a lot in the last 7 years I've been with my husband.  I went from a carefree lifestyle, only having to worry about where my parents wanted me and when for the holidays to juggling my schedule, husbands schedule, their mom's schedule, and their step-dad's schedule.

I've said it once and I'll say it again. I'm extremely lucky to be able to work with the boys mom as easily as we do.  For example, parent teacher conferences were this week.  We took the boys while she went.  I know we would've loved to be there with the teachers, but I had to work late, so did her husband, and so my husband went and got the kids and stayed with them that night.

However it's the holidays.  Which cause all types of drama in and of themselves, and why not throw everyone wanting to spend time with the kids while we are at it?

I love my mom, and she is a wonderful, caring and devoted person.  She also insists, that my family does Christmas on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  When my husband and I first got together, I wanted to strangle her, because there have been years where the boys didn't get to see my parents tree, or see my parents for Christmas because it just didn't work out with what we had worked out with the boys mom.

In situations like these EVERYONE needs to be flexible. Christmas is just a day, like any other, if you really think about it.  The point of Christmas is time together with your family, sharing and giving gifts and having a good time.  So what if it's on December 18th instead of the 25th? The point is for everyone to be together and share in the love.

Every year just around Halloween/beginning of November we sit down and figure out the holidays and who has the kids where and when.  It's a struggle, but we do it for the boys so that they can have the best of both worlds.

This time of year is extremely stressful for everyone, Psychology Today states that in 2011 step-families out number traditional families, and parents, step-parents, and even older step kids feel it acutely because of the blended families.

Please just relax!!  Work with the other parents, don't think YOU have to get them that certain present because you want to see like the cooler parent in the kids eyes.  We usually work with the boys mom so that they can get everything they want. Last year, she got them the wii U.. we got them tablets. The kids were ecstatic all around and they loved it.  They have traditions with us, and they have traditions with them. Believe it or not, the kids can tell when you're trying to compete.  Just be yourself and try not to pull your hair out.

Walking down the aisle again, vow renewals.

 Last year my husband and I renewed our wedding vows after 5 years of marriage.  During the planning process a lot of people asked us why we were renewing our vows.  Well, our wedding took less than 10 mins.  It was at 11am, and we were done by 11:07, and we even got pictures! 

Doesn't the magistrate look so excited?!   Yeah, it wasn't my ideal wedding and the husband suprised me during Christmas 2011 and proposed to me again. 

So then came the planning, and the money, and everything that went in between.  It was quite hectic, but I wouldn't have traded anything for it.  It was my dream wedding and it was my dream day. 

So that brings me back to my post, why have a renewal?  You got married before, why do it again?  There are a lot of reasons why, and what a lot of couples do is the one that I just mentioned.  Another one, is, to celebrate a major wedding anniversary.  The 25th, 50th, etc.  It's also a great way to re-connect with your spouse.  

Not really talkitive tonight, but thanks for listening.