It’s the Sunday morning after Thanksgiving. All the excitement of Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday shopping weekend has come to a screeching and mind-numbing silence in the house.
It’s kind of scary to feel blue after having so much fun.
I might need to make some stress relieving tea? Or maybe I should sit still long enough to paint my nails? And relax, and get into the silence to face my fears.
When I sit and face my fears about the quietness of the empty nest, I feel like a child focused on the task of coloring.
My mind gets absorbed in so many different colorful thoughts when the holidays roll around each year. I know with each passing year, the highlights are what I need to hold on to, not focus on what I’m missing.
So here we are, another Thanksgiving meal consumed, with plenty of pie. Another holiday gathering has been written in the history books of our lives. This year, the little kids learned from the adulting ones about how it’s okay to keep on coloring as you age.
Or maybe it is the other way around? Do the younger ones teach us it is okay to stop, pause, and take the time to pick out the very best color?
I just know that while it’s scary to carry on when the kids grow up and fly from the nest, it’s damn fun to have them back around making noise, filling the house with shopping bags, sharing moments of laughter and smiles and, “Yes, Mom, we’ll take a family photo too!”
I’m feeling wiser this year…I think a day of rest is in order for the three of us – empty nesters.
Mostly for this pup – it has been exhausting smelling all the new, yet familiar smells of people coming and going. He’s also getting tired of hanging out on the Mr.’s lap instead of the Mrs. lap. Oy…it’s scary how the new quiet is kinda nice, in a way – is the new normal preferred? I don’t know about that, but…
There’s always tomorrow to wrap the gifts and start the decorating. ‘Cuz there’s one more day to eat pie…I’ve been slicing the pieces so thinly, the pie has been lasting the whole weekend!
From our family to yours, Cheers to a happy holiday season.
Post Inspiration – Thanksgiving and Nancy Merril’s Photo a Week – Blue
PS – What post eating activity does your family enjoy doing? Do you color together? Do you go shopping? Do you cut your pie really thinly so it lasts longer or do you go for the big pieces so it doesn’t tempt you all weekend?
Enjoy the day and finish the pie 🙂
Thank you, Alice 🙂
What wonderful family photos! They are so precious to have as the moments like these go by in the blink of an eye…or so it seems. At least a photo proves it really happened! No leftover pie for me as we traveled to our son’s for the day…and he kept all the leftovers. Haha. Which is fine since his appetite is bigger than ours.
Being an empty nester really changes everything!
Great post 🙂
Thank you 🙂 We sent home much of our leftovers too – we don’t eat them fast like we did with the kids around! Yes, EN does change things, that’s for sure!
Such lovely family photos! Adults need not fully grow up. I’m a fine example 😬
LOL – thank you for the inspiration to stay forever young at heart!
It was fun having all the kids around for us too, plus my 95-year-old mom. I’m not really afraid of the quiet though, it is something I actually look forward to – LOL. Coloring is great fun. Looks like you guys had a great time. Perfect family picture too!
Thank you! Aw, that’s wonderful that your mom made it too! I go between enjoying and dreading the quiet, but it is nice for napping…!
It’s lovely having company and family back filling up the house but the quiet takes adjusting to all over again. Large or small slices of pie, I’d happily have it anyway!!
Yes, it does! Enjoy the pie, enjoy the peace, and enjoy the happy memories of noises that bring you joy!
Everyone is gone now. The house wasn’t too too much of a mess but I got it cleaned up in about two hours. Tomorrow I mop the floors. And wash all the sheets. I already had one cosmo cocktail at dinner.
Then I head over to the spa for a massage (it’s my birthday too). I deserve it!!!!!
I haven’t cleaned yet, I’m impressed that you have yours all done! Good cheers for you – and Happy Birthday to you! Mine is on Thursday this week. Hope the massage was everything you hoped it would be!
Aha – now I see you will embark on the decorating now – I mentioned in a comment whether you had already decorated in advance of the holiday … so now I know. Copper looks comfy on Mr.’s lap. My mom loved pie, especially pumpkin and lemon. She did this little trick called “evening up the pie” … ha ha, she would cut a slice of pie, usually a generous slice, then notice it had a ragged edge (as opposed to a justified edge??), so she’d whip up a knife and declare “I need to even up the remaining slices of pie.” And that is how we went through alot of pie just the two of us!
LOL – that’s a brilliant pie cutting technique. I kinda do that too, just never ‘labeled’ it. That’s awesome!
Thanks for sending your address? I used it and read your blog. I have to say I have a lot of adult color books. Only now my eyes are not like they once were. I should rest tham but that is hard to do when you’re always sewing , reading,. Happy holidays.
Thank you, Pat! I appreciate you stopping by to read my blog. Yes, rest your eyes, and take care of yourself. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season! xx
It’s so interesting how holidays create so many conflicting emotions in us. Our kids are struggling more this year in years past. My husband ex-wife was killed in August, so the rest of this year and most of next will be a series of difficult firsts for all of the kids and our grandchildren without her. I hope the rest of your Holiday Season is filled with warmth, family, and joy. Thanks for joining the challenge!
Yes, it is interesting how emotions grab us at this time of the year. I’m sorry to hear of your family’s trials. I hope your family finds support, healing, and joy this season – firsts after the death of a loved one are emotional, that’s for sure. Hugs to all!