November Fave Five 3

It's the week before Thanksgiving!

Time to reflect back on the week and find those five favorite things.....mine involve music, a movie, special moments with my daughters, special conversations, and my favorite hot beverage...... I like to think of these as blessings from God....special treasures tucked into my week....

What are your favorite things?  To play along, simply head over to this site and link up with Susanne.  She is our very gracious host for the Friday Fave Five!

• MOVIE NITE!  My 2 daughters and I had a free Saturday evening. My husband was in the air on the way to New Orleans for a week-long business trip and none of us had plans for the evening. I was looking forward after a long day of errands and housework, to sitting and relaxing with my girls and watching this movie that had great reviews. It is a fantasy. And a tear-jerker.....we enjoyed popcorn (my oldest) and ice cream sundaes (the ballerina and I).  There is nothing like renting a movie and curling up on the couches for a quiet evening in.  

• FEAST FAVORS!  I had so much fun making these Thanksgiving favors.  Each autumnal bag holds gourmet chocolates, candy corn, sour sugar pumpkins and a candle (for the women).  The children are getting chocolate turkeys, handmade by a chocolate shoppe here in our town, and put on lollipop sticks.  I traced a small pumpkin cookie cutter and put on card-stock.  I wrote each person's name inside the pumpkin and then used a leaf stamp and leaf stickers to decorate the corners and back.  Tied glittery orange/yellow silk ribbon around each baggie to keep the treats inside.  I can't wait to place each one on each person's dinner plate.....simple, inexpensive, and easy....a real fave for me!

• NEW FLAVOR!  My teenager's favorite coffee is Dunkin' Donuts French Vanilla, but when we ran out this week, I told her I was buying a new flavor they just came out with:  MOCHA MINT.  It is YUMMY!  Perfect for the holiday season.  Yes...we'll still brew the Green Mountain Nantucket Blend for the morning cup but this yummy flavor goes great as an after dinner coffee or a late afternoon snack. and the best part?  It brought us together for conversation in the car on the way to a French Club meeting I had to attend with her Wed evening.....chatting with Courtney in the car is turning into a fave with me.....

• MUSIC!  I rarely listen to classical music any more. Which is strange since I majored in Music (Piano/Voice) as an undergrad.  But...the other morning, on the way to work, I was having trouble finding music on the 3 Christian stations I like...it seemed like they were just advertising constantly...so...I switched to the classical station and was sweetly serenaded by a lovely orchestral piece followed by a piano sonata.  It made me pause to reflect on my days of practicing piano and I determined in my heart to carve out time to sit at my piano this winter and actually get back to the classical music I love so much. 

• CHRISTMAS SHOPPING &  CONVERSATION!  I had so much fun with my youngest, Claire, yesterday.  We both had a half day of school due to conferences, so after lunch we headed out with the Operation Christmas Child boxes and filled them for little girls.  What fun I had watching Claire choose just the right items.....from a cuddly dog to fancy hair ties.  She was so happy that I let her wander the small shop on her own (I was actually one aisle over at all times).  She loved talking with me about the project and it made me realize just how special this activity really is, especially with today's American children growing up with relative ease compared to children of 3rd world countries. We talked about how this year we must be on a budget for Christmas if the girls want to attend the youth group retreats and school field trips and how they must earn the money for these trips by working extra jobs around the house. This topic also "just happened" to be the discussion for my small group that very evening!  Having good conversation with other mom friends who are sisters in Christ about the difficult act of teaching tweens and teens to save, spend less, budget, tithe, invest, have a good, healthy work ethic really makes my fave list.....these women are doing life and I am blessed to be able to lead them and walk alongside them. We all learn from each other. And with that.....I say a huge "THANK YOU" to God...He knew I needed good friends.  He knew my heart was lonely and sad over a broken friendship that I am still hoping can be restored.  I place my hope in Him.....and give Him thanks for surrounding me with friends who understand and are lifting me in prayer.  I love praying for them, too, and our 2 meetings each month really inspire us to press in and seek Him together.

And...that's it for me!

My hubby comes home late tonite.......and then we have 2 days to whip everything together for the Thanksgiving vacation.  

Did you have a fave moment this week?  What about a fave Scripture??

Feel free to leave a comment sharing what God surprised you with!