The great thing about taking a vacation from work is that you mental check out from work a few days before vacation starts. I found myself in this situation last Thursday around 3pm. Sitting at my desk, my work for the week completed, I was looking at my remaining vacation days.

As I was looking at the vacation days I had planned for the rest of the year, Thanksgiving and the last two weeks of December I realized that I had three unaccounted vacation days to use up, score! I decided to take two Fridays off in December to have a two four day work weeks before my 2 week Christmas vacation. But what to do with the one remaining day? Since my Thanksgiving vacation was starting in two days and all of my work was completed I decided to go ahead and start vacation early and take the next day off.

So begins the To-Do list.

Thanksgiving vacation had already been designated to the nursery and getting it ready for baby. After reviewing all kinds of nurseries on Rate My Space we finally decided on a design and it was off to Lowes. We’ll be sharing the details of the painting of the nursery (with pictures) as soon as it’s all completed.

The reason we are painting is because we have a big box sitting in the garage that contains the crib. I was told that the room must be painted before we can assemble the crib so that was the order I was following. I’ve spent the last three days taping, painting, taking tape off, re-taping, painting another color, taking tape off, re-taping, painting yet another color, taking tape off, etc. The goal is to have the nursery done by Thanksgiving Eve and we are well on target.

Thanksgiving Day will bring the usual eating until the button on your pants pops off followed by napping. Naps aren’t just for children you know. I must say though, I’m a little disappointed because I haven’t seen any commercials for a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special. This makes me sad. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Wifey, happy as can be that there is no Charlie Brown on TV. I’ve told her more than once that had I known she disliked Charlie Brown before we got married there is a strong possibility that I couldn’t have gone through with it. But in typical engagement fashion, we both hid all of flaws until after the honeymoon.

After Thanksgiving is the traditional start of Christmas! We have a 9 ft Christmas Tree we bought on clearance the day after Christmas (the only time you should buy a new Christmas tree) we are dying to take out of the box! It’s also that time of the year when I get to get the ladder out and climb onto the roof to put up Christmas lights. It’s a good time for a man when he is standing on the roof of his house. I wish it were acceptable for me to climb up there even when there is no reason to.

Before I return to painting, a few things we are thankful for this year.

• Our first baby. We cannot wait to meet you.
• Each other. The perfect person to wake up with, come home to and spend the rest of your life with.
• Health. It’s easy to forget about until it quickly fades and reminds you of it’s importance. It’s greatly appreciated to have it around.
• Happiness. You can never have too much of it.

To all of you and your families, Happy Thanksgiving!