Below is my yearly WEDNESDAY before THANKSGIVING post since 2014. I’m leaving it, AND holy moly what does expectations vs reality mean in 2020? Let’s do a listicle, shall we?

Every decision we make these days is 51% vs 49% . . . meaning there are no easy, landslide, victory type of decisions. We are gonna hem, haw, not know, angst, carry on and overthink.
Everyone is doing something slightly different when it comes to ‘the rules’, and we gotta either suffer in anxiety, judgment or just accept this is the case. Sigh.
This year’s holidays will be memorable no matter what we do. Easy peasy!
Think the 3G’s.
1. Grateful: Yes! Go ahead, be grateful for what you do have - fun and rambunctious children, a day off, some good food.
2. Grief: Yes! We all are missing out on many things, so much has been taken, so much unknown. It just is actually sad, make some space for it.
3. Grace: Give it to yourself. Do you need more time to unwind? Take it. Do you need the house neater than everyone else? Ask for it. Don’t want to make that gravy, or extra green beans, or cranberries? Don’t. Your kids don’t want to play that family game? Let them off the hook.
2020,. . .It’s one long, cold, unrelenting dose of reality! Chase it with a glass of wine, or a slice of pie or a snuggle on the couch.
Hugs to you and your family. Parenting is hard and in 2020 ….WOWZA!

Expectations: Cozy car ride talking to each other and playing the alphabet game and singing Raffi songs. Delicious home cooked nutritious meals where children try new foods and eat yellow and green and orange things. Getting to that pilates class &long walks after meals. Playing board games and doing puzzles. Combed hair, none of it in eyes, all of it in a hairband and no squabbles over styles or washing. Wearing the fancy & nice clothes Nana bought, all of it ironed, most of it unstained. Loving and understanding relatives who honor, cherish and cheer for each other. Sleeping in, oh I'm not crazy, I read that other post, Expectations 101, just a couple of mornings of uninterrupted sleep will do.

Reality: Traffic, she is on his side, they don't like that song, every 35 minute bathroom breaks. Carbs, sugar, booze, caffeine, carbs, more carbs. More booze, caffeine, carbs, lethargy, complaining, fat pants. Begging and pleading and even crying to get them off screens and standing up. Lice. Wrinkled shirt, I took that darn PEP class and let them pack, they forgot their khakis and now there is no choice but sweats for Thanksgiving dinner. Snarky and gossipy relatives who judge the kids, the parenting, the lice, the sweat pants. Four year old who wakes up at 4:30 am, urgent care, strep throat.

Expectations 101, Read it, learn it, try it, live it.

*Originally posted in 2014. Still makes me giggle.