Our son has returned to college - taking with him as many leftovers as possible. My husband returned to work today, and my daughter and I returned to school. Thanksgiving is over, and life is returning to normal.

My husband is tired of turkey, so I gave him sardines for dinner tonight. My daughter and I enjoyed the last of the turkey. I cooked normal vegetables today: turnip greens, parsnips, and black-eyed peas.

I exercised a bit more than normal while school was out, and felt the soreness in my leg and shoulder muscles. I took a day off yesterday, to allow tired muscles to recuperate. As soon as I post this blog, I'm going get back on my normal exercise routine.

With Christmas approaching, things won't be normal for long. I love the excitement of Christmas music, Christmas foods, and Christmas presents. However, I'll also be watching our stress levels for the next few weeks. Christmas shopping, studying for finals, and yearbook deadlines have the potential for making this busy time of year tense and exhausting.

For now, I'm glad to have a few days of normal between the holidays.