Five Things on Friday - Long Weekend Edition

This weekend, I have nothing planned. I mean that pretty literally. I have no where to be, nothing that has to be done and a great expanse of vastiness awaiting my presence. That's not to say that I'm not going to do anything.  I'm going to visit my ailing (and pitiful) Grandmommy, I'm going to a first birthday party for a little girl at church, I'm going to do laundry and clean the house and read and crochet and finish some craft projects and then actually photograph them so I have something about which to write a Making It! post. I'm also going to get my car ready to sell. Or burn. Whichever is the least frustrating.

And I couldn't be happier about my vast expanse of down time. I hope there are good marathons on TV and that my kids want to nap a lot.

That said, I was thinking about nice holiday weekends and I thought I would share

My Five Ingredients to a Pleasant Holiday Weekend
(Also, there should be an award because they all start with "F")

1. Family - I am one of those gluttons for punishment who truly enjoys being around my family. Almost all of them. Definitely my kids and my mom and dad and little brother. Even if all we do is sit on the couch and watch 42 straight episodes of "Say Yes to the Dress," it's better than not being with them. It helps that I have a pretty rocking family. I mean, no offense to your parents or kids or siblings, but I'm pretty sure mine are better. Just saying. You can comfort yourself with the knowledge that you are probably better than I am.

2. Food - I love food. It shows. But I'm pretty much down with all of it. And holiday food is by far the best. I don't know that I'm going to get much holiday food this weekend, but I am planning on doing some cooking. Cooking is also where it's at. I don't necessarily like the hot kitchen this time of year, but when you make something that makes people's eyes roll back in their heads, it's totally worth it. My grandma hates to cook and she's mostly the one who taught me how to cook. I can easily understand not liking the process, but to me that feeling of making someone else something life sustaining and rilly-rilly good is downright addictive.

3. Fiber - I can't imagine a long weekend or holiday without some yarn and a hook. I'm easily amused. The colder it gets, the more lap covering my projects get. This time of year, I like to knock out things like Christmas tree ornaments and dishrags, saving my sweaters and baby blankets for a time that I don't mind my lap being covered with what amounts to an ever-moving blanket. I haven't decided what I'm going to work on this weekend, but it's going to be epic.

4. Friends - As most of my friends have their own family obligations over holidays, I don't get to hang with the girls like I used to, but even a Sunday night phone chat, knowing you don't have to get up on Monday morning is pretty much worth it.

5. Frosty Beverages - A margarita or a lemonade or a really icy Coke. I'm easy to please in the beverage department. I'm pretty sure I'm going to make some lemonade this weekend. I'm still trying to master the skill.

What are you doing this weekend and what makes for a great holiday weekend in your book?