Thanksgiving

So here it is…I’m finally finishing something I started a week ago.  I’m not going to lie, this is pretty much par for the course right now. 

Our Thanksgiving holiday started the way every good holiday should, with some homemade Bailey’s (I made this as a hostess gift and just couldn’t quite fit it all into the 2 Mason jars, so I was practically forced to keep some for myself…yeah…forced…).

On Thursday we celebrated the holiday with Jason's family at "Mimi and Cwint's house."  Addy sported her turkey hat and showed off the Turkey Hop (she'd been practicing at Mimi's house every day...I love the awesome stuff that Mimi comes up with, but more on that another time).  Who can say no when this cutie asks you to gobble, hop, and flap?

I’m bummed that I don’t have more pictures from Thursday because it was an afternoon/evening I don’t want to forget.  Jason is always at his finest around his family, and by finest I mean most hilarious.  I love his interactions with his mom and sisters.  I’m so thankful these beautiful women have embraced me the way they have.  I love that his entire family stays seated for hours after dinner to just be with each other.  What would we do without Oma to keep us on our toes and Opa to keep her in line?  And Clint’s awesome fried turkey is just icing on the cake.

On Friday we got out all of our Christmas decorations, and I was struck by how much more exciting Christmas is going to be this year.  I get to experience the magic of Christmas through Addy’s sweet little eyes.  I can’t wait to make Christmas cookies and reindeer food and fill her with Christmas wonder.  She’s loving our “pretty lights” and trees and stockings (and we haven’t even strung cranberries yet)!  Pictures to come…

Saturday was Thanksgiving with my family.

 

There was the traditional euchre game (during which, as usual, you could find my Papaw sleeping on the couch). 

Addy made her own Thanksgiving dinner (play-doh berries). 

And of course a princess needs a lip gloss touch up after grueling hours over a play stove.

My favorite part of every Thanksgiving meal…

That’s right, the crispy oh-so-delicious skin.  Yep.  I took a picture of turkey skin.  Freakshow.

Sunday I took the kids over to visit one of my besties, who was home from Portland for the holiday.  I was taken with the beautiful relationship between her, her sisters, and her mother.  It made me feel excited, yet again, that we’ve given our children each a sibling.  I was in awe of how easy it felt for Addy, Cohen, and I to jump right in with them.  I also snuck away with my Aunt Debbie to watch the latest Twilight movie (yep…another guilty pleasure.  I’ve read all the books.  Twice).  Jason hates going to the movies so I took the opportunity to eat salty popcorn until my lips were dried and shriveled.  We worked on a project that I’ll hopefully get to show off soon (why don’t any of my hair-brained DIY’s come together easily?).  We played and recuperated.  Addy insisted on a fire in the fireplace.  It was just nice.  One of those weekends that you don’t want to end…I can only hope it was a teaser of the Christmas holiday to come.  

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All weekend long we tried to get Addy to understand the concept of being thankful.  In the end, when we asked her what she was thankful for, she would inevitably name off all of the people in the room.  I’m realizing now, even if she didn’t complete understand the concept, she couldn’t be any more right.  I’m so thankful for all of the beautiful people in my life.