So Grateful...
Happy Thanksgiving weekend! I hope yours was wonderful.
Mine was! I'm not ready to go back to reality!
Let's review...
M had Wednesday through Friday off. It was pretty great!
Wednesday the kids and I had dental appointments, blah, but no cavities for any of us. I do have a filling that has chipped, which I need to get replaced. Apparently I'm a grinder, guess I haven't changed much from high school! Ha, kidding. I grind my teeth as I sleep. Is that bad? It is when your fillings start chipping and cracking... apparently!
I also did recess duty at the school, after an hour of Old Navy, because I had the time, and no kids! I got some coats for the boys, a little dress and skirt for me, some shirts for my big G. I stopped in at the Christmas Tree Shoppe, then turned directly around because there was so much to look at... I knew I didn't have the time!
It was great seeing my boy at recess. Q always runs up to me and likes to linger when I'm there, not G! I had to go give him a squeeze and he practically acted like he didn't know me after that! He loves it, I know he does, he just can't show it at school... why is that?
Thanksgiving Day
I got busy early making a double batch of rolls. Yum. Every year I make Lion House Rolls. This year they turned out better than ever. Light and fluffy, oh so delish! My littles jumped up to help me mix the dough, I love when they cook with me.
I also made a pomegranate salad. Also better than ever! Isn't this fruit just beautiful?
This one is easy... pomegranate, crushed pineapple (completely drained), apple, fresh whipped cream... so good! This year I added cashews (it normally calls for walnuts). I did enjoy that. It added a nutty flavor w/o any bitter. I think pecans would be good too.
As I was baking my neighbor Sue called and invited us to meet at the high school for a friendly game of football. I imagined some family football, but not the case... the little boys had a
great
time playing and we cheered and visited while they did. I told the ladies to bust out the 80's shoulder pads, next year we're playing family football! It was SUCH a beautiful day, in the 60's. Crazy beautiful, so loved it!
We came home and as I baked my loves all watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Such great sounds of love!
M was up next in the kitchen. He makes an amazing stuffing from scratch. This is my most favorite thing he makes. He's quite good in the kitchen!
We had dinner at the Chiapelli's this year. The Christensen's and Boyle's were also there. Tara decorated so fantastic and festive! The kids all had activities to do, football was on in full effect. It was great!
Love this 'natural' banner.
Aren't these hats so cute?
I am totally making these next year! Adorable right?
The food was amazing! We had ham and turkey. The turkey was brined then roasted on the grill. BEST turkey we've ever had... all of us! It was so moist and tender. Success Chiapelli's! Here is a look at more of our food...
After dinner the boys watched football and Molly busted out the adds. We all looked through the Black Friday adds. Molly is a rockstar and started her shopping that night. It's all progressively getting earlier and earlier! I actually came home and did my own online shopping and found my own great deals... in the comfort and warmth of my chair!
We finished off our night with pie! M and I tasted pecan pie for the first time. It was yum, but super sweet!
Forgot to add that I ditched the party for a bit to take dinner to Bill. He's a cute old man who spends Thanksgiving alone. I asked if he'd want to join us, but he said no. He and his dog have celebrated alone for years... but he didn't turn down my offer to bring Thanksgiving to him, so I did.
Black Friday
We all stayed home! I shopped from home and decorated with my Q. I wish decorating was just decorating, but no... I have to take down and pack up fall. Plus, I take stuff down that I normally decorate with, and replace it w/ Christmas stuff, that means many trips up and down stairs! It was an exhausting day! But, we are decked! I'll post about that another day.
Saturday
was a blissful day for me! I got to go on two dates!
M went and did some shopping in the morning. The kids and I got chores done.
Molly came to get me and we went to see the final Breaking Dawn. It was fabulous! Love my girl!
We went to the craft store, then Chili's. Loved spending time w/ her. I am blessed to have this lady in my life. She is my best friend.
I ran some errands on my own, then M and I got to go out. We ate at Applebees. I mostly didn't eat! We finished our movie... Kiss the Girls (1997). It was a good show. I'd never seen it.
I've been staying up late at night watching Gossip Girl on Netflix! I've stayed up WAY too late, but have loved it!
This weekend has also included much snuggle time, super mario, football, leftovers, family time. I don't want it to end!
Let me leave with this... for our last AD acivity we talked about Thanksgiving. I'll post about it soon, but we read together then quizzed the girls. I learned some new things about the facts, that I never took the time to learn.
- The first Thanksgiving meal was in October, as to celebrate the bounteous harvest, the peace with the Indians. Surely there was reason to celebrate. Why do we celebrate in November then?
- Year two the pilgrims didn't do as well.
- Year three wasn't looking good, the rains weren't coming and the ground was drying up and crops began to die.
-
The 3rd year brought a spring and summer that was hot and dry with the crops dying in the fields. Governor Bradford ordered a day of fasting and prayer, and it was soon thereafter that the rain came. To celebrate- November 29th of that year was proclaimed a day of thanksgiving. This date is believed to be the real true beginning of the present day Thanksgiving Day.
Is there something missing from your Thanksgiving? I love this gospel principle exhibited by this faithful people. The governor, of all people ordered a day of fasting and prayer. They needed God to help them. They were faithful, he answered with rain, blessings. AND, they remembered to thank him.
We say we are thankful on Thanksgiving. Who are we thankful to? Have we expressed to GOD that we are thankful? Have we given credit to the one who has blessed us? Are we forgetting to give credit where credit is due? Do we think that all we have has come from us?
I am thankful to God for all that I have. I know it comes from Him. I am blessed beyond needs and there are those that don't even have that. My life is full of joy and happiness and I know that is because of Him. I have people that matter to me, growth and learning, hobbies, material things, family, religion. I am blessed. And, I thank God for that.
Happy belated Thanksgiving.