Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Our Happy Thanksgiving

We had a wonderfully simply Thanksgiving Day at home this year. So much to be thankful for - our health, happiness, having a home, our loving family. We are tremendously blessed and try to remember that every day instead of just on Thanksgiving. I reflect (every year) on how Thanksgiving was for me growing up and think about what my boys will remember. I may have mentioned this in year's past but I'm going to mention it again! For me, I remember going to my Great Grandparents' house for a large gathering of extended family. We would rake leaves for them, an acorn fight always ensued, have lunch, play in the barn's hay loft and then use the tractor to take all the leaves away. That, of course, required jumping in them!! Then I remember the men would target practice with their guns - usually a soda can or something - and we'd all watch. Back then, I HATED raking leaves and always wondered why we had to do it. But now I know. Family takes care of family and you especially help your elders. My Great Grandma Verla was a sweet lady who dipped snuff and would tell us stories of when they first got power and taking the horse and buggy into town. (I am VERY fortunate to have memories of all four of my Great Grandparents.) These days, Great Grandma's house sits empty.... and it's kind of sad. But I'm glad it's still standing and is a reminder of those good times. I'm thrilled that my Dad deconstructed the barn I used to play in and reconstructed on their farm (pretty much across the street from Great Grandma's) so my boys can grow up playing in it. 

One other Thanksgiving Day memory of mine is watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while my Mom cooked for our big lunch. That is definitely something that continues today. Eli & Cole love seeing all the balloons but their little attention spans can't handle the entire parade just yet....but one day! 

So this year, we went down to the lake and fed the ducks their Thanksgiving meal. The boys loved it and I'm pretty sure (based on how few people were around) the ducks loved it too! I cooked in the afternoon and we had a nice Thanksgiving dinner together. In the future, when the boys get a little bigger, I'd love to volunteer as a family at a soup kitchen or something. 

We hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well and that every day you think of at least one thing to be thankful for. 

Piled in the back of Mommy's truck - a special treat!
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
Sweet boys!!
Our Thanksgiving dinner - Eli & Cole insisted on candles and we had a pine cone turkey Cole made as the centerpiece. And Eli insisted on wearing his swim goggles for dinner, guess he was concerned that a food fight would break out! 

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